grow indifferent about them; if they do not gradually give them up, and renounce them.

While I was in this state and situation of mind, Mr. Whitefield came into New-England; and after he had preached in Boston, and other places, came to New-Haven, in his way to New-York. The attention of people in general was greatly awakened upon hearing the fame of him, that there was a remarkable preacher from England travelling through the country. The people

flocked to hear him, when he came to NewHaven. Some travelled twenty miles out of the country to hear him. The affemblies were crowded and remarkably attentive; and people appeared generally to approve, and their converfation turned chiefly about him and his preaching. Some difapproved of feveral things. which he advanced, which occafioned confiderable difpute. I heard him when he preached in public, and when he expounded in private in the evening; and highly approved of him; and was fomewhat impreffed by what he said in public and in private; but did not in the leaft call in queftion my own good eftate, that I remember. He preached against mixed dancing and frolicing of males and females together: which practice was then very common in New-England. This offended fome, especially young people. But I

remember I juftified him in this in my own mind, and in converfation with those who were difpofed to condemn him. This was in October 1740, when I had entered on my last year in college.

During that fall and the fucceeding winter, there appeared to be much more attention to religion, than before, among people in general: And a number of minifters in New-England were aroufed, and preached oftener than they had done, and appeared much more engaged and zealous, than before; and several came to New-Haven and preached in a manner fo different from what had been usual, that people in general appeared to be in fome measure awakened, and more thoughtful on religious fubjects, than they had been before.

Early in the next fpring, in March, Mr. Gilbert Tennent, who had been itinerating in New-England, in Boston and other places in the winter, came to New-Haven from Boston, in his way to the fouthward. He was a remarkably plain and roufing preacher, and a remarkable awakening had been produced by his preaching, nd many hopeful converfions had taken place under his preaching, where he had itinerated. On his coming to New-Haven, the people ap

peared to be almoft univerfally aroufed, and flocked to hear him. He stayed about a week in New-Haven, and preached seventeen sermons, most of them in the meeting-houfe; two or three in the college hall. His preaching appeared to be attended with a remarkable and mighty power. Thousands, I believe, were awakened; and many cried out with diftrefs and horror of mind, under a conviction of God's anger, and their conftant expofedness to fall into endless deftruction. Many profeffors of religion received conviction that they were not real christians, and never were born again; which numbers publicly confeffed, and put up notes, without mentioning their names, but their number; defiring prayers for them as unconverted, and under this conviction. The members of college appeared to be univerfally awakened. A fmall number thought themselves chriftians before they came to college, and I believe were fo. Several of these appeared with an extraordinary zeal, and concern for the members of college; and without paying regard to the distinctions of higher and lower claffes, they vifited every room in college, and difcourfed freely and with the greatest plainness with each one; especially fuch whom they confidered to be in an unconverted state, and who acknowledged themselves to be fo, setting before them their danger, and exhorting them to re

men.

pent, &c. The confciences of all feemed to be fo far awakened as to lead them to hang their heads, and to pay at least a filent regard to their reprovers. And every perfon in the college appeared to be under a degree of awakening and conviction. The perfons above mentioned, who thus diftinguished themselves in zeal were two of them my clafs-mates, Buell and Youngs. The other was David Brainard. I attended to the whole, and approved of all they faid and did. But retained my hope that I was a christian, and had little or no conversation with these zealous At length Brainard came into my room, I being there alone. I was not at a lofs with respect to his defign in making me a visit then; determining that he came to fatisfy himself whether I were a christian, or not. And I refolved to keep him in the dark, and if poffible prevent his getting any knowledge of my ftate or religion. I was therefore wholly on the referve, being confcious that I had no religious experiences, or religious affections to tell of. In his converfation with me, he observed that he believed it impoffible for a perfon to be converted and to be a real chriftian without feeling his heart, at sometimes at least, sensibly and greatly affected with the character of Chrift, and ftrongly going out after him; or to that purpose.-This obfervation ftruck conviction into my mind. I

verily believed it to be true, and at the same time, was conscious that I had never experienced any thing of this kind; and that I was a stranger to the exercise of real christianity. I then determined that no one fhould know from me, or any other way, if I could prevent it, that I was not a chriftian, until I fhould be converted: For it was mortifying to my pride to be thought to be no chriftian, having made a christian profeffion, and having had the character of a christian for fome time; though I now knew myself not to be one. Brainard took his leave of me without bringing me to put off my reserve; and what he then thought of me, I know not; but believe he ftrongly fufpected, if he did not without hefitation conclude, that I was not a chriftian.

My conviction fixed upon me. I faw I was indeed no chriftian. The evil of my heart, the hardness and unbelief of it came more and more into view; and the evil cafe in which I was, appeared more and more dreadful. I felt myself a guilty, justly condemned creature, and my hope of relief by obtaining converfion failed more and more, and my condition appeared darker from day to day, and all help failed, and I felt myfelf to be nothing but ignorance, guilt and ftupidity. I now loft all defire to conceal