learn the comprehension and harmony of divine truth, by applying the same principles of investigation and method which guided their early acquisitions of liberal knowledge. Let them study well the nature of moral evidence, the history of the successive dispensations of Jehovah's will, the sound principles of Bible interpretation, the holiness, goodness, and immutable authority of the divine law, the homage paid to that law by the system of mediation, the reigning of grace through righteousness, the obligations of men to comply cordially with the promulgated will of God, the necessity of the Holy Spirit's influences, with the grounds of that necessity; the rule, and model, and motives of the Christian's obedience, the instituted modes of honouring the Redeemer, and being the most effectively beneficial to men in a word," the work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ;" all the methods within their wide and powerful grasp, by which they may " ADORN the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things;" and "show forth the praises of HIM who hath called them out of darkness into his marvellous light." "Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us: God shall bless us, and all the ends of the earth shall fear him." HOMERTON, April, 1829. J. P. S. SECT. II. We should judge by the Rule of Scripture, . Page SECT. II. The Latter-Day Glory is probably to begin in 244 252 271 PART III. SHOWING, IN MANY INSTANCES, WHEREIN THE PART IV. SHOWING WHAT THINGS ARE TO BE CORRECTED 293 331 SECT. I. One cause of errors attending a great Revival of 338 366 404 SECT. IV. Some particular Errors that have risen from several of the preceding causes- -Censuring others, SECT. V. Of errors connected with lay-exhorting, SECT. VI. Of errors connected with singing praises to God, 449 PART V. SHOWING POSITIVELY, WHAT OUGHT TO BE DONE SECT. I. We should endeavour to remove stumbling-blocks, 458 SECT. II. What must be done more directly to advance this Work, 466 SECT. III. Of some particulars that concern all in general, 485 PREFACE. THE friendly correspondence which we maintain with our Brethren of New England, gives us now and then the pleasure of hearing some remarkable instances of divine grace in the conversion of sinners, 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 surprising as the present Narrative hath set before us. The reverend and worthy Dr. Colman of Boston, had given us some short intimations of it in his letters; and, upon our request of a more large and particular account, Mr. Edwards, the happy and successful minister of Northampton, which was one of the chief scenes of these wonders, drew up this history in an epistle to Dr. Colman. There were some useful sermons of the venerable and aged Mr. William Williams, published lately in New England, 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 subjoined a most judicious and accurate abridgment of this epistle: and a little after, by Mr. Edwards' request, he sent the original to us, to be communicated to the world under our care in London. We are abundantly satisfied of the truth of this Narrative, not only from the pious character of the writer, but from the concurrent testimony of many other persons in New England; "for this thing was not done in a corner." There is a spot of ground, wherein there are twelve or fourteen towns and villages, chiefly situate in New Hampshire, near the banks of the river of Connecticut, within the compass of thirty miles, wherein it pleased God, two years ago, to display his free and sovereign mercy in the conversion of a great multitude of souls in a short space of time; turning them from a formal, cold, and careless profession of Christianity, to the lively exercise of every Christian grace, and the powerful practice of our holy religion. The great God has seemed to act over again the miracle of Gideon's fleece, which was plentifully watered with the dew of heaven, while the rest of the earth round about it was dry, and had no such remarkable blessing. There has been a great and just complaint for many years among the ministers and churches in Old England, and in New, (except about the time of the late earthquake there,) that the work of conversion goes on very slowly, that the Spirit 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 manifest the divinity of this gospel, by a plentiful effusion of |