ARTICLE VII.

Concerning the Perseverance of those who Appeared to be Hopefully Changed During the Extraordinary Season of Grace.

THERE were many, in the years 1742 and 1743, while we had the desirable days of the Son of man in this and other congregations, who called upon us not to be too hasty in pronouncing the then extraordinary work to be good untill we saw the fruits of it in the after lives and conversations of those who were the subjects of it; and who asserted, that we could affirm nothing of the conversion of such persons untill it was manifested by persevering in goodness for some time. I do not remember that I ever heard such persons condescend on how many years such subjects were to be continued under trial ere we could warrantably entertain and declare such a charitable persuasion of a good work being begun and carrying on in them, as one Christian may have of another. They have never hitherto told us whether this time of probation was to extend to two, three, four, or nine years, or untill the death of the subjects of this good work. I have formerly, in my Monthly History for the years 1743, &c., testified to the public the continuance of many of them in such a way as "showed their faith by their works." I published also in that history the express declaration of others, testifying the same concerning those within their knowledge: particularly a long accurate letter from the Rev. Mr. Warden,

then minister of Campsie, but now at Perth, dated December 16th, 1743.

I am now to conclude my Narrative of this extraordinary work at Kilsyth, &c., with this Article concerning the perseverance of those who appeared to be converted in this and other parishes of the neighbourhood, in the years 1742 and 1743. It hath been long delayed, and, in the opinion of several who often called upon me to finish it with such an Article, is too long. This delay was partly owing to design and partly to other reasons needless to insert here.

This Article comes now to be published more seasonably than it could have been any time before this. The false and malicious reports spread in several places in Scotland, at a distance from this, Cambuslang, &c., that this extraordinary work was come to nought, and that all the subjects of it were turned worse and wickeder than they were before, were sufficiently contradicted by what I published in the Monthly History.

We are greatly rejoiced, and excited to praise the God of all grace, by accounts we have had from Holland of such an extraordinary work of the Holy Spirit being begun at Niewkerk, Putten, &c., in the Duchy of Guelderland, about the latter end of 1749; and of its continuance since, and spreading into Juliers, &c. We are not surprised to find that there is the same opposition to it that there was in Scotland, and in all other places where this blessed outpouring of the Holy Spirit was. The kingdom of Satan and his methods in supporting it, and of opposing the advancement of the Mediator's kingdom of grace, are much the same in all parts of the earth.

The spreading of lies, slanderous reports, and ridiculous stories of the subjects of this work, was one of the methods the evil spirit made use of to prejudice those at a distance against it, and to hinder its progress; and in this he had too great success. Yet this lasted but for a time, and the good work was rendered more illustrious and evident thereby for many, both ministers and others, came from distant places to enquire into the nature of this work, and, by being eye-witnesses and conversing with the subjects of it, went away fully satisfied of its goodness, and of the falseness of the evil reports spread of it, blessed God for what they had seen; yea, some of those who came full of prejudice against it became the subjects of it: "They fell down on their faces, worshipped God, and reported that God was in such places of a truth.”

About the beginning of this work in Scotland, many false reports were sent from New-England in anonymous pamphlets, letters, &c., from those in the opposition there, representing what had been of it in these provinces as enthusiasm and delusion; denying any remarkable work of conversion to be carried on; and magnifying imprudences, irregularities, and exceptionable things, which in some places were intermixed with this work, and which the most of the promoters and friends of it condemned as much as they, and opposed to the utmost of their power. But in a very little time, the falsehood of these reports were made manifest here, and occasioned more abundant, explicit, and public attestations to the goodness of this work in New-England, and the hopefulness of the subjects of it. It had also this

good effect, that it made ministers called to be immediately concerned in this work here to watch diligently against the very first first appearance of these exceptionable things, which, by the Divine blessing, had its desired effect: for, as may be observed from the above impartial Narrative, little if any of these things mixed with this work here. And it is to be

hoped, that those worthy ministers of Christ in the Netherlands, whom the Lord of the vineyard may honour to be employed in this glorious work, will use the same caution.

We are informed that the same method of opposition is made use of in Holland against this blessed work, and that there are some who confidently report there, that this work in Scotland was all enthusiasm, that it is come to nothing, and that the subjects of it are fallen away, and become worse than they were before.

This hath occasioned a minister in Holland to renew his repeated entreaties to me, to finish my Narrative, by giving an account of what can be said of the perseverance of the hopeful subjects of this work. Others in this country have joined him in this desire. I have a letter from a gentleman of piety and good judgment, at some distance from this, who had seen a copy of the above minister's letter. He writes me as follows:-"He entreats you to publish something to show that the blessed work at Kilsyth, Cambuslang, &c., was not abortive; but that the happy fruits thereof endure. Dear sir, if I could say any thing further to the same purpose, gladly would I do it. You see in the above minister's letter, that even in that country this slander is

propagated; that it is said all was fancy and enthusiastical fits, and the subjects of it fallen back to sin. Dear sir, doth not all this call you to do justice to the work of God; and not let it and the sincere followers of the Lamb be slandered and reproached?" There hath been no time since the beginning of this Narrative when the concluding of it with this Article could have been so seasonable as now, as has been already observed. I am therefore persuaded that by the wise and overruling providence of God, to whom all his works are known from the beginning, it hath been reserved to this time, when it serves to contradict those most false and slanderous reports, and to promote the interests of religion, and the kingdom of Jesus Christ in a church and country of all others most dear to us.

I shall therefore not only give a sincere and impartial account of what I know of the perseverance of the subjects of this work in this congregation and neighbourhood, but also insert the declarations of several well known ministers of the gospel in this church concerning the perseverance of many in their parishes, or otherwise known to them: some of which I have had by me for some time past, and others of them are newly received: and if there had been time for it many more might have been obtained and

inserted here.

In the parish and congregation of Kilsyth, there were many awakened and under a work of conviction to public knowledge and observance, whose convictions and impressions ceased, without coming to any good issue, some sooner, some later. There have been some here under greater terrors and a sharper