to reproach us and religion. But in the main, there has been a great and marvellous work of conversion and sanctification among the people here; and they have paid all due respect to those who have been blest of God to be the instruments of it. Both old and young have shewn a forwardness to hearken not only to my counsels, but even to my reproofs from the pulpit.

A great part of the country have not received the most favourable thoughts of this affair; and to this day may retain a jealousy concerning it, and prejudices against it. I have reason to think that the meanness and weakness of the instrument that has been made use of in this town, has prejudiced many against it; nor does it appear to me strange that it should be so. But yet the circumstance of this great work of God, is analogous to other circumstances of it. God has so ordered the manner of the work in many respects, as very signally and remarkably to shew it to be his own peculiar and immediate work; and to secure the glory of it wholly to his own almighty power, and sovereign grace. And whatever the circumstances and means have been, and though we are so unworthy, yet so hath it pleased God to work! And we are evidently a people blessed of the Lord! For here, in this corner of the world, God dwells and manifests his glory.

. Thus, Reverend Sir, I have given a large and particular account of this remarkable affair; and yet, considering how manifold God's works have been amongst us, it is but a very brief one. I should have sent it much sooner, had I not been greatly hindered by illness in my family, and also in my own person. It is probably much larger than you expected, and it may be than you would have chosen. I thought that the extraordinary nature of the thing, and the innumerable misrepresentations which have gone abroad of it, many of which doubtless have reached your ears, made it necessary that I should be particular. But I would leave it entirely with your wisdom to make what use of it you think best, to send a part of it to England, or all, or none, if you think it not worthy; or otherwise to dispose of it as you may think most for God's glory, and the interest of religion. If you are pleased to send any thing to the Rev. Dr. Guyse, I should be glad to have it signified to him as my humble desire, that since he and the congregation to which he preached, have been pleased to take so much notice of us, as they have, that they would also think of us at the throne of grace, and seek there for us, that God would not forsake us, but enable us to bring forth fruit answerable to our profession, and our mercies; and that our light may so shine before men, that others seeing our good works, may glorify our Father which is in heaven.

When I first heard of the notice the Rev. Dr. Watts and

Dr. Guyse took of God's mercies to us, I took occasion to inform our congregation of it in a discourse from these words"A city that is set upon a hill cannot be hid." And having since seen a particular account of the notice which the Rev. Dr. Guyse and his congregation took of it, in a letter you wrote to my honoured Uncle Williams, I read that part of your letter to the congregation, and laboured as much as in me lay to enforce their duty from it. The congregation were very sensibly moved and affected at both times.

I humbly request of you, Reverend Sir, your prayers for this country, in its present melancholy circumstances, into which it is brought by the Springfield quarrel; which, doubtless, above all things that have happened, has tended to put a stop to the glorious work here, and to prejudice this country against it, and hinder the propagation of it. I also ask your prayers for this town, and would particularly beg an interest in them for him who is,

Honoured Sir,

With humble respect,

Your obedient Son and Servant,

NORTHAMPTON,
Nov. 6. 1736.

JONATHAN EDWARDS.

SOME THOUGHTS

CONCERNING THE

PRESENT REVIVAL OF RELIGION

IN

NEW ENGLAND,

AND THE

WAY IN WHICH IT OUGHT TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED AND PROMOTED;

HUMBLY OFFERED TO THE PUBLIC, in a

TREATISE ON THAT SUBJECT.

ISA. xl. 3.-PREPARE YE THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE STRAIGHT IN THE DESERT A HIGH-WAY FOR OUR GOD.

THE PREFACE.

In the ensuing treatise, I condemn ministers assuming or taking too much upon them, and appearing as though they supposed they were the persons to whom it especially belonged to dictate, direct and determine; but perhaps shall be thought to be very guilty of it myself. And some, when they read this treatise, may be ready to say, that while I condemn this in others, I have the monopoly of it.--I confess that I have taken a great deal of liberty freely to express my thoughts concerning almost every thing appertaining to the wonderful work of God that has of late been carried on in the land, and to declare what has appeared to me to be the mind of God concerning the duty and obligations of all sorts of persons, and even those that are my superiors and fathers, ministers of the gospel, and civil rulers. But yet I hope the liberty I have taken is not greater than can be justified. In a free nation, such liberty of the press is allowed that every author takes leave without offence, freely to speak his opinion concerning the management of public affairs, and the duty of the legislature, and those that are at the head of the Administration, though vastly his superiors. As at this day, private subjects offer their sentiments to the public, from the press, concerning the management of the war with Spain: freely declaring what they think to be the duty of the Parliament, and the principal Ministers of State.We in New-England are now engaged in a more important war. And I am sure, if we consider the sad jangling and confusion that has attended it, we shall confess that it is highly requisite somebody should speak his mind concerning the way in which it ought to be managed. Not only a few of the many particulars, which are the matter of strife, should be debated, on the one side and the other, in pamphlets (as has of late been done, with heat and fierceness enough)— which do not tend to bring the contention in general to an end, but rather to inflame it and increase the uproar-but something should be published to bring the affair in general, and the many things that attend it which are the subjects of debate, under a particular consideration. And certainly it is high time that this was done. If private persons may speak their minds without arrogance, much more may a minister of the kingdom of Christ speak freely about things of this nature, which do so nearly concern the interest of the kingdom