try. I therefore, in September, 1798, preached in my own pulpit, and soon after in Springfield, the sermon, which has appeared under the title of "The dangers of the times from infidelity and immorality, and especially from a lately discovered conspiracy against religion and government." The publication was encouraged by the people in Springfield and West-Springfield.

My parish for many years had felt the importance of erecting a new meeting-house. A number of unsuccessful attempts had been made to agree on a location. In 1799, the controversy was happily terminated. Mr. John Ashley, a respectable inhabitant, offered the parish the sum of thirteen hundred pounds, as a fund for the support of the ministry, on condition, that within a time prescribed, an elegant and capacious house of worship should be. erected and finished on ground, which he marked out, about half a mile north of the ground on which the then present house stood.

This proposal at once brought the long dispute to a crisis. By the acceptance or rejection of it, the question would probably be decided, whether the parish should any longer exist as one reli gious society. Some in the neighborhood of the ancient house would feel an attachment to that ground. Those who had long contended for the new ground, would feel their attachment strengthened by Mr. Ashley's proposal, and would think all dissentients utterly unreasonable. If an opposition to the proposal should ultimately prevail, the parish would necessarily be divided, and perhaps dissolved. I interested myself in the business, and both publickly and privately gave my opinion in favour of accepting the proposal, and supported it by arguments, which I thought to be weighty. I observed to my people, that I knew the subject to be delicate, but as the proposed location would discommode my own and my sons' families, as much as any families in the parish, I could not be suspected of being under an unworthy influence. The proposal was accepted almost unanimously. The few who

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hesitated, honorably acceded to the general sentiment. The work was promptly undertaken, cheerfully prosecuted, and happily accomplished.

On June 20, 1802, I preached to a serious and affected audience a valedictory sermon in the old meeting-house; and on the 24th day of the same month, which day completed a century from the erection of that house, I preached a dedicatory sermon in the new house. Both were printed.

In August, 1802, I preached a sermon at Northampton before the Missionary Society. Soon after, at the request of the committee of said society, I prepared two sermons, on the christian sabbath, for distribution in the new settlements. These were all published at the expense of the society.

On the public fast in April, 1802, I preached to my own people, and the next year to the people in Springfield, a sermon on the uniformity and constancy of the divine government. In this, after illustrating the leading sentiment, I endeavored to shew, that human governments ought to be, like the divine, steady and uniform, as far as the imperfection of men will permit; that there can be no free government without the influence of religious principles; that, as religion and government are connected, it must be the duty of ministers to preach on political subjects in this connection, and that the clamour against them on this ground has, in all ages, resulted from atheistical principles. This sermon was published at the request of the people in Springfield.

February, 1803. Riding alone in my cutter, I passed a man on foot, who belonged to my parish. He was nearly fifty years old-not a man of the most blameless character. I invited him to ride with me. A particular incident introduced religious conversation, to which he seemed not averse. I had before conversed with him. He would always receive advice and reproof without

offence, and never would deny the faults of which he was openly guilty. Our conversation was as follows:

Mr. why do

you not attend publick worship?

"Because, I think, it will do no good. I mean to be an honest

So far is well. No man can be a real christian without honesty. But this alone will not make a christian. There must be a holy heart; a heart to love tod; to believe in Christ the only Saviour of lost sinners. There must be a conviction of sin, a godly sorrow for it, a hatred of it,a resolution and watchfulness against it in all its forms, and espeially against the sins which most easily beset you; there must be respect for all God's commandments, and a humble reliance on te grace and mercy of God through the divine Redeemer.

"I know all this; and I knw I am a sinner; and I would give all I have in the world, that I as a good man. I desire this above all things."

Why then are you not a gootman?

"I wish I was; but I can't b, I can't change my own heart. If it is ever changed, it must e done by the power of God's spirit."

It is true, that for a change of hart you are dependent on the grace of God. But there are som things, which you can do; and which you will do, if you reall desire to be a good man. You can go to God's house on his appointed day. That is the place where, and the time when you ae to hope for God's spirit. He begets men by the word of truth. Therefore be swift to hear. There were many in the apostles' days who received the spirit in the hearing of the word of faith. You can withdraw your foot from the place of temptation—you can lay apart the superfluity of naughtiness, and the gross forms of wickedness, which oppose the spirit.

"Yes; I can do all this; but it will do no good. My withdrawing from the tavern, and going to the place of worship will make no difference in my case. If God is pleased to send his holy spirit into my heart, and to renew it by his immediate power, I shall then be renewed. If not, I must remain as I am, and take my destiny. Nothing that I can do, will make my case better or worse-more or less hopeful. I hope God will do something for

me.

When he does it, then it will be done."

you

But, my friend, you certainly deceive yourself. You say, you would give all you have in the world that you was a good man. But you won't give your bottle. They who are sensual, have not the spirit. And if you will not renouce sensuality, how will you have the spirit. If ever you become a good man, you will become a temperate man. If deire to be a good man, be a temperate man now. This you an be. If you would give all you have, that you were a good mo, you will give so much labor as to go to God's house and seek Im there. If ever you become a good man, you will do this. Why will you not do it now? It is manifest, you do not wish tobe a good man. You will not relinquish so small a thing as your bottle-nor take so small a walk as from your house to th meeting-house; though you know that so long as you retain theformer, and neglect the latter, you cannot be the man, whom, you say, you wish to be. You are like those of whom God complains, that they will not frame their doings to turn to him. Ad how will he pardon you for this?

By this time we came the place where it was convenient for him to leave me, and the conversation ended. I do not know that it had any effect. He seemed to be sensible that he was a sinner; and to think that it was no fault of his, if he continued such; because he was dependent on the grace of God, and his eternal destiny was fixed by God's sovereignty, and fixed unconditionally. In his last sickness, which was not many years after,

he was, to appearance, in a serious and thoughtful state of mindwas desirous of prayers from others. And he said, he employed himself in prayer all his time. He condemned his past manner of life, and seemed to have some reliance on divine mercy.

This person had lived in different parts of the country. Where he imbibed his fatalistical sentiments, I never knew. But his talk impressed on my mind the danger of such sentiments, and the duty of ministers to guard their people against them. The great doctrines of grace, such as renovation by the spirit of God, and justification by the righteousness of Christ, ought to be held up to view. But the gospel states them, and ministers ought to treat them in such a manner, as to encourage sinners in the use of the means of grace; not so as to embolden them in the neglect of these means. I have supposed, there is an analogy between the scheme of providence and the scheme of grace. In both we are dependent on God; and in both there are means to be used by us. And as by the common influence of providence weak man can do some things in order to the support of his body; so by that common influence of grace, which accompanies the gospel, fallen man can do some things in order to the conversion and salvation of his soul. And though there is no natural, or promised connection between the volitions or doings of a sinner, while he is a sinner, and the renovation of his corrupt nature; yet there may be a hopeful connection; because it is in the use of means, that this gracious change more commonly takes place. The apostle says, "God of his own will begets us by the word of truth. Therefore let every man be swift to hear."

There is no certain connection between any man's labor and his success in his worldly calling. If he has success, this comes from God. It is a gift of his goodness; and his goodness is sovereign. It is not guided by human merit, but by his own perfect wisdom. Still we may act on the general principle, that the dili