him. eral fenfe of the glorious excellen- | fpecially owned and bleft, by the cy of the divine perfections, with Holy Spirit, and thence made the an answerable fenfe of their own wisdom and power of God, to the guilt, bafenefs and deformity, as falvation of finners. Many were Linners. There frequently appear- brought to embrace thofe doctrines, ed to be a reconciliation, and with readiness and evident comthence a profound fubmiffion of the placency, which they had once heart to God, in the view of his contemplated with abhorrence, and glorious perfection and majefty, which are too often regarded as before there was any diftinét ap- intricate and unprofitable. Indeed, prehenfion of the Redeemer, and they now appeared to furmount hence before there was any clear their former difficulties, with great and explicit exercise of faith in ease, and to embrace thofe truths, This feemed the more evi-understandingly, and with great de dential, that old things were paffed light, which had once feemed to away, and all things become new, them bateful and myfterious. In from its being common for perfons this view, the words of Solomon when convinced of the truth, to were fingularly pertinent; "They feel the most lively and fenfible are all plain to him who underoppofition to God, and the dif- ftandeth, and right to them who tinguishing doctrines of his word. find knowledge." It may be feafonable to notice here, 4. The fubjects of this work that frequently the doctrine of were in fome refpects, exceeding God's fovereignty, in electing, ly various, as to their previous and actually diftinguishing the vef- characters, and circumstances.fels of mercy, and which was the There was no apparent difcriminamoft painful to perfons, under tion, through the diverfity of temtheir antecedent convictions, wasporal circumftances. In difpenyet exceedingly confoling and de-fing his merey, the Most High lightful, on becoming reconciled did not regard the rich, more to the holiness and juftice of God. than the poor; nor the poor, more In fome inftances, thofe who had than the rich. The rich and poor been used to difcard the doctrine met together, and fhared indif of election, and of anfwerable criminately, in the unfearchable diftinguifhing mercy, were brought, riches of divine grace. Sundry while yet oppofed to them, to children exhibited marks of unuacknowledge, that they could fee fual feriousness, for a time, and no other ground of hope, in their hopes were conceived, that fome cafe. of them were made new creatures. The far greater part, however, who were fubjects of the work, were young, and middle-aged perfons, from fifteen to forty years of age; though there were feveral hopeful inftances, at fifty years, or It is worthy of particular notice, as a diftinguishing feature of the late work, in this place, that thofe who have been the hopeful fubjects of it, in its faving effects, notwithstanding their foregoing prejudices, and oppofition, have come uniformly and with one confent, into the fcheme of doctrines, understood by the general term, Calvinifm. Thefe are the doctrines, which feem to have been more. A large proportion of the whole number were thofe, who had been educated, in habits of general refpect for religion, for the Sabbath, and public worship. Of these fome were evidently go ing about, to establish their own righteoufnefs, not regarding the neceffity of a new heart, and of being clothed with the righteouf nefs, which is of God, by faith. In a few inftances, those who had made public profeffion of religion, and thought themfelves heirs of heaven, were convinced, that they were ftill in the gall of bitterness, and in the event hopefully eftablifhed, in holinefs. Others had been for feveral years, if not always, in the habit of paying little refpect to religion, in any form. A confiderable number were more or lefs immoral, and irreligious, in their vifible conduct. Several, who were fcoffers at the ferious and univerfal ftrictness of true religion, and who made light of the attention, on its first appearance, were afterwards among the hopeful fubjects of genuine conviction, and of faving mercy. A few, who had endeavored to for tify themselves, against the fears of wrath to come, in a belief of univerfal falvation, were convinced, that they had made lies their refuge. Several, on whom the work was productive of the most evident and apparently, moft falutary and abiding effects, had been fceptical and much inclined to infidelity. If we take for granted, that the work which has been fo far defcribed is a work of the holy fpirit, one remark, which naturally occurs, is the evident defign of providence, to confound all atto confound all at tempts, which fhould be made, by philofophy and human reafon, principles of human nature, or the influence of natural caufes; but fuch a diversity, in the antecedent chara&ers, habits and circumftances of the fubjects, renders this ftill farther impoffible. It is wholly unaccountable, that any cause, unlefs abfolutely divine, and therefore poffeffed of infinite wisdom and power, as well as goodness, fhould unite fuch bafe and jarring materirials, in the sweetest harmony of fentiment, affection, interest, defign and purfuit. Few things have been more noticeable, among the happy effects of this work, than its influence, for uniting many hearts,in the bonds of mutual love. One can hardly fail of adopting, in this view, the exclamation of the Pfalmift, "Behold, how good, and how pleasant it is, for brethren, to dwell together in unity." That mutual love, fo much inculcated by St. John, and by which Chrift tells us, all men fhall know his dif ciples, is moft evidently characteristic of those among us, who profefs to have obtained mercy of the Lord. 5. It is not common, for thofe who manifeft an hope of them felves, to be very confident of their title to falvation. There are few, if any, but feem, at times, in much doubt, whether their names are written in heaven, One reason of this is plain; it is not ufual, for thofe, who are hopeful fubjects of mercy, to feem wife, in their own conceits; or to have high thoughts of their own experiences, and attainments in religion; but, "int lowlinefs of mind, to fleem others accounting for the effects better than themfelves." A reafon wrought, without afcribing them which is naturally affigned for this, to God, as the marvellous work and which fairly accounts for the of his fpirit and grace. The ef- fact, is, its being a uniform charfects were not only fuch, in them-acteristic of the work, that it has, felves, as made it impoffible to ac-fooner or later, led the fubjects of count for them, by any of the known it, to a deep and abiding fenfe of VOL. I. No. 9. at U u their own unworthinefs, and thence their fitness, to be clothed with humility. It is not uncommon, for fuch as are vifibly purified from their iniquities, to think themfelves more vile than others; and that they have far less evidence of being fanctified, than is ufual with true faints. On this ground, numbers feem ready at times, to give up their hope, and conclude, that they have been deceived, and ought to defpair of any prefent title to the promises of the gospel. 6. The fubjects of this work are apparently difpofed to perfevere; to run, with patience, the race fet before them, and to evidence their union to Chrift, by keeping his commandments. fprang up, but having no depth of earth, when the fun was up, it withered away. Thefe, faith the divine teacher, are they, who hear the word, and anon with joy receive it ; but having no root in themfelves, endure for a while, but in time of temptation fall away. It is manifeft, however, fo far as prefent evidence can go, in deciding it, that there are with us, a goodly number, represented by the feed, which fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit. Thefe give daily reafon to hope, that they will continue to let their light fhine before men, and to walk worthy of their high vocation. They difcov er little, if any abatement of their zeal, for attending on the public inftitutions of religion, and other opportunities and means of inftruetion. Thus, the evidence of their being renewed after the image of Chrift, is exhibited, in part, by their engagednefs, to grow in knowledge and holinefs, and thence become meet for the inheritance of the faints in light. They appear indeed to have been ordained of God, that they fhould go and bring forth fruit, and that their fruit should remain, unto the praise of the glory of his grace. It is important, however, for illuftrating this obfervation, fo as to avoid occafion of mistake, to remark the following things.-In the first place, the attention, which was excited, for a time, and in fome degree, was far more extcnfive than the lafting effects. Multitudes were unufaally attentive, and probably most of them, under fome ferious thoughtfulness. But all this was temporary, in refpect to many. It must be understood, that thefe never gave evidence of being impreffed, with any great degree of conviction of their being finners. There were, however, a few inftances of perfons, who were in appearance, very deeply impreffed, for a time, from whofe minds the impreffion feems, in a great meafure effaced. In feveral inftances, perfons feemed to have felt confiderable alarm, through ap-ing, than to have aimed at giving prehenfion of danger, rather than to have been convinced of fin, who now appear much as before. We find, in this view of the fubject, an evident example of what Chrift intended, by the feed, which fell into ftony places, and forthwith In giving the foregoing account, I may, in fome measure, have miftaken my own feelings for facts, fo as thence to have represented the work, rather as what I wish to have it, than as what it would appear to an impartial obferver. Of this however, I have no confcioufnefs, and am more fure of noth an impartial view of facts, fo far as would confift with a general and brief ftatement. I might have added a lengthy detail of particular cafes, which would doubtlefs have afforded entertainment, to the friends of experimental piety. are full of delight. But there appeared to me fome uniting, in the worship of God, difficulty, in giving fuch a ftateWhen the ment of this fort, as would compafs the most defirable objects of the attempt, without furnishing the probable occafion of fome evil. | Others may find a different method the most eligible. How the things above ftated will appear, when examined by the light and evidence of future days, and whether the hopes of Chrif tians will be fully realized, in the precious and abiding fruits of the wonderful things they have feen, and heard, must be left to future decifion. Whether all those, who appear to have fet out, and to run well, for the prefent, will hold on their way, and obtain the prize of their high calling, must be finally known, by the event. If fome, of whom the best hopes have been conceived, fhould make shipwreck of the faith, return again to folly, and thus evince, that they were never cleansed from their filthinefs, it will determine no characters, but their own. Some may have deceived, both themfelves, and others, and their laft ftate be worfe than their first. So long, however, as numbers continue to exhibit, in their lives, the excellent fruits of the fpirit, the evidence will remain, that this is the Lord's doing, and ought, as fuch, to be marvellous in our eyes. It is certain, that great things have been done for us, whereof we are glad. Such as were in Chrift before, have really enjoyed a time of refreshing, from the prefence of the Lord. They feem to have greatly renewed their fpiritual Atrength, and to have fet forward, with enlivened fteps, in the race fet before them. They are still glad, with exceeding joy, when it is faid unto them, "We will go into the house of the Lord." Sabbaths, and other feasons of friends of the Redeemer attend the memorial of his death, they find themselves in the banqueting houfe, and that his banner over them is love. It is peculiarly animating and impreffive, to fee fuch numbers added to the vifible family of the Redeemer, and among them, fo many promifing and dear young people, hopefully redeemed from fin and death, by his blood, and approaching his table, to commem. orate the wonders of his love, and feal their engagements, to be his. The idea is cherished, with anima ted hope, that they will be to his praife in the earth, and the happy inftruments of extending his kingdom among men. Of him, and through him, and to him are all things, to whom be glory for ever. Amen. ASAHEL HOOKER. Goshen, Nov. 17, 1800, (To be continued.) TO THE EDITORS OF THE CONNECTICUT EVANGELICAL MAG AZINE. GENTLEMEN, INSTANCES which have clearly fhewn the fallacy of infidel principles, and the r infufficiency to fupport the anxious mind in the near view of death, whether they have fallen under our own obfervation, or have been fatisfactorily attefted by others, to have recently happened, have a mighty tendency to imprefs our minds with a fenfe of the value and importance of revealed truth. If the following narrative, given at the request of one of your committee, fhall be thought worthy a place in your useful Maga zine, you have liberty to publish it. A Thefe BOUT two years fince, a parishioner of mine died. His name I omit to mention. In the latter part of his life he had profeffed himself a Deift, though he had not been educated in that way. He was a perfon fond of company, addicted to ridicule and banter; and most of all delighted to deride the Chriftian religion and facred fcriptures. Being infirm and unable to labor, he employed more time than ufual in reading. His tafte, however, was vitiated; and his books were chofen according to his tafte. His reading ferved only to poifon his principles, and render his conversation more dangerous to fociety. His favorite volumes were Allen's Oracles of Reafon, Paine's Age of Reafon, and others of the like kind. he had fo attentively perufed, that he was able to repeat from his memory a great proportion of each. Whenever I occafionally called at his houfe, he was hofpitable and civil; but always ready to lavish encomiums on the writings of Voltaire, Allen and Paine. He would fay that he thought their reafonings to be unanfwerable; that the Chriftian fyftem was well calculated for old women; that had he a family of children, he believed that he fhould enjoin them to attend on ministers, in public; but with no other view, than to educate them to order, and make them better members of fociety. After much converfation with him, on this fubject, I ventured to exprefs my opinion, that should I furvive him, I fhould find him to entertain fentiments very different from thefe, in the clofing fcene of his life. To this he replied, "no fir, you fhall find me die like a hero." After a few months, hearing that he was very sick, and that it was the request of his wife that I fhould make him a feemingly incidental vifit, I complied with her request, and went to his houfe. When I entered his chamber, and enquired refpecting his health, he held his eyes closed, and told me that he was very ill; that he felt unhappy that he could have no converfation with me; but that it was a fact, that he could neither converse himself, nor hear me converfe. I replied that I was equally unhappy on the fame account; for having known his fentiments on religious fubjects, for years past, I was anxious to know whether the awful realities of the future world appeared to him now in the fame light, in which he had fancied they would appear, in such an hour as this?* After paufing for fome time, he faid, "I do not fee any reason, as yet, for altering my opinion. Well fir, faid I, to your own mafftand or fall. I then took leave, or was about to retire from the chamber: upon which his wife fpoke; "Sir, faid the, I hope ter you you will not leave us, till you fhall have prayed with my husband.” He then opened his eyes for the firft time; and reproved his wife for interefting herself in any matters which concerned him. I then told his wife that her husband had faid that he was fo unwell, that he could not hear me converfe: I fuppofed he must have the fame objection to hearing me pray. Begging her for that reafon, to excuse me, I made a fecond attempt to retire. His daughter and only child, then ftood between me and the door; and with tears in her eyes, "intreated me not to leave the chamber, till I had prayed with her father." I made the fame objec It was thought by his friends that he would not live through the night. |