which fubfided, a little before the awakening began, into a peace and cordiality that had not been seen here for many years. This defirable event, together with a number of unusual lectures* in the course of several years, may be confidered in providence as preparing the way for the late work. God makes ufe of means to execute his purposes. By which he By which he would teach us, that the way of idleness and flothfulness is not the way to expect the bleffings of heav. en on our callings, or labors. The firft fpecial appearance of the work among us was on Wednefday evening December 26, 1798. On which day two neighboring minifters met at my houfe agreeable to appointment. After spending fome time in prayer and converfation we had a public lecture; and propofed another for the evening. In the day time nothing very remarkable occurred. But in the evening God was vifibly prefent. A difcourfe was delivered from Prov. viii. 4. in which were bro't into view the nature and importance of true wisdom, and an immediate attention to her voice, interfperfed with fome pertinent and affecting accounts of the awakening that was prevailing in fundry places. Thefe things were enforced by feveral addreffes. An unusual folemnity filled the place where we affembled. The friends of Zion prefent appeared to receive a free anointing from the Lord, and to be awakened to their duty. Some finners, who had labored heretofore under fears about their state, were more deeply These unusual lectures were, feveral minifters met as often as convenient for private Concert. At thefe feafons they had a lecture, &c. which was attended with unexpe&ed numbers and folemnity. This was at least encourageing. and thoroughly impreffed, and bro't to enquire in earnest "What fhall I do to be faved?" And feveral were first alarmed to view religion as fomething in which they were highly concerned. Thus the important scene opened, which has been truly wonderful, and expreffive of divine power and grace. It was found to be the cafe, however, that there had been fomething unusual on the minds of a number previous to this remarkable meeting. They had not felt eafy for fome time. Still this gave the firft fenfible exhibition of the work. The appearance and effects gradually increafed from that time to May and June enfuing. The mind of one after another was impressed, especially among the youth, and thofe in the younger part of life, till they in general became tho'tful. A goodly number, we charitably hope, were made the fubjects of the convicting and transforming operations of the Spirit of God.Some in the more advanced stages of life have experienced the fame gracious influences. For a feason a general feriousness appeared to pervade the fociety. These favorable appearances were very promifing in June: when, towards the clofe of that month, a fatal bar was thrown in the way by fome hafty fectarian difputes.* After they fubfided, and the work appeared to revive again, the attention did not recover its former afpect. It has rather decreased from that unhappy period. The number that has come forward, and made profeffion of our holy religion, is forty-five, including feveral who obtained an hope. at fome former date. Among this This fhows the pernicious effects of ill timed controverfies on the noneffentials of religion in feasons of awakening. was not uncommon to have a full number twenty are young perfons, In order to form a just minion of this work, it will be expedient for me to give a concife statement of its apparent nature and effects. It was obfervable, that an unufual folemnity fixed the attention of the auditory, and prevented a certain carelessnefs and trifling, too often feen in worshiping affemblies. Old and young seemed as though they meant to notice every word of the fpeaker. Religion became a fubject too important to keep out of fight. One perfon was heard to fay, "I have been to conferences a number of times; but I never faw fuch conferences before. Perfons feemed to be attending as for their lives." It was remarked, that little children liftened to preaching and religious converfation with an attention truly aftonifhing. This folemnity in fome measure ftill continues. It was wonderful, to fee what pains perfons took, for a season, to attend lectures and conferences. Many circumstances, which heretofore had been eagerly grafped to excufe them from the house of God, were now felt as unworthy of notice. When a meeting was appointed, they would go through ftorm, cold, and bad roads to attend. And when they had been attending for two or three hours, were fo far from being wearied, that it was with difficulty they could be perfuaded to retire. It The impreffion was fo great and extenfive, and the work fo new and unufual, that for a time the adverfary was confounded. Thofe who were willing to oppofe, had their mouths fhut for months, and stood gazing and wondering. And what increased this confufion among gainfayers was, the method Providence took to carry on his gracious operations, different from what had been usual in former awakenings. There had been complaints heretofore, of irregularities and enthusiasm. But this work was marked with the fill fmall voice. Thofe under ferious convictions appeared fteady in attending to the things of religion. When they obtained comfort, it did not seem to arife from mere impreffions on the imagination; but from fuch a view of God and divine things, as they never before experienced. The lectures and conferences too, have been conducted with great regularPerfons have appeared far ity. from difcovering a spirit of felf-importance, and forwardness to exhort and lead in meetings. The general characteristic has been, a wish for inftruction and direction. When the mind was arrested, the finner trembled. At first he did not fee, that he merited fuch dreadful treatment at the hand of God as everlasting burnings. The thought was overwhelming! True, he could not deny his fins: But he would think that he was not fo bad as fome reprefented; that his heart was not fo opposed to his Maker, and fo unwilling to be reconciled to him. On feriously attending to his cafe, he was foon made ap prehenfive of his mistake. By reading, inftructions, counfels and warnings, he was brought under convictions, that the fcripture God is the true God, the Creator and great Sovereign of the univerfeThat the law is just and holy, and of the most serious nature-That he had violated this law, and become exposed to its infupportable curfe That his heart was far more finful and ftubborn than he had imagined-That he was in the hand of this God, and could not efcape-and that he had no affurance of his life. The more he became acquainted with the fcrip tures and himself, the clearer thefe truths appeared to him, especially the poisonous nature of his heart, its pride, unwillingness to bow before God, and murmuring at the conditions of life. His anxiety and foreboding apprehenfions rofe in proportion to thefe views. He was finally bro't to see himself in the hand of God, juftly condemned, and the object of his mere fovereign mercy. The Lord muft fave him. Mercy was all his hope. The degree of light and conviction varied in different perfons: but this is the general defcription of it. They were evidently flain by the law, before they were made alive by Jefus Chrift. Before relief came, they were reduced to a fituation fenfibly helpless and dif. confolate, apprehending nothing but endless mifery. And when this load of diftrefs was removed, it was done in a way, and at a time, which they did not expect. The prophet Ifaiah gives a juft defcription of their cafe in these affecting words; "And I will bring the blind by a way they know not, I will lead them in paths they have not known; I will make darkness Jight before them, and crooked things ftraight." Ifai. xlii.- 16. Previous to the new birth, the fubjects of the work have had clear convictions of the native depravity of their hearts. They have commonly found them feats of pride, selfishness, and awful stubbornnefs. They have been led to think, that the fountain within them was worse than in others; that their hearts were more hardened, more deceitful and unmanageable. Some have been fenfible of fuch fhocking feelings as thefe: "O how I wifh there were no God, heaven nor hell! I had rather be like the beafts that perish, than be in the hand of fuch a God as this!" After they had experienced the great change, they appeared to themselves far worse than before. Then they could exclaim; “I tho't I knew fomething of my heart before-but I knew nothing of it. It appears to me a fink of all treachery, corruptions and abominations! How can I be a Chriftian! Can I be a new creature, and have my heart filled with fo many vain tho'ts, and strange imaginations!" The hopeful converts uniformly agree, that the heart of the Chriftian is very different from what they had imaged to themfelves. So is his life. They had expected to be almost freed from the influence of finful propenfities; to have grown better and better; and to have made great progrefs in godlinefs. This flattering notion was foon changed by experience. The appearance to them has been, that they grew more deficient and vile before God. Another confpicuous feature of the work is, that when God had taken off their diftrefsful burden, they, at first, had no fufpicion of their hearts being renewed. They were rather alarmed with the apprehenfion, that the spirit of God had forfaken them. They tren 46 itual joy and rejoicing; and fuppofed that neither fin nor 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 calmness and joy, as to begin to be confirmed in their miftake. But the pleasing scene is foon clouded-they find unexpected corruptions-darkness rifesexceted God is gone. They tremble for fear they have laid hold of a refuge of lies. bled in view of returning to a ftate of carnal and dreadful fecurity, and becoming more hardened than cver. 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 afked, how the character, of God appeared? They readily answered: "Great, excel lent 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 Chrift-nor any other way to be faved but the gospel. 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 aftonifhed, that they never had feen these 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 imbibed a falfe 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 the believer, as liberated from finful propenfities, and having only fpir. The doctrines made use of in carrying on this work, is another diftinguishing feature of it. Thefe are the foul humbling doctrines of our Saviour, which exalt God, and ftain all the pride of human glory. The divine fovereigntyhis univerfal government-the ho linefs, extent and inflexibility of the moral law-human depravityour full dependance on God-the fpecial agency of the Holy Spirit in conviction and converfion-and mere grace through 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 fuggeft that fuch fentiments 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 roused to make fome inquiry into these things. Whereas, the felfjustifying notions of religion appeared to be far from having any effect in promoting the fpirit of ferioufnefs and reformation. It has been common for awakened finners to think hard of the decrees of God, election, and uncon ditional fubmiffion; and to struggle | mong us have had a still more remarkable effect, especially on their friends and acquaintance. There 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 for a while to discard them. They were wont to drefs them up in false and mistaken colours, imagining God to be partial, to make them machines, and preclude any use of the means of grace. But they were finally brought to a thorough conviction, that these 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 contest ceased, and the divine fovereignty and its kindred doctrines became their peculiar joy and fupport. In close.connection with what has been now mentioned, it was remarked, that the moft plain, pungent preaching has been accompanied with far the greatest fuccefs. The more clearly, pointedly and folemnly fubjects were treated, the more happy effects they evidently had on the hearers. Such warnings and inftructions feemed to be a lan guage that was understood; and the force of which it was hard to evade. Of confequence, the most plain, thoro', experimental preachers, have been moft acceptable to the people in general. 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 contempt. This has given diftrefs and fears, of which no one can form an idea, unless fuch as have experienced them. The circumftances of the finner are undefcribable ! Finally, as to the abiding ef fects of the work, the hopeful converts appear to exhibit areal change of their moral feelings. There has as yet been no inftance of apoftafy among those who have made profeffion. Among a number of others who hope, with whom I have particularly converfed, there has been none in my acquaintance. This is all of God and a practical demonstration of the truth of the gofpel which unbelievers fo foolishNarratives of the work of Godly difpife. We live in a wonderin 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 thirsty foul"- This is the with and prayer of your and to those 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 history 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. GENTLEMEN, HROUGH the course of T twelve tedious years, before |
