creafed, they were driven from their hiding places, and obtained more clear and diftinct views of the extenfive nature of the divine commands; and found their hearts to be a fountain of iniquity, from whence flowed all their actual fins. Thafe, who were brought to receive the light of divine truth fhining in the face of Jefus, previous thereto, were made fenfible, that in heart, they were fo oppofed to holinefs, that they lay wholly at the mercy of God; that God would be just to caft them off forever; and that his declaration, "I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy," was their only ground of hope; that under the curfe of God's holy law that, all their lives, they had defpifed Chrift and his religion. Some feemed to awake, as from a dream, and wondered that these things had never been feen by them before. One expreffed herself thus, "When I was firft awakened, I thought my life muft be reformed, and I would fet about the work of reformation, in earneft; but I foon found that my heart was fo wicked there was no reforming it. I found that God muft change this heart of mine, or I was undone forever." Others, when firft awakened, had views of their fins of omiffion and fome actual fins which they had committed; but by being follow-it would be juft in God to leave ed, by the fpirit of God, they foon found that their hearts were at enmity with God: and, in fome inftances, perfons have faid, that their unhappiness was, that they felt fenfible enmity against God. It gave them pain to fee what God was, and what he was doing and would do. God made ufe of various means to awaken the careless, befides the preaching of the gospel. Sometimes paffages of fcripture came like arrows to the heart. Such as thefe; "The axe is laid to the root of the tree, every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and caft into the fire. The Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed." One, who had religious parents and anceftors, was ftruck with the thought, that the piety of the family fhould ceafe in him. Some, that their husbands, or wives, or their young companions were setting out in religion and that they were like to be left. The thought of being left of God would often ftrike them to the heart. As the work of conviction in them to be veffels of wrath, fitted for deftruction; or, if it should please him, to bring them to a cordial fubmiffion and make them veffels of mercy, prepared for glory, it would be all grace; and that they, of all the faved race, fhould be moft indebted to fove, reign mercy. As to those, who are viewed hopefully converted; with refpect to the manner and circumftances of obtaining comfort, and the degree of joy and peace, there has been a difference. In a few inftances, their conviction has been short and their joy fudden, being filled with admiring views of God, discovered in his law, in his gofpel, and in his righteous government. The words of the Pfalmift were fweet to them." The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice." Alfo, the natural world appeared to shine with divine luftre, and in its various ways, to praise God; and, they faid, they longed to join in praifing him forever. But, it was the cafe with many, that their convictions were long. Some perfons, who were brought up in families, where religion had been maintained, had been under convictions, at feafons, from their childhood. By the Spirit of God, fuch were, often, brought gradually to hope that their hearts were brought into fubmiffion to him. It was often the cafe, that this was effected, by a reflex view of the working of the Spirit of God on their hearts. In fome inftances, fuch, on receiving light, concluded that their convictions were gone and God had left them to a hard heart; for, before this change, they had thought, if God fhould convert them, they fhould not only look on themselves as very holy and good, but they fhould know that God had renewed their hearts, by his grace. But, now, to fee themfelves fuch wicked, ill-deferving and hell-deferving wretches, as much fo and if poflible more fo, than they were before the time of their awakening, it could not be that their hearts were renewed by grace, tho' they fenfibly felt the contention between God and their own hearts to be at an end. But, by being often bro't to give up themselves, and all that was dear to them, into the hands of a fovereign God, without any referve; by beholding the beauty and excellency of the divine law, which condemned them; the glory of Chrift as the end of the law to all who love and believe on him, they could not refrain from believing, trufting and committing their fouls to him. Some have faid, that their views of the fufficiency of Chrift were fuch, that if they had many fouls, they would truft them all in his hand, and hope for falvation in his name. Previous to the religious attention among us, public worship was greatly neglected by many whole families, as well as by individuals; but when God began to work, how comforting to Zion's friends, to fee them flocking to hear the word preached, on the fabbath and at other feafons! It appeared, that they felt themfelves interefted in the things which they heard. We had no diforder, or outcries, so as to make any disturbance in our pub, lic meetings; yet the folemnity was like going to the grave, or to judgment. No one, but those who know by experience, can conceive the joy which has taken place among the people of God. In regard to family prayer; in fome inftances, where there were but very few, who called upon the name of the Lord, formerly, now almost whole neighborhoods have engaged in this duty; that if one were to pass among them, at certain feafons, he would be conftrained to fay, furely God is in this place. Parents, in a pub. lic manner, devoting themselves, their little ones, and all that they have to the Lord. How pleafing the feafons, to behold the aged and the young of both fexes leaving the follies, peculiar to their age, and becom ing followers of the lowly Jefus. The pious parents' heart, in a number of inftances, partook of joy inexpreffible to fee the divine bleffing poured on them, agreeably to the promife, in Ifaiah, "I will pour my Spirit upon thy feed, and my bleffing upon thine offspring;" to fee thofe, who were of themfelves, arifing and building the old wafte places, and repairing the breaches of former generations. In a few inftances, almoft whole families have been affected, and they have efpoused the caufe of Chrift, before a vain and deluded world. in this place, fixty-four perfons have been united to the church; and ninety have been baptized, on their own, or on their parents' account. On one fabbath, fix houfholds were prefented and baptized, containing twenty-three children. This circumftance, accompanied with a fermon, on the duty of parents to their children, under the divine agency, was made a mean of good to many. It was noticed by children. In one inftance a child asked her mother, who made no profeffion of religion, "Mamma, why am not I baptized?" This went to the mother's heart. We hope the wound was healed by the blood of Jefus, and the enabled to give herfelf, her children and all that the had into the hands of God. Since the work of God revived, | their fouls with the fins of his profeffing people. While the finners' hearts are hardening and prepar ing for deftruction; God calls the backflider, he returns, condemas his fhameful apoftacy, and by making confeffion, he brings glory to God and fhame upon finners. Sinners, in a day of divine grace, fhould fear, left while they are watching others and neglecting their own fouls, the Spirit fhould be quenched, and that come on them fpoken by the prophet to Ifrael in their rebellion; "that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and fnared, and taken." Though we fear that fome who have appeared to run well, for a feafon, will apoftatize, and thereby grieve the genera tion of God's children; yet we hope better things of many, who have appeared to embrace the truth, in this joyful season, and things that accompany falvation. We have raised expectations, that God who has exerted the power of fovereign grace, in changing their hearts, will put forth the fame exertions, in keeping them, through faith, to eternal life, Those who have made a profesfion of religion, in this time of attention, have appeared to adorn their profeffion, by their obferv. ance of the commands of Chrift; but fhould it be the cafe, that in a fhort time we fhould have exceptions to make, because fome return, like the "dog to his own womit again; and the fow that was washed, to her wallowing in the mire," it ought not to be noticed as any thing against religion; but an evidence of the depravity and treachery of the human heart. Tares are often found among wheat, and falfe profeffors among real Chriftians. God has feen it needful to leave fome of his own children to fall, to try them, thereby to make them more fit for their mafter's ufe and fervice. And if fome poor hardened finners are wishing that thofe who have deferted their company may turn back; God may according to his word fend them this delufion, and let them try to feed There are many, who cavil at the fimilarity of the accounts given of the work of God, in various places, and the likeness of individual narratives; and would fain fuggeft that these things were learned from each other; but if fuch perfons would call to mind, and carefully attend to the following things, they would be conftrained to fay, that their likeness was an evidence of the truth of them, viz. The natural hearts of all men are alike, in the fame ftate of total moral depravity.— All men have to do with the fame God. All men have a fimilar monitor or confcience within them; are under the fame law; hear the fame gospel; enjoy the | fame bible, and means of religion. All men are called, or moved by the same spirit; are in the fame world and are bound to the fame eternity. From thefe confiderations it is not ftrange, that perfons who never faw or heard of each other, when born again by the fpirit of God, fhould fpeak the fame things; and when met, fhould converfe as though they had been born of the fame parents and educated under the fame means. This, inftead of being an argument against religion is a clear proof that it is from God. And now, may the God of hope fill us with all joy, and peace in believing; and grant that we, who have named the name of Chrift, may depart from iniquity. Amen. From yours, &c. ISRAEL DAY. Killingly, August, 1802. Letter from a Father to his Son. August 2, 1801. "DEAR SON, YOUR felves, but to him who died for them and rofe again." The pious pfalmift fays, "Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I defire befides thee"-" God is the ftrength of my heart, and my portion for ever." The pfalmift also addreffing his own foul, fays, "Return unto thy reft O my foul" "Cleave unto the Lord your God"-O taste and fee that the Lord is good"-" In thy prefence is fulness of joy, and at thy right hand there are pleasures forever more." It is alfo afferted in Gai. vi. 16. "As many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them." The word of God, my dear fon, is the rule to direct us in all our walks in life. And that perfon who chalks out a rule for himself by fabricating a theoretic fcheme, founded on his pallions, or on fome vifionary phantom, exifting no where but in his own distorted imagination, muft float very loofely, and precariously on the tide of life. "In vain will you fearch for happiness," as you exprefs it, "by plowing the tracklefs ocean, or roaming in folitary wilds." No perfon can be happy in this world when he avoids his duty, and no one is fo wretched as he who takes himself out of the divine protection. You further fay, in your letter, "Can we enjoy this life without ftriatly adhering to this principle of felf-love? Certainly we cannot.” Alas! my fon, what an infer letter, of the 20th ultimo, now lies before me-I have perufed it with fome conflict of feelings. You well know my fentiments in moral things. In the name of common fenfe, with confidence, with boldnefs and assurance," you afk, "what we were made for, if not to live to ourselves?" I fhall not fearch for arguments, a priori, I fhall take for granted what is parence! what a conclulon !—I acticularly afferted in the holy fcrip- knowledge a perfon is to regard tures. I Cor. x. 31. "Wheth himself and to feck his own happier therefore ye eat, or drink, or nefs; but he is to do all this in whatever ye do, do all to the glo- God's appointed way-God is ry of God."-In another place it the chief good in the anime.fe, is faid, "the love of Chrift con- and the happics of all crated traineth us, that they who live intelligencies cons in the enfhould not henceforth live to them-joyment of him. The good man, in fcripture, is reprefented, as "seeking not his own." 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20. "Ye are not your own for ye are bought with a price-therefore glorify God in your body, and in your fpirit, which are God's."Now, my fon, put your trust in God, and fubmit on gofpel terms, and your mind will be calm; the rugged road of life will appear to be fmooth and delightfome in the discharge of duty. "Thofe doctrines which you mostly oppofe, are, the decrees, election, and the divine fovereignty. But permit me to affure you, that they are connected with the atonement by Chrift, and are the most comforting and confoling doctrines in the bible; in fhort, they are the only hope of the true child of God. "I now proceed to take notice of another fentence in your letter." I do not wish by argument to convince you that I am right, but it must be more than human wifdom and forefight to convince me that I am wrong, the reafon is, I don't intend to be convinced." O my fon, what an aftonishing determination is this! Bring arguments as many as you please, but don't make affertions-I am always willing to lay myself open to conviction, by coolly and candidly difcuffing a fubject, and why had you not better fufpend your opinion, for a while, in things that you cannot comprehend, than to make a rafh conclufion at the age of fixteen. When you speak on political fubjects, you totally turn the tables; you fay, "But before we form our judgment, we ought to examine it more minutely." Why, my fon, ought we not in our moral concerns to examine the fubjcct ftill more minutely? Do not rath conclufions in matters of infinite moment denote an obftinate, and perverfe temper of mind, or a heart totally oppofed to holiness and all moral good? Paufe a moment, and ponder, fift your fentiments-retire alone in your closet, fubmit yourfelf to God, through the merits of Chrift, and ask the divine aid and direction. To be really virtuous is the great leffon before us, and every accomplishment, and every acquirement to the exclufion of moral goodness, are comparatively lefs than no thing and altogether vanity. "You alfo remark, that the paffage which I quoted concerning the ancient Hebrews, “does not apply in the prefent cafe, becaufe mankind (you fay) at the prefent day are totally different from what they were centuries ago." Why, my fon, does it not apply; the human heart has been the fame in all ages. Envy and malice were confpicuous in Cain-intrigue and fycophancy in Abfalom-blafphemy in Rabfhekah-murder in Hazael-enormous pride in Haman, and cruelty in Herod. What can be the difference? Surely nothing, only mankind in the present period of declenfion, are more refined in wickednefs. But the divine government is the fame, and God will not deviate from his ordinary courfe, in the difpenfations of his providence, and in his dealings towards mankind because of their refinement in fin. I confider you, now, my dear fon, in that dangerous period of life, when you are moft expofed to the allurements of temptation; I have many an anxious hour, fearing that you will indulge habits of thinking, that will lead you to infidelity. In my remarks to you from time to time, on the fubject, you have |