I conclude, by inserting the following lines of an approved writer.

Support in God's Covenant under troubles. 2 Sam. xxiii. 5.

I.

"My God, the Covenant of thy love
Abides forever sure;
And, in its matchlefs grace, I feel
My happiness fecure,

2.

recollect that your observation particularly respected the revivals of religion in Connecticut, in which there appeared nothing strange, disorderly, or visionary. But judging from the narratives, every thing was conducted with decency and regularity; so that the enemies of the work could say nothing against it, but what was equally against the religion

Pray now, sister, inquire what is implied in your observation, and what it is that you so much dread! Permit me to assist you in this inquiry, and lay open the subject before your mind. Doubtless, you will remember, that the narratives above mentioned assured us, that the effects of these revivals were of such a happy nature, as to furnish indubitable evidence that they were the work of the divine spirit. The vain became serious, the vicious were reformed, the negligent were disposed to social and religious duties, and those who were the subjects of the work, became more orderly and useful members of society, and entertained a humble hope of future happiness and glory. These are the natural fruits of true religion. In things of this kind does the grace of God appear when implanted in the heart. Then what you so much dread, and are determined so strenuously to oppose, is the work of God's spirit in alarming, convincing, reforming, and renewing sinners to the knowledge and obedience of the truth.

From the above statement, in connection with your observation, it seems that there is nothing you so much dread, as to have vicious men become virtuous. For instance; to have the

drunkard become a sober man, the liar a man of truth, the knave an honest man, the profane swearer a man of decent and sober language, and unkind, slanderous, and quarrelsome neighbors to amicably settle all their disputes, and live in friendship and mutual kindness.

There is nothing you more dread than to have people faithful in the discharge of all relative duties. For example; to have masters lenient and servants faithful, parents attentive to the spiritual and best good of their children, and children dutiful and kind to their parents:Nothing you more dread than to see husbands and wives live in peace, and be mutual helps and comforts in their way through life; or rulers to rule in righteousness and in the fear of the Lord, and people to lead quiet and peaceable lives.

There is nothing you more dread than to have irreligious men become attentive to the duties of religion. To particularize; you dread to have sinners become prayerful, to read the scriptures, and constantly attend public worship:-You dread to have the sabbath observed by those who have profaned it, and the worship of God to be set up in the houses of your prayerless neighbors.

There is nothing you more dread than to have persons who are destitute of all moral goodness, enriched with the graces of the gospel. To be particular; you dread to have sinners love God, to have them thankful for his mercies, patient under his frowns, submissive to his will, rejoicing in his government, trusting his faithfulness, and obeying his laws:-You dread to

have sinners repent of their transgressions and believe in Christ :-You dread to have a man love his neighbor as himself, to receive and suffer wrong with meekness, to forgive injuries, and wish well to all men.

You dread to have sinners freed from the condemnation of God's law and the dominion of sin: You dread to have them enjoy the blessedness of a pardoned state and the hopes of heaven: You dread to have them escape the perdition of the ungodly and obtain a crown of unfading glory in the world to come. You say there is nothing you so much dread as these things, when you declare that you dread a revival of religion more than any thing else; for these things are the happy effects of a genuine revival of religion; they are either implied in it, or directly flow from it. You not only dread, but are determined most strenuously to oppose these things; that is, to oppose virtue, the present welfare of mankind, their eternal salvation, and the glory of God. As you are resolved to oppose the cause of virtue and happiness, you must of course lend your assistance to build up kingdom of sin and misery. Since you are determined to use your influence to prevent men from becoming holy, you rejoice in their sinfulness. Since there is no other way to future happiness and glory but by being renewed unto holiness, you can rejoice in the shame and endless ruin of your fellow-creatures. You are strenuously opposed to the advancement of Christ's kingdom, you are therefore pleased with seeing the kingdom of Satan prosper, and can cheer

the

fully lend your assistance for its promotion.

You say, there is nothing you so much dread as a revival of religion. Not the most distressing famine through the landNot the prevalence of the most loathsome and mortal pestilence -Not all the horrors of a wasting and bloody war-Not the most melancholy and shameful death of all your kindred and friends-Not the sorest judgments of God imaginable-No, not even the endless miseries of mankind. According to your According to your own voluntary declaration, you would choose that any one, or all of these evils should happen, in preference to a religious revival, or which is the same thing, in preference to an increase of sobriety, truth, righteousness, mercy, faithfulness, piety, and all the fruits of God's spirit.

Are these your feelings, sister? Is this a just picture of your heart?

Is it possible! Abiding by your declaration, you cannot deny it, unless you say, that by a revival of religion you do not mean an increase of sobriety, righteousness and godliness. But this you cannot say, since your observation particularly respected those revivals of which we have a narrative in the magazine. The uniform representation there given us of these religious attentions is according to the statement I have made. Neither the accounts we have had attested by eye-witnesses of what passed where these revivals took place, nor the permanent effects they produced upon the minds and practice of people, can possibly lead us to suppose that they consisted in noise, enthusiasm, disorder, fear, wildfire, or, any thing, more or less, VOL. V. No. 6.

than an increase of genuine religion. When God builds up his kingdom amongst men, we are to expect that he will make sinners to see their danger and tremble, before they are brought to hope in his mercy. Instead of its being inconsistent with a work of God's spirit, for sinners to inquire with anxious solicitude," what shall we do to be saved?" it is no more than what we have reason to expect in every place where God is building up Zion. This took place under the ministry of the apostles; men whom Christ sent forth to preach his gospel; and instead of considering serious inquiry and distressing solicitude in the minds of an assembly about their salvation, as an evidence that God was not there; they rejoiced in the thing as an evident display of divine power and grace and a prelude to a happy change. And though many are disposed to believe that all is enthusiasm and the work of an evil spirit; when wicked men are convinced of their sinfulness, alarmed at their danger, and through repentance and faith come to hope in God's favor; yet this is wide from the truth, if we are permitted to judge either from observation or scripture. When people think themselves righteous and safe without ever feeling their vileness, without self-loathing and selfcondemnation, without beholding their danger from a sight of God's holiness and justice, we have reason to fear that they are settled upon their lees, that they have never seen their hearts in the eye of the divine law, and that their hope is the hope of the hypocrite.

I intreat you seriously to cen-
Cc