CHAPTER VIII

CHAPTER VIII.

Being part 2d of his public journal of “the Continuance and Progress of a remarkable work of grace among the Indians in New-Jersey and Pennsylvania kept by order of the Society in Scotland for propagating Christian knowledge.”—Renewal of labor at Crossweeksung—outpouring of the spirit—remarkable case—signal displays of divine power—a convert—a number of Christian Indians accompany him to the Forks of Delaware—striking conversion at Crossweeksung—day of fasting—Lord’s supper—conversion of a Conjurer—general remarks on the preceding narrative.

Lord’s day, Nov. 24.—“Preached both parts of the day from the story of Zaccheus. Luke, 19:1-9. In the latter exercise, when I opened and insisted upon the salvation that comes to a sinner upon his becoming a son of Abraham, or a true believer, the word seemed to be attended with divine power to the hearts of the hearers. Numbers were much affected with divine truth; former convictions were revived; one or two persons newly awakened; and a most affectionate engagement in divine service appeared among them universally. The impressions they were under appeared to be the genuine effect of God’s word brought home to their hearts by the power and influence of the Divine Spirit.

Nov. 26.—“After having spent some time in private conferences with my people, I discoursed publicly among them from John, 5:1-9. I was favored with some special freedom and fervency in my discourse, and a powerful energy accompanied divine truth. Many wept and sobbed affectionately, and scarcely any appeared unconcerned in the whole assembly. The influence which seized the audience appeared gentle, and yet pungent and efficacious. It produced no boisterous commotion of the passions; but seemed deeply to affect the heart, and excite in the persons under convictions of their lost state, heavy groans and tears; and in others, who had obtained comfort, a sweet and humble melting. It seemed like the gentle but steady showers which effectually water the earth, without violently beating upon the surface. The persons lately awakened were some of them deeply distressed for their souls, and appeared earnestly solicitous to obtain an interest in Christ; and some of them, after public worship was over, in anguish of spirit, said ‘they knew not what to do, nor how to get their wicked hearts changed,’ &c.

Nov. 28.—“Discoursed to the Indians publicly, after having used some private endeavors to instruct and excite some in the duties of Christianity. Opened and made remarks upon the sacred story of our Lord’s transfiguration. Luke, 9:28-36. Had a principal view in insisting upon this passage of Scripture to the edification and consolation of God’s people. Observed some, that I have reason to think are truly such, exceedingly affected with an account of the glory of Christ in his transfiguration, and filled with longing desires of being with him, that they might with open face behold his glory.

“After public service was over, I asked one of them, who wept and sobbed most affectionately, what she now wanted? She replied, ‘O, to be with Christ. She did not know how to stay,’ &c. This was a blessed refreshing season to the religious people in general. The Lord Jesus Christ seemed to manifest his divine glory to them, as when transfigured before his disciples; and they were ready, with the disciples, universally to say, ‘Lord it is good for us to be here.’

“The influence of God’s word was not confined to those who had given evidence of being truly gracious: though at this time I calculated my discourse for and directed it chiefly to such. But it appeared to be a season of divine power in the whole assembly; so that most were in some measure affected. One aged man, in particular, lately awakened, was now brought under a deep and pressing concern for his soul, was now earnestly inquisitive ‘how he might find Jesus Christ.’ God seems still to vouchsafe his divine presence, and the influence of his blessed Spirit to accompany his word, at least in some measure, in all our meetings for divine worship.

Nov. 30.—“Preached near night, after having spent some hours in private conference with some of my people about their souls’ concerns. Explained the story of the rich man and Lazarus. Luke, 16:19-26. The word made powerful impressions upon many in the assembly, especially while I discoursed of the blessedness of Lazarus in Abraham’s bosom. This I could perceive affected them much more than what I spoke of the rich man’s misery and torments; and thus it has been usually with them. They have almost always appeared much more affected with the comfortable than the dreadful truths of God’s word. That which has distressed many of them under conviction is, that they found they wanted and could not obtain the happiness of the godly; at least they have often appeared to be more affected with this than with the terrors of hell. But whatever be the means of their awakening, it is plain, numbers are made deeply sensible of their sin and misery, the wickedness and stubbornness of their own hearts, their utter inability to help themselves, or to come to Christ for help without divine assistance, and so are brought to see their perishing need of Christ to do all for them, and to lie at the foot of sovereign mercy.

Lord’s day, Dec. 1.—“Discoursed to my people in the forenoon from Luke, 16:27-31. There appeared an unfeigned affection in many, and some seemed deeply impressed with divine truth. In the afternoon preached to a number of white people; at which time the Indians attended with diligence, and many of them were able to understand a considerable part of the discourse. At night discoursed to my people again, and gave them particular cautions and directions relating to their conduct in divers respects, and pressed them to watchfulness in their deportment, seeing they were encompassed with those who waited for their halting, and who stood ready to draw them into temptations of every kind, and then to expose religion by their missteps.

Lord’s day, Dec. 8.—“Discoursed on the story of the blind man. John, 9. There appeared no remarkable effect of the word upon the assembly at this time. The persons who have lately been much concerned for their souls seemed now not so affected or solicitous to obtain an interest in Christ as has been usual, although they attended divine service with seriousness and diligence. Such have been the doings of the Lord here in awakening sinners, and affecting the hearts of those who are brought to solid comfort, with a fresh sense of divine things from time to time, that it is now strange to see the assembly sit with dry eyes, and without sobs and groans.

Dec. 12.—“Preached from the parable of the Ten Virgins. Matt. 25. The divine power seemed in some measure to attend this discourse; in which I was favored with uncommon freedom and plainness of address, and enabled to open divine truths, and explain them to the capacities of my people in a manner beyond myself. There appeared in many persons an affectionate concern for their souls, although the concern in general seemed not so deep and pressing as it had formerly done. Yet it was refreshing to see many melted into tears and unaffected sobs; some with a sense of divine love, and some for the want of it.

Dec. 15.—“Preached to the Indians from Luke, 13:24-28. Divine truth fell with weight and power upon the audience, and seemed to reach the hearts of many. Near night discoursed to them again from Matt. 25:31-46. At this season also the word appeared to be accompanied with a divine influence, and made powerful impressions upon the assembly in general, as well as upon numbers in a very special and particular manner. This was an amazing season of grace. The word of the Lord this day ‘was quick and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword,’ and pierced the hearts of many. The assembly was greatly affected and deeply wrought upon; yet without so much apparent commotion of the passions as appeared in the beginning of this work of grace. The impressions made by the word of God upon the audience appeared solid, rational, and deep; worthy of the solemn truths by means of which they were produced, and far from being the effects of any sudden fright, or groundless perturbation of mind. O how did the hearts of the hearers seem to bow under the weight of divine truth, and how evident did it now appear that they received and felt them, ‘not as the word of man, but as the word of God.’ None can form a just idea of the appearance of our assembly at this time, but those who have seen a congregation solemnly awed, and deeply impressed by the special power and influence of divine truths delivered to them in the name of God.

Dec. 16.—“Discoursed to my people in the evening from Luke, 11:1-13. After having insisted some time upon the ninth verse, wherein there is a command and encouragement to ask for the divine favor, I called upon them to ask for a new heart with the utmost importunity, as the man mentioned in the parable, on which I was discoursing, pleaded for loaves of bread at midnight. There was much affection and concern in the assembly, and especially one woman appeared in great distress for her soul. She was brought to such an agony in seeking after Christ, that the sweat ran off her face for a considerable time, though the evening was very cold; and her bitter cries were the most affecting indications of her heart.

Dec. 21.—“My people having now attained to a considerable degree of knowledge in the principles of christianity; I thought it proper to set up a catechetical lecture among them, and this evening attempted something in that form, proposing questions to them agreeably to the Assembly’s Shorter Catechism, receiving their answers, and then explaining and insisting, as appeared necessary and proper upon each question. After this I endeavored to make some practical improvement of the whole. This was the method I entered upon. They were able readily and rationally to answer many important questions which I proposed to them; so that upon trial I found their doctrinal knowledge to exceed my own expectations. In the improvement of my discourse, when I came to infer and open the blessedness of those who have so great and glorious a God as had before been spoken of, ‘for their everlasting friend and portion,’ several were much affected; and especially when I exhorted, and endeavored to persuade them to be reconciled to God through his dear Son, and thus to secure an interest in his everlasting favor. So that they appeared not only enlightened and instructed, but affected, and engaged in their soul’s concerns by this method of discoursing.

Lord’s day, Dec. 22.—“Discoursed upon the story of the young man in the Gospel. Matt. 9:16-22. God made it a seasonable word, I am persuaded, to some souls, and in particular to one, the same mentioned in my journal of the 16th instant, who never before obtained any settled comfort, though I have abundant reason to think she had passed a saving change some days before. She now appeared in a heavenly frame of mind, composed and delighted with the divine will. When I came to discourse particularly with her, and to inquire of her how she obtained relief and deliverance from the spiritual distresses which she had lately suffered, she answered, in broken English, ‘Me try, me try save myself; last, my strength be all gone; (meaning her ability to save herself;) could not me stir bit further. Den last me forced let Jesus Christ alone send me hell, if he please.’ I said, ‘But you was not willing to go to hell, was you?’ She replied, ‘Could not me help it. My heart, he would wicked for all. Could not me make him good,’ (meaning, she saw it was right she should go to hell, because her heart was wicked, and would be so after all she could do to mend it.) I asked her how she got out of this case. She answered still in the same broken language, ‘By by, my heart be glad desperately.’ I asked her why her heart was glad? She replied, ‘Glad my heart, Jesus Christ do what he please with me. Did not me care where he put me; love him for all,’ &c. She could not readily be convinced but that she was willing to go to hell if Christ was pleased to send her there; although the truth evidently was, that her will was so swallowed up in the divine will that she could not frame any hell in her imagination which would be dreadful or undesirable, provided it was the will of God to send her to it. Toward night discoursed to them again in the catechetical method which I entered upon the evening before. When I came to improve the truth which I had explained to them, and to answer that question, ‘But how shall I know whether God has chosen me to everlasting life?’ by pressing them to come and give up their hearts to Christ, and thereby ‘to make their election sure,’ they then appeared much affected, and the persons under concern were afresh engaged in seeking after an interest in him; while some others, who had obtained comfort before, were refreshed to find that love to God in themselves which was an evidence of his electing love to them.