ful and inftructive. Among oth-bled most of the Pharifees; and many felf-righteous finners of the prefent age. They depend on their inoffenfive morality, and regular attendance on the forms of duty; and cherish the fallacious hope, that God will notice them with his favor, at the last day. ers, the experience of the apostle Paul is worthy of attention. He gives a fummary account of it, in the feventh chapter of his epiftle to the Romans. He tells us in the ninth verfe, that he was alive without the law once; but when the law came, fin revived, and he died. By this it appears 1. That Paul was once without the law; which was before his converfion. But this declaration must be taken in a qualified fenfe. He was well verfed in the law, as taught by the Jewish Rabbies. He had made it his principal study, under the inftruction of Gamaliel, a famous doctor; and he was exceedingly zealous of it, and profited above many. But he was without it, in that he had no fenfe of its purity, and fpirituality. He regarded it as a mere ritual, claiming only external conformity. He had never known its demands on the heart, and its univerfal extent over the whole man. His views of the law were very much like thofe of most impenitent finners, in the days of their tho'tlefs fecurity. They ufually have no fenfe of the holinefs and extent of the fervices required. 2. While Paul was without the law, he was alive. He viewed himself alive. He knew not that he was in a state of fin, which is fpiritual death. His confcience He was ready to fay, All these commands have I kept from my youth up; what lack I yet?-And he had no fenfe of his condemnation, which alfo is juftly called death. He verily tho't, that he lived like a fon of Abraham; and that he did God fervice, even when he perfecuted his church. And that he fhould unquestionably be juftified before God.In this he refem was void of offence. 3. While Paul was thus alive without the law, the commandment came. This was, when he was on his memorable journey to Damafcus, in full oppofition to Chrift and his cause. Christ arrefted him. Truth was now bro't into his view. The commandment came with power. He faw it in its fpirituality. It no longer appeared a carnal ritual, but a law to the whole foul, requiring holinefs of heart and life, and con> demning every tranfgreffion of the rules of perfect purity. O how different, at this time, were his ideas of God and duty, from what till now they had always been !— How new and folemn are thefe things to finners, when for the firft time, the commandment comes ! 4. When the commandment came, fin revived. His former ideas of his own goodness and righteousness now forfook him. His confcience, which was formerly void of offence, was filled with anguish, by fudden, and dreadful difcoveries of his heart and life. He found that all was wrong-that he was totally depraved, in his affections and conduct. -Such are the ufual discoveries made to finners, when God takes them in hand, in the day of their convictions, and fets their fins in order before their eyes. 5. When the commandment came, he died. All his hopes of juftification, on the plan which he had fo long and fo zealously purfued, were at an end. He faw himself certainly and righteously e condemned. He knew little or | high calling, which is in Christ nothing of the way of juftification thro' Christ. And had he known it, his proud heart would have rifen against it, until he was humbled by a fuperior power. He tremHe bled. He was aftonished. fell down. He cried out through his diftrefs, Lord what wilt thou have me to do.' His anguish was fach, that he could neither eat nor drink, for three days and three nights. Hell was open before him, and deftruction had no covering. He found trouble and forrow. Thus when finners learn the import of the divine law, and fee the ftate of the controverfy between God and themfelves, their delufions vanish, they find themfelves condemned, no lefs by their own confciences, than by the law of God; and they fee themselves dependent on the fovereign good pleafure of God, to whom it belongs, either to fubdue and fanctify their hearts, or execute upon them his wrath, as fhall feem good in his fight. Jefus ; rejoicing in the hope that at the end, God would deliver him from this body of fin and death.Thus it often pleases God to renew finners, when he has fufficiently difcovered to them their fin and mifery. They immediately enter on the Chriftian life, and fix their hopes of pardon and fanclification, on the redemption of Chrift, and the work of his holy Spirit. They contend against their remaining corruptions, are gradually fanctified, and become fruitful in holiness, and in the end become meet for the inheritance in glory. By fuch wife measures, God prepares his people to receive and rejoice in Chrift; and thus he trains them up, for everlasting bleffedness in his prefence. G. An Account of a work of Divine grace in a Revival of Religion, in a number of Congregations in New-England, in the years 1798 and 1799, in a series of Letters to the Editors. [Continued from p. 30.] LETTER III. From the Rev. GILES H. COWLES, of New-Cambridge in the town of Briftol. " GENTLEMEN, TH 6. After this, we find that Paul was made alive by Jefus Chrift. This took place when he caft himself upon free grace. Chrift, by his fpirit, imparted to him fpiritual life, and by the application of his redemption, fecured his eternal life. The change was inftantaneous: he at once delighted in the law of God, after the inner man. He entered immediately on duty in the fervice of Chrift, and brought forth the fruits of holiness, to his dying day. Yet he was not perfect in holiness; but found occafion to bewail the law in his members, which warred against the law of his mind. To this however he did not yield; but forgetting the things whichful, as they tend moft directly to were behind, he preffed toward difplay the divine perfections, and the maik, for the prize of the promote general happinefs. As HE works of the Lord are great, fought out of all that have pleasure therein." This is true of God's works in general; but more efpecially of thofe divine operations, which immediately refpect the advancement of the Redeemer's kingdom, and the falvation of fouls. Thefe operations are peculiarly interefting and delight there is joy in heaven over one fin- fome individuals, under ferious imner that repenteth, fo the knowl-preffions; and from fix to eleven edge of the hopeful converfion of had been annually added to the finners must afford peculiar pleaf church. But for a year or two beure to the godly and benevolent on fore the revival began, the people earth. These therefore are im- appeared to be uncommonly inatportant reafons, why fpecial revi- tentive to their eternal concerns. vals of religion fhould be made pub- For more than a year, but one had lic; fince the knowledge of them made a public profeffion of relihas fuch a tendency to difplay the gion, not more than one, appeared perfections of God, confirm and to be enquiring the way to Zion. illuftrate the truths of his word, The concerns of the prefent life and give joy to the friends of Zion. appeared to engrofs the attention From the hiftory of divine prov- of moft. Many appeared to become idence in paft ages, it appears, that more and more opposed to the the most dark and gloomy feafons truths of the gofpel, and numbers in the moral world often immedi- were inclining to Deifm, Univerately precede times of great light falifm, and other loofe, irreligious and joy. God often fuffers his fentiments. There was an increachurch and cause to fink to the low-fing neglect of public worship. The eft ebb, before he appears for their fupport, that his grace and power may be the more evidently manifefted in their relief. When his caufe appears to be finking, his people almost defpond, like the difciples at the crucifixion of the Saviour, and his enemies. rejoice and triumph, flattering themfelves that they fhall foon be wholly liberated from the irkfome reftraints, and offenfive doctrines of the bible ;at fuch times, the Lord Jefus frequently appears in a very unexpected manner for the fupport of his church and caufe, by awakening and renewing finners; thus difappointing the expectations of his enemies, and difpofing numbers to leave the fervice of fin and Satan, and cordially engage on his fide. youth in general appeared regardlefs of divine things, fond of vain company and amusements, and fome of them were greatly opposed to divine truth, and infected with infidelity, and other dangerous er rors. It was even fuggefted by fome of the oppofers, that those who were coming on the stage, and would foon take the lead in fociety, were too enlightened to believe fuch unreafonable doctrines, as were taught from the defk ; and that when the elderly people should be removed, the rifing generation would not bear fuch fentiments. To render the prospect still more threatening, the fociety was invol ved in a violent contention about school districts; which produced much ill will, perfonal animofity and altercation, and a number of difagreeable law-fuits. In fhort the profpect, with respect to the caufe of religion, was exceeding ly dark and threatening, and the friends of peace and religion were greatly difcouraged. This was in fome degree the cafe in this fociety, when the Lord, in his unspeakable mercy was pleafed to come down, by the fpecial effufions, of his fpirit, to arreft the attention of carelefs finners, and to revive his work. For the moft part of the time fince my This was the fituation of the fofettlement in the work of the min-ciety, when the revival began in istry in this place, there had been several neighboring places in the A conference being appointed on this and the next fucceeding week, the people affembled in greater numbers, and heard with more apparent attention than was expected; confidering what had been the general appearance for fome time paft. The friends of religion were therefore agreeably disappointed to fee fo many prefent, on fuch an occafion. Thus latter part of the year 1798. The one part of the fociety, I converfed minifter of one of thofe focieties with three young perfons who ap preached here, the laft fabbath in peared to be feelingly convinced of January, 1799, and gave fome ac- their fin and danger; who were count of the work of God in thofe | the first that had any converfation towns, which confiderably enga- with me refpecting their eternal ged the attention of the hearers, concerns. But within a week from and appeared to affect the minds this lecture, perhaps fifty appeared of fome individuals. to be under a deep conviction of guilt and danger; and ten or twelve entertained a hope, that they were reconciled to God. the divine fpirit, in its quickening influences, feemed to defcend like a fhower in the different parts of the fociety. Almost all appeared to be fo far affected, that the general inquiry and converfation were about the things of religion. At firft it was in fome, perhaps, an afOn the fecond fabbath in Feb. fection of the paffions, but as this information was given, that a lec-fubfided, it was in many instances ture would be preached at the meet-fucceeded by a deep and rational ing-house on Wednesday, and that feveral minifters were expected. The people generally affembled, and three neighboring minifters were prefent. The exercises were introduced with fome obfervations on the peculiar attention to religion which had begun in places around, and two fermons were delivered on the occafion. An unufual attention and folemnity were foon very apparent in the congregation, and numbers appeared deeply affected and in tears. A conference being appointed in the evening, a large fchool-house was thronged; and divine influences appeared more powerful than in the afternoon. The affembly was folemn as the grave. All feemed deeply impreffed with a fenfe of the importance of their eternal concerns, and to hear with the most eager and anxious attention. The exercifes continued till 9 o'clock, and yet the hearers appeared as if unwilling to leave the house. The next day, being on a vifit in conviction of their guilt, danger, and need of the Saviour, and the renewing influences of his fpirit. For feveral months the work of conviction continued to extend, tho with lefs rapidity than at first, and there were frequent inftances of hopeful converfions; till by fome difagreeable occurrences the work appeared to be greatly retarded in the month of June. At that time a fectarian controverfy about certain fentiments, little connected with the effential truths of religion, unhappily arofe, and for a time engaged much of the attention and converfation. This produced difputes and ill feeling, and feemed greatly to divert from that anxious concern for the falvation of the foul, which had before prevailed. And altho in a few weeks this difpute in a great measure fubfided, yet the revival never recovered its former life and power. And there has appeared to be very few new inftances of conviction or converfion fince that time. This fhews H after a while thofe, who remained unawakened, or had worn off the flight impreffions, with which they had been at first affected, generally neglected the religious meetings, and grew more hardened and opposed pears very dangerous and deplorable, and all, who have a benevolent regard for the fouls of their fellow-creatures, must be disposed to pity and pray for them, however lightly they may treat fuch things. For to them, thefe affecting words of the prophet are in fome degree applicable, "The harvest is past, the fummer is ended, and they are not faved." the pernicious tendency of fuch controverfies to check religious awakenings, and quench and grieve away the fpirit of God. How cautious then fhould all be of introducing fuch difputes in times of peculiar attention to divine things,than ever. Their fituation apleft they be the means of retarding he work of the Lord and preventing the falvation of fouls? Thofe, who will do it, to promote a private party intereft, manifeft, that they are more influenced by felfish party feelings, than by a real difinterested regard for the cause of religion and the good of fouls. But to proceed in narration, it may be obferved, that the moft, who have had a thorough conviction of their entire depravity, great guilt and danger; entertain a hope that they have become reconciled to God. A few yet remain under ferious impreffions, who do not fuppofe they have embraced the Saviour; while fome, it is to be fear-ligious converfation. It was pleaed, who have been in fome meafure awakened to a fenfe of their fin and danger, have worn off their conviction. How affecting is it to confider, that there is reafon to fear, that all the folemn calls, warnings and ferious- impreffions, with which they have been favored, will by being thus abufed, harden them in fin, and dreadfully increase their final condemnation ? Religious conferences or lectures have been attended almost every week fince the revival began, and fome times feveral in a week in different parts of the fociety. For a number of months, people flocked to them in crowds, and liftened with a most eager attention, to what was delivered. These meetings, were attended with order and regularity, and appeared to be greatly bleffed as means of promoting Convictions and converfions. But There has appeared among those, feriously affected, a peculiar difpofition to hear, and get divine inftruction, and an unwillingness to leave religious meetings after the public exercifes were concluded, as long as they could hear re fing to fee, with what folemn attention and apparent fatisfaction, many of the youth liftened to divine inftruction, who a few weeks before were thoughtless of the important concerns of religion, and took their greatest pleasure in balls, vain company, and amusements. But the ball-chambers and card-tables were now forfaken. And thofe, who were ferious, were deeply impreffed with a fenfe of the hurtful tendency of fuch things, to divert the attention from divine things, quench the ftrivings of God's fpirit, and harden in fin. One hundred have made a profeffion of religion, and been received into this church, fince the revival began, of whom 61 are females, and 39 males. About 60 are under 30 years of age, and there may be perhaps 12, who are nearly 50, or upwards. This fhows the great importance of cor |