the Gospel of Christ. Former impressions were ripened, and new ones made on many hearts. One night in particular a whole house-full of people was quite overcome with the power of the word, particularly of one pungent sentence, and they could hardly sit or stand, or keep their passions under any proper restraint. So general was the concern, during his stay with us, and so ignorant were we of the danger of apostacy, that we pleased ourselves with the thoughts of more being brought to Christ at that time, than now appear to have been, though there is still the greatest reason to hope that several bound themselves to the Lord in an everlasting covenant, never to be forgotten. Some time after this, the Rev. Mr, Roan was sent to us, by the Presbytery of New-Castle. He continued with us longer than any of the former, and the happy effects of his ministrations are still apparent. He was instrumental in beginning and promoting a religious concern in several places where there was little appearance of it before. This, together with his speaking pretty freely about the degeneracy of the clergy in this colony, gave a general alarm, and some measures were concerted to suppress us. To incense the indignation of the government the more, a perfidious wretch deponed he heard Mr. Roan utter blasphemous expressions in his sermon. An indictment was thereupon drawn up against Mr. Roan, (though by that time he had departed the colony,) and some who had invited him to preach at their houses were cited to appear before the general court, and two of them were fined. While my cause was upon trial, I had reason to rejoice that the throne of grace is

accessible in all places, and that helpless creatures can send up their desires unseen, in the midst of a crowd.Six witnesses were cited to prove the indictment against Mr. Roan, but their depositions were in his favour; and the witness who accused him of blasphemy, when he heard of the arrival of Messrs. Tennent and Finley, he fled, and has not returned since; so that the indictment was dropped. But I had reason to fear being banished the colony, and all circumstances seemed to threaten the extirpation of religion among the dissenters in these parts. In these difficulties, having no person of a public character to appear in our favour, we were determined to acquaint the synod of New-York with our case. Accordingly, four of us went to the synod, May, 1745, when the Lord favoured us with success. The synod drew up an address to our governor, the honourable Sir William Gooch, and sent it with Messrs. Tennent and Finley, who were received by the governor with respect, and had liberty granted to preach amongst us. By this means the dreadful cloud was scattered for a while, and our languid hopes revived. They continued with us about a week, and though the deluge of passion in which we were at first overwhelmed, was by this time somewhat abated, yet much good was done by their ministry. The people of God were refreshed and several careless sinners were awakened. Some that had trusted before in their moral conduct, and religious duties, were convinced of the depravity of their nature, and the necessity of regeneration; though indeed there were but few unregenerate persons among us at that time, that could claim so regular a charac

I

ter; the most part indulging themselves in criminal liberties, and being remiss in the duties of religion, which, alas! is too commonly the case still, in such parts of the colony as the late revival did not extend to. After they left us, we continued vacant for a considerable time, and kept up our meetings for reading and prayer, in several places, and the Lord favoured us with his presence. was again repeatedly presented and fined in court, for absenting myself from church, and keeping up unlawful meetings, as they were called; 'but the bush flourished in the flames.' The next that were appointed to supply us, were the Rev. Messrs. William Tennent and Samuel Blair. They administered the Lord's supper. among us; and we have reason ever to remember it as a most glorious day of the Son of man. The assembly was large, and the novelty of the manner of the administration did peculiarly engage their attention. It appeared as one of the days of heaven to some of us; and we could hardly help wishing we could, with Joshua, have delayed the revolutions of the heavens to prolong it. After Messrs. Tennent and Blair were gone, Mr. Whitefield came and preached four or five days, which was the happy means of giving us further encouragement, and engaging others to the Lord, especially among the church-people, who received the Gospel more readily from him than from ministers of the Presbyterian denomination. After his departure, we were destitute of a minisser, and followed our usual method of reading and prayer at our meetings, till the Rev. Mr. Davies, our present pastor, was sent us by the Presbytery, to supply us a few weeks in the spring, 1747, when our

discouragements from the government were renewed and multiplied: for, upon a Lord's day, a proclamation was set up at our meeting-house, strictly requiring all magistrates to suppress and prohibit, as far as they lawfully could, all itinerant preachers, &c. which occasioned us to forbear reading that day, till we had time to deliberate and consult what was expedient to do; but how joyfully were we surprised, before the next sabbath, when we unexpectedly heard that Mr. Davies was come to preach so long among us, and especially that he had qualified himself according to law, and obtained the licensing of four meeting houses among us, which had never been done before. Thus man's extremity is the Lord's opportunity. For this seasonable interposition of divine providence, we desire to offer our grate, ful praises, and we importune the friends of Zion to concur with us." "

CHAPTER V.

DEVOTES HIMSELF TO THE
GRAMMAR AND COLLEGE
LISENCED,

MINISTRY-
COURSE-IS

A HEART which is really changed from sin to holiness will be anxious to be employed in promoting holiness. What shall I render to the Lord for all his mercies? will be its language. Having obtained an answer to the

question, what shall I do to be saved? the happy person will next inquire, by what means shall I best promote the salvation of others? How shall I most effectually recommend to others the exceeding riches of that grace of which I am made an unworthy partaker? While revolving in his mind these and similar inquiries, Mr. Rice's attention was turned towards the gospel ministry. He was far, however, from considering his anxiety for the welfare of souls, or his anxiety for the advancement of God's glory, a warrant for him to assume the character of a preacher; much less was he disposed to consider his experience of God's goodness in delivering him from the bondage of sin, a sufficient qualification to enable him to act as a preacher. His experience had a quite different effect. It had convinced him of his ignorance and weakness, and of the many qualifications which were necessary to enable a man to expound scripture, and deal with the souls of his fellow men. These qualifications he did not expect to receive by any extraordinary revelation, but by a diligent use of ordi nary means. He believed also that the church, through the organs of those courts which the head himself hath instituted, is the only competent authority to decide what particular individual hath the necessary qualifica tions for the office of the holy ministry. These were his sentiments from the very first, and they were strengthened rather than weakened by the experience of upwards of fifty years. "I yet believe," says he, "that the mod. ern notion of preaching by the inspiration of the spirit has had a tendency to lead men into many errors which have greatly corrupted the christian system.

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