I must own y* a great

care and holy prudence to distinguish. degree of this mixture does not happen every day nor to all Christians. This temptation, rising to so high a pitch as you seem to intimate, is not exceeding common; and it must be confess'd yt ye Providence has something of darkness in it w" God suffers a foolish, deluding fancy frequently to accompany y° highest exercises of grace and devotion, especially when the body is in perfect health and the mind well stor'd, impulses are strongest, for w the fancy grows warm, and y° mind vehemently press'd by any design, if we joyn thereto a meditation of divine things sometimes, yt meditation will seem to be turned into a divine rapture and transport by ye mere warmth of animal nature and a strong imagination or desire. As, for example, if you retain secret inclinations towards London w" ye power of Providence calls you away, those very inclinations may insensibly produce a firm persuasion yt you ought to stay in the city, especially if the edification of your soul be any cause of your inclination, then both these naturally fortify and advance each other till the soul is warmed to inward pleasure-when divine thoughts mingle herewith, perhaps y° pleasure is exalted, and thus y° mistaken in judgment believe the whole heap of thoughts that at that time propels y soul to be heavenly and divine, or w" any sensible pleasure is first begun in the mind by devotion, those other inclinations and persuasions may rush into the thoughts, increasing pleasure, and so joyn all together in the claim of divinity.

"But we must remember that there is nothing we do in this frail and fleshly state wch is perfectly free from corrupt mixtures of flesh and sin. Even in our highest devotions God may permitt foolish vanitys to arise high in our thoughts, and look all of a piece with our devotion, wch afterward, upon cool reflection, we find to be empty and groundless. Perhaps this is permitted to teach us that our religion, faith, and hope should not be built upon strong impulses and imaginations, but upon a plain explanation of y° gospel, and a comparison of our hearts, and y' frame and temper of our wills with y° word of God. It is possible also, that Satan may have some hand in the transactions on purpose to make us throw off all our religion, our faith, and hope, together with our vain fancys when we come to be con

vinced that these impulses and fancys yt mingled with religion were false and delusive."*

The train of reasoning is continued much further, but these extracts are sufficient to indicate the character of the paper. French and German writers discussed the question. We may refer to the work of Langen,t as one of the most exhaustive on the subject.

* Additional MSS., 21, 560.

Nöthiger Untericht von Unmittelbaren Offenbahrungen, etc., etc. welche in Cevennes einer Landschafft in Frankreich entstanden und hernach durch etlicher Cevenneser in Engel-und Schottland auch Hol-und Teutschland fortgepflantzet worden.-Joachim Langen, S. Theol. prof. ord., Halle im Magdeburgischen, A. MDCCXV.

CHAPTER VII.

DURING the time of trouble and danger known as that of "Queen Anne's War," religious interests suffered in the Colonies of the Western Hemisphere, and there was a long interval of declension.

Revival in

cut.

Windham

In 1721 we find signs of returning vitality, Connectiand particularly in Windham County,* Connecticut. The beginnings of this plantation were small. John Cates, a gentleman born in England, was the first settler. The place had many advantages; its land was cheap and accessible; Origin its Indians few and friendly; its wolves of the scarce and easily subdued; its situation Plantation. pleasant and healthful; its valleys free from encumbering forests; easily brought, therefore, under cultivation, and its most pressing wants were supplied by the forethought and generosity of the first proprietors. But the early settlers were enfeebled by differences of opinion on practical matters. The first step of the town or district was to measure for its "senter." With the distribution of the scattered population, the central point changed. To meet the convenience of the people, religious services

* History of Windham County, Connecticut, by Ellen D. Larned.

were alternated between two places-half the time at the north and half at the south-end: but this was Question of only a temporary arrangement; and, in anticipation of further increase, the people, after long debate and trouble, agreed, March 16, 1699, to divide the privileges:—

the "senter."

"I. We agree, with the consent of our reverend minister, to divide the Lord's-days, that is, from this date to the 25th of December, to have the meeting half the time at the north and half at the south for seven years; then each place to endeavour to keep a minister by themselves; but if the north-end can get a minister sooner, we engage to repay them the money they paid towards the minister's house.

"II. It is agreed that each end shall build a meeting-house up on their own cost and charge, big enough to accommodate the whole congregation, and to set them where the inhabitants of each place shall see most convenient for the present and future advantage of each place. Further, the neighbourhood of each place do covenant and agree that they will find one as convenient as possibly they can for the whole society to meet in as it falls to be their turn, until the meeting-house be up and fit for such work."

This important question being settled, the following petition, in May, was sent to the General Assembly:

bodiment.

"May it please your Honours to consider that, whereas we, the inhabitants of the town of Windham, having been long in an unsettled and destitute of the ordinances of Petition for way Church Em Christ, but God having been pleased so far now to favour His people here as to give us hopes of a good settlement in these affairs of greatest concernment, and also God having so disposed of the hearts of his people in that they are desiring and longing for the enjoyment of God in all his lively ordinances: We, therefore, whose names are underwritten, on behalf of the said town of Windham, do humbly request that this honoured Court would be pleased so far to favour us and the interests

of Christ among us as to grant us liberty to embody into Church estate and to ordain the Rev. Samuel Whiting, with the advice and help of the neighbouring Churches, that so we may enjoy God in all his holy ordinances, that according to his own instruction, which is the greatest happiness belonging to a people on this side heaven. We, therefore, request that your honours would look friendly upon us, and help us with your consent, counsel, and prayers, that we may abide under the shadow of your wings. In so doing, you shall firmly oblige us to be wishing and seeking your welfare and prosperity, according to the littleness of the ability of your honour's humble servants,

"JOSHUA RIPLEY,

"THOMAS BINGHAM,

"THOMAS HUNTINGDON."

Second

Church.

The north-end inhabitants were strengthened by an accession of territory, and in due time expected to have a minister of their own. They were a little staggered, however, by the regulation that the minister to be "called and settled" should be "able and orthodox," and applied to the Court to learn the precise meaning of these terms. The reply of the Assembly was to the following effect :

"By an able and orthodox minister called and settled, they understand a person competently well skilled in arts and languages; well studied and well principled in divinity, approving himself by his exercises in preaching the gospel to the judgment of those that are approved pastors and teachers of approved churches; to be a person capable of dividing the word of truth, to convince gainsayers, and that his conversation is such that he is a person called and qualified according to gospel rules to be pastor of a church, and in an orderly way settled in that office and work."

With this fair understanding, the north-end settlers sought the accomplishment of their object, and, after patient effort, presented the following petition, May 9, 1717 :