When Mr. Whitfield first came to Boston, in 1740, the news of his arrival reached her in a party of some young friends. Having heard him spoken of as a wild enthusiast, whose only, or chief excellence consisted in a powerful and well modulated voice; she readily joined with the rest of the company, in making themselves merry at his expense, A day or two after, at the request of her pastors, Messrs. Sewall and Prince, Mr. Whitfield preached in the South church, She went to hear him. His discourse seemed exactly adapted to her case. It was a striking delineation of the Christian character, as distinguished from that of the world. The inconsistency of her past conduct, with the profession she had made, and so frequently renewed at the table of the Lord, could not fail to be discerned and felt. She resolved, alas ! in her own strength, to live no longer as she had done, "according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience," but to renounce the society of her gay companions, with the frivolous books, and

more frivolous amusements, which had occupied her vacant hours; and consecrate her time, affections, and services, to God. This resolution, she fulfilled so far to her own satisfaction, as to obtain what is commonly, though improperly, called the faith of assurance ;* that is,

* We read, it is true, of "the full assurance of faith" but the meaning of the phrase, as here used by the apostle. (and it is used, I believe, no where else) obviously is, a full belief in the testimony of God-in the accomplishment of his promises. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the vail, that is to say, his flesh; and having an high priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith-a firm unwavering belief, that all who thus approach the mercy-seat shall be accepted." But a person may have this belief, without a ray of hope; and even without a particle of evidence, respecting himself, as a Christian. There is indeed such a thing, as a full assurance of one's good estate, and all should strive to attain it that however is denominated, not the full assurance of faith, but the full assurance of hope." And we desire that every one of you, do show the same diligence, to the full assurance of hope unto the end, "-See Smalley's Sermons, p. 385.

undoubting evidence, or rather belief, of her interest in the favor of God, and of her title to the immunities of his kingdom. "I had such confidence," said she, "in the safety of my state, and in the certainty of my salvation, that I have often, when standing by the bed of departing friends, felt a perfect willingness to accompany them to the bar of God, and the world of retribution; and, when I thought them unsanctified, to die for them." But notwithstanding all this, she was a stranger to her own heart, and "knew nothing yet as she ought to know." "I was," said she, "a perfect

Pharisee."

While she was in this state of self-confidence and delusion, the Rev. Gilbert Tennent arrived in town. Curiosity induced her, as it did many others, to go and hear him preach; little thinking, that a sovereign God had selected him, as the chosen vessel, to bear his treasure to her heart. But so it was. The words of his text were these, "For I through the law, am dead to the law, that I might live unto God." His discourse was "quick and powerful"-it stripped her

of all her imaginary righteousness; and laid her a guilty, condemned, helpless, sinner in the dust before God.* While

* The following sketch of the Rev. Mr. Tennent; with the manner, and the effect, of his preaching at this time; when so many 66 were pricked to the heart;" cannot but gratify the pious reader. It is taken from Prince's Christian History and may also be found; together with a full and interesting account of the Revival of Religion in Boston, at that memorable period, in the 7th vol. of the Panoplist.

Upon the Rev. Mr. Gilbert Tennent's coming and preaching here, the people appeared to be yet much more awakened about their souls than before. He came, I think, on Saturday, Dec. 13, this year; preached at the new North on both the parts of the following day, as also on Monday, in the afternoon, when I first heard him, and there was a great assembly.

"He did not indeed at first come up to my expectation; but afterwards exceeded it. In private converse with him, I found him to be a man of considerable parts and learning; free, gentle, condescending: and from his own various experience, reading the most noted writers on experimental divinity, as well as the Scriptures, and conversing with many who had been awakened by his ministry in NewJersey, where he then lived, he seemed to have as deep an acquaintance with the experimenttal part of religion as any I have conversed

walking from church, a few yards behind her sisters, who had accompanied her thither; in deep meditation upon what

with. And his preaching was as searching and rousing as ever I heard.

"He seemed to have no regard to please the eyes of his hearers with agreeable gesture, nor their ears with delivery, nor their fancy with language; but to aim directly at their hearts and consciences, to lay open their ruinous delusions, shew them their numerous, seeret, hypocritical shifts in religion, and drive them out of every deceitful refuge wherein they made themselves easy, with the form of godliness without the power. And many who were pleased in a good conceit of themselves before, now found, to their great distress they were only self-deceived hypocrites. And though while the discovery was making, some at first raged, as they have owned to me and others; yet in the progress of the discovery many were forced to submit; and then the power of God so broke and humbled them, that they wanted a further and even a thorough discovery; they went to hear him, that the secret corruptions and delusions of their hearts might be more discovered; and the more searching the sermon, the more acceptable it was to their anxious minds.

"From the terrible and deep convictions he had passed through in his own soul, he seemed to have such a lively view of the Divine Majesty, the spirituality, purity, extensiveness, and