In the spring of 1742, my parents, Mr. Nathaniel and Mrs. Mercy Coleman, removed to Amherst, where they spent the remainder of their days. They were both hopefully pious, and early instructed me in the principles and precepts of the Christian religion. In consequence of which, assisted by the operations of the Holy Spirit, I was often (even when but a lad,) brought to reflect seriously upon my exposedness to eternal misery, without an interest in the merits of a Saviour. Such impressions uniformly brought me upon my knees before God; and while they continued, the concerns of my soul almost exclusively occupied my attention. But, alas! -such seasons did not generally last long, before the vanities and follies natural to childhood and youth, would gain the ascendancy in my heartquench the emotions of the Spirit-stifle the dictates of conscience-and the world engage the greatest share of my thoughts and affec tions. Notwithstanding, I seldom lived many months at a time without very serious reflections on Death, Judgment and Eternity.

In youth, I had several very solemn warnings, both by casualty and sickness, which wrought powerfully upon my mind for a time; but the impressions soon wore off.

In the winter and spring of 1758, there was some special attention to the things of religion in Amherst, and conferences were weekly at tended. In the early part of this season of the Spirit's visitation, my mind was arrested to

the concerns of my soul, and my anxiety arose much higher than ever before.

As I was going, at a certain time, to visit my minister, to converse with him on spiritual subjects, I was suddenly accosted, as though some one had spoken to me with an audible voice, Where are you going? What are you going there after? You will have nothing to say when you get there-and he will have as little to say to you-for he hates to see youand you had much better turn about and go home. Many similar ideas were crowded into my mind in quick succession, and with such impetuosity, that it caused me to stop my horse, "and to cast in my mind what manner of salutation this should be." But, on a moment's reflection, resolved that it was only a stratagem of the devil, to divert me from my purpose; and hereby, if possible, lead me back to stupidity. Instantly, therefore, I resolved to go forward, in defiance of all opposition from this prince of darkness: and I had not proceeded many rods, before my mind was perfectly tranquil, and when I came there, had a most pleasing interview.

I had been educated in the belief, that it was the duty of persons under serious impressions to make a public profession of religion, as the most likely mean of continuing and increasing those impressions, though they had no reason to believe that they had ever experienced a real change of heart. I, therefore, came forward and joined the church on the

8th of July, 1758. But these religious impressions, like those in childhood, (though of longer duration,) after a few months, gradually passed away like "a morning cloud, and as the early dew;" and I have reason to believe, without any genuine fruits of heart religion.

In the month of October, of this year, I was laid upon a bed of most distressing sickness; which increased from one grade to another, until an enormous abscess was formed on the spine, directly opposite to the right kidney, inclosed in a cystis within the abdomen, containing six quarts, as appeared on the first eruption, and discharged a pint at each dressing for more than a week. In this situation I lay sixteen days, without having my body moved, and was confined to my bed three months. During this time I was removed to Hadley, about five miles, that I might be near. a physician, there being none in this place. My abscess continued to discharge about six months; and from the copiousness of the discharge, and the consequent hectic fever that attended me, I sunk to the very brink of the grave: so that I was entirely given up by my physician and friends, and my exit was looked for, from morning to evening, and evening to morning, for a number of days. In this critical moment, when all human aid proved abortive, the watchful eye of that benevolent Providence, that has protected me in many dangers, and supported me in life to the present time, found means, or rather blessed means

for my recovery to a comfortable state of health, so that in about seven months I was able to return to my father's house. In this sickness, I was experimentally taught the inefficacy of a sick bed to produce genuine conviction of sin, or to bring a soul to any realizing sense of its wretched situation by nature: for it is my full belief, that I never lived seven months successively, after I came to years of understanding, with less anxiety of mind, relative to the concerns of a future state, than in this sickness. Although entirely unaccountable to myself, yet, during the whole time of my confinement, I uniformly consoled myself with the idea that I should one day recover.

In the

As my health continued poor for a long time, and there appeared to be little hope that I should ever be able to labour much on a farm, my parents, agreeable to my desire, concluded to give me a public education. spring of 1760, I went to Hadley, to pursue my studies. Towards the close of this year, God, of his infinite mercy, was pleased to ⚫ cause the influences of his Holy Spirit to descend upon this place-many were found anxiously inquiring what they should do to be saved-and conferences were weekly attended. Soon after the commencement of this revival of religion, my attention was again called up to the things of my eternal peace. My convictions appeared to take their rise from serious reflection, without the use of any special external means. I endeavoured, very criti

cally, to review my past life, and thought I had reason to believe, that the Spirit of God had been striving with me a number of times, and that I had as often quenched his gracious influences. I felt at once self condemned, that I had, to the present time, (Felix like,) been looking for a more convenient season, to give my serious and close attention to the "one thing needful;" but that my embarrassment, instead of diminishing, had been constantly increasing. The present time, I was conscious, was, on many accounts, the most disadvantageous I had ever seen; and I became thoroughly convinced that my incumbrances would continue to increase, in direct proportion to the time that I postponed this all-important concern. I was therefore led, and (by the Spirit of God assisting,) enabled, to form the most solemn and determinate resolution, that the salvation of my immortal soul should, for the future, occupy my first attention; and that I would never relinquish the pursuit, without a well-grounded hope of acceptance with God, through the merits of the Saviour. And God, as I have reason to believe, was pleased to bless my weak endeavours, by granting the special influences of his Holy Spirit; for my mind was soon more deeply affected with a sense of my wretched situation, than ever before. Several of my fellow students were hopefully pious, and they were of very great advantage to me at this time. I was at first, apprehensive that the great anxiety of my