would be at all the religious meetings, and manifest a silent and eager attention. What are called the hard things, fuch as the doctrines of total depravity, of the decrees, election, and the like, were popular. Those who were once angry when ever these things ject, when thoroughly convicted, and rather smite on their breasts. wrath, and their feet finking in that horrible pit, from whence there is no redemption. Nature does not afford an adequate comparison to fet forth thefe fcenes; they exceed the things of time, as the foul exceeds the body, or eternity exceeds time. "A wounded Spirit who can bear?" The appear-were preached, would cease to obance was more like an execution day. An awful filence reigned, unless when it was broke by the cry, "what shall I do to be faved!" But it was not long before (as we hope) one and another were bro't to repentance and faith, and into the enjoyment of the pardon and comfort of the gofpel. And to behold poor finners who were but yesterday on the brink of destruction, and wholly unreconciled to God, now brought to fubmit to him, and to hear them fing the new fong; intirely furpaffed all the victories of the most famous Kings and Generals of our world. Here I would alfo mention, that the things which took hold of the mind were plain gofpel truths, with which the people had long been acquainted, and heard with indifference. I heard one fay, "I ufed to think I believed there was a God, but I find I never did till of late." The work was by no means noify, but rational, deep and ftill. The rational faculties of the foul were touched, and poor finners began to fee, that every thing in the bible was true; that God was in earneft in his precepts, and threatenings; that they were wholly finful and in the hand of a fovereign God. In thefe things they seemed to themselves and others like those awaked out of fleep. The heart would oppofe, but reafon and confcience were convicted, and the mouth was fhut. The first you would know of perfons under awakenings was, that they I There was a certain man in the place, 50 years of age, who had neglected public worship, and had always been opposed to the things of the gofpel, and who for fome time was at all the meetings. On a certain evening, the first part of January, I made him a visit with a view to converse with him on the state of his mind; when he gave me for fubstance the following account. "My mind began to be impreffed as far back as September; but I kept it to myself. Several things feemed to confpire to increase my attention. Some time in the fall I thought in my fleep that my daughter, who is dead, came into the room. knew that he was dead and faid to her, What have you come for? She replied, Father, I am come to tell you not to be damned. Tho' this was but a dream it tended to increase my concern. A little after this, these particular words: Prepare to meet thy God O Ifrael; founded daily in my ears. last night my mind was fo impreffed that I could not sleep. I arofe about midnight, and called up my family. We prayed. After which I returned to my bed again, but was equally diftreffed as before. When the day approached, I arose, and taking my garment to put on, it appeared to me that it was God's and I trembled to think how I had ufed God's property. All that I turned my eyes on looked like But God's things. When I opened the door and beheld the world, and the rifing morning, the appearance was the fame. And the view of the terrible majefty of that God, whofe were the heavens, and the earth, and all things, fo overwhelmed my mind, that it took away my bodily ftrength. I turned about and fell on my knees, for I had not ftrength to ftand. I thought of poor Infidels, that though they made light of these things, yet, if the ftrongest of them were to fee the dreadful majesty of God, which was now difcovered to my mind, they would not be able to ftand. After I returned into the houfe, I directly had a view of the precioufnefs of Jefus. And I could pour out my foul for Chrift's dear minifters. Then my mind turned on the caufe of Zion. I longed to have it built up, and the prefent work go I thought of the poor heathen, and faid, O that the Angel with the everlafting gofpel might fly through the earth! I could love my enemies, and pray for their converfion; and confefs to every one I had injured." on. This is for fubftance what he told me at my entering the house, without being afked a queftion. •After a fhort pause he added. "I with you would pray for me that I might be converted, if God can convert me, confiftently, with his pleafure and glory. If not, I do not defire it. I wish alfo that you would pray for my poor children, that God would convert them; not that they are any better, or their fouls worth any more, than my reighbor's." The day light was now gone, and we went to a meeting. The 102d Pfalm was fung. "Let Zion and her fons rejoice;" &c. After finging he expreffed himself nearly in thefe words. "O what what fweet fing, ing! I never heard fuch finging before! This is the first happy meeting I ever faw. I never knew what love was before. I used to think I had love, but I find I never had." This was Friday evening. The following Sabbath, the Lord's fupper was adminiftered. He tarried as a spectator, and appeared to be filled with comfort and joy. In the intermiffion heobferved; "This is the firft Sermon I ever heard." And he remarked, how gloriously it looked to fee Zion fitting at the table of Jefus, and praying unto and praifing her king. As he fpake much of his precious Jefus, I replied, "Why do you thus admire him?" He anfwered, "Becaufe he loved his Father's law," The queftion was then put, "Do you think that Jefus is a friend to the divine law and government ?" His anfwer was, "Yes, I believe that Jefus has that regard for the law, that rather than fee it made void he would fend ten worlds to hell.” The question then "Do you love him for this?" He replied, "I do." But all this while, he did not fpeak of himself, as though he thought he was converted. was, The work now was evidently on the increafe. We had lectures every week, moftly preached by neighboring minifters. And here I would mention, that the awakenings in other places, the proclamation from the General Affembly, refpecting the fabbath, and the regulations in schools, all feemed to be attended with good effects. Conferences were fetting up in every part of the parish; all religious meetings were growing full and folemn and every week, and fometimes every day would bring the animating news of fome one hopefully converted. Indeed and first cause of every thing; and it seemed as if it would be impoffi- thanks. But now,, when the ble, for any thing to ftand before thought ftruck his mind, that he the power of God; and that every had no independent power to do one must bow. However dread the leaft thing without God, it ful experience proves, that natural pricked him to the heart. This men are, indeed morally dead.-infinite God appeared the great They are harder than rocks, deafer than adders, and more stubborn than the sturdieft oaks; that which will break down the rocks, and tear up the obftinate oaks, will have no effect on the carnal mind. As means did not begin this work of themselves, fo neither did they fupport, or carry it on. But as this was the work of the omnipotent fpirit, fo the effects produced proclaimed its fovereign, divine Author. One was taken here, and another there; and often those where we fhould the leaft expect. I have feen fome at this time under the most awakening judgments, as thoughtless as ever; and others in full health and profperity pricked in the heart. A certain neighbour in the course of the winter, had a dan gerous epidemical difeafe, (which was now in fome inftances very mortal among us) come fuddenly into his family in a threatening manner. Yet neither this terrible fickness, nor the awakenings of others, could aroufe his attention. But after the family were all recovered, this neighbour, (as he told me) on a certain morning arofe as fecure as ever; but on going to his bàrn as ufual, the thought ftruck his mind, that he could not do the leaft thing without God. He had lived a careless, vain life, and made light of the awakening. He told me he thought it was too filly a thing, for a rational creature to attend to. He used to fay, if a man labored hard he ought to live well. Hence he felt no obligation, nor faw any caufe even for afking a bleffing, or returning Another perfon told me thus, "I was returning, on fuch an evening, from a conference, where I had feen numbers under concern, and heard others fpeak of the love of God, and of their hope in Chrift. But nothing took hold of my mind, until as I was on my way home, thefe words founded in my ears. "Is it nothing to you all ye that pafs by ?" Thefe words fixed on his mind, and he applied them thus: “Is it nothing to me, that my neighbours and those of my age are troubled about their fins, and fome hopefully converted to God? Have I not fins to be troubled about as well as they? And do not I alfo need conversion?" I faw this perfon about a fortnight after his mind was thus taken hold of, and his convictons were much increased; when he obferved thus; "I find that all I do is felfifh. If I pray or read, all is selfish. And I feel myself like one hung upon tenter hooks. His fituation is very diftreffing, but the more he firuggles the deeper the painful hooks penetrate." This was Saturday, and it was indeed a ferious, trying hour. But the next day this man hopes that he received a new heart from the afcended Saviour. I have heard him fay "that a new heart, or deliverance from fin, appeared he thought, more precious than deliverance from hell.” I obferved a little back, that exceed the provocation; and, is this fpiritual shower was fovereign not too long retained: for the diin its operation. There was a rection is, let not the fun go down certain man, between 40 and 50, upon your wrath. But is the fame living in a remote part of the par- wrath criminal after funfet, which ifh, who was a Gallio as to reli- was innocent before? Or does it gion, and entirely abforbed in the give place to the devil after the things of the world. He had at- fun is down, and not before? Why tended no conferences, and was may we indulge an anger in the feldom at meetings on the Sabbath. day time, which we muft put away. But one evening having gone to at night? Befides, are we not liabed as thoughtless as ever, he awa-ble to eftimate provocations unjustked about midnight when thefely? One man will highly refent, words came forcibly into his mind: "O that they were wife, that they understood this, that they would confider their latter end !" Here was the beginning of his conviction which lafted three or four weeks. I have heard him fay, that he found himself naked, a finner, and without excufe. And before he found Jefus, he was brought to fee that God was juft, if he fent him to hell. what will give no unbrage to another. This explanation of the precept muft certainly be defective It gives no fixed standard, by which anger may be tried-Lt affords no certain rule for the government of the paffions. Yet, anger is lawful, and not only lawful, but commendable. It exifts in the divine mind: For, God is angry with the wicked every day. We are told that, on a certain occafion, Jefus I faid in the beginning of this looked about, on his captious ene letter, that before the awakening, mies, with anger, being grieved for modern infidelity had made, and the hardness of their hearts. This was making, alarming progrefs a- was righteous anger the anger of mong us. Some who had been an infinitely benevolent mind—an infidels for years are among the anger, containing a high and perhopeful converts; and are labor- fect disapprobation of wickedness. ing to build up the faith they once Such anger we may exercife; and fought to destroy. I might en-fball, if we have the spirit of Chrift. large; but fhall here clofe my first Buc every degree of that anger, letter, leaving further particulars, which feeks the hurt of its object, for the next; which I purpofe to is ciminal. Every degree of that fend you (if this is accepted) the feeling of mind, which enjoys the first opportunity. From your fincere friend, FOR THE CONNECTICUT EVAN- "Be ye angry, and H fufferings of another, be the prov- to only to acquaint himself with their knowledge on these subjects; but that he hoped to make it an inftructive meeting to them—that he would by no means have any of them in the leaft difconcerted, tho' he fhould afk feveral queftions, which they might be unable to anfwer-that fuch questions would which enjoys the pain of another, and leads to inflict it when in our power, invades the prerogative of that God, who says, vengeance is mine, I will repay. He, who indulges this anger, takes the fword of divine vengeance into his own hands. Whenever we feel a pleafure in the disappointment, the calamity or fufferings of a fellow-give creature, be his character what it may, or whatever abuses we may have received; it may be depended on, we indulge a fpirit of revenge. That anger, which will prevent mourning with thofe, who mourn which is inconfiftent with praying for the best good of its object, is finful. That anger, and that alone, which confifts in difapprobation of wickednefs, and oppofition of will to it, is lawful. This is virtuous anger-it makes us like Chrift. This anger does not ruffle or discompose the mind. It unfits for no duty; but may be felt with calmness and ferenity. We are not forbidden to let the fun go down upon fuch anger as this. Letters to Mifs N (Continued from page 110) LETTER II. MA'AM, my IN him an opportunity to inftruct them, by anfwering them himself, which, he said, was a principal object that he had in view. He further defired, that they, would, not only give their opinions on any queftion he fhould propofe, but as far as they were able, give, by way of evidence of it, at least one decifive proof, as a reason why. they believed it, for as he juftly remarked, their belief of a truth would be of little service to fatisfy themfelves, or inftruct others, unlefs they were able to give a reason for it-I propofe to give you the fubftance of the examination. It is true that fome of the questions were not correctly answered, and others not in the best manner proved by fome of the candidates. In thefe cafes, the minifter explained them himself. I fhall give the anfwers, as well as I can, as he either ftated them, or approved them in others. 2. Is there a God? A. There is; and it is evident from the existence of the world, and every thing which we behold. 2. Is the Bible his word? A. The ex former letter, I began an account of a meeting I attend ed, when a number of people in this town were examined, as candidates for admiffion into the church.alted idea it gives of God, the acI mentioned fomething concerning complishment of its prophecies, your amiable friend Mifs C. and the confiftency and excellency Your curiofity, you fay (I hope of its doctrines and precepts, prove fomething more than that) has led that it is from him. God you to request, that I would finifh good? A. The excellency of his the narration. law is as real an evidence of his goodnefs as creation is of his pow Before the Rev. Mr. began to examine them in the doctrines and inftitutions of the gofpel, he obferved, that he defigned, not er. His gofpel is a further manifeftation of unfpeakable goodness. 2. Is the father God? A. Chrift |