was to this effect: "We have had many ministers, and have heard many, before this man, but we never heard any thing, till now, of conversion, the new birth, &c. we never heard that men are so totally lost and helpless, that they could not save themselves, by their own power and good deeds;—if our good works will not save us, what will? We never heard any of our ministers say any thing against civil mirth, such as dancing, &c. nay, they rather encouraged the people in them; for we have seen parson such a one, and parson such another, at these mirthful places, as merry as any of the company. This new man of ours brings strange things to our ears."-Such conversation was not unfrequent, as I afterwards learned from such as had heard it, and, no doubt, joined in it; but they told me nothing of it, till they were themselves convinced of the truths I preached, and had begun to seek the salvation of their souls through Jesus Christ.

This language was chiefly among the upper and middle classes, and I have found, to my grief, that the fortification, erected from materials taken from the examples and preaching of their former ministers, was one of the strongest holds I had to demo

lish. When I have urged the necessity of observing this, or abstaining from that, I was often confronted with a, Why did not other ministers tell us so and so? Were they not as learned as you ?-Under this covert, many lay secure, and to this day, they screen themselves behind it.

At that time I stood alone, not knowing of one clergyman, in Virginia, like minded with myself; yea, I was opposed, and reproached, by the clergy-called an enthusiast, fanatic, visionary, dissenter, Presbyterian, madman, and what not;yet was I so well convinced of the utility and importance of the truths I declared and the doctrines I preached, that no clamor, opposition, or reproach, could daunt my spirit, or move me from my purpose and manner of preaching, or induce me to give flattering titles to any man. I durst not prophecy smooth things, nor flatter the highest in their follies and vanities. But for the sake of order and method, and to render this narrative as succinct as possible, I will divide this letter into three particulars, and shall speak,

First-of my general plan of preaching.

Secondly of the frequency and extent

of my preaching, and of some of the effects of my labors—and,

Thirdly-of some incidental circumstances, which may be worthy of record. As you lived near me for a number of years, after you had arrived to years of some maturity, you will be able to recollect, with me, several things I may mention, especially under the second and third particulars.

First-I am to speak of my general plan of preaching.

I had been taught by experience, as well as by reading the word, to consider the whole plan of redemption, through a mediator, as founded on the lapsed state of mankind, and their utter inability to restore themselves to the favor and image of God, which were lost by the fall, by any thing they could either do or suffer. I

knew also, that they who are whole see no need of a physician, but those that are sick, and consequently that a sense of danger and misery was requisite to excite speedy and vigorous efforts for help and deliverance-I therefore judged it necessary to adopt that method of preaching, which might have the most direct tendency to make sinners feel their situation, and be sensible of their guilt, danger and help

lessness. Nothing short of this will properly turn the attention of the human race to the invitations of the gospel, and render a saviour precious to their souls. To effect this, I began my ministry with the doctrine of original sin. I have no notion of entertaining unawakened mortals with florid harrangues and fine paintings of moral virtue, as is too commonly the case, in our day. The word virtue, or moral virtue, is the cant term of all our velvet-mouthed preachers. Modern sermons, both from the pulpit and the press, are generally full of it. It is, indeed, a very pretty word, and sounds soft and smooth. It means something, or nothing, according to the fan

cy of the reader or hearer. But I consider this favorite word to be of heathenish extraction, and therefore cautiously avoid it in all my public discourses. I dare say, you will seldom find it in any of my printed works. Though I see it has crept into the 12th sermon, vol. 2, page 64. You will there read, piety and virtue: but, I think, in the manuscript, I wrote, piety and mercy. The word may be found in a few other places, but not with my design. I find I am digressing again, and must check myself.

Instead of moral harrangues, and advising my hearers, in a cool, dispassionate manner, to walk in the primrose paths of a decided, sublime and elevated virtue, and not to tread in the foul tracts of disgraceful vice, I endeavored to expose, in the most alarming colors, the guilt of sin, the entire depravity of human nature-the awful danger, mankind are in, by nature and practice the tremendous curse to which they are obnoxious-and their utter inability to evade the sentence of the law and the strokes of divine justice, by their own power, merit or good works. These doctrines are very grating and mortifying to the pride of man, and therefore, the more necessary to be often repeated, and warmly inculcated, that the haughtiness of man may be brought down, and his lofty imaginations laid low; that Jesus Christ may be. gladly received, as a Saviour in a desperate

case..

In a word, my plan was, first, To con-vince of sin. Second, of inability. Third, To point out the remedy and press the convicted to fly to Jesus Christ, and rest on him for complete salvation. And, fourth, To exhort those who believed, to be careful to maintain good works, and go on to

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