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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 unbeliev ers, 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 expenfe, to fubvert the truth, to propagate all manner of error, falfehood 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 expenfe, which may be found neceffary, to counteract their nefarious defigns, to uphold and promote among ourselves the religion of Jefus Christ, to tranfmit it to our pof terity, and to contribute to the fuccefsful propagation of the gofpel and fubverfion of Satan's kingdom, throughout the world.

numerous hofts of our fellow-crea- | tures, are employing all their power, and all their policy, in making their combined and feparate efforts, to fhake 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 fuecefs; 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 Ioudly admonifh 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 mifconductto stand fast in the faith ourselves, and to watch over, exhort, instruct, encourage and strengthen, 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 respect 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 ourfelves King of kings, and Lord of lords, and one another, with proper arand 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 caufe, 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 support, and an issue happractice fteadily and univerfallypy and glorious even to ourselves.

As a further excitement let it be added:

3. There is no fufficient ground for difcouragement or difhearten

Mercy and grace for feafonable, ing our profeffion and visible relation to Chrift, we are deftitute of the faith which worketh by love, and, inftead of overcoming, are ourfelves finally overcome by Satan, fin and the world, we fhail 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 contending carneftly for the faith once delivered to the faints, and applying to the diligent and faithful difcharge of the duties incumbent on us, in our refpective characters, ftations and departments, whether as private Christians, 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?

help will not be withheld, if we seek 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 freedom and confidence, to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. God's faithfulness 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 promised, 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 All things work together for their good. Neither death, Bor 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 fuch great precious promifes 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 shall be his fon.

us.

and

Such abundant encouragement, fuch animating motives, to watch, to ftand faft in the faith, to quit ourfelves like men, and be ftrong; -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 cause, and of final victory and a glorious eteral reward! But if notwithstand

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.

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 against the feelings and earnest folicitations of the family

with whom he 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

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.

There appeared to be a grow-feemed truly, to be accompanied ing ferioufnefs and folemnity in our public affemblies, from the time of my ordination, which was in October 1796, from which I took great encouragement, that God was about to vifit us with a fhower of divine grace, months before any thing very particular appeared. It worked a long time like a fecret fire; many hearts burnt within them, before they made their minds known to each other, thinking they were alone.

The firft vifible appearances of a revival began in the church; profeffors feemed to awake from their ftupidity and coldnefs, and to speak 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 vifible fhaking 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

The spirit feemed to come like a rufhing, mighty wind, to melt the fouls of God's dear children, to caufe finners to tremble, stubborn wills to bow, and hard hearts to relent. Many received impreffions, which never left them, till their hopeful converfion. Numbers flocked to Chrift as a cloud and as doves to their windows; fifteen were received the next communion, twenty-one the communion 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 enthufiafın and diforder, accompanied with a great fenfe of the evil nature of fin. They were led to fee themselves entirely deftitute of any righteousness of their own to

recommend them to God; that I 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 relifh 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.

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, I to which fome of them had been particully oppofed, 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 fomewhat fingular, may be worthy of note. A man naturally fteady in his life and converfation, who remained an attentive obferver till near the close 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 best 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 arose and made a fire; and while he fat meditating upon this impreffion, all on a fudden his foul was filled with raptures, and 'ere 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 ftill 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

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 diftinguished mercies. But bleffed be God he is awakening fome from their slumbers; there appears again to be more feriousness 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 instance 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 awakening; tried to hinder her husband who was then a sharer, from coming forward; opposed him in family duties, and every thing good and ferious, making his life exceedingly uncomfortable. She fhewed the utmost fpite against all who appeared engaged in the work, and would rage as though fhe wanted means to vent her malice. She would not attend meeting, nor read the bible or any good book. But fhe has found God to be stronger than herself, and for feveral months has been under moft pungent conviction, perhaps, in fome. measure accord