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5 "IA Friendly Cue p which, we maintain with our W Brethren of New- Nugland, gives IE 8 us now and then the pleaſure © of hearmg ſome remarkable Inſtances ' of divine Grace in the Converſion of Sin- ners, and ſome eminent Examples of Piety in that American Part of the World. But never did we hear or read, ſince the ' firſt: Ages of Chriſtianity, any Event of this kind ſo ſurprizing as the preſent Nar- rative | hath 125 — us. The Rev“. and Worthy Dr. Colman of Boſton had given us ſome flat Intimations of it in his Let- ters; and upon our Requeſt of a more large and particular Account, Mr, Ed. . evards, the 2. and ſucceſsful Miniſter of Nee, Which was one of the chief Scenes of theſe Wonders, drew up this Hiſtory i in an Epiſtle to Dr. Colman,
There were ſome uſeful Sermons of _the Venerable and Aged Mr. William
A 1 1 iam
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„ The PREFACE... -
Williams publiſt'd lately in New-Eng- i
land, which were preached in that part of the Country during. this Seaſon of the
glorious Work of God in the Converſion of Men ; to which ,Dr. Colman ſubjoin'd
a moſt judicious and accurate Abridge-
ment of this Epiſtle : And a little after
E;
, 2 | . 2 m London. /
- by Mr. Edwards's Requeſt, he ſent the
Original to our Hands, to be communi- cated to the World under our Care here
*
We are abundantly fatisfy'd of the Truth of this Narrative, not only from
from the concurrent Teſtimony of many
the pious Character of the Writer, but
other Perſons. in Net- England; for this Ding was not done in a Corner. There is a a ſpot of Ground, as we are here inform'd, wherein there are twelve or fourteen Towns and Villages, chiefly ſituate in . New-Hampſvire near the Banks of the River of Connecticut, within the compaſs of thir- ty Miles, wherein it pleaſed God two ; er ago to diſplay his free and ſovereign ercy
in the Converſion of a great mul- _ titude of Souls in a ſhort ſpace of Time,
turning them from a formal, cold and © Careleſs Profeſſion of Chriſtianity to the
* * * 4
lively Exerciſe of every Chriſtian Grace,
and the powerful Practice of our holy Re-
*
—
ligion. The great God has ſeem'd to act over again the Miracle of Gedeon's Fleece,
"F
which
Ife PREFACE. ov which was plentifully water'd with the Dew- of Heaven, while the reſt of the Earth round about it was dry, and had no ſuch remarkable Bleſſing, . gy There has been a great and juſt Com- plaint for many Years among the Mini- ſters and Churches in Old-England, and in New, (except about the time of the late
= Earthquake there) that the Work of Con- verſion goes on very ſlowly, that the Spi-
OOO. ER bebe Ho ef ²⁵Ü—ò—öiñsU ð ̃ ͥͤů DET nw, Bl E hg
a uw
— Ow
ow
rit of God in his ſaving Influences is much withdrawn from the Miniſtrations of his Word, and there are few that receive the Report of the Goſpel, with any eminent Succeſs upon their Hearts. But as the Goſpel is the ſame divine Inſtrument of Grace ſtill, as ever it was in the Days of the Apoſtles, ſo our aſcended Saviour now and then takes a ſpecial Occaſion to mani- feſt the Divinity of this Goſpel by a plen- tiful Effuſion of hisSpirit-where it is preach- ed: then Sinners are turned into Saints in numbers, and there is a new face of Things ſpread over a Town or a Coun- try: The 2 and the. ſolitary Places are glad, the Deſert rejoices and bloſſoms as the Roſe 3. and ſurely. concerning this In- | ſtance we may add, that hey have ſeen the Glory of the Lord there, and the Excellen- Cy of our God; they have ſeen the Out-goings of God our King in bis Sanfluary, _.; + 030725751 < 803-11 i: Sodlndy
a . + 3 0 -
* The PREFACE:
„like diſp
ö Certainly i it becomes us, who profeſs the Religion of Criſt, to take notice of ſuch - aſtoniſhing Exerciſes of his Power and Mercy, and give him the Glory which -is due, when he begins to accompliſh any of his Promiſes concerning the latter Days: and it gives us further Encourage- ment to pos and wait, and for the of his Power in the midſt of us. The hind of God is not fhorten'd that it cannot fave, but we have reaſon to fear that our Iniguities, our Coldneſs in Religion,
and the general Carnality of our Spirits, have
raiſed a Wall of Separation between Gd and us: And we may add, the Pride and
rſe Humour of Infidelity y, Degeneracy 3B
perve and A poſtacy from the Chriſtian Faith,
Which have of late Years broken out a- mongſt us, ſeem to have provoked the
Spirit of Chriſt to abſent himſelf much from our Nation. Return, O Lord, and viſit thy Churches, and revive thine own „ Work in the midſt of us“ From ſuch bleſſed Inſtances of che Sib ceſs of the Goſpel, as appear in this Nar- rative, we may learn much of the way of the Spirit of God in his dealing with the Souls of Men, in order to convince Sin-
ners, and reſtore them to his Favour _
dis Inge by Jour Chriſt, his Son.
acknowledge that ſome E ome = 8 in the Work of Converſion a- mon
W W GD Gen.» my
4 if Hh 1 8 TT fe wm A1
h:
' — —
V ⁰ Q ͤᷣ !! ñ ho eo erent
The PREFACE. vii mor g Men may be oceaſionꝰd by the Mini-
ſtry which they fit under, whether it be of
a more or leſs evangelical Strain, whether it be more ſevere and affrighting, or more gentle and perſuaſive. But whereſoever God works with Power for Salvation upon
the Minds of Men, there will be ſome diſcoveries of a Senſe of Sin, of the dan-
ger of the Wrath of God, of the All- uff.
.
ciency of his Son Jeſus, to relieve us under
all our ſpiritual Wants and Piſtreſſes, and a hearty Conſent of Soul to receive him in the various Offices of Grace, wherein
dle is ſet forth in the holy Seriptures. And if our Readers had opportunity (as we | have had) to peruſe ſeveral of the Sermons
which were preached during this glotions - Seafon, we ſhould find that it is the com- mon plain Proteſtant Doctrine of the Re-
formation, without ſtretching towards the
Antinomians on the one ſide, or the Armi- niaus on the other, that the Spirit of God has been pleaſed to honour with ſuch il- quſtrieus Success. 282., We are taught alſo by this happy Evest how eafy it wi be for our bleſſed Lord to make a full accompliſhment of all his Predictions concerning his Kingdom, and
„ +
to ſpread his Dominion from Sta to Sea,
thro' all the Nations of the Earth. We ſee how eaſy it is for him with one Turn of his Hand, with one Word of his Mouth, _—_ vi A 3 5 to
1 2
viii The PREFACE.
to awaken whole Countries of ſtupid and ſleeping Sinners, and kindle divine Life in their Souls, The heavenly Influence ſhall
run from door to door, filling the Hearts
and Lips of every Inhabitant with importu- nate Inquiries, What ſhall we do to be ſaved ? And how ſhall we eſcape the Wrath to come? And the Name of. Chriſt the Saviour ſhall diffuſe it ſelf like a rich and vital Perfume to multitudes that were ready to fink and . periſh under the painful Senſe of their own Guilt and Danger.. Salvation ſhall ſpread thro” all the Tribes and Ranks of Man- kind, as. the Lightning from Heaven in a few Moments would communicate a living Flame thro? ten. thouſand Lamps or Torches placed in a proper Situation and 5 Neighbourhood 8 _ born in a Day when our Redeemer pleaſe, and his faithful and obedient Subjects ſhall become as numerous as the Spires af _ . Graſs in a Meadow newly mown,, and re- ftreſn'd with the Shawers of Heaven. But the Pleaſure of this agreeable Hint bears . the Mind away. from 'our Theme. Let us. return to the
Thus 2. Nation ſhall be
Tis worthy. of our Obſervation, that this great and ſurprizing Work does not ſeem to have taken its Riſe from any ſudden and diſtreſſing Calamity or publick Ter-
ſent Narrative.
rour that might univerſally impreſs the Minds of a People: Here was no Storm, 9 7 | 7 : ; | Rs n
it is a bleſſed Confirmation of the Truth
The PREFACE i no Earthquake, no Inundation of Water, no Deſolation by Fire, no Peſtilence or any other ſweeping Diſtemper, nor any
$ cruel Invaſion by their Indian Neighbours, chat might force the Inhabitants into a ſe-
rious Thoughtfulneſs, and a religious Temper by the Fears of eee, Death and Judgment. Such Scenes as theſe have ſometimes been made happily effectual to awaken Sinners in Zion, and the for- mal Profeſſor and the Hypocrite have
been terrify'd with the Thoughts of di-
vine Wrath breaking in upon them, Vo ſhall dwell with everlaſting Burnings ? But in the preſent Caſe the immediate hand of God in the Work of his Spirit appears. much more evident, becauſe there is no ſuch awful and threat'ning Providence at- tcendiagar.” 0D For 199 F It is worthy alſo of our further Notice, that when many prophane Sinners, and for- mal Profeffors of Religion have been af- frighted out of their preſeut Careleſſneſs and Stupidity by ſome aſtoniſhingTerrours approaching them, thoſe religious Appear- ances have not been ſo durable, nor the real Change of Heart ſo thoroughly ef- fected : Many of theſe ſort of ſudden Con- verts have dropt their religious Concerns + in a great meaſure when their Fears of tile threat'ning Calamity are vaniſh'd. But
of
EY *
. hs notice, that a threat'ning
Mah ng the Var
WW diſcovered
Goodneſs of God Place where fuch a-mutcirude of his-young | þ bony were aſſembled: Nor can we give a better Account of it than in the
The PREFACE:
. X
gf this preſent Work of Grace, that᷑ the Perſons who were divinely wrought upon in this Seaſon continue ſtill to profeſs: ſe-- rious Religion, and to practiſe it with-
bout returning to their former Follies.
It may not be amits in this place to %
expreſs'd towards a
nguage of this very Gentleman, the
Revs Mr. Edwards, Miniſter of that
Town, who wrote the following Letter,
IN was publiſt'd 1 in New-Exgeand: -
| Northampton, March rgth, 1737.
| 'E in this Town, were the laf Lord's . Day the Spectators, and many of us the Wide, of ane of the moſt amazing In- Janes
very ſurprizing and | e e has this laſt Lear attended the People of Northampton, a- mong whom this Work of divine Grace was fo remarkable: which Providence | at firſt:might have been conſtrued by the
unthinking World to be a. ſignal” | of God's Diſpleaſure againſt that Town, lor a Judgment from Heaven upon the Peay * but ſoon afterwards, like Paulis r of from his Hand, aſtoniſhing Care and
Token
Tube PREFACE A Bans f divine Preſervation, that perhaps. was ever known in the Land: Our ' Mect-, ing- Houſe is old and decay d, ſo that we -bave been fer ſome lime building a new one, W wwbich is yet unſi niſb' d: It bas been obſerved. / late, that the Houſe that we have bitberto net in bas gradually ſpread at bottom, the Cells and Walls giving way, eſpecially. in the, PForeſide, by reaſon of the Weight of. Timber © at ſop, preſſing on the Braces that are in- erted into the Poſts and Beams of tbe Hauſe. l has ſo done more than ordinarily this Fering which ſeems to have. been occaſion'd; by the heaving of the Ground by the extream *roſts of th? Winter paſt, and its . now ſet- tling again ont hat ſide which is next ibe Sun, by the Thaws of the Spring: By this means. the under -pinning has been conſiderably diſ- order d, -which Peazle were not ſenſible of, till the ends of the Joyſts which bore up the. rout Gallery, by the Walls giving way, were drawn off from the Girls on-which they reſted-, ſo that in the midſt of the publick Ex- erciſe in the Forenoon, ſoon after the begin- ning f Sermon, the whole Gallery full of. People, with all the Seats and Timber, ſud- denly and without any Warning ſunk, and fell down, with moſt amazing noiſe, upon the WR #cads of thoſe that ſat under, to the aftonifh- . eds ent of the Congregation, the Houſe being of us fil d with dolorous Shrieking and Crying , 4
„ The PREFACE. and nothing elſe was expected than to "find
many People dead, and daſhed to pieces. be Gallery in falling ſeem'd to break and
nk firſt in the middle; fo that thoſe who
were upon it were thrown together in heaps
| before the front Door: But the whole was fo . ſudden, that many of them that fell knew no-
thing in the time of it what it was that had
befallen them; and others in the Congregation
knew not what it was that had happen'd with fo great a Noiſe; many thought it had been
- an amazing Clap of Thunder : The falling i
Gallery ſeem'd to be broken all to pieces before
il got down; ſo that ſome that fell with it,
as well as thoſe that were under, were
buried in the Ruins, and were found fred under heavy Loads of Timber, and could do _ nothing to help themſelves ©
But fo myſteriouſly and wonderfully did it come to paſs, that every Life was 7re-
| ferved; and the” many were greatly bruiſed, and their Fleſh torn, yet there is not, as T can underſtand, one Bone broke, or ſo much
as put out of Joint among them all: Some
that were thought to be almoſt dead at firſt, are greatly recover d; and but one young Nyman ſeems yet to remain in dangerous Cir- cumſtances, by an inward Hurt in her Breaſt - but ef late there appears more Hope of ber Recovery. There is none can give any Account, or ' conceive by what Means it ſhould come 10 paſs, that Peoples Lives and Limbs muy
Wb N 2 . =
*
ww
2 SY NT * ny % — MS, K.. . OS * WJ > IS... dl. De. og ds | Sh
The PREFACE xii be thus preſerv'd, when ſo great a Mulli-
= inde were thus imminently expoſed : It look- ed as tbo' it was impoſſibl: it ſhould be iber wiſe, than that great Numbers ſhould inſtantly be cruſhed to death or daſhed in Pieces: It ſeems unreaſonable to aſcribe it % any thing elſe, but the Care of Pro- © vidence in diſpoſing the Mctions of every Stick = of Timber, and the preciſe Place of Safety = where every one ſhould fit and fall, when none were in any Capacity to take care /r their own Preſervalign. The Preſerva- lion ſeems. to be maß wdnderful, with re- EX /pe to the Women, and Children that were i tbe middle Ally, under the Gallery, where it came down firſt, and with greateſt Force, and where was nothing to break the Force of be falling weight, 1 Such an Event may be a ſufficient Ar- gument of a Divine Providence over the Lives of Men, We thought our ſelves cal- ed to ſet a-part a Day to be ſpent in ibe = /olemn Worſhip of God, to bumble our-
* 25
a ve under ſuch a Rebuke of God ufon us 2 i be tine of public Service in God's of Houſe by ſo dangerous and ſurprizing an Ac- y eident; and to praiſe his Name for ſo mon- 27. derful, and as it were Miraculous a. Pre- % alien; and the laſt Wedneſday was kept TY by us to that End: And a Mercy in which
the Hand of God is ſo remarkably evident. N a may
xiv The PRE FA [$38 may be well Wonen ts aff. the Hearts of all that bear it.
Thus far the Letter EE Lens
; ,
But it is time to onclute our Preface: If there ſhould be any thing found in this Narrative of the ſurprizing Conver- ſion of ſich Numbers of Souls, where the Sentiments or the Style of the Relater, or his Inferences from Matters of Fact, do not appear ſo agreeable to every Rea- i: der, we hope it wil have no unhappy RF influence to diſcourage the Belief of this _ glorious Event. We muſt allow every Writer his own Way; and muſt allow him to chuſe what particular Inſtances he would ſelect, from the numerous Caſes which came before Him. And tho' he might have choſen others perhaps, of, more ſignificancy in the eye of the World,
than the Moman and the Child, whoſe Ex- periences he relates at large; yet *tis e- vident he choſe that of the Woman, be- cauſe ſhe was dead, and ſhe is thereby uncapable of knowing any Honours or Reproaches on this Account. And as for the Child, thoſe who were preſent, and ſaw. and heard ſuch a remarkable and laſting Change, on one fo very young, muſt neceſſarily. receive a ſtronger Impreſſion:
from it, and a mare agreca able Surprize | than
—
*
*
The PRE FACE. e
chan the meer Narration of it can com. municate to others at a diſtance. | Chil- drens Language always, loſes . Beautic es at ſecond- hand.
Upon the whole, whatever Defects any Reader may find, or imagine in this Nar- rative, we are well ſatisſy'd, that ſuch an. eminent Work of God, ought-not to . be conceal'd from the World : and as it
vas the Rov*. Author's. Opinion, ſo we
declare it to be ours alſo, that *tis ve-
ry likely: that this Account of ſuch an
extraordinary and illuſtrious Appearance of divine Grace in the Converſion of Sinners, may, by the Bleſſing of God, have a happy Effect upon the Minds of Men; towards, the Honour and Enlarge-
ment of the Kingdom of Chrift, much more
than any ſuppoſed Imperfection in this Re- preſentation of it can do Injury,
May the worthy Writer of this Epiſtle, and all thoſe his. Rev. Brethren in the Miniſtry, who. have been honour'd in this lied and important Service, go on to fee their Eabours crown'd with daily and perſevering Succeſs! May the numerous Subjects of this ſurprizing Work hold faſt what they have received, and Increaſe in every Chriſtian Grace and Bleſſing! May a plentiful Effuſion of the bleſſed Spirit, alſo, deſcend on the Britifh Iles, and all Thins American Plan. 4 tations
xvi ThePREFA CE rations, to renew the Face of Religion there! And we intreat our Readers in both Englands, to join with us in our hearty Addreſſes to the Throne of Grace, that this wonderful Diſcovery of the hand of God in ſaving Sinners, may incourage our Faith and Hope of the Accompliſh- * ment of all his Words of Grace, which are written in the Old Teſtament and in the | New, concerning the large Extent of this Salvation in. the Latter Days of the World. Come Lord Jeſus, come quickly, and ſpread thy Dominion thro? all the Ends of the r Amen. IT =:
be 4 F Tr
Londen, 02 12. 1 Ly 37.
; 8 "= : | IsAAc N AT TS. e N 2 3 x oF . my ; a =
A Faithful
INARRATIVE
OF E
1
| The Se Work of GOD 1 in * Converſion of many Hundred Souls in Northampton, of New-England, Se. 6.
Ina LETTER to = Revs. Dr, cou, | TY 1 0 9 . E
vn
5 — * * . E* Pf 2p 144 4
+ Tn 77 14
. Reverend and Honoured Sir, Ts
7 AVING ſeen your Letter" to nmy honoured Uncle Mlliams of = Hatfield of July 20, wherein you inform him of the Notice that has been taken of tlie late
wonderful Work of God, in this, and ſome other Towns in this County ; by the 55 * B .
2 A Narrative of 4 late fur prixing
Dr. Watts and Dr. Guyſe of London, and the C ongregation to which the laſt of theſe
on a n 2 of ſolemn.
7 Mah,
you 13 me to e it; I woold now do it, 3 as juſt and faithful 4 Man-
ner hop. cl ies, Ac A ,
be Peop le of che Cin: in be .
1 foppoſ, are as ſober, and orderly, and
fort of People, as in any Part of
New-England ; and I believe they have
been Prelerbel the freeſt by far, of any
Part of the Country from Error, and va- riety of Ses and 'Opi nions. Our being ſo far within the Land from Sea- parts, and in a Corner of the Country, his doubtleſs been one - Reaſon why we have not been ſo much corrupted. with Vice, as moſt other Parts. But with- out queſtion, the Religion, and Or- der of the County, and their Purity in Dodrine, has, under God., been very much owing. to the great Abilities, and eminent Piety, of my venerable and honoured | Grandfather Stoddard. I ſuppoſe we have freeſt of any Part of the Land
at a diſtance
wn 2 War _ = 4 3 ' 8 e
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wy Divifens; and Quarrels in
al and religious Affairs, al g
(1
„ Y, Gy OY RO SEE FI
Conder ons in New-England, 34. The late lamentable * Springfield Contention. We being 9 eparated from other Parts of the. Frovince, and having com- aratively but little Intetcourſe with them, fave from the beginning, till now, al- ways managed our eccleſiaſtical Affairs within our ſelves: *tis the way in which the County, from its Infancy, has gone on, by the practical Agreement of all, and the way in which our Peace and good J Order has hitherto. been maintained. The Town of Northampton is of about 82 Trars ſtanding; and has now about 206. - Families; which moſtly dwell more com; patly together than any Town of ſuch. @ Bigneſs in theſe Parts of the Country; which probably has been an Occaſion that both our :Corruptions, and Reformation: have Fan Frog: 9 to time, the gore: ſwiftly propagated, from one to another, 2 * Town, Take the Toy in general, and ſo far as I can „s they are as Ratioual and Underſta ing a Peo- ple as moſt I have been acquainted. with; Many of them have been noted for Reli-
„ 2 „ Fi The Springfield Contention relates to the Settle- ment of a Miniſter there, which occaſion'd too Warm. | Debates between ſome, both Paſtors and People, that were for it, and others that were againſt it, on ac⸗- count of their different Apprehenſions about his Prin- ciples, and about ſome teps that were taken to aui F 7 OG of rm
c * : 7 IH * : * F P 8 « 9 8 f ? | * 8 £ 1 . 1 ä 8 A £5008 e a. S AEICNS e 01 GG ; N n un 7 CE TP ͤ ͤ K —[nMmĩꝛA· ĩ . Ec. -h e NY St on Jo ey BOY: 5 2 1 0 1 TING ran non » YR K 15 ang 0G r wy >" 4 * ee * » 5 S e 3 2 . 8 4 - n 55 4 Seth, . Lay Rs ti 3 5288 2 5 2 8 C 2 3 . 8 gr 72 £1 axe 0 a ONE, 25 e . — en YES ART 322 * 5 R r e F "2 . TE s C4 * . . o A Rs, I 2 5 n 8 : „„ ge Rnd Bars fp e Sw" ie n $ A -
t * 2 4 2 - 8 5 28 2 . 123 9 . - _ 7 S „ ES e c 2 e £5 ap IVY Ra 3 8 iP 9 * 6 2
OH —
4 4A Narrative of late Arena”
gion, and particularly, have been remarka- le for theirdiſtin& Knowledge in things that relate to Heart Religion, and Chriſtian Experience, and their great Regards there- tO.
Tam the third Miniſter that has been ſet· tled in the Town: the Revi. Mr. Eleazar Ma- ther, who! was the ft, was ordained in July, 1669. He was one whoſe Heart was nuch in his Work, abundant in Labours for the good of precious Souls; he had the high Eſteem and great Love of his People, and was bleſſed with no ſmall Succeſs, The Revs. Mr. Stoddard, who ſucceeded him, firſt to the Town the November after bk Deith, but was not ordained till Sep-
tember 11. 1672, and died Feb. 11. 1728-9. So that he continued in the Work of the Miniſtry here, from his firſt coming to Town, near 60 Fears. And as he was eminent apid. renowned for his Gifts and Grace ; 5 fo "he was bleſſed, from the be- ginning, with extraordinary Succeſs in his Miniſtty, in the Converſion of many Souls. He had five Harveſts, as he called them: The ſirſt was about 37 Years ago; the /e- cn about 33 Years; the third about 403 the fourth about 24; the fifth and laſt a- bout 18. Vears ago. Some of theſe Times were much more remarkable than others, añd the ingathering of Souls more plen- tiful. Thoſe that were about 5 3, and *
an
5 . 4 >
Converſions in New-England. - 5
and 24 Years ago, were much greater than
either the firſt or the laſt: but in each of them, I have heard my Grandfather ſay,
the bigger part of the young People in the
| Town, ſeemed to be mainly concerned for their eternal Salvation. Ws
After the laſt of theſe, came a far more
degenerate time, (at leaſt among the young, People) I ſuppoſe, than ever before. Mr.
Stoddard, indeed, had the Comfort before he died, of ſeeing a time where there were
no ſmall Appearances of adivine Work a-
mongſt ſome, and a conſiderable Ingatber-
ing of Souls, even after I was ſettled with him in the Miniſtry, which was about 2
Years before his Death; and I have rea-
ſon to 54% God for the great Advantage I had by it, In theſe 7 Years there were near twenty that Mr. Stoddard hoped to be ſavingly converted; but there was
nothing of any General Awakening, The
greater Part ſeemed to be at that time very inſenſible of the things of Religi-
on, and engaged in other Cares and Pur- ſuits, Juſt after my Grandfather's Death, it ſeemed to be a time of extraordinary
| Dulneſs in Religion: Licentiouſneſs for
ſome Years greatly prevailed among the
Youth of the Town; they were many of
them very much addicted to Night-walk-
ing, and frequenting the Tavern, and lewd
Practices, wherein ſome, by their Exam-
TY 4 Narrative of late ferprizing
ple exceedingly corrupted others. It was
their Manner very frequently to get toge
ther, in Conventions of both Sexes, for
Mirth and Jollity, which they called Fro- ticks; and they would often ſpend the greater part of the Night in them, with- _ cut regard to any Order in the Families. they belonged to: and indeed Family- Go. vernment did too much fail in the Town. It was become very cuſtomary with many of our young People, to be. Indecent in their Carriage at Meeting, which doubtleſs, would not have prevailed to ſuch a degree, bad it not ne that my Grandfather,. through his great Age, (tho” he retained- his Powers ſurprizingly to the /aft) was not ſo able to obſerve them. There had alſo long prevailed in the Town, a Spi-
rit of Contention between /wo Parties, in-
to which they had for many Years been
divided, by which, was maintain'd a Fea-- louſy one of the other, and they were pre-.
pared to appoſe one another-in all publick- Affairs. But in u or three Years after Mr. 4 Stoddard's Death, there began to be a ſen-. ſible Amendment of theſe Evils; the haun People ſhew'd more of a Diſpoſition to | hearken to Counſel, and by degrees left off there Frolicking, and grew obſervably mare Decent in their Attendance on the Publick Worſhip, and there were more RE tnt
E
e
——
Converſions in New- England. 7 that manifeſted a Religious Concern than there uſed to be. WS
At the latter end of the Year 1733, there appeared a very unuſual flexibleneſs, and yielding to Advice, in our young People. It had been too long their man- ner to make the Evening after the Sabbath *, and after our publick Lecture, to be eſ- # pecially the Times of their Mirth, and X company-keeping. But a Sermon was now 3 preached on the Sabbath before the Lec- ture, to ſhew the Evil Tendency of the Practice, and to perſuade them to re- form it; and it was urged on Heads. of Families, that it ſhould be a thing agreed upon among them, to govern their Fami- lies, and Keep their Children at home, at theſe times; and withal it was more privately moved, that they ſhould meet together, the next Day, in their ſeveral Neighbourhoods, do know each other's Mmds: which was ac- cordingly done, and the Motion complied with throughout the Town. But Parents found little, or no occaſion for the exer- eiſe of Government in the Caſe: the young People declared themſelves convinced by what they had heard from the Pulpit, and were willing of themſelves to com- it muſt be noted, that it has never been our
Manner, tô obſerve the Evening that fo/lows the Sab- bath; bit that which frecedes it, as: part of holy
Vine) . 5 15
8 A Narrative of late ſurprizing ply with the Counſel that had been given: and it was immediately, and, J ſuppoſe, al- moſt univerſally complied with; and there was a thorough Reformation of theſe Diſ- orders thenceforward, which has continued
ever ſince, eee, Le 3
Preſently after this, there began to ap- pear a remarkable Religious Concern at a little Village, belonging to the Congre-
gation, call'd Paſcommuck, where a fe-
Families were ſettled, at about three Miles - diſtance from the main Body of the Town.
At this place, a number of Perſons ſeemed
to be favingly wrought upon. In the A. Pril following, Anno 1734, there happen'd a very ſudden end awful Death of a young Man, in the Bloom of his Youth ; who being violently ſeized with a Pleuriſfy, and taken immediately very delirious, died in about #wo Days; which (together with what was preached publickly on that Oc- caſion) much affected many young People. This was followed with another Death of a young married Woman, who had been * conſiderably exerciſed in Mind, about the Salvation of her Soul, before ſhe was ill, and was in great Diſtreſs, in the beginning of her Illneſs ; but ſeemed to have ſatisfy- ing Evidences of God's ſaving Mercy to her, before her Death; ſo that ſhe died very full of Comfort, in a moſt earneſt and moving Manner warning, and coun-
ſelling
- Converſions in New- England. 9 ſelling others. This ſeem'd much to con- tribute to the ſolemnizing of the Spitits of many young Perſons: and there be- gan evidently to appear more of a Re- ligious Concern on People's Minds. In the Fall of the Year, I propoſed it to the young People, that they ſhould agree a- mong themſelves to ſpend the Evenings after Lectures in ſocial Religion, and to that end di- vide themſelves into ſeveral Companies to meet in various parts of the Town; which was accordingly done, and thoſe Meetings have been ſince continued, and the Example imita- ted by elder People. This was followꝰd with the Death of an elderly Perſon, which was atten- ded with many «nuſual Circumſtances, b: which many were much moved and affected About this time, began the great Noiſe
that was in this Part of the Country, a- bout Arminianiſm, which ſeemed to ap-
pear with a very /hreatning Aſpect upon the Intereſt of Religion here. The Friends
of vital Piety trembled for fear of the If-
ſue ; but it ſeemed, contrary to their Fear,
ſtrongly to be over-ruled for the promo- ting of Religion, Many who looked on
8 themſelves as in a Chritleſs Condition, W ſeemed to be awaken'd by it, with fear chat God was about to withdraw from the Land, and that we ſhould be given up
to Heterodoxy, and corrupt Principles; and that then their Opportunity for obtaining Sal- + his ö __ vation
10 A Narrative of late flrpriving
vation would be paſt; and many who were brought a little to- doubt about the "Truth of the Doctrines they had hitherto been taught, ſeem' d to have a kind. of a trembling Fear with their Doubts,. leſt- they ſhould. be led into By-paths, to their eternal undoing: And they ſeem'd with. much Concern and Engagedneſs of Mind, to enquire what was indeed the Way in. which they muſt come to be accepted with God. There were then ſome things. faid publickly on that Occaſion, concerning Tuftification by Faith alone. 3 Altho” great Fault was found wi ith med-. 37 dling with the Controverſy in the Pulpit, by duch a Perſon, and at that time, and tho' it was ridiculed by many elſewhere ; 0 it proved a Word Cohen in ſeaſon ere; and was moſt evidently attended with a very remarkable Bleſſing of Hea- 3 ven to the Souls of the People in this Town. They received thence a general 1 ſatisfaction with reſpect to the main thing i in queſtion, which they had been in trem- bling doubts and concern about; and their Minds were engag' d the more earneſtly. to. | ſeek that they might cometo be accepted of _ God, and ſaved in the Way of the of pel, which had been made evident to them to be the true and only Way: And they it was, in the latter part of December, that | * Spirit 7 God * extraordinarily to ſet 4
Converſions in New- England. 11 in, and wonderfully to work amongſt us; and there were, very ſuddenly, one after another, five or ſix Perſons, who were to all appearance ſavingly converted, and ſome o* chem wrought upon in a. very re- markable manner.
Particularly, I was Breed with the
relation of a young Moman, who had been one of the greateſt Company-Keepers in
the whole Town : When ſhe came to me, I had never heard that ſhe was become in any wiſe ſerious, but by the Converſation. then had with her, it appeared to me, that what ſhe gave an account of, was a glori- ous Work of God's infinite Power and ſo- 3 vereign Grace; and that God had given
er anew Heart, truly broken and ſancti- bed. I cculd not then doubt of it, and have ſeen much in my Acquaintance with. her ſince to confirm it. ?
Tho” the Work was glorious, yet I was
IF filled with concern about the Efe# it
4 might have upon ot hers : I was ready to Lonclude (tho? too raſhly). that ſome would
be Harden d by 1 It, in careleſſneſs and looſes
2X neſs of Life; and would take occaſion from it to open their Mouths, in Reproaches of Religion. But the Event was the Re. verſe, to a wonderful degree; God made ir, I ſuppoſe, the great ottaft on of awas &ening- to. others, of any thing that ever Eame to paſs! in the Town. I have had 2 Wet ; 7
among e 0 ges; the Noiſe amongſt the Dry Bones
12 A Narrative of late furprizing
abundant Opportunity to know'the Ef-
fect it had, by my private Converſation
with many. The news of it ſeemed to be almoſt like a faſo of Lightning, upon the Hearts of young People, all over the Town, and — See many others. Thoſe Perſons a-
who uſed to be fartheſt from ſeri-
oukichs, and that I moſt feared would make an ill Improvement of it, ſeemed greatly
to be awakened with it; many went to talk with her, concerning what ſhe had met with; and what appeared in her
ſeemed to be to the Satisfaction of all that did ſo. Preſently upon this, a reat and earneſt
c Concem about the great things of Relig:
on, and the eternal World, became
wniverſal in all pare of the Town, and Il Degrees, and all A-
waxed louder and louder: All other talk but about ſpiritual and eternal things,
was ſoon thrown by; all the Converſa- tion in all Companies, and upon all occa-
Hons, was upon theſe things only, un- leſs ſo much as was neceſſary for People, carrying on their ordinary ſec lar Buſineſs.
Other Diſcourſethan of the things of Reli-
ion, would ſcarcely be tolerated in any any. The Minds of People were ole taken off from the World, it;
was amongſt us as a thing of very
Converſions in New-England. 13 little Conſequence : They ſeem'd to follow their worldly Buſineſs, more as a part of their Duty, than from any Diſpoſition they had to it; the Temptation now ſeemed to lie on that hand, to negle worldly. Affairs too much, and to ſpend too much Time in the immediate Exerciſe of Religion: Which Thing was exceedingly miſrepre-
W ſented by Reports that were ſpread in diſ-
tant Parts of the Land, as tho? the People here had wholly thrown by all worldly Buſineſs, and betook themſelves entirely to Reading, and Praying, and ſuch like
religious Exerciſes,
But altho* People did not ordinarily neglect their worldly Buſineſs; yet there
chen was the Reverſe of what commonly is: EKeligion was with all ſorts the great ( cern, and the Worid was a thing only by the Bye. The only Thing in their view was to
On-
get the Kingdom of Heaven, and every one appeared preſſing into it: The Engagedneſs of their Hearts in this great Concern cou'd
not be Bid, it appear'd in their very Coun- enances. It then was a dreadful Thing a-
mongſt us to lie out of Chriſt, in danger every day of dropping into Hell; and
what Perſons minds were intent upon was
to eſcape for their Lives, and to fly from be Wrath to come. All would eagerly lay hold of opportunities for their Souls; and were wont very often to meet together in pri-
: vate
14 AX Narrative of late ſurpriging” vate Houſes, for religious Purpoſes: And fuch Meetings when eee woat | greatly to be thronged. There was ſcarcely a ſingle Perſon in the 1 Town, either old or young, that was left unconcerned about the great Things of the eternal World. Thoſe that were wont to be the vaineſt, and looſeſt, and thoſe that had iſ been moſt diſpoſed to think, and ſpeak 8
ſlightly of vital and experimental Religi- on, were now generally ſubject to great
. awakenings. And the Work of Conver-.
fron was carried on in a moſt aſtoniſhing manner, and increaſed more and more;
Souls did as it were come by Flocks to
Jeſus Chriſt. From Day to Day, for ma- 3 ny Months together, might be ſeen _ SB:
dent Inftances of Sinners brought out of Darkneſs into marvellous Light,. and deli 4 vered owt of an horrible Pit, and from the miry Clay, and ſet upon a Rock with a new © eng of Praiſe to God in their mouths. This Work of God, as it was carried on,
on the Number of true Saints multiplied, 1
ſoon made a glorious Alteration in the Town ; ſo that in the Spring and Summer following, Auno 1735, the Town ſeemed to be full of the Preſence of God: It ne- ver was ſo full of Love, nor. fo tull of Jey; and yet ſo full of Diſtreſs, as it was then. There were remarkable Tokens of God's: Preſence in almoſt every has
Comverfions in New-England. 15 lt was a time of Joy in Families on the account of Salvation's being brought unto them; Parents rejoicing over their Chil- X dren as new born, and Husbands over their Wives, and Wives over their Huſbands. De goings of God were then ſeen in his $anfiuary, God's Day was @ delight, and his Tabernacles. were amiable.. Our pub- lick Aſemblies were then beautiful; the MW Congregation was alive in God's Service, -at every one earneſtly intent on the Publick. Worſhip, every Hearer eager to drink in tte Words of the Miniſter as they came from his Mouth; the Aſſembly in gene- ral were, from time to time, in Tears = while the Word was preached; ſome weep- ing with Sorrow and Diſtreſs, o/hers' with, Joy and Love, others with Pity, and Con- li- N cern for the Souls of their Neighbours. Our publick Praiſes were then greatly enliven'd; God was then ſerved in our W2P/almody, in ſome meaſure, in the Beauty M Holineſs. It has been obſervable, that ere has been ſcarce any part of Divine Worſhip, wherein good Men amongſt us have had Grace ſo drawn forth, and their Hearts ſo lifted up in the Ways of God, as in ſinging his Praiſes: Our Congrega- tion excell'd all that ever I knew in the ex- Jernal Part of the Duty before, the Men Wegcncrally carrying regularly, and well, three Parts of Mufick, and the Nomen a
16 A Narrative of late ſurprixing Part by themſelves: But now they were evidently wont to ſing with unuſual Ele-. vation of Heart and Voice, which made the Duty pleaſant indeed. - In all Companies, on other Days, on whatever Occaſions Perſons met together, Chriſt was to be heard of, and ſeen in the . midſt of them. Our young People, when | they met, were wont to ſpend the Time | in talking of the Excellency and dying Love of FESUS CHRIST, the Gloriouſneſs of the way of Salvation, the wonderful, free, "Mi and ſovereign Grace of God, his glorious | . Work in the Converfon of a Soul, the 14 Truth and Certainty of the great Things of God's Word, the Sweetneſs of the Views of his Perfections, Sc. And even at Weddings, which formerly were meerly i occaſions of Mirth and Jollity, there was
. now no diſcourſe of any thing but the Flt things of Religion, and no appearance of 1 any, but ſpiritual Mirth, lh boſe amongſt us that had been former- we ly converted, were greatly enliven'd and 110 renew'd with freſh and extraordinary In- "I comes of the Spirit of God; tho? ſome "nn 'much more than others, according to the [ "meaſure of the Gift of Chriſt : Many that before had laboured under Difficulties a- bout their own State, had now their Doubts removed by more ſatisfying Expe-
\rience, and more clear Diſcoveries of God's Love, 8 When
Converſions in New-England. 17 When this Work of God firſt appeared,
and was ſo extraordinarily carried on a- mongſt us in the Winter, others round a-
bout us, ſeemed not to know what to make of it; and there were many that ſcoffed at
and ridiculed it; and ſome compared what
Wwe called Converſion, to certain Diſtempers. But it was very obſervable of many, that oc- caſionally came amongſt us from abroad, with diſregardful Hearts, that what they aw here cured them of ſuch a Temper of Mind: Strangers were generally ſurprized to find Things ſo much beyond what they had heard, and were wont to tell others that the State of the Town could not be conceiv'd of by thoſe that had not ſeen it. The Notice that was taken of it by the People that came to Town on occaſion of the Court, that ſat here in the beginning of March, was very obſervable. And IF thoſe that came from the Neighbourhood to our publick Lectures, were for the moſt part remarkably affected. Many that came to Town, on one occaſion or o- ther, had their Conſciences ſmitten, and TW awaken'd, and went home with wounded Hearts, and with thoſe Impreſſions that never wore off till they had hopefully a WT ſaving Iſſue; and thoſe that before had ſerious Thoughts, had their Awakenings and Convictions greatly increaſed. .
| ” there
__ Dame, it
3g Narrative of late ſurprixing
there were many Inſtances of Perſons that came from abroad, on Viſits, or on Buſi- neſs, that had not been long here before to all Appearance they were ſavingly wrought upon, and partook of that Shower
of divine Bleſſing that God rained down.
here, and went home Rejoicing; *till at length the ſame Work began evidently to appear and prevail in ſeveral other Towns: Fo ² A oINEEEES
In the Month of March, the People in South- Hadley began to be ſeized with deep _ Concern about the Things of Religion; which very ſoon became univerſal: And the Work of God has been very wonder-
ful tbere; not much, if any thing, ſhort of what it has been here, in proportion to the
bigneſs of the Place. About the ſame * began to break forth in the Weſt part of Suffeld, (where it has alſo been ve-
ry great,) and it ſoon ſpread into all parts
of the Town. It next appear'd at Sunder- land, and ſoon overſpread the Town; and
I believe was, for a Seaſon, not leſs te-
markable than _it was here. About the ſame time, it began to appear in a part of Deerfeld, called Green-River, and after-
wards fill'd the Town, and there has been a glorious Work there: It began alſb to
be manifeſt, in the South part of afield, in a place called the Hill, and after that the whele Torn, in the ſecend Week in „ April,
C
＋ * 2
bet ons in New-England: ry
April, ſeemed to be ſeized, as it were at once, with Concern about the Things of Religion; and the Work of God has been great there. There has been alſo a very general Awakening at f- Springfield, and: Long-Meadow;-and in Enfield, there was for a time a pretty general Concern amongft ſome that before had been very looſe Per- ſons. About the ſame time 92 this ap- pear'd at Enfield, the Rev“ Mr. Bull of. Weſtfield informed me, that there had been 1 Alteration there, and that more
been done in one Week there than in
ſeven” Nears before. Something of this
Work tikewiſe appeared in the firſt Pre- cin&t in Springfield, . in the
North and South Extremes of the Pariſh.
And in Hadley old Town, there gradual-- ly appear 'd N much of a Work of God on Souls, as at another time would have been thought worthy of much Notice. For a ſhort time there was alſo a very great and general Concern, of the like nature, at Northfield. And wherever this Concern appeared, it ſeemed not to be in vain: But in every place God brought ſaving Blefſings with him, and bis Word attended with his Spirit (as we have all reaſon to think) return'd not void, It might well be ſaid at that time in all Parts of the. County Wha are ay that:
Windows ? - |
As what other Towns heard of and found in this, was a great means of a-
20 A Narrative of late ſurprizing that fly as a Cloud, and as Doves to their
| eS o th
wakening them; ſo our hearing of ſuch a here, ſwift, and extraordinary Propagation, Niem.
and Extent of this Work did doubtleſs for a time ſerve to uphold the Work amongſt The continual News kept alive thi talk of Religion, and did greatly quickenf
us,
Th ner a oven. Mr. 7
and rejoice the Hearts of God's People, erſe
and much awaken'd thoſe that looked 0
themſelves as ſtill % behind, and made
rave. he ſu
them the more earneſt that they alſaſh,n ;
might ſhare in the great Bleſſing that other:
had obtain'd.
This remarkable pouring out of the Spirit of God, which thus extended from one end te
the other of this County, was not confin'c to it, but many Places in Connecticut have aeg in the ſame Mercy: As for in ſtance, the firſt Pariſh in Windſor, unde the paſtoral Care of the Rev, Mr Marſh, was thus bleſt about the ſam time, as we in Northampton, while w had vo Knowledge of each other's Circum ſtances: There has been a very great In gathering of Souls to Chri/# in that Place and ſomething conſiderable of the ſam Work began afterwards, in Eaft-W1nd/or
my honoured Fatber's Pariſh, which h in times paſt, been a Place favoured wit
Ike v
a J yhere
entle deen n he M Ind to douls t f the- rat fo
r. Gt romot ff a y ompa Som eral o form
Converſions in New-England. 21 ercies of this nature, above any on this reſtern ſide of New-England, excepting orthampton ; there having been four, or fve Seaſons of the pouring out of the Spirit
o the general awakening of the People here, ſince my Father's Settlement amongſt nem. | | |
There was alſo the laſt Spring and Sum-
glUWner a wonderful Work of God carried on at wentry, under the Miniſtry of the Revs. Mr. Meacham: I had opportunity to con- erſe with ſome of Coventry People, who gave me a very remarkable Account of he ſurprizing Change that appear'd in the oft rude and vicious Perſons there, The Wike was alſo very great at the ſame time
Wn a Part of Lebanon, called the Crank, Where the Revi. Mr. Wheelock, a young entleman is lately ſettled : And there has deen much of the ſame at Durham, under Sic Miniſtry of the Rev*. Mr. Chauncey; nd to appearance no ſmall Ingathering of
f the young People in the firſt Precinct in Watford, under the Miniſtry of the Revs, Mr. Gould; where the Work was much romoted - by the remarkable Converſion f a young Woman that had been a great ompany-Keeper, as it was here. Something of this Work appeared in ſe- eral other Towns in thoſe Parts, as I was formed when I was there, the laſt Fall, 4
zouls there. And likewiſe amongſt many
— — W
I •ůãꝓ en
Mr. Noyes, and allo by Information we
4; Work at à Part of Guzlferd ; and very conſiderable at Mansfield,” under the Mini- firy- — the Rewe. Mr. Eleazar Williams ; and an' unuſual religious Concern at 700.
* — CINE... DANCER wad A > YE 6 : — 49 . - - 4 * 4 1 . 1 2 Pee — — -4 © ne wm xm Ip þ * * - * < , = — pe : 1 5 - ** . - . *
v I POR IE? : a * * * c , 2 [ < FA . PTE - 0 27 O
Prxqſon, in the eaſtern Part of Connecticut, which I was informed of, and ſaw ſome
at the Houſe; and in the Congregatio ol the Rev. Mr. Lord, the Miniſter there; who, with the Reva. Mr. Owen of Groton * **
——— —— ů ͤů U r ——w . —
1 — ———
_—y . * 0 — 2 Sr 7 22 "= — — — — — — ——————— ——— <a dges 270, 4c, ** "I - _= :
22 J Narrative / late furprizing. And we have ſince been acquainted with Nan ſomething, very remarkable of this nature at another Pariſh in Stratford calPd Ripton, under the paſtoral Care of the Rey. Mr. Mills. And there was a conſiderable Re- vival of Religion laſt Summer at . Haven old Town, as I was once and a informed by the Revi. Mr. Noyes the niſter there, and by others: And 1 Letter which I very lately receiv'd *
have bad otherwiſe. This flouriſhing of Re- Iigion ſtill continues, and has. Jatel; y much increaſed: Mr, Noyes writes, that SD Summer have been added to the Church, and 1 mentions ſeveral young Per- ſons that belong to the Principal Families of that Town. There has been a degree of the fame ;
laud; and ſomething of it at Hebron, and Bolton, There was alſo no ſmall Effuſionfſ af the Spirit of God in the North Pariſh in
thing of it, when I was the laſt Autum
Came
.
=
Converſions m New-England, 23 came up hither in May, the laſt Lear, on purpoſe to ſee the Work of God here;
n, and having heard various and contradiCto- r ry Accounts of it, were careful when they
e. JVere here to inform, and ſatisfy them- „ Wiclves:; and to that end particularly con-
Ii. 13 declared to be entirely to their Satis-
a formed his Congregation of what .he had
Lift with it, and that it proved the beginning
ſeemed to be remarkably converted. I
ſomething of the ſame Work at Woodbury. But this Shower of divine Bleſſing has
'E ſmall Degree of it in ſome parts of the ferſeys ; as I was informed when I was at
that time of the Year for my Health,) by ſome People of the Ferſeys, whom I ſaw : Eſpecially the Rev“. Mr. William
ſuch Things much at heart, told me of Fa very great awakening of many in a Place called the Mountains, under the Mi-
verſed with many of our People; which faction; and that the one half had not been told them, nor could be told them. Mr. Lord told me that, when he got home, he in- ſeen, and that they were greatly affected : of the ſame Work amongſt them, Which der- prevailed till there was a general Awaken- lies ing, and many Inſtances of Perſons, who
alſo have lately heard that there has been been yet more extenſive: There was no
N-w-York, (in a Jong Journey I took at
Tennent, a Miniſter, who ſeemed to have
4A p | y ; 4 *
niſtry
# 4 4 . 5 1 _—_— 4 ” Gam 1 I ö . s om VE ed Rs — " a — : ; : 5 8 4 7 4 , COW . 2 8 hg - 8 PL ” Fad 2 A 8 ” 6. wy * 1 . * . =_— 4% * Me T2 bs r . 8 5 . -» 4, 3% „* bes CY * r —2 4 . * * 2
N |
Fredingbouſa.
about us, has been extraordinary on ac- count of the Univer/ality of it, affecting all ſorts, ſober and vicious, high and low, rich and poor, wiſe and unwiſe; it reach'd the moſt conſiderable Families and Perſons,
of the young People have been greatly at- | fected; but old Men, and little Children |
cerned, it would be ſpoken of as a ffrange ¶ to Fs pL
24 4 Narrative 97 late furprizing
niſtry of one Mr. Croſs ; and of a very con- ſiderable Revival of Religion in another Place under the Miniſtry of his Brother the Rev, Mr. Gilbert Th ennent ; and alfo at another Place, under the Miniſtry of a very pious young Gentleman, a Dutch Miniſter, whoſe Name as I remember was
This ſeems to have been a very extra-| ordinaty Diſpenſation of Providence: God has in many Reſpects gone out of, and much beyond his uſual, and ordinary Way. | The Work in this Town, and ſome others
to all appearance, as much as others. In former ſtirrings of this nature, the Bulk
have been ſo now. Many of the laſt have, of their own accord, formed themſelves T into religious Societies, in different Parts of | 8 < the Town: A looſe. careleſs Perſon could WM ** ſcarcely find a Companion in the whole| 9 Neighbourhood; and if there was any ont 8
Ul that med to remain ſenſeleſs or uncon- al
Thi .
Converſions in New-England, 25
This Diſpenſation has alſo appeared ve- ry extraordinary in the Numbers of thoſe, on whom we have reaſon to hope it has
had a ſaving Effect: We have about ſix hundred and twenty Communicants, which include almoſt all our adult Perſons. The Church was very large before; but Per- ſons never thronged into it, as they did in the late extraordinary Time :---Our Sa- craments are eight Weeks aſunder, and I receiv'd into our Communion about an Hundred before one Sacrament, and four- ſcore of them at one time, whoſe Appear- ance, when they preſented themſelves toge- ther to make an open explicit Profeſſion of Chriſtianity, was very affecting to the Congregation:---I took in near ſixty before the next Sacrament- Day: And I had very ſufficient Evidence of the Converſion of their Souls, thro? divine Grace, tho? it is not the Cuſtom here, as it is in many other Churches in this Country, to make a credi- ble Relation of their inward Experiences 2 ground of Admiſſion to the Lord's f ô’ Ü». at no ee Ee! I am far from pretending to be able to determine how many have lately-been the Subjects of ſuch Mercy; but if I may be allowed to declare any thing that appears to me probable in a thing of this nature, I hope that more than goo Souls were ſavingly brought home to Chrif, in this
26 A Narrative of /ate ſurprizing Town, in the ſpace of half a Year, (how many more I don't gueſs) and about the ſame Number of Males as Females; which, by what I have heard Mr. Stoddard ſay, was far from what has been uſual in Years paſt, for he obſerved that in his Time, many more Women were convert- ed than Men. Thoſe of our young Peo- ple, that are on other accounts moſt like-
ly and conſiderable, are moſtly, as I
hope, truly Pious, and leading Perſons in the Ways of Religion. Thoſe that were N looſer young Perſons, are gene- rally, to all Appearance, become true Lovers of God and Chrift, and ſpiritual in their Diſpoſitions. And I hope that by far the greater part of Perſons in this Town, above 16 years of Age, are ſuch as have the ſaving knowledge of Jes Cbriſt; and ſo by what I heard I ſuppoſe it is in ſome other Places, particularly: at Sunderland and South-Hadley. .
This has alſo appeared to be a very ex- traordinary Diſpenſation, in that the Spi- rit of God has ſo much extended not only his awakening, but regenerating Influen- ces, both to elderly Perſons, and alſo thoſe that are very young. It has been a thing heretofore rarely to be keard of, that any were converted paſt middle Age; but now we have the ſame Ground to think, at many ſuch have in this be
1 een
Converſions in New-England. 27
bedg ſavingly- changed, as that others have been ſo-in more early Years, I ſuppoſe there were upwards of ffty Perſons in this Town above 40 years of Age; and more than twenty of them above 50, and about ten of them above 60, and zwo of them above 70 years of Age.
It has heretofore been looked on as a ſtrange Thing, when any have ſeem'd ta be ſavingly wrought upon, and remark- ably changed in their Childhood; but now, I ſuppoſe, near /h77ty were to Appearance fo wrought upon between 10 and 14 years of Age, and wo between g and 10, and one of about 4 years of Age; and becauſe I ſuppoſe this laſt will be moſt difficult believed, I will hereafter give a particu- lar Account of it. The Influences of God's Spirit have alſo been yery remarkable on Children in ſome other Places, particu- larly at Sunderland and South-Hadley, and the Welt part of Suffield, There are ſeve- ral Families in this Town that are all hopefully pious; yea, there are ſeveral numerous Families, in which, I think, we have reaſon to hope that all the Chil- dren are truly godly, and moſt of them lately become ſo : And there are very few Houſes in the whole Town, into which Salvation has not lately come, in one or more Inſtances. There are ſeveral Ne- groes, that from what was ſeen in them
7
23 A Narrative of late farprizing
then, and what is diſcernable in them ſince, appear to have been truly born again in the late remarkable Seaſon,
God has alſo ſeemed to have gone out
of his uſual way, in the Quictneſs of his Work, and the ſwift Progreſs his Spirit has made i in his Operations on the Hearts of many: *Tis wonderful that Perſons ſhould be ſoſuddenly, and yet ſo greatly changed: Many have been taken from
a looſe and careleſs way of Living, and
ſeized with ſtrong Convictions of their Guilt and Miſery, and in a very little
time old Things have paſſed away, and
all Things have become new with them, God's Work has alſo appeared very extraordinary, in the Degrees of the In-
fluences of his Spirit, both in the Degree
of Awakening and Conviction, and alſo
in the Degree of ſaving Light, and Love,
and Joy, that many have experienced, It has alſo been very extraordinary in the _ Extent of it, and its being ſo ſwiftly propa- . gated from Town to Town, In former Times of the pouring out of the Spirit . of God on this Town, tho' in ſome of them it was very remarkable, yet it reached no further than this Town, the neighbouring Towns all around continued unmoved.
The Work of God's Spirit ſeemed to
be at its greateſt Height in this Town, in
Converſions in New-England. 29
in the former part of the Spring, in March and April; at which time God's Work in the Converſion of Souls was carried on amongſt us in ſo wonderful a manner, that
ſo far as I, by looking back, can judge
from the particular Acquaintance I have had with Souls in this Work, it appears to me probable, to have been at the Rate, at leaſt, of four perſons in a Day, or near thirty in a Week, take one with another,
for five or ſix. Weeks together: When
God in ſo remarkable a manner took the
Work into his own Hands, there was as
much done in a Day.or two, as at ordina- ry Times, with all Endeavours that Men can uſe, and with ſuch a Bleſſing as we commonly have, is done in a Tear.
T am very ſenſible how apt many
would be, if they ſhould ſee the Account 1 have here given, preſently to think with themſelves that I am very fond of making
a great many Converts, and of magnifying
and aggrandizing the matter; and to thin that, for want of Judgment, I take every religious Pang, and ethuſiaſtick Conceit,
for ſaving Converſion ; and 1 don't much
wonder if they ſhould be apt to think
fo: and for this reaſon I have forborn to publiſh an Account of this great Work
of God, tho? I have often been put upon it; but having now as I thought a ſpecial Call to give an account boy it, upon ma- "© 3 6 ture
; 5 a rr I
30 A Narrative of late furprizing ture Conſideration I thought it might not be beſide my Duty todeclare this amazihg
Work, as it appear'd to me, to be indeed Divine, and to conceal no part of the
Glory of it, leaving it with God to take care of the Credit of his own Work, and
running the venture of any cenſorious
Thoughts, which might be entertain'd of me to my diſadvantage: But that diſtant Perſons may be under as great Advantage as may be, to judge for themſelves of this
Matter, I would be a little more large, n
and particular.
therefore proceed to give an Account of the manner of Perſons being wrought upon; and here there is a vaſt Varie-
perhaps as manifold as the Sub- jects of the Operation; but yet in many 5 Things there is a great Analegy, in
all.
Perſons are firſt awaken'd with a Senſe of their miſerable Condition by Nature, the Danger they are in of periſhing eter- | nally, and that it is of great Importance to them that they ſpeedily eſcape, and
t into a better State. Thoſe that before were ſecure and ſenſeleſs, are made ſenſible
how much they were in the way to ruin in their former Courſes. Some are more ſuddenly ſeized with Convictions; it may
be, by the News of others Converſion, or ſomething they hear i in publick, or in private
% na, i _ 5
i. OM rons in New-England. 3t
private Conference, their Conſciences are ſuddenly ſmitten, as if their Hearts were pierced through with a Dart: Others have Awakenings that come upon them more gradually, they begin at firſt to be ſome- thing more thoughtful and conſiderate, ſo as to come to a Concluſion in their Minds, that *tis their beſt and wiſeſt way to delay no longer, but to improve the why Opportunity ; and have according- | ſet themſelves ſeriouſly to meditate on thoſe Things that have the moſt awaken- ing Tendency, on purpoſe to obtain Con- viftionsz and ſo their Awakenings have increaſed, till a Senſe of their Miſery, by God's Spirit ſetting in therewith, has had faſt hold of them. Ozbers that, before this wonderful time, had been ſomething religious and concern'd for their Salvation, have been awaken'd in a new manner, and made ſenſible that their ſlack and dull way of ſeeking was never like to at- tain their Purpoſe, and ſo have been rouſ- ed up to a greater Violence for the Kings dom of Heaven.
Theſe Awakenings when they have firſt ſeized on Perſons have had two Ef. fects: One was, that they have brought them immediately to quit their finful Practices, and the looſer ſort haye been brought to forſake and dread their former Vices and Extravagancies. When once
C4 the
32 A Narrative of late ſurprix ing the Spirit of God began to be ſo wonder- fully poured out in a general way thro'
the Town, People had ſoon done with
their old Quarrels, Backbitings, and in- termeddling with other Men's Matters; the Tavern was ſoon left empty, and
Perſons kept very much at home; none
went abroad unleſs on neceſſary Buſineſs, or on ſome religious Account, and every Day ſeemed in many reſpects like a Sab- bath-Day. And that it put them on earneſt Application to the means of Salvation, Reading, Pray-
er, Meditation, the Ordinances of God's
Houſe, and private Conference; their Cry was bat ſhall we do to be ſaved? The place of Reſort was now altered, it was no longer the Tavern, but the Miniſter” s Houſe; that was thronged far more than ever the Tavern had been wont to be. There 1s a very great variety, as to the Degree of Fear and Trouble that Perſons are exerciſed with, before they obtain any comfortable Evidences of Pardon and Ac- ceptance with God: ſome are from the beginning carried on with abundantly more Encouragement and Hope than others : ſome have had ten times leſs trouble of Mind than others, in whom yet the Iflue ſeems to be the ſame. Some havehad ſuchaSenſe of the Dupleaſure of God, and the great IT
the other Effect was,
Converſions in New- England. 33 Danger they were in of Damnation, that they could not ſleep at Nights; and many have ſaid that when they have laid down, the Thoughts of ſleeping in ſuch a Con- dition have been frightful to them, and they have ſcarcely been free from Ter- rour while they have been aſleep, and they have awaked with Fear, Heavineſs, and Diſtreſs ſtill abiding on their Spirits,
It has been very common, that the deep
and fixed Concern that has been on Per- ſons Minds, has hada painful Influence on their Bodies, and given Diſturbance to animal Nature. The awful Apprehenſions Perſons have had of their Miſery, have for the moſt part been increaſing, the nearer they have
approached to Deliverance ; tho' they of- ten paſs through many Changes, and Al-
terations in the Frame, and Circumſtances of their Minds: Sometimes they think themſelves wholly ſenſeleſs, and fear that the Spirit of God has left them, and that they are given up to judicial Hardneſs; yet they appear very deeply exerciſed about that Fear, and are in great earneſt to ob- tain Convictions again, Together with thoſe Fears, and that Exerciſe of Mind which is rational, and which they have juſt ground for, the have often ſuffer'd many needleſs Dil. 5
treſſes of Thought, in Which Satan pro- 35 C5 | *
—
34 A Narrative of late ſurprixing bably has a great hand, to entangle them, and block up their way; and ſometimes the Diſtemper of Melancholy has been evi- - dently mixed; of which when it happens the Tempter ſeems to make great advan- | tage, and puts an unhappy Bar in the way of any good Effect: One knows not how to deal with ſuch Perſons, they turn every Thing that is faid to them the wrong way, and moſt to their own Diſ- advantage : And there is nothing that the Devil ſeems to make ſo great a handle of, as a melancholy. Humour, unleſs it be the real Corruption of the Heart. » But it has been very remarkable, that where has been far leſs of this Mixture in this time of extraordinary Bleſſing, than there was wont to be in Perſons under awakenings at other Times; for it is evi- dent that many that before had been ex- ceedingly involved in ſuch Difficulties, ſeem'd now ſtrangely to be ſet at liberty: Some Perſons that had before, for a long time, been exceedingly entangled with pe- culiar Temptations, of one ſort or other, and unprofitable and hurtful Diſtreſſes, were ſoon helped over former Stumbling- Blocks, that hinder'd any Progreſs to- Wards ſaving Good; and Convictions have _ wrought more kindly, and they have been ſucceſsfully carried on in the way to | Eee And hut beton ſeemed to be re- 2 =_— ſtrain'd,
Converſions in New- England. 35
ſtrain'd, till towards the latter end of this
wonderful Time, when God's Spirit was about to withdraw. _ . Many times Perſons under great A- wakenings were concerned, becauſe they thought they were not awaken'd, but mi- ſerable, hard-hearted, ſenſeleſs, ſottiſn Creatures ſtil], and ſleeping upon the brink of Hell: The ſenſe of the Need they have
to be awaken'd, and of their compara-
tive Hardneſs, grows .upon them with their Awakenings; ſo that they ſeem to themſelves to be very /en/elz/5, when indeed moſt /enfible. There have been ſome In- ſtances of Perſons that have had as great a Senſe of their Danger and Miſery, as their Natures could well ſubſiſt under, ſo that
a little more would probably have deſtroy-
ed them; and yet they have expreſt them ſelves much amazed at their own Inſenſi- bility and Sottiſhneſs, in ſuch an extraor- dinary Time as it then was. 3 Perſons are ſometimes brought to the Borders of Deſpair, and it looks as black as Midnight to them a little before the Day dawns in their Souls; ſome few In- ſtances there have been of Perſons, who. have had ſuch a Senſe of God's Wrath for. Sin, that they have been overborn, and made to cry out under an aſtoniſhing Senſe of their-Ggfile, wondering that God ſuffers ſuch guilty Wretches to live upon _— Niang e
SS © . oo. . * * - © 4 _
36 A Narrative of late ſurprixing and that he doth not immediately ſend them to Hell; and ſometimes their Guilt does ſo glare them in the Face, that they
are in exceeding Terrour for fear that God will inſtantly do it; but more commonly the Diſtreſſes under legal Awakenings
have not been to ſuch a Degree. In ſome theſe Terrours don't ſeem to be ſo ſharp,
when near Comfort, as before; their Con- victions have not ſeem'd to work ſo much 6
that way, but they ſeem to be led further 4 down into their own Hearts, to a further 1
Senſe 'of their own univerſal Depravity, t
and Deadneſs in Sin. . The Corruption of the Heart has diſ- cover'd it ſelf in various Exerciſes, in the time of legal Convictions; ſometimes it appears in a great Struggle, like ſome- thing rouſed by an Enemy, and Satan the
old Inhatatant ſeems to exert himſelf, like
a Serpent diſturbed and enraged. Many in ſuch Circumſtances, have felt a great Spirit of Envy, towards the Godly, eſ- pecially towards thoſe that are thought do have been lately converted, and moſt of all towards Acquaintance and Compa- nions, ben they are thought to be convert- ed: Indeed, ſome have felt many Heart- riſings againſt God, and murmurings at his ways of dealing with Mankind, and his
Dcalings with themſelves in particular. It has been much inſiſted on, both in Wy” Ga publick
Converſions in New-England. 37 Lens and private, that Perſons ſhould have the utmoſt dread of ſuch envious Thoughts, which if allowed tend exceed- ingly to quench the Spirit of God, if not to provoke him finally to forſake them. And when ſuch a Spirit has much prevailed, and Perſons have not ſo ear- neſtly ſtrove againſt it as they ought
to have done, it has ſeem'd to be ex- ceedingly to the hindrance of the Good of their Souls: but in ſome other In- ſtances, where Perſons have been much terrified at the Sight of ſuch Wickedneſs in their Hearts, God has brought Good
to them out of Evil; and made it a Means
of convincing them of their own deſpe- rate Sinfulneſs, and bringing them off from all Self- confidence. F
The drift of the Spirit of God in his legal ſtrivings with Perſons, has ſeem'd moſt evidently to be, to make way for, and to bring to, a Conviction of their ab- folute Dependance on his ſovereign Power and Grace, and univerſal Neceſſity of a Mediator, by leading them more and more to a Senſe of their exceeding Wic- kedneſs and Guiltineſs in his fight ; the Pollution, and Inſufficiency of their own. Righteouſneſs, that they can in no wiſe help themſelves, and that God would be wholly juſt and righteous. in rejecting them, and all that they. do, and 1 caſt. ;
* * .
38 A Narrative of late ſurprixing ing them off for ever : Tho? there be a vaſt variety, as to the manner, and di- ſtinctneſs of Perſors Convictions of theſe things.
As they are anduatly more and more convinced of the Corruption and Wic- kedneis of their Hearts, they ſeem to themſelves to grow worſe and worſe, harder and blinder, and more deſperately wicked, inſtead of growing better: they are ready to be diſcouraged by it, and oftentimes never think themſelves ſo far of from Good, as when they are neareſt. Under the ſenſe which the Spirit of God gives them of their Sinfulneſs, they often think that they difier trom all others ; their Hearts are ready to ſink with the thought, that they are the worſt of all, and that none ever obtained Mercy that were ſo wicked as they. When Awakenings frft begin, their Con-
ſciences are commonly moſt cxerciſed a- bout their outward vicious Courſe, or other Acts of Sin; but afterwards, are much more burdened with a ſenſe of Hcart- ſins, the dreadful Corruption of their Nature, their Enmity againſt God, the Pride of their Hearts, their Unbelief,
their Rejection of Chriſt, the Stubborn- neſs and Obſtinacy of their Wills; and the like. In many, God makes much uſe
i their „ in the 8 of { eir
Converſions in New-England, 39 their Awakenings and Endeavours after ſa- ving Good, to convince them of their own vile Empiinef and univerſal Depra- vity. Very often under firſt Awakenings, when they are brought to reflect on the Sin of
their paſt Lives, and have ſomething of
a terrifying ſenſe of God's Anger, they ſet themſelves to walk more ſtrictly, and confeſs their Sins, and perform many re- ligious Dutys, with a ſecret Hope of a
peaſing God's Anger and making up for
the Sins they have committed: and of- tentimes, at firſt ſetting , out, their Af. fections are moved, and they are full of Tears, in their Confeffions and Prayers, which they are ready to make very much of, as tho* they were ſome Attonement, and had Power to move correſpondent. Af- fections in God too: and hence they are for a while big with Expectation of
what God will do for them; and con-
ceive that they grow better apace, and ſnall ſoon be thoroughly converted. But theſe Affections are but ſhort-lived, they quickly find that they fail, and chen they - think themſelves to be grown worle a- gain; they don't find ſuch a Proſpect of being ſoon converted, as they thought : inſtead of being nearer, they ſeem to be fartber off; their Hearts they think are 8 * and 18 this. —_— þ their
40 A Narrative of late /urprizing
their fears of periſhing greatly increaſe.
But tho' they are diſappointed, they re- A new their Attempts again and again; MW © and ſtill as their Attempts are multiplied, by ſo are their Diſappointments ; all fails, * they ſee no token of having inclin'd 4.5 God's Heart to them, they don't ſec that N he hears their Prayers at all, as they 10 expected he would; and ſometimes there ) 0 have been great Temptations ariſing hence 15 to leave off ſeeking, and to yield up ing the Caſe. But as they are ſtill more 2 terrify'd with Fears of periſhing, and 12 their former Hopes of prevailing on God + to be merciful to them in a great mea- = ſure fail; ſometimes their religious Af- rae! fections have turn'd into Heart-riſings * d
againſt God, becauſe that he won't pity D them, and ſeems to have little regard to their N tn MX | Diſtreſs, and piteous Cries, and to all 5 5 the Pains that they take: They think ett of the Mercy that God has ſhown to 0- wc thers, how ſoon, and how eaſily others h 2 have obtained Comfort, and thoſe too ; Hy that were worſe than they, and have not G 0 labour'd ſo much as they have done, and TAC
ſometimes they have had even dreadful th blaſphemons Thoughts, in theſe Circum- the But when they reflect on theſe wicked to ch Workings of Heart againſt Cod, if their , Convictions are continued, and the Spi-
rit
ä *
„„ ˙·˙· ] V' ꝓ—— ee
8 7
O
Converſions in New-England. 41
rit of God is not provoked utterly to forſake them, they have more diſtreſſing
| Apprehenſions of the Anger of God fo-
wards thoſe, whoſe Hearts work after ſuch a ſinful manner about him ; and it may be have great Fears that they have commit- ed the unpardonable Sin, or that God will ſurely never ſhew Mercy to them that are ſuch Vipers; and are often temp- ted to leave off in deſpair. But then * oy by ſomething they read or hear of the infinite Mercy of God, and All-ſufficiency of Chriſt for the chief of Sinners; they have ſome Encouragement and Hope re- newed ; but think that as yet they are not fit to come to Chriſt; they are ſo wic- ked that Chriſt will never accept of them:
and then it may be they ſet themſelves upon a new Courſe of fruitleſs Endeavours in
their own Strength to make themſelves
better, and ſtill meet with new Diſap⸗
pointments: They are earneſt to enquire what they ſhall do ? They don't know but there is ſomething elſe to be done, in order to their obtaining converting Grace, that they have never done yet. It may be they hope that they are ſome- thing better than they were; but then the pleaſing Dream all vaniſhes again. If they are told, that they truſt too much to their own Strength and Righteouſneſs, they cannot unlearn this Practice all at FFF e
42 A Narrative of late ſurprizing once, and find not yet the appearance 100 of any Good, but all looks as dark as in Midnight to them. Thus they wander as . about from Mountain to Hill, ſeeking pel reſt, and finding none: when they are fuf beat out of one Refuge they fly to ano- the ther, till they are as it were debilitated, bro- vin ken, and ſubdued with legal Humblings ; the: in which God gives them a Conviction and of their own utter Helpleſſneſs and In- tha ſufficiency, and diſcovers the true Reme- en dy in a clearer knowledge of Chriſt and frui . 8 TO When they begin to ſeek Salvation, It: they are commonly profoundly ignorant of I Fer: themſelves ; they are not ſenſible how ſible blind they are, and how little they can do and towards bringing themſelves to fee ſpiri- gal tual things aright, and zowards putting ||| thei forth gracious Exerciſes in their own dow Souls: they are not ſenſible how remote j teou they are from Love to God, and other T holy Diſpoſitions, and how dead they J&real are in Sin. When they ſee unexpected Pol- lution. in their own Hearts, they go a- bout to waſh away their own Defilements and make themſelves clean; and they weary themſelves in vain, till God ſhows them that *cis in vain, and that their help is not where they. have ſought it, but elſewhere,
.
But
Converſons in New-England. „ 3
But ſome Perſons continue wandering in ſuch a kind of Labyrinth, ten times as long as others, before their own Ex- perience will convince. them of their In-
ſufficiency; and fo it «Lye not to be
their own Experience only, but the con-
vincing Influence of God's Spirit with
their Experience, that attains the Effect: and God has of late abundantly ſhown, : that he don't necd to wait to have Men convinced by long and often repeated 3 | fruitleſs Trials; for in mu'titudes of In- . ag he has made a ſhorter work of : he has ſo, awakened and convinced Perfors Conſciences, and made them ſo ſen- ſible of their exceeding great Vileneſs,
againſt Sin, as has quickly overcome all their vain Self- confidence, and born them
teous God.
great Terrors, but have had a very quick ſo deep a Conviction of theſe things be- fore their Converſion, have, it may be, much more of it afterwards. God has any certain Method in his Proceed-
ons, In ſome Inſtances it ſeems eaſy for
thods
and given *em ſuch a ſenſe of his Wrath
down into the Duſt before a holy and righ-, There have 13 D had Work. Some of thoſe that han't had
appeared far from limiting himſelf to ings with Sinners under legal Convicti-
our reaſoning Powers to diſcern the me-
r = = = —_ A >
44 4 1
| | h |
* — —U — — — —
44 4 Narrative of late ſurprizing thods of divine Wiſdom, in his Dealings
with the Soul under awakenings: in 6- _ thers his Foot-ſteps can't be traced, and
his Ways are paſt finding out : and ſome that are Jeſs diftinitly wrought upon, in
what is preparatory to Grace, appear 10
leſs eminent 1n gracious experiences after-
_ wards.
There is in nothing a greater Difference, in different Perſons, than with reſpect to the time of their being under Trou- ble; ſome but a few Days, and others for Months or Years. There were ma- ny in this Town, that had been, before this Effuſion of God's Spirit upon us, for Years, and ſome for many Years, concerned about their Salvation; tho? pro-
bably they were not thoroughly awaken'd, yet they were concern'd to ſuch a Degree
_ as to be very uneaſy, ſo as to hvye an
uncomfortable diſquieted Life, and fo as
to continue in a way of taking conſi-
derable Pains about their Salvation, but had never obtained any comfortable Evi- dence-of a good Eſtate, who now in this extraordinary time have received Light; but many of them were ſome of the laſt: They firſt ſaw Multitudes of others rejoicing, and with Songs of Deliverance
in their Mouths, who ſeem'd wholly care-
leſs and at eaſe, and in purſuit of Vanity,
while they had been bowed down with ſol-
licitude
Converſions in New-England. 45 licitude about their Souls; yea ſome had lived licentiouſly, and ſo continued till a
little before they were converted, and
grew up to a holy Rejoicing in the in- fnite Bleſſings God had beſtowed upon
5 them. |
And whatever Miniſter has a like Oc- caſion to deal with Souls, in a Flock
o under ſuch Circumſtances, as this was
- in the Jaſt Year, I can't but think he
vill ſoon find himſelf under a Neceſ-
. ſity, greatly to inſiſt upon it with them,
- that God is under no manner of Obliga-
s, tion to ſhew any Mercy to any natural
s, Man, whoſe Heart is not turn'd to God:
o- and that a Man can challenge nothing,
d, either in abſolute Fuftice, or by free Pro-
ee miſe, from any thing he does before he
an has believed on Fe/us Chrift, or has true
N Repentance begun in him. It appears
to me, that if I had taught thoſe that came
to me under trouble, any other Doctrine,
I ſhould have taken a moſt direct courſe
utterly to have undone them ; I ſhould
have directly croſs'd what was plainly the drift of the Spirit of God in his Influ- ences upon them; for if they had be- lieved what I faid, it would either have promoted Self-flattery and Careleſſneſs, and ſo put an end to their Awakenings; or cheriſhed and eſtabliſhed their Contention and Strife with God, concerning his Deal--
ings
- — a - ; O'S fog — — — 2 4 — * Fa”
* — =p; m. _ - 8 — —2 — - —_ OI. ¶ —— — Ä • ——— —— — — — 2
- 2 8 a 4 * 1 * = 2 — * a
— — — a * 1 fa; —_ - * 4D 4
O *x = c * C 2 . * 2 Eo ft - 4 m * _ 2 . " : at _ — n — * , — — a — . . ˙ ... 7—＋§ꝙiꝗda s Pages el — .
ments, Fear and Hope may be duly mix-Þ (x ed, and proportion'd to preſerve their | G,,
ral Men, continuing ſuch, have been
_ Congregation, as ſome from thoſe Words,
46 A Narrative of late ſurprixing ings with them and others, and block'd
up their Way to that Humiliation be- fore the Sovereign Diſpoſer of Life and to
Death, whereby God is wont to prepare | chi them for his Conſolations. And yet thoſe that have been under Awakenings, have oftentimes plainly ſtood in need of be- ing encouraged, by being told of the inh- I neſ
nite and all- ſufficient Mercy of God inf ing
Chriſt ; and that 'tis God's manner to the
ſucceed Diligence, and to bleſs his own I the.
Means, that ſo Awakenings and Encourage- mie
Minds in a juſt Medium between the two per
Extremes of Self-flattery and Deſpondenc e, ſon both which tend to Slackneſs, and Ne- to: gligence, and in the end to Security. Goc
J think I have found that no Diſcourſcs I p.,;,
have been more remarkably bleſſed, than they
thoſe in which the Doctrine of God's ab- if 4 ſolute Sovereignty with regard to the] Pair
Salvation of Sinners, and his juſt Liber-F caſt
ty, with regard to anſwering the Pray- their ers, or ſucceeding the Pains of natu-W mak
inſiſted on. I never found ſo much im- mediate ſaving Fruit, in any meaſure, of any Diſcourſes I have offered to my|
Rom. 3. 19. That every Mouth may be ſtopped; endeavouring to ſhew from 8
&
Converſions in New-England. 47 that it would be juſt with God for ever to reject and caſt off meer natural Men.
In thoſe in whom Awakenings ſeem to have a faving Iſſue, commonly the firſt thing that appears after their legal Troubles, is a Conviction of the Juſtice of God in their Condemnation, in a ſenſe of their own exceeding Sinfulneſs, and the Vile- neſs of all their Performances: In giv- ing an account of this, they expreſs'd themſelves very variouſly ; ſome, that they ſaw that God was Sovereign, and might receive others and reject them; ſome, that they were convinced, that God might juſtly beſtow Mercy on every Perſon in the Town, and on every Per- fon in the World, and damn themſelves to all Eternity ; ſome, that they ſee that God may juſtly have no regard to all the
Pains they have taken, andall the Prayers
they have made; ſome, that they ſee that if they ſhould ſeek, and take the utmoſt Pains all their Lives, God might juſtly caſt them into Hell at laſt, becauſe all their Labours, Prayers, and Tears cannot make an Atonement for the leaſt Sin, nor merit any Bleſſing at the hands of God; ſome have declared themſelves to be in the hands of God, that he can, and may,
diſpoſe of them juſt as he pleaſes ; ſome,
that God may glorify himſelf in their Damnation, and they wonder that God has / To, vor a err OT
*
48 4 Narrative of late rn
ſuffered them to live ſo long, and has a not caſt 'em into Hell long a 40. | ti Some are brought to this Conviction 1 8 by a great ſenſe of their Sinfulneſs, in v W, that they are ſuch vile wicked w 9 3 in Heart and Life: Others have G the Sins of their Lives in an extraordi- I! nary manner ſet before them; multitudes ly of them coming juſt then freſh to their ti Memory, and being ſet before them with | ot their Aggravations; ſome have their m Minds 2 fixed, on ſome particu- as ar wicked Practice, they have indulged; at ſome are eſpecially convinced by a Sight 1 of the Corruption and Widkedne, of = | Hearts; ſome, from a View they have of the Horridneſs of ſome particular Exer- ciſes of Corruption, which they have had in the time of their Awakening, whereby the Enmity of the Heart againſt God has been manifeſted ; ſome are convinced eſ- pecially by a ſenſe of the Sin of Un- : Port the ' Oppoſition of their Hearts to the Way 5 Salvation by Chriſt, and their * in rejecting him and his Grace. _* There is a oreat 1 of difference as to perſons Diſtinneſs here; ſome, that han't fo clear a Sight of God's Juſtice in their _ Condemnation, yet mention things that 45 1 mpg it. They find a Diſpoſition to acknow edge God 18 be juſt and righ- teous
Converſions in New. England, 49 teous in his Threatnings, and that they are . of nothing: And many times, tho they had not ſo particular a Sight of it at the Beginning, they have very clear Diſcoveries of it ſoon afterwards, with great Humblings in the Duſt before - Commonly Perſons Minds immediate-
ly before this Diſcovery of God's Juſ- | tice are exceeding reſtleſs, and in a kind
of Struggle and Tumult, and ſometimes in meer Anguiſn; but generally, as ſoon as they have this Conviction, it immedi- ately brings their Minds to a Calm, and a before- unexpected Quietneſs and Com- poſure; and moſt frequently, tho? not al- ways, then the preſſing weight upon their Spirits is taken away, and a general Hope ariles, that ſome time or other God will
be gracious, even before any diftin& and
particular Diſcoveries of Mercy; and often they then come to a Concluſion within themſelves, that they will lie at God's feet, and wait his time; and they reſt in
that, not being ſenſible thar the Spirit of God has now brought them to a Frame whereby they are prepared for Mercy: for *tis remarkable that Perſons, when they - firſt have this ſenſe of the Juſtice of God, rarely, m the time of it, think any thing of its being that Humiliation
7
58 A Narrative of late ſutprizing that they have often heard infiſted on,
and that, others experience. . _ 8
In many Perſons, the firſt Cav ies 5
of the Juſtice of God in their Condein- 1 nation, which they tage particular notice |
of, and . the firſt diſtinct Con- # viction of it that they have, is of ſuch a Y pY nature, as ſeems to be above any. thing meer-
p ly legal: Tho? it be after legal Humblings, A and Bk of a ſenſe of their own Help- i M j leſſneſs and of the Inſufficiency of their π n 2 i . Duties; yet it does not appear to be for- . ö 2 A. meer legal Terrors and Convicti- U g ut rather from an high Exerciſe of * R . in ſaying Repentance, and evan- 7 . gelical Humiliation; for there is in it a 4 Y ſort of Complacency of Soul, in the A. he 1 tribute of God's Juſtice, as diſplay'd in 15 = His Threatnings of eternal Damnation to 5 Sinners. Sometimes at the Diſcovery of *
it, they can ſcarcely forbear crying out, : *TIS JUST! TIS JUST! Some ex- PTE
preſs themſelves, that they ſee the Glory 5p of God would ſhine bright in their own Con- 10 demnation; and they are ready to think bf
that if they are damned, they could take = part with God againſt themſelves, and of would: glorify his Juſtice therein. And 71 85 When it is thus, they commonly have ; ſome evident ſenſe of free and all-ſuffi- cient Grace, tho' they give no diſtinct
Mecount of it, but 'tis manifeſt, by that * * " great Ne
t it
ſons have found a treſſes, continues ſome time before any Tug and delightful Maniteſtation 1 is made
WFG
| Converſions in New-England, r great degree of Hope and Encouragement that they then conceive, tho? they were never ſo ſenſible of their own Vileneſs and Ill.
deſervings as they are at that time. Some, when in ſuch Circumſtances, have
felt that ſenſe of the Excellency of God's Ju-
ſtice, appearing in the vindictive Exer-
ciſes of it, againſt ſuch Sinfulneſs as theirs was, and have had ſuch a Submiſſion of Mind in their Idea of this Attribute, and of thoſe Exerciſes of it, together
with an exceeding loathing of their own Unworthineſs, and a kind of Indignation
againſt themſelves, that they have ſome- -
times almoſt call'd it a Willingneſs to be
| damned, tho' it muſt be owned they had
not clear and diſtin Ideas of Damna- tion, nor does any Word in the Bible require ſuch Self-denial as this. But the
truth is, as ſome have more clearly ex-
preſt it, that Salvation has appeared 2%; good for. them, that' they. were" <yortby f
zothing. but Condenmation, and they. could
not tell how to think of Salvation's being” beftowed upon them, tearing it was in- conſiſtent with the Glory of God's Ma- Jeſty, that. they had fo W contemned and
er That Calm of 8 irit that ſome. Parr Sp ter their legal 'Dul-
? D 2 3
52 A Narrative of late ſurprizing
to the Soul of the Grace of God, as re- vealed in the Goſpel; but very often ſome comfortable and ſweet View of a merciful God, of a ſufficient Redeemer, or of ſome great and joyful things of the Goſpel, immediately follows, or in a very little time: And in ſome, the firſt Sight of their juſt Deſert of Hell,
and God's Sovereignty with reſpect to their Salvation, and a Diſcovery of all-
{ufficient Grace, are ſo near, that they ſeem to go as it were together. Theſe gracious Diſcoveries thit are gi-
ven, whence the firſt ſpecial Comforts are derived, are in many reſpects very various; more frequently Chrift is diſtinctly made the Object of the Mind, in his All- ſuf- Aciency and Willingneſs to ſave Sinners:
But ſome have their Thoughts more eſ-
pecially fixed on God, in ſome of his
Tweet and glorious Attributes manifeſted in the Goſpel, and ſhining forth in the Face of Chriſt : Some view the All-ſuf- ficiency of the Mercy and Grace of God;
ſome chiefly the infinite Power of God,
and his Ability to ſave them, and to do all things for them; and ſome
look moſt at the Truth and Faithful-
neſs of God: In ſome, the Truth and Certainty of the Goſpel in general is the
firſt joyful Diſcovery they have; in o- thers, the certain Truth of ſome particular
Pro-
ad_
= yaw Ctcco.cTc cc cc x4
— —
Converſions in New-England. 54 Promiſes; in ſome, the Grace and Sin- cerity of God in his Invitations, very commonly in ſome partieular Invitation in the Mind, and it now appears real to them that God does indeed invite them. Some are ſtruck with the Glory and Won- derfulneſs of the dying Love of Chrift and ſome with the Sufficiency and Pre- cCiouſneſs of his Blood, as offered to make an Atonement for Sin; and others with the Value and Glory of his Obedience
and Righteouſneſs, In ſome the Excel- lency and Lovelineſs of Chrift,. chiefly engages. their Thoughts; in ſome his Di- vinity, that he is indeed the Son of the living God, and in others, the Excellen- cy of the way of Salvation by Chrif, and the Suitableneſs of it to their Ne- cennes.. „
Some have an Apprehenſion of theſe things ſo given, that it ſeems more natural 10 them to expreſs it by Sight or Diſcove- ry ; others think what they experience bet-
3» ter expreſſed by the Realiming Convictiou,
1 or a lively or feeling Senſe of Heart; mean-
x ing, as I ſuppoſe, no ether Difference
R _- ow p . * * % * ** * my % * 5 * e * « 3 * * * 47S * 5 AL 41 » 3-4" * = * 3 - — Be ng: *% o = — 1 LES A": a * , . , ou ** * * w Y 2 9 n AT - * Vs - that 2 en ot 8 2 4 2 — * ww lt waz \ +. ” — * r * a». m 8 4 —
mw 2 —
* 3
CY
©. I" | . D EFF br
* but what is merely circumſtantial or gra- * dual. . 1
d There 1s, often, in the Mind, ſome * particular Text of Scripture, holding forth
A ſome evangelical ground of: Conſolation z _ 8. ſometimes a Multitude of Texts, gra-
D 3 . cionz
* 4
in one after another, filling more and more, with Comfort and Sa- tisfaction: and Comfort is firſt given to ſome, while reading ſome Portion of Scrip- ture; but in ſome it is attended with #0 particular Scripture at all, either in Read-
—
cious Invitations and Promiſes flowing the Soul
ing or Meditation. In ſome, many divine things ſeem to be diſcover'd to the Soul as it were at once; others have their Minds eſpecially fixing on ſome one thing
at firſt, and afterwards a ſenſe is given of others; in ſome with a ſwifter, and
- others a ſlower Succeſſion, and ſometimes
with Interruptions of much Darkneſs, / The way that Grace ſeems ſometimes
firſt to appear after legal Humiliation,
is in -earneſt- Longings of Soul after
| God and Cbrit, to know God, to love him, to be humbled before him, to have Communion with Chrift in his Benefits ; z which Longings, as they expreſs them, ſeem evidently to be of ſuch a nature as can ariſe from nothing but a ſenſe - of the ſuperlative Excellency of divine things, with a ſpiritual Taſte and Re- -liſh of 'em, and an Eſteem of 'em as their higheſt Happineſs and beſt Porti-
on. Such Longings as I ſpeak of, are
- commonly attended with firm Reſolutions to purſue this Good for ever, together withs hoping, lara Diſpoſition. When
Perſons
CTConveiſions in New- England. 55 Perſons have begun in ſuch Frames, com- monly other Experiences and Diſcovertes have ſoon followed, which have yet more clearly manifeſted a change of Heart. It muſt needs be conteſt that Chriſt is nat always diſtinctly and explicitly thought of in the firſt ſenſible Act of Grace, (tho” moſt commonly he is; ) but ſometimes he is the Object of the Mind only im- pliciily. Thus ſometimes when Perſons: have ſeem'd evidently to be ſtript of all their own Righteouſneſs, and to have ſtood ſelf- condemned as guilty of Death, they have been comforted with a joy- ful and ſatisfying View, that the Mercy 5 and Grace of God is ſufficient for them; ö that their Sins, tho* never ſo» great, ſhall r be no Hindrance to their being accep- B ted; that there is Mercy enough in God e for the whole World, and the like, when ; they give no Account of any particular ly or diftint Thought of Chi but yet E when the Account they give 1s duly 2 ed, and they are a little EN, ja a- 1C bout it, it appears that the ela- e- tion of the Mercy of God in the Goſ- as Opel, is the Ground of this their Encourage- l- ment and Hope; and that it is indeed re the Mercy of God thro' Chriſt, that is diſ- us covered to them, and that *tis depended' er on in him, and not in any wiſe. moved en by any thing is bs. n D 4 80
36 A Narrative of late ſurprizing So ſometimes diſconſolate Souls amongſt us, have been revived and brought to reſt in God, by a ſweet ſenſe given of his Grace and Faithfulneſs, in ſome ſpe- cial Invitation or Promiſe, in which is no particular mention of Chriſt, nor is it accompanied with any diſtin Thought ofte of him, in their Minds; but yet it is not received as out of Chrift, but as one ther of the Invitations or Promiſes made of Gd to poor Sinners bro his Son Jeſus, as poſe it is indeed: and ſuch Perſons have af- a f terwards had clear and diſtin Diſcove- him _ nies of Chrift, accompanied with lively in t. and ſpecial *Actings of Faith and Love | gin: „ co 4
It has more frequently been ſo a- and mongſt us, that when Perſons have firſt don had the Goſpel-Ground of Relief for ficie loſt Sinners diſcovered to them, and have Chr, been entertaining their Minds with the tion ſweet Proſpect, they have thought nos chat khing at that time of their being conver- men ted : To ſee that there is ſuch an All- ſuffi- cove
- ciency in. God, and fuch plentiful Pro- of 1 - viſion made in Chriſt, after they have Com been borne down, and ſunk. with. a ſenſe and of their Guilt and Fears of Wrath, ex- clud ceedingly refreſhes them; the View. is held joyful to them, as tis in, its own na- oh
e glorious, and gives them quite new, plain
—4 delightful Ideas of God and The!
Cbriſt,
/ e
Converſions in New-England. 57
Chriſt, and greatly encourages them to ſeek Converſion, and begets in them a ſtrong Reſolution to give up themſelves, and devote their whole Lives to God and his Sen, and patiently to wait till God ſhall ſee fit to make all effectual; and very often they entertain a ſtrong Perſuaſion, that he will in his own time do it for |
them.
There is wrought | in them a holy Re- poſe of Soul in God through Chriſt, and a ſecret Diſpoſition to Gar and love him, and to hope for Bleſſings from him
in this way: and yet they have no 125
gination that they are now converted,
don't ſo much as come into their Minds:
and very often the Reaſon is, that they don't ſee that they do accept of this ſuf- ficiency of Salvation, that they | behold in Chriſt, having entertain'd a wrong No- tion of Acceptance; not being ſenſible that the obedient and joyful Entertain. ment which their. Hearts give to this Diſ- covety of Grace, is a real Acceptance of it: They know. not that the ſweet Complacence they fee] in the Mercy and complete Salvation of God, as it in- cludes Pardon and Sanctification, and is held forth to them only through Chrift, is a true receiving of this Mercys or a plain Evidence of their receiving it. 2 7 9 expected I know not what kind of 1 Act
58 HJ Narrative of late ſurpriaing Act of Soul, and perhaps they had no tha diſtinct Idea of it themſel yves. this And indeed it appears very plainly tha
in ſome of them, that before their own late Converſion they had very imperfet J. the das what Converſion was: It is all new and and ſtrange, and what there was no clear I Bab Conception of before. Tis moſt evident EU that
as they themſelves acknowledge, that the Enl Expreſſions that were uſed to deſcribe Con- Fel 'verſion, and the Graces of God's Spirit, ſuch | Cir
as @ ſpiritual Sight of Chriſt, Faith in Chriſt, | and Poverty. of Spirit, Truſt in Cad, Refigned- deli nes to: God, &c, were Expreſſions that | thus did not convey thoſe ſpecial and diſtinct that Ideas to their Minds, which they were bee intended to ſignify: perhaps to. ſome of | I. them it was: but little more than the © wha Names of Colours are to convey the ſom Ideas to one that is blind from his Birth. ¶ whe This. Town is a Place where there has thei! always been a great deal of Talk of Con- I ſenk{ verſion, and ſpiritual Experiences; and Ful. therefore People in general had before dave form'd a Notion in their own Minds preh
_ What theſe things were; but when they into come to be the Subjects of them them- | whic felves, they find themſelves much con- the founded in their Notions, and overthrown has in many of their former Conceits. And to tl it has been very obſervable, that Per- into ſons of the greateſt Underſtanding, ch Tut 33% BW thñat 15
. - Converſions in New-England. 39
that had ſtudied moſt about things of this nature, have been more confounded
than others. Some ſuch Perſons that have lately been converted, declare that all
their former Wiſdom 1s brought to nought,
and that they appear to have been meer
Babes, who knew nothing. It has appear'd that none have ſtood more in need of
Enlightning and Inſtruction even of their
Fellow-Chriſt ians, concerning their own Circumſtances and Difficulties than they: and it has ſeem'd to have been wi HY delight, that they have ſeen themſelves thus brought down and become nothing,
that free Grace, and divine Fower _ x
be exalted in them. It was very wonderful to be Aber
Wool manner Perſons. Affections were ſometimes moved - and - wrought - upon,
when God did as it were, ſuddenly apen
their Eyes and let into their Minds, a. 7 the Greatneſs of his Grace, and | Fulneſs of Chriſt, and his readineſs to
ſenſe 0
gave, who before were broken with Ap-
prehenſions of divine Wrath, and ſunk imo an Abyſs under a ſenſe of Guilt, which they were ready to think was beyond the Mercy of God: their joyful Surprize
has cauſed their Hearts as it were to leap,
a
into Laughter; Tears oſten 5 a. the ſame time _ like-a E. ood, and —— $21 ; ou
80 A Narrative of late ſurprizing loud Weeping : and ſometimes they han't been able to forbear crying out with a loud Voice, expreſliflg their great Ad- miration- In ſome even the View of the Glory of God's Sovereignty in the Exerci- ſes of his Grace has ſurprized the Soul with ſuch Sweetneſs, as to- produce the ſame Effects. I remember an Inſtance of one, who, reading ſomething concer- ning God's ſovereign way of ſaving Sin- ners, as being ſelf- moved, and having no regard to Men's own Righteouſneſs as the Motive of his. Grace, but as mag- nifying himſelf and abaſing Man, or to that purpoſe, felt ſuch a ſudden Rapture of Joy and Delight in the Conſidera- tion of it: and yet then fuſpected him- ne ſelf to be in a Chriſtleſs Condition, and di had been long in great Diſtreſs for fear an
-
, TENETS IE]
that God would not have mercy on th Many contihue a long time in a Courſe va of gracious Exerciſes and Experiences, WI and don't think themſelves to be converted, || no but conclude ' themſelves: to be otherwiſe; for and none knows how long they would con- the tinue ſo, were they not helped by particular tar Inſtruction. There are undoubted Inſtances of of ſome that have lived in this way for the many Years together; and a continuing in a theſe Circumſtances of being converted by
and not believing it, has had various con- tice „%% & ᷣAP * 2
© Converſions in New- England. 61: J ſequences, with various Perſons, and with | the ſame Perſons, at various Times; ſome
„continue in. great Encouragement and
— Hope, that they ſhall obtain Mercy, in a ſtedfaſt Reſolution to perſevere in
ſeeking it, and in an humble waiting for it at God's foot; but very often when
e the lively Senſe of the Sufficiency of
| Chriſt, and the Riches of: divine Grace
begins to vaniſh, upon a withdraw of the
0 Influences of the Spirit of God, they re-
8 turn to greater Diſtreſs than ever; for | 1 they have now a far greater Senſe of the 1 0 Miſery of a natural Condition than before, 5 e | being in a new manner ſenſible of the 4 > reality of eternal Things, and the great- 4 - | neſs of God, and his Excellency, ow
d dreadful it is to be ſeparated from him,
ty and to be ſubjecb to his Wrath 3 ſo that
n they are ſometimes ſwallowed up with | Darkneſs and Amazement. Satan has a e | vaſt Advantage in ſuch Caſes to ply them
" q » 30 of £7 + ET - oY * 25 4 * * 7 -— - Fs Sos ACS. r ts” 2 8 KK Tr 2D IPLLAGE SIE. # *
A with various Temptations,. which he is l, not wont to neglect. In ſuch a caſe Per- >; ſons do very much need a Guide to lead them to an Underſtanding of what we are Ty taught in the Word of God of the Nature 5 s of Grace, and to help them to apply it to j Jy themſelves. Þ e ; n I have been much blamed and cenſured Y d by many, that I ſhould make it my Prac- 9 = | tice, when J have been ſatisfied concern» 5
* * n . LA
5 LE | | ing.
* — — . 7˖—«˙²ꝛ Apo
62 ANarrative of late furprizing
ing Perſons good Eſtate, to ſignify it to
them: Which Thing has been greatly miſrepreſented abroad, as innumerable other Things concerning us, to prejudice
the Country: :againſt the whole: Affair.
But let it be noted, that what I have under- taken to judge of, has rather been Quali- fications, and declared Experiences, than Perſons: Not but that I have thought it my Duty as a Paſtor . to aſſiſt and inſtruct Perſons in applying Scripture-Rules and Characters to their own Caſe, (in doing of which, I thick many greatly need a Guide ;) and have, where I thought the | Caſe plain, uſed Freedom in ſignifying my Hope of them, to others : but have been far from doing this concerning all that I have had ſome hopes of; and I believe have uſed much more Caution than many have ſuppoſed. Yet I ſhould account it a great Calamity to be deprived of the Com- fort of Rejoicing with thoſe of my Flock, that have been in great Diſtreſs, whoſe
Circumſtances: I have been acquainted
with, when there ſeems to: be good Evi Fence that thoſe that were dead are alive; and thoſe that were loft are found. I am
denſible the Practice would have been —
in the hands of Kong of a riper Judgmen and greater Experience; — dere has ſcemed to be an abſolute Neceſſity 'of
it on che fore mentioned Accounts and
*
W
tafaction and Increaſe,
Converſions in New-England, 63 it has been found to be that which God has moſt remarkably owned and bleſſed a-
and others.
mongſt us, both to the 2 themſelves,
Grace in many Perſons, through this
Ignorance of their State, and their look- ing on themſclves ſtill as the Objects of
God's Diſpleaſure, has been like the Trees in Winter, or like Seed in the Spring ſup-
preſſed under a hard Clod of Earth; and
many in ſuch Caſes have laboured to their utmoſt to divert their Minds from the pleaſing and joyful Views they have had, and to ſuppreſs thoſe Conſolations and gra- cious AF
And when it has once come into their Minds to enquire whether or no this was not true Grace, they: have been much a- fraid leſt they . ſhould be deceiv'd with common Illuminations and Flaſhes of Af-
ections that aroſe thereupon.
fection, and eternally undone with a falſe Hope. But when they have been better
| inſtructed, and ſo brought to allow of Hope, this has awaken'd the gracious
Diſpoſition of their Hearts into Life and Vigor, as the warm Beams of. the Sun in the Spring, have quickned the Seeds and
Productions of the Earth: Grace being
now at liberty, and cheriſhed with Hope, has ſoon flowed out to their abundant Sa-
There
64 A Narrative ꝙ late. ſurprixing
There is no one thing that I know of that God has made ſuch: a means of pro- moting his Work amongſt us, as the News of others Converſion; in the a-
wakening Sinners, and engaging them
_ earneſtly to ſeek the ſame Bleſſing, and in the quickening of Saints. Tho' I have
thought that a Miniſter's declaring his Judgment about particular Perſons Ex-
periences might from theſe Things be
juſtified, yet I am often ſignifying to my People how unable Man is to know ano- ther's Heart, and how unſafe it is depend- ing meerly on the Judgment of Miniſters,
or others, and have abundantly inſiſted
on it with them that a manifeſtation of
Sincerity in Fruits brought forth, is better
than any Manifeſtation they can make of it in Words alone, can be; and that with-
out this, all Pretences to ſpiritual Expe-
riences are vain; as all my Congregation
can witneſs, And the People in general,
in this late extraordinary Time, have ma-
nifeſted an extraordinary Dread of being deceiv'd, being exceeding fearful left
they ſhould build wrong, and ſome of them backward to receive Hope, even to a great Extreme, which has occaſion'd me
to dwell longer on this part of the Narra- ET OT | my
| Converſion is a great and glorious Work: of God's Power, at once changing the
Heart,
4
Converſions i n New-England. 65
Hleaft, and infuſing Life into the dead Soul; tho? that Grace that is then im- planted does more gradually diſplay. it ſelf in ſome than in others. But as to-fix- ing on the preciſe Time when they put forth the very firſt Act of Grace, there is a great deal of difference in different Per- ſons in ſome it ſeems to be very diſcern- able when the very Time of this was; but others are more at a loſs. In his reſpect there are very many that don't know the Time, (as has been already ob- ſerved) that when they have the firſt Ex- erciſes of Grace, don't know that it is the Grace of Converſion, and ſometimes don't think it to be ſo till a Jong time af. ter: And many, even when they come to entertain great Hope that they are convert- ed, if they remember; what they expe- rienced in the firſt Exerciſes of Grace, they are at a loſs whether it was any more than a common Illumination ; or whether ſome other, more clear and remarkable Experience, that they had afterwards, was not the firſt that was of a ſaving na- ture. And the manner of God's Work on the Soul 1s (ſometimes eſpecially) very _ myſterious, and *tis with the Kingdom of God as to its Manifeſtation in the Heart of a Convert, as is ſaid, Mark iv. 26, 27, 42 So is the Kingdom of God, as if a Man ſpould caſt Seed into the Ground, and
985 ſhould
66 A Narrative of late "forpriving |
could Jeep, and riſe, Night and Day, and the Seed ſhould ſpring, and grow, up, be - knoweth not how ; for the Earth, bringeth forth of her ſelf, firſ# the Blade, then the Ear, then the full Corn in the Ear, In ſome, converting Light is like a glo- rious Brightneſs ſuddenly ſhining. in upon a Perſon, and all around him: They : are in a remarkable manner brought out of Darineſs into marvellous Light. In many - others it has been like the dawning of the Day, when at firſt but a little Light ap- pears, and it may be is preſently hid with 2 Cloud; and then it appears again, and ſhines a little brighter, and ly in- creaſes, with intervening Darkneſs till at length, perhaps, it breaks forth more clearly from behind the Clouds. And many 5 doubtleſs, ready to date their «Converſion wrong, throwing by thoſe leſ- ſer Degrees of Light that appeared at firſt dawning, and calling ſome more remark- able Experience, that they had afterwards, their Converſions which often 1 in great " meaſure ariſes from a wrong 1 ing of what they have 15 $ been taugh _ that Converſion is a great Change, 7 25 in old Things are done away, and all Things become new, or at leaſt: from a fal. e arguing from that Doctrine. Perſons commonly at firſt Converſio jon, and' afterwards, have had many * 0
Converſions in New-England, 67 of Scripture brought to their Minds, that are ein ſuitable to their Circum- ſtances, which often come with great Power, and as the Word of God or Chriſt indeed; and many have a multitude of ſweet Invitations, Promiſes, and Doxolo- gies flowing in one after another, bring- . ing great Light and Comfort with them, filling the Soul brim-full,: enlarging the Heart, and opening the: Mouth in Reli- gion. And it ſeems to me neceſſary to ſuppoſe, that there is an immediate In-
fluence of the Spirit of God, oftentimes in bringing Texts of Scripture to the Mind:
Not that I ſuppoſe *tis done in a way of immediate Revelation, without any man- ner of uſe of the Memory; but yet there
ſeems plainly to be an immediate and ex-
traordinary Influence, . in leading their Thoughts to ſuch and ſuch Paſſages of Scripture, and exciting them in the Me- mory. Indeed in ſome God feems to bring Texts of Scripture to their Minds no-other-
wiſe than by leading them into fuch,
Frames and Meditations, as harmo- nize with thoſe Scriptures; but in many Perſons there ſeems to be ſomething more
than this.
Thoſe that, while under legal Convic-
tions, have had the greateſt Terrors, have not al yays obtain'd the greateſt Light and Comfort; nor have they always Light
1 moſt
68 A Narrative of late frrprizing moſt ſuddenly communicated ; but yet, 1 think, the time of Converſion has gene. rally been moſt ſenſible in ſuch Perſons, Oftentimes,. the firſt ſenſible Change after the Extremity of Terrours, is a Calmneſs, and then the Light gradually comes in; mall Glimpſes at firſt, after their mid- night Darkneſs, and @ word or two of Comfort, as it were ſoftly ſpoken to 'em; they have a /i///: Taſte of the Sweetneſs of divine Grace, and the Love of à Saviour, when Terrour and Diſtreſs of Conſcience begins to be turned into an humble, meek Senſe of their own Unworthineſs before God; and there is felt inwardly, perhaps, ſome Diſpoſition to praiſe God ; and after A little while the Light comes in more clearly and powerfully. But yet, I think more frequently, great Terrours have been followed with more ſudden and great Light, and Comfort; when the Sin- ner ſeems to be as it were ſubdued and brought to a Calm, from a kind of Fu- mult of Mind, then God lets in an extra- ordinary Senſe of his great Mercy thro? a Redeemer, Cs Os The converting Influences of God's Spi- rit very commonly bring an extraordi- nary Conviction of the agar tainty of the great Things of
(ltho' in ſome this is much greater, ſome time after Converſion,. than at firſt :) they ST 5 NS have
and Cer- Religion;
have or di Thin; convi lumes to me when the T be fort time the I as far as the be a 8 midſt ſtrong Objec man eh would munic the E b oth e tru isfied, 'em, t
Iwer 1 and 1
Vork ity in Som
of the
Corverſo ons in New-England. 69
have that fight and taſte of the Divinity, or divine Excellency, that there is in the Things of the Goſpel, that is more to convince them, than reading many Vo- lumes of Arguments without it. It ſeems to me that in many Inſtances 2 us, when the divine Excellency and Glory of the Things of Chriſtianity have been ſet before Perſons, and they have at the ſame time as it were teen, and taſted, and felt the Divinity of them, they have been as far from doubting of the Truth of them, as they are from doubting whether there be a Sun, when their Eyes are open in the midſt of a cl-ar Hemiſphere, and the ſtrong Blaze of his Light overcomes all Obje&ions againſt his Being, And yet many of them, it we ſhould aſk them why they believed thoſe Things to be true, would not be able well to expreſs, or com- municate a ſufficient Reaſon, to ſatisfy the Enquirer, and perhaps would make d other Anſwer but that they ſee em to e true: But a Perſon might ſoon be fa- isfied, by a particular Converſation with em, that what they mean by ſuch an An- [wer is, that they have intuitively beheld, 91 and immediately felt, moſt illuſtrious © 1a orks, and powerful Evidence of Divi- ity in them. : Some are thus convinced of the Truth of the Goſpel in general, and that the 4 Scriptures
>
70 A Narrative of Iate Jurprizing
Scr iptur es are the Word of God: Others
have their Minds more eſpecially fixed on ſome particular great Doctrine of the Voſpel, ſome particular Truths that they
are medilating on; or are in a ſpecial man- mer convinced of the Divinity of the
Things they are reading of, in ſome por- tion of Scripture. Some have ſuch Con- victions in a much more remarkable man- ner than others: And there are ſome that never had ſuch a ſpecial Senſe of the Cer- tainty of divine Things, impreſſed upon
them with ſuch inward Evidence and
Strength, have yet very clear Exerciſes of Grace; i. e. of Love to God, Repentance
and Holineſs. And if they be more particu-
larly examined, they appear plainly to have an inward firm Perſuaſion of the Reality of divine Things, fuch as they dor?r ule to have before their Converſion. And thoſe that have the moſt clear Diſcoveries
of divine Truth, in the manner that has been ſpcken of, can't have this always in
view. When the Senſe and Reliſh of the divine Excellency of theſe Things fades, on a withdraw of the Spirit of God, they han't the medium of the Conviction of their Truth at command : In a dull Frame they can't recall the Idea, and inward Senſe
they had, perfectly to mind; Things ap- pear very dim to what they did before:
And tho? there ſtill remains an habirual 8 KO ftrong
Converſions in New England. 71
ſtrong Perſuaſion; yet not ſo as to ex- clude Temptations to Unbelief, and all poſſibility ef Doubting, as before: But then at particular Limes, by God's Help. the fame Senſe of Things revives again, a like Fire that lay hid in Ames.
I ſuppoſe the grounds of ſuch a Con- viction of the Truth of divine Things to be juſt and rational, but yet in ſome God makes uſe of their own Reaſon much more ſenſibly than in others. Oftentimes Per- ſons have (ſo far as could be judged) re- ceiv'd the firſt ſaving Conviction from rea- ſoning, which they have heard from the Pul- pit; and often in the courſe of Reaſoning, which they are led into in their own Medi-
tations.
The ee are the fat har they have heard hundreds of times; but he Force of the Arguments, and their Convic- tion by *em, is altogether new; they come with a new and before unexperienced Pow- er: Before they heard it was ſo, and they allow'd it to be fo; but now they /ee it to be ſo indeed, Things now look exceeding. plain to *em, and they wonder that they did not ſee *em before.
They are fo greatly taken Sith their new Diſcovery, and Things appear, ſo plain, and ſo rational to 'em, that they are often at firſt ready to think they can
convince others; and are apt to engage in talk with every one e they meet with, alm.
— ne, $4 IOWA; 0 a WOE > — + — oo - _ —_— * 2 8 0 * Ry 1 + * 4 4 22 e —
72 A Narrative ꝙ late ſurprizing
.almoſt to this End; and when they are
diſappointed, are ready. to wonder that their Reaſonings ſeem to make no more
Impreſſion.
Many fall under ſuch a Miſtake as to be ready to doubt of their good Eſtate,
| becauſe there was ſo much uſe made of their
own Reaſon in the Convictions they have
receiy*d ; they are afraid that they have
no Illumination above the natural Force of their own Faculties: And many make that an Objection againſt the Spirituality of their Convictions, that *tis ſo eaſy to ſce
Things as they now ſee them. They have
often heard that Converſion is a work of mighty Power, manifeſting to the Soul what no Man nor Angel can give ſuch a
conviction of; but it ſeems to them that
the Things that they ſee are ſo plain, and eaſy, and rational, that any body can ſee them: And if they are enquired of, why they. never ſaw ſo before; they lay, it
ſeems to them it was becauſe they never
thought of it. But very often theſe'Dit-
| ficultigs are ſoon removed by thoſe of ano- ther nature; for when God withdraws, they
find themſelves as it were blind again, they for the prefent loſe their realizingſ Senſe of thoſe Things that looked ſo plain
to dem, and by all that they can do the
can't recover it, till God renews. the In fuences of his Spirit. Perſon
"Converſions in New-England. 73 Perſons after their Converſion oſten ſpeak of Things of Religion as ſeeming
new to them; that Preaching is a new
thing; that it ſeems to them they never
heard Preaching before; that the Bible is a new Book: They find there new Chap-
ters, new Plalms, new Hiſtories, becauſe they ſee them in a new Light, Here was
a remarkable Inſtance of an aged Woman
of above 70 years, that had ſpent moſt of her Days under Mr. Stoddard's powerful
Miniſtry; who reading in the New Teſta- ment, concerning Cbriſt's Sufferings for Sinners, ſeem'd to be -ſurprized and aſto-
miſhed - at what ſhe read, as at a Thi
that was real and very wonderful, but
quite new. to her, inſomuch that at firſt,
before ſhe had time to turn her Thoughts, the wonder'd within her ſelf that ſhe had
never heard of it before; but then imme-
diately recollected her ſelf, and thought
that ſhe had often heard of it, and read it,
dergo ſuch things for Sinners, angel how
ſhe had ſpent her Time in urgratefally
ſinning againſt ſn good a God, and fuck a Saviour; tho? - ſhe was a Perſon, as to
what was viſible, of a very blameleſs and inoffenſive Life. And ſhe was ſo overcome
by thoſe Conſiderations, that her Natur: 5 E V3
-
*
but never till now ſaw it as a thing real; and then caſt in her Mind, how wonderſul this was, that the Son of God ſhould un-
* * _ LY % 4 . p 8 r »
74 J Narrative of late ſarprixing
was ready to fail under them: Thoſe that were about her, and knew not what was the matter, were ſurprized, and thought 3. i: M,any have ſpoken much of their Hearts being drawn out in Love to God and Chriſt; and their Minds being wrapt up in delight- ful Contemplation of the Glory, and won- derful Grace of God, and the Excellency, and dying Love of Jeſus Chriſt; and of their Souls going forth in longing Deſires after God and Chriſt, Several of our young Children have expreſſed much of this; and have manifeſted a Willingneſs to leave Father and Mother and all Things in the World, to go to be with Chriſt. Some | Perſons have had longing Deſires after Cbriſt, which have riſen to that degree, as to take away their natural Strength. 8 Some have been ſo overcome with a Senſe by ol the dying Love of Chrif, to ſuch poor, N - wretched, and unworthy Creatures, as to weaken the Body. Several Perſons have had ſo great a Senſe of the Glory of God, | and Excellency of Chriſt, that Nature and A Life has ſeemed almoſt to fink under it; and in all probability, if God had ſhewed | e them a little more of himſelf, it would! £ have diſſolved their Frame. I have ſeen 2 ſome, and been in Converſation with the them in ſuch Frames, who have certainly been perfectly ſober, and very 2
the Glory
Light and Joy.
e and low No Perſons ſeem to be ſo ſenſible of their
© Converſions in New-England. 75
from any thing like enthuſiaſtick Wildneſs:
And have talk'd, when able to ſpeak, ß of God's Perfections, and the þ
wonderfulneſs of his Grace 1 in Chriſt, and
their own Unworthineſs, in ſuch a man- ner that can't be perfectl
them. Their Senſe
their exceeding
littleneſs and vileneſs, and their Diſpofi- | tion to abaſe themſelves before God, has
appeared to be great in | LORA to their us as have been
Such Perfons amon thus diſtinguiſhed with the moſt extraor-
y the bonnet? ; and are eminent for 2 Spirit of Me
Opinion of themſelves :
need of Inſtruction, and ſo r to receive
it, as ſome of them; nor ſo ready to think others better than | themſelves.
Thoſe a have been thought to be con-
verted amongſt us have generally mani- feſted a longing to lie low, and in the duſt before God; withal complaining of their not being able to lie low
often ſpeak much of their Senſe x Ang cellency of the way of Sal-
; vation, by ä ſovereign Grace,
through
*
A
expreſſed after
neſs, Modeſty, Self- diffi -
dinary Diſcoveries with God, have com- monly in no wiſe appeared with the aſ- | ſuming, and ſelf-conceited, and ſelf-ſuffi- | —_ Airs of Enthuſiaſts ; but exceeding-
3
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76 A Narrative. of late ſurprizing Through the Righteouſneſs of Chryft alone; Aid how it is with delight that they re- nounce their own Righteouſneſs, and re- Joice in having no Account made of it.
Many have expreſſed themſelves to this urpoſe, that it would leſſen the Satis- Edlen they hope for in Heaven #0
have it by their own Righteouſneſs, or
in any other way than as beſtowed by free Grace, and for Chri/i*s ſake alone. They ſpeak much of the Inexpreſſiblene/s of what
they experience, how their Words ſail, ſo _ that they can in no wile declare it: a particularly ſpeak with exceeding Admi- ration of the ſuperlative Excellency of that -pleaſure and delight of Soul, which they ſometimes enjoy 3 ; how a little of it is ſut-
ficient to pay em for all the Pains and Trouble they have gone through in ſeek- ing Salvation; and how far it "exceeds all
Things appear to em. Many, while their Minds have been
fill'd with ſpiritual Delights, have as it were forgot their Food; their bodily Ap-
etite has fail'd, while their Minds have en. enteetnin'd with Meat to eat that
others knew not of. The Light and Com- fort which ſome pf them enjoy, gives a
0 1 # »
earthly Pleaſures : And ſome expreſs much of the Senſe which theſe ſpiritual Views give *em of the Vanity of earthly Enjoy- ments, how mean and worthleſs all theſe
new
4 . ©
| Converſions in New-England. 77
new reliſh to their common Bleſſings; and
cauſes all Things about 'em to appear as it
were beautiful, ſweet and pleaſant to them: AUT nA abroad, theSun, Moon and Stare, .
the Clouds andSky,the Heavens and Earth,
appear as it were with a Caſt of divine Glory and Sweetneſs upon them. The ſweeteſt Joy that theſe goodPeople amongſt us expreſs, tho? it include in it a delighttul Sente of the Safety of their own State, and that now they are out of danger of Hell;
yet frequently, in times of their higheſt :
ſpiritual Entertainment, this ſeems not to be the chief Object of their fixed Thought
and Meditation. The ſux reme Attention
of their Minds is to the glorious Excellen- _ cies of God and Chrift, which they have in view; not but that there is very often a raviſhing Senſe. of God's Love accompany + ing a Senſe of his Excellency, and they re- ]joice in a Senſe of the Faithful Promiſes, as they reſpect the future eter- nal Enjeyment of God.
Ineſs of God's
The Joy that many of them ſpeak of
is that, to which none is to be parallel'd;
is that which they find when they are loweſt in the Daſt, emptied moſt of them-
ſelves, and as it were annihilating them-
ſelves before God, when they are nothing, and God is all, are ſceing their own Unwor- thineſs, depending not at all on them- ſelves, but alone on Chriſt, and aſcribing all Ez Glory
-
78 A Narrative of late ſurprixing Glory to God: 'Then their Souls are moſt in the Enjoyment of ſatisfying Reſt; ex- cepting that, at ſuch times, they appre- hend themſelves to be not ſufficiently ſelf- abaſed ; for then above all times do they long to be lower. Some ſpeak much of the exquiſite Sweetneſs, and Reſt of Soul that is to be found in the exerciſes of a Spirit of Reſignation to God, and hum- - ble Submiſſion to his Will. Many expreſs earneſt Longings of Soul to praiſe God ; but at the ſame time complain that they can't praiſe. him as they wou'd do, and they want to have others help them in praiſing him: They want to have every one praiſe God, and are ready to call upon every thing to praiſe him. They expreſs a longing Deſire to live to God's Glory, and to do ſomething to his Honour; but at the ſame time cry out of their Inſuffictency and Barre nneſs, that they are poor impotent Greatures, can do nothing of themſelves, and . are utterly inſufficient to glorify their Crea< ter and Redeemer. „ MI While God was ſo remarkably preſent +2 amongſt: us by his Spirit, there was no | acg Book fo delighted in as the Bible; eſpe- tha cially the Book of Fſalmt, the Prophecy bee of | [aiah, and the New Teftament. Some Sen by reaſon of their Eſteem and Love to of ( God's Word, have at ſome times been || pur greatly and wonderfully delighted m_ | had 55 ected 15
Converſſons in New-England. 79 ſected at the- ſight of a Bible: and ben alſo, there was no Time ſo prized as the Lord's-Day, and no Place in this World ſo deſired as God's Houſe. Our Converts then remarkably appeared united in dear Affection to one another, and many have _ expreſſed much of that Spirit of Love which they felt toward all Mankind; and particularly to thoſe that had been leaſt friendly to them. Never, 1 believe, was ſo much done in confeſſing Injuries, and making up Differences as the laſt Tear, Perſons after their own Converſion, have commonly expreſſed an exceeding deſire for the Converſion of others: Some have thought that they ſhould be willing to. die for the Converſion of any Soul, tho? of one of the meaneſt of their Fellow-Crea- ' tures, or of their worſt Enemies; and many have indeed been in great Diſtreſs with Defires and Longings for it. This Work of God had alſo a good Effect to _ unite the People's Affections much to their — oat; 17 ee Ts 5 There are ſome Perſons that I have been | acquainted with, but more eſpecially two, that belong to other Towns, that have been ſwallowed up exceedingly with a Senſe of the awful Greatneſs: and Majeſty of God; and both of them told me to this | purpoſe, that if they in the time of it, had had the leaſt _ that they were-not
4 > N 4
80 A Narrative of late furprizing at peace with this ſo great a God, they a ſhonld inſtantly have died. :
It is worthy to be remarked, that ſome | 4
Perſons by their Converſion ſeem to be |
greatly helped as to their doctrinal Ng- | Þ
tions of Religion; it was particularly re- ty
| markable in one, who having been taken th F _ captive in his Childhood, was train'd up i . in Canada, in the Popiſh Religion; and b ; fome Years ſince returned to this his native Ih 5 | , "Wi ; Place, and was in a meaſure brought off C2 | from Popery; but feem'd very awkward 5 and dull of receiving any true and clear Ty 1 Notion of the Proteſtant Scheme, till _ he was converted ; and then he was re- * markably altered in this reſpect. 4 .
Wr.
here is a vaſt difference, as has been obſerv'd, in the Degree, and alſo in the I 60 . of Perſons Experiences, 8. both at, and after Converſion; ſome have hir Grace working more ſenſibly in one way, Me others in another. Some ſpeak more ful- >
ly of a Conviction of the Juſtice of God || 4
in their Condemnation; others more of : their conſenting to the way of Salvation b7
. Chrift, ſome more of the Actings of Love 4. to God and Chrift: Some more of Acts of CH | Affiance, in a ſweet and aſſured Convic- 5 tion of the Truth and Faithfulneſs of God 48 in his Promiſes ; others more of their cf 15 chooſing and reſting in God as their Whole 0 and everlaſting Portion, and of weis as. = ; l
1 7 . —_ he » Ws o — \ N - \ ot P It doe wen. - "= _ * — 22 * ＋ , | Fey * * K m p be. n = 22 » s <4 — 2 —— — m — _ — . _ 3 * : we oy — — 2 — . *
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"24 3 os
Converſions in New-England, 81 dent and longing Deſires after God, to have Communion with him ; others more of their abhorrence of themſelves for their paſt Sins, and earneſt Longings to live to
Gog's Glory for the time to come: Some
have their Minds fixed more on God; o- thers on-Chrift, as J have obſerved before, and am afraid of too much Repetition; but 1t ſeems evidently to be the ſame Work, the ſame Thins done, the ſame habitual Change wrought in the Heart; it all tends the fame way, and to the ſame End; and.” *tis plainly the ſame Spirit that breathgs and acts in various Perſons, There is an,
endleſs Yariety in the particular manner and circumſtances in which Perſons are
wrought on, and an opportunity of ſeeing fo much of ſuch a Work of God, will
ſhew that God is further from confining,
himſelf to certain Steps, and a particular
Method, in his Work on Souls, than it
may be ſome do imagine. I believe it has occaſion'd ſome good People amongſt us,
that: were before too ready to make their
own Experiences a Rule to others, to be leſs cenſorious and more extended in their Charity, and this is an excellent Advan- tage indeed. The Work of God has been glorious in its: Variety, it has the more diſplayed the manifoldneſs and unſearch- ableneſs of the Wiſdom of God, and wrought more Charity among his People, . E5 There
| ge A Narrative of late furprizing
| There is a great Difference among thoſe || Ce that are converted as to the Degree of Hope bo and Satisfaftion that they have concerning ha their own State. Some have a high de- in
gree of Satisfaction in this Matter almoſt to conſtantly: And yet it is rare that any do the
enjoy ſo full an Aſſurance of their Intereſt || Liv in Cbriſt, that Self- Examination ſhould F wit ſeem needleſs to them; unleſs it be at par- ere
ticular Seaſons, while in the actual enjoy- wil ment of ſome great Diſcovery, that God buſ gives of his Glory, and rich Grace in || rea:
Chriſt, to the drawing forth of extraordi- are nary Acts of Grace, But the greater part, rup as they ſometimes fall into dead Frames of ther Spirit, are frequently exerciſed with Scru- the)
ples and Fears concerning their Condition, They generally have an awful Appre- in t. henſion of the Dreadfulneſs and undoing ſhip Nature of a falſe Hope; and there has then been obſervable in moſt a great Caution, find leſt 1 in giving an account ef their Expe- hic riences, they ſhould ſay too much, and caſio uſe too ſtrong Terms: And many after they wor have related their Experiences, have been and greatly afflicted with Fears, leſt they have || {twri play'd the Hypocrite, and uſed ſtronger || towa, Terms than their Caſe would fairly allow them of; and yet could not find how they ling N could correct themſelves. with I think that the main ground of the . ready
Doubts and Fears chat Ferſons, after or ; i on-
ll 3 — a = | n e e — — . = mo on i — 4 — _ we 4 ;
—— 22 — - * i
I HE
Coroerfions in New-E * 84
Converſion, have been exerciſed with a- bout their own State, has been that they
| have found ſo much Corruption remaining
in their Hearts. At firſt their Souls ſee
to be all alive, their Hearts are fixed, a
their Affections flowing; they ſeem. to live quite above the World, and meet with but little Difficulty in religious: Ex- erciſes; and they are ready to think it will always be ſo: Tho” they are truly a- buſed under a Senſe of ach Vileneſs by reaſon of former Acts of Sin, yet they
are not then ſufficiently ſenſible what Cor-
ruption ſtill remains in their f and therefore are ſurprized when they find that, they begin to be in dull and pov Frames, to be troubled with wandering Thoughts in the time of publick and private Wor-
ſhip, and to be utterly. unable to. keep; themſelves from 'em; . alſo when they; find themſelves unaffected at Seafons,;in which, they think, there is the greateſt Oc caſion to be affected; and = they feel
worldly , Diſpoſitions working in them, and it may be Pride, and Enyy, and, ſtirrings of Revenge, or ſome 4 Shiri
| towards ſome Perſon, ps = injured;
them, as well as other workings of indwel-.. ling Sin: Their Hearts are almoſt ſunk with the Diſappointment; ON they are n ran, 0 How en e .
{| VE -
# „ 11444
84 4 Narrative of late ſurprixing have met with is nothing, and that they,
are meer Hypocrites. They are ready to argue, that if God had
reat Things for them, as they hoped, ſuch Ingratitude would be iconfifient with it: They cry out of the | hardneſs and wickedneſs of their Hearts; and ſay there is ſo much Corruption, that it ſeems to them impoſſible that there ſhould be any Goodneſs there: and many of them ſeem to be much more ſenſible how corrupt
;4 dard! done ſuch
their Hearts are, than ever they were before
were converted; and ſome have been
too ready to be impreſsd with Fear, that
inſtead of becoming better, they are grown much worſe, and make it an Argument
againſt the Goodneſs of their State. But
in truth, the Cafe ſeems plainly to be, that now they feel the pain of their own Wound; they have a watchful Eye upon their Hearts, that they don't uſe to have:
Fhey take more notice what Sin is there,
and Sin is now more burdenſome to 'em,
they ſtrive more againſt it, and feel more
of the Strength of lt. 1 They are ſomewhat urg Mad has! why
ſhould 'in this reſpect find themſelves ſo
different from the Idea that they generally had entertained! of godly Perſons ; for
tho“ Grace he indeed of a fas more excel. lent nature than chey imagin'd ; yet thoſe - that are godly have much leſs of it, and
much
as long
Cemverficus in New-England. 85 much more remaining Corruption, than they thought. They never realized it, that Perſons were wont to meet with ſuch Difficulties, after they were once con- verted. When they are thus exerciſed
with Doubts about their State, through.
the Deadneſs of their Frames of Spirit, as theſe Frames laſt, they are commonly unable to ſatisfy: themſelves of the Truth of their Grace, by all their Self- examination. When they hear of the Signs of Grace laid down for 'em to try themſelves by, they are often ſo
clouded, that they don't know how to
apply them: they hardly know whether
they have ſuch and ſuch things in them or nd and whether they have experienced
them or not: That which was ſweeteſt, and beſt and moſt diſtinguiſhing in their Experiences, they can't recover a ſenſe or Idea of. But on a Return of the Influences of the Spirit of God, to re- vive the lively Actings of Grace, the Light breaks through the Cloud, and Doubting and Darkneſs ſoon vaniſh' a-
with! wad roo) "oPerfons are often revived out of their- dead and dark Frames; by religious Con- verſation : while they are talking of divine things, or ever they are aware,
their Souls are carried away into holy
Exerciſes with+ abundant- Pleaſure. « And OS often-
* — — e
96 4 Narrative of late furprizing
oftentimes, while they are relating their
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periences to their Chriſtian Bre-
thren, they have a freſh ſenſe. of them revived, and the ſame Experiences in a Degree again renewed. Sometimes while
Perſons are. exerciſed. in Mind with ſe- veral Objections againſt the Goodneſs of
their State, they have Scriptures, one
after another, coming to their Minds, to anſwer their Scruples and unravel
their Difficulties, exceeding appoſite and proper to their Circumſtances; by which
means their Darkneſs is ſcattered ; and often before the Beſtowment of any newremarka-
ble Comforts, eſpecially after long continued Deadneſs and ill Frames, there are re-
newed Humblings, in a great ſenſe of their own exceeding Vileneſs and Un- worthineſs, as before their firſt Comforts were beſtowed. _ V Many in the Country have entertain'd a mean Thought of this great Work that
there has been amongſt us, from what they have heard of Impreſſions that have
been made on Perſons Imaginations, But there have been exceeding great Miſre- preſentations, and innumerable falſe Ne-
ports concerning that Matter. Tis not, that I know of, the Profeſſion or Opi- nion of any one Perſon in the Town, that
any weight is to be laid on any thing ſeen with the bodily Eyes: I know the
Con-
Comverſions in New- England. 87 contrary to be à receiv'd and eſta- bliſhed Principle amongft us. I cannot ſay that there have been no Inſtances of Perſons - that have. been ready to give
too much heed to vain and uſeleſs 52. ginations ; but they have been eaſily
corrected, and I conclude it will not
be wondered at, that a Congregati-
on ſhou'd need a Guide in ſuch Caſes, to aſſiſt them in diſtinguiſhing Vbeat from Chaff. But ſuch Impreſſions on the
Imagination as have been more ufual, ſeem _
to me, to be plainly no other, than what is to be expected in human Nature in ſuch Circumſtances, and what is the natural Reſult of the ſtrong Exerciſe of the Mind, and Impreſſions on the Heart. I do not ſuppoſe that they themſelves
imagined that they ſaw any thing with
their bodily Eyes; but only have had within them Ideas ſtrongly impreſs'd, and: as it were, lively Pictures in their Minds: As for inſtance, ſome when in great Terrours, through fear of Hell, have bad lively Ideas of a dreadful F ur- nace. Some, when their Hearts have been ſtrongly impreſs? d, and their Affecti- ons greatly moved with a ſenſe of the Beauty and Excellency of Cbriſt, it has wrought on their Imaginations ſo, that together with a ſenſe of his glorious ſpiritual Per- fections, there has ariſen in the Mind : an
— 1 "a . a. = EI
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88 4 Narrative g late furprizing an Idea of one of glorious Majeſty,. and of a {ſweet and a gracious Afffpett:
So. ſome, when they have been greatly affected with Chriſt's Death, have at the
ſame time a lively Idea of brit W
. 9 the Croſs, and of his Blood run- from his Wounds ; which things
bias. be wondred at. by them that have obſerved how. {fron Affections about tem-
poral' Matters will excite lively Ideas and Pictures of different things in the Mind.
But yet the vigorous Exerciſe of the Mind, does doubtleſs more ſtrong- ly impreſs | it with imaginary Ideas, in ome than others, which probably may
ariſe from the difference of Conſtitution, and ſeems evidently in ſome, partly to ariſe from their peculiar Circumſtances: When Perſons have been exerciſed with extreme Terrours, and there is a ſudden change to Light and Joy, the Imagina-
tion ſeems more ſuſe ceptive of ſtrong L.
gras, and the inferior Powers, and even
the Frame of the Body, is much more
affected and wrought upon, than when
the ſame Perſons have as great ſpiri- tual” Light and Joy afterwards ;- ; of which It might, perhaps, be eaſy to give a Rea-
ſon. The forementioned Rev“. Meſſ.
Lord and Owen, who, I believe, are e-
ſteem'd Perſons of 1 and Diſ- cretion where they are beſt
clared
nown, de-
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Converſious in New-England. 89 clared that they found theſe Impreſſions. on Perſons Imaginations, quite different things from what Fame had before re- preſented to them, and that they were what none need to wonder at, or be ſtum- bled by, or to that purpoſe. | There have indeed been ſome few In- ſtances, of Impreſſions an Perſons Imagi- vations, that have been ſomething myi- terious to me, and I have been at a loſs about them; for tho' it has been ex- ceeding evident to me by many things that appear'd in them, both then (when they related them) and afterwards, that they indeed had a great ſenſe of the ſpi- ritual Excellency of Divine Things ac- companying them; yet I have not been able well to ſatisfy myſelf, whether their imaginary Ideas have been more than could naturally ariſe from their ſpiritual Senſe of things. However, I have uſed the utmoſt Caution in ſuch Caſes; great Care has been taken both in publick and in private to teach Perſons the dif- ference between what is ſpiritual and what. is merely imaginary, I have often warned Perſons not to lay the ſtreſs of their Hope on any Ideas of any outward Glory, or any external thing whatſoever, and have met with no Oppoſition in ſuch Inſtruc- tions, But 'tis not ſtrange if ſome weak: er Perſons, in. Siving an account of their Experi-
„ ˙· Can SS v kh
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ITT
wa „. ; — D 7. Le: *
take advantage of.
Reports; and came here, once and again,
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which was altogether a falſe Report: In-
WW
_ lated, the Minds of fome- were filled with _ Speculation, what ſo great a ron
90 A Narrative of late furprizing Experiences, have not ſo prudently diſ- inguiſhed between the ſpiritual and ima- ginary Part; which ſome that have not
n well affected to Religion, might
There has been much talk in many parts of the Country, as tho* the People have ſymbolized with the Quakers, and the Qua-
ers themſelves have been moved with ſuch
hoping to find good Waters to fiſh in ; but without the leaſt Succeſs, and ſeem to be diſcouraged and have left off com- ing. There have alſo been Reports ſpread about the Country, as tho* the firſt Imerl Occaſion of ſo remarkable a Concern on ure, People's Minds here, was an Apprehen-
Gon that the World was near to an end, i
deed after this Stirring, and Concern became ſo general and extraordinary, as has been re-
of divine Providence might forebode:
ſuence.
and ſome. Reports were heard from a- Have,
broad, as tho” certain Divines and o- Work thers thought the Conflagration was nigh: fvith-t
but ſuch Reports were never generally hoſe looked upon worthy of Notice. The Work that has now been wrought ng. on Souls is evidently the ſame that was Perſon wrought in my venerable Predeceſſor's long
loned,
Days;
Convenſons in New-England. 91 Days 3 as I have had abundant Oppor- unity to know, having been in the Mi- : aiſtry here two Years with him, and t ſo converſed with a conſiderable Num- ber that my Grandfather thought to be
avingly converted in that time; and e having been particularly acquainted with Ihe Experiences of many that were con- h Nrerted under his Miniſtry before. And „ II know no one of them, that in the Jeaſt doubts of its being the ſame Spi- n it, and the ſame Work. Perſons have 1- row no otherwiſe been ſubject to Im- d& preſſions on their Imaginations, than for / {t Imerly: The Work is of the fame na- dn ture, and has not been attended with a- n- ny extraordinary Circumſtances, excep- d, ing ſuch as are analogous. to the ex- | n- ſtraordinary degree of it before 'defcri-
ne ed. And God's People, that were for- re- nerly converted, have now partook of ith he ſame Shower of divine Bleſſing, in on the renewing, ſtrengtbening, edifying. In- le: Nuences of the Spirit of God, that others a- Fave, in his converting Influences; and the o- {Work here has alſo been plainly the ſame zh: frith that, which has been wrought in ly hoſe of other Places that have been men-
toned, as partaking of the ſame Bleſ- ing. I have particulary converſed with s Perſons about their Experiences that be-
ors Yong to all parts of the Country, and
92 ANarrative of late ſurprizing in various parts of Connecticut, where a religious Concern has lately appear'd; and have been inform'd of the Experiences ot many others by their own Paſtors.
Tis eaſily perceived by the foregoing Account that *tis very very much the Practice of the People here, to converſe frecly one with another of their ſpiri- tual. Experiences; which: is a thing that many have been diſguſted at. But however our People may have, in ſome reſpects, gone to extremes in it, yet cis doubtleſs, a Practice that the Circumſtances of this Fown, and neighbouring Towns, has naturally led them into. Whatſoever People are in ſuch Circumſtances, where all have their Minds engaged to ſuch a Degree, in the ſame Affair, that cis ever uppermoſt in their Thoughts; they will naturally make it the Subject of Converſation one with another when they get together, in which they will grow
more and more free: Reſtraints will
ſoon vaniſn; and they will not conceal from one another what they meet with. And it has been a Practice which, in the general, has been attended with many good Effects, and what God has greatly bleſ- Jed amongſt us: But it muſt be- confeſt there may have been ſome ill Conle- quences of it; which yet are rather to be laid to the indiſcreet Management | i
than can ſome in cl caſio! ble.
greate to gi her E thers what her 7 what life- ti She Famil Educa
ee er in e ee 93
than. to the Practice it ſelf: and none can wonder, if among ſuch a multitude ſome fail of exerciſing ſo much Prudence in chooſing the time, manner, and oc- b caſion of ſuch Diſcourſe, as 1s deſirea- ble.
But to give a clearer Idea of the Na- . ture and. Manner of the Operations of God's Spirit, in this wonderful Effuſion of it, I would give an Account of two paiticular Inſtances, The firſt is an Adult Perſon, a young 1 whoſe Name
15, was Abigail Hutchinſon. 257 upon. her 4. eſpecially becauſe ſhe is now dead, and fo it
muy be more fit to ſpeak freely of her than living Inſtances : tho? I am under far Pe Diſadvantages, on other accounts, to give a full and clear Narrative of her Experiences, than I might of ſome o- thers ; nor can any Account be given but ofhat has been retain'd in the Memories of
her near Friends, and ſome others, f
what they have heard her expreſs in her Ilife- time.
She was of a rational underſtanding Family : there could be nothing in her Education that tended to Enthy/ n, but rather to the contrary extreme. Tis in no viſe the Temper of the Family to be ſtentatious of Experiences, and it was far from being her Temper. She was
before her Converſion, to the Obſerva- tion
; 94 ANarrati | ive of late furprizing tion of her Neighbours, of a ſober ana !Y inoffenſive Converſation z and was a till, quiet, reſery'd Perſon. She had long WL been infirm of Body, but her Infirmity
had never been obſerved at all to incline} 4 her to be notional or fanciful, or to oc. 41 ceaſion any thing of religious Melancholy 4, She was under Awakenings ſcarcely ; tuln Week, before there ſeem'd to be plai Nat
| 1 of her being ſavingly con ver ted. „ | She was firſt awakened in the Win her ter Seaſon, on Monday, by ſomething whit | ſhe heard her Brother ſay of the Ne Cour ceſſity of being in good earneſt in ſeeking} to t! regenerating Grace, together with thi News of the Converſion of the young] treſſ Woman before mention*d, whoſe Converſ
on ſo generally affected moſt of the young p People here. This News wrought mucl} more upon her, and ſtirr'd up a Spirit of En fad) vy in her towards this young Woman 7%
whom ſhe thought very unworthy of be bled ing diſtinguiſhed from others by ſuch Mercy; but withal it engaged her i ſbe þ ' a firm Reſolution to do her utmoſt t
obtain the ſame Bleſſing; and conſid Ve ring with herſelf what — * ſhe ſhoulſ Her take, ſhe thought, that ſhe had not 3 ' ſufficient Knowledge of the Principles 4 chi Religion, to render her capable of Conf Si
' verſion ; whereupon ſhe reſolved thorou ;
5
ſhe had been ſo concerned for her Body
Converſions in New-England. 95 ly to ſearch the Scriptures ; and accor- dingly immediately began at the begin- ning of the Bible, intending to read it through. She continued thus till Thu t day : and then there was a ſudden Alte- ration, by a great Increaſe of her Concern, in an extraordinary ſenſe of her own Sin- tulneſs, particularly the Sinfulneſs of her Nature, and Wickedneſs of her Heart, which came upon her (as ſhe expreſſed it) as a Flaſh of Lightning, and ſtruck her into an exceeding Terrour. Upon which ſhe left off reading the Bible in Courſe as ſhe had begun, and turned to the New - Teſtament, to ſee if ſhe could not find ſome relief there for her diſ- treſſed Soul. ; :
Her great Terrour ſhe ſaid was, that ſhe bad ſin'd againſt God: Her Diſtreſs grew more and more for three Days; until (as ſhe ſaid) ſhe ſaw nothing but Blackneſs of Dark- neſs before her, and her very Fleſh trem- bled for fear of God's wrath: ſhe won- dred and was aſtoniſhed at herſelf, that
and had applied ſo often to Phyſicians to heal 8 ad neglected her Soul. Her Sinfulneſs appeared with a very aw- ful Aſpect to her, eſpecially in three things, (viz.) her Original Sin, and her Sin in murmuring at God's Providence,
in the Weakneſs and Afflictions ſhe had
been
96 A Narrative of late firprieimg
been under, and in want of Duty to W Parents, tho? others had look*d upon her a0 to excel in Dutifulneſs. On Saturday, ſhe WI
was ſo earneſtly engaged in reading the ſhe Bible and other Books, that ſhe continu-
5 ed in it, ſearching for ſomething to re- de lieve her, till her Eyes were ſo dim, ſhe
that ſhe could not A the Letters. del Whilſt ſhe was thus engaged in Reading, be Prayer, and other religious Exerciſes, ſhe alo thought of thoſe Words of Chriſt, where. 12 in he warns us not to be as the Heo- Fri
then, that think they ſtall be heard for |. to! beir much ſpeating; which, ſhe ſaid, led ryc her to ſee that ſhe had truſted to her $1 - own. Prayers and religious Performances, I tha and now ſhe was put to a nonplus, and Mi knew not which way to turn herſelf, or As
where to ſeck Relief. b-fc While her Mind was in this 8 the] her Heart, ſhe ſaid, ſeem'd to fly to whi
the Miniſter for Refuge, hoping that he befc could give her ſome Relief. She came ag] the ſame Day to her Brother, with the Lor. .'Countenance of a Perſon in diſtreſs, ex- 1M, poſtulating. with him, why he had not cam told her more of her Sinfulneſs, and ſes: ; - earneſtly enquiring of him what ſhe ſhoull with do. -She ſeem'd that Day to feel in herſelf and zan Enmity againſt the Bible, which greatly of tl . affrighted her. Her ſenſe of her own ex- that | cerdug Sinfulneſs continued increaſing from be | $1999] MOM Oe "_— |
4 |
EX- not
"Dots ons in Neu. England 97
Thurſlay till Monday: ; and ſhe gave this account of it, that it had been an Opinion, which till now ſhe had entertain'd, that
ſhe was not guilty of Adam's Sin, nor a-
ny way concerned in it, becauſe the was
not active in it; but that now ſhe ſaw
ſhe was guilty of that Sin, and all over defiled by it; and that the Sin which ſhe. brought into the World with her, was alone ſufficient to condemn her. On the Sat- day ſhewas ſo il] FRG F riends thought itnot beſt that ſhe ſhould g0
to publick Worſhip, of which ſhe ſeem'd ve-
ry deſirous: But when ſhe went to Bedon the Sabbat h-day Night, ſhe took up a Reſolution
thar ſhe would the next Morning go to the
Miniſter, hoping to find ſome Relief there.
As ſhe awaked on Monday Morning, a little before day, ſhe wondered within herſelf at the Eaſineſs and Calmneſs the felt in her Mind, which was of that k ind which ſhe never felt before; a8 ſhe thought of this, ſuch Words as theſe were in her Mind; The Words of the Lord are pure Words, He alth tothe Soul, and Marrow to tbe Bones: And then theſs Words came to her Mind, the Blob d of Chriſt clean
and Þ ſes: from all Sin; which were accompanied | JUG
with a lively tenle of the Excellency of Chrift, and his Sufficiency to ſatisfy for the Sins of the whole World. She. then thought of that Expreſſion, lis 0 pleaſant. thing Fr the Hes to behold the Sun , which Words
F den
98 4 Narrative of late furprizing
then ſeem'd to her to be very applica- ble to Feſus Cbriſt. By theſe things her Mind was led into ſuch Contemplations and Views of Chrjft, as filPd her exceed -
ing full of Joy. She told her Brother
in the Morning that ſhe had ſeen (i. e. in re- alizing Views by Faith) Chriſt the laſt Night,
and that ſhe had really thought that ſhe had not Knowledge enough to be converted;
but, ſays ſhe, God can make it quite eaſy!
On Monday ſhe felt all day a conſtant
Sweetheſs in her Soul. She had a Repetition of the ſame Diſcoverys of Chr three Mor- nings together, that ſhe had on Monday
Morning, and much in the ſame manner,
at each time, waking a little before day; ; but brighter and brighter every time.
At the laſt time on Yedneſday Morning,
while in the Enjoyment of a ſpiritual
View of Cbriſt's Glory and Fulneſs, her
Soul was filled with Diſtreſs for Chriſtleſs Perſons, to conſider what a miſerable
Condition they were in: and ſhe felt in herſelf a ſtrong Inclination immediately
to go forth to warn Sinners; and propoſed it the next to her Brorher to aſſiſt her in going * a houſe to houſe -; but her Brother reſtrain'd her, by telling her of the unſuitableneſs of ſuch a Method.
She told one of her Sifters that Day,
that ſhe loved all Mankind, but eſpecially
. the People of God, Her Siſter aſked -i why
_ Converſions in New:Roglund, 99 Why ſhe loved all Mankind? She reply'd
Vbecauſe Cod had made them. After this,
there happen'd to come into the Shop where ſhe was at work, three Perſons that were thought to have been lately converted; her ſeeing them as they ſtep'd in one akier another into the Door, ſo affected her, and ſo drew forth her love to them, that it overcame her, and ſhe al- moſt fainted: And when they began to talk of the things of Religion, it was
more than ſhe could bear; they were ob-
liged to ceaſe on that account. It was
a very frequent thing with her to be overcome with a flow of Affection to
them that ſhe thought Godly, in Con-
verſation with them, and ſometimes on- ly at the Sight of them.
She had many extraordinary Difcers- Ties, of the Glory of God and: Chriſt ; ſometimes, in ſome particular Attributes, and ſometimes in many. She gave an
Account, that once, as thoſe four Words
paſſed thro' her Mind, WIS DOM,
FUSTYCE, GCOODNESS, and TRUTH, her Soul was filid- with. a
ſenſe of the Glory of each of theſe di-
vine Attributes, <3 eſpecially the laſt;
Truth, ſaid ſhe, ſunk the deepeſt! And
therefore as theſe Words -paſs'd, this was
args RUTH, TRUTH Her 1
ind was 2 el up with a ſenſe <4 2 of
100 A Narrative of late jurpricing
of the Glory of God's Truth and other
Perſections, 8 ſhe ſaid, it ſeed as
tl her Life was going, and that ſhe tt was eaſy with God to take away |
ab Life by Diſcoveries - of himſelf. Soon .
after this ſhe went to a private religi- ;
ous Meeting, and her Mind was full 'of = a Senſe and Vicw of the Glory of God 1 all the Time; and when the Exerciſe 5 was ended, ſome afked her concerning a what ſhe had experienced: and ſhe be- h gan -to give them an Account ; but as fa the was relating it, it revived ſuch a — Senſe of the ſame Things, that her Strength an faibd; and they were oblig'd to take | ne her, and lay her upon the Bed. After- Ing wards ſhe was greatly affected, and re- ſuc Joiced with theſe Words, Werthy is the hat Lamb that was ain. CE; She had ſeveral Days ee a ſweet but ſenſe of the Excellency and Loveli- for neſs of Chriſt in his Meekneſs, which | fe diſpoſed her continually to be repeating as J over theſe Words, which were ſweet to | wit
her, MEEK AND LOWLY IN and
HEART, MEEK AND LOWLY | rem
IN HEART. She once expreſs'd her- ſelf
' ſelf to one of her Siſters, to this pur- | was
poſe, that ſhe had continued whole Days || gre:
# and whole Nights, in a conſtant raviſhing that
View of the Glory of God and Crit, I me having enjoy'd as me as her Life could
bear.
1141414 wo — K
overcome her.
Converſions in New-England. 101 hear. Once as her Brother was ſpeak-
ing of the dying Love of Chrift, ſhe told him that ſhe had ſuch a ſenſe of- 1t, that
the meer Mentioning it was ready to
o
Once, when ſhe came to me, ſhe told how that at ſuch andſuch a time ſhe thought ſheſawas much of God, and had as much Joy and Pleaſure as was poſſible in this Life,
and that, yet afterwards God diſcover'd himſelf yet. far more abundantly, and ſhe faw the ſame things that ſhe had ſeen be-
fore, yet more clearly, and in another, and far more excellent and delightſul man-
ner, and was filled with a more exceed- ing Sweetneſs; ſhe likewiſe gave me ſuch an Account of the Senſe ſhe once had, from day to day, of the Glory of Chriſt, and of God, in his various Attri- butes, that it ſeem'd to me ſhe dwelt for Days together in a kind of bea- tific Viſion of God; and ſeem'd to have, as I thought, as immediate an Intercourſe with him, as a Child with a Father: and at the ſame time, ſhe appeared molt remote from any high Thought of her- ſelf, and of her own Sufficiency; but was like a /ittle Child, and expreſſed a great Deſire to be inſtructed, telling me
that ſhe longed very often to come to
me for Inſtruction, and wanted to live F
102 A Narrative of late furprizing
at my. Houfe, that I might tell her her
She often expreſſed a ſenſe of hi Glo of God appearing in the Trees, and Growtt
of the Fields, and other Works of Gods Hands. She. told her Siſter that lived
near the Heart of the Town, that ſhe once thought it a pleaſant thing to live in the middle of the Town, but now, ſays ſhe, I think it much more pleaſant to fit and fee the Wind blowing the Trees,
and to behold in the Country what God has
Powerful
on her
made, She had ſometimes the 8 of the 8 pirit of
ile Wadi the Scripture, and had of
the certain Truth and Divinity there-
ka expreſs a ſenſe that
= She ſometimes would appear with
a pleafant Smile on her Countenance; and once when her Sifter took no- tice of it, and aſked why ſhe ſmiled,.
mne reply'd, I am brim-full of a feveet feel.
ing wit in! She often uſed to expreſs
wy ood and feet it was 10 lie low be-
od, and the Iewer (ſays ſhe) the bet-
105 and that it was pleaſant to think of ly- ing in the Duſt, all the Days of her Life, mourning for Sin. She was wont to ma- nifeſt a great ſenſe of her own Meanneſs and Dependance. She often expreſs'd an
_ exceeding Compaſſion, and pitiful Love, which ſhe found in her Heart towards Perſons
* "Aw < +
Ener e þ in New- England. 1103 Perſons in a Chriſtleſs Condition ; which
was ſometimes ſo ſtrong, that as ſhe was paſſing by ſhch in the ſtreets, or thoſe that fear'd were ſuch, ſhe would be o- vercome by the Sight of them. She once ſaid, that ſhe longed to have the whole World ſaved, ſhe wanted, as it were, 10 pull
them all to- her; ſhe could not. bear lo
have one loſt.
She had great Longings to 15 chat ſhe
might be with Chriſt; which increaſed till
ſhe thought ſhe did not know how to be pa-
lient to wait till God's time ſhould come, But once when ſhe felt thote Longings, ſhe thought with herſelf, / 1 long io die, why do
Tgo to Phyſicians? Whence ſhe concluded that
her Longings for Death were not well regu-
lated. Alder this ſhe often put it to herſelf, Which ſhe ſhould chooſe, whether to live or to die, to be ſick, or to be well; and ſhe found ſhe could not tell, till at laſt ſhe found herſelf diſpoſed to ſay theſe Words; Jam quite | willing to live, and quite willing to die; quite willing to be ſick, and quite willing to be well ;
and quite willing for any thing that God will bring upon me ! Aud then, ſaid the, Tfelt myſelf Pes fectly caſy, ina full Submiſſion to the Will
of God. She then lamented much, that ſne had been ſo eager in her Longings for Death,
as it argued want of ſuch a Reſignation to
God, as ouglu to be. She ſeem'd hencefor - | ward to continue in this reſigned Frame till
T Death, F LO - Alter
— 02909
bas 4 0 11 . * s * 4 „ © # 3 2 1 '$ '% * " "of '£ i 5 iT 544 W 3; 10 Fs o ft 4 . : n J i CY
104 A Narrative late ſurpriging After this her Illneſs increaſed upon her: and once after ſhe had before ſpent the
greater Part of the Night in extreme Pain,
ſhe waked out of a little ſleep with theſe Words in her Heart and Mouth; J am avilling to ſuffer for Chriſi”'s ſake, I am willing to ſpend and be ſpent for Chriſt's fake , I am willing to ſpend my Life, even my very Eife for Chriſt's fake ! And tho ſhe had an extraordinary Reſignation, with reſpe& to Life or Death, yet the Thoughts of Dying were exceeding ſweet to her. At a time when her Brother was reading in Job, concerning Worms
feeding on the dead Body, ſhe appear'd
with a pleafant Smile; and being enquired
of about it, ſhe ſaid, it was ſweet to her to think of her being in ſuch Cir- cumſtances. At another time, when her Brother mention'd to her the Danger there
ſeem'd to be that the Hineſs ſhe then la- bour'd under, might be an Occaſion of her