Baskinridge

Wednesday, November 5. Set out about eight in the morning. Got to Baskinridge, the place where Mr. Cross exercises his stated ministry, about one o'clock. At the house where I waited in the way, a woman spoke to me, under strong convictions, and told me, "She was deeply wounded by my last night's discourse." When I came to Baskinridge, I found Mr. Davenport, according to appointment, had been preaching to the congregation. It consisted of about 3000 people. As I went along I told a friend, my soul wept for them, and I was persuaded within myself, that the Lord would in that day make his power to be known among them. In prayer, I perceived my soul drawn out, and a stirring of affection among the people. I had not discoursed long, but the Holy Ghost displayed his power. In every part of the congregation, somebody or other began to cry out, and almost all melted into tears. This abated for a few moments, till a little boy about seven or eight years of age cried out exceeding piteously indeed, and wept as though his little heart would break. Mr. Cross having compassion on him, took him up into the wagon, which so affected me that I broke from my discourse, and told the people, the little boy should preach to them, and that God, since old professors would not cry after Christ, had displayed his sovereignty, and out of an infant's mouth was perfecting praise. God so blessed this, that a universal concern fell on the congregation again. Fresh persons dropped down here and there, and the cry increased more and more. At length I concluded, and as I was going away, I asked the little boy, "What he cried for?" He answered, "his sins." And asked, "What he wanted?" He answered, "Christ." As I passed along, fresh instances of God's power presented themselves to my view. Many mourning after Jesus that would not be comforted. After sermon, Mr. Cross gave notice of an evening lecture in his barn, about two miles off. There we went, and a great multitude followed. Mr. Gilbert Tennent preached first, and that excellently well upon the necessity and benefit of spiritual desertions. I then began to pray, and felt the Spirit of God working in me mightily. A great commotion was soon observed among the hearers. I then gave a word of exhortation. The Lord's presence attended it in a surprising manner. One in about six minutes cried out, "He is come, he is come," and could scarce sustain the discovery that Jesus Christ made of himself to his soul. Others were so earnest for a discovery of the Lord to their souls, that their eager crying obliged me to stop, and I prayed over them as I saw their agonies and distress increase. At length we sung a hymn, and then retired to the house where the man that received Christ continued till near midnight, talking of and praising, his sweet Christ, his free grace Christ, etc. A gracious woman, who had been wrestling with God for a display of his power, was so overcome with a sense of his goodness, that she almost swooned away. And at length, my own soul was so full that I retired, and was in a strong agony for some time, and wept before the Lord, under a deep sense of my own vileness, and the sovereignty and greatness of God's everlasting love. Most of the people spent the remainder of the night in prayer and praises. Two or three young ministers spoke alternately, and others prayed as the Lord gave them utterance. Oh! It was a night much to be remembered! May the Lord make [illegible] of it even to the day of our death. Amen and Amen.