of you will meet with it hereafter; and you cannot derive injury, and may derive benefit, from being furnished with arguments, which, anticipating a plausible objection against the Scriptures, may contribute to support your faith, when it shall be attacked. Among the several methods of evincing the Divine origin of the Scriptures,. an exhibition of their superiority to the decisions of philosophy, when discoursing on the same subjects, may be often adopted with success. We have seen, here, the scriptural account concerning the origin of moral evil in the present world. A comparison of this account with the explanations of this difficult subject will, perhaps, elucidate the justice of the remark, which has now been made. Mankind appear to have been universally sensible of the existence of sin in the human heart; and to have been much perplexed by the difficulty, involved in its introduction. Various modes of explaining it have been resorted to; of which the following have obtained the greatest credit, and currency. 1. The Eastern philosophers, particularly the Magi of Persia and Chaldea, attributed this fact to the agency of an evil God, independent on the good Spirit; whom yet they acknowledged as supreme in all other respects. This, also, was the doctrine of the Egyptians; who attributed to their Typhon much the same character with that, ascribed by the Persians to Ahriman. This scheme certainly needs no comment. 2. The Gnostics, Eastern philosophers also, supposed, that the soul came pure and holy from the Creator's hands; and derived its immoral character from the matter to which it was united. This was the doctrine of the heretic Marcion; and of very many other early apostates from the theology of the Apos tles. Men, especially men of thought, must be driven to extreme difficulties, before they can be willing to betake themselves to such a refuge from them, as this. In matter, it is most evident, no moral evil can exist; nor any possible means of introducing it. Nor, if the contrary were true, would this scheme at all solve the difficulty in hand. It would be no less an imputation on the Creator to suppose, that he united a holy mind to a body, which would of course destroy its holiness, and pollute it with sin, than to suppose, that he created it sinful. At this idea men revolted; but by thus attempting to evade the difficulty plunged themselves in absurdities, at least equally perplexing. Aristotle, however, sagacious as he was, adopted this opinion. He says "The state of the soul, in the body, is like that of a dead body, joined to a living one; as was done formerly by the robbers of Tuscany." 3. The Western Philosophers, particularly the New Platonists, held, that sin was derived from evil habits, contracted in a preexistent state. This opinion, beside the total want of evidence concerning any such preexistence, is also fraught with this gross absurdity: that it only removes the difficulty a single stage farther back, and then leaves it totally unsolved. It is just as perplexing, and as difficult to account for the introduction of sin in a preexistent state of the mind, as in its pres ent state. One of the difficulties, which seems to have embarrassed most men, who have investigated this subject, appears to have been this. They could not conceive, that a mind, wholly virtuous, could be affected, and seduced, by a temptation. All the experience, of which we have any account, is directly opposed to this opinion: and experience is the only source of knowledge in the case. Abstract philosophy teaches nothing concerning it. The Angels, who were wholly virtuous, fell. Adam and Eve, when wholly virtuous, fell. Probably any other virtuous creatures would, with the proper temptations suggested, fall also; unless directly supported by the Crea tor. In comparison with these hypotheses, how rational, and probable, does the Mosaic account appear in itself? Two of the human race created, as we should expect, holy, but frail and imperfect, being assailed by an artful Tempter, fell. Moral evil exists in the world. How could it be more naturally introduced, than in this manner? The manner, in which essentially, we see it introduced anew, every day. I have now finished the observations which I intended concerning the Apostasy of Man; and have considered, briefly, The Law, under which man was placed; His Transgression; His Trial; and His Sentence. reasonableness of the Law; the guilt of the Transgression; the equity of the Trial; and the propriety, and the reality, of the Sentence. From these I have endeavored to establish the rational, and verisimilar, character of the history. I have further attempted to shew, that, if God were to reveal his will to mankind, an account of the human Apostasy ought to be expected as a constituent of such Revelation; that the objections against the Mosaic account have no solidity; that the Sentence has, to a great extent, been steadily executed before the eyes of mankind; that that part of it, which respects the Agent in the temptation, is exhibited in the Gospel, (where alone we could expect to find it,) as being fulfilled in the same exact manner; that this fulfilment furnishes evidence,of an unanswerable kind, to the truth of the history; that ancient nations have extensively recognized the substance of this account, and left many traditionary proofs, not of the substance only, but of the circumstances also. I have further endeavored to show, that this account cannot be allegorical; and that, if allegorically considered, it will in volve more and greater difficulties, than if it is a history. Finally: I have compared this account with the schemes, devised by philosophers to explain the introduction of moral evil; and, if I mistake not, have proved its total superiority to them all. If I have succeeded in these attempts, the probability of this part of the Mosaic history, to say the least, must be acknowledged; I have endeavored to shew the and, instead of being an objec tion, it must be considered as a support, to the Divine origin of the Scriptures. REVIVAL OF RELIGION IN EAST GUILFORD, CONNECTICUT. DEAR SIR, minds of a considerable number were affected with a sense of Divine things. Religious subjects became matter of pretty general conversation: the doctrines of the cross occasioned research and inquiry. It was judged expedient at this time, to establish regular and fixed conferences, which before had been only occasional. These were very fully attended, and have been maintained with little or no intermission to this time. They were a hopeful mean of increasing the seriousness. It was soon evident, that the Lord was in the midst of us, by the blessed operations of the Holy Spirit. Zion,are THROUGH the medium of your useful publication, I would communicate to the religious public the special smiles of the great Head of the Church on this part of his vineyard. To honor sovereign grace, and to refresh and confirm the friends of Zion are very interesting objects, in this way to be attained. In the gracious visitations of God to many churches, in various parts of our land, for years past, it has pleased him to have us in remembrance. He hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad. The waste places of Zion have been comforted, and made to sing for joy. The people of this parish were always orderly, regular in their attendance upon public worship, and moral in their conduct. In the days of my predecessors, they had been blessed with faithful instruction. But though the church had ever been respectable for numbers and piety, nothing like a revival of religion had ever taken place. The aspect of things continued much the same for a number of years after my settlement. I am now in the twentieth year of my ministry. At length it pleased him, who walketh in the midst of the golden candlesticks, to appear in his glory in building up our Zion. With out any special human cause, the In this state of things, it pleased God to suspend my ministerial labors. This serious attention was in the autumn. During the winter I was able to labor but little, and the ensuing summer I spent almost wholly in journeying. It was the holy and merciful purpose of God, that I should be a living witness of the triumphs of grace in that, and in subsequent revivals. My health was restored. God can carry on his own work, in his way. It proved a glorious season. A harvest of souls was gathered to Christ. He became precious to their hearts. Instruments, so far as necessary, were provided by him whose the work was; to whom be all the glory. Nearly eighty in consequence of this revival were added to the Lord. by a public profession. They were principally heads of families, and some of them past the meridian of life. They have severally adorned the Christian profession. Those of them who have since gone to their long home, found support and comfort in the approach of death, and in the hope and prospect of eternal life. In 1805, we were favored with a few refreshing drops, as from the skirt of a passing cloud. The result was a small, but precious harvest. It was composed wholly of youth. Several were hopefully converted and professed obedience to Christ. In every instance, they have uniformly given evidence of grace by a life of holiness. In the fall of 1809, we were blessed with a remarkable effusion of the Holy Spirit, of which it is my intention to give you a more particular account. It was observed for some time, that our conferences, which were held in the several school districts, were more full and solemn than usual. In the month of October a few drops began to fall. Some dead sinners were pricked to the heart, and made to feel the need of a Savior. The cloud seemed gradually to rise, the energy of Christians to awake, and the glories of Almighty grace to unfold. Toward the close of November, the effusion became mighty and glorious. The seriousness spread with great rapidity. The day of Thanksgiving was peculiarly solFrom this time to the next Sabbath was a kind of Pentecost. The numbers impressed exceeded any thing we had before witnessed. At a conference on Sabbath evening, in the section of the parish most powerfully visited, all the anguish of awakened sinners was seen. I was present the ensuing Tuesday evening; with difficulty many could compose their minds sufficiently to attend to religious exercises. All present, if not par emn. ticularly impressed, were filled with solemnity, and ready to say, Verily the Lord is here. A stated time for public preaching was now appointed, the exercises of which were performed by my neighboring brethren, and continued during the special attention. The seriousness SOOR spread over all parts of the parish. The following particulars will give a more full view of this refreshing season. 1. There was a general attention to the word preached. The assemblies on week days, as well as on the Sabbath, were full, solemn, and attentive. The anxiety to hear was so great, that even in the worst of travelling, and in dark evenings, the house of worship would be crowded. Every mind seemed engaged on concerns the most momentous. Something so unaccountable, on any human principles, appeared in the fulness, solemnity, and attention of religious assemblies, that none pretended to doubt that it was the work of the Lord. So evidently was it his work, that none opened their mouths against it. All seemed fully convinced, that Divine power was displayed in producing the effects before their eyes. Conferences were at this time multiplied, also, and seriously and devoutly attended. Indeed, during the spread of the work, business among the convicted was in a good measure suspended. 2. The exercises of the convicted were very similar, whether old or young. They were slain by the law. They beheld the evil nature of sin. A sense of their own guilt filled their minds with bitter an guish. They felt self condemned. The infinite holiness of God, the purity and extent of the Divine law, and the total inexcusableness of the sinner, were clearly seen. That the sinner could do nothing toward his own justification; that Christ must do all, was the general impression. The heart was dicovered to be a polluted fountain, and its native enmity to God was felt. They found their fig leaves would never cover their nakedness; and that mercy, sovereign mercy, alone could save them. It does not appear, that any fled to duties, as the ground of acceptance with God, or felt as though he were under any obligation to confer the least favor upon them. It appeared wonderful to them, that they had been kept so long from endless burnings. 3. God's dealings with the convicted have been various. Some few were advanced, some more in the meridian of life, but by far the greater part in youth. A number who had been awakened in the former revival, but had not dared to rest on their hope, although they gave considerable evidence of being in a gracious state, were now remembered by a merciful God, and either effectually called, or received a fresh anointing. Some subjects of the work continued in a state of conviction longer, than others. Evidences of grace were communicated in different measures. Great light and comfort, in a very few instances, were succeeded, after a short time, by doubts and darkness: while such as seemed to grope in the dark, and were in bitterness a long time, finally found durable peace and comfort. VOL. IV. New Series. As in all similar events, some of the convicted are blessed with saving influences; others are not gathered into the fold. The proportion is perhaps as great in this case, as usual. There has not appeared an inclination to be sanguine in the belief of being brought to Christ. Serious selfexamination, and humble prayer, were not only recommended, but appear to have been practised. Neither is it the usage with us, on the first enjoyment of hope, to make a profession of religion. Converts are rather encouraged to wait until they have had time to try the spirits, and examine thoroughly the grounds of their hope. Between fifty and sixty have united themselves to the visible Church by a public profession; and we have reason to trust that others, being of the election of grace, are united to the invisible Church, and will find it in their hearts to give themselves publicly to Christ. We have had the satisfaction of seeing, that all who have professed religion thus far manifest that the work was genuine. Faith, in them, seems to produce its natural and happy effects; to be living, not dead. One from the number of young converts has had her religion put to the test. Twice she communed with the Church on earth, and was called from the world. She died with the consumption in the 22nd year of her age. Her death-bed was instructive to her acquaintance, and comforting to saints. Her views were clear, her faith bright, her hopes strong, her triumph over the last foe glorious. She gave her dying testimony to the truth, and power, and excellence of the relig 9 |