branches--in all its extent ? (To be continued.) God upon the children of difobe- | nefs-of true religion, in all its dience. Be not ye, therefore, partakers with them.-How fhall we escape if we neglect fo great falvation?-For if we fin wilfully, after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more facrifice for fins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and frery indignation, which fhall devour the adverfaries. -It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.-But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and forcerers, and idolaters, and the liars, fhall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone; which is the fecond death." Can we read-can we hear, and attentively confider thefe and fuchlike gracious calls and offers, and friendly and folemn warnings, and great and precious promifes, and awfully tremendous threatenings, and view them altogether, without perceiving it is our indifpenfible duty, our trueft wisdom and higheft intereft, to repent and turn to God-to be reconciled to him-to comply with and obey his will revealed in the gofpel-to live foberly, and righteously, and godlily in this present world?-Without perceiving, that to this we are under obligations infinitely great that to this we have all reasonable and defirable encouragements-and that we fhall be left utterly inexcufable, and must expect an aggravated punishment, if we refufe or neglect it? and of confequence, that the gofpel, on account of its calls, offers, warnings, threatenings and promifes, is admirably adapted to bring us to God-to perfuade and conftrain us to return to him, to love and ferve him, and to enforce, and excite to the exercife and practice of univerfal holi On the leading of the Spirit: Or, The way in which the Spirit of God leads men is by imparting te them, and preferving in them a holy temper. Ο UR Lord once faid to his difciples, "When he the Spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth." And St. Paul faid to the Romans, "As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the fons of God." And he tells the Galatians, "If ye be led by the spirit, ye are not under the law." From thefe and many other expreffions of the infpired volume, we are led to fuppofe, that the influence or guidance of the holy fpirit is neceffary to the knowledge of divine truth, and for our direction in the way of holinefs. It is evident, even from obfervation, that the judgment. which a man forms concerning religious objects is not determined by mere intellectual light or evidence, but the fpirit or difpofition of the heart has a great share in the determination of the judgment. Hence it is faid, "The natural man receiveth not the things of the fpirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, becaufe they are fpiritually difcerned. But he that is fpiritual, judgeth all things." "No man can say thas Jefus is the Chrift but by the Holy Ghoft." "Ye have an unction from the holy one, and ye know all things." It is not a matter of idle fpeculation, but of great ufe and benefit, thoroughly to investigate, the various fprings and caufes which operate in the determina Is tion of men's opinions and conduct | led to purfue them. As daty occurs, his love to it will influence him to a ready compliance. reverence to the Deity a duty, the fenfe which he has of the divine dignity and excellency will excite him to pay him worship and veneration. Is beneficence to his fellow-creatures in distress, a duty which offers itfelf to a good man, the benevolent feelings of his heart will prompt him to afford relief. The guidance of the fpirit, or an inward principle of goodnefs is a much more effectual teacher and ftimulator to what is fit, than mere abstract speculation. in life, particularly with respect to matters of religion. If this fubject be thoroughly examined I am perfuaded it will be found, that there are certain biaffes in the hearts of men which govern their judgments and practice in life-fome Spirit which directs their fentiments and conduct. This is true with refpect to fuch as purfue good or evil courfes. They have a fancy, a liking or prepof. feffion in favor of certain objects, which actuate them in their purfuits. It is not mere information communicated to the unfeeling intellect which will be any fpur to action. In order for this fome fpirit or difpofition muft poffefs the foul; which has a fovereign influence in the difpofal of men's opinions and pursuits. We read of the fpirit of the world and the fpirit which is of God. A spirit is as well neceffary to account for evil actions as for good. The fpirit which is of the world, admits of a great variety of modifications; although as to its effential traits it may be the fame. The taftes of men are different which are their guides in the walks of life. Men give a preference to the courfes which best correspond with their tafles; hence they are prompted to believe fuch courfes are right and to act accordingly. In a wrong courfe of conduct men are gov erned by a wrong fpirit. In a virtuous course of conduct they are governed by a good fpirit. In each cafe they are led by the fpirit which dwells in them. The good man has for his guide the good fpirit of God. He delights in the law of God after the inward man; hence he is induced to obey it. The paths of virtue are agreeable to his tafte; therefore is he On the other hand, a corrupt fpirit or a depraved tafte, will lead a man under the influence of it, to form erroneous opinions concerning moral matters, and will have an efficacious influence upon him to purfue a vicious course of conduct. If we attend to human nature we may thence find, as well as from the fcriptures of truth, that men are led by fome powerful fpirit in that great variety of courfes which they take. This is the great fpring of action amongst mankind, and without which the rational world would be wholly idle-a univerfal torpor would take place-a total ftagnation of all the active powers in human nature. There is a fpirit in man which operates to produce perpetual motion in the intellectual world, and which is as efficacious as the law of attraction in the natural world. As all men are governed by fome powerful fpirit, fo the children of God in particular are under the conduct of the good spirit of God. By virtue of that holy principle implanted in them, and which conftantly dwells in them they are fpontaneously led to a virtuous courfe of conduct. Although their intellectual powers may be | The God of this world hath blinfmall and their acquirements in ded the minds of them which beknowledge indifferent, yet by vir- lieve not. They are left to ftrong tue of that gracious difpofition of delufions, that they should believe which they are poffeffed, they a lie who had pleafure in unrightwill be led to walk in the uner- eoufnefs. They love darkness ring paths of virtue much better rather than light. They have no than others, greatly fuperior to relifh for the fublime truths of re- · them as to intellectual endow-ligion. They are therefore foolments. When perfons in the ex- ifhness to them. Their taste gives ercife of fuch a good difpofition a determination to their underare led into the knowledge of re- ftanding and judgment. The deligious truths, and to a compliance praved bias on their hearts is the with their duty, they then have fource of their errors. the leading of the fpirit. But it may be enquired, are not men exposed to be led into error when they fuffer themselves to be conducted by fuch an inftinctive principle or fpiritual impulfe? To which it may be replied, there is no neceffary danger in this cafe with regard to thofe who are ander the guidance of the fpirit of God for this fpirit is a fpirit of truth, and begets a relifh for the truth, and fo far as we are governed by it we shall be led into all truth, both with refpect to our judgments and practice. True it is, those who are under the influence of a falfe fpirit are expofed to error in being led by this fpirit; therefore are we called upon to try the fpirits; and there are laid down in the fcriptures certain marks and rules whereby we may afcertain the truth or falfehood of the fpirit by which we are led; fo that there is no necef fity of deception. From the view which we have taken of the leading of the fpirit we are enabled to account for the corrupt and pernicious doctrines which have been embraced by mankind. The fe proceed not from a want of natural powers in men, nor from the want of fufficient external light and information but from the influence of a falfe fpirit. VOL. I. No. 10. Hence we infer a reason why in the fcriptures men are condemned for their infidelity and herefy; it is because they are influenced by a falfe fpirit or a vicious bias of heart-they fall in with fuch fentiments as agree to their tafte, and reject others. It is on this account they are criminal. Therefore an heretic after the first and fecond admonition is to be rejected. Could wrong fentiments in religion be attributed to any other fource, than the feduction of an evil fpirit, or a vicious propenfity of heart, they would not be cenfurable, but flowing from a depraved heart, they merit condemnation. Upon the whole, fince our coming to the knowledge of the truth and walking in the paths of holinefs, depend on the guidance of the fpirit; let us be importunate with God, with whom is the refidue of the fpirit, that he would replenish our hearts with his grace, that we might be delivered from darkness and error, and led into all truth, and be directed in the paths of righteoufnefs. This leading of the fpirit has more efficacy to keep us in the ftrait line of truth and duty, than all the external light and helps which we can enjoy, without the affiftance of this internal guide. And fince this Z z From a conviction of thefe things, I am induced to give a narrative of the recent work of God in this place, to be published, if upon examination it be thought worthy. It may be ufeful, in the firft place to give a brief view of a revival of religion in this Society, in the year 1795, and of the subsequent state of religion here to the time more particularly refpected in this narrative. In the fall of the year 1793, and through the winter following, while the Society was deftitute of a settled minifter, and the pulpit was fupplied by candidates, there ap peared, as I have been informed, an uncommon attention to the means of grace, and a hopeful profpect of a time of great refresh At a time, like the prefent, when the powers of darkness, and a difbelieving world, are making uncommon exertions, and boafting of uncommon fuccefs, in oppofing the kingdom of Chrift, it is peculiarly incumbent on his friends, in every part of the world, to exerting from the prefence of the Lord. themselves for its fupport. They ought to be united in prayer; and, as far as poffible to make united exertions to propagate the gofpel; and to endeavor to ftrengthen the hands, and encourage the hearts of each other, by communicating in telligence of its fuccefs, and giving particular narratives of any remarkable revivals of religion, byly depart: And about the time of uncommon effufions of the holy my ordination to the work of the fpirit. The publication of fuch miniftry, which was in May 1795, narratives, if written judiciously, an uncommon attention and feri But the hopes of the people of God were greatly damped, and the work apparently interrupted, by means of an unhappy contention which took place in the Society, and threw the minds of the people into an uncommon degree of irritation.-But the good fpirit of God, tho' grieved, did not whol oufnefs became apparent through-ligion would now continue to deout the Society. The divine influ-cline for many years-and that if ences came down like the dew, it fhould thus decline for ten or and like the rain upon the mowa twenty years, as it had done for grafs, in ftill and gentle fhowers. two or three, the fituation of Zi. The work was unattended with on, here, must be deplorable innoife, or enthusiasm-caused a gen- deed. eral folemnity through the Society, and met with little or no open oppofition. Within the courfe of about one year, 55 perfons were added to the church-the greater part of whom dated their hope from that revival. At this time God began to appear in power and great glory, in a number of towns in the vicinity, as he had done for a year before, in places more diftant. An account of these things reached us, and became the fubject of converfation among Chriftians--but it appeared to have little or no effect. The first appearance of special divine power and prefence, which was noticed, was in Feb. 1799. It began in an uncommon atten tion and concern, among the people of God, in view of the fituation of this Society, and in a difpofition to unite in prayer for the divine prefence, and a revival of religion. The effect of that day of divine power and merciful vifitation, was very apparent both in the Society and church; efpecially in the latter, in the fpirit of union and harmony which appeared; and particularly in their attempts to revive and fupport Chriftian difciplinein which they were happily fuccefsful. In attempting this, they were neceffitated, in feveral inftances, to proceed thro' all the steps of Hearing fo much of the goings discipline, even to the laft. They of God, in the vicinity, and havproceeded however, with an ap-ing been in fome measure a witness parent fpirit of meekness and love with great moderation, and perfect unanimity. The attention to religion continued to be nearly the fame for about a year-after which it evidently declined, and the minds of the people in general, became gradually more infenfible to divine things, 'till they were greatly abforbed by the cares, and vain amufements of the world. In the fall of 1798, religion was, apparently, but little tho't of, except by fome of the profeffing people of God-and even among them, an unufual degree of luke-warmnefs feemed to pre of it, I advised with the deacons, and principal brethren ofthe church, upon the expediency of opening lectures, and attempting to call the attention of the people to the events which were taking place and to their own fituation. Upon converfing with them, I found them already awake upon the fubject; and it was concluded and advised, that a requeft fhould be circulated among the brethren, to come together for prayer, and to confult upon our fituation. On the Lord's day previous to their meeting, a difcourfe was delivered in public upon the importance of a revival of religion, and of Chriftians being united and earnest in prayer, that God would revive his work. On the Monday evening following, a number of the brethren convened, |