*So that experience, as well as the word of God, and the example of Christ and his apostles, have taught me, that the preaching, which is best suited to awaken in mankind a lively apprehension of their depravity and misery,――to excite them earnestly to seek after a change of heart, and to _fly for refuge_ to Christ, as the only _hope set before them_, is most _successful_ toward the reformation of their external conduct.――I have found that close applications of divine truth to the conscience, strike death to the root of all vice; while smooth harangues upon _moral virtues_ and _external duties_, at best only lop off the _branches_ of corruption. I do not intend to represent the preaching of _morality_, and pressing persons to the _external_ performance of duty, to be unnecessary _at any time_; especially when there is less of divine power attending the means of grace.――It is doubtless among the things that “ought to be done,” while “others are not to be left undone.”――But what I principally design is a plain matter of fact, viz. That the external compliance with the rules of Christianity, appearing among my people, is not the effect of any _merely_ rational view of the beauty of _morality_, but of the internal influence that divine truths have had upon their hearts. _Thirdly_, It is remarkable, that God has so continued and renewed the showers of his grace: so quickly set up his kingdom among these people; and so smiled upon them in their acquirement of knowledge, both divine and human. It is now near a year since the beginning of this gracious out-pouring of the divine Spirit; and although it has often seemed to decline for some short time, yet the work of grace revived again: so that a divine influence seems still to attend the means of grace, in a greater or less degree: whereby religious persons are refreshed, strengthened, and established,――convictions revived and promoted in many,――and some newly awakened from time to time. Although it must be acknowledged, that for some time past, there has appeared a more manifest decline of this work. But (blessed be God) there is still an appearance of divine power, a desirable degree of tenderness, and devotion in our assemblies.