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conformable to the true spirit and import of the pure doctrines of the gofpel, and to its holy and benevolent precepts? Would not this probably have greater influence, than a thousand mere verbal arguments, to convince unbelievers, to uphold the truth, and to confound its enemies?

When we fee how determined the enemy are-how refolute and perfevering, ftraining every nerve and fparing no pains or expense, to fubvert the truth, to propagate all manner of error, falsehood and delufion, immorality and licentioufnefs, and to erect and fupport the standard of infidelity, let us be excited to act with as great refolution and firmnefs, and show ourselves as ready and determined, to encounter every difficulty, and to fpare no labor, pains or expense, which may be found neceffary, to counteract their nefarious defigns, to uphold and promote among ourfelves the religion of Jefus Chrift, to tranfmit it to our pofterity, and to contribute to the fuccefsful propagation of the gofpel and fubverfion of Satan's kingdom, throughout the world.

numerous hosts of our fellow-crea- | tures, are employing all their power, and all their policy, in making their combined and feparate efforts, to shake our confidence in the truth-to draw or drive us from it-to propagate all manner of errors and delufions, and to pour in upon us a flood of the moft open and daring infidelity; and all this, with threatening appearances of unufual fuccels; is it not high time for us, to exert ourselves in the execution of our master's commands? Does not fuch a ftate of things loudly admonish us, and exhibit peculiar motives, to watch our hearts, and to look well to our ways to guard against and labor to escape or baffle all the artifices of the enemy; and particularly, to take heed, that we do not give them any advantage by our own errors and mifconduct to ftand faft in the faith ourfelves, and to watch over, exhort, inftruct, encourage and ftrengthen, and, if need be, to warn and reprove, one another-to prepare and fortify our own and one another's minds, for bearing, with fortitude and equanimity, falfe accufations, reproach and contempt, loffes and fufferings, and to act the man in defence of the truth, by nobly fuftaining what-ing fear, with refpect to the cause ever fhame, difgrace, or pain, we of Chrift generally confidered, or may be called to endure, in vin- to our own falvation in particular, dication of the faith once deliv-in cafe we are faithful. For He, ered to the faints; as alfo, to under whofe banner we fight, is take pains in furnishing ourselves King of kings, and Lord of lords, and one another, with proper ar- and will certainly conquer all his guments to be employed in fup- enemies, and obtain the full deport of the truth, as occafions fire of his heart. And in cafe we may require? And does it not are fincere and hearty in the cause, efpecially become us, to exhibit and act agreeable to his inftrucin real life, the genuine nature tions, we have fufficient grounds and divine excellence of real Chrif- to expect all needful divine affifttianity, by a converfation and ance and fupport, and an iffue happractice fteadily and univerfally py and glorious even to ourselves.

As a further excitement let it be added:

3. There is no fufficient ground for difcouragement or dishearten

ing our profeffion and vifible relation to Chrift, we are deftitute of the faith which worketh by love, and, inftead of overcoming, are ourselves finally overcome by Satan, fin and the world, we fhall not only fall fhort of the crown of life and glory, but, moreover, have our part with the enemies of the Great King, in the eternal torments to which they are referved. For Chrift will certainly conquer and reign, and put all enemies under his feet. And what more can be faid, or what more can be needful, by way of motive, to excite us to watch and pray always, looking diligently left any of us fail of the grace of God? What more can be neceffary, to call up all our active powers to every proper exertion, in ftriving againft fin, and contend

Mercy and grace for feasonable, help will not be withheld, if we feek and pray for it as we ought, with conftancy and perfeverance. For we have a great high prieft, who hath paffed into the heavens, Jefus, the Son of God, and may therefore come boldly, with free dom and confidence, to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. God's faithfulnefs is engaged, not to fuffer his people to be tempted above that they are able, but with the temptation alfo, to make a way to efcape, that they may be able to bear it. He hath promifed, that he will never leave nor forfake them; fo that they may boldly fay, The Lord is our helper, and we will not fear what man fhall do unto us. All things work together for their good. Neither death,ing earnestly for the faith once nor life, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things prefent, nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other creature, fhall be able to feparate them from the love of God, which is in Chrift Jefus our Lord. And he that overcometh, as every fincere friend and faithful fervant of] Chrift, to whom such great and precious promises are made, moft certainly will, fhall poffefs a glorious eternal reward in the world to come: he fhall inherit all things, and God himself will be his God, and he fhall be his fon.

Such abundant encouragement, fuch animating motives, to watch, to ftand fast in the faith, to quit ourselves like men, and be strong; -fuch great and precious promifes of all needful affiftance and fupport, in fighting the good fight of faith, have we, in cafe we are hearty in the caufe, and of final victory and a glorious eternal reward! But if notwithstand

delivered to the faints, and applying to the diligent and faithful difcharge of the duties incumbent on us, in our respective characters, ftations and departments, whether as private Chriftians, or as paftors and teachers, who are bound to watch for the fouls of others, as well as for our own, and to ftand forward and perform a diftinguished part for the defence and propagation of the gofpel?

Let us, then, be ftedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord; well affured, that, if we are fo, our labor will not be in vain in the Lord.

ASTHENES.

A Narrative of a Revival of Religion in the town of HALIFAX, Vermont, communicated to the Editors by the Rev. JESSE EDSON, Paftor of the church in that town.

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There appeared to be a grow ing seriousness and folemnity in our public affemblies, from the time of my ordination, which was in October 1796, from which I ook great encouragement, that God was about to vifit us with asinower of divine grace, months tore any thing very particular appears. It worked a long time Like a fcret fire; many hearts burnt within them, before they made their minds known to each other, thinking they were alone.

The first visible appearances of a revival began in the church; profeffors feemed to awake from their stupidity and coldness, and to fpeak freely one to another upon the things of religion. A fpirit of prayer and fupplication was poured upon them-they began to meet for religious conferences, and an increafing fervency and engagednefs appeared; and the attention of two or three, who had entertained a hope for feveral years, was called up.From this time, there began to be a visible shaking among the dry bones; and a few individuals were raised to fpiritual life.About the fame time, a young woman, belonging to a neighboring parish, very fond of the vain

amufements of youth, grew uneafy with them, but could not tell why, and refufed, though earneftly folicited, to join in them. She formed a refolution to come to Halifax, without being able to give any fatisfactory reafon; and did it againft the feelings and earnet folicitations of the family with whom the lived.-She foon found what her business was; the very firft Sabbath, (April 29, 1798) I preached from Matt. xi. 28. Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you reft. The preaching feemed truly, to be accompanied with the demonftration of the Spirit and of power. I faw this perfon, then a ftranger to me, in tears, and deeply affected.-Many were powerfully taken hold of, and began to feel fin, in reality, to be a great burden. It was the most folemn day that ever I beheld, I fhall never forget it.

The spirit seemed to come like a rufhing, mighty wind, to melt the fouls of God's dear children, to cause finners to tremble, stubborn wills to bow, and hard hearts to relent. Many received impref fions, which never left them, till their hopeful converfion. Num bers flocked to Chrift as a cloud and as doves to their windows; fifteen were received the next communion, twenty-one the com munion following, about fixty in the whole. The perfons who were fubjects of the awakening were of different ages, from above fifty, down to fifteen years.

The work in those who were made the happy fubjects of it, was remarkably free from enthu fiafm and diforder, accompanied with a great fenfe of the evil nature of fin. They were led to fee themfelves entirely deftitute of any righteousness of their own to

recommend them to God; that they were totally depraved, deferving nothing from God, but everlafting mifery, and entirely dependent on fovereign grace, which plucked them as brands from the burning. The doctrines of grace, to which fome of them had been particularly opposed, became fweet and ravishing doctrines. God's way appeared the best way, and they were led to admire the riches of free grace in his Son.

One inftance somewhat fingular, may be worthy of note. A man naturally steady in his life and converfation, who remained an attentive obferver till near the clofe of the awakening, without any particular operation upon his mind, going one day out of town upon business and on a law altercation, it turned in his mind the bible was the beft law book, the eternal rule of right between man and man. This occurred to his mind, frequently, when going home, and when he retired, but he felt no alarming conviction of fin; he awaked before day with the impreffion running in his mind, the bible is the best law book. He arofe and made a fire; and while he fat meditating upon this impreffion, all on a fudden his foul was filled with raptures, andere he was aware, like the chariots of Aminidab,' he beheld fuch glory and beauty in the divine character, as he could not defcribe, and his mouth was immediately filled with praife. Though naturally fill and of few words, his wife told me, fhe was waked by his praifing God in loud ftrains. He immediately fet up family duties, and continued in this fweet and comfortable frame of mind for a confiderable time without thinking of its being a change of heart. But finding his foul filled with

love to God, drawn forth with peculiar affection towards the brethren, a moft earnest defire for the falvation of precious fouls, that he had a peculiar relish for the word, took delight in the duties of religion, and had a great defire to come to the ordinances; he was led to hope he had become a new man, offered himself, and was admitted to the church, where he has adorned his profeffion.

Those who came forward, have in general, continued, to give fatisfactory evidences in their lives and converfation, that they became true converts. But we have had a time of trial, a fifting time, and were ready to conclude God had forfaken us for abufing fuch diftinguifhed mercies. But bleffed be God he is awakening fome from their flumbers; there appears again to be more fe rioufnefs among us, feveral have of late met with comfort, and fome others are under very deep impreffions. Among those who have of late come forward, there is one very remarkable inftance of the power of divine grace. She is a woman confiderably past the middle age of life, and was a violent oppofer in the former awa kening; tried to hinder her hufband who was then a fharer, from coming forward; oppofed him in family duties, and every thing good and ferious, making his life. exceedingly uncomfortable. She fhewed the utmoft fpite again all who appeared engaged in the work, and would rage as though fhe wanted means to vent her na lice. She would not attend meeting, nor read the bible or any good book. But he has found God to be ftronger than herself, and for feveral months has been under moft pungent conviction, perhaps, in fome cafure accord

I am, Gentlemen, with confiderations of efteem, Yours, &c. JESSE EDSON.

Religious Intelligence.

ORDINATION

OF

THE REV.
JAMES W. WOODWARD.
At a Meeting of the North Confo-

ciation of Hartford County, hol-
den at Windfor, September 28th,

A. D. 1802.

A communication was made to tees of the Miffionary Society of the Confociation, from the Truftees of the Miffionary Society of Connecticut, in the words follow

ing, viz.

ing to her manifeft oppofition. | All her wickedness, bitterness, enmity and rage, appeared to her to be pointed directly against God. Halifax, (V.) Aug. 12, 1802. It pricked her to the heart; her iniquity feemed greater than fhe could bear the pains of hell gat hold of her, and fhe was ready to give up in defpair. Her neceffity was the time of God's mercy; he made bare his almighty arm, plucked her as a brand from the burning, brought her into the glorious liberty of the gofpel, and gave her to taste the fweets of redeeming love. Her temper and conduct appeared entirely changed, and the vifible alteration in her, is as great as ever I beheld in any perfon. She has a great fenfe of the evil of her conduct, and cannot speak of it without tears: This is her view of it, to use her own expreffions, she was a&uated by the very fpirit of the infernals. She told me, that when under deep conviction, the thought it utterly impoffible for her ever to get rid of her enmity towards particular perfons; but the first of her beginning to take hope, and encouragement, was from finding thefe feelings wholly gone, and her foul melted into love and tendernefs. She afcribes all to free fovereign grace, admiring the goodnefs, forbearance, long fuffering and tender mercy of God, in bowing her will, as fhe ftood out against light and conviction, till his all-conquering grace overpowered her.

Hereby, fhe has found peace and comfort; happiness is reflored to the family, and joy and gladnefs revived in the hearts of God's children. In many initances the power of divine grace has been fo itrikingly displayed as to be clearly evincive, that it is the work of God.

"At a Meeting of the Trustees of the Miffionary Society of Connecticut, at Hartford, September 1, A. D. 1802.

"Voted, That the North Confociation of Hartford County, to be convened at Windfor the 28th day of inftant September, be requested to ordain Mr. James W. Woodward, a candidate for the ministry, to the work of the gofpel miniftry, particularly as an Evangelift, to itinerate as a miffionary; and that His Honor JOHN TREADWELL, Efq. and the Rev. Meffrs. Nathan Wil liams, D. D. Benjamin Trumbull, D. D. Cyprian Strong, Nathan Strong, D. D. and Nathan Perkins, D. D. be requested to attend as a delegation from this Board, and affift in the ordination of the faid Mr. Woodward, if upon examination he fhould be judged qualified for the work; any two of the above named delegation to be a quorum to act on behalf of the Board.

A true Copy of Record,
Atteft
ABEL FLINT, Secretary."

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