_Fourthly._ It is worthy to be noted, that amidst _so great_ a work of conviction,――so much concern and religious affection, there has been no _prevalency_, nor indeed any considerable _appearance_ of _false religion_, or heats of imagination, intemperate zeal, and spiritual pride; (which corrupt mixtures too often attend the revival of religion) and that there have been so very few instances of scandalous behaviour. The religious concern that persons have been under, has generally been _rational_ and _just_: arising from a _sense_ of their sins, and the divine displeasure on the account of them; as well as their utter inability to deliver themselves from the misery they felt and feared.――And it is remarkable, although the concern of many persons has been very great and pressing, yet I have never seen any thing like _despair_ attending it in any one instance: whence it is apparent, there is not that danger of persons being driven into despair under _spiritual trouble_, (unless in cases of melancholy,) that the world is ready to imagine.
The _comfort_ persons have obtained after their distresses, has likewise in general appeared solid, ♦well-grounded, and scriptural; arising from a spiritual and _supernatural illumination_ of mind,――a view of divine things _as they are_, a complacency of soul in the divine perfections,――and a peculiar satisfaction in the _way of salvation_, by the great Redeemer.
♦ “well-grouned” replaced with “well-grounded”
*Their joys have seemed to rise from a variety of views of divine things, although for substance the same.
Some have at first appeared to rejoice, especially in the _wisdom_ of God, discovered in the way of salvation by Christ; it then appearing to them “a new way,” a way they had never any just conception of, until opened to them by the divine Spirit. And some of them, upon a _spiritual_ view of this way of salvation, have wondered at their past folly in seeking salvation other ways, and have admired that they never saw _this_ way of salvation before, which now appeared so _plain_ and _easy_.
Others have had a more _general_ view of the excellency of Christ, being delighted with an apprehension of his glory, as unspeakably exceeding _all_ they had ever conceived before; yet without singling out (as it were) any one of the divine perfections in particular.
*What the Indians notions of God are, in their Pagan state, is hard to determine. I have taken much pains to enquire of my Christian people, whether they, before their acquaintance with Christianity, imagined there was a _plurality_ of great invisible powers, or whether they supposed but _one_ such being, and worshipped him in a variety of shapes: but cannot learn any thing of them so distinct as to be fully satisfying upon the point. Their notions in that state were so dark and confused, that they seem not to know what they thought themselves. But so far as I can learn, they had a notion of a plurality of invisible _deities_, and paid some kind of homage to them promiscuously, under a great variety of shapes. And it is certain those who yet remain Pagans pay some kind of superstitious reverence to beasts, birds, fishes, and even reptiles; that is, some to one kind of animal, and some to another. They do not indeed suppose a divine power _essential_ to these creatures, but that some invisible beings (I cannot learn that it is always one) communicate to these animals a _great power_, either one or other of them, (just as it happens) and so make these creatures the immediate authors of good to certain persons. Whence such a creature becomes _sacred_ to the persons to whom he is supposed to be the immediate author of good, and through him they must worship the invisible powers, though to others he is no more than another creature. And perhaps another animal is looked upon to be the immediate author of good to _another_, and consequently _he_ must worship the invisible powers in that animal. And I have known a Pagan burn fine tobacco for incense, in order to appease the anger of that invisible power which he supposed presided over _rattle-snakes_, because one of these animals was killed by another Indian near his house.
But I find, that in ancient times, before the coming of the white people, some supposed there was _four_ invisible powers, who presided over the four corners of the earth. Others imagined the _sun_ to be the _only_ deity, and that all things were made by him: others had a confused notion of a certain _body_ or fountain of _deity_, somewhat like the _anima mundi_, so frequently mentioned by the learned Heathens, diffusing itself to various animals, and even to inanimate things, making them the immediate authors of good to certain persons. But after the coming of the white people they seemed to suppose there were three deities, and three only, because they saw people of three different kinds of complexion, _viz._ English, Negroes and themselves.