• GOD has blefs'd the Labours of Strangers and even of Itine rants among the People with whom I am concern'd. And I can't forbear faying, that as it appears to me that it would be of ill Confequence, if none might upon any Occafion whatsoever preach within the Limits of any Congregation without the • Leave of its fated Paftor, I defire that neither my felf, nor ⚫ any of my Brethren fhould be poffefs'd of fuch an abfolute and • defpotick Power.

That you may be under the Influence of the greatHEAD of the Church; that he who holds the Stars in his right Hand would direct and lead you, and that you may unite ⚫ in fuch Measures as may tend to the Progrefs of that good • Work that has been begun, and be a Means greatly to • advance his Kingdom and Intereft thro' the whole Land, is the unfeigned Prayer of one of the meaneft, and unworthieft of your Brethren in the Gospel, &c.

William Shurtleff.

No. V. From the Rev. Mr. RUSSELL,Paftorof the waftern Church in Barnstable, in the County of Barnstable.

'I

Am of the Mind that there has been a great and good

Work going forward in many Parts of the Land, beyond what has been in fome Years paft. Many have been awakned, convinced, reformed, and I hope many favingly converted : and I think we ought to give GOD the Praife and Glory of it. Yet 'I think there fhould be a proper Teftimony • born against the Errors, Disorders and Confusions that have prevailed in many Places.

But perhaps the Question may occur, What are the Dif orders, &c. which are to be teftify'd againft? 'Tis proba⚫ble one may call that Disorder and Confufion which another calls lovely and beautiful, and endeavours to promote.

1

Brother GREEN and I had Thoughts of being at the • Commencement, but faw him Yefterday, and he thinks the • State of his Health and other Circumstances forbid his going. And the Ilinefs of my Family difcourages me. hope those who neither come nor fend will not be branded as Oppofers. I wish you the divineConduct in the Affair. And ⚫defire an Intereft in your Prayers, that I may obtain Mercy to be faithful, and that I may be fuccefsful in my Miniftry. I am your Brother and Fellow Labourer, & Jonathan Ruffell.

Barnstable June 30. 1743

No.

No. VI. From Six of the Rev. Paftors of the Eastern Asso ciation in the County of York.

"WE

E the Subfcribers, Paftors of the Eastern Affociation, taking into ferious Confideration the State of Religion in our feveral Charges, and throughout the Land at this Day, look on our felves bound in the most exprefs Manner to declare our felves with refpect thereto.

And in as much as it incontestibly appears to us from what we have feen among our felves and in other P laces, that by an ⚫ extraordinary divine Influence, there hath been an HAPPY REVIVAL of RELIGION in our Land; we dare not but publickly Speak out our grateful Sense thereof to the Honour of the free and fovereign Grace of GOD.

、

But whereas at the fame Time there have been great • Complaints of prevailing Errors in Doctrine and Disorders in Practice, fuch as, a denying the Doctrine of the divine Decrees, Juftification by Faith alone, irresistible Grace in the Converfion of Sinners ---- and alfo the afferting, That fecret Impulfes on the Minds of Perfons without due Regard to the written Word of GOD may be depended on as the Rule of their Conduct; that none are converted but fuch as know themselves to be fo, and can tell the Time when; that Affurance is of the Effence of faving Faith; and, that Sanctification is no Evidence of Juftification; with other the like Arminian, Antinomian and Familiftical Tenets and Opinions : All which we judge are contrary to the pure Doctrines of the Gofpel: And as to Disorders in Practice; fuch as; private Perfons of no Education, without any regular Catl • taking upon them to preach the Word of GOD; the ordaining and feparating any Perfon to the Work of the evangelical Miniftry at Large, and without a special Relation to any particular Charge to enter into the regular Districts of fettled Minifters; Perfons affuming to themselves the Prerogative of "GOD to look into and judge the Hearts of others, cenfuring ⚫ and condemning their Brethren, and especially their Minifters, as Pharifees, Arminians, blind and unconverted, &c.and upon these pretended Grounds making an actual Separation from their respective Paftors, though they openly difavow the above-mentioned Errors, and are regular in their Lives: All which Errors and Diferders being of pernicious Confequence, as tending to obfcure the glorious Work of God, bring it into Difrepute and obftruct the Progress of it, we • would

* would in like Manner bear our joint and folemn Testimony againft.

And tho' we are fully perfuaded the human Mind under the Operations of the divine Spirit, may be overborn with Joy and Terror; yet the Transports and Agitations that ⚫ have appeared in fome Places from the ungovern'd Paffions ⚫ of People, and the excess of Joy and Sorrow, we judge to ⚫ be no certain Indication of the special Prefence or Work

of the SPIRIT of GOD. But at the fame Time we • lament the impious Spirit of fuch as from hence take Occafion to reproach the WORK OF THE DIVINE SPIRIT in the • Hearts of the Children of GOD.

Sign'd,

Benjamin Allen, Paftor of the 2d Church in Falmouth.
Wm. Thompson, Paftor of the Church in Scarborough.
Samuel Jefferds, Paftor of the Church in Wells.
John Hovey, Paftor of the Church in Arundel.
Nicholas Loring, Paftor of the Church in North-Yarmouth,
Mofes Morrill, Paftor of the Church in Biddeford.

‹ At anAssociation Meeting, Scarborough June 23. 1743.

Voted, That the above Declaration be delivered to the Rev. Mr. Smith to be by him communicated at Difcre⚫tion to the VENERABLE CONVENTION of Minifters who are to meet at Boston the Day after the approaching Commencement, as the Sentiments of the Affociation with Rela⚫tion to the prefent religious Appearances in the Country. Benjamin Allen, Moderator.

To be continued.

THE

Christian History;

Containing Accounts of the Propagation and Revival of Religion in England Scotland and America.

Saturday AUGUST 6. 1743. $ N° 23•

ATTESTATIONS &c. continued.

No. VII. From the Rev. Mr. ROGERS junior, Paftor of the 2d Church in Kittery, in the County of York.

M

Y Heart and Affections are with all of you who love our LORD JESUS CHRIST in fincerity, and fo are real Friends to the glorious Work of his Grace which has been begun and carried on in fo remarkable a Manner in our Land, and by fuch Inftruments, as he has been pleased to raise up, and honour with wonderfulSuccefs. I hope now you are together you will be putting up united Prayers to the glorious HEAD of the Church, for the further Effufion of the BLESSED SPIRIT, in his awakening,convincing and converting Influences, and that the dear Children of God may be more rooted and grounded in Faith and Love, and abound in all the good Fruits thereof: And that the LORD would be pleased to raise up more fkilful, faithful and induftrious Labourers, and fend them forth into his Harvest; for indeed the Harveft is plenteous, but the Labourers are few. I fhould not be for fpending much Time, in difputing with those who are Opposers of this glorious Work of GOD's fovereign rich free Grace; but rather in carrying them to the Throne of Grace, and there wrestle with the LORD to open theirEyes, and engage them from anExperience of the Work in their ownSouls to regard this glorious and gracious Operation of his HOLYSPIRIT in the Hearts of fo many, and that of allSorts, in one Place & another. For my own Part, I want a Heart to conceive, and a Tongue to exprefs the Obligations I am under to admire, adore and Praise the Name of the Lord, for the great Things he has done, and the yet greater

Ꮓ

(I trust)

(I truft) he will do for his People in this Land; and that he has fpar'd me the chief of Sinners, to see this Day of his wonderful Grace: Oh Praise, praise him, on my Behalf; and alfo wrestle for me when nearest to his Seat, that, I may know the Love of CHRIST which indeed paffeth Knowledge, and that it may constrain me to love and live to him.

But this is the Confolation, The LORD reigneth; there is no Wisdom, nor Counsel, nor Understanding against him; he will carry on his own Work in his own Way; Not by Might,nor by Power,but by MY SPIRIT, faith the LORD of Hofts: Here we may reft. I hope you who are Friends to this Day, will have the Guidance of theHOLY SPIRIT in drawing up fomething in Favour of this glorious Work, that the Subjects and Friends of it abroad, may praise GOD for what he has done among his People here: And if you fhould be led to this, would it not be proper to fend a Draft of it to those who could not be prefent with you, that not a Hand may be wanting where-ever there is an Heart for it. And, Oh that Something may be faid against ARMINIANISM as well as ANTINOMIANISM. I wish you much of the Presence of CHRIST, and that whatever may be debated, may be with HIS SPIRIT, and iffue in his Glory.

I am your Brother and Friend in the dear JESUS,
John Rogers.

Kittery, July 4. 1743..

No. VIII. From seven Rev. Paftors in the County of Hampshire.

Reverend and Honoured Sirs,

WE Hereas an Advertisement hath lately been published, wherein it is fignified, that it is the Defire of a Number of Ministers that there fhould be a meeting of all fuch Minifters in this Province as are perfwaded that there has of late been a happy Revival of Religion in the Land, at Bofton, the Day after Commencement, to give a joint TESTIMONY to the late glorious Work of God's Grace, and to confult what should be done to promote this Work, and to fupprefs thofe Things that bring a Reproach upon it and hinder it; and in the fame Advertisement it is defired that if any fuch Minifters are not able to be present at this Interview, they would not fail to fend

their