offer or promise, or some declaration of God directly referring to the recovery and salvation of undone sinners, by the new covenant. But with some it was otherwise, they had not any one particular place of Scripture more than another, in their view at the time."

"Much of their exercise was in self-abasing, self-loathing, and admiring the astonishing condescension and grace of God towards such vile and despicable creatures, that had been so full of enmity and disaffection to him;-then they freely and sweetly, and with all their hearts, chose the ways of his commandments:-their inflamed desire was to live to him forever, according to his will and the glory of his name. There were others that had not had such remarkable relief and comfort, who yet I could not but think were savingly renewed, and brought truly to accept of, and rest upon, Jesus Christ, though not with such a degree of liveliness and liberty, strength and joy; and some of these continued for a considerable time after, for the most part under a very distressing suspicion and jealousy of their case."

"I was all along very cautious of expressing to people my judgment of the goodness of their state, excepting where I had pretty clear evidences from them, of their being savingly changed, and yet they continued in deep distress, casting off all their evidences;-sometimes, in such cases I have thought it needful to use greater freedom that way than ordinary;-but otherwise I judged that it could be of little use, and might readily be hurtful."

"There were some, who having very little knowledge or capacity, had a very obscure and improper way of representing their case. In relating how they had been exercised, they would chiefly speak of such things as were only the effects of their soul's exercises upon their bodies, from time to time; and some things that were just imaginary, which obliged me to be at much pains in my inquiries, before I could get just ideas of their case. I would ask them, what were the thoughts, the views, and apprehensions of their minds, and exercises of their affections at such times, when they felt, perhaps a quivering come over them, as they had been saying,-or a faintness,-or thought they saw their hearts full of some nauseous filthiness,or when they felt a heavy weight and load at their hearts,―or felt the weight taken off and a pleasant warmness rising from their hearts, as they would probably express themselves,-which might be the occasion or causes of these things they spoke of; and then when with some difficulty, I could get them to understand me, some of them would give a pretty rational account of solemn spiritual exercises. And upon a thorough careful exam

ination this way, I could not but conceive good hopes of some such persons."

"But there were, moreover, several others, who seemed to think concerning themselves, that they were under some good work, of whom yet I could have no reasonable ground to think, that they were under any hopeful work of the Spirit of God. As near as I could judge of their case from all my acquaintance and conversations with them, it was much to this purpose :they believed there was a good work going on, that people were convinced and brought into a converted state, and they desired to be converted too;-they saw others weeping and fainting, and heard people mourning and lamenting, and they thought, if they could be like those it would be very hopeful with them;hence they endeavoured just to get themselves affected by sermons, and if they could come to weeping, or get their passions so raised as to incline them to vent themselves by cries, now they hoped they were got under convictions, and were in a very hopeful way;-and afterwards they would speak of their being in trouble, and aim at complaining of themselves, but seemed as if they knew not well how to do it, nor what to say against themselves, and thus they would be looking and expecting to get some texts of Scripture applied to them for their comfort;and when any Scripture text, which they thought was suitable for that purpose, came to their minds, they were in hopes it was brought to them by the Spirit of God, that they might take comfort from it. I endeavoured to correct and guard against all such mistakes, so far as I discovered them in the course of my ministry; and to open up the nature of a true conviction by the Spirit of God, and of a saving conversion."

His account of those who appeared to be converts in this great awakening, given about four years after it seemed to come to a close, is interesting to us in forming our judgment of the work. After stating that those who had been slightly concerned, lost all their concern; and some, who appeared to have been deeply interested, gave up all attention to religion; and some, who were much concerned, appeared to have settled down on a false hope, he goes on to say-"There is a considerable number who afford all the evidence that can reasonably be expected and required, for our satisfaction in the case, of their having been the subjects of a thorough saving change. Their walk is habitually tender and conscientious; their carriage toward their neighbour just and kind, and they appear to have an agreeable peculiar love for one another, and for all in whom appears the image of God." "Indeed the liveliness of their affections in the ways of religion is much abated, in general, and they are in some measure humbly sensible of this, and grieved for it, and are carefully endeavouring to live unto God,

much grieved with their imperfections, and the plagues they find in their own hearts; and frequently they meet with some delightful enlivening of soul: and particularly our sacramental solemnities for communicating in the Lord's Supper, have generally been very blessed seasons of enlivening and enlargement to the people of God." He also tells us that great harmony prevailed in his congregation, and few opposers to the work appeared amongst them, and few left his congregation to join with those ministers who opposed the work.

Mr. Blair closes his narrative of the awakening in his charge in the following manner-"This blessed shower of divine influence spread very much through this province that summer, and was likewise considerable in some places bordering upon it. The accounts of some ministers sometimes distinguished by their searching, awakening doctrine, and solemn, pathetic manner of address-and the news of the effects of their preaching upon their hearers, seemed in some measure to awaken people through the country to consider their careless and formal way of going on in religion, and very much excited their desires to hear those ministers. There were several vacant congregations without any settled pastors, which earnestly begged for their visits, and several ministers who did not appear heartily to put to their shoulders to help in carrying on the same work, yet then yielded to the pressing importunities of their people in inviting these brethren to preach in their pulpits, so that they were very much called abroad and employed in incessant labours, and the Lord wrought with them mightily; very great assemblies would ordinarily meet to hear them upon any day of the week, and oftentimes a surprising power, accompanying their preaching, was visible among the multitudes of their hearers. It was a very comfortable enlivening time to God's people, and great numbers of secure, careless professors, and many loose irreligious persons, through the land, were deeply convinced of their miserable perishing estate, and there is abundant reason to believe, and be satisfied, that many of them were in the issue, savingly converted to God. I myself had occasion to converse with a great many up and down, who have given a most agreeable account of very precious and clear experiences of the grace of God, several even in Baltimore, a county in the province of Maryland, who were brought up almost in a state of heathenism, almost without any knowledge of the true doctrines of Christianity, afford very satisfactory evidence of being brought to a saving acquaintance with Christ Jesus."

"Knowing I must not speak wickedly even for God, nor talk deceitfully for Him; upon the whole I must say it is beyond all reasonable contradiction, that God has carried on a

great and glorious work of his special grace among us." This account is dated-New Londonderry, in Pennsylvania, August 6th, 1744.

Mr. Blair mentions the itinerating practised by some heartily engaged in the revival. This led to great complaints, and to extravagances that increased the complaints against the itinerants and those who justified their course; and ultimately led to doubts about the revival itself, and to disputes about the exercises of religion characteristic of conversion. The account given by Mr. Blair, respecting his congregation, will, in the general, exhibit the state of things in many other congregations in Pennsylvania, in Delaware, and also those in New Jersey, and some parts of New York. And the same complaints. against itinerants, and extravagances came from different quarters. It would be grateful, if the limits of these sketches would permit, to give at least a general view of the great excitement on religion, throughout the Philadelphia Synod, particularly its appearance in the different congregations. Much practical wisdom could be gathered from the sayings and doings of the actors in those interesting scenes.

A vehement dispute also arose about the proper qualifications for a candidate for the gospel ministry. Ministers and churches took sides, with some asperity of feeling. The line of separation was nearly the same as on the question about experience of religion and the exercises of awakened sinners and converts. Each party charged extreme views upon the other, and in a measure drove each other into extremes, using unkind expressions and unjustifiable means, and defending unwarrantable positions.

The discussion of these subjects became so warm that Ministers and Elders and Congregations were alienated, and the Synod in 1741 was rent asunder, in circumstances of great excitement. This division continued about seventeen years. The party that retained the name of the Synod of Philadelphia, was familiarly called the "Old Side;" and the Synod of New York formed by the other party, the "New Side." The feelings of the two parties, at length became calm, the matters in dispute were amicably adjusted, and the Synods united under the name of the Synod of New York and Philadelphia.

There is no evidence that the parties disagreed on important doctrines. Mr. John Davenport was guilty of most extravagant conduct, perhaps the most objectionable known during the excitement. An opponent, the Rev. Mr. Fish, of Connecticut, makes a statement respecting this singular man,-in the midst of his irregularities "the good things about him was that he was a fast friend of the doctrines of grace; fully declaring the total depravity, the deplorable wretchedness and danger,

and utter inability of man by the fall. He preached with great earnestness the doctrines of man's dependence on the sovereign mercy of God; of regeneration; of justification by faith, &c. The things that were evidently and dreadfully wrong about him were, that he not only gave full liberty to noise and outeries but promoted them with all his power. When these things prevailed among the people, accompanied with bodily agitations, the good man pronounced them tokens of the presence of God. Those who passed from great distress to great joy, he declared, after asking them a few questions, to be converts. He was a great favourer of visions, trances, imaginations, and powerful impressions in others, and made such inward feelings the rule of his own conduct in many respects. The worst thing, however, was his bold and daring enterprise of going through the country to examine all the ministers in private, and then publicly declare his judgment of their spiritual state."

Novelty of doctrine does not appear to have been the sin of that generation of Presbyterians. Novelty of methods to promote revivals excited fears in the pious; and the breaking through acknowledged rules disturbed society. These errors brought a glorious awakening into disrepute, and gave opportu nity to all, who were not friendly to spiritual religion, to oppose a genuine work of God. The extreme of one side was formality in religion; of the other, extravagant bodily exercises.

The emigrants to Virginia, though, in many cases, but a short time from their mother country, remained long enough in Pennsylvania and Delaware to become parties in the division; and in their choice of residence were in a measure governed by their religious associations and belief respecting this awakening. Neighbouring ministers in Virginia attached themselves to the different Synods, and their congregations sympathised with their pastors; and while the two Synods continued separate, were tossed with the violence of the storm that rent the congregations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. In some cases, traces of this division can be seen to this day; in most cases, however, the difference of sentiment in their ancestors is known to their descendants only as a matter of history.

The Presbyterian congregations in Virginia reared their cabins on the frontiers under great excitement. They were strangers in a strange land; they were exposed to the murderous incursions of the savages incensed against the white man by a century of provocations; they were in search of a home. in the wilderness, where every man's cabin might stand upon his own acres held in fee simple; they were, under a strong religious feeling, searching for the truth in principle, and in some good degree guiding their practice by their principles;