^ 
 
 3L, I B Pi- -A. Pt "ST 
 
 Ibcalogical f cmtuiiviu 
 
 PBINCETON. X. J. 
 The Stephen Collins Donation. 
 
 No. Case, ^'^• 
 
 No. Shelf, ^Q^x\ on. 
 No. Book, 
 
 ._-_.J 
 
 
«»^*IIK. 
 

 TREATISE 
 
 coxcEnxixe 
 
 RELIGIOUS AFFECTIONS 
 
 IN THREE PARTS. 
 
 I. NATURE OF THE APFECTIONS, AJfD THEIR IMPORTAXCE rx UELIRIOV. 
 
 II. SHOWING WHAT ARE NO CERTAIN SIGNS THAT RELIGIOUS AFFECTIONS ARE 
 GRACIOUS, OR THAT THET ARE NOT. 
 
 III. SHOWING WHAT ARE DISTINGUISHING SIGNS OF TRULY GRACIOUS AND HOLY 
 AFFECTIONS. 
 
 BY THE LATE REVEREND 
 
 JONATHAN EDWARDS, A. M. 
 
 rHESIDEXT OF PRINCETON COLLEGE. 
 
 TO WHICH IS PREFIXED, 
 
 A Sketch of the Life of the Author 
 
 PHILADELPHIA: 
 
 PUBLISHED BY JABIES CRISSY, NO. 177, CHESNUT STREET, 
 OPPOSITE THE STATE HOUSE. 
 
 G. GOODMAN, PRINTER. 
 
 1831. 
 
ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 After this work had gone to press, it was suggested to the pub- 
 lisher that some biographical information of its justly esteemed au- 
 thor, would be peculiarly acceptable to the reader and give a 
 higher interest to the work. A sketch of the Author's life, his 
 edifying diary, and a very particular account of his conversion, 
 have accordingly been added. 
 
 As the works of the late President Edwards may not have beea 
 so generally diffused as many other works of less instructive tenor, 
 the present publisher of his Treatise on Religious Affections deems 
 it necessary to insert the recommendation of the following reve- 
 rend gentlemen: 
 
 Recommendation. 
 
 Mr. James Crissy, printer, being about to republish, in a single 
 Volume, the " Treatise concerning Rtligious Jlffections,'''' by the late 
 President Edwards, and wishing an expression of the sentiments 
 of some of the Ministers, relative to the utility of the work, the 
 diiliculty lies in attempting to recommend a book, the praise of 
 which is in the churches. It admits of no rival on its subject. 
 which is uninspired. The language is heavy, but every part of 
 it indispensable. It is constantly put into the hands of those who 
 wish to know themselves, and whether they be really Christians. 
 To such we recommend it. 
 
 JAMES P. WILSON. 
 
 J. J. JANEWAY. 
 
 WILLIAM NEILL. 
 
 T. H. SKINNER. 
 
 EZRA STILES ELY. 
 
 J. BRODHEAD. 
 
A SKETCH 
 
 %mm ®w wwM§2wmm^ mmfAmm§9 
 
 WITI£ 
 
 ^ ■ EXTFJACTS FROM HIS DIARY, AND OTHER PRIVATE 
 
 WRITINGS ; 
 
 r^ 
 
 
 TOGETHER WITH HIS OWrf 
 
 '"ACCOUNT OF HIS CONVERSION. 
 
 Mr. Jonathan Edwards was born on the 5th of October, 
 1703, at Windsor, in the state of Connecticut, North America. 
 His father was minister of that place almost sixty years: he was 
 descended from Mr. Richard Edwards, minister of the gospel in 
 London, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, by whom it seems, his 
 wife was employed for some part of her royal attire. In short, by 
 his lineage it appears, that his ancestors came from the west of 
 England, and allied themselves, upon their emigration, to some of 
 the best families in the new country, whither they came. 
 
 Our author was entered at Yale College in 1716, and was made 
 Bachelor of Arts in 1720, before he was seventeen years of age. 
 His mental powers opened themselves so early and so strongly, 
 that he read Locke's Essay upon Human Understanding with de- 
 light, in his second year at this college, when other boys usually 
 amuse themselves with Robinson Crusoe, or books of romance and 
 amusement. He discovered thus early an uncommon depth, so- 
 lidity, and penetration of mind, which found nothing so pleasant 
 to itself, as the exercise of its own powers. 
 
 He lived at College nearly two years after taking his first de- 
 gree, preparing himself, principally, for the sacred function. After 
 passing the usual trials, he was licensed. 
 
 In August, 1722, he received a call to preach to the English 
 presbjierians at New- York, where he continued with approbation 
 above eight months. This society was then too small to maintain 
 a minister; and therefore, in the spring of the year 1723, he re- 
 turned to his father's house in Connecticut, where during the fol- 
 lowing summer, he followed his studies with the closest applica- 
 1 
 
^ 
 
 
 VI LIFE OF EDWARDS. 
 
 tion. It appears, however, that he had a deep sense of his chris- 
 tian and ministerial profession upon his mind, during his abode at 
 New- York; that the people he watched over became very dear to 
 him; and that he left them at last with great regret. 
 
 In the spring of the year 1724, having taken his master's de- 
 gree in the year before, he was chosen tutor of Yale College; and 
 he followed this duty above two years. It must be owned, that 
 this was an engagement of great consequence for a young man of 
 twenty -one, who, by his early introduction to the ministry and ^^ 
 other avocations, could not have found too many opportunities for 
 his own improvement: but the strength of his mind overcame 
 what are usually insufferable difficulties in the way of the gene- 
 rality. 
 
 In September, 1726, he resigned his tutorship, in consequence 
 of the invitation of the people at Northampton, in (^tawMs«<#eu<^ 
 for assistance to his mother's father, Mr. Stoddard, who Was the set- 
 tled minister of the town. He was ordained colleague on the 15th 
 of February, 1727, in the 24th year of his age, and continued in 
 the ministerial service there, till the 22d June, 1750; when he 
 was dismissed.! 
 
 Thus ended his service of near four-and-twenty years for a 
 people, who had been much upon his heart, and for whom he had 
 always expressed a very tender concern. " For their good he 
 was always writing, contriving, labouring; for them he had poured 
 out ten thousand fervent prayers; and in their welfare he had re- 
 joiced as one that findeth great spoil." Yet all their bad conduct 
 did not alter the frame of his mind. " His calmness and sedate- 
 ness, his meekness and humility under the most injurious treat- 
 ment, his resolution and conduct in the whole affair, were truly 
 wonderful, and can not be set in so beautiful and affecting a light 
 by any description, as they appeared in to his friends, who were 
 eye-witnesses." 
 
 Mr. Edwards, who was able to shine in the seats of learning, 
 and some time after was called to preside over one, was now de- 
 legated to the instruction of savage Indians at Stockbridge. This 
 place is in the western part of Massachusetts Bay, and about sixty 
 miles from Mr. Edwards's former residence at Northampton. He 
 was fixed here on the 8th of August, 1751; and here he con- 
 tinued his labours, in more peace and quietness than he had ever 
 known before^ for six years. In this interval, old as he was, he 
 made greater attainments in knowledge, and wrote more for the 
 
 fThe circumstances which led to the dismissal of Mr. Edwards, are detail- 
 ed in the Biogi^aphia Evangelica; and his conduct is there represented in a 
 truly blameless and amiable light. 
 
LIFE OP EDWARDS. VU 
 
 church of God, than he had ever been able to do, within the same 
 space of time, during the former part of his life. In this retire- 
 ment, he composed his deepest and most valuable works; so that 
 when, in his own judgment, as well as in that of others, his use- 
 fulness seemed to be cut off, he found greater opportunities of 
 more lasting service than ever. A pleasing calm, after so grievous 
 a storm, to his placid mind! 
 
 On the death of Mr. Aaron Burr, president of New-Jersey Col- 
 lege, which was on the 24th of September, 1757, the trustees of 
 that seminary did themselves the honour of choosing Mr. Edwards 
 to succeed him. As this was unsolicited and unexpected, it does 
 great credit to both sides. But our excellent author was so far 
 from desiring this preferment, that it was with difficulty he could 
 be prevailed on to accept it: modestly and unaffectedly alledging 
 his own insufficiency, ill health, and disuse to that kind ot life. 
 At length, upon the arguments and persuasions of his brethren in 
 the ministry, he did accept of this presidency, and went from 
 Stockbridge to Princeton, in January, 1758. But, alas! the end 
 of his labours on earth was approaching. He had only preached 
 two or three sermons, not having entered fully upon the duties of 
 his new office, before he was called to a higher place and to a 
 better service. The small-pox, which had always been unusually 
 fatal in America, had infected Princeton, which induced the phy- 
 sician of the place to advise him to be inoculated, with the con- 
 sent of the corporation. Accordingly he was inoculated, on the 
 1 3th of February, and his disorder at first seemed to be favour- 
 able; but a fever coming on, and the pustules lying much in his 
 throat, no proper medicines could be administered, and therefore 
 the violence of it raged, till it put an end to his mortal life, on the 
 32d of March, 1758, in the fifty-fifth year of his age. 
 
 When he was sensible that death was approaching, he called 
 his daughter (who was the only part of his family which had yet 
 removed with him,) and addressed her in the following words: 
 " Dear Lucy, it seems to me to be the will of God, that I must 
 shortly leave you: therefore, give my kindest love to my dear 
 wife, and tell her, that the uncommon union which has so long 
 subsisted between us, has been of such a nature, as I trust is 
 spiritual, and therefore will continue for ever. I hope she will 
 be supported under so great a trial, and submit cheerfully to the 
 will of God. And as to my children, you are now like to be left 
 fatherless, which I hope will be an inducement to you to seek a 
 Father, who will never fail you." He desired that his funeral might 
 be attended with no parade (as is usual in America,) but rather 
 something be given to the poor. He could say but little in his 
 
Vill LIFE OF EDWARDS. 
 
 sickness, owing to the nature and seat of his disorder; but just at 
 the last, when surrounded by friends lamenting their own loss and 
 that of the church and college, he said, to their great surprise, 
 as they did not imagine he heard them, or could speak himself; 
 " Trust in God, and ye need not fear. ^'' And then almost literally, 
 fell asleep in Jesus. 
 
 A marble tomb-stone, with a latin inscription, has been erected 
 by the trustees of the college over his grave, in the burial ground 
 at Princeton. 
 
 Though he was of a tender and delicate constitution, yei few 
 students are capable of a close application more hours in a day 
 tlnm he. He commonly spent thirteen hours every day in his 
 study. His most usual diversion in the summer was riding on 
 horseback and walking. He vyould commonly, unless diverted 
 br company, ride two or three miles after dinner to some lonely 
 grove, ^vhere he ivould dismount and walk awhile. At which 
 times he generally carried his pen and ink with him, to note any 
 thought that should be suggested, Avhich he chose to retain and 
 pursue, as what promised some light on any important subject. 
 In tlie Avinter he AAas wont almost daily to take an axe and chop 
 wood moderately for the space of half an hour or more. He had 
 an uncommon thirst for knowledge, in the pursuit of which he 
 spared not cost or pains. He read all tlie books, especially books 
 of divinity, that he could come at, from which he could hope to 
 get any help in his pursuit of knowledge. And, in this, he con- 
 fined not himself to authors of any particular sect or denomination; 
 but took much pains to come at the books of the most noted Avri- 
 ters, who advance a scheme of divinity most contrary to his own 
 principles. But he studied the Bible more than all other books, 
 and more than most other divines do. His uncommon acquaint- 
 ance Avith the Bible appears in his sermons, and in most of his 
 publications: and his great pains in studying it are manifest in 
 liis manuscript notes upon it. He Avas thought by some, Avho had 
 but a slight acquaintaince Avith him, to be stiff and unsociable; 
 but this Avas owing to want of better acquaintance. He Avas not 
 a man of many Avords indeed, and Avas somcAvhat reserved among 
 strangers, and those on Avhose candour and friendship he did not 
 knoAv he could rely. But how groundless the imputation of stiff 
 and unsociable Avas, his knoAvn and tried friends best kncAV. 
 They ahvays found him easy of access, kind and condescending; 
 and though not talkative, yet affable and free. Among such whose 
 candour and friendship he had experienced, he thrcAV off the re- 
 serve, and Avas most open and free; quite patient of contradiction, 
 while the utmost opposition Avas made to his sentiments, that 
 
LIFE OF EDWARDS. IX 
 
 coultl be by any plausible arguments or objections. His conver- 
 sation with his friends was always savoury and profitable: in this 
 he was remarkable, and almost singular. He was not used to 
 spend his time with them in scandal, evil speaking, and back- 
 biting, or in foolish jesting, idle chat, and telling stories: but his 
 mouth was that of the just, which bringeth forth wisdom, and his 
 lips dispersed knowledge. His tongue was as the pen of a ready 
 writer, while he conversed about important, heavenly, divine things, 
 which his heart was so full of, in such a natural and free manner, 
 as to be most entertaining and instructive: so that none of his 
 friends could enjoy his company without instruction and profit, 
 unless it was by their own fault. He kept himself quite free 
 from worldly cares. He gave himself wholly to the work of the 
 ministry, and entangled not himself with the affairs of this life. 
 He left the particular oversight and direction of the temporal con- 
 cern of his family, almost entirely to Mrs. Ed^vards; %vho Avas 
 better able than most of her sex to take the w^hole care of them 
 on her hands. He was less acquainted with most of his tempo- 
 ral affairs than many of his neighbours; and seldom knew when 
 and by whom his forage for winter was gathered in, or how many 
 milk kine he had, whence his table was furnished, &c. 
 
 EXTRACTS FROM HIS PRIVATE WRITINGS, &C. 
 
 His Resolutions. 
 
 Being sensible that I am unable to do any thing without God's 
 help, I do humbly intreat him by his grace to enable me to keep 
 these resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to his will, for 
 Christ's sake. 
 
 Remember to read over these ItesohUions once a-iveek. 
 
 1 . Resolved, That I will do whatsoever I think to be most to 
 God's glory, and my own good, profit, and pleasure, in the whole 
 of my duration, without any consideration of the time, ivhether 
 now, or never so many myriads of ages hence. Resolved to do 
 whatever I think to be my duty, and most for the good and ad- 
 vantage of mankind in general. Resolved to do this, whatever 
 difficulties I meet with, how many and how great soever. 
 
 2. Resolved, To be continually endeavouring to find out some 
 new invention and contrivance to promote the fore-mentioned 
 things. 
 
 4. Resolved, Never to do any manner of thing, whether in soul 
 
/ 
 
 S LIFE OP EDWARDS. 
 
 or body, less or more, but what tends to the glory of God; nor be, 
 nor suffer it, if I can avoid it. 
 
 5. Resolved, Never to lose one moment of time; but improve 
 it the most profitable way I possibly can. 
 
 G, Resolved, To live with all my might, while I do live. 
 
 7. Resolved, Never to do any thing, which I should be afraid 
 to do, if it were the last hour of my life. 
 
 9. Resolved, To think much on all occasions of my own dying, 
 and of the common circumstances which attend death. 
 
 11. Resolved, When I think of any theorem in divinity to be 
 solved, immediately to do what I can towards solving it, if cir- 
 cumstances do not hinder. 
 
 13. Resolved to be endeavouring to find out fit objects of charity 
 and liberality, 
 
 1 4. Resolved, Never to do any thing out of revenge. 
 
 15. Resolved, Never to suflTer the least motions of anger to ir- 
 rational beings. 
 
 17. Resolved, That I will live so as I shall wish I had done 
 when I come to die. 
 
 18. Resolved, To live so at all times, as I think is best in my 
 devout frames, and when I have clearest notions of things of the 
 gospel, and another world. 
 
 20. Resolved, To maintain the strictest temperance in eating 
 and drinking. 
 
 21. Resolved, Never to do any thing, which if I should see in 
 another, I should count a just occasion to despise him for, or to 
 think any way the more meanly of him, 
 
 24. Resolved, Whenever I do any conspicuously evil action, 
 to trace it back, till I come to the original cause; and then both 
 carefully endeavour to do so no more, and to fight and pray with 
 all my might against the original of it. 
 
 28. Resolved, To study the scriptures so steadily, constantly, 
 and frequently, as that I may find, and plainly perceive myself to 
 grow in the knowledge of the same. 
 
 30, Resolved, To strive to my utmost every week to be brought 
 higher in religion, and to a higher exercise of grace, than I was 
 the week before. 
 
 32. Resolved, To be strictly and firmly faithful to my trust, 
 that that in Prov. xx. 6, a faithful man who can find? may not be 
 partly fulfilled in me. 
 
 33. Resolved, Always to do what I can towards making, main- 
 taining and establishing peace, when it can be without over-ba- 
 lancing detriment in other respects. 
 
 34. Resolved, In narrations never to speak any thing but the 
 'pure aflrt.1 simple verity. 
 
UPE OP EDWARDS. Xl 
 
 36. Resolved, Never to speak evil of any, except I have some 
 particular good call for it. 
 
 37. Resolved, To inquire every night, as t am going to bed, 
 wherein I have been negligent, what sin I have committed, and 
 wherein I have denied mjself; also at the end of every week, 
 month, and year. 
 
 38. Resolved, Never to speak any thing that is ridiculous, or 
 matter of laughter on the Lord's day. 
 
 39. Resolved, Never to do any thing that I so much question 
 the lawfulness of, as that I intend, at the same time, to consider 
 and examine afterwards, whether it be lawful or not: except I as 
 much question the lawfulness of the omission. 
 
 41. Resolved, To ask myself at the end of every day, week, 
 jnonth, and year, wherein I could possibly in any respect have 
 done better. 
 
 42. Resolved, Frequently to renew the dedication of myself to 
 God, which was made at my baptism; which I solemnly renewed 
 when I was received into the communion of the church; and which 
 I have solemnly re-made this 12th day of January 1722-3. 
 
 43. Resolved, Never hence-forward, till I die, to act as if I were 
 any way my own, but entirely and altogether God's: agreeable to 
 what is to be found in Saturday January 12. 
 
 46. Resolved, Never to allow the least measure of any fretting 
 uneasiness at my father or mother. Resolved to suffer no effects 
 of it, so much as in the least alteration of speech, or motion of my 
 eye: and to be especially careful of it, with respect to any of our 
 family. 
 
 47. Resolved, To endeavour to my utmost to deny whatever is 
 not most agreeable to a good, and universally, sweet and benevo- 
 lent, quiet, peaceable, contented, easy, compassionate, generous, 
 humble, meek, modest, submissive, obliging, diligent and indus- 
 trious, charitable, even, patient, moderate, forgwing, sincere tem- 
 per; and to do at all times what such a temper would lead me to: 
 examine strictly every week, whether I have done so. 
 
 48. Resolved, Constantly, with the utmost niceness and dili- 
 gence, and the strictest scrutiny, to be looking into the state of my 
 soul, that I may know whether I have truly an interest in Christ 
 or not; that when I come to die, I may not have any negligence 
 respecting this to repent of. 
 
 50. Resolved, I will act so as I think I shall judge would have 
 been best, and most prudent, when I come into the future world. 
 
 52. I frequently hear persons in old age say how they would 
 live, if they were to live their lives over again: Resolved, that 1 
 will live just so as I can think T shall wish I had done, supposing 
 I live to old age. 
 
 ( 
 
XU LIFE OP EDWARDS. 
 
 54. Whenever I hear any thing spoken in conversation of anV 
 person, if I think it would be praiseworthy in me, Resolved to 
 endeavour to imitate it. 
 
 55. Resolved, To endeavour to my utmost to act as I can think 
 I should do, if I had already seen the happiness of heaven, and 
 hell torments. 
 
 56. Resolved, Never to give over, nor in the least to slacken 
 my fight with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be. 
 
 57. Resolved, When I fear misiortunes and adversities, to ex- 
 amine whether I have done my duty, and resolve to do it; and 
 let it be just as Providence orders it, I will as far as I can, be 
 concerned about nothing but my duty, and my sin. 
 
 62. Resolved, Never to do any thing but duty; and then ac- 
 cording to Eph. vi. 6, 7, 8, do it willingly and cheerfully as unto 
 the Lord, and not to man; knowing that whatever good thing any 
 man doth, the same shall he receive of the Lord. 
 
 65. Resolved, Very much to exercise myself in this all my life 
 long, viz. with the greatest openness I am capable of, to declare 
 my ways to God, and lay open my soul to him: all my sins, temp- 
 tations, difficulties, sorrows, fears, hopes, desires, and every thing, 
 and every circumstance, according to Dr. Mantoa's 27th sermon 
 on the liOth Psalm. 
 
 67. Resolved, After afflictions, to inquire, what I am the bet- 
 ter for them, what good I have got by them, and what I might 
 have got by them.f 
 
 EXTRACTS FROM HIS PRIVATE DIARV. 
 
 Saturday, Dec. 22, 1722. This day revived by God's Spirit. 
 Affected with the sense of the excellency of holiness. Felt more 
 exercise of love to Christ than usual. Have also felt sensible re- 
 pentance of sin, because it was committed against so merciful and 
 good a God. This night made the 37th Resolution. 
 
 Sabbath-day night, Dec. 23. Made the 38th Resolution. 
 
 Monday, Dec, 24. Higher thoughts than usual of the excellen- 
 cy of Jesus Christ and his kingdom. 
 
 Wednesday, Jan. 2, 1722-3. Dull. I find by experience, that 
 let me make resolutions, and do what I will, with never so many 
 inventions, it is all nothing, and to no purpose at all, without the 
 
 f The Resolutions are seventy in number. But part of tbem are here 
 transcribed, as a specimen of the whole. The number here affixed tc them 
 is that by which they are numbered in the original manuscript; and rr ain- 
 ed here for the sake of the references mads to some of them in the Diary, 
 as the reader will presently see* 
 
LIFE OF EDWARDS. Xlil 
 
 motions of the Spirit of God: for if the Spirit of God should be 
 as mucli with(h-an'n from me always, as for the week past, not- 
 withstanding all I do, I should not grow; but should languish, and 
 miserably fade away. — There is no dependence upon myself. It 
 is to no purpose to resolve, except we depend on the grace of God; 
 for if it were not for his mere grace, one might be a very good 
 man one day, and a very wicked one the next. 
 
 Sabbath-day^ Jan. 6, at night. Much concerned about the im- 
 provement of precious time. Intend to live in continual mortifi- 
 cation, without ceasing, as long as in this world. 
 
 Tuesday^ Jan. 8. in the mortiing. Higher thoughts than usual, 
 of the excellency of Christ, and felt an unusual repentance of sin 
 therefrom. 
 
 JVedncsday^ Jan. 9. at night. Decayed. I am sometimes apt 
 to think, I have a great deal more of holiness than I have. I find 
 now and then, that abominable corruption which is directly con- 
 trary to what I read of eminent Christians. — How deceitful is my 
 heart! I take up a strong resolution, but how soon does it weaken! 
 
 Thursday., Jan. 10. about noon. Reviving. 'Tis a great dis- 
 honour to Christ, in whom I hope I have an interest, to be uneasy 
 at my worldly state and condition. When I see the prosperity of 
 others, and that all things go easy with them; the world is smooth 
 to them, and they are happy in many respects, and very prosper- 
 ous, or are advanced to much honour, &c. to grudge and envy 
 them, or be the least uneasy at it; to wish or long for the same 
 prosperity, and that it would ever be so with me. Wherefore 
 concluded always to rejoice in every one's prosperity, and to ex- 
 pect for myself no happiness of that nature as long as I live; but 
 depend upon afflictions, and betake myself entirely to another 
 happiness. 
 
 I think I find myself much more sprightly and healthy, both in 
 body and mind, for my self-denial in eating, drinking and sleep- 
 ing. 
 
 I think it would be advantageous every morning to consider my, 
 business and temptations: and what sins I shall be exposed to that 
 day: and to make a resolution how to improve the day, and to 
 avoid those sins. And so at the beginning of every week, month, 
 and year. 
 
 I never k'^ v before what was meant by not setting our hearts 
 upon '' '"gs. 'Tis not to care about them, to depend upon 
 
 theh u afflict ourselves much with fears of losing them, nor please 
 ourselves with expectation of obtaining them, or hope of the con- 
 tinuance of them. At night made the 41st Resolution. 
 
 Saturday., Jan. 13. in the morning. I have this day sohnnnly 
 roRpwed my baptisnjal covenant and self-dedication, which I re- 
 
XIV LIFE OF EDWARDS. 
 
 nevved when I was received into the communion of the church. I 
 have been before God; and have given myself, all that I am and 
 have to God, so that I am not in any respect my own: I can chal- 
 lenge no right in myself, I can challenge no right in this under- 
 standing, this will, these affections that are in me; neither have I 
 any right to this body, or any of its members: no right to this 
 tongue, these hands, nor feet: no right to these senses, these eyes, 
 these ears, this smell or taste. I have given myself clear away, 
 and have not retained any thing as my own. I have been to God 
 this morning, and told him that I gave myself wholly to him. I 
 have given every power to him; so that for the future I will chal- 
 lenge no right in myself, in any respect. I have expressly prom- 
 ised him, and do now promise Almighty God, that by his grace I 
 will not. I have this morning told him, that I did take him for 
 my whole portion and felicity, looking on nothing else as any part 
 of my happiness, nor acting as if it were; and his law for the con- 
 stant rule of my obedience: and would tight with all my might 
 against the world, the flesh, and the devil, to the end of my life. 
 And did believe in Jesus Christ, and receive him as a prince and 
 a saviour; and would adhere to the faith and obedience of the 
 gospel, how hazardous and difficult soever the profession and prac- 
 tice of it may be. That I did receive the blessed Spirit as my 
 teacher, sanctitier, and only comforter; and cherish all his motions 
 to enlighten, purify, confirm, comfort, and assist me. This I have 
 done. And I pray God, for the sake of Christ, to look upon it as 
 a self-dedication; and to receive me now as entirely his own, and 
 deal with me in all respects as such; whether he afilicts me or 
 prospei-s me, or whatever he pleases to do with me, who am his. 
 Now, henceforth I am not to act in any respect as my own. — I 
 shall act as my own, if I ever make use of any of my powers to 
 any thing that is not to the glory of God, and do not make the 
 glorifying him my whole and entire business; if I murmur in the 
 least at afflictions; if I grieve at the prosperity of others; if I am 
 any way uncharitable; if I am angry because of injuries; if I re- 
 venge; if I do any thing, purely to please myself, or if I avoid any 
 thing for the sake of my ease, if I omit any thing because it is 
 great self-denial; if I trust to myself; if I take any of the praise of 
 any good that I do, or rather God does by me; or if I am any 
 way proud. 
 
 This day made the 42d and 43d Resolutions. 
 
 JMonday^ Jan. 14. The dedication I made of myself to my 
 God, on Saturday last, has been exceeding useful to me. I thought 
 1 had a more spiritual insight into the scripture, reading the 8th 
 chapter to the Romans, than ever in my life before. 
 
 Great instances of mortification are deep wounds given to the 
 
LIFE OF EDWARDS. XV 
 
 bodv of sin, hard blows that make him stagger and reel: we there- 
 by get great ground and footing against him, — While we live with- 
 out great instances of mortitication and self-denial, the old man 
 keeps whereabouts he was; for he is sturdy and obstinate, and will 
 not stir for small blows. After the greatest mortifications, I always 
 find the greatest comfort. 
 
 Supposing there was never but one complete Christian, in all 
 respects, of a right stamp, having Christianity shining in its true 
 lustre, at a time in the world; resolved to act just as I would do 
 if I strove with all my might to be that one, that should be in my 
 time. 
 
 Tuesday^ Jan. 15. It seemed yesterday, the day before, and 
 Saturday, that I should always retain the same resolutions to the 
 same height; but alas! how soon do I decay! 0, how weak, how 
 infirm, how unable to do any thing am I! What a poor, inconsist- 
 ent, what a miserable wretch, without the assistance of God's 
 Spirit! While I stand, I am ready to think I stand in my own 
 strength, and upon my own legs; and I am ready to triumph over 
 my enemies, as if it were I myself that caused them to flee; when 
 alas! I am but a poor infant, upheld by Jesus Christ; who holds 
 me up, and gives me liberty to smile to see my enemies flee, when 
 lie drives them before me; and so I laugh, as though I myself did 
 it, when it is only Jesus Christ that leads me along, and fights 
 himself against my enemies. And now the Lord has a little left 
 me, and how weak do I find myself! 0! let it teach me to depend 
 less on myself, to be more humble, and to give more of the praise 
 of my ability to Jesus Christ. The heart of man is deceitful above 
 all things, and desperately wicked, who can know it? 
 
 Saturday, Feb. 16. 1 do certainly know that I love holiness, 
 such as the gospel requires. 
 
 At night. I have been negligent for the month past in these 
 three things; I have not been watchful enough over my appetite 
 in eating and drinking; in rising too late a-mornings; and in not 
 applying myself with application enough to the duty of secret 
 prayer. 
 
 Sabbath-day, Feb, 17. near sun-set. Renewedly promised, that 
 I will accept of God, for my whole portion; and that I will be 
 contented, whatever else I am denied. I will not murmur, nor 
 be grieved, whatever prosperity, upon any account, I see others 
 enjoy, and I am denied. 
 
 Saturday, March 2. O, how much pleasanter is humility than 
 pride! 0, that God would fill me with exceeding great humility, 
 and that he would evermore keep me from all pride! The plea- 
 sures of humility are really the most refined, inward, and exquisite 
 
XVI LIFE OF EDWARDS. 
 
 delights in the world. How hateful Is a proud man! How hate- 
 ful is a worm that lifts up itself with pride! What a foolish, silly, 
 miserable, blind, deceived, poor worm am I, when pride works! 
 
 Wednesday, March 6. near sun-set. Felt the doctrines of elec- 
 tion, free grace, and of our not being able to do any thing without 
 the grace of God; and that holiness is entirely, throughout, the 
 work of God's S])irit, with more pleasure than before. 
 
 JVIonday morning, iHpr'd 1. I think it best not to allow myself 
 to laugh at the faults, follies, and infirmities of others. 
 
 Saturday night, Jlpril 6. This week I found myself so far gone, 
 that it seemed to me, that I should never recover more. Let God 
 of his mercy return unto me, and no more leave me thus to sink 
 and decay! I know, O Lord, that without thy help, I shall fall 
 innumerable times, notwithstanding all my resolutions, how often 
 soever repeated. 
 
 Saturday night, April 13. I could pray more heartily this night, 
 for the forgiveness of my enemies, than ever before. 
 
 Wednesday, May 1. forenoon. Last night I came home, after 
 my melancholy parting from New York, 
 
 I have always, in every different state of life I have, hitherto 
 been in, thought the troubles and difficulties of that state to be 
 greater than those of any other that I proposed to be in; and when 
 I have altered with assurance of mending myself, I have still 
 thought the same; yea, that the difficulties of that state are greater 
 than those of that I left last. Lord, grant that from hence I may 
 learn to withdraw my thoughts, aflections, desires, and expecta- 
 tions, entirely from the world, and may fix them upon the heavenly 
 state; where there is fulness of joy; where reigns heavenly, sweet, 
 calm, and delightful love without alloy; where there are continually 
 the dearest expressions of this love; where there is the enjoyment 
 of the persons loved, without ever parting; where those persons, 
 who appear so lovely in this world, will really be inexpressibly 
 more lovely, and full of love to us. How s\veetly will the mutual 
 lovers join together to sing the praises of God and the Lamb! 
 How full will it fill us with joy to think, this enjoyment, these 
 sweet exercises, will never cease or come to an end, but will last 
 to all eternity. 
 
 Remember, after journeys, remo\ cs, overlurnings, and altera- 
 tions in the state of my life, to refiect and consider, whether therein 
 I have managed the best way possible, respecting my soul? and 
 before such alterations, if foreseen, to resolve how to act. 
 
 Thursday, May 2. I think it a very good way to examine 
 dreams e\ery morning Avhen I awake, what are the nature, cir- 
 cumstances, principles, and ends of my imaginaiy actions and 
 passions in them, to discern what are niv chief inclinations, &c. 
 
LIFE OF EDWARDS. XVll 
 
 Saturday nighty May 4. Although I have in some measure 
 subdued a disposition to chide and fret, yet I find a certain incli- 
 nation, which is not agreeable to christian sweetness of temper 
 and conversation: cither by too much dogmaticalness, too much 
 of the egotism; a disposition to be telling of my own dislike and 
 scorn, and freedom from those that are innocent, yea common in- 
 firmities of men, and many other such like things. O that God 
 Avould help me to discern all the flaws and defects of my temper 
 and conversation, and help me in the difficult work of amending 
 them; and that he would lill me so full of Christianity, that the 
 foundation of all these disagreeable irregularities may be destroy- 
 ed, and the contrary sweetnesses and beauties may of themselves 
 naturally follow. 
 
 Sabbath-day^ May 5, in the morning. This day made the 47th 
 Resolution. 
 
 Sabbath-day, May 12. I think I find in ray heart to be glad 
 for the hopes I have, that my eternity is to be spent in spiritual 
 and holy joys, arising from the manifestation of God's love, and 
 the exercise of holiness and a burning love to him. 
 
 Saturday night, May 18. I now plainly perceive what great 
 obligations I am under to love and honour my parents. I have 
 great reason to believe that their counsel and education have been 
 my making; notwithstanding, in the time of it, it seemed to do 
 me so little good. I have good reason to hope that their prayers 
 for me have been in many things very powerful and prevalent; 
 that God has in many things taken me under his care and guid- 
 ance, provision and direction, in answer to their prayers for me. 
 I was never made so sensible of it as now. 
 
 Wednesday, May 22, in the morning. Memorandum. To take 
 special care of these following things: evil speaking, fretting, eat- 
 ing, drinking and sleeping, speaking simple verity, joining in 
 prayer, slightiness in secret prayer, listlessness and negligence, 
 and thoughts that cherish sin. 
 
 Saturday, May 25, in the morning. As I was this morning 
 reading the 17th Resolution, it was suggested to me, that if I was 
 now to die, I should wish that I had prayed more that God would 
 make me knoAV my state, whether it be good or bad; and that I 
 had taken more pains to see, and narrowly search into this mat- 
 ter. Wherefore, mem. for the future most nicely and diligently 
 to look into our old divines' opinions concerning conversion. Made 
 the 48th Resolution. 
 
 Friday, .Time 1. Afternoon, I have abundant cause, my 
 merciful Father, to love thee ardently, and greatly to bless and 
 praise thee, that thou hast heard me in my earnest request, and 
 
XVUI LIFE OF EDWARDS. 
 
 hast SO answered my prayer for mercy to keep from decay and 
 sinking. O, graciously, of thy mere goodness, still continue to 
 pity my misery, by reason of my sinfulness. 0, my Redeemer, I 
 commit myself, together with my prayer and thanksgiving into 
 thine hand. 
 
 nMonday^July 1. Again confirmed by experience of the hap- 
 py effects of strict temperance, with respect both to body and 
 mind. Resolved for the future to observe rather more of meek- 
 ness, moderation and temper in disputes. 
 
 Thursday, Jidy 18, near sun-set. Resolved to endeavour to 
 make sure of that sign the apostle James gives of a perfect man, 
 Jam. iii. 2, If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect 
 man, and able also to bridle the whole body. 
 
 Monday, July 22. I see there is danger of my being drawn 
 into transgression, by the power of such temptations as fear of 
 seeming uncivil, and of offending friends. Watch against it. 
 
 Tuesday, July 23. When I find those groanings which can 
 not be uttered, the apostle speaks of; and those soul-breakings for 
 the longing it hath, the psalmist speaks of, Psal. cxix. 20, to hu- 
 mour and promote them to the utmost in my power, and be not 
 weary of earnestly endeavouring to vent my desires. 
 
 To count it all joy when I have occasion of great self-denial, 
 because then I have a glorious opportunity of giving deadly wounds 
 to the body of sin, and greatly confirming and establishing the 
 new nature: to seek to mortify sin, and increase in holiness: these 
 are the best opportunities, according to January 14. 
 
 To improve afflictions of all kinds as blessed opportunities of 
 forcibly bearing on in my christian course, notwithstanding that 
 which is so very apt to discourage me, and to damp the vigour of 
 my mind, and to make me lifeless; also as opportunities of trust- 
 ing and confiding in God, and getting a habit of that, according to 
 the 57th resolution. As an opportunity of rending my heart 
 off from the world, and setting it upon heaven alone. To improve 
 them as opportunities to repent of, and bewail my sin, and abhor 
 myself; and as a blessed opportunity to exercise patience; to trust 
 in God, and divert my mind from the affliction, by fixing myself 
 in religious exercises. Also, let me comfort myself, that it is the 
 very nature of afflictions to make the heart better; and if I am 
 made better by them, what need I be concerned, however griev- 
 ious they seem for the present? 
 
 Friday afternoon, July 26. To be particularly careful to keep 
 up inviolable, a trust and reliance, ease and entire rest in God, 
 in all conditions, according to 57th Resolution; for this I have 
 found to be wonderfully advantageous to me. 
 
LIFE OF EDWARDS. XIX 
 
 Mondmj^ July 29. When I am concerned how I shall perform 
 any thing to public acceptance, to be very careful that I have it 
 very clear to me, that I do what is duty and prudence in the 
 matter, 
 
 Wednesday^ July 31. Never in the least to seek to hear sar- 
 castical relations of others' faults. Never to give credit to any 
 thing said against others, except there is very plain reason for it; 
 nor to behave in any respect the otherwise for it. 
 
 Wednesday^ Aug. 7. To esteem as some advantage, that the 
 duties of religion are difficult, and that many difficulties are 
 sometimes to be gone through in the way of duty. Religion is 
 the sweeter; and what is gained by labour is abundantly more 
 precious; as a woman loves her child the better for having 
 brought it forth with travail. And even to Christ Jesus himself 
 bis mediatorial glory, his victory and triumph, his kingdom which 
 he hath obtained; how much more glorious is it, how much more 
 excellent and precious, for his having wrought it out by such ago- 
 nies! 
 
 Friday^ Aug. 9. One thing may be a good help towards think- 
 ing profitably in time of vacation is, when I light on a profitable 
 thought that I can fix my mind on, to follow it as far as possiblj 
 I can to advantage. 
 
 Sabbath-day., after meeting, Aug. 11. Resolved always to do 
 that which I shall wish I had done when I see others do it. As 
 for instance, sometimes I argue with myself, that such an act of 
 good nature, kindness, forbearance, or forgiveness, &,c. is not my 
 duty, because it will have such and such consequences; yet when 
 I see others do it, then it appears amiable to me, and I wish I had 
 done it; and I see that none of those feared inconveniencies fol- 
 low, 
 
 Tuesday, Aug, 13. ! find it would be very much to advantage 
 to be thoroughly acquainted with the scriptures. When I am 
 reading doctrinal books, or books of controversy, I can proceed 
 with abundantly more confidence; can see upon what footing and 
 foundation I stand. 
 
 Thursday, Aug. 29. The objection my corruptions make 
 against doing whatever my hand finds to do with my might is that 
 it is a constant mortification. Let this objection by no means 
 ever prevail. 
 
 Monday, Sept. 2. There is much folly, when I am quite sure 
 I am in the right, and others are positive in contradicting me, to 
 enter into a vehement or long debate upon it. 
 
 Monday, Sept. 23. I observe that old men seldom have any 
 advantage of new discoveries; because thev are beside a way of 
 
1/ 
 
 XX Lll'L OF EDV/ARDfj. 
 
 thinking, they have been so long used to. Resolved, if ever 
 live to 3'ears, that I will be impartial to hear the reasons of all 
 pretended discoveries, and receive them, if rational, how long 
 soever I have been used to another way of thinking. 
 
 Thursday, Oct. 18. To follow the exan)ple of Mr, B , 
 
 who, though he meets with great difficulties, yet undertakes them 
 with a smiling countenance, as though he thought them but little; 
 and speaks of them as if they were very small. 
 
 Thursday, JVov. 26. It is a most evil and pernicious practice 
 in meditations or afflictions, to sit ruminating on the aggravations 
 of the affliction, and reckoning up the evil, dark circumstances 
 thereof, and dwelling long on the dark side; it doubles and trebles 
 the affliction. And so when speaking of them together, to make 
 them as bad as we can, and use our eloquence to set forth our o^vn 
 troubles, and are all the while making new trouble, and feeding 
 and pampering the old; whereas the contrary practice would starve 
 our afflictions. If we dwelt on the light side of things in our 
 thoughts, and extenuated them all that possibly we could, when 
 speaking of them, we should think little of them ourselves; and 
 the affliction would really, in a great measure, vanish away. 
 
 Thursday night, Dec. 12. If at any time I am forced to tell 
 others of that wdierein I think they are something to blame: for 
 the avoiding the important evil that would otherwise ensue, not 
 to tell it to them, so that there shall be a probability of their taking 
 it as the effect of little fretting, angry emotions of mind. 
 
 Dec. 31. at night. Concluded never to suffer nor express any 
 angry emotions of mind more or less except the honour of God 
 calls for it, in zeal for him, or to preserve myself from being tram- 
 pled on. 
 
 Wednesday, Jan. 1, 1523-4. Not to spend too much time in 
 thinking even of important and necessary worldly business. To 
 allow every thing its proportion of thought, according to its urgency 
 and importance. / 
 
 Friday, Jan. 10. [After having wrote considerable in a short- 
 hand, which he used when he would have what he wrote effectu- 
 ally concealed from every body but himself, he notes the follow- 
 ing words in round hand], remember to act according to Prov. 
 xii. 23, " A prudent man concealetb knowledge." 
 
 Monday, Feb. 3. Let every thing have the value now, that 
 it will have on a sick-bed: and frequently in my pursuits of what- 
 ever kind, let this come into my mind; " how much shall I value 
 this on my death-bed?" 
 
 Wednesday, Feb. 5. Have not in time past, in my prayers, 
 enough insisted upon the glorifying God in the world, and the ad- 
 
LIFE OF EDWARDS. XXl 
 
 vancement of the kingdom of Christ, the prosperity of the church, 
 and the good of men. Determined that this objection is without 
 weight, viz. that it is not hkely that God will make great altera- 
 tions in the whole world, and overturnings in kingdoms and na- 
 tions, only for the prayers of one obscure person, seeing such things 
 used to be done in answer to the united, earnest prayers of the 
 whole church: and if my prayers should have some intluence, it 
 would be but imperceptible and small. 
 
 Thursday^ Feb. 6. More convinced than ever of the useful- 
 ness of a free religious conversation. I fnul by conversing on 
 natural philosophy, I gain knowledge abundance faster, and see the 
 reasons of things much clearer than in private study. Wherefore 
 earnestly to seek at all times for religious conversation; ibr those 
 that I can Avith profit and delight, and freedom so converse with. 
 
 Sabbath-day, Feb. 23. If I act according to my resolution, I 
 shall desire riches no otherwise than as they are helpful to reli- 
 gion. But this I determine, as what is really evident from many 
 parts of scripture, that to fallen man they have a greater tendency 
 to hurt religion. 
 
 Saturday, May 23. How it comes about I know not; but I 
 have remarked it hitherto, that at those times when I have read 
 the scripture most, I have evermore been most lively, and in the 
 best frame. 
 
 Saturday night, June 6. This week has been a remarkable 
 week with me with respect to despondencies, fears, perplexities, 
 multitudes of cares, and distraction of mind; being the week I 
 came hither to New Haven, in order to entrance upon the office 
 of tutor of the college. I have now abundant reason to be con- 
 vinced of the troublesomeness and vexation of the world, and that 
 it never will be another kind of world. 
 
 Tuesday, July 7. When I am giving the relation of a thing, 
 to abstain from altering either in the matter or manner of speak- 
 ing, so much, as that if every one afterward should alter as much, 
 it would at last come to be properly false. 
 
 Tuesday, Sept. 2. By a sparingness in diet, and eating, as 
 much as may be, what is light and easy of digestion, I shall doubt- 
 less be able to think clearer, and shall gain time. 1. By length- 
 ening out my life. 2. Shall need less time for digestion after 
 meals. 3. Shall be able to study closer without wrong to my 
 health. 4. Shall need less time to sleep. 5. Shall seldom be 
 troubled with the head-ache. 
 
 Sabbath-day, JVbr. 22. Considering that by-standers always 
 espy some faults which we do not see ourselves, or at least are not 
 so fullv sensible of: there are manv secret workings of corruption 
 '3 
 
XXll LIFE OF EDWARDS. 
 
 which escape our sight, and others only are sensible of: resolved 
 therefore, that I will, if I can by any convenient means, learn 
 what faults others find in me, or what things they see in me, that 
 appear any way blame-worthy, unlovely, or unbecoming. 
 
 The foregoing extracts were wrote by Mr. Edwards in the 
 twentieth and twenty-first years of his age, as appears by the dates. 
 This being kept in mind, the judicious reader will make proper 
 allowance for some things, which may appear a little juvenile, or 
 like a young Christian, as to matter or manner of expression; 
 which would not have been found, had it not tl9# been done in 
 early life. Which, indeed are no blemishes, the whole being 
 taken together: as by this it appears more natural, and the strength 
 of his resolution and fervour of mind; and his skill and discerning 
 in divine things, so seldom found even in old age, are the more 
 striking. And in this view, we shall be led to admire his consci- 
 entious strictness, his zeal and painfulness, his experience and 
 judgment in true religion, at so early an age. For here are not 
 only the most convincing evidences of sincerity and thorough re- 
 ligion, of his engaging in a life devoted to God in good earnest, so 
 as to make religion his only business; but through his great atten- 
 tion to this matter, he appears to have the judgment and experi- 
 ence of gray hairs. 
 
 This is the beginning of a life so eminently holy and useful as 
 Mr. Edwards's was. He who became one of the greatest divines 
 in this age, has had the applause and admiration of America, 
 Britain, Holland, and Germany, for his piety, and great judgment 
 and skill in divinity; and has been honoured above most others 
 in the christian world in this century, in his being made the instru- 
 ment of doing so much good: he began his life thus: he entered 
 on a public life with such views, such exercises, such resolutions. 
 
 AN ACCOUNT OP HIS CONVERSION, EXPERIENCES, AND RELIGIOUS 
 EXERCISES, GIVEN BY HIMSELF. 
 
 I had a variety of concerns and exercises about my soul from 
 my childhood; but had two more remarkable seasons of awak- 
 ening before I met with that change by which I was brought to 
 those new dispositions, and that new sense of things that I have 
 since had. The first time was when I was a boy, some years be- 
 fore I went to college, at a time of remarkable awakening in my 
 father's congregation. I was then very much affected for many 
 months, and concerned about the things of religion, and mv soul's 
 
LIFE OF EDWARDS. XXlll 
 
 salvation; and was abundant in duties. I used to pray five 
 times a day in secret, and to spend mudi time in religious talk 
 with other boys, and used to meet nith them to pray together. I 
 experienced I knew not what kind of delight in religion. My 
 mind was much engaged in it, and had much self-righteous plea- 
 sure, and it was my delight to abound in religious duties. I, with 
 some of my school-mates joined together, and built a booth in a 
 swamp, in a very secret and retired place, for a place of prayer. 
 And besides, I had particular secret places of my own in the woods, 
 where I used to retire by myself; and used to be from time to 
 time much affected. My affections seemed to be lively and easily 
 moved, and I seemed to be in my element when I engaged in re- 
 ligious duties. And I am ready to think, many are deceived with , 
 such affections, and such a kind of delight, as I then had in reli- j 
 gion, and mistake it for grace. j 
 
 " But in process of time, my convictions and affections wore ^ 
 off, and I entirely lost all those affections and delights, and left off 
 secret prayer, at least as to any constant performance of it, and • 
 returned like a dog to his vomit, and went on in ways of sin. ^ 
 
 " Indeed I was at some time very uneasy, especially towards 
 the latter part of the time of my being at college, till it pleased 
 God, in my last year at college, at a time when I was in the midst 
 of many uneasy thoughts about the state of my soul, to seize me 
 with a pleurisy, in which He brought me nigh to the grave, and 
 shook me over the pit of hell. 
 
 " But yet it was not long after my recovery, before I fell again 
 into my old ways of sin. But God would not suffer me to go on 
 with any quietness, but I had great and violent inward struggles; 
 until after many conflicts with wicked inclinations, and repeated 
 resolutions, and bonds that I laid myself under by a kind of vows to 
 God, I was brought wholly to break off all former wicked ways, and 
 all ways of known and outward sin, and to apply myself to seek my 
 salvation, and practise the duties of religion; but without that kind 
 of affection and delight that I had formerly experienced. My 
 concern now wrought more by iuAvard struggles and conflicts, and 
 self-reflectio'js. I made seeking my salvation the main business 
 of my life. But yet it seems to me, I sought after a miserable 
 manner, which has made me sometimes since to question, whe- 
 ther ever it issued in that which was saving; being ready to 
 doubt whether such miserable seeking was ever succeeded. But 
 yet I was brought to seek salvation in a manner that I never was 
 before, I felt a spirit to part with all things in the world for an 
 interest in Christ. My concern continued and prevailed, with 
 many exercising thoughts and inward struggles; but yet it nevei* 
 
X&IV tiFE OF EDWARDS. 
 
 seemed to be proper to express mj concern that I had by the 
 name of terror. 
 
 " From my childhood up, my mind had been wont to be full of 
 objections against the doctrine of God's sovereignty, in choosing 
 whom he would to eternal life, and rejecting whom he pleased, 
 leaving them eternally to perish, and he everlastingly tormented 
 in hell. It used to appear like a horrible doctrine to me. But I 
 remember the time very well when I seemed to be convinced and 
 fully satisfied as to this sovereignty of God, and his justice in thus 
 eternally disposing of men, according to his sovereign pleasure. 
 But, never could give an account, how, or by what means, I was 
 thus convinced; not in the least imagining, in the time of it, nor a 
 long time after, that there was any extraordinary influence of 
 God's Spirit in it; but only that now I saw further, and my rea* 
 son apprehended the justice and reasonableness of it. However 
 my mind rested in it, and it put an end to all those cavils and ob- 
 jections that had till then abode with me all the preceding part 
 of my life. And there has been a wonderful alteration in my 
 mind, with respect to the doctrine of God's sovereignty, from 
 that day to this, so that I scarce ever have found so much as the 
 rising of an objection against God's sovereignty in the most abso- 
 lute sense, in showing mercy to whom he will show mercy, and 
 hardening and eternally danniing whom he will. God's absolute 
 sovereignty and justice, with respect to salvation and damnation, 
 is what my mind seems to rest assured of, as much as of any 
 thing that I see with my eyes; at least it is so at times. 
 
 ••' The first that I remember that ever I found any thing of 
 that sort of inward, sweet delight in God and divine things, that 
 I have lived much in since, was on reading those words, 1 Tim. 
 i. 17. JVoio unto the King eternal^ immortal^ invisible, the only xcise 
 God, be honour and glory for ever, and ever, Amen. As 1 read 
 the words, there came into my soul, and was as it were diffused 
 through it, a sense of the glory of the Divine Being, a new sense, 
 quite different from any thing I ever experienced before. Never 
 any words of scripture seemed to me as these words did. I thought 
 with myself, how excellent a Being that was, and how happy I 
 should be if I might enjoy that God, and be wrapt up to God in 
 heaven, and be as it were swallowed up in him. I kept saying, 
 and as it were singing over these words of scripture to myself; 
 and went to prayer, to pray to God that I might enjoy him, and 
 prayed in a manner quite different from what I used to do, with 
 a new sort of affection. But it never came into my thought, that 
 there was any thing spiritual, or of a saving nature in this. 
 
 " From about that time, I began to have a new kind of appre- 
 hensions and ideas of Christ, and the work of redemption, and 
 
LIFE OP EDWARDS. XXV 
 
 the glorious way of salvation by him. I had an inward, sweet 
 sense of these things, that at times came into my heart; and my 
 soul was led away in pleasant views and contemplations of them. 
 And my mind was greatly engaged to spend my time in reading 
 and meditating on Christ, and the beauty and excellency of his 
 person, and the lovely way of salvation by free grace in him. I 
 found no books so delightful to me as those that treated of these 
 subjects. Those words, Cant. ii. 1, used to be abundantly with 
 me, / am the Rose of Sharon^ and the Lily of the valleys. The 
 words seemed to me, sweetly to represent the loveliness and beau- 
 ty of Jesus Christ. And the whole book of Canticles used to be 
 pleasant to me; and I used to be much in reading it about that 
 time; and found, from time to time, an inward sweetness, that 
 used, as it were, to carry me away in my contemplations; in what 
 I know not how to express otherwise, than by a calm, sweet ab- 
 straction of soul from all the concerns of this world; and a kind 
 of vision, or fixed ideas and imaginations, of being alone in the 
 mountains, or some solitary wilderness, far from all mankind, 
 sweetly conversing with Christ, and wrapt and swallowed up in 
 God. The sense I had of divine things, would often of a sudden, 
 as it were, kindle up a sweet burning in my heart; an ardour of 
 my soul, that I know not how to express. 
 
 " Not long after I first began to experience these things, I gave 
 an account to my father of some things that had passed in my 
 mind. I was pretty much affected by the discourse we had toge- 
 ther; and when the discourse was ended, I walked abroad alone, 
 in a solitary place in my father's pasture, for contemplation. 
 And as I was walking there, and looked up on the sky and 
 clouds, there came into my mind, so sweet a sense of the glo- 
 rious majesty and grace of God, that I know not how to express, 
 I seemed to see them both in a sweet conjunction; majesty and 
 meekness joined together: it was a sweet and gentle, and holy 
 majesty; and also a majestic meekness; an awful sweetness; a 
 high, and great, and holy gentleness. 
 
 "After this my sense of divine things gradually increased, and 
 became more and more lively, and had more of that inward 
 sweetness. The appearance of every thing was altered, there 
 seemed to be, as it were, a calm, sweet cast, or appearance of 
 divine glory, in almost every thing. God's excellency, his wis- 
 dom, his purity and love, seemed to appear in every thing; in the 
 sun, moon, and stars; in the clouds, and blue sky; in the grass, 
 flowers, trees; in the water, and all nature; which used greatly 
 to fix my mind, I often used to sit and view the moon for a long 
 time; and so in the day-lime, spent much time in viewing the 
 clouds and sky, to behold the sweet glory of God in these things; 
 
XXVI LIFE OF EDWARDS. 
 
 in the mean time singing forth, with a low voice, my contempla- 
 tions of the Creator and Redeemer. And scarce any thing, among 
 all the works of nature, was so sweet to me as thunder and light- 
 ning: formerly, nothing had been so terrible to me. I used to be 
 a person uncommonly terrified with thunder, and it used to strike 
 me with terror when I saw a thunder-storm rising. But now, on 
 the contrary, it rejoiced me. I felt God at the first appearance 
 of a thunder-storm; and used to take the opportunity, at guch 
 times, to fix myself to view the clouds, and see the lightnings 
 play, and hear the majestic and awful voice of God's thunder, 
 which often times was exceeding entertaining, leading me to 
 sweet contemplations of my great and glorious God; and while 
 I viewed, used to spend my time, as it always seemed natural to 
 me, to sing or chant forth my meditations; to speak my thoughts 
 in soliloquies, and speak with a singing voice. 
 
 " I felt then a great satisfaction as to my good estate; but that 
 did not content me. I had vehement longings of soul after God 
 and Christ, and after more holiness, wherewith my heart seemed 
 to be full, and ready to break; which often brought to my mind 
 the words of the Psalmist, Psal. cxix. 28. My soul breaketh for 
 the longing-it hath. I often felt a mourning and lamenting in my 
 heart, that I had not turned to God sooner, that I might have had 
 more time to grow in grace. My mind was greatly fixed on di- 
 vine things; I was almost perpetually in the contemplation of 
 them. Spent most of my time in thinking of divine things, year 
 after year; and used to spend abundance of my time in walking 
 alone in the woods, and solitary places, for meditation, soliloquy, 
 and prayer, and converse with God: and it was always my man- 
 ner, at such times, to sing forth my contemplations; and was al- 
 most constantly in ejaculatory prayer wherever 1 was. Prayer 
 seemed to be natural to me, as the breath by which the inward 
 burnings of my heart had vent. 
 
 " My sense of divine things seemed gradually to increase, until 
 I went to preach at New York, which was about a year and a 
 half after they began. While I was there I sometimes was much 
 affected with reflections on my past life, considering how late it 
 was before I began to be truly religious, and how wickedly I had 
 lived till then; and once so as to weep abundantly, and for a con- 
 siderable time together. 
 
 " On Jan. 12, 1722-3, I made a solemn dedication of myself 
 to God, and wrote it down; giving up myself and all that I had 
 to God, to be for the future in no respect my own, to act as one 
 that had no right to himself, in any respect. And solemnly vowed 
 to take God for my whole portion and felicity, looking on nothing 
 else as any part of my happiness, nor acting as if it were^ and 
 
LIFE OP EDWARDS. XXVlt 
 
 his law for the constant rule of my obedience; engaging to fight 
 with all my might against the world, the flesh, and the devil, to 
 the end of my life. But have reason to be infinitely humbled, 
 ■when I consider, how much I have failed of answering my obli- 
 gation. 
 
 " I came away from New York in the month of April 1723, 
 and had a most bitter parting with Madam Smith and her son. 
 My heart seemed to sink within me, at leaving the family and 
 city where I had enjoyed so many sweet and pleasant dajs. I 
 went from New York to Weathersfield by water. As I sailed 
 away, I kept sight of the city as long as I could; and when I was 
 out of sight of it, it would affect me much to look that way, with 
 a kind of melancholy mixed with sweetness. However, that 
 night, after this sorrowful parting, I was greatly comforted in God 
 at West Chester, where we went ashore to lodge; and had a 
 pleasant time of it all the voyage to Saybrook. It was sweet to 
 me to think of meeting dear Christians in heaven, where we 
 should never part more. At Saybrook we went ashore to lodge 
 on Saturday, and there kept Sabbath; where I had a sweet and 
 refreshiiig season, walking alone in the fields. 
 
 " After I came home to Windsor, remained much in a like 
 frame of mind as I had been in at New York, but only sometimes 
 felt my heart ready to sink, with the thoughts of my friends at 
 New York. And my refuge and support was in contemplations 
 on the heavenly state; as I find in my Diary of May 1, 1723. It 
 was my comfort to think of that state, where there is fulness of 
 joy; where reigns heavenly, sweet, calm, and delightful love, 
 without alloy; where there are continually the dearest expressions 
 of this love; where is the enjoyment of the persons loved, without 
 ever parting; where these persons that appear so lovely in this 
 world, will really be inexpressibly more lovely, and full of love to 
 us. And how sweetly will the mutual lovers join together to sing 
 the praises of God and the Lamb ! How full will it fill us with 
 joy to think that this enjoyment, these sweet exercises, will never 
 cease or come to an end, but will last to all eternity! 
 
 " Continued much in the same frame in the general that I had 
 been in at New York, till I went to New Haven, to live there as 
 a tutor of the College; having one special season of uncommon 
 sweetness; particularly once at Bolton, in a journey from Boston, 
 walking out alone in the fields. After I went to New Haven I 
 sunk in religion; my mind being diverted from my eager and vio- 
 lent pursuits after holiness, by some affairs that greatly perplexed 
 and distracted my mind. 
 
 "In Sept. 1725, was taken ill at New Haven; and endeavour- 
 ing to go home to Windsor, was so ill at the North Village that I 
 
XXVm LIFE OF EDWARDS. 
 
 could go no further; where I lay sick for about a quarter of a year. 
 And, in this sickness, God was pleased to visit me again with the 
 sweet influences of his Spirit. My mind was greatly engaged 
 there on divine, pleasant contemplations, and longings of soul. I 
 observed that those who watched with me, would often be look- 
 ing out for the morning, and seemed to wish for it; which brought 
 to my mind those words of the Psalmist, which my soul with 
 sweetness made its own language, My soul loaitethfor tlie Lord, 
 more than they that watch for the morning; I say more than they 
 that watch for the morning. And when the light of the morning 
 came, and the beams of the sun came in at the windows, it re- 
 freshed my soul from one morning to another. It seemed to me 
 to be some image of the sweet light of God's glory. 
 
 " Once as I rode out into the woods for my health, Anno 1737, 
 and having lighted from my horse in a retired place, as my man- 
 ner commonly has been, to walk for divine contemplation and 
 prayer, I had a view, that for me was extraordinary, of the glory 
 of the Son of God, as Mediator between God and man; and his 
 wonderful, great, full, pure, and sweet grace, and love, and meek, 
 and gentle condescension. This grace, that appeared to me so 
 calm and sweet, appeared great above the heavens. The pei-son 
 of Christ appeared ineffably excellent, with an excellency great 
 enougb to swallow up all thought and conception, which continu- 
 ed, as near as I can judge, about an hour, which kept me, the 
 greater part of the time, in a flood of tears, and weeping aloud. 
 I felt withal, an ardency of soul to be, what I know not otherwise 
 how to express, than to be emptied and annihilated; to lie in the 
 dust, and to be full of Christ alone; to love him with a holy and 
 pure love; to trust in him; to live upon him; to serve and follow 
 him, and to be totally wrapt up in the fulness of Christ; and to 
 be perfectly sanctified and made pure with a divine and heavenly 
 purity. 
 
 " On Saturday night, Jan. 1738-9, had such a sense how sweet 
 and blessed a thing it was to walk in the way of duty, to do that 
 which was right and meet to be done, and agreeable to the holy 
 mind of God, that it caused me to break forth into a kind of loud 
 weeping, which held me some time, so that I was forced to shut 
 myself up and fasten the doors. I could not but as it were cry 
 out, ' How happy are they which do that which is right in the 
 sight of God! They are blessed indeed, they are the happy ones!' 
 1 had, at the same time a very affecting sense how meet and suit- 
 able it was that God should govern the world, and order all things 
 according to his own pleasure; and I rejoiced in it, that God 
 reigned, and that his will was done." 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 There is no question whatsoever, that is of greater 
 importance to mankind, and that it mnre concerns every 
 individual person to be well resolved in, than this. 
 What are the distinguishing qualifications of those 
 that are in favour with God, and entitled to his eternal 
 rewards? or, whicli comes to the same thing, What is 
 the nature of true religion? and wherein do lie the 
 distinguishing notes of that virtue and holiness that is 
 acceptable in the sight of God? But though it be of 
 such importance, and though we have clear and abun- 
 dant light in the word of God to direct us in this mat- 
 ter, yet there is no one point, wherein professing Chris- 
 tians do more diifer one from another. It would be 
 endless to reckon up the variety of opinions in this 
 point, that divide the Christian world; making mani- 
 fest the truth of that of our Saviour, " Straight is the 
 gate, and narrow is the way, that leads to life, and few 
 there be that find it/' 
 
 The consideration of these things has long engaged 
 me to attend to this matter with the utmost diligence 
 and care, and exactness of seaiM^h and inquiry that I 
 have been capable of: it is a subject on which my mind 
 has been peculiarly intent, ever since I first entered on 
 the study of divinity. — But as to the success of ray 
 inquiries, it must be left to the judgment of the reader 
 of the followins; treatise. 
 
IV INTRODUCTION. 
 
 I am sensible it is much more difficult to judge im- 
 partially of that which is the subject of this discourse, 
 in the midst of the dust and smoke of such a state of 
 controversy, as this land is now in, about things of 
 this nature: as it is more difficult to write impartially, 
 so it is more difficult to read impartially. — Many will 
 probably be hurt in their spirits, to find so much that 
 appertains to religious affection here condemned; and 
 perhaps indignation and contempt will be excited in 
 others by finding so much here justified and approved. 
 And it may be, some will be ready to charge me with 
 inconsistence with myself, in so much approving some 
 things, and so much condemning others; as I have 
 found this has always been objected to by some, ever 
 since the beginning of our late controversies about re- 
 ligion. It is a hard thing to be a hearty zealous friend 
 of what has been good and glorious, in the late extra- 
 ordinary appearances, and to rejoice much in it; and 
 at the same time to see the evil and pernicious tenden- 
 cy of what has been had, and earnestly to oppose that. 
 But yet, I am humbly, but fully persuaded, we shall 
 never be in the way of truth, nor go on in a way ac- 
 ceptable to God, and tending to the advancement of 
 Christ's kingdom, till we do so. There is indeed 
 something very mysterious in it, that so much good, 
 and so much bad, should be mixed together in the 
 church of God: as it is a mysterious thing, and w4iat 
 has puzzled and amazed many a good Christian, that 
 there should be that which is so divine and precious, 
 as the saving grace of God, and the new and divine 
 nature, dwelling in the same heart, with so much cor- 
 ijption, hypocrisy, and iniquity, in a particular saint. 
 Yet neither of these is more mysterious than real. 
 
INTRODUCTION. V 
 
 And neither of them is a new or rare thing. It is no 
 new thing, that much false religion slioiild prevail, at 
 a time of great reviving of true religion; and that at 
 such a time multitudes of hypocrites should spring up 
 among true saints. It was so in that great reforma- 
 tion and revival of religion that was in Josiah's time; 
 as appears by Jer. iii. 10. and iv. 3, 4. and also by 
 the great apostacy that there was in the land, so soon 
 after his reign. So it was in that great out-pouring of 
 the Spirit upon the Jews, that was in the days of John 
 the Baptist; as appears by the great apostacy of that 
 people, so soon after so general an awakening, and the 
 temporary religious comforts and joys of many; John 
 V. So. " Ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his 
 light." So it was in those great commotions that w^ere 
 among the multitude, occasioned by the preaching of 
 Jesus Christ; of the many that were then called, but 
 few were chosen; of the multitude that were roused 
 and affected by his preaching, and at one time or other 
 appeared mightily engaged, full of admiration of Christ, 
 and elevated with joy, but few were true disciples that 
 stood the shock of the great trials that came afterwards, 
 and endured to the end: many were like the stony 
 ground, or thorny ground; and but few, comparatively, 
 like the good ground. Of the whole heap that was ga- 
 thered, great part was chaff, that the wind afterwards 
 drove away; and the heap of wheat that was left, was 
 comparatively small; as appears abundantly by the his- 
 tory of the New Testament. So it was in that great 
 out-pouring of the Spirit that was in the apostles' days; 
 as appears by Matt. xxiv. 10. — 13. Gal. iii. 1. and iv. 
 11. 15. Phil. ii. 21. and iii. 18. 19.; and the two epis- 
 tles to the Corinthians, and many other parts of the New 
 
?1 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Testament. And so it was in the great reformation 
 from Popery. — It appears plainly to have been in i\m 
 visible church of God, in times of great reviving of re- 
 ligion, from time to time, as it is with the fruit-trees in 
 the spring: there are a multitude of blossoms; all 
 which appear fair and beautiful, and there is a pro- 
 mising appearance of young fruits; but many of them 
 are but of short continuance, they soon fall off, and 
 never come to maturity. 
 
 Not that it is to be supposed that it will always be 
 so; for though there never will, in this world, be an 
 entire purity, either in particular saints, in a perfect 
 freedom from mixtures of corruption, or in the church 
 of Grod, without any mixture of hypocrites with saints, 
 and counterfeit religion, and false appearances of 
 grace, with true religion and real holiness; yet it is 
 evident, that there will come a time of much greater 
 purity in the church of God, than has been in ages 
 past; it is plain by these texts of scripture. Is. lii, 1. 
 Ezek. xliv. 6, 7, 9. Joel iii. I7. Zech. xiv. 21. Psal. 
 Ixix. 33, 35, 36. Is. xxxv. 8, 10. Chap. iv. 3, 4. 
 Ezek. XX. 38. Psal. xxxvii. 9, 10, 21, 29. And one 
 great reason of it will be, that at that time, God will 
 give much greater light to his people to distinguish 
 betAveen true religion and its counterfeits; Mai. iii. 3. 
 ^^ And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: 
 and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them 
 as gold and silver, that they may offer to the Lord an 
 offering in righteousness. '^ With ver. 18. which is a 
 continuation of the prophecy of the same happy times^ 
 *^Then shall ye return, and discern between the righte- 
 ous and the wicked; between him that serveth God, 
 and him that serveth not him." 
 
INTRODUCTION. Vll 
 
 It is by the mixture of counterfeit religion with true, 
 not discerned and distinguished, that the devil has had 
 his greatest advantage against the cause and kingdom 
 of Christ, all along, hitherto. It is plainly by this 
 means, principally, that he has prevailed against all 
 revivings of religion, that ever have been, since the 
 first founding of the Christian church. By this, he hurt 
 the cause of Christianity, in, and after the apostolic 
 age, much more than by all the persecutions of both 
 Jevi^s and Heathens: the apostles, in all their epistles, 
 show themselves much more concerned at the former 
 mischief than the latter. By this, Satan prevailed 
 against the reformation, begun by Luther, Zuinglius, 
 &c. to put a stop to its progress, and bring it into dis- 
 grace, ten times more than by all those bloody, cruel, 
 and before unheard of persecutions of the church of 
 Rome. By this, principally, has he prevailed against 
 revivals of religion, that have been in our nation since 
 the reformation. By this he prevailed against New 
 England, to quench the love, and spoil the joy of her 
 espousals, about an hundred years ago. And I think 
 I have had opportunity enough to see plainly that by 
 this the devil has prevailed against the late great re- 
 vival of religion in New England, so happy and pro- 
 mising in its beginning: here most evidently has been 
 the main advantage Satan has had against us; by this 
 he has foiled us: it is by this means, that the daugh- 
 ter of Zion, in this land, now lies on the ground, in 
 such piteous circumstances, as we now behold her; 
 with her garments rent, her face disfigured, her naked- 
 ness exposed, her limbs broken, and weltering in the 
 blood of her own wounds, and in nowise able to arise; 
 and this; so quickly after her late great joys and hopes: 
 
VJll INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Lara. 1. 17. " Zion spreadeth forth her hands, and 
 there is none to comfort her: the Lord hath command- 
 ed concerning Jacoh, that his adversaries shall be 
 round about him: Jerusalem is as a menstruous wo- 
 man among them." I have seen the devil prevail the 
 same way, against two great revivings of religion in 
 this country. — Satan goes on with mankind, as he be- 
 gan with them. He prevailed against our first parents 
 and cast them out of paradise, and suddenly brought 
 all their happiness and glory to an end, by appearing 
 to be a friend to their happy paradisaic- state, and pre- 
 tending to advance it to higher degrees. So the same 
 cunning serpent, that beguiled Eve through his subtil- 
 ty, by perverting us from the simplicity that is in 
 Christ, hath suddenly prevailed to deprive us of that 
 fair prospect, we had a little while ago, of a kind of 
 paradisaic state of the church of God in New Eng- 
 land. 
 
 After religion has revived in the church of Grod, and 
 
 enemies appear, people that are engaged to defend its 
 cause are commonly most exposed where they are 
 least sensible of danger. While they are wholly in- 
 tent upon the opposition that appears openly before 
 them to make head against that, and do neglect care- 
 fully to look all around them, the devil comes behind 
 them, and gives a fatal stab unseen; and has opportu- 
 nity to give a more home stroke, and wound the deeper, 
 because he strikes at his leisure, and according to his 
 pleasure, being obstructed by no guard or resistance. 
 
 And so it is likely ever to be in the church, when- 
 ever religion revives remarkably, till we have learned 
 well to distinguish between true and false religion, be- 
 tween saving affections and experiences^ and those ma- 
 
INTRODUCTION. XI 
 
 niR)ld fair shows, and glistering appearances by which 
 they are counterfeited; the consequences of which, 
 when they are not distinguished, are often inexpressi- 
 bly dreadful. By this means, the devil gratifies him- 
 self, by bringing it to pass, that tliat should be offered 
 to God, by multitudes, under a notion of a pleasing ac- 
 ceptable service to him, that is indeed above all things 
 abominable to him. By this means, he deceives great 
 multitudes about the state of their souls; making them 
 think they are something, when they are nothing; and 
 so eternally outdoes them; and not only so, but esta- 
 blishes many in a strong confidence of their eminent 
 holiness, who are in God's sight some of the vilest of 
 hypocrites. By this means, he many ways damps and 
 wounds religion in the hearts of the saints, obscures 
 and deforms it by corrupt mixtures, causes their reli- 
 gious affections wofully to degenerate, and sometimes 
 for a considerable time, to be like the manna that bred 
 worms and stank; and dreadfully ensnares and con- 
 founds the minds of others of the saints, and brings 
 them into great difficulties and temptation, and en- 
 tangles them in a wilderness, out of which they can by 
 no means extricate themselves. By this means, Sa- 
 tan mightily encourages the hearts of open enemies of 
 religion, and strengthens their hands, and fills them 
 with weapons, and makes strong their fortresses; 
 when, at the same time, religion and the church of 
 God lie exposed to them, as a city without walls. By 
 this means, he brings it to pass, that men work 
 wickedness, under a notion of doing God service, 
 and so sin without restraint, yea, with earnest for- 
 wardness and zeal, and with all their might. By 
 this means? he brings in even the friends of religion. 
 
X INTRODUCTION. 
 
 insensibly to themselves, to do the work of enemies, 
 by destroying religion in a far more effectual manner 
 than open enemies can do, under a notion of advancing 
 it. By this means, the devil scatters the ilock of Christ, 
 and sets them one against another, and that with great 
 heat of spirit, under a notion of zeal for God; and re- 
 ligion, by degrees, degenerates into vain jangling; and 
 during the strife, Satan leads both parties far out of 
 the right way, driving each to great extremes, one on 
 the right hand, and the other on the left, according as 
 he finds they are most inclined, or most easily moved 
 and swayed, till the right path in the middle is almost 
 wholly neglected. And in the midst of this confusion, 
 the devil has great opportunity to advance his own in- 
 terest, and make it strong in ways innumerable, and 
 get the government of all into his own hands, and work 
 his own will. And by what is seen of the terrible 
 consequences of this counterfeit religion, when not dis- 
 tinguished from true religion, God's people in general 
 have their minds unhinged and unsettled in things of 
 religion, and know not where to set their foot, or what 
 to think or do; and many are brought into doubts, 
 whether there be any thing at all in religion; and 
 heresy, and infidelity, and atheism greatly prevail. 
 
 Therefore, it greatly concerns us to use our utmost 
 endeavours, clearly to discern, and have it well settled 
 and established, wherein true religion does consist. 
 Till this be done, it may be expected, that great re- 
 vivings of religion will be but of short continuance: till 
 this be done, there is but little good to be expected of 
 all our warm debates, in conversation and from the 
 press, not knowing clearly and distinctly what we 
 ought to contend for. 
 
INTRODUCTION. XI 
 
 My design is to contribute my mite, and use my best 
 (howevei* feeble) endeavours to this end, in the ensu- 
 ing treatise; wherein it must be noted, that my design 
 is somewhat diverse from the design of what I have 
 formerly published, which was to show the distinguish- 
 ing marks of a ivork of the Spirit of Godj including 
 both his common and saving operations; but what I aim 
 at now, is to show the nature and signs of the gra- 
 cious operations of God's Spirit, by which they are to 
 be distinguished from all things whatsoever that the 
 minds of men are the subjects of, which are not of a 
 saving nature. If I have succeeded in this my aim, 
 in any tolerable measure, I hope it will tend to pro- 
 mote the interest of religion. And whether 1 have 
 succeeded to bring any light to this subject, or not, and 
 however my attempts may be reproached, in these cap- 
 tious, censorious times, I hope in the mercy of a gra- 
 cious and righteous God, for the acceptance of the sin- 
 cerity of my endeavours; and hope also for the can- 
 dour and prayers of the true followers of the meek and^ 
 charitable Lamb of God. 
 
KELIGIOUS AFFECTIONS. 
 
 PART I. 
 
 ■CONCERNING THE NATURE OF THE AFFECTIONS, AND THEIR IM- 
 PORTANCE IN RELIGION. 
 
 1 PETER, i. 8. 
 
 Whom having not seen, ye love: in whom, though now ye see him 
 not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of 
 glory. 
 
 In these words the ajjostle represents the state of the minds of 
 the Christians he wrote to, under the persecutions they were then 
 the subjects of. These persecutions are what he has respect to 
 in the two preceding verses, when he speaks of the trial of their 
 faith, and of their being in heaviness through manifold temptations. 
 
 Such trials are of threefold benefit to true religion. Hereby 
 the truth of it is manifested, and it appears to be indeed true re- 
 ligion; they, above all other things, have a tendency to distinguish 
 between true religion and false, and to cause the difference be- 
 tween them evidently to appear. Hence they are called by the 
 name of trials, in the verse nextly preceding the text, and in innu- 
 merable other places: they try the faith and religion of profes- 
 sors, of what sort it is, as apparent gold is tried in the fire, and 
 manifested, whether it be true gold or not. And the faith of true 
 Christians being thus tried and proved to be true, is " found to 
 praise and honour and glory," as in that preceding verse. 
 
 And then, these trials are of further benefit to true religion; 
 they not only manifest the truth of it, but they make its ge- 
 nuine beauty and amiableness remarkably to appear. True vir- 
 tue never appears so lovely as when it is most oppressed: and the 
 divine excellency of real Christianity, is never exhibited with such 
 
14 natuhe and importance 
 
 advantage, as when under the greatest trials: then it is that true 
 faith appears much more precious than gold; and upon this ac- 
 count, is " found to praise and honour and glorj'." 
 
 And again, another benefit that such trials are of to true reli- 
 gion, is, that they purify and increase it. They not only manifest 
 it to be true, but also tend to refine it, and deliver it from those 
 mixtures of that which is false, which incumber and impede it; 
 that nothing may be left but that which is true. They tend to 
 cause the amiableness of true religion to appear to the best ad- 
 vantage, as was before observed; and not only so, but they tend 
 to increase its beauty, by establishing and confirming it, and mak- 
 ing it more lively and vigorous, and purifying it from those things 
 that obscured its lustre and glory. As gold that is tried in the 
 fire is purged from its alloy and all remainders of dross, and 
 comes forth more solid and beautiful; so true faith being tried as 
 gold is tried in the fire, becomes more precious, and thus also is 
 " found unto praise and honour and glory." The apostle seems 
 to have respect to each of these benefits, that persecutions are of 
 to true religion, in the verse preceding the text. 
 
 And in the text, the apostle observes how true religion opera- 
 ted in the Christians he wrote to, under their persecutions, where- 
 by these benefits of persecution appeared in them; or what man- 
 ner of operation of true religion, in them, it was, whereby their 
 religion, under persecution, was manifested to be true religion, 
 and eminently appeared in the genuine beauty and amiableness 
 of true religion, and also appeared to be increased and purified, 
 and so was like to be " found unto praise and honour and glory, 
 at the appearing of Jesus Christ." And there were two kinds of 
 operation, or exercise of true religion, in them, under their suffer- 
 ings, that the apostle takes notice of in the text, wherein these 
 benefits appeared. 
 
 1. Love to Christ, " Whom having not yet seen, ye love." The 
 world was ready to wonder what strange principle it was, that 
 influenced them to expose themselves to so great sufferings, to for- 
 sake the things that were seen, and renounce all that was dear 
 and pleasant, which was the object of sense. They seemed to 
 
OF RELIGIOUS AFFECTIONS. 15 
 
 the men of the world about them, as though they were beside 
 themselves, and to act as though tliey hated themselves; there was 
 nothing in their view that could induce them thus to suffer, and 
 to support them under, and carry them through such trials. But 
 although there was nothing that was seen, nothing that the world 
 saw, or that the Christians themselves ever saw with their bodily 
 eyes, that thus influenced and supported them, yet they had a su- 
 pernatural principle of love to something unseen; they loved Jesus 
 Christ, for they saw him spiritually, whom the world saw not, 
 and whom they then^selves had never seen with bodily eyes. 
 
 2. Joy in Christ. Though their outward sufferings were very 
 grievous, 3-et their inward spiritual joys were greater than their 
 sufferings; and these supported them, and enabled them to suffer 
 with cheerfulness. 
 
 There are two things, which the apostle takes notice of in the 
 text, concerning this joy. 1 . The manner in which it rises, the 
 way in which Christ, though unseen, is the foundation of it, viz. 
 by faith: which is the evidence of things not seen: " In whom, 
 though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice;" — ^-The 
 nature of this joy; " unspeakable, and full of glory." Unspeak- 
 able in the kind of it; very different from worldly joys and car- 
 nal delights; of a vastly more pure, sublime and heavenly nature, 
 being somewhat supernatural, and truly divine, and so ineffably 
 excellent; the sublimity and exquisite sweetness of which, there 
 were no words to set forth. Unspeakable also in degree; it pleas- 
 ing God to give them this holy joy, with a liberal hand, and in 
 large measure, in their state of persecution. 
 
 Their joy was full of glory. Although the joy was unspeaka- 
 ble, and no words were sufficient to describe it, yet something 
 may be said of it, and no w^ords more fit to represent its excellen- 
 cy than these, that it wa.s full of glory: or, as it is in the original, 
 glorified joy. In rejoicing with this joy, their minds were filled, 
 as it were, with a glorious brightness, and their natures exalted 
 and perfected. It was a most worthy, noble rejoicing, that did not 
 corrupt and debase the mind, as many carnal joys do; but did 
 greatly beautify and dignify it; it was a foretaste of the joy of 
 
16 NATURE OF 
 
 heaven, that raised their minds to a degree of heavenly blessed- 
 ness; it filled their minds with the light of God's glorj', and made 
 themselves to shine with communication of that glory. 
 
 Hence the proposition or doctrine, that I would raise from these 
 words, is this: 
 
 Doctrine. True religion, in a great part, consists in holy af- 
 fections. 
 
 We see that the apostle, in observing and remarking the ope- 
 rations and exercises of religion, in the Christians he wrote to, 
 wherein their religion appeared to be true and of the right kind, 
 when it had its greatest trial of what sort it was, being tried by 
 persecution, as gold is tried in the fire, and when their religion 
 not only proved true, but was most pure, and cleansed from its 
 dross and mixtures of that which was not true, and when religion 
 appeared in them most in its genuine excellency and native beau- 
 ty, and was found to praise and honour and glory, he singles out 
 the religious affections of love and joy, that were then in exercise 
 in them; these are the exercises of religion he takes notice of, 
 wherein their religion did thus appear true and pure, and in its 
 proper glory. 
 
 Here I would, 
 
 1 . Show what is intended by the affections. 
 
 2. Observe some things which make it evident that a great 
 part of true religion lies in the affections. 
 
 I. It may be inquired what the affections of the mind are.? 
 
 I answer. The affections are no other than the more vigorous 
 and sensible exercises of the inclination and will of the soul. 
 
 God has endued the soul with two faculties: one is that by 
 which it is capable of perception and speculation, or by which it 
 discerns and views and judges of things, which is called the un- 
 \, derstanding. The other faculty is that by which the soul does 
 not merely perceive and view things, but is some way inclined 
 with respect to the things it views or considers; either is inclined 
 to them, or is disinclined and averse /rom them; or is the faculty, 
 by which the soul does not behold things as an indifferent, unaf- 
 fected spectator, but either as liking or disliking, pleased or dis- 
 
THE AFFECTIONS. 17 
 
 pleased, approving or rejecting. This faculty is called by vari- 
 ous names: it is sometimes called the inclination; and, as it has 
 respect to the actions that are determined and governed by it, is 
 called the will; and the mind, with regard to the exercises of this 
 faculty, is often called the heart. 
 
 The exercises of this faculty are of two sorts; either those by 
 which the soul is carried out towards the things that are in view, in 
 approving of them, being pleased with them, and inclined to them; 
 or those in which the soul opposes the things that are in view, 
 in disapproving them, and in being displeased with them, averse 
 from them, and rejecting them. 
 
 And as the exercises of the inclination and will of the soul 
 are various in their kinds, so they are much more various in their 
 degrees. There are some exercises of pleasedness or displeased- 
 ness, inclination or disinclination, wherein the soul is carried but 
 a little beyond a state of perfect indifference. And there are 
 other degrees above this, wherein the approbation or dislike, 
 pleasedness or aversion, are stronger; wherein we may rise high- 
 er and higher, till the soul comes to act vigorously and sensibly, 
 and the actings of the soul are with that strength, that (through 
 the laws of the union which the Creator has fixed between soul 
 and body) the motion of the blood and animal spirits begins to be 
 sinsibly altered; whence oftentimes arises some bodily sensation, 
 especially about the heart and vitals, that are the fountain of the 
 fluids of the body: from whence it comes to pass, that the mind, 
 with regard to the exercises of this faculty, perhaps in all nations 
 and ages, is called the heart. And it is to be noted that they 
 are these more vigorous and sensible exercises of this faculty that 
 are called the affections. 
 
 The will and the affections of the soul are not two faculties; 
 the affections are not essentially distinct from the will, nor do 
 they differ from the mere actings of the will and inclination of 
 the soul, but only in the liveliness and sensibleness of exercise. 
 
 It must be confessed, that language is here somewhat imper- 
 fect, and the meaning of words in a considerable measure loose 
 and unfixed, and not precisely limited by custom, which governs 
 
18 NATURE OF 
 
 the use of language. In some sense, the affection of the soul 
 differs nothing at all from the will and inclination, and the will 
 never is in any exercise, any further than it is affected; it is not 
 moved out of a state of perfect indifference, any otherwise than 
 it is affected one way or other, and acts Viothing any further. 
 But yet there are many actings of the will and inclination, that 
 are not so commonly called affections. In every thing we do, 
 wherein we act voluntarily, there is an exercise of the will and in- 
 clination. It is our inclination that governs us in our actions: 
 but all the actings of the inclination and will, in all our common 
 actions of life, are not ordinarily called affections. Yet, what are 
 commonly called affections are not essentially different from 
 them, but only in the degree and manner of exercise. In every 
 act of the will, whatsoever, the soul either likes or dislikes, is 
 either inclined or disinclined to what is in view: these are not 
 essentially different from those affections of love and hatred, that 
 liking or inclination of the soul to a thing; if it be in a high de- 
 gree, and be vigorous and lively, is the very same thing with 
 the affection of love: and that disliking and disinclining, if in a 
 greater degree, is the very same with hatred. In every act of the 
 will for, or towards something not present, the soul is in some 
 degree inclined to that thing; and that inclination, if in a consi- 
 derable degree, is the very same with the affection of desire. 
 And in every degree of the act of the will, wherein the soul ap- 
 proves of something present, there is a degree of pleasedness; and 
 that pleasedness, if it be in a considerable degree, is the very 
 same with the affection of joy or delight. And if the will dis- 
 approves of what is present, the soul is in some degree dis- 
 -pleased, and if that displeasedness be great, it is the very same 
 with the affection of grief or sorrow. 
 
 Such seems to be our nature, and such the laws of the union, 
 of soul and body, that there never is, in any case whatsoever, 
 any lively and vigorous exercise of .the will or inclination of the 
 soul, without some effect upon the body, in some alteration of 
 the motion of its fluids, and especially of the animal spirits. And, 
 on the other hand, from the same laws of the union of soul and 
 
THE AFFECTIONS, 19 
 
 body; the constitution of the body and the motion of the fluids 
 may promote the exercise of the affections. But yet, it is not 
 the body, but the mind only that is the proper seat of the af- 
 fections. The body of man is no more capable of being really 
 the subject of love or hatred, joy or sorrow, fear or hope, than 
 the body of a tree, or than the same body of man is capable of 
 thinking and understanding. As it is the soul only that has ideas, 
 so it is the soul only that is pleased or displeased with its ideas. 
 As it is the soul only that thinks; so it is the soul only that loves 
 or hates, rejoices or is grieved at what it thinks of. Nor are 
 these motions of the animal spirits and fluids of the body any 
 thing properly belonging to the nature of the affections, though 
 they always accompany them in the present state; but are only 
 effects or concomitants of affections, that are entirely distinct from 
 the aff*ections themselves, and no way essential to them; so that 
 an unbodied spirit may be as capable of love and hatred, joy or 
 sorrow, hope or fear, or other affections, as one that is united to 
 a body. 
 
 The affections and passions are frequently spoken of as the 
 same; and yet, in the more common use of speech, there is in 
 some respect a difference; and affection is a Avord, that in its or- 
 dinary signification, seems to be something more extensive, than 
 passion, being used for all vigorous lively actings of tlie will or 
 inclination; but passion for those that are more sudden, and 
 whose effects on the animal spirits are more violent, and the 
 mind more overpowered, and less in its own command. 
 
 As all the exercises of the inclination and will are either in 
 approving and liking, or disapproving and rejecting; so the af- 
 fections arc of two sorts; they are those by which the soul is 
 carried out to what is in view, cleaving to it or seeking it; or 
 those by which it is averse from it, and opposes it. 
 
 Of the former sort are love, desire, hope, joy, gratitude, com- 
 placence. Of the latter kind, are hatred, fear, anger, grief and such 
 like; which, it is needless now to stand particularly to define. 
 
 And there are some affections wherein there is a composition 
 of each of the aforementioned kinds of actings of the wijl; as in 
 
20 NATURE OF 
 
 the affection of pitij, there is something of the former kind to- 
 wards the person sutTering, and something of the latter towards 
 what he suffers. And so in zeal, there is in it a high approba- 
 tion of some person or thing, together ^vith a vigorous opposition 
 to what is conceived to be contrary to it. 
 
 There are other mixed affections, that might be also mention- 
 ed; but I hasten to, 
 
 II. The second thing proposed, wdiich was, to observe some 
 things that render it evident, that true religion, in a great part, 
 consists in the affections. And here, 
 
 1, What has been said of the nature of the affections makes this 
 evident, and may be sufficient, without adding any thing further, 
 to put this matter out of doubt: for who will deny, that true reli- 
 gion consists, in a great measure, in vigorous and lively actings 
 of the inclination and will of the soul, or the fervent exercises of 
 the heart? 
 
 That religion, which God requires, and will accept, does not 
 consist in w^eak, dull and lifeless w^ouldings, raising us but a little 
 above a state of indifference: God, in his word, greatly insists 
 upon it, that we be in good earnest, " fervent in spirit," and our 
 hearts vigoi'ously engaged in religion: Rom. xii. 11. "Be ye fer- 
 vent in spirit, serving the Lord." Deut. x. 12. "And now Is- 
 rael, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the 
 Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to 
 serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul?" 
 And chap. vi. 4, 5. " Hear, Israel, the Lord our God is one 
 Lord: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, 
 and with all thy soul, and w4th all thy might." It is such a fer- 
 vent, vigorous engagedness of the heart in religion, that is the 
 fruit of a real circumcision of the heart, or true regeneration, and 
 that has the promises of life; Deut. xxx. 6. "And the Lord thy 
 God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to 
 love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, 
 that thou mayest live." 
 
 If we be not in good earnest in religion, and our wills and in- 
 clinations be not strongly exercised, we are nothing. The things 
 
THE AFFECTIONS. 21 
 
 of religion are so great, that there can be no suitableness, in the 
 exercises of our hearts, to their nature and importance, unless 
 they be lively and powerful. In nothing is vigor, in the actings 
 of our inclinations, so requisite, as in religion; and in nothing is 
 luke warmness so odious. True religion is evermore a powerful 
 thing; and the power of it appears, in the first place, in the in- 
 ward exercises of it, in the heart, where is the principal and ori- 
 ginal seat of it. Hence true religion is called the power of god- 
 liness, in distinction from the external appearances of it. that are 
 the form of it, 2 Tim, iii. 5. "Having a form of godliness but 
 denying the power of it." The Spirit of God, in those that have 
 found any solid religion, is a spirit of powerful holy affection; and, 
 therefore, God is said to have given them the Spirit of power, 
 and of " love and of a sound mind," 2 Tim. i. 7. And such, when 
 they receive the Spirit of God, in his sanctifying and saving in- 
 fluences, are said to be " baptized with the Holy Ghost and 
 with fire;" by reason of the power and favour of those exercises, 
 the Spirit of God excite in their hearts; whereby their hearts, 
 when grace is in exercise, may be said to burn within them; as 
 is said of the diciples, Luke xxiv. 32. 
 
 The business of religion is, from time to time, compared to 
 those exercises, wherein men are wont to have their hearts and 
 strength greatly exercised and engaged; such as running, wrestling 
 or agonizing for a great prize or crown; and fighting with strong 
 enemies that seek our lives, and warring as those, that by vio- 
 lence take a city or kingdom. 
 
 And, though true grace has various degrees, and there are 
 some that are but babes in Christ, in whom the exercise of the 
 inclination and will towards divine and heavenly things, is com- 
 paratively weak; yet every one that has the power of godliness 
 in his heart, has his inclinations and heart exercised towards 
 God and divine things, with such strength and vigor, that these 
 holy exercises do prevail in him, above all carnal or natural af- 
 fections, and are effectual to overcome them: for every true dis- 
 ciple of Christ, " loves him above father or mother, wife and 
 children, brethren and sisters, houses and lands; yea, than his 
 
22 RELIGION CONSISTS MUCH 
 
 ou'n life.'" From hence it follows, that wherever true religion 
 is, there are vigorous exercises of the inclination and will to- 
 wards divine objects: but, by what was said before, the vigorous, 
 lively and sensible exercises of the will, are no other than the af> 
 fections of the soul. 
 
 2. The Author of the human nature has not only given affec- 
 tions to men, but has made them very much the spring of mens 
 actions. As the affections do not only necessarily belong to the 
 human nature, but are a very great part of it: so (inasmuch as by 
 regeneration, persons are renewed in the whole man, and sanctified 
 throughout) holy affections do not only necessarily belong to true 
 religion, but are a very great part of it. And as true religion is 
 of a practical nature, and God hath so constituted the human na- 
 ture that the affections are very much the spring of mens actions, 
 this also shows that true religion must consist very much in the 
 affections. 
 
 Such is man^s nature, that he is very unactive, any otherwise, 
 than he is influenced by some affection, either love or hatred, de- 
 sire, hope, fear or some other. These affections, we see to be 
 the springs that set men agoing, in all the affairs of life, and en- 
 gage them in all their pursuits: these are the things that put men 
 forward, and carry them along, in all their worldly business; and 
 ^specially are men excited and animated by these, in all affairs 
 wherein they are earnestly engaged, and which they pursue with 
 vigor. We see the world of mankind to be exceeding busy and 
 -; active; and the affections of men are the springs of the motion: 
 take away all love and hatred, all hope and fear, all anger, zeal 
 and affectionate desire, and the world would be, in a great mea- 
 sure, motionless and dead; there would be no such thing as activity 
 amongst mankind, or any active pursuit whatsoever. It is affec- 
 tion that engages the covetous man, and him that is greedy of 
 worldly profits, in his pursuits; and it is by the affections, that the 
 ambitious man is put forward in his pursuit of worldly glory; and 
 it is the affections also that actuates the voluptuous man, in his 
 pursuit of pleasure and sensual delights: the world continues, from 
 age to age, in a continual commotion and agitation, in a pursuit 
 
IN HOLY AFFECTIONS. 23 
 
 of these thini^s; but take away all affection, and the springs of all 
 this motion would be gone, and the motion itself would cease. 
 And, as in worldly things, worldly affections are very much the 
 spring of mens motions and actions; so in religious matters, the 
 spring of their actions is very much religious affections: he that 
 has doctrinal knowledge and speculation only, without affection, 
 never is engaged in the business of religion. 
 
 3. Nothing is more manifest in fact than that the things of re- 
 ligion take hold of mens souls no further than they affect them. 
 There are multitudes that often hear the word of God, and therein 
 hear of those things that are infinitely great and important, and that 
 most nearly concern them, and all that is heard seems to be wholly 
 ineffectual upon them, and to make no alteration in their disposi- 
 tion or behaviour; and the reason is, they are not affected Avith 
 Tivhat they hear. There are many that often hear the glorious 
 perfections of God, his almighty poAver and boundless wisdom, 
 his infinite majesty and that holiness of God, by which he is of 
 purer eyes than to behold evil, and can not look on iniquity, and 
 the heavens are not pure in his sight, and of God's infinite good- 
 ness and mercy, and hear of the great works of God's wisdom, 
 power and goodness, wherein there appear the admirable mani- 
 festations of these perfections; they hear particularly of the un- 
 speakable love of God and Christ, and of the great things that 
 Christ has done and suffered, and of the great things of another 
 world, of eternal misery in bearing the fierceness and wrath of 
 Almighty God, and of endless blessedness and glory in the pre- 
 sence of God, and the enjoyment of his dear love! they also hear 
 the peremptory commands of God and his gracious counsels and 
 warnings, and the sweet invitations of the gospel; I say, they of- 
 ten hear these things, and yet remain as they were before, with 
 no sensible alteration on them, either in heart or practice, because 
 they are not affected with what they hear; and ever will be so till 
 they are affected. I am bold to assert that there never was any 
 considerable change wrought in the mind or conversation of any 
 person, by any thing of a religious nature that ever he read, heard 
 or saw, that had not his affections moved. Never was a natural 
 
24 RELIGION CONSISTS MUCH 
 
 man engaged earnestly to seek his salvation; never were any such 
 brought to cry after wisdom, and lift up their voice for under- 
 standing, and to wrestle with God in prayer for mercy ; and never 
 was one humbled and brought to the foot of God, from any thing 
 that ever he heard or imagined of his own unworthiness and de- 
 serving of God's displeasure; nor was ever one induced to fly for 
 refuge unto Christ, while his heart remained unaffected. Nor 
 was there ever a saint awakened out of a cold, lifeless frame, or 
 recovered from a declining state in religion, and brought back 
 from a lamentable departure from God, without having his heart 
 affected. And, in a word, there never was any thing consfdera- 
 ble brought to pass in the heart or life of any man living, by the 
 things of religion, that had not his heart deeply affected by those 
 things. 
 
 4. The holy scriptures do every where place religion very 
 much in the affections; such as fear, hope, love, hatred, desire, 
 joy, sorrow, gratitude, compassion, and zeal. 
 
 The scriptures place much of religion in godly fear; insomuch, 
 that it is often spoken of as the character of those that are truly 
 religious persons, that they tremble at God's word, that they fear 
 before him, that their flesh trembles for fear of him, and that they 
 are afraid of his judgments, that his excellency makes them afraid, 
 and his dread falls upon them, and the like; and a compellation 
 commonly given the saints in scripture, is, " fearers of God," or 
 " they that fear the Lord." And because the fear of God is a 
 great part of true godliness, hence true godliness in general is very 
 commonly called by the name of the fear of God; as every one 
 knows that knows any thing of the Bible. 
 
 So hope in God and in the promises of his word, is often spo- 
 ken of in the scripture, as a very considerable part of true reli- 
 gion. It is mentioned as one of the three great things of which 
 religion consists, 1 Cor. xiii. 23. Hope in the Lord is also fre- 
 quently mentioned as the character of the saints: Psalms cxlvi. 
 5. " Happy is he who hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose 
 hope is in the Lord his God." Jer. xvii. 7. " Blessed is the man 
 that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is," Psal. 
 
IN HOLY AFFECTIONS. 25 
 
 xxxi. 24. " Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your 
 heart, all ye that hope in the Lord." And the like in many 
 other places. Religious fear and hope are once and again joined 
 together, as jointly constituting the character of the true saints; 
 Psal. xxxiii. 18. " Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them 
 that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy." Psal. cxlvii. 
 11. " The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those 
 that hope in his mercy." Hope is so great a part of true religion, 
 that the apostle says, " we are saved by hope," Rom. viii. 24. 
 And this is spoken of as the helmet of the Christian soldier, 
 1 Thess. V, 8. " And for an helmet, the hope of salvation;" and 
 the sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, which preserves it 
 from being cast away by the storms of this evil world, Heb. vi. 
 19. " Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure 
 and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the vail." It 
 is spoken of as a great fruit and benefit which true saints re- 
 ceive by Christ's resurrection, 1 Pet. i. 3. " Blessed be the God 
 and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his 
 abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by 
 the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." 
 
 The scriptures place religion very much in the affection of love, 
 in love to God and the Lord Jesus Christ, and love to the people 
 of God, and to mankind. The texts in which this is manifest, 
 both in the Old Testament and New, are innumerable. But of 
 this more afterwards. 
 
 The contrary affection of hatred also, as having sin for its ob- 
 ject, is spoken of in scripture as no inconsiderable part of true 
 religion. It is spoken of as that by which true religion may be 
 known and distinguished, Prov. viii. 13. " The fear of the Lord 
 is to hate evil." And accordingly the saints are called upon to 
 give evidence of their sincerity by this, Psal. xcvii, 10. " Ye 
 that love the Lord, hate evil," And the Psalmist often mentions 
 it as an evidence of his sincerity; Psal, ci. 2, 3. " I will walk 
 within my house with a perfect heart. I will set no wicked thing 
 before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside." 
 Psal. cxix. 104. " I hate every false way." So verse 128. 
 
26 RELIGION CONSISTS MUCH 
 
 Again, Psal. cxxxix. 21, " Do I not hate them, Lord, that 
 hate thee." 
 
 So holy desire, exercised in longings, hungerings and thirstings 
 after God and holiness, is often mentioned in scripture as an im- 
 portant part of true religion; Isa. xxvi. 8. " The desire of our 
 soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee." Psal. 
 xxvii. 4. " One thing have I desired of the Lord, and that will 
 I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the 
 days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire 
 in his temple." Psal. xlii. 1,2. " As the hart panteth after the 
 water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, God; my soul 
 thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and 
 appear before God?" Psal. Ixiii. 1,2. " My soul thirsteth for 
 thee; my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where 
 no water is, to see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen 
 thee in the sanctuary." Psal. Ixxxiv. 1,2. " How amiable are 
 thy tabernacles, Lord of hosts ! My soul longeth, yea, even 
 fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth 
 out for the living God." Psal. cxix. 20. " My soul breaketh for 
 the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times," So 
 Psal. Ixxiii. 25. and cxliii. 6, 7. and cxxx. 6. Cant, iii, 1, 2. and 
 vi. 8. Such a holy desire and thirst of soul is mentioned as one 
 of those great things which renders or denotes a man truly bles- 
 sed, in the beginning of Christ's sermon on the mount, Matth. 
 v. 6; " Blessed are they that do hunger and thirst after righ- 
 teousness; for they shall be filled." And this holy thirst is spoken 
 of as a great thing in the condition of a participation of the 
 blessings of eternal life. Rev. xxi. 6. " I will give unto him that 
 is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely." 
 
 The scriptures speak of holy joy, as a great part of true reli- 
 gion. So it is represented in the text. And, as an important part 
 of religion, it is often exhorted to, and pressed with great earnest- 
 ness; Psal. xxxvii. 4. " Delight thyself in the Lord, and he shall 
 give thee the desires of thine heart." Psal. xcvii. 12. " Rejoice 
 in the Lord, ye righteous." So Psal. xxxiii. 1. " Rejoice in the 
 Lord, ye righteous." Matth. v. 12. " Rejoice and be exceed- 
 
IN HOLY AFFECTIONS. 27 
 
 ing glad." Phil. iii. 1, " Finally, brethren, rejoice in the Lord." 
 And chap. iv. 4. " Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again, I say, 
 rejoice." 1 Thess. v. 16. " Rejoice evermore." Psal. cxiix. 2. 
 " Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of 
 Zion be joyful in their King." This is mentioned among the 
 principal fruits of the Spirit of grace. Gal. v. 22. " The fruit of 
 the Spirit is love, joy," &c. — The Psalmist mentions his holy joy, 
 as an evidence of his sincerity. Psal. cxix. 14. "I have rejoiced 
 in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches." 
 
 Religious sorrow, mourning, and brokenness of heart, are also 
 frequently spoken of as a great part of true religion. These things 
 are often mentioned as distinguishing qualities of tlie true saints, 
 and a great part of their character; Matth. v. 4. " Blessed are 
 they that mourn, for they shall be comforted." Psal. xxxiv. 18. 
 " The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and 
 savetli such as be of a contrite spirit." Isa. Ixi. 1,2. " The 
 Lord hath anointed me, to bind up the broken-hearted, to com- 
 fort all that mourn." This godly sorrow and brokenness of heart 
 is often spoken of, not only as a great thing in the distinguishing 
 character of the saints; but that in them which is peculiarly ac- 
 ceptable and pleasing to God; Psal. li. 17. " The sacrifices of 
 God are a broken spirit : a broken and a contrite heart, O God, 
 thou wilt not despise." Isa. Ivii. 15. " Thus saith the high and 
 lofty one, that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is holy, I dwell 
 in the high and holy place; with him also that is of a contrite 
 and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to re- 
 vive the heart of the contrite ones." Chap. Ixvi. 2. " To this 
 man will I look, even to him that is poor, and of a contrite 
 spirit." 
 
 Another affection often mentioned, as that in the exercise of 
 which much of true religion appears, is gratitude; especially as 
 exercised in thankfulness and praise to God. This being so much 
 spoken of in the book of Psalms, and other parts of the holy scrip- 
 tures, I need not mention particular texts. 
 
 Again, the holy scriptures do frequently speak of compassion 
 or mercy, as a very great and essential thing in true religion; in- 
 
28 RELIGION CONSISTS MUCH 
 
 somuch, that good men are in scripture denominated from hence; 
 and a merciful man and a good man are equivalent ternis in 
 scripture. Isa. xlvii. 1. " The righteous perisheth, and no man 
 layeth it to heart; and merciful men are taken away." And the 
 scripture chooses out this quality, as that by which, in a peculiar 
 manner, a righteous man is decyphered. Psal, xxxvii. 21, " The 
 righteous showeth mercy, and giveth:" and ver. g. " He is ever 
 merciful, and lendeth." And Prov. xiv. 31. " He that honoureth 
 the Lord, hath mercy on the poor." And Col, iii. 12. " Put ye 
 on, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies," &c. 
 This is one of those great things by which those who are truly 
 blessed are described by our Saviour, Malt. v. 7, " Blessed are 
 the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy," And this Christ also 
 speaks of as one of the weightier matters of the law, Matt, xxiii. 
 23. " Wo unto you, scribes and pharisees, hypocrites, for ye pay 
 tithe of mint, and anise, and cummin, and have omitted the 
 weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith." To 
 the like purpose is that, Mic. vi. 8. " He hath showed thee, O 
 man, what is good: and what doth the Lord require of thee, but 
 to do justice, and love mercy, and walk humbly with thy God.'" 
 And also that Hos. vi. 6. ••' For I desired mercy, and not sacri- 
 fice:" which seems to have been a text much delighted in by our 
 Saviour, by his manner of citing it once and again, Matt. ix. 13. 
 and xii. 7. 
 
 Zeal is also spoken of as a very essential part of the religion of 
 true saints. It is spoken of as a great thing Christ had in view, 
 in giving himself for our redemption. Tit. ii. 14. " Who gave 
 himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and 
 purify mito himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." 
 And this is spoken of as the great thing wanting in the lukewarm 
 Laodicians, Rev. iii. 15, 16, 19. 
 
 I have mentioned but a few texts, out of an innumerable mul- 
 titude, all over the scripture, which place religion very much in 
 the affections. But what has been observed, may be sufficient to 
 show that Ihey who would deny that much of true religion lies in 
 the afiections, and maintain the contrary, must throw away what 
 
IN HOLY AFFECTIONS. 29 
 
 we have been wont to own for our Bible, and get some other rule, 
 bj which to judge of the nature of religion. 
 
 5. The scriptures do represent true religion as being summarily 
 comprehended in love, the chief of the affections and fountain of 
 all other ajfTections. 
 
 So our blessed Saviour represents the matter, in answer to the 
 lawyer, who asked him, which was the great commandment of 
 the law, Matt. xxii. 37 — 40. " Jesus said unto him. Thou shalt 
 love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, 
 and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. 
 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as 
 thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the 
 prophets," which last words signify as much, as that these two 
 comnandments comprehend all the duty prescribed, and the reli- 
 gion tiught in the law and the prophets. And the apostle Paul 
 does rom time to time make the same representation of the 
 matter; as in Rom. xxiii. 8. " He that loveth another hath ful- 
 filled the law." And ver. 10. " Love is the fulfilling of the law." 
 And Gal. v. 14. " For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even 
 in ths. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." So likewise 
 in 1 Tim. 1.5. " Now the end of the commandment is charity out 
 of a pure heart," &c. So the same apostle speaks of love, as the 
 grettest thing in religion, and as the vitals, essence and soul of it; 
 witiout which the greatest knowledge and gifts, and the most 
 glo-ing profession and every thing else which appertains to reli- 
 gia, a^ vain and worthless; and represents it as the fountain 
 frm whence proceeds all that is good, in 1 Cor, xiii. through- 
 oi; for that which is there ^endered charity ^ in the original is 
 ei'Trin))^ the proper English of which is love. 
 
 Now, although it be true, that the love thus spoken of, includes 
 he whole of a sincerely benevolent propensity of the soul, towards 
 3!od and man; yet it may be considered, that it is evident from 
 tvhat has been before observed, that this propensity or inclination 
 of the soul, when in sensible and vigorous exercise, becomes af- 
 fection, and is no other than affectionate love. And surely, it is 
 such vigorous and fervent love, which Christ speaks of as the 
 
30 RELIGION CONSISTS MUCH 
 
 sum of all religion, when he speaks of loving God with all our 
 hearts, with all our souls, and with all our minds, and our neigh- 
 bour as ourselves, as the sum of all that was taught and pre- 
 scribed in the law and the prophets. 
 
 Indeed it cannot be supposed, when this affection of love is 
 here, and in other scriptures, spoken of as the sum of all reli- 
 gion, that hereby is meant the act, exclusive of the habit, or that 
 the exercise of the understanding is excluded, which is implied 
 in all reasonable affection. But k is doubtless true, and evident 
 from these scriptures, that the essence of all true religion lies in 
 holy love; and that in this divine affection, and an habitual dis- 
 position to it, and that light, which is the foundation of it, and 
 those things which are the fruit of it, consists the whole of re- 
 ligion. 
 
 From hence it clearly and certainly appears, that great part of 
 true religion consists in the affections. For love is not oijly one 
 of the affections, but is the first and chief of the affection), and 
 the fountain of all the affections. From love arises hatted of 
 those things which are contrary to what we love, or which oppose 
 and thwart us in those things that we delight in; and from the vari- 
 ous exercises of love and hatred, according to the circumst^ices 
 of the objects of these affections, as present or absent, certaai or 
 uncertain, probable or improljable, arise all those other affecions 
 of desire, hope, fear, joy, grief, gratitude, anger, &c. Frctn a 
 vigorous, affectionate, and fervent love of God, will necessa*ily 
 arise other religious affections; hence will arise an intense hat-ed 
 and abhorrence of sin, fear of sin, and a dread of God's displa- 
 sure, gratitude to God for his goodness, complacence and j>y 
 in God, when God is graciously and sensibly present, and grif, 
 when he is absent, and a joyful hope, when a future enjoymek 
 of God is expected, and fervent zeal for the glory of God. An\ 
 in like manner, from a fervent love to men, will arise all othe\ 
 virtuous affections towards men. 
 
 6. The religion of the most eminent saints, we have an account 
 of in the scripture, consisted much in holy affections. 
 
 I shall take particular notice of three eminent saints, who 
 
IN HOLY AFFECTIONS. 31 
 
 have expressed the frame and sentiments of their own hearts, and 
 so described their own religion, and the manner of their inter- 
 course with God, in the writings which they have left us, that 
 are a part of the sacred canon. 
 
 The first instance I shall take notice of is David, that " man 
 after God's own heart," who has given us a lively portraiture of 
 his religion in the book of Psalms. Those holy songs of his, he has 
 there left us, are nothing else than the expressions and breathings 
 of devout and holy affections; such as an humble and fervent love 
 to God, admiration of his glorious perfections and wonderful 
 works, earnest desires, thirstings, and pantings of soul after God, 
 delight and joy in God, a sweet and melting gratitude to God for 
 his great goodness, an holy exultation and triumph of soul in the 
 favour, sufficiency and faithfulness of God, his love to and delight 
 in the saints, the excellent of the earth, his great delight in the 
 word and ordinances of God, his grief for his own and odiers 
 sins, and his fervent zeal for God, and against the enemies of God 
 and his church. And these expressions of holy affection, which 
 the Psalms of David are every where full of, are the more to our 
 present purpose, because those psalms are not only the expressions 
 of the religion of so eminent a saint, that God speaks of, as so 
 agreeable to his mind; but were also, by the direction of the Ho- 
 ly Ghost, penned for the use of the church of God in its public 
 worship, not only in that age, but in after ages, as being fitted to 
 express the religion of all saints, in all ages; as well as the reli- 
 gion of the Psalmist. And it is moreover to be observed, that 
 David, in the book of Psalms, speaks not as a private person, but 
 as the Psalmist of Israel, as the subordinate head of the church 
 of God, and leader in their worship and praises; and in many of 
 the psalms, speaks in the name of Christ, as personating him in 
 these breathings forth of holy affection; and in many other psalms 
 he speaks in the name of the church. 
 
 Another instance, I shall observe, is the apostle Paul, who was 
 in many respects the chief of all the ministers of the New Tes- 
 tament; being above all others a chosen vessel unto Christ, to 
 bear his name before the Gentiles, and made the chief instru- 
 
32 RELIGION CONSISTS MUCH 
 
 ment of propagating and establishing the christian church in the 
 world, and of distinctly revealing the glorious mysteries of the gos- 
 pel, for the instruction of the church in all ages; and (as has not 
 been improbably thought by some) the most eminent servant of 
 Christ that ever lived, received to the highest rewards in the hea- 
 venly kingdom of his Master. By what is said of him in the scrip- 
 ture, he appears to have been a person that was full of affection. 
 And it is very manifest that the religion he expresses in his epis- 
 tles, consisted very much in holy atfections. It appears, by all 
 his expressions of himself, that he was, in the course of his life, 
 inflamed, actuated, and entirely swallowed up, by a most ardent 
 love to his glorious Lord, esteeming all thing's as loss for the ex- 
 cellency and knowledge of him, and esteeming them but dung 
 that he might win him. He represents himself as overpowered 
 by this holy affection, and as it were, compelled by it to go for- 
 ward in his service, through all difficulties and sufferings, 2 Cor. 
 V. 14, 15. And his epistles are full of expressions of an over- 
 flowing affection towards the people of Christ. He speaks, of his 
 dear love to them, 2 Cor. xii. 19. Phil. iv. 1. 2 Tim. i. 2.; of 
 his " abundant love," 2 Cor. ii. 4.; and of his " affectionate and 
 tender love," as of a nurse towards her children, 1 Thes. ii. 7,8. 
 *' But we were gentle among you, ever as a nurse cherished her 
 children: so being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing 
 to have imparted unto you, not the Gospel of God only, but also 
 our own souls, because ye were dear unto us." So also he speaks 
 of his "bowels of love." Phil. i. 8. Philem. v. 12. and 20. So 
 he speaks of his "earnest care" for others, 2 Cor. viii. 16. and 
 of his "bowels of pity, or mercy, towards them, Phil. ii. 1. and 
 of his concern for others, even to anguish of heart, 2 Cor. ii. 4. 
 " For out of much affliction and anguish of heart, I wrote unto 
 you with many tears; not that you should be grieved, but that ye 
 might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you." 
 He speaks of the great conflict of his soul for them. Col. ii. 1. He 
 speaks of the great and continual grief that he had in his heart 
 from compassion to the Jews, Rom. ix. 2. He speaks of his 
 mouth being opened and his heart enlarged" towards Christians, 
 
IN HOLY AFFECTIONS. 33 
 
 2 Cor. vl, 11. "0 ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, 
 our heart is enlarged." He often speaks of his " affectionate and 
 longing desires," 1 Thess. ii. 8. Rom. i. 11. Phil, i. 8. and chap. 
 iv. 1. 2 Tim. i. 4. The same apostle is very often, in his epis- 
 tles, expressing the affection of joy, 2 Cor. i. 12. and chap. vii. 7. 
 and ver. 9, 16. Phil. i. 4, and chap. ii. 12. and chap. iii. 3. Col. 
 i. 24. 1 Thess. iii. 9. He speaks of his " rejoicing with great 
 joy," Phil. iv. 10. Philem. i. 7. of his " joying and rejoicing," 
 Phil. ii. I, 7, and of his " rejoicing exceedingly," 2 Cor. vii. 13. 
 and of his being " filled with comfort, and being exceeding joy- 
 ful," 2 Cor. vii. 4. He speaks of himself as " always rejoicing," 
 ■2 Cor. vi. 10. So he speaks of the triumphs of his soul, 2 Cor. 
 . ii. 14. and of his " glorying in tribulation," 2 Thess. i. 4. and 
 Rom. V. 3. He also expresses the affection of hope, in Phil. i. 
 20. he speaks of his " earnest expectation, and his hope," He 
 likewise expresses an affection of godly jealousy, 2 Cor. xi. 2, 3. 
 And it appears by his whole history, after his conversion, in the 
 Acts, and also by all his epistles, and the accounts he gives of 
 himself there, that the affection of zeal, as having the cause of his 
 Master, and the interest and prosperity of his church for its ob- 
 ject, was mighty in him, continually inflaming his heart, strong- 
 ly engaging, to those great and constant labours he went through, 
 in instructing, exhorting, warning, and reproving others, " tra- 
 vailing in birth with them;" conflicting with those powerful and 
 innumerable enemies who continually opposed him, wrestling 
 with principalities and powers, not fighting as one who beats the 
 air, running the race set before him, continually pressing for- 
 wards through all manner of difficulties and sufferings; so that 
 others thought him quite beside himself. And how full he was 
 of affection does further appear by his being so full of tears: in 
 2 Cor. ii. 4, he speaks of his " many tears," and so Acts xx. 19; 
 and of his " tears that he shed continually night and day," ver. 31. 
 Now if any one can consider these accounts given in the scrip- 
 ture of this great apostle, and which he gives of himself, and jet 
 not see that his religion consisted much in affection, must have a 
 
34 RELIGION CONSISTS MUCH 
 
 strange faculty of managing his eyes, to shut out the light that 
 shines most full in his face. 
 
 The other instance I shall mention, is of the apostle John, that 
 beloved disciple, who was the nearest and dearest to his Master 
 of any of the twelve, and was by him admitted to the greatest 
 privileges of any of them; being not only one of the three who 
 were admitted to be present with him in the mount at his trans- 
 figuration, and at the raising of Jairus's daughter, and whom he 
 took with him when he was in his agony, and one of the three 
 spoken of by the apostle Paul, as the three main pillars of the 
 christian church; but was favoured above all, in being admitted 
 to lean on his INlaster's bosom at his last supper, and in being 
 chosen by Christ, as the disciple to whom he would reveal his 
 wonderful dispensations towards his church, to the end of time, 
 as we have an account of in the Book of Revelation; and to shut 
 up the canon of the New Testament, and of the whole scripture; 
 being preserved much longer than all the rest of the apostles, to 
 set all things in order in the christian church, after their death. 
 
 It is evident by all his writings, (as is generally observed by di- 
 vines), that he was a person remarkably full of affection : his ad- 
 dresses to those whom he wrote to, being inexpressibly tender 
 and pathetical, breathing nothing but the most fervent love ; as 
 though he were all made up of sweet and holy affection. The 
 proofs of which cannot be given without disadvantage, unless we 
 should transcribe his whole writings. 
 
 7. He whom God sent into the world to be the light of the 
 world, and head of the whole church, and the perfect example of 
 true religion and virtue, for the imitation of all, the Shepherd 
 whom the whole flock should follow where ever he goes, even the 
 Lord Jesus Christ, was a person who was remarkably of a tender 
 and affectionate heart ; and his virtue was expressed very much 
 in the exercise of holy affections. He was the greatest instance 
 of ardency, vigour and strength of love, to both God and man, 
 that ever was. It was these affections, which got the victory in 
 that mighty struggle and conflict of his affections, in his agonies, 
 when " he prayed more earnestly, and offered strong crying and 
 
IN HOLY AFFECTIONS. 35 
 
 " tears," and wrestled in tears and in blood. Such was the pow- 
 er of the exercises of his holy love, that they were stronger than 
 death, and in that great struggle overcame those strong exercises 
 of the natural affections of fear and grief, when he was sore 
 amazed, and his soul was exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. 
 And he also appeared to be full of affection in the course of his 
 life. We read of his great zeal, fulfilling that in the 69th Psalm, 
 " The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up," John ii. 17. We 
 read of his grief for the sins of men, Mark iii. 5. " He looked 
 round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness 
 of their hearts;" and his breaking forth in tears and excla- 
 mations, from the consideration of the sin and misery of ungodly 
 men, and on the sight of the city of Jerusalem, which was full 
 of such inhabitants, Luke xix. 41, 42. " And, when he was 
 come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, saying, If thou 
 hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things 
 which belong unto thy peace ! but now they are hid from thine 
 eyes." With chap. xiii. 34. " Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which \ 
 killest the prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee: | 
 how often would I have gathered thy children together, as 
 a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would 
 not?" We read of Christ's earnest desire, Luke xxii. 15. 
 " With desire have I desired to eat this passover with you be- 
 fore I suffer." We often read of the affection of pity or com- 
 passion in Christ, Matth. xv. 32. and xviii. 34. Luke vii, 13. and 
 of his " being moved with compassion," Matth. ix. 36. and xiv. 
 14. and Mark vi. 34. And how tender did his heart appear to 
 be on occasion of Mary and Martha's mourning for their bro- 
 ther, and coming to him with their complaints and tears? Their 
 tears soon drew tears from his eyes; he was affected with their 
 grief, and wept with them ; though he knew their sorrow should 
 so soon be turned into joy, by their brother's being raised from 
 the dead; see John xi. And how inefHibly affectionate was that 
 last and dying discourse which Jesus had with his eleven disci- 
 ples the evening Jaefore he was crucified; when he told them he 
 was going away, and foretold them the great dithculties and suf- 
 
36 RELIGION CONSISTS MUCH 
 
 ferings t!iey sliould meet with in the workl when he was gone; 
 and comforted and counselled them, as his dear little children; 
 and bequeathed to them his Holy Spirit, and therein his peace, 
 and his comfort and joy, as it were in his last will and testament, 
 in the 13th, 14th, 15th and 16th chapters of John; and con- 
 cluded the whole with that affectionate intercessory prayer for 
 them, and his whole church, in chap. xvii. Of all the discourses 
 ever pemied, or uttered by the mouth of any man, this seems to 
 be the most affectionate and affecting. 
 
 8. The religion of heaven consists very much in affection. 
 
 There is doubtless true religion in heaven, and true religion in 
 its utmost purity and perfection. But, according to the scripture 
 representation of the heavenly state, the religion of heaven con- 
 sists chiefly in holy and mighty love and joy, and the expression 
 of these in most fervent and exalted praises. So that the religion 
 of the saints in heaven, consists in the same thing with that reli- 
 gion of the saints on earth, which is spoken of in our text, viz. 
 love, and " joy unspeakable, and full of glory." Now, it would 
 be very foolish to pretend, that because the saints in heaven be 
 not united to flesh and blood, and have no animal fluids to be 
 moved (through the laws of union of soul and body) with those 
 great emotions of their souls, that therefore their exceeding love 
 and joy are no affections. We are not speaking of the affections 
 of the body, but of the affections of the soul, the chief of which 
 are love and joy. When these are in the soul, whether that be in 
 the body or out of it, the soul is affected and moved. And wlien 
 they are in the soul, in that strength in which they are in the 
 saints in heaven, the soul is mightily affected and moved, or which 
 is the same thing, has great affections. It is true, we do not ex- 
 perimentally know what love and joy are in a soul out of a body, 
 or in a glorified body ; i. e. we have not had experience of love 
 and joy in a soul in these circumstances ; but the saints on earth 
 do know what divine love and joy in the soul are, and they know 
 thit love and joy are of the same kind with the love and joy 
 which are in heaven, in separate souls there. The love and joy 
 of the saints on earth is the beginning and dawning of the light. 
 
IN HOLY AFFECTIONS. 37 
 
 life, and blessedness of heaven, and is like their love and joy 
 there; or rather the same in nature, though not the same with it, 
 or like to it, in degree or circumstances. This is evident by 
 many scriptures, as Prov. iv. 18. John iv. 14. and chap. vi. 40, 
 47, 50, 51, 54, 58. 1 John iii. 15. 1 Cor. xiii. 8—12. It is un- 
 reasonable therefore to suppose that the love and joy of the saints 
 in heaven, not only differ in degree and circumstances from the 
 holy love and joy of the saints on earth, but is so entirely differ- 
 ent in nature, that they are no affections; and merely because 
 they have no blood and animal spirits to be set in motion by 
 them, which motion of the blood and animal spirits is not of the 
 essence of these affections in men on the earth, but the effect of 
 them; although by their reaction they may make some circum- 
 stantial difference in the sensation of the mind. There is a sen- 
 sation of the mind which loves and rejoices, that is antecedent to 
 any effects on the fluids of the body; and this sensation of the 
 mind, therefore, does not depend on these motions in the body, 
 and so may be in the soul without the body. And wherever there 
 are the exercises of love and joy, there is that sensation of the 
 mind, whether it be in the body or out; and that inward sensa- 
 tion, or kind of spritual sense or feeling, and motion of the soul, 
 is what is called affection; the soul wlien it thus feels, (if I may 
 say so), and is thus moved, is said to be affected, and especially 
 when this inward sensation and motion are to a very high degree, 
 as they are in the saints in heaven. If we can learn any thing 
 of the state of heaven from the scripture; the love and joy that 
 the saints have there is exceeding great and vigorous; im- 
 pressing the heart with the strongest and most lively sensation of 
 inexpressible SAveetness, mightily moving, animating and engag- 
 ing them, making them like to a flame of fire. And if such love 
 and joy be not affections, then the word affection is of no use in 
 language. — Will any say that the saints in heaven, in beholding 
 the face of their Father, and the glory of their Redeemer, and 
 contemplating his wonderful works, and particularly his laying 
 down his life for them, hove their hearls nothing moved and af- 
 fected by all which they behold or consider? 
 
S8 RELIGION CONSISTS MUCH 
 
 Hence, therefore, the religion of heaven, consisting chiefly in 
 holy love and joy, consists very much in affection: and, therefore. 
 Undoubtedly, true religion consists very much in affection. The 
 way to learn the true nature of any thing, is to go where that 
 thing is to be found in its purity and perfection. If we would 
 know the nature of true gold, we must view it, not in the ore, 
 but when it is refined. If we would learn what true religion is, 
 we must go where there is true religion, and nothing but true re- 
 ligion, and in its highest perfection, without any defect or mix- 
 ture. All who are truly religious are not of this world, they are 
 strangers here, and belong to heaven; they are born from above, 
 heaven is their native country, and the nature which they re- 
 ceive by this heavenly birth, is an heavenly nature, they receive 
 an anointing from above; that principle of true religion which is 
 in them, is a communication of the religion of heaven; their grace 
 is the dawn of glory; and God fits them for that world by con- 
 \ forming them to it. 
 
 9, This appears from the nature and design of the ordinances 
 and duties, which God hath appointed, as means and expressions 
 of true religion. 
 
 To instance in the duty of prayer: it is manifest we are not 
 appointed, in this duty, to declare God's perfections, his majesty, 
 holiness, goodness and all sufficiency, and our own meanness, 
 emptiness, dependence and unworthiness, and our wants and de- 
 sires, to inform God of these things, or to incline his heart, and 
 prevail with him to be willing to show us mercy; but suitably to 
 affect our own hearts with the things we express, and so to pre- 
 pare us to receive the blessings we ask. And such gestures and 
 manner of external behaviour in the worship of God, which cus- 
 tom has made to be significations of humility and reverence, can 
 be of no further use than as they have some tendency to affect 
 our own hearts, or the hearts of others. 
 
 And the duty of singing praises to God seems to be appointed 
 wholly to excite and express religious affections. No other reason 
 can be assigned why we should express ourselves to God in verse 
 rather than in prose, and do it with music, but only, that such is 
 
IN HOLY AFFECTIONS. 39 
 
 our nature and frame, that these things have a tendency to move 
 our affections. 
 
 The same thing appears in the nature and design of the sacra- 
 ments^ which God hath appointed, God, considering our frame, 
 hath not only appointed that Ave should be told of the great things 
 of the Gospel, and of the redemption of Christ, and instructed in 
 them by his ivord; but also, that they should be, as it were, ex- 
 hibited to our view in sensible representations in the sacraments, 
 the more to affect us with them. 
 
 And the impressing divine things on the hearts and affections 
 of men, is evidently one great and main end for which God has 
 ordained that his word, delivered in the holy scriptures, should 
 be opened, applied, and set home upon men, in preaching. And 
 therefore it does not answer the aim which God had in this insti- 
 tution, merely for men to have good commentaries and expositions 
 on the scripture, and other good books of divinity; because, al- 
 though these may tend, as well as preaching, to give men a good 
 doctrinal or speculative understanding of the things of the word 
 of God, yet they have not an equal tendency to impress them on 
 mens hearts and affections. God hath appointed a particular and 
 lively application of his word to men in. the preaching of it, as a 
 fit means to affect sinners with the importance of the things of 
 religion, and their own misery and necessity of a remedy, and the 
 glory and sufficiency of a remedy provided; and to stir up the 
 pure minds of the saints and quicken their affections, by often 
 bringing the great things of religion to their remembrance, and 
 setting them before them in their proper colours, though they 
 know them and have been fully instructed in them already, 2 Pet, 
 i. 12, 13. And particularly to promote those two affections in 
 them which are spoken of in the text, love and joy: " Christ gave 
 some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and 
 some, pastors and teachers; that the body of Christ might be edi- 
 fied in love, Eph, iv. 11, 12, 16. The apostle in instructing and 
 counselling Timothy, concerning the work of the ministry, in- 
 forms him that the great end of that word which a minister is to 
 preach, is love or charity, 1 Tim. i. 3, 4, 5. And another af- 
 
40 RELIGION CONSISTS MUCH 
 
 fection which God has appointed preaching as a means to pro- 
 mote in the saints, is joy; and therefore ministers are called 
 " helpers of their joy," 2 Cor. i. 24. 
 
 10. It is an evidence that true religion, or holiness of heart, 
 lies very much in the affection of the heart, that the scrip- 
 tures place the sin of the heart very much in hardness of heart. 
 Thus the scriptures do every w^here. It was hardness of heart 
 which excited grief and displeasure in Christ towards the Jews, 
 Mark iii. 5. " He looked round a.bout on them with anger, be- 
 ing grieved for the hardness of their hearts." It is from mens 
 having such a heart as this, that they treasure up wrath for them- 
 selves; Rom. ii. 5. " After thy hardness and impenitent heart, 
 treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath, and 
 revelation of the righteous judgment of God." The reason given 
 why the house of Israel would not obey God, was, that they were 
 hard-hearted; Ezek. iii. 7. "• But the house of Israel will not 
 hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me; for all the 
 house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted." The wicked- 
 ness of that perverse rebellious generation in the wilderness, is 
 ascribed to the hardness of their hearts; Psal. xcv. 7 — 10. " To- 
 day, if ye will hear my voice, harden not your hearts, as in the 
 provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness; 
 when your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work: 
 .forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It 
 is a people that do err in their heart," &c. — This is spoken of as 
 what prevented Zedekiah's turning to the Lord, 2 Chron. xxxvi. 
 13, " He stiffened his neck and hardened his heart from turning 
 to the Lord God of Israel." This principle is spoken of as that 
 from whence men are without the fear of God, and depart from 
 God's ways: Isa. Ixiii. 17. "0 Lord, why hast thou made us to 
 err from thy ways? And hardened our heart from thy fear.''" 
 And mens rejecting Christ, and opjx)sing Chiiytianity, is laid 
 to this principle, Acts. xix. 9. " But when divers were hard- 
 ened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the 
 multitude." God's leaving men to the power of the sin and cor- 
 ruption of the heart, is oicen expressed by God's hardening their 
 
IN HOLY AFFECTIONS. 41 
 
 hearts, Rom, ix. 18, " Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will 
 have mere}', and whom he will he hardeneth." John xii. 40. 
 " He hath blinded their minds and hardened their hearts," And 
 the apostle seems to speak of " an evil heart that departs from 
 the living God, and a hard heart," as the same thing, Heb, iii, 8, 
 " Harden not your heart, as in the provocation," &c, ver. 12, 13. 
 " Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart 
 o£ unbelief, in departing from the living God: But exhort one an- 
 other daily, while it is called to-day, lest any of you be hardened 
 through the deceitfulncss of sin " And that great work of God, 
 in conversion, which consists in delivering a person from the pow- 
 er of sin, and mortifying corruption, is expressed, once and again^ 
 by God's " taking away the heart of stone, and giving an heart 
 of flesh," Ezek. xi. 19, and chap, xxxvi, 26, 
 
 Now, by a hard heart, is plainly meant an unaffected heart, or 
 a heart not easy to be moved with virtuous affections, like the 
 stone, insensible, stupid, unmoved, and hard to be impressed. 
 Hence the hard heart is called a stony heart, and is opposed to 
 a heart of flesh, that has feeling, and is sensibly touched and mov- 
 ed. We read in scripture of a hard heart and a tender heart; 
 and doubtless we are to understand these as contrary the one to 
 the other. But what is a tender heart, but a heart which is ea- 
 sily impressd with what ought to affect it.'' God commends Josiah, 
 because his heart was tender: and it is evident, by those things 
 which are mentioned as expressions and evidences of this tender- 
 ness of heart, that by his heart being tender is meant his heart 
 being easily moved with religious and pious affection; 2 Kings 
 xxii. 19. " Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast hum- 
 bled thyself before the Lord, when thou heardst what I spake 
 against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they 
 should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, 
 and wept before me, I also have heard thee, saith the Lord," 
 And this is one thing, wherein it is necessary we should " become 
 as little children in order to our entering into the kingdom of 
 God," even that we should have our hearts tender, and easily 
 
4^ RELIGION CONSISTS MUCH 
 
 affected and moved in spiritual and divine tilings, as little children 
 have in other things. 
 
 It is very plain in some places, in the texts themselves, that by 
 hardness of heart is meant a heart void of affection. So, to sig- 
 nify the ostrich's being withost natural affection to her young, it 
 is said, Job xxxix. 16. " She hardeneth her heart against her 
 young ones, as though they were not hers." So a person having 
 a heart unaffected in time of danger, is expressed by his harden- 
 ing his heart, Prov. xxviii. 14. " Happy is the man that feareth 
 alway: but he that hardeneth his heart, shall fall into mischief." 
 
 Now therefore since it is so plain, that by a hard heart, in 
 scripture, is meant a heart destitute of pious affections, and since 
 also the scriptures do so frequently place the sin and corruption 
 of the heart in hardness of heart, it is evident, that the grace and 
 holiness of the heart, on the contrary, must, in a great measure, 
 consist in its having pious affections, and being easily susceptive 
 of such affections. Divines are generally agreed, that sin radi- 
 cally and fundamentally consists in what is negative or privative, 
 having its root and foundation in a privation or want of holiness. 
 And therefore undoubtedly, if it be so that sin does very much 
 consist in hardness of heart, and so in the want of pious affections 
 of heart, holiness does consist very much in those pious affections. 
 
 I am far from supposing, that all affections do show a tender 
 heart: hatred, anger, vain-glory, and other selfish and self exalt- 
 ing affections, may greatly prevail in the hardest heart. But yet 
 it is evident, that hardness of heart, and tenderness of heart, are 
 expressions that relate to the affections of the heart, and denote 
 the heart's being susceptible of, or shut up against, certain affec- 
 tions; of which, I shall have occasion to speak more afterwards. 
 
 Upon the whole, I think it clearly and abundantly evident, that 
 true religion lies very much in the affections. Not that I think 
 these arguments prove that religion in the hearts of the truly 
 godly, is ever in exact proportion to the degree of affection and 
 present emotion of the mind: for undoubtedly there is much af- 
 fection in the true saints which is not spiritual; their religious 
 affections are often mixed; all is not from grace, but much from 
 
IN HOLY AFFECTIONS, 43 
 
 nature. And though the affections have not their seat in the body, 
 yet the constitution of the body may very much contribute to the 
 present emotion of the mind. And the degree of religion is rather 
 to be judged of by the fixedness and strength of the habit that is 
 exercised in affection, whereby holy affection is habitual, than by 
 the degree of the present exercise: and the strength of that habit 
 is not always in proportion to outward effects and manifestations, 
 or inward effects, in t!ie hurrv and vehemence and sudden changes 
 of the course of the thoughts of the mind. But yet it is evident, 
 that religion consists so much in affection, as that without holy 
 affection there is no true religion: and no light in the understand- 
 ing so good, which does not produce holy affection in the heart: 
 no habit or principle in the heart is good, which has no such ex- 
 ercise: and no external fruit is good, which does not proceed from 
 such exercises. 
 
 Having thus considered the evidence of the proposition laid 
 down, I proceed to some inferences. 
 
 1 . We may hence learn how great their error is, who are for 
 discarding all religious affections, as having nothing solid or sub* 
 stantial in them. 
 
 There seems to be too much of a disposition this way, prevail- 
 ing in this land at this time. Because many who, in tlie late 
 extraordinary season, appeared to have great religious affections, 
 did not manifest a right temper of mind, and run iulo many errors 
 in the time of their affection and the heat of their zeal; and be- 
 cause the high affections of many seem to be so soon come to 
 nothing, and some who seemed to be mightily raised and swal- 
 lowed up with joy and zeal for a while, seem to have returned like 
 a dog to his vomit: hence, religious affections in general are grown 
 out of credit with great numbers, as though true religion did not 
 at all consist in them. Thus we easily and naturally run from 
 one extreme to another. A little while ago we were in the other 
 extreme; there was a prevalent disposition to look upon all high 
 religious affections as eminent exercises of true grace, without 
 .much inquiring into the nature and source of tliose affections, and 
 the manner in which tiiey arose: if persons did but appear to be 
 
44 RELIGION CONSISTS MUCH 
 
 indeed very much moved and raised, so as to be full of religious 
 talk, and express themselves with great warmth and earnestness, 
 and to be filled, or to be very full, as the phrases were; it was too 
 much tlie manner, without further examination, to conclude such 
 persons were full of the Spirit of God, and had eminent experi- 
 ence of his gracious influences. This was the extreme which 
 was prevailing three or four years ago. But of late, instead of 
 esteeming and admiring all religious affections without distinction, 
 it is a thing much more prevalent to reject and discard all with- 
 out distinction. Herein appears the subtilty of Satan. A\liile 
 he saw that affections were much in vogue, knowing the greater 
 part of the land were not versed in such things, and had not much 
 experience in great religious affections to enable them to judge 
 well of them, and to distinguish between true and false; then he 
 could best play his game by sowing tares among the wheat, and 
 mingling false affections with the works of God's Spirit: he knew 
 this to be a likely way to delude and eternally ruin many souls, 
 and greatly wound religion in the saints, and entangle them in a 
 dreadful wilderness, and, by and by, to bring all religion into dis- 
 repute. But now, when the ill consequences of these false affec- 
 tions appear, and it is becoming very apparent that some of those 
 emotions which made a glaring show, and were by many greatly 
 admired, were in reality nothing, the devil sees it to be for his in- 
 terest to go another way to work, and to endeavour to his utmost 
 to propagate and establish a persuasion that all affections and sen- 
 sible emotions of the mind in things of religion, are nothing at all 
 to be regarded, but are rather to be avoided and carefully guard- 
 ed against as things of a pernicious tendency. This, he knows, 
 is the way to bring all religion to a mere lifeless formality, and 
 effectually shut out the power of godliness and every thing which 
 is spiritual, and to have all true Christianity turned out of doors. 
 For although to true religion there must indeed be something else be- 
 sides affection, yet true religion consists so much in the affections 
 that there could be no true religion without them. He who has 
 no religious affections is in a state of spiritual death, and is wholly 
 destitute of the powerful, quickening, saving influences of the 
 
IN HOLY AFFECTIONS, 45 
 
 Spirit of God upon his heart. As there is no true religion where 
 there is nothing else than affection, so there is no true religion 
 where there is no religious affection. As, on the one hand, there 
 must be light in the understanding as well as an affected fervent 
 heart; where there is heat without light there can be nothing di- 
 vine or heavenly in that heart: so, on the other hand, where there 
 is a kind of light without heat, a head stored with notions and 
 speculations, with a cold and unaffected heart, there can be no- 
 thing divine in that light, that knowledge is no true spiritual 
 knowledge of divine things. If the great things of religion are 
 rightly understood, they will affect the heart. The reason why 
 men are not affected by such infinitely great, important, glorious 
 and wonderful things as they often hear and read of in the word 
 of God, is undoubtedly because they are blind; if they were not 
 so, it would be impossible and utterly inconsistent with human 
 nature, that their hearts should be otherwise than strongly im- 
 pressed and greatly moved by such things. 
 
 This manner of slighting all religious affections, is the way ex- 
 ceedingly to harden the hearts of men, and to encourage them in 
 their stupidity and senselessness, and to keep them in a state of 
 spiritual death as long as they live, and bring them at last to death 
 eternal. The prevailing prejudice against religious affections at 
 this day, in the land, is apparently of awful effect to harden the 
 hearts of sinners, and damp the graces of many of the saints, and 
 stun the life and power of religion, and preclude the effect of or- 
 dinances, and hold us down in a state of dulness and apathy, and 
 undoubtedly causes many persons greatly to offend God, in enter- 
 taining mean and low thoughts of the extraordinary work he has 
 lately wrought in this land. 
 
 And for persons to despise and cry down all religious affections, 
 is the way to shut all religion out of their own hearts, and to make 
 thorough work in ruining their souls. 
 
 They who condcnni high affections in others, are certainly not 
 likely to have high affections themselves. And let it be consid- 
 ered that they, who have but little religious affection, have cer- 
 
46 RELIGION CONSISTS MUCH 
 
 tainly but little religion. And they who condemn others for their 
 religious affections, and have none themselves, have no religion. 
 
 There are false affections, and there are true. A man's having 
 much affection does not prove that he has any true religion; but 
 if he has no affection, it proves that he has no true religion. The 
 right way is not to reject all affections, nor to approve all; but 
 to distinguish between affections, approving some and rejecting 
 others; separating between the wheat and the chaff, the gold and 
 the dross, the precious and the vile. 
 
 2. If it be so that true religion lies much in the affections, 
 hence we may infer that such means are to be desired, as have 
 much of a tendency to move the affections. Such books and such 
 a way of preaching the word, and administration of ordinances, 
 and such a way of worshipping God in prayer, and singing praises, 
 is much to be desired, as has a tendency deeply to affect the hearts 
 of those who attend these means. 
 
 Such a kind of means would formerly have been highly ap- 
 proved of, and applauded by the generality of the people of the 
 land, as the most excellent and profitable, and having the great- 
 est tendency to promote the ends of the means of grace. But the 
 prevailing taste seems of late strangely to be altered: that pathe- 
 tical manner of praying and preaching, which would formerly 
 have been admired and extolled, and that for this reason, because 
 it had such a tendency to move the affections, now in great mul- 
 titudes, immediately excites disgust, and moves no other affections 
 than those of displeasure and contempt. 
 
 Perhaps formerly the generality (at least of the common peo- 
 ple) were in the extreme, of looking too much to an affectionate 
 address in public performances: but now a very great part of the 
 people seem to have gone far into a contrary extreme. In- 
 deed there may be such means as may have a great tendency to 
 stir up the passions of weak and ignorant persons, and yet have 
 no great tendency to benefit their souls: for though they may have 
 a tendency to excite affections, they may have little or none to ex- 
 cite gracious affections, or any affections tending to grace. But 
 undoubtedly, if the things of religion in the means used, are treat- 
 
IN H(MLY AFFECTIONS, 47 
 
 ed according to their nature, and exhibited truly, so as tends to 
 convey just apprehensions and a right judgment of them, the 
 more they have a tendency to move the affections the better. 
 
 3. If true religion lies much in the affections, hence we may 
 learn what great cause we have to be ashamed and confounded 
 before God, that we are no more affected with the great tilings of 
 religion. It appears from what has been said, that this arises 
 from our having so little true religion. 
 
 God has given to mankind affections, for the same purpose 
 which he has given all the faculties and principles of the hu- 
 man soul, viz. that they might be subservient to man's chief 
 end, and the great business for which God has created him, 
 that is the business of religion. And yet how common is it among 
 mankind, that their affections are much more exercised and en- 
 gaged in other matters than in religion! In things which concern 
 mens worldly interest, their outward delights, their honour and 
 reputation, and their natural relations, they have their desires ea- 
 ger, their appetites vehement, their love warm and affectionate, 
 their zeal ardent; in these things their hearts are tender and sen- 
 sible, easily moved, deeply impressed, much concerned, very sen- 
 sibly affected, and greatly engaged; much depressed with grief 
 at wo'.'ldly losses, and highly raised with joy at worldly successes 
 and prosperity. But how insensible and unmoved are most men 
 about the great things of another world ! how dull are their af- 
 fections ! how heavy and hard their hearts in these matters ! here 
 their love is cold, their desires languid, their zeal low, and their 
 gratitude small. How can they sit and hear of the infinite height 
 and depth, and length, and breadth of the love of God in Christ 
 Jesus, of his giving his infinitely dear Son to be offered up a sa- 
 crifice for the sins of men, and of the unparalleled love of the inno- 
 cent, holy, and tender Lamb of God, manifested in his dying ago- 
 nies, his bloody sweat, his loud and bitter cries, and bleeding 
 heart, and all this for enemies, to redeem them from deserved, 
 eternal burnings, and to bring to unspeakable and everlasting joy 
 and glory; and yet be cold and heavy, insensible and regard- 
 less! Where are the exercises of our affections proper, if not 
 
48 RELIGION CONSISTS MUCH 
 
 here? What is it that does more require them? And what can be 
 a fit occasion for their lively and vigorous exercise, if not such an 
 one as this? Can any thing be set in our view greater and more 
 important? any thing more wonderful and surprising, or more 
 nearly concerning our interest? Can we suppose the wise Crea- 
 tor implanted such principles in the human nature, as the affec- 
 tions, to be of use to us, and to be exercised on certain proper oc- 
 casions, but to lie still on such an occasion as this? Can any 
 Christian who believes the truth of these things entertain such 
 thoughts? 
 
 If we ought ever to exercise our affections at all, and if the 
 Creator has not unwisely constituted the human nature, in mak- 
 ing these principles a part of it when they are vain and useless; 
 then they ought to be exercised about those objects which are 
 most worthy of them. 
 
 But is there any thing which Christians can find in heaven or 
 earth, so worthy to be the objects of their admiration and love, 
 their earnest and longing desires, their hope and their rejoicing, 
 and their fervent zeal, as those things that are held forth to us 
 in the gospel of Jesus Christ? in which not only are things de- 
 clared most worthy to affect us, but they are exhibited in the most 
 affecting manner. The glory and beauty of the blessed Jeho- 
 vah, which is most worthy in itself to be the object of our admi- 
 ration and love, is there exhibited in the most affecting manner 
 that can be conceived of, as it appears, shining in all its lustre, 
 in the face of an incarnate, infinitely loving, meek, compassion- 
 ate, dying Redeemer. All the virtues of the Lamb of God, his 
 humility, patience, meekness submission, obedience, love and 
 compassion, are exhibited to our view in a manner the most 
 tending to move our affections of any that can be imagined; as 
 they all had their greatest trial, and their highest exercise, and so 
 their brightest manifestation, when he was in the most affecting 
 circumstances; even when he was under his last sufferings, those 
 unutterable and unparalleled sufferings he endured from his ten- 
 der love and pity to us. There also, the hateful nature of our 
 sins is manifested in the most affecting manner possible; as we 
 
IN HOLY AFFECTIONS. 49 
 
 see the dreadful effects of them in what our Redeemer, who un- 
 dertook to answer for us, suffered for them. And there we have 
 the most affecting manifestation of God's hatred of sin, and his 
 wrath and justice in punishing it; as we see his justice in the 
 strictness and inflexibleness of it, and his wrath in its terrible- 
 ness, in so dreadfully punishing our sins, in one, who was infi- 
 nitely dear to him and loving to us. So has God disposed things 
 in the affair of our redemption, and in his glorious dispensations, 
 revealed to us in the gospel, as though every thing were purpose- 
 ly contrived in such a manner as to have the greatest possible 
 tendency to reach our hearts in the most tender part, and move 
 our affections most sensibly and strongly. How great cause have 
 we therefore to be humbled to the dust that we are no more af- 
 fected ! 
 
 .-<¥ 
 
50 
 
 WHAT ARE NO SIGNS 
 
 PAUT n. 
 
 SHOWING WHAT ARE NO CERTAIN SIGNS THAT RELIGIOUS AFFEC- 
 TIONS ARE TRULY GRACIOUS, OR THAT THEY ARE NOT. 
 
 If any one on the reading of what has been just now said, is 
 ready to acquit himself, and say, " I am not one of those who 
 have no religious affections, I am often greatly moved with the 
 consideration of the great things of religion;" let him not content 
 himself with this, that be has religious affections: for as we ob- 
 served before, as we ought not to reject and condemn all affections 
 as though true religion did not at all consist in affection; so, on 
 the other hand, we ought not to approve of all, as though every 
 one that was religiously affected had true grace, and was therein 
 the subject of the saving influences of the Spirit of God: and that 
 therefore the right way is to distinguish among religious affec- 
 tions between one sort and another. Therefore let us now en- 
 deavour to do this: and in order to it, I would do two things. 
 
 I. I would mention some things which are no signs one way 
 or the other, either that affections are such as true religion con- 
 sists in, or that they are otherwise; that we may be guarded 
 against judging of affections by false signs. 
 
 II. I would observe some things, wherein those affections which 
 are spiritual and gracious differ from those which are not so, and 
 may be distinguished and known. 
 
 First, I would take notice of some things, which are no signs 
 that affections are gracious, or that they are not. 
 
 I. It is no sign one way or the other that religious affections 
 are very great, or raised very high. 
 
 Some are ready to condemn all high affections: if persons ap- 
 pear to have their religious affections raised to an extraordinary 
 pitch, they are prejudiced against them, and determine that they 
 are delusions witliout further inquiry. But if it be as has been 
 
TO DISTINGUISH AFFECTIONS. 51 
 
 proved, that true religion lies very much in religious affections, 
 then it follows, that if there be a great deal of true religion, there 
 will be great religious affections; if true religion in the hearts of 
 men be raised to a great height, divine and holy affections will 
 be raised to a great height. 
 
 Love is an affection; but will any Christian say, men ought 
 not to love God and Jesus Christ in a high degree? and will any 
 say we ought not to have a very great hatred of sin, and a very deep 
 sorrow for it? or that we ought not to exercise a high degree of gra- 
 titude to God, for the mercies we receive of him, and the great 
 things he has done for the salvation of fallen men? or that we 
 should not have very great and strong desires after God and holi- 
 ness? Is there any who will profess that his affections in religion 
 are great enough; and will say, " I have no cause to be humbled 
 that I am no more affected with the things of religion than I am; 
 I have no reason to be ashamed that I have no greater exercises 
 of love to God, and sorrow for sin, and gratitude for the mercies 
 which I have received?" Who is there that will bless God, that 
 he is affected enough with what he has read and heard of the 
 wonderful love of God to worms and rebels, in giving his only 
 begotten Son to die for them, and of the dying love of Christ; and 
 will pray that he may not be affected with them in any higher 
 degree, because high affections are improper, and very unlovely 
 in Christians, being enthusiastical and ruinous to true religion? 
 
 Our text plainly speaks of great and high affections, when it 
 speaks of " rejoicing with joy unspeakable and full of glory:" 
 here the most superlative expressions are used which language 
 will afford. And the scriptures often require us to exercise very 
 high affections: thus, in the first and great commandment of the 
 law, there is an accumulation of expressions, as though words 
 were wanting to express the degree in which we ought to love 
 God; " Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, 
 with all thy soul, with all thy mind, and with all thy strength." 
 So the saints are called upon to exercise high degrees of joy; 
 " Rejoice," says Christ to his disciples, " and be exceeding 
 glad," Matth. v. 12. So it is said, Psal. Ixviii. 3, " Let the 
 r. 
 
52 WHAT ARE NO SIGNS 
 
 righteous be glad: let them rejoice before God; yea, let them ex- 
 ceedingly rejoice." So in the same book of Psalms, the saints 
 are often called upon to shout for joy; and in Luke vi. 23. to leap 
 for joy. So they are abundantly called upon to exercise high de- 
 grees of gratitude for mercies, to " praise God with all their 
 hearts, with hearts lifted up in the ways of the Lord, and their 
 souls magnifying the Lord, singing his praises, talking of his 
 wondrous works, declaring his doings," &c. 
 
 And we find the most eminent saints in scripture often pro- 
 fessing high affections. Thus the Psalmist speaks of his love, as 
 if it were unspeakable; Psal. cxix. 97. " O how love I thy 
 law!" So he expresses a great degree of hatred of sin; Psal. 
 cxxxix. 21, 22. " Do not I hate them, Lord, that hate thee? 
 and am not I grieved with them that rise up against thee? I hate 
 them with perfect hatred." He also expresses a high degree of 
 sorrow for sin: he speaks of his sins " going over his head, as an 
 heavy burden, that was too heavy for him: and of his roaring all 
 the day, and his moisture's being turned into the drought of sum- 
 mer," and his bones being as it were broken with sorrow. So 
 he often expresses great degrees of spiritual desires in a multitude 
 of the strongest expressions which can be conceived of; such as 
 " his longing, his soul's thirsting in a dry and thirsty land, where 
 no water is, his panting, his flesh and heart crying out, his soul's 
 breaking for the longings it hath," &,c. He expresses the exer- 
 cises of great and extreme grief for the sins of others, Psal, cxix. 
 136. " Rivers of water run down mine eyes, because they keep 
 not thy law." And ver. 53. " Horror hath taken hold upon me, 
 because of the wicked that forsake thy law." He expresses high 
 exercises of joy, Psal. xxi. 1. " The king shall joy in thy 
 strength, and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!" 
 Psal. Ixxi. 23. " My lips shall greatly rejoice, when I sing unto 
 thee." Psal. Ixiii. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. " Because thy loving kind- 
 ness is better than life: my lips shall praise thee. Thus will I 
 bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name. My 
 soul shall be satisfied, as with marrow and fatness; and my 
 mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips: when I remember thee 
 
TO DISTINGUISH AFFECTIONS. 53 
 
 ■upon my bed, and meditate on tliee in the night watches. Be- 
 cause thou hast been my help; therefore, in the shadow of thy 
 wings, will I rejoice." 
 
 The apostle Paul expresses high exercises of affection. Thus 
 he expresses the exercises of pity and concern for others' good, 
 even to anguish of heart; a great, fervent, and abundant love, 
 and earnest and longing desires, and exceeding joy; and speaks 
 of the exultation and triumphs of his soul, and his earnest expec- 
 tation and hope, and his abundant tears, and the travails of his 
 soul, in pity, grief, earnest desires, godly jealousy, and fervent 
 zeal in many places that have been cited already, and which 
 therefore I need not repeat. John the Baptist expressed great 
 joy, John iii. 39. Those blessed women that anointed the body 
 of Jesus, are represented as in a very high exercise of religious 
 affection, on occasion of Christ's resurrection; Matth. xxviii. 8^ 
 " And they departed from the sepulchre, with fear and great 
 
 joy." 
 
 It is often foretold of the church of God, in her future happy 
 seasons here on earth, that they shall exceedingly rejoice; Psal. 
 Ixxxix. 15, 16. " They shall walk, Lord, in the light of thy 
 countenance. In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in 
 thy righteousness shall they be exalted." Zech. ix. 9. " Re- 
 joice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jeru- 
 salem: behold, thy King cometh," &c. The same is represent- 
 ed in innumerable other places. And because high degrees of 
 joy are the proper and genuine fruits of the gospel of Christ, 
 therefore the angel calls this gospel, " good tidings of great joy 
 that should be to all people." 
 
 The saints and angels in heaven, that have religion in its high- 
 est perfection, are exceedingly affected with what they behold 
 and contemplate of God's perfections and works. They are all 
 as a pure heavenly flame of fire in their love, and in the great- 
 ness and strength of their joy and gratitude: their praises are 
 represented " as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a 
 great thunder. Now the only reason why their affections are so 
 much higher than the holy affections of saints on earth, is, they 
 
7k 
 
 54 WHAT AliE KU SIGNS 
 
 see the things they are affected by, more according to their truth, 
 and have their affections more conformed to the nature of things. 
 And, therefore, if religious affections in men here below, are but 
 of the same nature and kind with theirs, the higher they are, and 
 the nearer they are to theirs in degree, the better; because 
 therein they will be so much the more conformed to truth as 
 theirs are. 
 
 From these things it certainly appears that religious affections 
 being in a very high degree is no evidence that they are not such 
 as have the nature of true religion. Therefore they do greatly 
 err, who condemn persons as enthusiasts, merely because their 
 affections are, very high. 
 
 And, on the other hand, it is no evidence that religious affec- 
 tions are of a spiritual and gracious nature, because they are 
 great. It is very manifest, by the holy scripture, our sure and in- 
 fallible rule to judge of things of this nature, that there are reli- 
 ^ous affections, which are very high, that are not spiritual and 
 saving. The apostle Paul speaks of affections in the Galatians, 
 which had been exceedingly elevated, and which yet he mani- 
 festly speaks of as fearing that they were vain, and had come to 
 nothing. Gal. iv. 15, " Where is the blessedness you spoke of? 
 for I bear you record that if it had been possible, you would have 
 plucked out your own eyes and have given them to me." And in 
 the 1 1th verse he tells them, " he was afraid of them, lest he had 
 bestowed upon them labour in vain." So the children of Israel 
 were grieatly affected with God's mercy to them, when they had 
 seen how wonderfully he wrought for them at the Red Sea, where 
 they sang God's praise, though they soon forgot his works. So 
 they were greatly affected again at Mount Sinai, when they saw 
 the marvellous manifestations God made of himself there; and 
 seemed mightily engaged in their minds, and with great forward- 
 ness made answer, when God proposed his holy covenant to them, 
 saying, " All that the Lord hath spoken will we do, and be obe- 
 dient." But how soon was there an end to all this mighty for- 
 wardness and engagedness of affection? how quickly were they 
 turned, aside after other gods, rejoicing and shouting around their 
 
TO DISTI?JGU1SH AFFECTIONS. 5a 
 
 golden calf! So great multitudes, who were affected with the mira- 
 cle of raising Lazarus from the dead, were elevated to a high degree, 
 and made a mighty ado, when Jesus presently after entered into 
 Jerusalem, exceedingly magnifying Christ, as though the ground 
 were not goocT enough for the ass he rode to tread upon; and 
 therefore cut branches of palm trees, and strewed them in the 
 way; yea, pulled off their garments and spread them in the way, 
 and cried with loud voices, " Hosanna to the son of David, bless- 
 ed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, hosanna in the 
 highest;" so as to make the whole city ring again, and put all in- 
 to an uproar. We learn by the evangelist John, that the reason 
 why the people made this ado, was because they were affected 
 with the miracle of raising Lazarus, John xii. 18. Here was a 
 vast multitude crying hosanna on this occasion, so that it gave oc- 
 casion to the pharisees to say, " Behold, the world is gone after 
 him," John xii. 19. but Christ had, at that time, but few true dis- 
 ciples. And how quickly was this ado at an end ! all of this na- 
 ture is quelled and dead when this Jesus stands bound, with a 
 mock robe and crown of thorns, to be derided, spit upon, scourg- 
 ed, condemned and executed. Indeed, there was a great and 
 loud outcry concerning him among the multitude then, as well as 
 before, but of a very different kind; it is not then Hosanna, Ho- 
 sanna, but Crucify, Crucify. 
 
 And it is the concurring voice of all orthodox divines, that there 
 may be religious affections, which are raised to a very high de- 
 gree, and yet there be nothing of true religion.! 
 
 II. It is no sign that affections have the nature of true religion, 
 or that they have not, that they have great effects on the body. 
 
 All affections, whatsoever, have, in some respect or degree, an 
 effect on the body. As was observed before, such is our nature, 
 and such are the laws of union of soul and body, that the mind 
 can have no lively or vigorous exercise without some effect upon 
 the body. So subject is the body to the mind, and so much do 
 its fluids, especially the animal spirits, attend the motions and ex- 
 
 f Mr. Stoddart observes, " That common alTecUons are sometimes strong- 
 er than saving." Guide to Chrifst, p. 21. 
 
56 WHAT ARE NO SIGNS 
 
 ercises of the mind, that there can not be so much as an intense 
 thought, without an effect upon them. Yea, it is questionable 
 whether an embodied soul ever so much as thinks one thought or 
 has any exercise at all, but that there is some corresponding mo- 
 tion or alteration of motion, in some degree, of the fluids in some 
 part of the body. But universal experience shows that the exer- 
 cise of the affections have, in a special manner, a tendency to 
 some sensible effect upon the body. And if this be so, that all 
 affections have some effect on the body, we may then well sup- 
 pose, the greater those affections be, and the more vigorous their 
 exercise, (other circumstances being equal) the greater will be 
 effect on the body. Hence, it is not to be wondered at, that very 
 great and strong exercises of the affections should have great ef- 
 fects on the body. And, therefore, seeing there are very great 
 affections, both common and spiritual, hence it is not to be won- 
 dered at thiat great effects on the body should arise from both 
 these kinds of affections. And consequently these effects are no 
 signs that the affections they arise from are of one kind or the 
 other. 
 
 Great effects on the body certainly are no sure evidences that 
 affections are spiritual; for we see that such effects oftentimes 
 arise from great affections about temporal things, and when reli- 
 gion is no way concerned in them. And if great affections about 
 secular things, that are purely natural, may have these effects, I 
 know not by what rule we should determine that high affections 
 about religious things, which arise in like manner from nature, 
 can not have the like effect. 
 
 Nor, on the other hand, do I know of any rule any have to 
 determine that gracious and holy affections, when raised as high 
 as any natural affections, and have equally strong and vigorous 
 exercises, can not have a great effect on the body. No such rule 
 can be drawn from reason: I know of no reason why a being af- 
 fected with a view of God's glory, should not cause the body to 
 faint, as well as being affected with a view of Solomon's glory. 
 And no such rule has as yet been produced from the scripture: 
 none has ever been found in all the late controversies which have 
 
TO DISTINGUISH AFFECTIONS. 37 
 
 been about things of this nature. There is a great power in spi- 
 ritual affections. We read of the power which worketh in Chris- 
 tians,! and of the Spirit of God being in them, as the Spirit of 
 power,! ^^^^ ^^ ^^^^ effectual working of his power in them,§ yea, 
 of the working of God's mighty power in them.|| But man's na- 
 ture is weak: flesh and blood are represented in scripture as ex- 
 ceeding weak; and particularly with respect to its unfitness for 
 great spiritual and heavenly operations and exercises, Matt, xxvi. 
 41. 1 Cor. XV. 43. and 50. The- text we are upon speaks of 
 "joy unspeakable and full of glory." And who that considers 
 what man's nature is, and what the nature of the affections is, 
 can reasonably doubt, but that such unutterable and glorious joys 
 may be too great and mighty for weak dust and ashes, so as to be 
 considerably overbearing to it? It is evident by the scripture that 
 true divine discoveries, or ideas of God's glory, when given in a 
 great deg.ree, have a tendency, by affecting the mind, to overbear 
 the body; because the scripture teaches us often, that, if these 
 ideas or views should be given to such a degree as they are given 
 in heaven, the weak frame of the body could not subsist under it, 
 and that no man can, in that manner, see God and live. The 
 knowledge which the saints have of God's beauty and glory in 
 this world, and those holy affections that arise from it, are of the 
 same nature and kind with what the saints are the subjects of in 
 heaven, differing only in degree and circumstances: what God 
 gives them here is a foretaste of heavenly happiness, and an ear- 
 nest of their future inheritance. And who shall limit God in his 
 giving this earnest, or say he shall give so much of the inheritance, 
 such a part of the future reward as an earnest of the whole, and 
 no more? And seeing God has taught us, in his word, that the 
 whole reward is such that it would at once destroy the body, is it 
 not too bold a thing for us, so to set bounds to the Sovereign 
 God, as to say, that, in giving the earnest of this reward in this 
 world, he shall never give so much of it as in the least to dimin- 
 ish the strength of the body, when God has thus no where limit- 
 ed himself? 
 
 t Eph. iii. 7. +2 Tim. i. f, § Eph. Hi. 7, 20. || Eph. i. 19. 
 
58 WHAT ARE NO SIGNS 
 
 The Psalmist, speaking of the vehement religious affections he 
 had, spealf s of an effect in his flesh or body, besides what was in 
 his soul, expressly distinguishing one from the other, once and 
 again, Psal. Ixxxiv, 2. " My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for 
 the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the 
 living God." Here is a plain distinction between the heart 
 and the. flesh, as being each affected. So Psal. Ixiii. 1. " My 
 soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirs- 
 ty land, where no water is." Here also is an evident designed 
 distinction between the soul and the flesh. 
 
 The prophet Habakkuk speaks of his body's being overborne by 
 a sense of the majesty of God, Hab. iii. 16. " When I heard, my 
 belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered 
 into my bones, and I trembled in myself." So the Psalmist speaks 
 expressly of his flesh trembling, Psal. cxix. 120. " My flesh 
 trembleth for fear of thee." 
 
 That such ideas of God's glory as are sometimes given in this 
 world, have a tendency to overbear the body is evident, because 
 the scriptures gives us an account that this has sometimes actual- 
 ly been the effect of those external manifestations God has made 
 of himself to some of the saints, which were made to that end, 
 viz. to give them an idea of God's majesty and glory. Such in- 
 stances we have in the prophet Daniel, and the apostle John. 
 Daniel, giving an account of an external representation of the 
 glory of Christ, says, Dan. x. 8. " And there remained no strength 
 |n me; for my comeliness was turned into corruption, and I re- 
 tained no strength." And the apostle John, giving an account 
 of a like manifestation made to him, says. Rev. i. 17. "And when 
 I saw him I fell at his feet as dead." It is vain to say here, 
 these were only external manifestations or symbols of the glory 
 of Christ, which these saints beheld: for, though it be true that 
 they were outward representations of Christ's glory, which they 
 beheld with their bodily eyes, yet the end and use of these exter- 
 nal symbols or representations was to give these prophets an idea 
 of the thing represented, and that was the true divine glory and 
 majesty of Christ, which is his spiritual glory; they were made use 
 
TO DISTINGUISH AFFECTIONS. 59 
 
 of only as significations of this spiritual glory, and thus undoubt- 
 edly they received them and improved them, and were affected 
 by them. According to the end for which God intended these 
 outward signs, they received by them a great and lively appre- 
 hension of the real glory and majesty of God's nature, which they 
 were signs of, and thus were greatly affected, their souls swal- 
 lowed up and their bodies overborne. And I think they arc very 
 bold and daring, who will say God can not or shall not give the 
 like clear and affecting ideas and apprehensions of the same real 
 glory and majesty of his nature, to any of his saints, without the 
 intervention of any such external shadows of it. 
 
 Before I leave this head I would farther observe, that it is plain 
 the scripture often makes use of bodily effects to express the 
 strength of holy and spiritual affections; such as trembling,! 
 groaning,:}: being sick,§ crying out,|| panting,1l and fainting.ft 
 Now if it be supposed that these are only figurative expressions 
 to represent the degree of affection, yet I hope all will allow, that 
 they are fit and suitable figures to represent the high degree of 
 those spiritual affections which the Spirit of God makes use of 
 them to represent: which, I do not see how they would be, if 
 those spiritual affections, let them be in never so high a degree, 
 have no tendency to any such things; but that, on the contrary, 
 they are the proper effects and sad tokens of false affections, and 
 the delusion of the devil. I can not think God would commonly 
 make use of things which are very alien from spiritual affections, 
 and are shrewd marks of the hand of Satan, and smell strong of 
 the bottomless pit, as beautiful figures to represent the high de- 
 gree of holy and heavenly affections. 
 
 III. It is no sign that affections are truly gracious affections, or 
 that they are not, that they cause those who have them, to be flu- 
 f;nt, fervent, and abundant, in talking of the things of religion. 
 
 There are many persons who, if they see this in others, are 
 
 ■j- Psal. cxix. 120. Ezra ix. 4. Isa. Ixvi. 2. 5. Ilnb. iii. 16. 
 t Rom. viii. 26. § Cant. ii. .5. and v. 8. 
 
 II Psal. Ixxxiv. 2. H Psal. xx.wiii. 10. and xlll. 1. and cslx. 131. 
 
 If Psal, Ixxxiv 2. and cxix, 81. 
 H 
 
60 WHAT ARE NO SIGNS 
 
 greatly prejudiced against them. Their being so full of talk, is 
 witl) them a sufficient ground to condemn tliem as pharisees and 
 ostentatious hypocrites. On the other hand, there are many who, 
 if they see this effect in any, are very ignorantly and imprudently 
 forward at once to determine, that they are the true children of 
 God, and are under the saving influences of his Spirit, and speak 
 of it as a great evidence of a new creature: they say, " such an 
 one's mouth is now opened: he used to be slow to speak; but 
 now he is full and free: he is free now to open his heart, and tell 
 his experiences, and declare the praises of God; it comes from 
 him as free as water from a fountain;" and the like. And espe- 
 cially are they captivated into a confident and undoubting persua- 
 sion, that they are savingly wrought upon, if they are not only 
 free and abundant, but very affectionate and earnest in their talk. 
 
 But this is the fruit of but little judgment, a scanty and short 
 experience, as events do abundantly show, and is a mistake per- 
 sons often run into, through their trusting to their own wisdom 
 and discerning, and making their own notions their rule, instead 
 of the holy scripture. Though the scriptures be full of rules, both 
 how we should judge of our own state, and also how we should 
 be conducted in our opinion of others; yet we have no where any 
 rule by which to judge ourselves or others to be in a good estate 
 from any such effect: for this is but the religion of the mouth and 
 of the tongue, and what is in the scripture represented by the 
 leaves of a tree, which, though the tree ought not to be without 
 them, yet are no where given as an evidence of the goodness of 
 the tree. 
 
 That persons are disposed to be abundant in talking of things 
 of religion, may be from a good cause, and it may be from a bad 
 one. It may be because their hearts are very full of holy affections; 
 for " out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh:" and 
 it may be because persons' hearts are very full of religious affection 
 which is not holy; for still out of the abundance of the heart the 
 mouth speaketh. It is very much the nature of the affections, of 
 whatever kind they be, and whatever objects they are exercised 
 about, if they are strong, to dispose persons to be very much in 
 
TO DISTINGUISH AFFECTIONS. 61 
 
 speaking of that which they are affected with; and not only to 
 speak much, but to speak very earnestly and fervently. And, 
 therefore, persons talking abundantly and very fervently about the 
 things of religion, can be an evidence of no more than this, that 
 they are very much affected with the things of religion; but this 
 may be, (as has been already shown) a«d there be no grace. That 
 which men are greatly affected with while the high affection lasts, 
 they will be earnestly engaged about, and will be likely to show 
 that earnestness in their talk and behaviour, as the greater part 
 of the Jews in all Judah and Galilee, did for a while, about John 
 the Baptist's preaching and baptism, when they were willing for 
 a season to rejoice in his light; a mighty ado was made all over 
 the land, and among all sorts of persons, about this great prophet 
 and his ministry. And so the multitude, in like manner, often 
 manifested a great earnestness, a mighty engagedness of spirit in 
 every thing that was external, about Christ and his preaching and 
 miracles, " being astonished at his doctrine, anon with joy re- 
 ceiving the word," following him sometim.es night and day, leav- 
 ing meat, drink and sleep to hear him; once following him into 
 the wilderness, fasting three days going to hear him; sometimes 
 crying him up to the clouds, saying, " Never man spake like this 
 man!" being fervent and earnest in what they said. But what 
 did these things come to in the greater part of them? 
 
 A person may be over-full of talk of his own experiences; 
 commonly falling upon it, every where, and in all companies; 
 and when it is so, it is rather a dark sign than a good one. As 
 a tree, that is over full of leaves, seldom bears much fruity and 
 as a cloud, though to appearance very pregnant and full of water, 
 if it brings with it over-much wind, seldom affords much rain to 
 the dry and thirsty earth: which very thing the Holy Spirit is 
 pleased several times to make use of, to represent a great show of 
 religion with the mouth, without answerable fruit in the life. 
 Prov. XXV. 14. " Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift, is like 
 clouds and wind without rain." And the apostle Jude, speaking 
 of some in the primitive times, that crept in unawares among 
 the saints, and having a great show of religion, were for a while 
 
 3U 
 
n 
 
 ^ 
 
 63 WHAT ARE NO SIGNS 
 
 not suspected, "These are clouds (says he) without water, car- 
 ried about of winds." Jude, ver. 4 and 12. And the apostle Pe- 
 ter, speaking of the same, says, 2 Pet. ii. 17. " These are cloud* 
 without water carried with a tempest." 
 
 False affections, if they are actually strong, are much more 
 forward to declare themrflves, than true: because it is the nature 
 of false religion to affect show and observation, as it was with the 
 pharisees.f 
 
 IV. It is no sign that affections are gracious, or that they are 
 otherwise, that persons did not make them themselves, or excite 
 them of their own contrivance, and by their own strength. 
 
 There are many in these days that condemn all affections 
 which are excited in a way that the subjects of them can give no 
 account of, as not seeming to be the fruit of any of their own en- 
 deavours, or the natural consequence of the faculties and princi- 
 ples of human nature, in such circumstances and under such 
 means; but to be from the influence of some extrinsic and super- 
 natural power upon their minds. How greatly has the doctrine 
 of the inward experience, or sensible perceiving of the immediate 
 power and operation of the Spirit of God, been reproached and 
 
 f That famous experimental divine, Mr. Shepard, says, *' A pliarisee's 
 trumpet shall be heard to the town's end; when simplicity walks through 
 the town unseen. Hence a man will sometimes covertly commend himself^ 
 (and myself ever comes in) and tells you a long story of conversion; and 
 an hundred to one, if some lie or other slip not out with it. Why, the se- 
 cret meaning is, / pray admire me. Hence complain of wants and weak- 
 nesses; pray think -what a broken-hearted Christian I am." Parable of the 
 ten virgins, Part I. page 179, 180. 
 
 And holy Mr. Flavel says thus, "O reader, if thy heart were right with 
 God, and thou didst not cheat thyself with a vain profession, thou wouldst 
 have frequent business with God, which thou wouldst be loth thy dearest 
 friend, or the wife of thy bosom, should be privy to. ^on est reliffio, ub i 
 omnia pj tent. Religion doth not lie open to all, to the eyes of men. Ob- 
 -irrrr^l diH^i^'i iTinint"'" "'ir rrpdit; but secret duties maintain our life. It 
 was the saying of an heathen, about this secret correspondency with his 
 friend, What need the ivorld be acquaitited -with it? Thou and I are theatre 
 tnough to each other. There are inclosed pleasures in religion, which none 
 but renewed spiritual souls do feelingly understand." FlaveVs Touchstone 
 ff Sijicerity, Chap, II. sect. 2. 
 
TO DISTINGUISH AFFECTIONS. Qo 
 
 ridiculed by many of late? They say the manner of the Spirit 
 of God is to co-operate in a silent, secret, and undiscernible way 
 with the use of means and our own endeavours; so that there is 
 no distinguishing, by sense, between the influences of the Spirit 
 of God, and the natural operations of the faculties of our own 
 minds. 
 
 And it is true, that for any to expect to receive the saving in- 
 fluences of the Spirit of God, while they neglect a diligent im- 
 provement of the appointed means of grace, is unreasonable pre- 
 sumption. And to expect that the Spirit of God will savingly 
 operate upon their minds, without the Spirit's making use of 
 means as subservient to the effect, is enthusiastical. It is also 
 undoubtedly true, that the Spirit of God is very various in the 
 manner and circumstances of his operations, and that sometimes 
 he operates in a way more secret and gradual, and from smaller 
 beginnings, than at others. 
 
 But if there be indeed a power entirely different from and be- 
 yond our power, or the power of all means and instruments, and 
 above the power of nature, w^hich is requisite in order to the pro- 
 duction of saving grace in the heart, according to the general pro- 
 fession of the country, then, certainly, it is in no wise unreason- 
 able to suppose that this effect should very frequently be produ- 
 ced after such a manner as to make it very manifest, apparent 
 and sensible that it is so. If grace be indeed owing to the pow- 
 erful and efficacious operation of an extrinsic agent, or divine 
 efficient out of ourselves, why is it unreasonable to suppose that 
 it should seem to be so to them who are the subjects of it. Is 
 it a strange thing that it should seem to be as it is ? When grace 
 in the heart indeed is not produced by our strength, nor is the 
 effect of the natural power of our own faculties, or any means or 
 instruments, but is properly the workmanship and production of 
 the Spirit of the Almightj', is it a strange and unaccountable 
 thing that it should seem to them who are subjects of it, agree- 
 able to truth, and not right contrary to,truth; so that if persons 
 tell of effects that they are conscious Njf^in their own minds, that 
 seem to them not to be from the natural power or operation of 
 
M WHAT ARE NO SIGNS 
 
 their minds, but from the supernatural power of some other agent, 
 it should at once be looked upon as a sure evidence of their being 
 under a delusion, because things seem to them to be as they are? 
 For this is the objection which is made: it is looked upon as a 
 clear evidence, that the apprehensions and affections that many 
 persons have are not really from such a cause, because they seem 
 to them to be from that cause: they declare that what they are 
 conscious of seems to them evidently not to be from themselves, 
 but from the mighty power of the Spirit of God; and others from 
 hence condemn them, and determine what they experience is not 
 from the Spirit of God, but from themselves, or from the devil. 
 Thus unreasonably are multitudes treated at this day by their 
 neighbours. 
 
 If it be indeed so, as the scripture abundantly teaches, that 
 grace in the soul is so the effects of God's power, that it is fitly 
 compared to those effects which are farthest from being owing to 
 any strength in the subject, such as a generation, or a being be- 
 gotten and resurrection, or a being raised from the dead and cre- 
 ation, or a being brought out of nothing into being, and that it is 
 an effect wherein the mighty power of God is greatly glorified, 
 and the exceeding greatness of his power is manifested,! then 
 what account can be given of it, that the Almighty, in so great a 
 work of his power, should so carefully hide his po^ver that the 
 subjects of it should be able to discern nothing of it ? or what 
 reason or revelation have any to determine that it does so ? If 
 we may judge by the scripture this is not agreeable to God's man- 
 ner in his operations and dispensations; but, on the contrary, it is 
 God's manner, in the great works of his power and mercy, which 
 he works for his people. To order things so as to make his hand 
 visible and his power conspicuous, and mens dependence on him 
 most evident, that no flesh should glory in his presence,+ that God 
 alone might be exalted,§ and that the excellency of the power 
 might be of God and not of man, 1| and that Christ's power might 
 
 t Eph. i. ir— 20. § Isa. ii. 11. 17. 
 
 i 1 Cor. i. 27, 28, 29. \\ 2 Cor. iv. 7. 
 
TO DISTINGUISH AFFECTIONS. 65 
 
 be manifested in our weakness,! and none might say, mine own 
 hand hath saved me.j^ So it was in most of these temporal sal- 
 vations which God v, rought for Israel of old, which were types of 
 the salvation of God's people from their spiritual enemies. So it 
 was in the redemption of Israel from their Egyptian bondage; he 
 redeemed them with a strong hand and an outstretched arm; and 
 that his power might be the more conspicuous he suffered Israel 
 first to be brought into the most helpless and forlorn circumstances. 
 So it was in the great redemption of Gideon : God would have his 
 army diminished to a handful, and they without any other arms 
 than trumpets, and lamps, and earthen pitchers. So it was in 
 the deliverance of Israel from Goliath, by a stripling with a sling 
 and a stone. So it was in the great work of God, his calling the 
 Gentiles and converting the heathen world after Christ's ascen- 
 sion, after that the world by wisdom knew not God, and all the 
 endeavours of philosophers had proved in vain, for many ages, to 
 reform the world, and it was by every thing become abundantly 
 evident that the world was utterly helpless by any thing else but 
 the mighty power of God. And so it was in most of the conver- 
 sions of particular persons we have an account of in the history 
 of the New Testament: they were not wrought on in that silent, 
 secret, gradual, and insensible manner which is now insisted on; 
 but with those manifest evidences of a supernatural power, won- 
 derfully and suddenly causing a gi'eat change, which, in these days, 
 are looked upon as certain signs of delusion and enthusiasm. 
 
 The apostle, in Eph. i. 18, 19. speaks of God's enlightening 
 the minds of Christians, and so bringing them to believe in 
 Christ, to the end that they might know the exceeding greatness 
 of his power to them who believe. The words are, " The eyes 
 of your understanding being enlightened, that ye may know what 
 is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his 
 inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatjiess of 
 his power to us-ward, who believe, according to the working of 
 his mighty power," &c. Now when the apostle speaks of theif 
 
 f Cor. xii. 9. * Judg. vii. 2. 
 
66 WHAT ARE NO SIGNS 
 
 being thus the subjects of his power, in their enlightening and 
 effectual calling, to the end that they might know what his mighty 
 power was to them who believe, he can mean nothing else than 
 " that they might know by experience." But if the saints know 
 this power by experience, then they feel it, and discern it, and 
 are conscious of it; as sensibly distinguishable from the natural 
 operations of their own minds, which is not agreeable to a notion 
 of God's operating so secretly and undiscernibly that it can not 
 be known that they are the subjects of the influence of any ex- 
 trinsic power at all, any otherwise than as they may argue it from 
 scripture assertions, which is a different thing from knowing it 
 by experience. 
 
 So that it is very unreasonable and unscriptural to determine 
 that affections are not from the gracious operations of God's Spi- 
 rit; because they are sensibly not from the persons themselves 
 that are the subjects of them. 
 
 On the other hand, it is no evidence that affections are gracious, 
 that they are not purposely produced by those who are the sub- 
 jects of them, or that they arise, in their minds, in a manner that 
 they can not account for. 
 
 There are some who make this an argument in their own fa- 
 vour; when speaking of what they have experienced, they say 
 " I am sure I did not make it myself; it was a fruit of no contriv- 
 ance or endeavour of mine; it came when I thought nothing of it; 
 if I might have the world for it, I can not make it again when I 
 please." And hence they determine, that what they have expe- 
 rienced, must be from the mighty influence of the Spirit of God, 
 and is of a saving nature; but very ignorantly and without grounds. 
 Wliat they have been the subjects of may indeed not be from 
 themselves directly, but may be from the operation of an invisible 
 agent, some spirit besides their own: but it does not thence fol- 
 low that it was from the Spirit of God. There are other spirits 
 who have influence on the minds of men besides the Holy Ghost. 
 We are directed not to believe every spirit, but to try the spirits, 
 whether they be of God. There are many false spirits exceed- 
 ingly busy ivith men, who often transform themselves into angels 
 
TO DISTINGUISH AFFECTIONS. 67 
 
 of light, and do in many wonderful ways, with great subtilty and 
 power, mimic the operations of the Spirit of God. And there are 
 many of Satan's operation, which are very distinguishable from 
 the voluntary exercises of mens own minds. They are so in those 
 dreadful and horrid suggestions and blasphemous injections with 
 which he follows many persons, and in vain and fruitless frights 
 and terrors which he is the author of. And the power of Satan 
 may be as immediate, and as evident in false comforts and joys, as 
 in terrors and horrid suggestions, and oftentimes is so in fact. It 
 is not in mens power, to put themselves into such raptures as the 
 Anabaptists in Germany, and many other raving enthusiasts like 
 them, have been the subjects of. 
 
 And besides, it is to be considered, that persons may have tliose 
 impressions on their minds which may not be of their own pro- 
 ducing, nor from an evil spirit, but from the Spirit of God, and 
 yet not be from any saving, but a common influence of the Spirit 
 of God: and the subjects of such impressions may be of the num- 
 ber of those we read of, Heb. vi. 4, 5. "that are once enlighten- 
 ed, and taste of the heavenly gift, and are made partakers of the 
 Holy Ghost, and taste the good word of God, and the power of 
 the world to come;" and yet may be wholly unacquainted with 
 those "better things that accompany salvation," spoken of ver. 9. 
 
 And, where neither a good nor evil spirit have any immediate ' 
 hand, persons, especially such as are of a weak and vapoury c 
 
 habit of body, and the brain weak, and easily susceptive of im- ci'*^^. 
 pressions, may have strange apprehensions and imaginations, and 
 strong affections attending them, unaccountably arising, wiiich 
 are not voluntarily produced by themselves. We see that such 
 persons are liable to such impressions about temporal things, and 
 there is equal reason why they should about spiritual things. As 
 a person who is asleep has dreams that he is not the voluntary 
 author of, so may such persons, in like manner, be the subjects of 
 involuntary impressions when they are awake. 
 
 V. It is no sign that religious affections are truly holy and spi- 
 ritual, or that they are not, that they come with texts of scripture 
 remarkably brought to the mind. 
 
68 WHAT ARE NO SIGNS 
 
 It is no sign that affections are not gracious that they are occa- 
 sioned by scriptures so coming to mind; provided it be the scrip- 
 ture itself, or the truth which the scripture so brought contains 
 and teaches, that is the foundation of the affection, and not mere- 
 ly or mainly the sudden unusual manner of its coming to the 
 mind. 
 
 But on the other hand, neither is it any sign that affections are 
 gracious, that they arise on occasion of scriptures brought sudden- 
 ly and wonderfully to the mind, whether those affections be fear 
 or hope, joy or sorrow, or any other. Some seem to look upon 
 this as a good evidence that their affections are saving, especially 
 if the affections excited are hope or joy, or any other which are 
 pleasing and delightful. They will mention it as an evidence 
 that all is right, that their experience came with the word, and 
 will say, " There were such and such sweet promises brought to 
 my mind: they came suddenly as if they were spoke to me: I had 
 no hand in bringing such a text to my own mind: I was not think- 
 ing of any thing leading to it; it came all at once, so that I was 
 surprised I had not thought of it a long time before; I did not 
 know at first that it was scripture; I did not remember that ever 
 I had read it." And it may be they will add, " One scripture 
 came flowing in after another, and so texts all over the Bible, the 
 most sweet and pleasant, and the most apt and suitable which 
 could be devised, and filled me full as I could hold: I could not 
 but stand and admire; the tears flowed: I was full of joy and 
 could not doubt any longer." And thus they think they have un- 
 doubted evidence that their affections must be from God, and of 
 the right kind, and their state good: but without any manner of 
 grounds. How come they by any such rule, as that if any affec- 
 tions or experiences arise with promises, and comfortable texts of 
 scripture, unaccountably brought to mind, without their recollec- 
 tion, or if a great number of sweet texts follow one another in a 
 chain, that this is a certain evidence their experiences are saving? 
 Where is any such rule to be found in the Bible, the great and 
 only sure directory in things of this nature? 
 
 What deceives many of the less understanding and considerate 
 
TO DISTINGUISH AFFECTIONS. 69 
 
 sort of people, in this matter, seems to be this; that the scripture 
 is the word of God, and has nothing in it which is wrong, but is 
 pure and perfect; and, therefore, those experiences which come 
 from the scripture must be right. But then it should be considered, 
 affections may arise on occasion of the scripture and not properly 
 come from the scripture, as the genuine fruit of the scripture, and 
 by a right use of it; but from an abuse of it. All that can be 
 argued from the purity and perfection of the word of God, with 
 respect to experiences, is this, that those experiences which are 
 agreeable to the word of God are right, and cannot be otherwise; 
 and not that those affections must be right which arise on occasion 
 of the word of God coming to the mind. 
 j What evidence is there that the devil cannot bring texts of 
 scripture to the mind, and misapply them to deceive persons? 
 There seems to be nothing in this which exceeds the power of 
 Satan. It is no work of such mighty power to bring sounds or 
 letters to persons' minds, that we have any reason to suppose no- 
 thing short of Omnipotence can be sufficient for it. If Satan has 
 power to bring any words or sounds at all to persons' minds, he 
 may have power to bring words contained in the Bible. There 
 is no higher sort of power required in men to make the sounds 
 which express the words of a text of scripture, than to make the 
 sounds which express the words of an idle story or song. And 
 so the same power in Satan, which is sufficient to renew one of 
 those kinds of sounds in the mind, is sufficient to renew the other: 
 the different signification, which depends wholly on custom, alters 
 not the case as to ability to make or revive the sounds or letters. 
 Or will any suppose that texts or scriptures are such sacred things 
 that the devil durst not abuse them nor touch them? In this also 
 they are mistaken. He who was bold enough to lay hold on 
 Christ himself, and carry him hither and thither, into the wilder- 
 ness, and into an high mountain, and to a pinnacle of the temple, 
 is not afraid to touch the scripture and abuse that for his own 
 purposes: as he showed at the same time that he was so bold with 
 Christ, he then brought one scripture and anolh.er to deceive and 
 tempt him. And if Satan did presume, and was permitted to put 
 
70 WHAT ARE NO SIGNS 
 
 Christ himself id mind of texts of scripture, to tempt kim, what 
 reason have we to detennine that he dare not, or will not ho, per- 
 mitted to put wicked men in mind of texts of scripture to tempt 
 and deceive them? And if Satan may thus abuse one text of 
 scripture, so he may another. Its being a very excellent place 
 of scripture, a comfortable and precise promise, alters not the case,^ 
 as to his courage or ability. And if he can bring one comfortable 
 text to the mind, so he may a thousand; and may choose out such 
 scriptures as tend most to serve his purpose; and may heap up 
 scripture-promises, tending, according to the perverse applica- 
 tion he makes of them, wonderfully to remove the rising doubts, 
 and to confirm the false joy and confidence of a poor deluded 
 sinner. 
 
 We know the devil's instruments, corrupt and heretical teach- 
 ers, can and do pervert the scripture to their own and others' 
 damnation, 2 Pet. iii, 16. We see they have the free use of 
 scripture in every part of it: there is no text so precious and sa- 
 cred but they are permitted to abuse it, to the eternal ruin of 
 multitudes of souls; and there are no weapons they make use of 
 with which they do more execution. And there is no manner of 
 reason to determine, that the devil is not permitted thus to use 
 the scripture, as well as his instruments. For when the latter do 
 it, they do it as his instruments and servants, and through his in- 
 stigation and influence; and doubtless he does the same he insti- 
 gates others to do; the devil's servants do but follow their master, 
 and do the same work that he does himself. 
 
 And as the devil can abuse the scripture to deceive and destroy 
 men, so may mens own folly and corruptions as well. The sin 
 which is in men acts like its father. Mens own hearts are de- 
 ceitful like the devil, and use the same means to deceive. 
 
 So that it is evident, that persons may have high affections of hope 
 and joy, arising on occasion of texts of scripture, yea, precious pro- 
 mises of scripture coming suddenly and remarkably to their minds, 
 as though they were spoken to them, yea, a great multitude of 
 such tejrts, following one another in a wonderful manner, and yet 
 
TO DISTINGUISH AFFECTIONS, 71 
 
 all this be no argument that these affections are divine, or that 
 they are any other than the effects of Satan's delusions. 
 
 And I would further observe, that persons may have raised and 
 joyful affections, which may come with the word of God, and not 
 only so, but from the word, and those affections not be from Satan, 
 nor yet properly from the corruptions of their own hearts, but 
 from some influence of the spirit of God, with the word, and yet 
 have nothing of the nature of true and saving religion in them. 
 Thus the stony ground hearers had great joy from the word; yea, 
 which is represented as arising from the word as growth from a 
 seed; and their affections had, in their appearance, a very great 
 resemblance with those represented with the growth on the good 
 ground, the difference not appearing until it was discovered by 
 the consequences in a tiiftep|^ trial: and yet there was no saving 
 reliafion in these affections.! 
 
 VI. It is no evidence that religious anfctions are saving, or 
 that they are otherwise, that there is an appearance of love in 
 them. 
 
 There are no professing Christians who pretend that this is an 
 argument against the truth and saving nature of religious affec- 
 tions. But, on the other hand, there are some who suppose it is 
 a good evidence that affections are from the sanctifying and sav- 
 ing influences of the Holy Ghost. Their argument is, that Satan 
 can not love; this affection being directly contrary to the devil, 
 whose very nature is enmity and malice. And it is true that no- 
 thing is more excellent, heavenly, and divine, than a spirit of 
 true Christian love to. God and men: it is more excellent than 
 knowledge, or prophecy, or miracles, or speaking with the tongue 
 of men and angels. It is the chief of the graces of God''s Spirit, 
 and the life, essence, and sum of all true religion; and that by 
 
 -j- Mr. Stoddard, in his Guide to Christ, speaks of it as a common tiling 
 for persons whfie A a natural condition, and before they have ever truly 
 accepted Christ, to have scripture promises come to them with a great deal 
 of refreshing; which they take as tokens of God's love, and hope tliat God 
 has accepted them; and so are confident of their good estate. Page 8, 9. 
 Impression anno 1735. 
 
'i2 WHAT ARK AC) SIGNS 
 
 which we are most conformed to heaven, and most contrary to 
 hell and the devil. But yet it is ill arguing from hence that there 
 are no counterfeits of it. It may be observed that the more 
 excellent any thing is, the more will be the counterfeits of it. 
 Thus there are many more counterfeits of silver and gold than 
 of iron and copjjer: there are many false diamonds and rubies, 
 but who goes about to counterfeit common stones? Though 
 the more excellent things are, the more difficult it is to make 
 any thing that shall be like them, in their essential nature 
 and internal virtue; yet the more manifold will the counter- 
 feits be, and the more will art and subtilty be displayed in an 
 exact imitation of the outward appearance. Thus there is the 
 greatest danger of being cheated in buying of medicines that are 
 most excellent and sovereign, though it be most difficult to imi- 
 tate them with any thing of the like value and virtue, and their 
 counterfeits are good for nothing when we have them. So it is 
 with Christian virtues and graces; the subtilty of Satan and 
 mens deceitful hearts are wont chiefly to be exercised in coun- 
 terfeiting those that are in highest repute. So there are, perhaps, 
 no graces that have more counterfeits than love and humility; 
 these being virtues wherein the beauty of a true Christian does 
 especially appear. 
 
 But with respect to love, it is plain, by the scripture, that per- 
 sons may have a kind of religious love, and yet have no saving 
 grace. Christ speaks of many professing Christians that have 
 such love, whose love will not continue, and so shall fail of sal- 
 vation, Matth. xxiv. 12, 13. "And because iniquity shall abound, 
 the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto 
 the end, the same shall be saved." Which latter words plainly 
 show, that those spoken of before, whose love shall not endure 
 to the end, but wax cold, should not be saved. 
 
 Persons may seem to have love to God and Ct 'ist, yea, to have 
 very strong and violent affisctions of this nature, and yet have no 
 grace. For this was evidently the case with many graceless Jews, 
 such as cried Jesus up so high, following him day and night, with- 
 out meat, drink, or sleep; such as said, " Lord, I will follow thee 
 
TO DISTINGUISH AFFECTIONS, 73 
 
 whithersoever thou goest," and cried, " Hosanna to the Son of 
 David."! 
 
 The apostle seems to intimate that there were many in his 
 days who had a counterfeit love to Christ, in Eph. vi. 24. " Grace 
 be with all of them, that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity." 
 The last word, in the original, signifies in corruption; which 
 shows that the apostle was sensible that there were many who 
 had a kind of love to Christ, whose love was not pure and spi- 
 ritual. 
 
 So also Christian love to the people of God may be counter- 
 feited. It is evident, by the scripture, that there may be strong 
 affections of this kind without saving grace, as there were in the 
 Galatians towards the apostle Paul, when they were ready to 
 pluck out their eyes and give them to him; although the apostle 
 expresses his fear that their affections were come to nothing, and 
 that he had bestowed upon them labour in vain. Gal. iv. 11, 15. 
 
 VII, Persons having religious affections of many kinds accom- 
 j panying one another, is not sufficient to determine whether they 
 have any gracious affections or not. 
 
 Though false religion is wont to be maimed and monstrous, and 
 not to have that entireness and symmetry of parts, which is to be 
 seen in true religion: yet there may be a great variety of false 
 affections together, that may resemble gracious affections. 
 
 It is evident that there are counterfeits of all kinds of gracious 
 affections, as of love to God, and love to the brethren, as has been 
 just now observed; so of godly sorrow for sin, as in Pharaoh, Saul, 
 and Ahab, and the children of Israel in the wilderness, Exod, ix. 
 27. 1 Sam. xxiv. IG, 17. and xxvi. 21. 1 Kings xxi. 27. Numb, 
 xiv. 39, 40.; and of the fear of God, as in the Samaritans, " who 
 
 f Agreeably to this Mr. Stoddard observes, in his Guide to Christ, that 
 some sinners iiave pangs of affection, and give an account that tiiey find a 
 spirit of love to God, and of their aiming at the glory of God, having that 
 which has a great resemblance of saving grace; and that sometimes their 
 common affections are stronger than saving. And supposes that sometimes 
 natural men may have such violent pangs of false affection to God, that 
 they may think themselves willing to be damned. Page 21 and 65. 
 
74 WHAT ARE NO SIGNS 
 
 feared the Lord, and served their own gods at the same time," 2 
 Kings xvii. 32,33.; and those enemies of God we read of, Psal, 
 Ixvi. 3, who, " through the greatness of God's power, submit them- 
 selves to him, or, as it is in the Hebrew, lie unto him," i. e. yield 
 a counterfeit reverence and submission: so of a gracious gratitude, 
 as in the children of Israel, who sang God's praise at the Red Sea, 
 Psal. cvi. 12. and Naaman the Syrian, after his miraculous cure 
 of his leprosy, 2 Kings v. 15, &c. 
 
 So of spiritual joy, as in the stony-ground hearers, Matth. xiii. 
 20. and particularly many of John the Baptist's hearers, John v. 
 35. So of zeal, as in Jehu, 2 Kings x. 16. and in Paul before 
 his conversion. Gal. i. 14. Phil. iii. 6. and the unbelieving Jews, 
 Acts xxii. 3. Rom. x. 2. So graceless persons may have earnest 
 religious desires, which may be like Balaam's desires, which he 
 expresses under an extraordinary view that he had of the happy 
 state of God's people, as distinguished from all the rest of the 
 world, Numb, xxiii. 9, 10. They may also have a strong hope 
 of eternal life, as the pharisees had. 
 
 And as men, Avhile in a state of nature, are capable of a resem- 
 blance of all kinds of religious affections, so nothing hinders, but 
 that they may have many of them together. And what appears 
 in fact does abundantly evince that it is very often so indeed. It 
 seems commonly to be so, that when false affections are raised 
 high, there are many false affections attend each other. The mul- 
 titude that attended Christ into Jerusalem, after that great mira- 
 cle of raising Lazarus, seemed to be moved with many religious af- 
 fections at once, and all in a high degree. They seemed to be filled 
 with admiration, and there was a show of an high affection of love, 
 and also of a great degree of reverence, in their laying their gar- 
 ments on the ground for Christ to tread upon; and also of great 
 gratitude to him for the great and good works he had wrought, 
 praising him with loud voices for his salvation; and earnest de- 
 sires of the coming of God's kingdom, which they supposed Jesus 
 was now about to set up, and showed great hopes and raised ex- 
 pectations of it, expecting it would immediately appear; and hence 
 were filled with joy, by which they were so animated in their ac- 
 
TO DISTINGUISH AFFECTIONS. 75 
 
 clamations as make the whole city ring with the noise of them, 
 and appeared great in their zeal and forwardness to attend Jesus, 
 and assist him without further delay, now in the time of the great 
 feast of the passover, to set up his kingdom. And it is easy from 
 nature and the nature of the affections, to give an account why, 
 when one affection is raised very high, that it should excite others; 
 especially if that affection which is raised high be that of counter- 
 feit love, as it was in the multitude wlio cried Hosanna. This 
 will naturally draw many other affections after it. For, as was 
 observed before, love is the chief of the affections, and as it were, 
 the fountain of them. Let us suppose a person who has been for 
 some time in great exercise and terror through fear of hell, and 
 his heart weakened with distress and dreadful apprehensions, and 
 upon the brink of despair, and is all at once delivered, by being 
 firmly made to believe, through some delusion of Satan, that God 
 has pardoned him, and accepts him as the object of his dear love, 
 and promises him eternal life; as, suppose through some vision or 
 strong idea or imagination, suddenly excited in him, of a person 
 with a beautiful countenance, smiling on him, and with arms 
 open, and with blood dropping down, which the person conceivC) 
 to be Christ, without any other enlightening of the understand- 
 ing to give a view of the spiritual divine excellency of Christ and 
 his fulness, and of the way of salvation revealed in the gospel: or 
 perhaps by some voice or words coming, as if they were spoken 
 to him, such as these, " Son, be of good cheer, thy sins be for- 
 given thee;" or, " Fear not, it is the Father's good pleasure to give 
 you the kingdom," which he takes to be immediately spoken by 
 God to him, though there was no preceding acceptance of Christ, 
 or closing of the heart with him: I say, if we should suppose such 
 a case, what various passions would naturally crowd at once, or 
 one after another, into such a person's mind? It is easy to be ac- 
 counted for from mere principles of nature, that a person's heart, 
 on such an occasion, should be raised up to the skies with trans- 
 ports of joy, and be fdled with fervent affection to that imaginary 
 God or Redeemer, who he supposes has thus rescued him from 
 thejaAvs of such dreadful destruction, that his soul was so amazed 
 with the fears of, and has received him with such endearment as 
 
76 WHAT ARE NO SIGNS 
 
 a peculiar favourite; and that now he should be filled with admira- 
 tion and gratitude, and his mouth should be opened, and be full 
 of talk about what he has experienced; and that, for a while, he 
 should think and speak of scarce any thing else, and should seem 
 to magnify that God who has done so much for him, and call up- 
 on others to rejoice with him, and appear with a cheerful coun- 
 tenance, and talk with a loud voice: and however, before his de- 
 liverance, he was full of quarrellings against the justice of God, 
 that now it should be easy for him to submit to God and own his 
 unworthiness, and cry out against himself, and appear to be very 
 humble before God, and lie at his feet as tame as a lamb; and 
 that he should now confess his unworthiness and cry out, " Why 
 me? why me?" (Like Saul, who, when Samuel told him that God 
 had appointed him to be king, makes answer, " Am not I a Ben- 
 jamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the 
 least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore 
 then speakest thou so to me?" Much in the language of David, 
 the true saint, 2 Sam. vii. 18. " Who am I, and what is my fa- 
 ther's house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?") Nor is it to be 
 wondered at, that now he should delight to be with them who 
 acknowledge and applaud his happy circumstances, and should 
 love all such as esteem and admire him and what he has experi- 
 enced, and have violent zeal against all such as would make no- 
 thing of such things, and be disposed openly to separate, and as 
 it were to proclaim war Avith all who be not of his party, and 
 should now glory in his suffering, and be very much for con- 
 demning and censuring all who seem to doubt or make any 
 difficulty of these things; and while the warmth of his affections 
 lasts, should be mighty forward to take pains and deny himself to 
 promote the interest of the party who he imagines favours such 
 things, and seem earnestly desirous to increase the number of 
 them, as the pharisees compassed sea and land to make one prose- 
 lyte.\ And so I might go on and mention many other things which 
 
 f " Associating with godly men does not prove that a man has grace: Achi- 
 thophel was David's companion. Sorrows for the afflictions of the church, 
 and desires for the conversion of souls, do not prove it. These things may 
 be fi>und in carnal men, and so can be no evidences of grace." Stoddart's 
 
 NaTUBE of SAVIIfG CONVERSIOK, p. 82. 
 
TO DISTINGUISH AFFECTIONS. 17 
 
 will naturally arise in such circumstances. He must have but 
 slightly considered human nature, who thinks such things as these 
 can not arise in this manner without any supernatural interposi- 
 tion of his divine power. 
 
 As from true divine love flow all Christian affections, so from a 
 counterfeit love in like manner naturally flow other false affec- 
 tions. In both cases love is the fountain and the other affections 
 are the streams. The various faculties, principles and affections 
 of the human nature are, as it were, many channels from one 
 fountain: if there be sweet water in the fountain, sweet water 
 will from thence flow out into those various channels; but if the 
 water in the fountain be poisonous, then streams will also flow 
 out into all those channels. So that the channels and streams 
 will be alike corresponding one with another; but the great differ- 
 ence will lie in the nature of the water. Or, man's nature may 
 be compared to a tree with many branches coming from one root: 
 if the sap in the root be good, there will also be good sap distribu- 
 ted throughout the branches, and the fruit that is brought forth will 
 be good and wholesome; but if the sap in the root and stock be 
 poisonous, so it will be in many branches, (as in the other case) 
 and the fruit will be deadly. The tree in both cases may be 
 alike; there may be an exact resemblance in shape; but the dif- 
 
 I ference is found only in eating the fruit. It is thus, in some mea- 
 sure at least, oftentimes between saints and hypocrites. There is 
 sometimes a very great similitude between true and false experi- 
 ences, and in what is expressed and related by the subjects of them: 
 and the difference between them is much like the difference be- 
 tween the dreams of Pharaoh's chief butler and baker; they seem- 
 ed to be much alike, insomuch that when Joseph interpreted the 
 chief butler's dream, that he should be delivered from his im- 
 prisonment and restored to the king's favour and his honourable 
 office in the palace, the chief baker had raised hopes and expecta- 
 tions and told his dream also; but he was wofully disappointed; 
 and though his dream was so much like the happy and well-boding 
 dream of his companion, yet it was quite contrary in its issue. 
 
 -\ VIII, Nothing can certainly be determined concerning the na- 
 
78 WHAT ARE NO SIGNS 
 
 ture of the affections by this, that comforts and J03 s seem to follow 
 awakenings and convictions of conscience in a certain order. 
 
 Many persons seem to be prejudiced against affections and ex- 
 periences, that come in such a method, as has been much insisted 
 on by many divines; first, such awakenings, fears, and awful ap- 
 V/A^v**^ prehensions, followed with such Jegal humblings, in a sense of 
 ''^^^^^ total sinfulness and helplessness, and then, such and such light and 
 comfort: they look upon all such schemes, laying down such me- 
 thods and steps to be of mens devising: and particularly, if high 
 af fections of joy follow great distress and fprrnr., it is ni ade by ma- 
 nj an argument against those af fections. But such prejudices and 
 objections are without reason or scripture. Surely it cannot be 
 unreasonable to suppose, that before God delivers persons from a 
 state of sin and exposedness to eternal destruction, he should give 
 ■them some considerable sense, of the evil he delivers from; that 
 they may be delivered sensibly and understand their own salva- 
 tion, and know something of what God does for them. JAs 'men 
 that are saved are in two exceeding different states, first* a^state 
 of condemnation, and then in a state of justification and blessed- 
 ness: and as God, in the work of the salvation of mankind, deals 
 - with them suitably to their intelligent rational nature; so it seems 
 reasonable and agreeable to God's wisdom, that men who are 
 saved, should be in these t wo states sensibly : first, that they 
 should, sensibly to themselves, be in a state of condemnation and 
 so in a state of woful calamity and dreadful misery, and so after- 
 wards sensibly in a state of deliverance and happiness; and that 
 they should be first sensible of their absolute extreme necessity 
 and afterwards of Christ's sufficiency and God's mercy through 
 him. 
 
 And that it is God's manner of dealing with men, to " lead them 
 into a wilderness before he speaks comfortably to them," and so 
 to order it, that they shall be brought into distress, and made to 
 see their own helplessness and absolute dependence on his power 
 and grace, before he appears to work any great deliverance for 
 them, is abundantly manifest by the scripture. Then is God 
 wont to " repent himself for his professing people, when their 
 
TO DISTINGUISH AFFECTIONS. *iS 
 
 strength is gone, and there is none shut up or left," and when 
 they are brought to see that their false gods can not help them, 
 and that the rock in whom they trusted is vain, Deut. xxxii. 36, 
 37. Before God delivered the children of Israel out of Egypt, 
 they were prepared for it by being made to " see, that they were 
 in an evil case," and "to cry unto God, because of their hard 
 bondage." Exod. ii. 23. and v. 19. And before God wrought 
 that great deliverance for them at the Red Sea, they were brought 
 into great distress, the wilderness had shut them in, they could 
 not turn to the right hand nor the left, and the Red Sea was be- 
 fore them, and the great Egyptian host behind, and they were 
 brought to see, that they could do nothing to help themselves, and 
 that if God did not help them they would be immediately swal- 
 lowed up; and then God appeared and turned their cries into 
 songs. So before they were brought to their rest, and to enjoy 
 the milk and honey of Canaan, God " led them through a great 
 and terrible wilderness, that he might humble them, and teach 
 them what was in their heart, and so do them good in their lat- 
 ter end," Deut. viii. 2, 16. The woman that had the issue of 
 blood twelve years, was not delivered until she had first " spent 
 all her living on earthly physicians, and could not be healed of 
 any," and so was left helpless, having no more money to spend; 
 and then she came to the great physician, without any money 
 or price, and was healed by him, Luke viii, 43, 44. Before 
 Christ would answer the request of the woman of Canaan, he 
 first seemed utterly to deny her, and humbled her, and brought 
 her to own herself worthy to be called a dog, and then he show- 
 ed her mercy and received her as a dear child, Matth. xv. 22, 
 &c. The apostle Paul, before a remarkable deliverance, was 
 " pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch as they despair- 
 ed even of life; and had the sentence of death in himself, that he 
 might not trust in himself, but in God that raiseth the dead," 2 
 Cor. i. 8, 9, 10. There was first a great tempest, and the ship 
 was covered with the waves and just ready to sink, and the dis- 
 ciples were brought to cry to Jesus, " Lord save us, \ve perish;" 
 and then the winds and seas were rebuked^ and there was a 
 
so WHAT ARE NO SIGNS 
 
 great calm, Matth. viii. 24, 25, 26. The leper, before he is 
 cleansed, must have his mouth stopped by a covering on his up- 
 per lip, and was to acknowledge his great misery and utter un- 
 cleanness, by rending his clothes and crying, " Unclean, unclean," 
 Lev. xiii. 45. And backsliding Israel, before God heals them, 
 are brought to " acknowledge that they have sinned and have not 
 obeyed the voice of the Lord," and to see that " they lie down 
 in their shame, and that confusion covers them," and " that in 
 vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude 
 of mountains," and that God only can save them, Jer. iii. 23, 24, 
 25. Joseph, who was sold by his brethren, and therein was a 
 type of Christ, brings his brethren into great perplexity and dis- 
 tress, and brings them to reflect on their sin, and to say. We 
 are verily guilty; and at last resign themselves entirely into his 
 hands for bondmen; and then reveals himself to them as their 
 brother and their saviour. 
 
 And if we consider those extraordinary manifestations, which 
 God made of himself to saints of old, we shall find that he com- 
 monly first manifested himself in a way which was terrible, and 
 then by those things that were comfortable. So it was with Abra- 
 ham; first, a horror of great darkness fell upon him, and then God 
 revealed himself to him in sweet promises, Gen. xv. 12, 13. So 
 it was with Moses at Mount Sinai; first, God appeared to him in 
 all the terrors of his dreadful majesty, so that Moses said " I do 
 exceedingly fear and quake," and then he made all his goodness 
 to pass before him, and proclaimed his name, " The Lord God, 
 gracious and merciful," &c. So it was with Elijah; first, there 
 is a stormy wind, and earthquake, and devouring fire, and then a 
 still, small, sweet voice, 1 Kings, xix. So it was with Daniel; 
 he first saw Christ's countenance as lightning, that terrified him 
 and caused him to faint away; and then he is strengthened and 
 refreshed with such comfortable words as these, " Daniel, a 
 man greatly beloved," Dan. x. So it was with the apostle John, 
 Rev. i. And there is an analogy observable in God's dispensa- 
 tions and deliverances, Avhich he works for his people, and the 
 
TO DISTINGUISH AFFECTIONS. . 81 
 
 manifestations which he makes of himself to them, both ordinary 
 and extraordinary. 
 
 But there are many things in scripture which do more directly 
 show that this is God's ordinary manner in working salvation for 
 the souls of men, and in the manifestations God makes of him- 
 self and of his mercy in Christ, in the ordinary works of his grace 
 on the hearts of sinners. The servant that owed his prince ten 
 thousand talents is first held to his debt, and the king pronounces 
 sentence of condemnation upon him, and commands him to be 
 sold, and his wife and children, and payment to be made; and 
 thus he humbles him, and brings him to own the whole debt 
 to be just, and then forgives him all. The prodigal sons spends 
 all he has, and is brought to see himself in extreme circumstances, 
 and to humble himself, and to own his unworthiness, before he is 
 relieved and feasted by his father, Luke xv. Old inveterate 
 wounds must be searched to the bottom, in order to healing: and 
 the scripture compares sin, the wound of the soul, to this, and 
 speaks of healing this wound without thus searching of it, as vain 
 and deceitful, Jer. viii. 1 1 . Christ, in the work of his grace on 
 the hearts of men, is compared to rain on the new mown grass, 
 grass that is cut down with a scythe, Psal. Ixxii. 6. representing 
 his refreshing, comforting influences on the wounded spirit. Our 
 first parents, after they had sinned, were first terrified with God's 
 majesty and justice, and had their sin, with its aggravations, set 
 before them by their Judge, before they were relieved by the 
 promise of the seed of the woman. Christians are spoken of 
 as those " that have fied for refuge, to lay hold on the hope 
 set before them," Heb. vi. 18. which representation implies 
 great fear and sense of danger preceding. To the like purpose 
 Christ is called " a hiding place from the wind, and a covert 
 from the tempest, and as rivers of water in a dry place, and as 
 the shadow of a great rock in a weary land," Isa. xxxii. at 
 the beginning. And it seems to be the natural import of the 
 word gospel^ glad tidings, that is news of deliverance and salva- 
 tion, after great fear and distress. There is also reason to sup- 
 pose that God deals with particular believers as he dealt with his 
 
82 WHAT ARE NO SIGNS 
 
 church, which he first made to hear his voice in the law; with ter- 
 rible thunders and lightnings, and kept her under that school- 
 master, to prepare her for Christ; and then comforted her with 
 the joyful sound of the gospel from Mount Zion. So likewise 
 John the Baptist came to prepare the way for Christ, and pre- 
 pare mens hearts for his reception, by showing them their sins, 
 and by bringing the self-righteous Jews off from their own righte- 
 ousness, telling them that they were " a generation of vipers," 
 and showing them their danger of " the wrath to come," telling 
 them that " the axe was laid at the root of the trees, &c. 
 
 And if it be indeed God's manner (as I think the foregoing 
 considerations show that it undoubtedly is) before he gives men 
 the comfort of a deliverance from their sin and misery, to give 
 them a considerable sense of the greatness and dreadfulness of 
 those evils and their extreme wretchedness by reason of them; 
 surely it is not unreasonable to suppose that persons, at least often- 
 times, while under these views, should have great distresses and 
 terrible apprehensions of mind: especially if it be considered what 
 these evils are that they have a view of; which are no other than 
 great and manifold sins against the infinite majesty of the great 
 Jehovah, and the suffering of the fierceness of his wrath to all 
 eternity. And the more so still, when we have many plain in- 
 stances in scripture, of persons that have actually been brought 
 into great distress by such convictions, before they have received 
 saving consolations: as the multitude at Jerusalem, who were 
 " pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and the rest of the 
 apostles, men and brethren what shall we do?" And the apostle 
 Paul, who trembled and was astonished, before he was comforted; 
 and the jailor, when " he called for a light, and sprang in, and 
 came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, and said, 
 Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 
 
 From these things, it appears to be very unreasonable in pro- 
 fessing Christians, to make this an objection against the truth and 
 spiritual nature of the comfortable and joyful affections which any 
 have, that they follow such awful apprehensions and distresses as 
 have been mentioned. 
 
TO DISTINGUISH AFFECTIONS. 83 
 
 And, on the other hand, it is no evidence that comforts and ^ 
 joys are right, because they succeed great terrors, and amazing 
 fears of hell.f This seems to be what some persons lay great 
 weight upon; esteeming great terrors an evidence of the great work 
 of the law wrought on the heart, well preparing the way for solid ^ 
 comfort: not considering that terro r and a conviction of con^ • \ 
 science are different thinsfs. For though convictions of conscience ♦ 
 
 do often cause terror; yet they do not consist in it; and terrors 
 do often arise from other causes. Convictions of conscience, 
 through the influences of God's Spirit, consist in conviction of 
 sinfulness of heart and practice, and of the dreadfulness of sin, as 
 committed against a God of terrible majesty, infinite holiness and 
 hatred of sin, and strict justice in punishing of it. But there are 
 some persons that have frightful apprehensions of hell, a dreadful 
 pit ready to swallow them up, and flames just ready to lay hold 
 of them, and devils around them ready to seize them; who, at 
 the same time, seem to have very little proper enlightening^ of 
 conscience, really convincing them of their sinfulness of heart 
 and life. The devil, if permitted, can terrify men as well as the 
 Spirit of God, it is a work natural to him, and he has many ways 
 of doing it, in a manner tending to no good. He may exceedingly 
 affright persons by impressing on them images and ideas of many ex- 
 ternal things, of a countenance frowning, a sword drawn, biack 
 clouds of vengeance, words of an awful doom pronounced,^: helj 
 
 f Mr. Shepard speaks of " mens being cast down as low as hell by sor« 
 row, and lying under chains, quaking under apprehension of terror lO come, 
 and then raised up to heaven in joy, not able to live; and yet not rem from 
 lust: and such are objects of pity now, and are like to be the objects of ter- 
 ror at the great day." Parable of the teii virgiiis, P, i. p. 125. 
 
 % "The way of the Spirit's working, when it does convince men, is by 
 enlightening natural conscience. The Spirit does not work by giving a tes- 
 timony, but by assisting natural conscience to do its work. Natural con- 
 science is the instrument in the hand of God, to accuse, condemn, terrify, 
 and to urge to duty. The Spirit of God leads men into the consideration of 
 their danger, and makes them to be aflecied therewith, Prov. xx. 27. The 
 spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly T 
 Stoddard's Guine to Chiiist, p. 44. 
 h 
 
84 WHAT ARE NO SIGNS 
 
 gaping, devils coming, and the like, not to convince persons of 
 things that are true and revealed in the word of God, but to lead 
 them to vain and groundless determinations; as that their day is 
 past, that they are reprobated, that God is implacable, that he 
 has come to a resolution immediately to cut them off, &:c. 
 
 And the terrors, which some persons have, are very much ow- 
 ing to the particular constitution and temper they are of; Nothing 
 is more manifest than that some persons are of such a temper and 
 frame, that their imaginations are more strongly impressed with 
 every thing they are affected with than others; and the impression 
 on the imagination reacts on the affection, and raises that still 
 higher; and so affection and imagination act reciprocally, one on 
 another, till their affection is raised to a vast height, and the per- 
 son is swallowed up and loses all possession of himself.f 
 
 And some speak of a great sight they have had of their wicked- 
 ness, who really, when the matter comes to be well examined in- 
 to and thoroughly weighed, are found to have little or no convic- 
 tions of conscience. They tell of a dreadful hard heart, and how 
 their heart lies like a stone; when truly they have none of those 
 things in their minds or thoughts, wherein the hardness of mens 
 hearts does really consist. They tell of a dreadful load and sink 
 of sin, a heap of black and loathsome filthiness within them; when, 
 if the matter be carefully inquired into, tliey have not in view any 
 thing wherein the corruption of nature does truly consist, nor have 
 they any thought of any particular thing wherein their hearts are 
 sinfully defective, or fall short of what ought to be in them, or 
 any exercises at all of corruption in them. And many think also 
 they have great convictions of their actual sins, who truly have 
 none. They tell how their sins are set in order before them, they 
 see them stand encompassing them round in a row, with a dread- 
 ful frightful appearance; when really they have not so much as 
 
 ■j-The famous Mr. Perkins distinguishes between "those sorrows that 
 come through convictions of conscience, and melancholic passions arising 
 from mere imaginations, strone'v conceived in the brain; which, he says, 
 usually come on a sudden, like lightning into a house." Vol. 1. of his works, 
 page 385. 
 
TO DISTINGUISH AFFECTIONS. 85 
 
 «ne of the sins they have been guilty of in the course of their lives, 
 coming into view, that they are affected with the aggravations of. 
 
 And if persons have had great terrors, which really have been 
 fi'om the awakening and convincing influences of the Spirit of 
 God, it doth not thence follow that their terrors must needs issue 
 in true comfort. The unmortified corruption of the heart may 
 quench the Spirit of God; (after he has been striving) by leading 
 men to presumptuous and self-exalting hopes and joys, as well as 
 otherwise. It is not every woman that is really in travail that 
 brings forth a real child; but it may be a monstrous production, 
 without any thing of the form or properties of human nature be- 
 longing to it, Pharaoh's chief baker, after he had lain in the 
 dungeon with Joseph, had a vision that raised his hopes, and he 
 was lifted up out of the dungeon, as well as the chief butler; but 
 it was to be hanged. 
 
 But, if comforts and joys do not only come after great terrors 
 and awakenings, but there be an appearance of such preparatory 
 convictions and humiliations, and brought about very distinctly, 
 by such steps and in such a method as has frequently been obser- 
 vable in true converts; this is no certain sign that the light and 
 comforts which follow are true and saving. And for these follow- 
 ing reasons: 
 
 Firsts As the devil can counterfeit all the saving operations 
 and graces of the Spirit of God, so he can counterfeit those ope- 
 rations that are preparatory to grace If Satan can counterfeit 
 those effects of God's Spirit which are special, divine and sancti- 
 fying, so that there shall be a very great resemblance in all that 
 can be observed by others, much more easily may he imitate those 
 works of God's Spirit which are common, and which men, while 
 they are yet his own children, are the subjects of. These works 
 are in no wise so much above him as the other. There are no 
 works of God that are so high and divine and above the powers 
 of nature, and out of the reach of the power of all creatures, as 
 those works of his Spirit whereby he forms the creature in his own 
 image, and makes it to be a partaker of the divine nature. But 
 if the devil can be the author of such resemblances as these, as 
 
86 WHAT ARE ISO S,l(iN» 
 
 have been spoken of, without doubt he may of those that are of an 
 infinitely inferior kind. And it is abundantly evident, in fact, 
 that there are false humiliations, and false submissions, as well 
 as false comforts. t How far was Saul brought, though a very 
 wicked man, and of a haughty spirit, when he (though a great 
 king) was brought, in conviction of his sin, as it were to fall down 
 all in tears, weeping aloud, before David his own subject, and 
 one that he had for a long time mortally hated, and openly treat- 
 ed as an enemy,) and condemned himself before him, crying out, 
 " Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me 
 good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil." And at another time, 
 " I have sinned, I have played the fool, I have erred exceeding- 
 ly," 1 Sam. xxiv, 16, 17. and chap. xxvi. 21. And yet Saul seems 
 then to have had very little of the influences of the Spirit of God, 
 it being after God's Spirit had departed from him, and given him 
 up, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him. And if this 
 proud monarch, in a pang of affection, was brought to humble 
 himself so low before a subject he had hated, and still continued 
 an enemy to, there doubtless may be appearances of great convic- 
 tion and humiliation in men, before God, while they yet remain 
 enemies to him, and though they finally continue so. There is of- 
 tentimes in men who are terrified through fears of hell, a great 
 appearance of their being brought off from their own righteousness, 
 when they are brought off from it in all ways, although there are 
 in many ways that are more plain and visible. They have only 
 exchanged some ways of trusting in their own righteousness for 
 others that are more secret and subtle. Oftentimes a great de- 
 gree of discouragement, as to many things they used to depend 
 upon, is taken for humiliation: and that is called a submission to 
 
 f The venerable Stoddard observes, " A man may say that now he can jus- 
 tify God, however he deals with him, and not be brought off from his own 
 fighteousness; and that some men do justify God, from a partial conviction 
 of the rigliteousness of their condemnation; conscience takes notice of their 
 sinfiihiess, and tells them that they may be righteously damned; as Pharaoh, 
 who justified God, Exod. ix. 27. And they give some kind of consent to it, 
 but many times it does not continue, they have only a pang upon them, that 
 usually dies away after a little time." Guide to Christ, page 82. 
 
TO DISTINGUISH AFFECTIONS. 87 
 
 God, which is no absolute submission, but has some secret bargain 
 in it that it is hard to discover. 
 
 Secondly. If the operations and effects of the Spirit of God, in 
 the convictions and comforts of true converts, may be sophisti- 
 cated, then the order of them may be imitated. If Satan can 
 imitate the things themselves, he may easily put them one after 
 another, in such a certain order. If the devil can make A, B and 
 C, it is as easy for him to put A first, and B next, and C next, as 
 to range them in a contrary order. The nature of divine things is 
 harder for the devil to imitate than their order. He can not ex- 
 actly imitate divine operations in their nature, though his coun- 
 terfeits may be very much like them in external appearance; but 
 he can exactly imitate their order. When counterfeits are made, 
 there is no divine power needful, in order to the placing one of 
 them first, and another last. And therefore no order or method 
 of operations and experiences is any certain sign of their di- 
 vinity. That only is to be trusted to, as a certain evidence of 
 grace, which Satan can not do, and which it is impossible should 
 be brought to pass by any power short of divine. 
 
 Thirdly. We have no certain rule to determine how far God's 
 own Spirit may go in those operations and convictions, which in 
 themselves are not spiritual and saving, and yet the person that *>(, 
 is the subject of them never be converted, but fall short of salva- 
 tion at last. There is no necessary connexion in the nature ol' 
 things, between any thing that a natural man may experience, 
 while in a state of nature and the saving grace of God's Spirit. 
 And if there be no connexion in the nature of things, then there 
 can be no known and certain connexion at all, unless it be by di- 
 vine revelation. But here is no revealed certain connexion be- 
 tween a state of salvation, and any thing that a natural man can 
 be the subject of, before he believes in Christ.) God has revealed 
 no certain connexion between salvation and any qualifications in 
 men, but only grace and its fruits. And therefore we do not find 
 any legal convictions or comforts following these legal convic- 
 tions, in any certain method or order, ever once mentioned in the 
 scripture, as certain signs of grace, or things peculiar to the saints; 
 
88 WHAT ARE NO SIGNS 
 
 although we do find gracious operations and effects themselves, so 
 mentioned, thousands of times; which should be enough with 
 Christians, who are willing to have the ^vord of God, rather than 
 their own philosophy, and experiences, and conjectures, as their 
 sufficient and sure guide in things of this nature. 
 
 Fourthly, Experience does greatly confirm, that persons seem- 
 ing to have convictions and comforts following one another in 
 such method and order, as is frequently observable in true con- 
 verts, is no certain sign of grace. f I appeal to all those minis- 
 tei-s in this land, who have had much occasion of dealing with 
 souls, in the late extraordinary season, whether there have not been 
 many who do not prove well that have given a fair account of 
 their experiences, and have seemed to be converted according to 
 rule, i. e. with convictions and affections, succeeding distinctly 
 and exactly in tliat order and method which has been ordinarily 
 insisted on, as the order of the operations of the Spirit of God in 
 conversion. 
 
 And as a seeming to have this distinctness as to steps and me- 
 thod, is no certain sign that a person is converted; so being 
 without it is no evidence that a person is not converted. For 
 though it might be made evident to a demonstration, on scripture- 
 principles, that a sinner cannot be brought heartily to receive 
 Christ as his Saviour, who is not convinced of his sin and misery, 
 and his own emptiness and helplessness, and his just desert of 
 eternal condemnation; and that therefore such convictions must 
 be some way implied in what is wrought in his soul; yet nothing 
 proves it to be necessary, that all those things which are im- 
 plied or presupposed, in an act of faith in Christ, must be plainly 
 and distinctly wrought in the soul, in so many successive and se- 
 parate works of the Spirit, that shall be each one plain and ma- 
 
 f Mr. Stoddard, who had much experience of things of this nature, long 
 ago observed, that converted and unconverted men can not be certainly dis- 
 tinguished by the account they give of their experience: the same relation 
 of experiences being common to both. And that many persons have given 
 a fair account of a work of conversion, that have carried well in the eye of 
 the world for several years, but have not proved well at last. Appeal to the 
 Learned, p. 75, 76. 
 
TO DISTINGUISH AFFECTIONS. 89 
 
 nifest, in all who are truly converted. On the contrary, (as Mr. 
 Shepard observes), sometimes the change made in a saint, at 
 first work, is like a confused chaos; so that the saints know not 
 what to make of it. The manner of the Spirit's proceeding in 
 them that are born of the Spirit, is very often exceeding mys- 
 terious and unsearchable: we, as it were, hear the sound of it, 
 the effect of it is discernible; but no man can tell whence it 
 came, or whither it went. And it is oftentimes as difficult 
 to know the way of the Spirit in the new birth, as in the first 
 birth: Ecc. xi. 5. " Thou knowest not what is the way of the 
 Spirit, or how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with 
 child: even so thou knowest not the works of God, that worketh 
 all." The ingenerating of a principle of grace in the soul, seems 
 in scripture to be compared to the conceiving of Christ in the 
 womb. Gal. iv. 1 9. And therefore the church is called Christ's 
 mother, Cant. iii. 1 1 . and so is everv' particular believer, Matth. 
 ,' ^ ) xii. 49, 50. And the conception of Christ, in the soul of a be- 
 V * liever, by the power of the Holy Ghost, seems to be a designed 
 resemblance of the conception of Christ in the womb of the blessed 
 virgin, by the power of the same Holy Ghost. And w^e know 
 not what is the way of the Spirit, nor how the bones do grow, 
 either in the womb, or heart that conceives this holy child. The 
 new creature may use that language in Psal. cxxxix. 14,15. "I 
 am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvellous are thy works, and 
 that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid 
 from thee when I was made in secret." Concerning the gene- 
 ration of Christ, both in his person and also in the hearts of liis 
 people, it may be said, as in Isa. Iii. 8. " Who can declare his 
 generation?" We know not the works of GJod, that workeih 
 all. " It is the glory of God to conceal a thing," (Prov. 
 XXV. 2.) and to have his path as it were in the mighty waters, 
 that his footsteps may not be known:" and especially in the 
 works of the Spirit on the hearts of men, which are the higliest 
 and chief of his works. And therefore it is said, Isa. xl. 13. 
 " Who hath directed the Spirit of the liOrd, or being his 
 counsellor hath taught him?" . It is to be feared that some 
 
90 WHAT ARE NO SIGNS 
 
 have gone too far towards directing the Spirit of the Lord, and 
 f marking out his footsteps for him, and limiting him to certain 
 steps and methods. Experience plainly shows, that God's Spirit 
 is unsearchable and untraceable, in some of the best of Chris- 
 tians, in the method of his operations, in their conversion. Nor 
 does the Spirit of God proceed discerniblj in the steps of a par- 
 ticular established scheme, one half so often as is imagined. A 
 /scheme of what is necessary, and according to a rule already re- 
 ceived and established by common opinion, has a vast (though to 
 I many a very insensible) influence in forming persons' notions of 
 the steps and method of their own experiences. I know very 
 well what their way is; for I have had much opportunity to ob- 
 ) serve it. . Very often, at first, their experiences appear like a con- 
 ♦ fused chaos. Mr. Shepard expresses it: but then those passages 
 of their experience are picked out, that have most of the appear- 
 ance of such particular steps that are insisted on; and these are 
 dwelt upon in the thoughts, and these are told of from time to 
 time, in the relation they give: these parts grow brighter and 
 brighter in their view; and others, being neglected, grow more 
 and more obscure: and what they have experienced is insensibly 
 strained to bring all to an exact conformity to the scheme that is 
 established. And it becomes natural for ministers, who have to 
 deal with them, and direct them that insist upon distinctness and 
 clearness of method, to do so too. But yet there has been so much 
 to be seen of the operations of the Spirit of God of late, that they 
 who have had much to do with souls, and are not blinded with a 
 seven-fold veil of prejudice, must know that the Spirit is so ex- 
 ceeding various in the manner of his operating, that in many 
 cases, it is impossible to trace him, or find out his way. 
 
 What we have principally to do with in our inquiries into our 
 own state, or directions we give to others, is the nature of the ef- 
 fect that God has brought to pass in the soul. As to the steps 
 which the Spirit of God took to bring that effect to pass, we may 
 leave them to him. We are often, in scripture, expressly directed 
 to try ourselves by the nature of the fruits of the Spirit; but no 
 
TO DISTINGUISH AFFECTIONS. 91 
 
 where by the Spirit's method of producing them.f Many do 
 greatly err in their notions of a clear work of conversion; calling 
 that a clear work, where the successive steps of influence, and 
 method of experience are clear; whereas that indeed is the clear- 
 est work, not where the order of doing is clearest, but where the 
 spiritual and divine nature of the work done, and effect wrought^ 
 is most clear. 
 
 IX. It is no certain sign, that the religious affections which 
 persons have, are such as have in them the nature of true reli- 
 gion, or that they have not, that they dispose persons to spend 
 much time in religion, and to be zealously engaged in the exter- 
 nal duties of worship. 
 
 This has, very unreasonably of late, been looked upon as an 
 argument against the religious affections which some have had, 
 that they spend so much time in reading, praying, singing, hear- 
 ing sermons and the like. It is plain from the scripture, that it 
 is the tendency of true grace to cause persons to delight in such 
 religious exercises. True grace had this effect on Anna the pro- 
 phetess; Luke ii. 37, " She departed not from the temple, but 
 served God with fastings and prayers night and day." And grace 
 had this effect upon the primitive Christians in Jerusalem, Acts ii. 
 46, 47. " And they continuing daily with one accord in the tem- 
 ple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat 
 
 •J- Mr. Shepard, speaking of the soul's closing- with Christ, says, "As a 
 chilli can not tell how his soul comes into it, nor it may be when; but after- 
 wards it sees and feels that life; so that he were as b;id as a beast, that 
 should deny an immortal soul; so here." Parabl^ of the ten Vir^ns. Part If. 
 p. 171. 
 
 "If the man do not know the time of his conversion, or fi;-st closing with 
 Christ; the minister may not draw any peremptory conclusion from thence, 
 that he is not godly." Stoddard's Guide to Christ, p. 83. 
 
 "Do not think there is no compunction, or sense of sin, wrought in the 
 60ul, becau-se you can not so clearly discern and feel it; nor the time of the 
 working and first beginning of it. I have known many that huve come with 
 their complaints that they ivei'e never humbled, they never felt It so; ) et there it | 
 hath been, and many times they have seen it, by the other spectacles, and 
 blessed God for it." Shepard's Sound Believer, page 3Q, The late impres- 
 sion in lioslon. 
 
 M 
 
92 WHAT ARE NO SIGNS 
 
 with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God." Grace 
 made Daniel delight in the duty of prayer, and solemnly to attend 
 it three times a day: as it also did David, Psal. Iv, 17. " Eve- 
 ning,^ morning and at noon will I pray." Grace makes the saints 
 delight in singing praises to God: Psal. cxxxv. 3. " Sing praises 
 unto his name, for it is pleasant." And cxlvii. 1. "Praise ye 
 the Lord: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is 
 pleasant, and praise is comely." It also causes them to delight 
 to hear the word preached: it makes the gospel a joyful sound to 
 them, Psal. Ixxxix. 15. and makes the feet of those who publish 
 these good tidings to be beautiful; Isa. lii. 7, " How beautiful upon 
 the mountains, are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings !" &c. 
 It makes them love God's public worship; Psal. xxvi. 8. " Lord, 
 I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where 
 thine honour dwelleth." And xxvii. 4. " One thing have 1 de- 
 sired of the Lord, that will I seek after, that I may dwell in 
 the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beau- 
 ty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple." Psal. Ixxxiv. 1,2, 
 &c. " How amiable are thy tabernacles, Lord of hosts ! my 
 soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord. Yea, 
 the sparrow hath found a house, and the swallow a nest for her- 
 self, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, Lord of 
 hosts, my King, and my God. Blessed are they that dwell in thy 
 house: they wall be still praising thee. Blessed is the man, in 
 whose heart aro the ways of them, who, passing through the valley 
 of Baca, go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion 
 appeareth before God." Ver. 10. " A day in thy courts is better 
 than a thousand." 
 
 This is the nature of true grace. But yet, on the other hand, 
 persons being disposed to abound and to be zealously engaged in 
 the external exercises of religion, and to spend much time in them, 
 is no sure evidence of grace; because such a disposition is found 
 in many that have no grace. So it was with the Israelites of old, 
 whose services were abominable to God: they attended " the new 
 moons and sabbaths, and calling of assemblies, and spread forth 
 their hands and made many prayers," Isa. i. 12 — 15. So it was 
 
TO DISTINGUISH AFFECTIONS. 93 
 
 with the pliarisces; they " made long prayers, and fasted twice a 
 week." False religion may cause persons to be loud and earnest 
 in prayer: Isa. Iviii. 4. " Ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to 
 cause your voice to be heard on high." That religion, which is 
 not spiritual and saving, may cause men to delight in religious 
 duties and ordinances: Isa. Iviii. 2. "Yet they seek me daily, 
 and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, 
 and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the 
 ordinances of justice: they take delight in approaching to God." 
 It may cause them to take delight in hearing the w^ord of God 
 preached; as it was with Ezekiel's hearers, Ezek. xxxiii. 31,33. 
 " And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit 
 before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will 
 not do them: for with their mouth they show much love, but their 
 heart goeth after their covetousness. And lo, thou art unto them 
 as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can 
 play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do 
 them not." So it was with Herod; he heard John the Baptist 
 gladly, Mark vi. 20. So it was with others of his hearers, for 
 a " season they rejoiced in his light," John v. 35. So the stony 
 ground hearers heard the word with joy. 
 
 Experience shows that persons, from false religion, may be in- 
 clined to be exceeding abundant in the external exercises of re- 
 ligion; yea to give themselves up to them, and devote almost 
 their whole time to them. Formerly a sort of people were very 
 numerous in the Romish church, called recluses^ who forsook the 
 world, and utterly abandoned the society of mankind, and shut 
 themselves up close in a narrow cell, with a vow never to stir 
 out of it, nor to see the face of any of mankind any more; (un- 
 less that they might be visited in case of sickness,) to spend all 
 their days in the exercises of devotion and converse with God. 
 There were also in old time, great multitudes called hermits and 
 anchorites, that left the world to spend all their days in lonesome 
 deserts, to give themselves up to religious contemplations and ex- 
 ercises of devotion; some sorts of them having no dwellings but 
 the caves and vaults of tlie mountains, and no food but the spon- 
 
194 WHAT ARE NO SIGNS 
 
 taneoiis productions of the earth. I once lived, for many months, 
 next door to a Jew, (the houses adjoining one to another), and 
 had much opportunity daily to observe him; who appeared to me 
 the devoutest person that ever I saw in my life; great part of his 
 time being spent in acts of devotion, at his eastern window, which 
 opened next to mine, seeming to be most earnestly engaged, not 
 only in the day-time, but sometimes whole nights. 
 
 X. Nothing can be certainly known of the nature of religious 
 affections by this, that they much dispose persons with their mouths 
 to praise and glorify God. This indeed is implied, in what has 
 been just now observed, of abounding and spending much time, 
 in the external exercises of religion, and was also hinted before; 
 but, because many seem to look upon it as a bright evidence of 
 gracious affection, when persons appear greatly disposed to praise 
 and magnify God, to have their mouths full of his praises, and 
 affectionately to be calling on others to praise and extol him, I 
 thought it deserved a more particular consideration. 
 
 No Christian will make it an argument against a person, that 
 he seems to have such a disposition. Nor can it reasonably be 
 looked upon as an evidence for a person, if those things that have 
 been already observed and proved, be duly considered, viz. that 
 persons without grace may have high affections towards God and 
 Christ, and that their affections being strong, may fill their mouths, 
 and incline them to speak much, and very earnestly about the 
 things they are affected with, and that there may be counterfeits 
 of all kinds of gracious affections. But it will appear more evi- 
 dently and directly that this is no certain sign of grace, if we 
 consider what instance the scriptures gives us of it in those that 
 were graceless. We often have an account of this in the mul- 
 titude that were present, when Christ preached and wrought mi- 
 racles; Mark ii. 13. " And immediately he arose, took up his 
 bed, and went forth before them all, insomuch that they were all 
 amazed, and glorified God, saying. We never saw it on this 
 fashion." So Matth. ix. 8, and Luke v. 16. Also, Matth. xv. 
 31. "Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw 
 the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, 
 
TO DISTINGUISH AFFECTIONS. 95 
 
 and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel." So 
 we are told, that on occasion of Christ's raising the son of the 
 widow of Nain, Luke viii. 16. " There came a fear on all: and 
 they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among 
 us; and. That God hath visited his people." So we read of Iheir 
 glorifying Christ, or speaking exceeding highly of him, Luke iv. 
 15. " And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all." 
 And how did they praise him with loud voices, crying, " Hosan- 
 na to the Son of David; Hosanna in the highest; blessed is he 
 that Cometh in the name of the Lord," a little before he was 
 crucified! And, after Christ's ascension, when the apostles had 
 healed the impotent man, we are told, that " all men glorified 
 God, for that which was done," Acts iv. 21. When the Gen- 
 tiles in Antioch of Pisidia, heard from Paul and Barnabas, that 
 God would reject the Jews, and take the Gentiles to be his peo- 
 ple in their room, they were affected with the goodness of God to 
 the Gentiles, " and glorified the word of the Lord:" but all that 
 did so were not true believers; but only a certain elect number of 
 them; as is intimated in the account we have of it, Acts xiii. 48, 
 " And, when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glori- 
 fied the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eter- 
 nal life, believed." So of old the children of Israel at the Red 
 Sea, " sang God's praise: but soon forgot his works." And the 
 Jews in Ezekiel's time, " with their mouth showed much love, 
 while their heart went after their covetousness." And it is fore- 
 told of false professors, and real enemies of religion, that they 
 should show a forwardness to glorify God; Isa. Ixvi. 5, " Hear 
 the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his word. Your brethren 
 that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said. Let 
 the Lord be glorified." 
 
 It is no certain sign that a person is graciously affected, if, in 
 the midst of his hopes and comforts, he is greatly affected with 
 God's unmerited mercy to him that is so unworthy, and seems 
 greatly to extol and magnify free grace. Those that yet remain 
 with unmortified pride and enmity against God, may, when they 
 imagine that they have received extraordinary kindness from 
 
96 WHAT ARE NO SIGNS 
 
 God, ciy out of their umvorthiness, and magnify God's uhdc- 
 served goodness to them, from no other conviction of their ill- 
 deservings, and from no higher principle than Saul had, who, 
 while he yet remained with unsubdued pride and enmity against 
 David, was brought, though a king, to acknowledge his unworthi- 
 ness, and cry out, " I have played the fool, I have erred exceed- 
 ingly," and with great affection and admiration, to magnify and 
 extol David's unmerited and unexampled kindness to him, 1 Sam. 
 XXV. 16 — 19. and xxiv. 21, and from no higher principle than 
 that from whence Nebuchadnezzar was affected with God's dis- 
 pensations, that he saw and was the subject of, and praises, ex- 
 tols and honours the King of Heaven; and both he and Darius, 
 in their high affections, call upon all nations to praise God, Dan. 
 iii. 28, 29, 30, and iv. 1, 2, 3, 34, 35, 37, and vi. 25, 26, 27. 
 
 XI. It is no sign that affections are right or that they are 
 wrong, that thdy make persons that have them exceeding confi- 
 dent that what they experience is divine, and that they are in a 
 good estate. 
 
 It is an argument with some, against persons, that they are de- 
 luded if they pretend to be assured of their good estate, and to 
 be carried beyond all doubting of the favour of God; supposing 
 that there is no such thing to be expected in the church of God, 
 as a full and absolute assurance of hope; unless it be in some 
 very extraordinary circumstances; as in the case of martyrdom: 
 contrary to the doctrine of Protestants, which has been maintain- 
 ed by their most celebrated writers against the Papists, and con- 
 trarv to the plainest scripture evidence. It is manifest, that it 
 was a common thing for the saints, that we have a history or 
 particular account of in scripture, to be assured. God, in the 
 plainest and most positive manner, revealed and testified his spe- 
 cial favour to Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Daniel and 
 others. Job often speaks of his sincerity and uprightness, with 
 the greatest imaginable confidence and assurance, often calling 
 God to witness to it; and says plainly, " I know that my Redeem- 
 er liveth, and that I shall see him for myself, and not another," 
 Job xix. 25, &c. David, throughout the book of Psalms, almost 
 
TO DISTINGUISH AFFECTIONS. 91 
 
 every where speaks without any hesitancy, and in the most posi- 
 tive manner, of God as his God: glorifying in him as his portion 
 and heritage, his rock and confidence, his shield, salvation, and 
 high tower, and the like. Hezekiah appeals to God, as one that 
 knew that he had walked before him in truth, and with a per- 
 fect heart, 2 Kings xx. 3. Jesus Christ, in his dying discourse 
 with his eleven disciples, in the 14th, 15th and 16th chapters 
 of John, (which was, as it were, Christ's last will and testament 
 to his disciples, and to his whole church), often declares his spe- 
 cial and everlasting love to them, in the plainest and most posi- 
 tive terms; and promises them a future participation with him in 
 his glory, in the most absolute manner; and tells tliem at the 
 same time, that he does so to the end, that their joy might be 
 full; John xv. 11. "These things have I spoken unto you, that 
 my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." 
 See also at the conclusion of his whole discourse, chap. xvi. 33. 
 " These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye might have 
 peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good 
 cheer, I have overcome the world." Christ was not afraid of 
 speaking too plainly and positively to them; he did not desire to 
 hold them in the least suspense. And he concluded that last 
 discourse of his, with a prayer in their presence, wherein he 
 speaks positively to his Father of those eleven disciples, as having 
 all of them savingly known him, and believed in him, and re- 
 ceived and kept his word; and that they were not of the world; 
 and that for their sakes he sanctified himself; and that his will 
 was, that they should be with him in his glory: and tells his 
 Father, that he spake those things in his prayer, to the end, that 
 his joy might be fulfilled in them, ver. 13. By these things it is 
 evident, that it is agreeable to Christ's designs, and the contrived 
 ordering and disposition Christ makes of things in his church, 
 that there should be sufficient and abundant provision made, that 
 his saints might have full assurance of their future glory. 
 
 The apostle Paul, through all his epistles, speaks in an assured 
 strain; ever speaking positively of his special relation to Christ, 
 his I.ord, and Master, and Redeemer, and his interest in, and 
 
98 WHAT ARE NO SIGNS 
 
 expectations of a future reward. It would be endless to take no- 
 tice of all places that might be enumerated; I shall mention but 
 three or four: Gal. ii. 20. " Christ liveth in me: and the life 
 which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the son of God, 
 who loved me and gave himself for me." Phil. i. 21. " For me 
 to live is Christ, and to die is gain." 2 Tim. i. 12. "I know 
 whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep 
 that which I have committed unto him against that day." 2 Tim. 
 iv. 7, 9. " I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, 
 I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown 
 of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge will give me 
 at that day." 
 
 And the nature of the covenant of grace, and God's declared 
 ends in the appointment and constitution of things in that cove- 
 nant, do plainly show it to be God's design to make ample provi- 
 sion for the saints, having an assured hope of eternal life, while 
 living here upon earth. For so are all things ordered and con- 
 trived in that covenant, that every thing might be made sure on 
 God's part. " The covenant is ordered in all things and sure:" 
 the promises are most full, and very often repeated, and various 
 ways exhibited; and there are many witnesses and many seals; 
 and God has confirmed his promises with an oath. And God's 
 declared design in all this is, that the heirs of the promises might 
 have an undoubting hope and full joy in an assurance of their fu- 
 ture glory. Heb. vi. 17, 18. " Wherein God, willing more abun- 
 dantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his 
 counsel, comfirmed it by an oath: that by two immutable things, in 
 which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong 
 consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set 
 before us." But all this would be in vain, to any such purpose, 
 as the saints' strong consolation, and hope of their obtaining fu- 
 ture glory, if their interest in those sure promises in ordinary cases 
 was not ascertainable. For God's promises and oaths, let them 
 be as sure as they will, can not give strong hope and comfort to 
 any particular person, any further than he can know that those 
 promises are made to him. And in vain is provision made in Je- 
 
TO DISTINGUISH AFFECTIONS, 99 
 
 sus Christ, that believers might be perfect as pertaining to the 
 conscience, as is signified, Heb. ix. 9, if assurance of freedom 
 from the guilt of sin is not attainable. 
 
 It further appears that assurance is not only attainable in some 
 very extraordinary cases, that all Christians are directed to give 
 all diligence to make their calling and election sure, and are told 
 how they may do it, 2 Pet. i. 5 — 8, And it is spoken of as a thing 
 very unbecoming in Christians, and an argument of something 
 very blameable in them, not to know whetlier Christ be in them 
 or not, 2 Cor. xiii. 5. " Know ye not your own selves, how that 
 Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?" And it is im- 
 plied that it is an argument of a very blameable negligence in 
 Christians, if they practise Christianity after such a manner as to 
 remain uncertain of the reward, in that 1 Cor. ix, 26. " I there- 
 fore so run as not uncertainly." And to add no more, it is mani- 
 fest that Christians' knowing their interests in their saving bene- 
 fits of Christianity as a thing ordinarily attainable, because the 
 apostles tell us by what means Christians (and not only apostles 
 and martyrs) were wont to know this; 1 Cor. ii. 12. " Now we 
 have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is 
 of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us 
 of God:" and 1 John ii. 3. " And hereby we do know him, if we 
 keep his commandments:" and verse 5, " Hereby know we that 
 we are in him;" chap. iii. 14. " We know that we have passed 
 from death unto life, because we love the brethren:" v. 1 9. " Here-^ 
 by we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts 
 before him:" ver. 24. " Hereby we know that he abideth in us, by 
 the spirit which he hath given us:" so chap. iv. 13, and chap, v, 
 2, and ver. 19. 
 
 Therefore it must needs be very unreasonable to determine that 
 persons are hypocrites, and their affections wrong, because they 
 seem to be out of doubt of their own salvation, and the affections 
 they are the subjects of seem to banish all fears of hell. 
 
 On the other hand, it is no sufficient reason to determine that 
 men are saints, and their affections gracious, because the affections 
 they have are attended with an exceeding confidence that th^ir 
 
■A 
 
 100 WHAT ARE NO SIGNS 
 
 state is good and their affections divine.f Nothing can be cer- 
 tainly argued from their confidence, how great and strong soever 
 it seems to be. If we see a man that boldly calls God his father, 
 and commonly speaks in the most bold, familiar and appropri- 
 ating language in prayer, " My Father, my dear Redeemer, my 
 sweet Saviour, my Beloved!" and the like; — and it is a common 
 thing for him to use the most confident expressions before men, 
 about the goodness of his state; such as " I know certainly that 
 God is my Father; I know so surely as there is a God in heaven, 
 that he is my God; I know I shall go to heaven as well as if I 
 were there^ I know that God is now manifesting himself to my 
 soul, and is now smiling upon me;" and seems to have done for- 
 ever with any inquiry or examination into his state, as a thing 
 sufficiently known, and out of doubt, and to contemn all that so 
 much as intimate or suggest that there is some reason to doubt or 
 fear whether all is right; such things are no signs at all that it is 
 indeed so as he is confident it is4 Such an overbearing, high- 
 
 •j- " O professor, look carefully to your foundation: " Be not high minded, 
 but fear. You have, it may be, done and suffered in many things in and for 
 religion; you have excellent gifts and sweet comforts; a warm zeal for God, 
 and high confidence of your integrity: all this may be right, for aught that 
 I or (it may be) you know; but yet it is possible it may be false. You 
 have sometimes judged yourselves, and pronounced yourselves upright; but 
 remember your final sentence is not yet pronounced by your Judge. And 
 what if God weigh you over again, in his more equal balance, and should say, 
 JHeiie Tekely Thou art weighed in the balance, and art found wanting! What 
 a confounded man wilt thou be under such a sentence, Qu<e splendent in cou' 
 spectu hominis, sordent in conspectu jiulicis; things that are highly esteemed 
 of men are an abomination in the sight of God: he seeth not as man seelh. 
 Thy heart may be false, and thou not know it: yea, it may be false, and thou 
 strongly confident of its integrity." JP/awer* Touchstone of Sincerity , Chap. ii. 
 sect. 5. 
 
 " Some hypocrites are a great deal more confident than many saints." 
 Stoddard's Discourse on the -way to know sincerity and hypocrisy, p. 128 
 
 + "Doth the work of the faith in some believers, bear upon its top branches 
 the full-ripe fruits of a blessed assurance? Lo, what strong confidence and 
 high-built persuasions of an interest in God have sometimes been found in 
 unsanctified ones! Yea, so strong may this assurance be, that tliey dare bold- 
 ly venture to go to the judgment seat of God, and there defend it. Doth the 
 
TO DISTINGUISH AFFECTIONS. 101 
 
 handed and violent sort of confidence as this, so affecting to de- 
 clare itself with a most glaring shoiv in the sight of men, which 
 is to be seen in many, has not the countenance of a true chris- 
 tian assurance: it savours more of the spirit of the pharisees, who 
 never doubted but that they were saints, and the most eminent of 
 saints, and were bold to go to God, and come up near to him, and 
 lift up their eyes, and thank him for the great distinction he had 
 made between them and other men; and when Christ intimated 
 that they were blind and graceless, despised the suggestion; John 
 ix. 40, " And some of the pharisees which were with him heard 
 these words, and said unto him. Are we blind also?" If they had 
 more of the spirit of the publican with their confidence, who, in 
 a sense of his exceeding unworthiness, stood afar off, and durst not 
 so much as lift up his eyes to heaven, but smote on his breast, and 
 cried out of himself as a sinner, their confidence would have more 
 of the aspect of the confidence of one that humbly trusts and 
 hopes in Christ, and has no confidence in himself. 
 
 If we do but consider what the hearts of natural men are, what 
 principles they are under the dominion of, what blindness and 
 deceit, what self-flattery, self-exaltation and self-confidence reign 
 there, we need not at all wonder that their high opinion of them- 
 selves and confidence in their happy circumstances, be as high and 
 strong as mountains, and as violent as a tempest, when once con- 
 science is blinded and convictions killed with false, high affec- 
 tions, and tnose fore-mentioned principles let loose, fed up and 
 prompted by false joys and comforts, excited by some pleasing 
 imaginations impressed by Satan, transforming himself into an 
 angel of light. 
 
 When once a hypocrite is thus established in a false hope, he 
 has not those things to cause him to call his hope in question, that 
 oftentimes are the occasion of the doubting of true saints; as,^rsf, 
 he has not that cautious spirit, that great sense of the vast impor- 
 
 Spirit of God fill the heart of the assured believer with joy unspeakable and 
 full of glory, giving him, through faith, a prelibation or foretaste of heaven 
 itself, in those first fruits of it? How near to this comes what the Apostle sup- 
 poses may be found in apostates!" Flavel's Husbandry Spiritualized, chap. xii. 
 
103 WHAT ARE NO SIGNS 
 
 tance of a suie loundation, and that dread of being deceived. The 
 comforts of the true saints increase awakening and caution, and 
 a livel)' sense how great a thing it is to appear before an infinite- 
 ly holy, just and omniscient Judge, But false comforts put an 
 end to these things, and dreadfully stupify the mind. Secondly^ 
 The hypocrite has not the knowledge of his own blindness and 
 the deceitfulness of his own heart, and that mean opinion of his 
 own understanding, that the true saint has. Those that are de- 
 luded with false discoveries and affections, are ever more highly 
 conceited of their light and understanding. Thirdly, The devil 
 does not assault the hope of the hypocrite, as he does the hope 
 of a true saint. The devil is a great enemy to true christian hope, 
 not only because it tends greatly to the comfort of him that hath 
 it, but also because it is a thing of a holy, heavenly nature, great- 
 ly tending to promote and cherish grace iu the heart, and a great 
 incentive to strictness and diligence in the christian life. But 
 he is no enemy to the hope of a hypocrite, which, above all things, 
 establishes his interest in him that has it. A hypocrite may re- 
 tain his hope, without opposition, as long as he lives; the devil 
 never disturbing it nor attempting to disturb it. But there is per- 
 haps no true Christian but what has his hope assaulted by him. 
 Satan assaulted Christ himself, upon this, whether he were the 
 Son of God or not: and the servant is not above his Master, nor 
 the disciple above his Lord; it is enough for the disciple, that is 
 most privileged in this world, to be as his Master. Fourthly, He 
 who has a false hope, has not that sight of his own corruptions 
 which the saint has. A true Christian has ten times as much to 
 do wdth his heart and its corruptions as a hypocrite: and the sins 
 of his heart and practice appear to him in their blackness; they 
 look dreadful; and it often appears a very mysterious thing that 
 any grace can be consistent with such corruption, or should be in 
 such a heart. But a false hope hides corruption, covers it all 
 over, and the hypocrite looks clean and bright in his own eyes. 
 
 There are two sorts of hypocrites: one that are deceived with 
 their outward morality and external religion; many of whom are 
 professed Arminians in the doctarine of justification: and the other 
 
TO DISTINGUISH AFFECTIONS. lOS 
 
 are those that are deceived with false discoveries and elevations; 
 who often cry down wdrks and mens own righteousness, and talk 
 much of free grace; but at the same time make a righteousness of 
 their discoveries, and of their humiliation, and exalt themselves to 
 heaven with them. These two kinds of hypocrites, Mr. Shepard, 
 in his exposition of the parable of the ten virgins, distinguishes by 
 the names of legal and evangelical hj^DOcrites; and often speaks of 
 the latter as the worst. And it is evident that the latter are, com- 
 monly, by far the most confident in their hope, and with the most 
 difficulty brought off from it: I have scarcely known the instance 
 of such a one, in my life, that has been undeceived. The chief 
 grounds of the confidence of many of them, are the very same kind 
 of impulses and supposed revelations (sometimes with texts of scrip- 
 ture and sometimes without) tliat so many of late have had con- 
 cerning future events; calling these impulses about their good estate, 
 the witness of the Spirit, entirely misunderstanding the nature of 
 the witness of the Spirit, as I shall show hei'eafter. Those who 
 have had visions and impulses about other things, it has generally 
 been to reveal such things as they are desirous and fond of: and 
 no wonder that persons who give heed to such things, have the 
 same sort of visions or impressions about their own eternal salva- 
 tion, to reveal to them that their sins are forgiven them, that their 
 names are written in the book of life, that they are in high fa- 
 vour with God, &,c. and especially when they earnestly seek, ex- 
 pect and wait for evidence of their election and salvation this 
 way, as the surest and most glorious evidence of it. Neither is 
 it any wonder, that when they have such a supposed revelation 
 of their good estate, it raises in them the highest degree of con- 
 fidence of it. It is found, by abundant experience, that those 
 who are led away by impulses and imagined revelations, arc ex- 
 tremely confident: they sujipose that the great Jehovah has de- 
 clared these and those things to them; and having his immediate 
 testimony, a strong confidence is the highest virtue. Hence they 
 are bold to say, I know this or that; — I know certainly; — I am 
 as sure as that I have a being, and the like; and they despise all 
 argument and inquiry in the case. And above all things else, it 
 is easy to be accounted for, that impressions and impulses, about 
 
104 WHAT ARE NO SIGNS 
 
 that which is so pleasing, so suiting their self-love and pride, as 
 their being the dear children of God, distinguished from most in 
 the world in his favour, should make them strongly confident; 
 especially when with their impulses and revelations they have 
 high affections, which they take to be the most eminent exercises 
 of grace. I have known of several persons that have had a fond 
 desire of something of a temporal nature, through a violent pas- 
 sion that has possessed them, and they have been earnestly pur- 
 suing the thing they have desired should come to pass, and have 
 met with great difficulty and many discouragements in it; but at 
 last have had an impression, or supposed revelation, that they 
 should obtain what they sought; and they have looked upon it as 
 a sure promise from the Most High, which has made them most 
 ridiculously confident, against all manner of reason to convince 
 them to the contrary, and all events working against them. And 
 there is nothing hinders but that persons, who are seeking their 
 salvation, may be deceived by the like delusive impressions, and 
 be made confident of that in the same way. 
 
 The confidence of many of this sort of hypocrites, that Mr. 
 Shepard calls evangelical hypocrites^ is like the confidence of 
 some mad men, who think they are kings: they will maintain it 
 against all manner of reason and evidence. And in one sense, 
 it is much more immoveable than a truly gracious assurance, a 
 true assurance is not upheld, but by the soul's being kept in a 
 holy frame, and grace maintained in lively exercise. If the act- 
 ings of grace do much decay in the Christian, and he falls into a 
 lifeless frame, he loses his assurance: but this kind of confidence 
 of hypocrites will not be shaken by sin; they (at least some of 
 them) will maintain their boldness in their hope, in the most cor- 
 rupt frames and wicked ways; which is a sure evidence of their 
 delusion. t 
 
 ■j- Mr. Shepard speaks of it, as a " presumptuous peace, that is not in- 
 ten'upted and broke to pieces by evil works." And says, " That the spi- 
 rit will sigh, and not sing in that bosom, whence corrupt dispositions and 
 passions break out." And that " though men in such frames may seem to 
 maintain the consolation of the Spirit, and not suspect their hypocrisy. 
 
TO DISTINGUISH AFFECTIONS. 105 
 
 And here I can not but observe, that there are certain doctrines 
 often preached to the people, which need to be delivered with 
 more caution and explanation than they frequently are; for, as 
 they are by many understood, they tend greatly to establish this 
 delusion and false confidence of hypocrites. The doctrines I 
 speak of are those of " Christians living by faith, not by sight; 
 their giving glory to God, by trusting him in the dark; living 
 upon Christ, and not upon experiences; not making their good 
 frames the foundation of their faith:" which are excellent and 
 important doctrines indeed, rightly understood, but corrupt and 
 destructive, as many understand them. The scripture speaks of 
 living or walking by faith, and not by sight, in no other way than 
 these, viz. a being governed by respect to eternal things, that 
 are the objects of faith and are not seen, and not by a respect to 
 temporal things, which are seen; and believing things revealed, 
 that we never saw with bodily eyes; and also living by faith in 
 the promise of future things, without yet seeing or enjoying the 
 things promised, or knowing the way how they can be fulfilled. 
 This will be easily evident to any one, who looks over the scrip- 
 tures, which speak oi faith in opposition to sight; as 2 Cor. iv. 
 18, and V. 7. Heb. xi. 1, 8, 13, 17, 27, 29. Rom. viii. 24. 
 John XX. 29. But this doctrine as it is understood by many, is, 
 that Christians ought firmly to believe and trust in Christ, with- 
 out spiritual sight or light, and, although they are in a dark, dead 
 frame, and, for the present, have no spiritual experiences or dis- 
 coveries. And it is truly the duty of those who are thus in dark- 
 ness, to come out of darkness into light, and believe. But that 
 they should confidently believe and trust, while they yet remain 
 without spiritual light or sight, is an antiscriptural and absurd 
 doctrine. The scripture is ignorant of any such faith in Christ 
 
 under pretence of trusting the Lord's mercy; yet they can not avoid the 
 condemnation of the world." Parable of the ten Virgins, Part I. p. 139. 
 
 Ur. Ames speaks of it as a thing, by which the peace of a wicked man 
 may be <listiiiguished from the peace of a godly man, " that the peace of a 
 wicked man continues, whetlier he performs tiie duties of piety and righte- 
 ousness or not; provided those crimes are avoided that appear horrid to 
 nature itself." Caaea of Con^ience, iii.lU. Chap. vii. 
 
106 WHAT ARE NO SIGNS 
 
 of the operation of God, that is not founded in a spiritual sight 
 of Christ. That believing on Christ, which accompanies a title 
 to everlasting life, is a " seeing the Son, and believing on him," 
 John vi. 40. True faith in Christ is never exercised, any fur- 
 ther than persons " behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord, 
 and have the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus 
 Christ, 2 Cor. iii. 18, and iv. 6. They, into whose minds, " the 
 light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, 
 does not shine, believe not," 2 Cor, iv. 4. That faith which is 
 without spiritual light, is not the faith of the children of the light 
 and of the day; but the presumption of the children of darkness. 
 And therefore to press and urge them to believe, without any 
 spiritual light or sight, tends greatly to help forward the delusion of 
 the prince of darkness. Men not only can not exercise faith with- 
 out some spiritual light, but they can exercise faith only just in 
 such proportion as they have spiritual light. Men will trust in 
 God no further than they know him: and they can not be in the 
 exercise of faith in him, one ace further than they have a sight 
 of his fulness, and faithfulness in exercise. Nor can they have 
 the exercise of trust in God, any further than they are in a gra- 
 cious frame. They that are in a dead, carnal frame, doubtless 
 ought to trust in God; because that would be the same thing as 
 coming out of their bad frame, and turning to God: but to ex- 
 hort men confidently to trust in God, and so hold up their hope 
 and peace, though they are not in a gracious frame, and continue 
 still to be so, is the same thing in effect, as to exhort them con- 
 fidently to trust in God, but not with a gracious trust: and what 
 is that but a wicked presumption? It is just as impossible for 
 men to have a strong or lively trust in God, when they have no 
 lively exercises of grace, or sensible christian experiences, as it 
 is for them to be in the lively exercises of grace, without the ex- 
 ercises of grace. 
 
 It is true, that it is the duty of God's people to trust in him, 
 when in darkness, and though they remain still in darkness, in 
 that sense, that they ought to trust in God, when the aspects of 
 his providence are dark, and look as though God had forsaken 
 
TO DISTINGUISH AFFECTIONS. 107 
 
 them, and did not hear their prayers, and many clouds gather, and 
 many enemies surround them with a formidable aspect, threat- 
 ening to swallow them up, and all events of providence seem to 
 be against them, all circumstances seem to render the promises 
 of God difficult to be fulfilled, and God must be trusted out of 
 sight, i. e. when we can not see which way it is possible for 
 him to fulfil his word, every thing but God's mere word, makes 
 it look unlikely, so if persons believe, they must hope against 
 hope. Thus the ancient patriarchs, and Job, and the Psalmist, 
 and Jeremiah, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshech, and Abcdnego, and 
 ifhe apostle Paul gave glory to God, by trusting in God in dark- 
 ness. And we have many instances of such a glorious victorious 
 faith in the eleventh of the Hebrews. But how different a thing 
 is this, from trusting in God without spiritual sight, and being at 
 the same time in a dead and carnal frame ! 
 
 There is also such a thing as spiritual light being let into the 
 soul one ivay, when it is not in another; and so there is such a 
 thing as the saints trusting in God, and also knowing their good 
 estate, when they are destitute of some kinds of experience. As 
 for instance, they may have clear views of God's sufficiency and 
 faithfulness, and so confidently trust in him, and know that they 
 are his children; and at the same time, not have those clear and 
 sweet ideas of his love as at other times: for it was thus with 
 Christ himself in his last passion. And they may have views of 
 much of God's sovereignty, holiness, and all-sufficiency, enabling 
 ihem quietly to submit to him, and exercise a sweet and most 
 encouraging hope in God's fulness, whei] they are not satisfied of 
 their own good estate. But how different things are these from 
 confidently trusting in God without spiritual light or experience! 
 
 Those that thus insist on persons living by faith, when they 
 have no experience, and are in very bad frames, are also very 
 absurd in their notions of faith. What they mean by faith is, 
 believing that they are in a good estate. Hence the}^ count it 
 a dreadful sin for them to doubt of their state, whatever frames 
 they are in, and whatever wicked things Ihey do, because it is 
 the great and heinous sin of unbelief; and he is the best man, 
 
108 WHAT ARE NO SIGiXS 
 
 and puts most honour upon God, that maintains his hope of his 
 good estate the most confidently and immoveably, when he has 
 the least light or experience; that is to say, when he is in the 
 worst and most wicked frame and way; because, forsooth, that is a 
 sign that he is strong in faith, giving glory to God, and against 
 hope believes in hope. But what Bible do they learn this no- 
 tion of faith out of, that it is a man's confidently believing that 
 he is in a good estate f? If this be faith, the pharisees had faith 
 in an eminent degree: some of which, Christ teaches, commit- 
 ted the unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost. The scripture 
 represents faith as that, by which men are brought into a good 
 estate; and therefore it can not be the same thing, as believ- 
 ing that they are already in a good estate. To suppose that 
 faith consists in persons believing that they are in a good es- 
 tate, is in effect the same thing, as to suppose that faith consists 
 in a person's believing that he has faith, or believing that he be- 
 lieves. 
 
 Indeed persons doubting of their good estate, may, in several 
 respects, arise from unbelief. It may be from unbelief, or be- 
 cause they have so little faith, that they have so little evidence 
 of their good estate: if they had more experience of the actings 
 of faiili, and so more experience of the exercise of grace, they 
 would have clearer evidence that theii' state was good; and so 
 their doubts would be removed. And then their doubting of 
 their state may be from unbelief, thus, when, though there be 
 many things that are good evidences of a work of grace in them, 
 
 •j- " Men do not know that they are godly, by believing that they are 
 godly.'' We know many things by faith, Heb. xi 3. "By faith we un- - 
 derstand that the worlds were made by the word of God. Faith is the evi- 
 dence of things not seen." Heb. xi. 1. Thus men know the trinity of 
 persons in the Godhead; that Jesus Christ is the Son of GodT that he that 
 believes in him will have eternal life; the resurrection of the dead. And 
 if God should tell a saint that he hath grace, he might know it by believing 
 the word of God. But it is not this way, that godly men do know that they 
 have grace. It is not revealed in the word, and the Spirit of God doth not 
 testify it to particular persons." Stoddard's JVatiire of Saving Co7iversion, /». 
 8S, 84. 
 
TO DISTINGUISH AFFECTIONS. 109 
 
 yet they doubt very much whether they are really in a state of 
 favour with God, because it is they, those that are so unworthy, 
 and have done so much to provoke God to anger against them. 
 Their doubts in such a case arise from unbelief, as they arise 
 from want of a sufiicient sense of, and reliance on, the infinite 
 riches of God's grace, and the sufficiency of Christ for the chief 
 of sinners. They may also be from unbelief, when they doubt 
 of their state, because of the mystery of God's dealings with 
 them: they are not able to reconcile such dispensations with 
 God's favour to them: or when they doubt whether they have 
 <mj interest in the promises, because the promises from the as- 
 pect of providence appear so unlikely to be fulfilled; the difficul- 
 ties that are in the way, are so many and great. Such doubting 
 arises from want of dependence upon God's almiglity power, and 
 his knowledge and wisdom, as infinitely above theirs. But yet, 
 in such persons, their unbelief and their doubting of their state 
 are not the same thing; though one arises from the other. 
 
 Persons may be greatly to blame for doubting of their state, on 
 such grounds as these last mentioned; and they may be to blame 
 that they have no more grace and no more of the present exer- 
 cises and experiences of it, to be an evidence to them of the 
 goodness of their state: men are doubtless to blame for being in a 
 dead ca»nal frame; but when they are in such a frame, and have 
 no sensiole experience of the exercises of grace, but on the con- 
 trary, are much under the prevalence of their lusts and an unchris- 
 tian spirit, they are not to blame for doubting of their state. It 
 is as impossible, in the nature of things, that a holy and chris- 
 tian hope should be kept alive, in its clearness and strength, in 
 such circumstances, as it is to keep the light in the room when 
 the candle is put out; or to maintain the bright sunshine in the 
 air when the sun is gone down. Distant experiences, when dark- 
 ened by present prevailing lust and corruption, never keep alive 
 a gracious confidence and assurance; but that sickens and decays 
 upon it, as necessarily as a little child by repeated blows on the 
 head with a hammer. Nor is it at all to be lamented, that per- 
 sons doubt of their state in such circumstances: but, on the con- 
 
110 WHAT ARE NO SIGNS 
 
 traiy, it is desirable and every way Ijest lluit they should. It 
 is agreeable to that wise and merciful constitution of things 
 which God hath established, that it should be so. For so liath 
 God contrived and constituted things, in his dispensations towards 
 his own people, that when their love decays, and the exercises 
 of it fail or become weak, fear should arise; for then they need 
 to restrain them from sin and excite them to care for the good of 
 their souls, and so to stir them up to watchfulness and diligence 
 in religion; but God hath so ordered, that when love rises and is 
 in vigorous exercise, then fear sliould vanish and be driven away; 
 for then they need it not, having a higher and more excellent 
 principle in exercise, to restrain them from sin and stir them up 
 to their duty. There are no other principles which human nature 
 is under the influence of, that will ever make men conscientious, 
 but these two, fear or love, and therefore, if one of these should 
 not prevail as the other decays, God's people, when fallen into 
 dead and carnal frames, when love is asleep, would be lamentably 
 exposed indeed. And therefore God has wisely ordained that 
 these two opposite principles of love and fear should rise and 
 fall, like the two opposite scales of a balance; when one rises 
 the other sinks. As light and darkness necessarily and unavoid- 
 ably succeed each other; if light prevails, so much does darkness 
 cease, and no more; and if light decays, so much does darkness 
 prevail: so it is in the heart of a child of God: if divine love 
 decays and falls asleep and lust prevails, the light and joy of 
 hope go out, and dark fear and doubting arise; and if, on the 
 contrary, divine love prevails and comes into lively exercise, this 
 brings in the brightness of hope, and drives away black lust and 
 fear with i(. Love is the spirit of adoption, or the childlike 
 principle: if that slumbers, men fall under fear, which is the 
 spirit of bondage, or the servile principh; and so on the con- 
 trary. And if it be so, that love or the spirit of adoption be car- 
 ried to a great height, it cjuite drives away all fear, and gives full 
 assurance agreeable to that of the apostle, 1 John iv. 18. "There 
 is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear." These two 
 opposite principles of lust and holy love, bring hope and fear into 
 
TO DISTINGUISH AFFECTIONS, 111 
 
 the hearts of God's children, in proportion as they prevail; that 
 is, when left to their own natural influence, without something 
 adventitious or accidental intervening; as the distemper of melan- 
 choly, doctrinal ignorance, prejudices of education, wrong in- 
 struction, false principles, peculiar temptations, &c. 
 
 Fear is cast out by the Spirit of God, no other way than by 
 the prevailing of love; nor is it ever maintained by his Spirit but 
 when love is asleep. At such a time, in vain is all the saint's 
 self-examinations, and poring on past experience, in order to es- 
 tablish his peace and get assurance. For it is contrary to the 
 nature of things, as God hath constituted them, that he should 
 have assurance at such a time. 
 
 They therefore do directly thwart God's wise and gracious con- 
 stitution of things, who exhort others to be confident in their hope, 
 when in dead frames; under a notion of " living by faith and not 
 by sight, and trusting God in the dark, and living upon Christ and 
 not upon experiences;" and warn them not to doubt of their good 
 estate, lest they should be guilty of the dreadful sin of unbelief. 
 And it has a direct tendency to establish the most presumptuous 
 hypocrites, and to prevent their ever calling their state in ques- 
 tion, how much soever wickedness rages and reigns in their 
 hearts and prevails in their lives; under a notion of honouring 
 God by hoping against hope, and confidently trusting in God 
 >vhen things look very dark. And doubtless vast has been the 
 mischief that has been done this way. 
 
 Persons can not be said to forsake Christ and live on their ex- 
 periences of the exercises of grace, merely because they take 
 them and use them as evidences of grace; for there are no other 
 evidences that they can or ought to take. But then may persons 
 be said to live upon their experiences when they make a righte- 
 ousness of them, and instead of keeping their eye on God's glofy 
 and Christ's excellency, they turn their eyes off these objects 
 without them, on to themselves, to entertain their minds by view- 
 ing their own attainments and high experiences, and the great 
 things they have met with, and are bright and beautiful in their 
 own eyes, and are rich and increased with goods in their own 
 
112 WHAT ARE NO SIGNS 
 
 apprehensions, and think that God has as admiring an esteem of 
 them on the same account as they have of themselves: this is 
 living on experiences and not on Christ; and is more abominable 
 in the sight of God than the gross immoralities of those who make 
 no pretences to religion. But this is a far different thing from a 
 mere improving experiences as evidences of an interest in a glo- 
 rious Redeemer. 
 
 But to return from this digression, I would mention one thing 
 more under the general head that I am upon. 
 
 XII. Nothing can be certainly concluded concerning the na- 
 ture of religious affections, that any are the subjects of, from this, 
 that the outward manifestations of them, and the relation persons 
 give of them, are very affeciing and pleasing to the truly godly, 
 and such as greatly gain their charity, and win their hearts. 
 
 The true saints have not such a spirit of discerning that they 
 can certainly determine who are godly and who are not. For 
 though they know experimentally what true religion is, in the 
 internal exercises of it; yet these are what they can neither feel, 
 nor see, in the heart of another.! There is nothing in others, 
 that comes within their view, but outward manifestations and 
 appearances; but the scripture plainly intimates, that this way 
 of judging what is in men by outward appearances, is at best 
 uncertain, and liable to deceit, 1 Sam. xvi. 7. " The Lord 
 seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appear- 
 ance, but the Lord looketh on the heart," Isa. xi. 3. " He shall 
 not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the 
 hearing of his ears.":}: They commonly are but poor judges, and 
 
 ■(■ Men may have the knowledge of their own conversion: The knowledge 
 that other men have of it is uncertain, because no man can look in the heart 
 of another and see the workings of grace there." Sloddard^s JYature of Saving 
 Conversion, chap. xv. at the beginning. 
 
 + " Mr. Stoddard observes, Tliat " all visible signs are common to convert- 
 ed and unconverted men; and a relation of experiences, among the rest." 
 Jippeal to the Learned, p. 75. 
 
 " O how hard it is for tlie eye of man to discern betwixt chaff' and wheat! 
 And how many upright hearts are now censured, whom God will clear! How 
 many false hearts are now approved whom God will condemn! Men oi-dina- 
 
TO DISTINGUISH AFFECTIONS. 113 
 
 dangerous counsellors in soul cases, who are quick and peremp- 
 tory in determining persons' states, vaunting themselves in their 
 extraordinary faculty of discerning and distinguishing in these 
 great affairs; as though all was open and clear to them. Thej 
 betray one of tiiese three things: either that they have had but 
 little experience; or arc persons of a weak judgment; or that 
 they have a great degree of pride and self-confidence, and so ig- 
 norance of themselves. Wise and experienced men will proceed 
 with great caution in such an affair. 
 
 When there are many probable appearances of piety in others, 
 it is the duty of the saints to receive them cordially into their 
 charity, and to love them and rejoice in them, as their brethren 
 in Christ Jesus. But yet tlie best of men may be deceived, 
 when the appearances seem to them exceeding fair and bright, 
 even so as entirely to gain their charity, and conquer their hearts. 
 It has been a common thing in the church of God, for such 
 bright professors, that are received as eminent saints, among the 
 saints, to fall away and come to nothiug.f And this we need not 
 
 rily have no convictive proofs, but only probable symptoms; which at most 
 beget but a conjectural knowlec%e of another's state. And they that shall 
 peremptorily judge either way, may possibly wrong the generation of the 
 iiprigl)t, or on the other side, absolve and justify the wicked. And truly, 
 considering what hath been said, it is no wonder that dangerous mistakes are 
 sofrequently made in this matter." Flavel's Husbandrij Spiritualized, chap. xii. 
 
 I "Be not offended, if you see great cedars fall, stars fall from heaven, 
 great professors die and decay: Do not think they be all such: Do not tliink 
 that the elect sliall fall. Truly, some are such that when they fall, one 
 would think a man truly sanctified might fall away, as the Armenians think, 
 1 John ii. 19. They -were not of us. I speak tliis, because the Lord is shaking; 
 and I look for great apostacies: For God is trying all his friends, through all 
 the christian world. In Germany what profession was there! who would 
 have thougiit it? The Lord, who delights to manifest that openly, which 
 was hid secretly, sends a sword and they fall." Shcpard's Parab. Part. L p. 
 118, 119. 
 
 " The saints may approve thee and God condemn thee. Rev. iii. 1. " Thou 
 hast a name that thou livest, and art dead." Men may say, There is a true 
 Nathaniel; and God may say, There is a self-cozening pliarisee. Reader, 
 thou hast heard of Judas and Demas, of Ananias and Sapphira, of Hymeneus 
 and Philetus, once renowned and famous professors, and tliou hast heard 
 how they proved at last." Flavel's Totichslonc of Sincerity, Chap. ii. Sect. 5. 
 
114 WHAT ARE NO SIGNS 
 
 wonder at, if we consider the things that have been already ob- 
 served; what things it has been shown, may appear in men who 
 are altogether graceless. Nothing hinders but that all these 
 things may meet together in men, and yet they be without a spark 
 of grace in their hearts. They may have religious affections of 
 many kinds together; they may have a sort of affection towards 
 God, that bears a great resemblance of dear love to him; and 
 so a kind of love to the brethren, and great appearances of ad- 
 miration of God's perfections and works, and sorrow for sin, and 
 reverence, submission, self-abasement, gratitude, joy, religious 
 longings, and zeal for religion and the good of souls. And these 
 affections may come after great awakenings and convictions of 
 conscience; and there may be great appearances of a work of 
 humiliation: And counterfeit love and joy, and other affections 
 may seem to follow these, and one another, just in the same or- 
 der that is commonly observable in the holy affections of true 
 converts. And these religious affections may be carried to a 
 great height, and may cause abundance of tears, yea, may over- 
 come the nature of those who are the subjects of them, and may 
 make them affectionate, and fervent, and fluent in speaking of 
 the things of God, and dispose them to be abundant in it; and 
 may be attended with many sweet texts of scripture, and precious 
 promises, brought with great impression on their minds; and may 
 dispose them with their mouths to praise and glorify God, in a 
 very ardent manner, and fervently to call upon others to praise 
 him, crying out of their unworthiness, and extolling free grace. 
 And may, moreover, dispose them to abound in the external du- 
 ties of religion, such as prayer, hearing the word preached, sing- 
 ing, and religious conference; and these tilings attended with a 
 great resemblance of a christian assurance, in its greatest height, 
 when the saints mount on eagles' wings, above all darkness and 
 doubting. I think it has been made plain, that there may be all 
 these things, and yet there be nothing more than the common in- 
 fluences of the Spirit of God, joined with the delusions of Satan, 
 and the wicked and deceitful heart. To which I may add, that 
 all these things may be attended with a sweet natural temper, 
 
TO DISTINGUISH AFFECTIONS. 115 
 
 and a good doctrinal knowledge of religion, and a long acquaint- 
 ance with the saints' way of talking, and of expressing their af- 
 fections and experiences, and a natural ability and subtilty in 
 accommodating their expressions and manner of speaking to the 
 dispositions and notions of the hearers, and a taking decency of 
 expression and behaviour, formed by a good education. How 
 great therefore may the resemblance be, as to all outward ex- 
 pressions and appearances, between a hypocrite and a true saint! 
 Doubtless it is the glorious prerogative of the omniscient God, as 
 the great searcher of hearts, to be able well to separate between 
 sheep and goats. And what an indecent, self-exaltation, and ar- 
 rogance it is in poor, fallible, dark mortals, to pretend that they 
 can determine and know, who are really sincere and upright be- 
 fore God, and who are not? 
 
 Many seem to lay great weight on that, and to suppose it to be 
 what may determine them with respect to others' real piety, 
 when they not only tell a plausible story, but when, in giving an 
 account of their experiences, they make such a representation, 
 and speak after such k manner, that they feel their talk; that is 
 to say, when their talk seems to harmonize with their own ex- 
 perience, and their hearts are touched and affected and delight- 
 ed by what they hear them say, and drawn out by it, in dear 
 love to them. But there is not that certainty in such things, and 
 that full dependence to be had upon them, which many imagine. 
 A true saint greatly delights in holiness; it is a most beautiful 
 thing in his eyes; and God's work, in savingly renewing and 
 making holy and happy a poor and before perishing soul, ap- 
 pears to him a most glorious work: No wonder, therefore, that 
 his heart is touched and greatly affected, when he hears another 
 give a probable account of this work wrought on his own heart, 
 and when he sees in him probable appearances of holiness; 
 whether those pleasing appearances have any thing real to answer 
 them or not. And if he uses the same words, which are com- 
 monly made use of, to express the affections of true saints, and 
 tells of many things following one another in an order agreeable 
 to the method of the experience of him that bears him, and also 
 p 
 
116 WHAT ARE NO SIGNS 
 
 speaks freely and boldly and with an air of assurance; no won- 
 der the other thinks his experiences harmonize with his own. 
 And if, besides all this, in giving his relation, he speaks with 
 much affection; and, above all, if in speaking he seems to show 
 much affection to him to whom he speaks, such an affection as 
 the Galatians did to the apostle Paul, these things will natural- 
 ly have a powerful influence to affect and draw his hearer's 
 heart, and open wide the doors of his charity towards him. Da- 
 vid speaks as one who had felt Ahithophel's talk, and had once a 
 sweet savour and relish of it. And therefore exceeding great was 
 his surprise and disappointment when he fell; it was almost too 
 much for him, Psal. Iv. 12, 13, 14. " It was not an enemy — 
 then I could have borne it; but it was thou, a man, mine equal, 
 my guide, and mine acquaintance. We took sweet counsel to- 
 gether, and walked unto the house of God in company." 
 
 It is with professors of religion, especially such as become so 
 in a time of outpouring of the Spirit of God, as it is with blossoms 
 in the spring;! there are vast numbers of them upon the trees, 
 which all look fair and promising, but yet many of them never 
 come to any thing. And many of those that in a little time 
 wither up, and drop off, and rot under the trees, yet for awhile 
 look as beautiful and gay as others; and not only so, but smell 
 sweet and send forth a pleasant odour; so we can not, by any of 
 our senses, certainly distinguish those blossoms which have in 
 them that secret virtue which will afterwards appear in the fruit, 
 and that inward solidity and strength which shall enable them to 
 bear, and cause them to be perfected by the hot summer sun, 
 that will dry up the others. It is the mature fruit which comes after- 
 wards, and not the beautiful colours and smell of the blossoms that 
 we must judge by. So new converts (professedly so) in their talk 
 about things of religion, may appear fair, and be very savoury, 
 and the saints may think they talk feelingly. They may relish 
 
 ■\ A time of outpouring of the Spirit of God, reviving religion and produ- 
 cing the pleasant appearances of it, in new converts, is in scripture compa- 
 red to this very thing, viz. the spring season, when the benign influence ot 
 the heavens causes the blossoms to put forth. Cant. ii. 11, 12. 
 
TO DISTINGUISH AFFECTIONS. 117 
 
 their talk, and imagine they perceive a divine savour in it, and 
 yet all may come to nothing. 
 
 It is strange how hardly men are brought to be contented with 
 the rules and directions Christ has given them, but they must 
 needs go by other rules of their own inventing, that seem to them 
 wiser and better. I know of no directions or counsels which Christ 
 ever delivered more plainly than the rules he has given us to guide 
 us in our judging of others' sincerity, viz. that we should judge of 
 the tree chiefly by the fruit. But yet this will not do; but other 
 ways are found out, which are imagined to be more distinguish- 
 ing and certain. And woful have been the mischievous conse- 
 quences of this arrogant setting up mens wisdom above the wis- 
 dom of Christ. I believe many saints have gone much out of the 
 way of Christ's word in this respect: and some of them have 
 been chastised with whips, and (I had almost said) scorpions, to 
 bring them back again. But many things which have lately ap- 
 peared, and do now appear, may convince, that ordinarily those 
 who have gone farthest this way, that have been most high- 
 ly conceited of their faculty of discerning, and have appeared 
 most forward, peremptorily and suddenly to determine the state 
 of mens souls, have been hypocrites, who have nothing of true 
 religion. 
 
 In the parable of the wheat and tares, it is said. Mat. xiii. 26, 
 " When the blade was sprung up and brought forth fruit, then 
 appeared the tares also." As though the tares were not discern- 
 ed nor distinguishable from the wheat until then, as Mr, Flavelf 
 observes, who mentions it as an observation of Jerome's, that 
 " wheat and tares are so much alike, until the blade of the wheat 
 comes to bring forth the ear, that it is next to impossible to dis- 
 tinguish them." And then Mr. Flavel adds, " How difficult 
 soever it be to discern the difference between wheat and tares; 
 yet doubtless the eye of sense can much easier discriminate them, 
 than the most quick and piercing eye of man can discern the dif- 
 ference between special and common grace. For all saving 
 
 ■j- Husbandry Spiritualized, chap. xii. 
 
1 18 IVHAT ARE NO SIGNS 
 
 graces in the saints have their counterfeits in hypocrites; there 
 are similar works in those, which a spiritual and very judicious 
 eye may easily mistake for the saving and genuine effects of a 
 sanctifying spirit." 
 
 As it is the ear or the fruit which distinguishes the wheat from 
 the tares, so this is the true Shibboleth, that he who stands as 
 judge at the passages of Jordan, makes use of to distinguish those 
 that shall pass over Jordan into the true Canaan, from those that 
 should be slain at the passages. For the Hebrew word Shibbo- 
 leth Mgnifies an ear of corn. And perhaps the more full pronun- 
 ^,. ciation of Jephthah's friends. Shibboleth may represent a full ear 
 with fruit in it, typifying the fruits of the friends of Christ, the 
 antitype of Jephthah; and the more lean pronunciation of the 
 Ephraimites, his enemies, may represent their empty ears, typi- 
 fying the show of religion in hypocrites, without substance and 
 fruit. This is agreeable to the doctrine we are abundantly taught 
 in scripture, viz. That he who is set to judge those that pass 
 throug-li death, whether they have a right to enter into the hea- 
 venly Canaan or not, or whether they should not be slain, will 
 judge every man according to his works. 
 
 We seem to be taught the same things by the rules given for 
 the priest's discerning the leprosy. In many cases it was impos- 
 sible for the priest to determine whether a man had the leprosy, 
 or whether he were clean, by the most narrow inspection of the 
 appearances that were upon him, until he had waited to see what 
 the appearances would come to, and had shut up the person who 
 had showed himself to him, one seven days after another; and 
 when he judged, he was to determine by the hair which grew out 
 of the spot that was showed him, which was as it were the fruit 
 that it brought forth. 
 
 And here, before I finish what I have to say under this head, I 
 would say something to a strange notion some have of late been led 
 away with, of certainly knowing the good estate that others are in, 
 as though it were immediately revealed to them from heaven, by 
 their love flowing out to them in an extraordinary manner. They 
 argue thus, that their love being very sensible aud great, it may be 
 
TO DISTINGUISH AFFECTIONS. 1 1 9 
 
 certainly known by them who feel it, to be a true christian love; 
 And if it be a true christian love, the Spirit of God must be the 
 author of it: And inasmuch as the Spirit of God who knows cer- 
 tainly whether others are the children of God or not, and is a 
 spirit of truth, is pleased by an uncommon influence upon them, 
 to cause their love to flow out, in an extraordinary manner, to- 
 wards such a person as a child of God; it must needs be that this in- 
 fallible Spirit who deceives none, knows that that person is a child 
 of God. But such persons might be convinced of the falseness 
 of their reasoning, if they would consider whether or no it be not 
 their duty, and what God requires of them, to love those as the 
 children of God who they think are the children of God, and whom 
 they have reason to think otherwise of, from all that they can see 
 in them, though God, who searches the hearts, knows them not to 
 be his children. 
 
 If it be their duty, then it is good, and the want of it sin; and 
 therefore surely the Spirit of God may be the author of it: the 
 Spirit of God, without being a spirit of falsehood, may in such a 
 case assist a person to do his duty and keep him from sin. But 
 then they argue from the uncommon degree and special manner 
 in which their love flows out to the person, which they think the 
 Spirit of God never would cause, if he did not know the object 
 to be a child of God. But then I would ask them whether or no 
 it is not their duty to love all such as they are bound to think are 
 the children of God, from all that they can see in them, to a very 
 great degree, though God, from other things which he sees that 
 are out of sight to them, knows them not to be so. It is mens 
 duty to love all whom they are bound in charity to look upon as 
 the children of God, with a vastly dearer affection than they com- 
 monly do. As we ought to love Christ to the utmost capacity of 
 our nature, so it is our duty to love those who we think are as 
 near and dear to him as his members, with an exceeding dear af- 
 fection, as Christ has loved us; and therefore it is sin in us not to 
 love them so. We ought to pray to God that he would by his 
 Spirit keep us from sin, and enable us to do our duty: and may not 
 his Spirit answer our prayers, and enable us to do our duty, in a par- 
 
J 20 WHAT ARE NO SIGNS 
 
 ticular instance without lying? If he can not, then the Spirit of 
 God is bound not to help his people to do their duty in some in- 
 stances, because he can not do it without being a spirit of false- 
 hood. But surely God is so sovereign that he may enable us to 
 do our duty when he pleases, and on what occasion he pleases. 
 When persons think others are his children, God may have other 
 ends in causing their exceedingly endeared love to flow out to 
 them, besides revealing to them whether their opinion of them be 
 right or not: he may have that merciful end in it, to enable them 
 to know their duty, and to keep them from that dreadful infinite 
 evil, sin. And will they say God shall not show them that mer- 
 cy in such a case.'' If I am at a distance from home, and hear 
 that in my absence my house is burnt, but my family have, in 
 some extraordinary manner, all escaped the flames; and every 
 thing in the circumstances of the story, as I hear it, makes it ap- 
 pear very credible, it would be sin in me, in such a case, not to 
 feel a very great degree of gratitude to God, though the story in- 
 deed be not true. And is not God so sovereign that he may, if 
 he pleases, show me that mercy on that occasion, and enable me 
 to do my duty in a much further degree than I used to do it, and 
 yet not incur the charge of deceitfulness in confirming a falsehood? 
 
 It is exceeding manifest that error or mistake may be the oc- 
 casion of a gi-acious exercise, and consequently a gracious influence 
 of the Spirit of God, by Rom. xiv. 6, " He that eateth to the 
 Lord, he eateth and giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not to 
 the Lord, he eateth not and giveth God thanks!" The apostle is 
 speaking of those who, through erroneous and needless scruples, 
 avoided eating legally unclean meats. By this it is very evident 
 that there may be true exercises of grace, a true respect to the 
 Lord, and particularly, a true thankfulness, which may be occa- 
 sioned both by an erroneous judgment and practice. And conse- 
 quently, an error may be the occasion of those truly holy exercises 
 that are from the infallible Spirit of God: and if so, it is certainly 
 too much for us to determine to how great a degree the Spirit of 
 God may give this holy exercise, on such an occasion. 
 
 This notion of certainly discerning another's state, by love 
 
TO DISTINGUISH AFFECTIONS. 121 
 
 flowing out, is not only not founded on reason or scripture, but 
 it is antiscriptural, it is against the rules of scripture, which say 
 not a word of any such way of judging the state of others as this, 
 hut direct us to judge chiefly by the fruits that are seen in them. 
 And it is against the doctrines of scripture, which do plainly 
 teach us, that the state of others' souls towards God can not be 
 known by us, as in Rev. ii. 17. " To him that overcometh will 
 I give to eat of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white 
 stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man know- 
 eth saving he that receiveth it." And Rom, ii. 29. " He is a 
 Jew which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, 
 in the spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, 
 but of God." That by this last expression, " whose praise is not 
 of men, but of God," the apostle has respect to the insufficiency 
 of men to judge concerning him, whether he be inwardly a Jew 
 or not (as they could easily see by outward marks whether men 
 were outwardly Jews) and would signify that it belongs to God 
 alone to give a determining voice in this matter, is confirmed by 
 the same apostle's use of the phrase, in 1 Cor. iv. 5. " There- 
 fore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both 
 will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make 
 manifest the counsels of the heart:" and then shall every man praise 
 God. The apostle in the two foregoing verses, says, " But with 
 me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of 
 man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. For I know 
 nothing by myself, yet am I not hereby justified; but he that judg- 
 eth me is the Lord." And again, it is further confirmed, because 
 the apostle, in this second chapter to the Romans, directs his 
 speech especially to those who had a high conceit of their own 
 holiness, made their boast of God, and' were confident of their 
 own discerning, and that they knew God's will, and approved 
 the things which were excellent, or tried the things that differ (as 
 it is in the margin) ver. 19; "And were confident that they were 
 guides of the blind, and a light to them which are in darkness, in- 
 structors of the foolish, teachers of babes; and so took upon them 
 lo judge others." See ver. 1, and 17, 18, 19, 20. 
 
1-22 WHAT ARE NO SIGNS &C. 
 
 And how arrogant must the notion be, that they have, who im- 
 agine that they can certainly know others' godliness, when that 
 great apostle, Peter, pretends not to say any more concerning Syl- 
 vanus, than that he was a faithful brother, as he supposed ! 1 Pet. 
 V. 12. Though this Sylvanus appears to have been a very emi- 
 nent minister of Christ, and an evangelist, and a famous light in 
 God's church at that day, and an intimate companion of the apos- 
 tles. See 2 Cor. i. 19; 1 Thess. i. 1, and 2 Thess. i. 1. 
 
(;;ONCERNING SIGNS &c. 123 
 
 PART III. 
 
 SHOWING WHAT ARE DISTINGUISHING SIGNS OF TRULY GRACIOUS 
 AND HOLY AFFECTIONS, 
 
 I COME now to the second thing appertaining to the trial of re- 
 ligious affections, which was proposed, viz. To take notice of 
 some things wherein those affections that are spiritual and gra- 
 cious do differ from those that are not so. 
 
 But before I proceed directly to the distinguishing characters, 
 I would previously mention some tilings which I desire may be 
 observed concerning the marks I shall lay down. 
 
 1 . That I am far from undertaking to give such signs of gra- 
 cious affections, as shall be sufficient to enable any certainly to 
 distinguish true affection from false in others; or to determine 
 positively which of their neighbours are true professors and 
 which are hypocrites. In so doing, I should be guilty of that 
 arrogance which I have been condemning. Though it be plain 
 that Christ has given rules to all Christians, to enable them to 
 judge of professors of religion, whom they are concerned with, 
 so far as is necessary for their own safety, and to prevent their 
 being led into a snare by false teachers and false pretenders to 
 religion; and though it be also beyond doubt, that the scriptures 
 do abound with rules, which may be very serviceable to ministers, 
 in counselling and conducting souls committed to their care, in 
 things appertaining to their spiritual and eternal state; yet it is 
 also evident, that it was never God's design to give us any rules, 
 by which we may certainly know who of our fellow professors 
 are his, and to make a full and clear separation between sheep 
 and goats; but that, on the contrary, it was God's design to re- 
 serve this to himself as his prerogative. And therefore no such 
 distinguishing signs as shall enable Christians or ministers to do 
 this, are ever to be expected to the world's end. For no more 
 Q 
 
134 CONCERNING SIGNS OF 
 
 is ever to be expected from any signs, that are to be found in tlie 
 word of God, or gathered from it, than Christ designed them for. 
 
 2. No such signs are to be expected, that shall be sufficient to 
 enable those saints certainly to discern their own good estate, 
 who are very low in grace, or are such as have much departed 
 from God, and are fallen into a dead, carnal, and unchristian 
 frame. It is not agreeable to God's design, (as has been alrea- 
 dy observed) that such should know their good estate : nor is it 
 desirable that they should; but, on the contrary, every way best 
 that they should not; and we have reason to bless God, that he 
 has made no provision that such should certainly know the state 
 that they are in, any other way than by first coming out of the 
 ill frame and way they are in. Indeed it is not properly through 
 the defect of the signs given in the word of God, that every saint 
 living, whether strong or weak, and those who are in a bad frame, 
 as well as others, can not certainly know their good estate by 
 them. For the rules in themselves are certain and infallible, 
 and every saint has, or has had those things in himself, which 
 are sure evidences of grace; for every, even the least act of grace 
 is so. But it is through his defect to whom the signs are given. 
 There is a twofold defect in that saint who is very low in grace, 
 or in an ill frame, which makes it impossible for him to know 
 certainly that he has true grace, by the best signs and rules which 
 can be given him. First , a defect in the object, or the qualifi- 
 cation to be viewed and examined. I do not mean an essential 
 defect; because I suppose the person to be a real saint; but a de- 
 fect in degree: grace being very small, can not be clearly and 
 certainly discerned and distinguished. 
 
 Things that are very small, we can not clearly discern their 
 form, or distinguish them one from another; though as they are 
 in themselves, their form may be very different. There is doubt- 
 less a great difference between the body of man, and the bodies 
 of other animals, in the first conception in the womb: but yet 
 if we should view the different embryos, it might not be possible 
 for us to discern the difference, by reason of the imperfect state 
 of the object; but as it comes to greater perfection, the difier- 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 125 
 
 cnce becomes very plain. The difference between creatures of 
 very contrary qualities, is not so plainly to be seen while they 
 are very young; even after they are actually brought forth, as in 
 their more perfect state. The difference between doves and ra- 
 ven^, or doves and vultures, when they first come out of the egg, 
 is not so evident; but as they grow to their perfection, it is ex- 
 ceeding great and manifest. Another defect attending the grace 
 of those I am speaking of is its being mingled with so much cor- 
 ruption, which clouds and hides it, and makes it impossible for it 
 certainly to be known. Though different things that are before us, 
 may have in themselves many marks thoroughly distinguishing 
 them one from another; yet if we see them only in a thick smoke, 
 it may nevertheless be impossible to distinguish them. A fixed star 
 is easily distinguishable from a comet, in a clear sky; but if we 
 view them through a cloud, it may be impossible to see the dif- 
 ference. When true Christians are in an ill frame, guilt lies on 
 the conscience, which will bring fear, and so prevent the peace 
 and joy of an assured hope. 
 
 Secondly. There is in such a case a defect in the eye. As the 
 feebleness of grace and prevalence of corruption obscures the 
 object, so it enfeebles the sight; it darkens the sight as to all 
 spiritual objects, of which grace is one. Sin is like some dis- 
 tempers of the eyes, that make things to appear of different co- 
 lours from those which properly belong to them, and like many 
 other distempers, that put the mouth out of taste so as to disen- 
 able it from distinguishing good and wholesome food from bad, 
 but every thing tastes bitter. 
 
 Men in a corrupt and carnal frame have t heir spiritual senses 
 in but poor plight for judging and distinguishing spiritual things. 
 
 For these reasons no signs that can be given, will actually sa- 
 tisfy persons in such a case: let the signs that are given be ne- 
 ver so good and infallible, and clearly laid down, they will not 
 serve them. It is like giving a man rules how to distinguish 
 visible objects in the dark; the things themselves may be very 
 different, and their difference may be very well and distinctly 
 described to him; yet all is insufficient to enable him to distin- 
 
126 CONCERNING SIGNS OF 
 
 guish them, because he is in the dark. And therefore manv per- 
 sons in such a case spend time in a fruitless labour, in poring on 
 past experiences, and examining themselves by signs they heir laid 
 doivn from the pulpit, or that they read in books; when there is 
 other work for them to do, that is much more expected of them; 
 whiph, while they neglect, all their self-examinations are like to 
 be in vain if they should spend never so much time in them. 
 The accursed thing is to be destroyed from their camp, and Achan 
 to be slain; and until this be done they will be in trouble. It is 
 not God's design that men should obtain assurance in any other 
 way than by mortifying corruption, and increasing in grace, and 
 obtaining the lively exercises of it. And although self-examina- 
 tion be a duty of great use and importance, and by no means to 
 be neglected; yet it is not the principal means by which the 
 saints do get satisfaction of their good estate. Assurance is not 
 to be obtained so much by self-examination, as by action. The 
 apostle Paul sought assurance chiefly this way, even by " for- 
 getting the things that were behind, and reaching forth unto those 
 things that Avere before, pressing towards the mark for the prize 
 of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus; if by any means he 
 might attain unto the resurrection of the dead." And it was by 
 this means chiefly that he obtained assurance, 1 Cor. ix. 26, " I 
 therefore so run, not as uncertainly." He obtained assurance of 
 winning the prize, more by running than by considering. The 
 swiftness of his pace did more towards his assurance of a con- 
 quest, than the strictness of his examination. Giving all dili- 
 gence to grow in grace, by adding to faith virtue, &c. is the di- 
 rection that the apostle Peter gives us, for " making our calling 
 and election sure, and having an entrance ministered to us abun- 
 dantly in Christ's everlasting kingdom;" signifying to us, that 
 without this our eyes will be dim, and we shall be as men in the 
 dark, that can not plainly see things past or to come, either the 
 forgiveness of our sins past, or our heavenly inheritance that is 
 future and far off, 2 Pet. i. 5— ll.f 
 
 ■}• The way to know your godliness, is to renew the visible exercises of 
 grace.— The more the visible exercises of grace are renewed, the more 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 127 
 
 Therefore, though good rules to distinguish true grace* from 
 counterfeit, may tend to convince hypocrites and be of great use 
 to the saints in many respecis, and among other benefits may be 
 very useful to them to remove many needless scruples and esta- 
 blish their hope; yet I am far from pretending to lay down any 
 such rules, as shall be sufficient of themselves without other 
 means, to enable all true saints to see their good estate, or as sup- 
 posing they should be the principal means of their satisfaction. 
 
 3. Nor is there much encouragement in the experience of ]>re- 
 sent or past times, to lay down rules or marks to distinguish be- 
 tween true and false affections, in hopes of convincing any con- 
 siderable number of that sort of hypocrites, who have been de- 
 ceived with great false discoveries and affections, and are once 
 settled in a false confidence and high conceit of their own sup- 
 posed great experiences and privileges. Such hypocrites are so 
 conceited of their own wisdom, and so blinded and hardened 
 with a very great self-righteousness (but very subtle and secret, 
 under the disguise of great humibty) and so invincible a fond- 
 ness of their pleasing conceit of their great exaltation, that it 
 usually signifies nothing at all to lay before them the most con- 
 vincing evidences of their hypocrisy. Their state is indeed de- 
 plorable, and next to those that have committed the unpardona- 
 ble sin. Some of this sort of persons seem to be most out of the 
 reach of means of conviction and repentance. But yet the laying 
 down good rules may be a means of preventing such hypocrites, 
 and of convincing many of other kinds of hypocrites; and God is 
 able to convince even this kind, and bis grace is not to be limit- 
 ed, nor means to be neglected. And besides such rules may be 
 of use to the true saints, to detect false affections, which they 
 may have mingled with true; and be a means of their religion's 
 becoming more pure, and like gold tried in the fire. 
 
 certain you will be. The more frequently these actings are renewed, the 
 more abiding and confirmed your assurance will be. 
 
 The more mens grace is multiplied, the more their peace is multiplied; 
 2 Pet. i. 2. "Grace and peace be multiplied unto you, through the know- 
 ledge of God and Jesus Christ our Lord." StoddariFs Way to hnoiv Sincerity 
 and Hypocrisy, p. 139 and 142. 
 
128 FIRST SIGN OF 
 
 Having premised these things, I now proceed directly to take 
 notice of those things in which true religious affections are dis- 
 tinguished from false. 
 
 I. Affections that are truly spiritual and gracious, do arise from 
 those influences and operations on the heart, which are spiritual, 
 supernatural and divine. 
 
 I will explain what I mean by these terms, whence will ap- 
 pear tlieir use to distinguish between those affections which are 
 spii'itual, and those which are not so. 
 
 We find that true saints, or those persons who are sanctified 
 by the Spirit of God, are in the New Testament called spiritual 
 persons. And their being spiritual is spoken of as their peculiar 
 character, and that wherein they are distinguished from those 
 who are not sanctified. This is evident, because those who are 
 spiritual are set in opposition to natural men and carnal men. 
 Thus the spiritual man and the natural man are set in opposition 
 one to another, 1 Cor. ii. 14, 15, "The natural man receiveth 
 not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto 
 him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually dis- 
 cerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things." The scrip- 
 ture explains itself to mean an ungodly man, or one that has no 
 grace, by a natural man. Thus the apostle Jude, speaking of 
 certain ungodly men that had crept in unawares among the 
 saints, ver. 4, of his epistle, says, v. 1 9, " These are sensual, 
 having not the Spirit." This the apostle gives us as a reason why 
 they behaved themselves in such a wicked manner as he had de- 
 scribed. Here the word translated sensual^ in the original is 
 Psychikoi; which is the very same, which in those verses in 1 
 Cor. chap. ii. is translated natural. In the like manner, in the 
 continuation of the same discourse, in the next verse but one, 
 spiritual men are opposed to carnal men; which the connexion 
 plainly shows means the same, as spiritual men and natural men, 
 in the foregoing verses; "And I, brethren, could not speak unto 
 you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal;" i. e. as in a great 
 measure unsanctified. That by carnal the apostle means corrupt 
 and unsanctified, is abundantly evident, by Rom. vii, 25, and 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 129 
 
 viii. 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13. Gal. v. 16, to the end. Col. il. 
 18. Now therefore, if by natural and carnal, in these texts, he 
 intended unsanctified, then doubtless by spiritual, which is op- 
 posed thereto, is meant sanctified and gracious. 
 
 And as the saints are called spiritual in scripture, so we also 
 find that there are certain properties, qualities and principles, that 
 have the same epithet given them. So we read of a " spiritual 
 mind," Rom. viii, 6, 7, and of " spiritual wisdom," Col. i. 9, 
 and of" spiritual blessings," Eph. i. 3. 
 
 Now it may be observed that the epithet spiritual, in these and 
 other parallel texts of the New Testament, is not used to signify 
 any relation of persons or things to the spirit or soul of man, as the 
 spiritual part of man in opposition to the body, which is the ma- 
 terial part. Qualities are not said to be spiritual, because they 
 have their seat in the soul, and not in the body: for there are 
 some properties that the scripture calls carnal or Jleshhj, which 
 have their seat as much in the soul as those properties that are 
 called spiritual. Thus it is with pride and self-righteousness, 
 and a man's trusting to his own wisdom, which the apostle cuMU^k ^ y, » 
 fieshly. Col. ii. 18, Nor are things called spiritual because they^ ~J. 
 
 are conversant about those things that are immaterial and not -^ 
 
 corporeal. For so was the wisdom of the wise men and princes '-eC^ 
 
 of this world, conversant about spirits and immaterial being-s; ^ j^/ 
 which yet the apostle speaks of as natural men, totally ignoranfiZ?'!^ >"4>?^ 
 of those things that are spiritual, 1 Cor. chap. ii. But it is with^ '^a't^^^ 
 relation to the Holy Ghost, or Spirit of God, that persons or things 'v..::^^^- 
 are termed spiritual in the New Testament. Spirit, as the word L 
 is used to signify the third person in the trinity, is the substantive, " ^' ' i-^-c^ 
 of which is formed the adjective spiritual, in the holy scriptures, , , ., "■< 
 Thus Christians are called spiritual persons, because they are born '''^^h SiJ^ 
 of the Spirit, and because of the indwelling and holy influences 
 of the Spirit of God in them. And things are called spiritual as 
 related to the Spirit of God, 1 Cor. ii. 13, 14, " Which things 
 also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, 
 but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things 
 with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of 
 
130 FIRST SIGN OF 
 
 the Spirit of God." Here the apostle himself expressly signifies 
 that by spiritual things he means the things of the Spirit of God, 
 and tilings which the Holy Ghost teacheth. The same is yet 
 more abundantly apparent by viewing the whole context. Again, 
 Rom. viii. 6. To be carnally minded is death; to be spiritually 
 minded is life and peace. The apostle explains what he means 
 by being carnally and spiritually minded, in what follows in the 
 9th verse, and shows that by being spiritually minded, he means 
 a having the indwelling and holy influences of the Spirit of God in 
 the heart, " But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so 
 be the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the 
 Spirit of Christ, he is none of his," The same is evident by all 
 the context. But time would fail to produce all the evidences 
 there are of this in the New Testament. 
 
 And it must be here observed, that although it is with relation 
 to the Spirit of God and his influences, that persons and things 
 are called spiritual; yet not all those persons who are subject to 
 any kind of influence of the Spirit of God, are ordinarily called 
 spiritual in the New Testament, They who have only the com- 
 . mon influences of God's Spirit, are not so called in the places ci- 
 ted above, but only those who have the special, gracious and saving 
 influences of God's Spirit; as is evident, because it has been al- 
 ready proved that by spiritual men are meant godly men, in op- 
 position to natural, carnal and unsanctified men. And it is most 
 plain, that the apostle by spiritually minded, Rom. viii. 6, means 
 graciously minded. And though the extraordinary gifts of the 
 Spirit which natural men might have, are sometimes called spi- 
 ritual, because they are from the Spirit; yet natural men, what- 
 ever gifts of the Spirit they had, were not in the usual language 
 of the New Testament called spiritual persons. For it was not 
 by mens having the gifts of the Spirit, but by their having the 
 virtues of the Spirit that they were called spiritual; as is appa- 
 rent by Gal. vi, 1, " Brethren, if any man be overtaken in a fault, 
 ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meek- 
 ness." Meekness is one of those virtues which the apostle had 
 just spoken of, in the verses next preceding, showing what are 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 131 
 
 the fruits of the Spirit. Those qualifications are said to be spi- 
 ritual, in the language of the New Testament, which are truly 
 gracious and holy, and peculiar to the saints. 
 
 Thus when we read of spiritual wisdom and understanding, (as in 
 Col. i. 9, " We desire that ye may be tilled with the knowledge 
 of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding,") hereby 
 is intended that wisdom which is^'acious, and from the sanctify- 
 ing influences of the Spirit of God. For doubtless, by spiritiial 
 wisdom is meant that which is opposite to what the scripture calls 
 natural wisdom; as the spiritual man is opposed to the natural 
 man. And therefore spiritual wisdom is doubtless the same wuth 
 that wisdom which is from above, that the apostle James 
 speaks of, Jam. Hi. 17, " The wisdom that Is from above, is 
 first pure, then peaceable, gentle," &c. for this the apostle op- 
 poses to natural wisdom, ver. 15: " This wisdom descendeth not 
 from above, but is earthly, sensual" — the last word in the origi- 
 nal is the same that is translated natural, In 1 Cor. ii. 14. 
 
 So that although natural men may be the subjects of many in- 
 fluences of the Spirit of God, as is evident from many scriptures, 
 as Numb. xxiv. 2. 1 Sam. x. 10, and xl. 6, and xvi. 14, 1 Cor. 
 xlli. 1, 2, 3, Heb. vi. 4, 5, 6, and many others; yet they are not, 
 in the sense of the scripture, spiritual persons; neltb.er any of those 
 effects, common gifts, qualities or aflections, that are from the in- 
 fluence of the Spirit of God upon them, called spiritual things. 
 The great difference lies in these two things. 
 
 1. The Spirit of God is given to the true saints to dwell in 
 them, as his proper lasting abode; and to Influence their hearts, 
 as a principle of new nature, or as a divine supernatural spring 
 of life and action. The scriptures represent the Holy Spirit not 
 only as moving and occasionally influencing the saints, but as 
 dwelling in them as his temple, his proper abode, and everlasting 
 dwelling place, 1 Cor. Hi. 16, 2 Cor. vi. 16, John xlv. 16, 17. 
 And he is represented as being there so united to the faculties of 
 the soul, that he becomes there a principle or spring of new na- 
 ture and life. 
 
 So the saints are said to live by Christ living in them, Gal. ii. 
 R * • 
 
132 FIRST SIGN OF 
 
 20, Christ by his Spirit not only is in them, but lives in them; 
 and so that they live by his life; so is his Spirit united to them as 
 a principle of life in them; they do not only drink living water, 
 but this " living water becomes a well or fountain of water" in 
 the soul, " springing up into spiritual and everlasting life," John 
 iv. 14, and thus become a principle of life in them. This living 
 water, this evangelist himself explains to intend the Spirit of God, 
 chap. vii. 38, 39. The light of the Sun of righteousness does not 
 only shine upon them, but is so communicated to them that they 
 shine also, and become little images of that Sun which shines up- 
 on them; the sap of the true vine is not only conveyed into them, 
 as the sap of a tree may be conveyed into a vessel, but is convey- 
 ed as sap is from a tree into one of its living branches, where it 
 becomes a principle of life. The Spirit of God being thus com- 
 municated and united to the saints, they are from thence proper- 
 ly denominated from it, and are called spiritual. 
 
 On the other hand, though the Spirit of God may many ways 
 influence natural men; yet because it is not thus communicated 
 to them, as an indwelling principle, they do not derive any de- 
 nomination or character from it; for there being no union, it is not 
 their own. The light may shine upon a body that is very dark 
 or black; and though that body be the subject of the light, yet be- 
 cause the light becomes no principle of light in it, so as to cause 
 the body to shine, hence that body does not properly receive its 
 denomination from it, so as to be called a lightsome body. So 
 the Spirit of God acting upon the soul only, without communica- 
 ting itself to be an active principle in it, can not denominate it 
 spiritual. A body that continues black, may be said not to have 
 light, though the light shines upon it: so natural men are said 
 " not to have the Spirit," Jude 19, sensual, or natural (as the 
 word is elsewhere rendered) having not the Spirit. 
 
 2. Another reason why the saints and their virtues are called 
 spiritual (which is the principal thing) is, that the Spirit of God, 
 dwelling as a vital principle in their souls, there produces those 
 effects wherein he exerts and communicates himself in his own 
 proper nature. Holiness is the nature of the Spirit of God, 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 133 
 
 therefore he is calletl in scripture the Holy Ghost, Holiness, 
 which is as it were the beauty and sweetness of the divine nature, 
 is as much the proper nature of the Holy Spirit, as heat is the 
 nature of fire, or sweetness was the nature of that holy anointing 
 which was the principal type of the Holy Ghost in the Mosaic 
 dispensation; yea, I may rather say, that holiness is as much the 
 proper nature of the Holy Ghost, as sweetness was the nature of 
 the sweet odour of that ointment. The Spirit of God so dwells 
 in the hearts of the saints, that he there, as a seed or spring of 
 life, exerts and communicates himself, in this his sweet and di- 
 vine nature, making the soul a partaker of God's beauty and 
 Christ's joy, so that the saint has truly fellowship -with the Father, 
 and with his Son Jesus Christ, in thus having the communion or 
 participation of the Holy Ghost, The grace which is in the 
 hearts of the saints, is of the same nature with the divine holi- 
 ness, as much as it is possible for that holiness to be, which is 
 infinitely less in degree; as the brightness that is in a diamond 
 which the sun shines upon, is of the same nature with the bright- 
 ness of the sun, but only that it is as nothing to it in degree. 
 Therefore Christ says, John iii, 6. " That which is born of the 
 Spirit, is spirit;" i. e. the grace that is begotten in the hearts of 
 the saints is something of the same nature with that Spirit, and 
 so is properly called a spiritual nature; after the same manner as 
 that which is born of the flesh is flesh, or that which is born of 
 corrupt nature is corrupt nature. 
 
 But the Spirit of God never influences the minds of natural 
 men after this manner. Though he may influence them many 
 ways, yet he never, in any of his influences, communicates him- 
 self to them in his own proper nature. Indeed he never acts 
 disagreeably to his nature, either on the minds of saints or sin- 
 ners. But the Spirit of God may act upon men agreeably to his 
 own nature, and not exert his proper nature in the acts and ex- 
 ercises of their minds. The Spirit of God may act so, that his 
 actions may be agreeable to his nature, and yet may not at all 
 communicate himself in his proper nature, in the effect of that 
 action. Thus, for instance, the Spirit of God moved upon the 
 
134 FIRST SIGN Of 
 
 face of the waters, and there was nothing disagreeable to his na- 
 ture in that action, but yet he did not at all communicate himself 
 in that action; there was notlring of the proper nature of the Ho- 
 ly Spirit in that motion of the waters. And so he may act upon 
 the minds of men many ways, and not communicate himself 
 any more than when he acts on inanimate things. 
 
 Thus not only the manner of the relation of the Spirit, who is 
 the operator, to the subject of his operations, is different; as the 
 Spirit operates in the saints, as dwelling in them, as an abiding 
 principle of action, whereas he doth not so operate upon sinners; 
 but the Influence and operation itself is different, and the effect 
 wrought exceeding different. So that not only the persons are 
 called spiritual^ as having the Spirit of God dwelling in them; 
 but those qualifications, affections and experiences, that are 
 wrought in them by the Spirit, are also spiritual, and therein dif- 
 fer vastly in their nature and kind from all that a natural man is 
 or can be the subject of, while he remains in a natural state; 
 and also from all that men or devils can be the authors of. It is 
 a spiritual work in this high sense; and therefore above all other 
 works is peculiar to the Spirit of God. There is no work so 
 high and excellent; for there is no work wherein God doth so 
 much communicate himself, and wherein the mere creature hath, 
 in so high a sense, a participation of God; so that it is express- 
 ed in scripture by the saints, " being made partakers of the di- 
 vine nature," 2 Pet. i. 4, and " having God dwelling in them, 
 and they in God," 1 John iv. 12, 15, 16, and chap. iii. 21, 
 "and having Christ in them," John xvii. 21, Rom. viii. 10, 
 "being the temples of the living God," 2 Cor. vi. 16, " living 
 by Christ's life," Gal. ii. 20, " being made partakers of God's 
 holiness, Heb. xii. 10, "having Christ's love dwelling in them," 
 John xvii. 26, "having his joy fulfilled in them;" John xvii. 13, 
 " seeing light in God's light, and being made to drink of the 
 river of God's pleasures," Psal. xxxvi. 8, 9, " having fellowship 
 with God, or communicating and partaking with him (as the 
 woi-d signifies) 1 John i. 3. Not that the saints are made par- 
 takers of the essence of God, and so are godded with God, and 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 135 
 
 christed with Christ, according to the abominable and blasphem- 
 ous language and notions of some heretics: but, to use the scrip- 
 ture phrase, they are made partakers of God's fulness, Eph. iii. 
 17, 18, 19, John i. 16, that is, of God's spiritual beauty and 
 happiness, according to the measure and capacity of a creature; 
 for so it is evident the word fulness signifies in scripture language. 
 Grace in the hearts of the saints being therefore the most glo- 
 rious work of God, wherein he communicates the goodness of 
 his nature, it is doubtless his peculiar work, and in an eminent 
 manner above the power of all creatures. And the influences 
 of the Spirit of God in this, being thus peculiar to God, and be- 
 ing those wherein God does, in so high a manner, communicate 
 himself, and make the creature partaker of the divine nature (the 
 Spirit of God communicating itself in its own proper nature) this 
 is what I mean by those influences that are divine, when I say 
 that " truly gracious affections do arise from those influences that 
 are spiritual and divine." 
 
 The true saints only have that which is spiritual; others have 
 nothing which is divine in the sense that has been spoken of. 
 They not only have not these communications of the Spirit of 
 God in so high a degree as the saints, but have nothing of that 
 nature or kind. For the apostle James tells us that natural men 
 have not the Spirit; and Christ teaches the necessity of a new 
 birth, or of being born of the Spirit, from this, that he that is born 
 of the flesh, has only flesh, and no Spirit, John iii. 6. They have 
 not the Spirit of God dwelling in them in any degree; for the 
 apostle teaches, that all who have the Spirit of God dwelling in 
 them, are some of his, Rom. viii. 9 — 11. And a having the 
 Spirit of God is spoken of as a certain sign that persons shall 
 have eternal inheritance; for it is spoken of as the earnest of it, 
 2 Cor. i. 22, and v. 5, Eph. i. 14, and a having any thing of 
 the Spirit is mentioned as a sure sign of being in Christ, 1 John 
 iv. 13. " Hereby know we that we dwell in him, because he 
 hath given us of his Spirit." Ungodly men not only have not so 
 much of the divine nature as the saints, but they are not parta- 
 kers of it; "which implies that they have nothing of it; for a be- 
 
136 FIRST SIGN OF 
 
 ing partaker of the divine nature is spoken of as the peculiar 
 privilege of the true saints, 2 Pet. i. 4. Ungodly men are not 
 " partakers of God's holiness," Heb. xii. 10. A natural man 
 has no experience of any of those things that are spiritual. The 
 apostle teaches us, that he is so far from it, that he knows nothing 
 about them, he is a perfect stranger to them, the talk about such 
 things is all foolishness and nonsense to him, he knows not what 
 it means, 1 Cor. ii. 14. "The natural man receiveth not the 
 things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him: 
 Neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discern- 
 ed." And to the like purpose Christ teaches us that the world 
 is wholly unacquainted with the Spirit of God, John xiv. 17., 
 " Even the Spirit of truth, whom the world can not receive, be- 
 cause it seeth him not, neither knoweth him." And it is further 
 evident, that natural men have nothing in them of the same nature 
 with the true grace of the saints, because the apostle teaches us, 
 that those of them who go farthest in religion have no charity, or 
 true christian love, 1 Cor. chap. xiii. So Christ elsewhere re- 
 proves the pharisees, those high pretenders to religion, that they 
 " had not the love of God in them," John v. 42. Hence natu- 
 ral men have no communion or fellowship with Christ, or partici- 
 pation with him (as these words signify) for this is spoken of as 
 the peculiar privilege of the saints, 1 John i. 3, together with 
 ver. 6, 7, and 1 Cor. i. 8, 9. And the scripture speaks of the 
 
 . actual being of a gracious principle in the soul, though in its first 
 beginning, as a seed there planted, as inconsistent with a man's 
 being a sinner, 1 John iii. 9. And natural men are represented 
 
 f in scripture as having no spiritual life, and no spiritual being; 
 
 ^ and therefore conversion is often compared to opening the eyes of 
 the blind, raising the dead, and a work of creation (wherein crea- 
 tures are made entirely new) and becoming new born children. 
 
 From these things it is evident that those gracious influences 
 which the saints are subjects of, and the effects of God's Spirit 
 which they experience, are entirely above nature, altogether of a 
 different kind from any thing that men find within themselves by 
 nature, or only in the exercise of natural principles; and are things 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 137 
 
 which no improvement of those qualifications or principles that / 
 
 are natural, no advancing or exalting them to higher degrees, and A '^ 
 no kind of composition of them, will ever bring men to; because ^ Ty 
 
 they not only differ from what is natural, and from every thing < r. 
 
 that natural men experience, in degree and circumstance, but al- ^ (? ^ 
 
 so in kind; and are of a nature vastly more excellent. And this K 
 
 is what I mean by supernatura], when I say that gracious affec- . 
 
 tions are from those influences that are supernatural. f ^ 
 
 From hence it follows that in those gracious exercises and affec- v/ 
 
 tions which are wrought in the minds of the saints through the ^ ^ ^/ 
 saving influences of the Spirit of God, there is a new inward per-^ *^ 
 
 Qeption or sensation of their minds, entirely different in its na- ^ ** ^ 
 ture and kind, from any thing that ever their minds were the sub- **'^'t.^ } 
 jects of before they were sanctified. For doubtless if God by his 
 mighty power produces something that is new, not only in degree 
 and circumstances, but in its whole nature, and that which could 
 be produced by no exalting, varying or compounding of what was 
 there before, or by adding any thing of the like kind; I say, if . 
 God produces something thus new in a mind, that is a perceiving, (r%U. .4^ [ 
 thinking, conscious thing; then doubtless something entirely uew^''*-*^^:^^ 
 is felt, or perceived, or thought; or, which is the same thing, there "^Hc^H^ ' 
 is some new sensation or perception of the mind, which is cn-^'^vij/wkj. 
 tirely of a new sort, and which would be produced by no exalting,^ "'W*^ ^ 
 varying or compounding of that kind of perceptions or sensations ^^ 
 
 which the mind had before; or there is what some metaphysicians 
 call a new simple ideas' If grace be, in the sense above describ- 
 ed, an entirely new kind of principle, then the exercises of it are 
 also an entirely new kind of exercises. And if there be in the 
 soul a new sort of exercises which it is conscious of, which the 
 soul knew nothing of before, and which no improvement, compo- 
 sition or management of what it was before conscious or sensible 
 of, could produce, or any thing like it; then it follows that the r 
 mind has an entirely new kind of perception or sensation; and 
 here is, as it were, a new spiritual sense that the mind has, or a 
 principle of a new kind of perception or spiritual sensation, which 
 is ill its whole nature different from anv former kinds of sensa- 
 
 1 
 
 '■■^^ 
 
 -ff 
 
 <d^-{. 
 
138 FIRST SIGN OF 
 
 tions of the mind, as tasting is diverse from any of the other senses; 
 and something is perceived by a true saint, in the exercise of 
 this new sense of mind, in spiritual and divine things, as entire- 
 ly diverse from any thing that is perceived in them by natural 
 men, as the sweet taste of honey is diverse from the ideas men 
 have of honey by only looking on it, and feeling of it. So that 
 the spiritual perceptions which a sanctified and spiritual person 
 has, are not only diverse from all that natural men have after the 
 manner that the ideas or perceptions of the same sense may dif- 
 fer one from another, but rather as the ideas and sensations of 
 different senses do differ. Hence the work of the Spirit of God 
 in regeneration is often in scripture compared to the giving a new 
 sense, giving eyes to see and ears to hear, unstopping the ears of 
 the deaf, and opening the eyes of them that were born blind, and 
 turning from darkness unto light. And because this spiritual 
 sense is immensely the most noble and excellent, and that with- 
 out which all other principles of perception and all our faculties 
 are useless and vain; therefore the giving this new sense with the 
 blessed fruits and effects of it in the soul, is compared to a raising 
 the dead, and to a new creation. 
 
 This new spiritual sense, and the new dispositions that attend 
 it, are no new faculties, but are new principles of nature. I use 
 the word principles for want of a word of a more determinate 
 signification. By a principle of nature, in this place, I mean that 
 foundation which is laid in nature, either old or new, for any 
 particular manner or kind of exercise of the faculties of the soul; 
 or a natural habit or foundation for action, giving a person ability 
 and disposition to exert the faculties in exercises of such a certain 
 kind; so that to exert the faculties in that kind of exercises may 
 be said to be his nature. So this new spiritual sense is not a 
 new faculty of understanding, but it is a new foundation laid in 
 \ the nature of the soul, for a new kind of exercises of the same fa- 
 I culty of understanding. So that new holy disposition of heart 
 M I that attends this new sen se is not a new faculty of will, but a 
 foundation laid in the nature of the soul, for a new kind of exer- 
 \ cises of the same faculty of will. 
 
 / 
 
 N\ 
 
 </] 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 139 
 
 The Spirit of God, in all his operations upon the minds of 
 natural men, only moves, impresses, assists, improves, or some 
 way acts upon natural principles; but gives no new spiritual 
 principle. Thus when the Spirit of God gives a natural man 
 visions, as he did Balaam, he only impresses a natural principle, 
 viz. the sense of seeing, immediately exciting ideas of that sense; 
 but he gives no new sense; neither is there any thing supernatu- 
 ral, spiritual, or divine in it. So if the Spirit of God impresses 
 on a man's imagination, either in a dream, or when he is awake, 
 any outward ideas of any of the senses, either voices, or shapes 
 and colours, it is only exciting ideas of the same kind that he 
 has by natural principles and senses. So if God reveals to any 
 natural man any secret fact; as for instance, something that he 
 shall hereafter see or hear; this is not infusing or exercising any- 
 new spiritual principle, or giving the ideas of any new spiritual 
 sense, it is only impressing in an extraordinary manner, the ideas 
 that will hereafter be received by sight and hearing. So in the 
 more ordinary influences of the Spirit of God on the hearts of 
 sinners, he only assists natural principles to do the same work to 
 a greater degree, which they do of themselves by nature. Thus 
 the Spirit of God by his common influences may assist mens 
 natural ingeniosity, as he assisted Bezaleel and Aholiab in the 
 curious works of the tabernacle: so he may assist mens natural 
 abilities in political affairs, and improve their courage and other 
 natural qualifications, as he is said to have put his Spirit on the 
 seventy elders and on Saul, so as to give him another heart. So 
 God may greatly assist natural mens reason, in their reasoning 
 about secular things, or about the doctrines of religion, and may 
 greatly advance the clearness of their apprehensions and notions 
 of things of religion in many respects, without giving any spirit- 
 ual sense. So in those awakenings and convictions that natural 
 men may have, God only assists conscience, which is a natural 
 principle to do that work in a further degree, which it naturally 
 does. Conscience naturally gives men an apprehension of right 
 and wrong, and suggests the relation there is between right and 
 
 wrong, and a retribution. The Spirit of God assists mens con- 
 
 s 
 
140 FIRST SIGN OF 
 
 sciences to do this In a greater degree, helps conscience against 
 
 the stupifying influence of worldly objects and their lusts. And 
 
 so many other ways might be mentioned wherein the Spirit acts 
 
 upon, assists, and moves natural principles; but after all, it is n© 
 
 more than nature moved, acted and improved; here is nothing 
 
 supernatural and divine. But the Spirit of God in his spiritual 
 
 ^. influences on the hearts of his saints, operates by infusing or ex- 
 
 { ercising new, divine, and supernatural principles; principles 
 
 I which are indeed a new and spiritual nature, and principles vast- 
 
 \ ly more noble and excellent than all that is in natural men. 
 
 From what has been said it follows, that all spiritual and gra- 
 
 y. cious affections are attended with, and do arise from some appre- 
 
 {/' . n ^^nsion, idea, or sensation of mijid, which is in its whole nature 
 
 ^""^/M^-^ different, yea, exceeding different, from all that is, or can be in 
 
 ^'''^'£*^^U^^. the mind of a natural man; and which the natural man discerns 
 
 tc**,,^ > nothing of, and has no manner of idea of (agreeable to 1 Cor. 
 
 ii. 14,) and conceives of no more than a man without the sense 
 
 of tasting can conceive of the sweet taste of honey, or a man 
 
 without the sense of hearing can conceive of the melody of a 
 
 tune, or a man born blind can have a notion of the beauty of the 
 
 rainbow. 
 
 But here two things must be observed, in order to the right 
 understanding of this. 
 
 1. On the one hand it must be observed, that not every thing 
 which in any respect appertains to spiritual affections, is new 
 and entirely different from what natural men can conceive of, 
 and do experience; some things are common to gracious affec- 
 tions with other affections; many circumstances, appendages and 
 /effects are common. Thus a saint's love to God has a great ma- 
 ny things appertaining to it, which are common with a man's 
 atural love to a near relation; love to God makes a man have 
 desires of the honour of God, and a desire to please him; so does 
 a natural man's love to his friend make him desire his honour, 
 and desire to please him; love to God causes a man to delight in 
 the presence of God, and to desire conformity to God, and the 
 enjoyment of God; and so it is with a man's love to his friend: 
 
 piis 
 
\ 
 
 GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 141 
 
 and many other things might be mentioned which are common 
 to both. But yet that idea which the saint has of the loveliness 
 of God, and that sensation, and that kind of delight he has in 
 that view, which is as it were the marrow and quintessence of 
 his love, is peculiar and entirely diverse from any thing that a 
 natural man has, or can have any notion of. And even in those 
 things that seem to be common, there is some thing peculiar; 
 both spiritual and natural cause desires after the object beloved; 
 but they be not the same sort of desires: there is a sensation of 
 soul in the spiritual desires of one that loves God, which is en- 
 tirely different from all natural desires: both spiritual love and 
 natural love are attended with delight in the object beloved; but 
 the sensations of delight are not the same, but entirely and ex- 
 ceedingly diverse. Natural men may have conceptions of many 
 things about spiritual affections; but there is something in them 
 which is as it were the nucleus, or kernel of them, that they have 
 no more conception of, than one born blind has of colours. 
 
 It may be clearly illustrated by this: we will suppose two men, 
 one is born without the sense of tasting, the other has it; the lat- 
 ter loves honey, and is greatly delighted in it, because he knows 
 the sweet taste of it; the other loves certain sounds and colours; 
 the love of each has many things that appertain to it which is 
 common; it causes both to desire and delight in the object belov- 
 ed, and causes grief when it is absent, &c. ; but yet that idea or 
 sensation which he who knows the taste of honey has of its ex- 
 cellency and sweetness, that is the foundation of his love, is en- 
 tirely different from any thing the other has or can have; and 
 that delight which he has in honey, is wholly diverse from any 
 thing that the other can conceive of, though they both delight in 
 their beloved objects. So both these persons may in some re- 
 spects love the same objects: the one may love a delicious kind 
 of fruit, which is beautiful to the eye, and of a delicious taste; 
 not only because he has seen its pleasant colours, but knows its 
 sweet taste ; the other perfectly ignorant of this, loves it only for 
 its beautiful colours; there are many things seen, in some respect, 
 to be common to both; both love, both desire, and both delight: 
 
14^ FIRST SIGN OF 
 
 but the love and desire and delight of the one, is altogether di- 
 verse from that of the other. The difference between the love 
 of a natural man and a spiritual man is like to this, but only it 
 must be observed, that in one respect it is vastly greater, viz. 
 that the kinds of excellency which are perceived in spiritual ob- 
 jects, by these different kinds of persons, are in themselves vastly 
 more diverse than the different kinds of excellency perceived in 
 delicious fruit, by a tasting and a tasteless man; and in another 
 respect it may not be so great, viz. as the spiritual man may have 
 a spiritual sense or taste, to perceive that divine and most pecu- 
 liar excellency but in small beginnings, and in a very imperfect 
 degree. 
 
 2. On the other hand it must be observed, that a natural man 
 may have those religious apprehensions and affections, which 
 may be in many respects very new and surprising to him, and 
 what before he did not conceive of; and yet if what he expe- 
 riences be nothing like the exercises of a principle of new na- 
 ture, or the sensations of a new spiritual sense; his affections 
 may be very new, by extraordinarily moving natural principles 
 in a very new degree, and with a great many new circumstances, 
 and a new co-operation of natural affections, and a new compo- 
 sition of ideas; this may be from some extraordinary powerful 
 influence of Satan, and some great delusion; but there is nothing 
 but nature extraordinarily acted. As if a poor man that had al- 
 ways dwelt in a cottage, and had never looked beyond the ob- 
 scure village where he was born, should in a jest be taken to 
 a magnificent ci<y and prince's court, and there arrayed in princely 
 robes, and set on the throne, with the crown royal on his head, 
 peers and nobles bowing before him, and should be made to believe 
 that he was now a glorious monarch; the ideas he would have, 
 and the affections he would experience, would in many respects 
 be very new, and such as he had no imagination of before; but 
 all this is no more than extraordinarily raising and exciting na- 
 tural principles, and newly exalting, varying and compounding 
 such sort of ideas, as he has by nature; here is nothing like giving 
 him a new sense. 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 143 
 
 Upon the whole, I think it is clearly manifest that all truly 
 gracious affections do arise from special and peculiar influences 
 of the Spirit, working that sensible effect or sensation in the 
 souls of the saints, which are entirely different from all that is 
 possible a natural man should experience, not only different in 
 degree and circumstances, but different in its whole nature, so 
 that a natural man not only can not experience that which is in- 
 dividually the same, but can not experience any thing but what 
 is exceeding diverse, and immensely below it in its kind; and 
 that which the power of men or devils is not sufficient to produce 
 the like of, or any thing of the same nature. 
 
 I have insisted largely on this matter, because it is of greal 
 importance and use, evidently to discover and demonstrate the 
 delusions of Satan, in many kinds of false religious affections, 
 which multitudes are deluded by, and probably have been in all 
 ages of the christian church; and to settle and determine many 
 articles of doctrine, concerning the operations of the Spirit of 
 God, and the nature of true grace. 
 
 Now, therefore, to apply these things to the purpose of the dis- 
 course, y'^..,..,—-^'' 
 
 From hence it appears that impressions which some have macfe""^ 
 on their imagination, or the imaginary ideas which they have of 
 God, or Christ, or heaven, or any thing appertaining to religion, 
 have nothing in them that is spiritual, or of the nature of true 
 grace. Though such things may attend what is spiritual, and be 
 mixed with it, yet in themselves they have nothing that is spirit- 
 ual, nor are they any part of gracious experience. 
 
 Here, for the sake of common people, I will explain what is 
 intended by impressions on the imagination and imaginary ideas. 
 The imagination is that power of the mind whereby it can have a 
 conception or idea of things of an external or outward nature, (that 
 is, of such sort of things as are the objects of the outward senses) 
 when those things are not present and be not perceived by the 
 senses. It is called imagination from the word image; because 
 thereby a person can have an image of some external thing in his 
 mind, when that thing is not present in reality, nor any thing like 
 
144 FIRST SIGN OP 
 
 it. All such things as we perceive by our five external senses, 
 seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and feeling are external things: 
 and when a person has an idea or image of any of these sorts of 
 things in his mind, when they are not there, and when he does 
 not really see, hear, smell, taste nor feel them, that is to have an 
 imagination of them, and these ideas are imaginary ideas: and 
 when such kinds of ideas are strongly impressed upon the mind, 
 and the image of them in the mind is very lively, almost as if one 
 saw them or heard them &c. that is called an impression on the 
 imagination. Thus colours and shapes and a form of counte- 
 nance, they are outward things; because they are that sort of 
 things which are the objects of the outward sense of seeing; and 
 therefore when any person has in his mind a lively idea of any 
 shape or colour or form of countenance, that is to have an imagi- 
 tion of those things. So if he has an idea, of such sort as light or 
 darkness, as he perceives by the sense of seeing, that is to have 
 an idea of outward light, and so is an imagination. So if he has an 
 idea of any marks made on paper, suppose letters and ^vords writ- 
 ten in a book, that is to have an external and imaginary idea of such 
 kind of things as we sometimes perceive by our bodily eyes. And 
 when we have the ideas of that kind of things which we perceive 
 by any of the other senses, as of any sounds or voices, or words 
 spoken, this is only to have ideas of outward things, viz. of such 
 kind of things as are perceived by the external sense of hearing; 
 and so that also is imagination: and when these ideas are livelily 
 impressed, almost as if they were really heard with the ears, this is 
 to have an impression on the imagination. And so I might go on 
 and instance in the ideas of things appertaining to the other three 
 senses of smelling, tasting and feeling. 
 
 Many who have had such things have very ignorantly supposed 
 them to be of the nature of spiritual discoveries. They have had 
 lively ideas of some external shape and beautiful form of counte- 
 nance; and this they call spiritually seeing Christ. Some have 
 had impressed upon them ideas of a great outward light; and this 
 they call a spiritual discovery of God's or Christ's glory. Some 
 have had ideas of Christ hanging on a cross, and his blood run- 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 145 
 
 tiing from his wounds; and this they call a spiritual sight of 
 Christ crucified, and the way of salvation by his blood. Some 
 have seen him with his arms open ready to embrace them; and 
 this they call a discovery of the sufficiency of Christ's grace and 
 love. Some have had lively ideas of heaven, and of Christ on 
 his throne there, and shining ranks of saints and angels; and this 
 they call seeing heaven opened to them. Some from time to time 
 have had a lively idea of a person with a beautiful countenance 
 smiling upon them; and this they call a spiritual discovery of the 
 love of Christ to their souls, and tasting the love of Christ. And 
 they look upon it a sufficient evidence that these things are 
 spiritual discoveries, and that they see them spiritually, because 
 they say they do not see these things with their bodily eyes, but 
 in their hearts; for they can see them when their eyes are shut. 
 And in like manner the imaginations of some have been impress- 
 ed with ideas of the sense of hearing; they have had ideas of 
 words, as if they were spoken to them; sometimes they are the 
 words of scripture, and sometimes other words: they have had 
 ideas of Christ's speaking comfortable w^ords to them. These 
 they have called having the inward call of Christ, hearing the 
 voice of Christ spiritually in their hearts, having the witness of 
 the Spirit, and the inward testimony of the love of Christ, &.c. 
 
 The common and less considering and understanding sort of 
 people, are the more easily led into apprehensions that these things 
 are spiritual things, because spiritual things being invisible, and 
 not things that can be pointed forth with the finger, we are forced 
 to use figurative expressions in speaking of them, and to borrow 
 names from external and sensible objects to signify them by. 
 Thus we call a clear apprehension of things spiritually by the 
 name of light; and having such an apprehension of such or such 
 things by the name of seeing such things; and the conviction of 
 the judgment, and the persuasion of the will, by the word of Christ 
 in the gospel, we signify by spiritually hearing the call of Christ. 
 And the scripture itself abounds with such like figurative expres- 
 sions. Persons hearing these often used, and having pressed 
 upon them the necessity of having their eyes opened, and hav- 
 
146 FIRST SIGN OF 
 
 ing a discovery of spiritual things, and seeing Christ in his glory, 
 and liaving the inward call and the like, they ignorantly look and 
 wait for some such external discoveries and imaginary views as 
 have been spoken of; and when they have them, are confident 
 that now their eyes are opened, now Christ has discovered him- 
 self to them, and they are his children; and hence are exceeding- 
 ly affected and elevated with their deliverance and happiness, 
 and many kinds of affections are at once set in a violent motion 
 in them. 
 
 But it is exceedingly apparent that such ideas have nothing in 
 them which is spiritual and divine, in the sense wherein it has 
 been demonstrated that all gracious experiences are spiritual and 
 divine. These external ideas are in no wise of such a sort, that 
 they are entirely and in their whole nature diverse from all that 
 men have by nature, perfectly different from, and vastly above 
 any sensation which it is possible a man should have by any na- 
 tural sense or principle, so that in order to have them, a man 
 must have a new spiritual and divine sense given him, in order 
 to have any sensations of that sort: so far from this, that they are 
 ideas of the same sort which we have by the external senses, that 
 they are some of the inferior powers of the human nature; they 
 are merely ideas of external objects or ideas of that nature, of the 
 same outward, sensitive kind; the same sort of sensations of mind 
 (differing not in degree, but only in circumstances) that we have 
 by those natural principles which are common to us with the 
 beasts, viz. the five external senses. This is a low, miserable 
 notion of spiritual sense, to suppose that it is only a conceiving or 
 imagining that sort of ideas which we have by our animal senses, 
 which senses the beasts have in as great perfection as we; it is, 
 as it were, a turning Christ, or the divine nature in the soul, 
 into a mere animal. There is nothing wanting in the soul, as it 
 is by nature, to render it capable of being the subject of all these 
 external ideas, without any new principles. A natural man is ca- 
 pable of having an idea, and a lively idea of shapes and colours 
 and sounds when they are absent, and as capable as a regenerated 
 man is: so there is nothing supernatural in them. And it is 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 149 
 
 known by abundant experience, that it is not the advancing or 
 perfecting human nature, which makes persons more capable of 
 having such lively and strong imaginary ideas, but that on the 
 contrary, the weakness of body and mind, and distempers of bo- 
 dy, make persons abundantly more susceptive of such impres- 
 sions.! 
 
 As to a truly spiritual sensation, not only is the manner of its 
 coming into the mind extraordinary: but the sensation itself is total- 
 ly diverse from all that men have or can have in a state of nature, 
 as has been shown. But as to these external ideas, though the 
 way of their coming into the mind is sometimes unusual, yet the 
 ideas in themselves are not the better for that; they are still of no 
 different sort from what men have by their senses; they are of no 
 higher kind, nor a whit better. For instance, the external idea a man 
 has now of Christ hanging on the cross and shedding his blood, is no 
 better in itself than the external idea the Jews, his enemies, had, 
 who stood round his cross and saw this w ith their bodily eyes. The 
 imaginary idea which men have now of an external brightness 
 and glory of God, is no better than the idea the wicked congre- 
 gation in the wilderness had of the external glory of the Lord at 
 Mount Sinai, when they saw it with their bodily eyes; nor any 
 better than that idea which millions of cursed reprobates will 
 have of the external glory of Christ at the day of judgment, who 
 shall see, and have a very lively idea of ten thousand times great- 
 er external glory of Christ than ever yet was conceived in any 
 man's imagination.:]: Yea, the image of Christ, which men con- 
 
 f " Conceits and whimsies abound most in men of weak reason; children, 
 and such as are cracked in their understanding, have most of tliem; strength 
 of reason banishes them, as the sun does mists and vapours. But now the 
 more rational any gracious person is, by so much more is he fixed and set- 
 tled, and satisfied in the grounds of religion; yea, there is the highest and 
 purest reason in religion; and when this change is wrought upon men, it is 
 carried on in a rational way, Isa. 18, John xix. 9." Flavel's Preparation for 
 Suffering, chap, vi, 
 
 4; " If any man should see and behold Christ really and immediately, this 
 is not the saving knowledge of him. I know the saints do know Christ as if 
 immediately present; they are not strangers by their distance. If others have 
 T 
 
ioO FIRST SI8N OF 
 
 ceive in their imaginations, is not in its own nature of any supe- 
 rior kind to tlie idea the papists conceive of Christ, by the beau- 
 tiful and affecting images of him which they see in their churches; 
 (though the way of their receiving the idea may not be so bad) 
 nor are the affections they have, if built primarily on such imagi- 
 nations, any better than the affections raised in the ignorant peo- 
 ple, by the sight of those images, which oftentimes are very great; 
 especially when these images, through the craft of the priests, are 
 made to move and speak and weep, and the like.f Merely the 
 way of persons receiving these imaginary ideas, do not alter the 
 nature of the ideas themselves that are received; let them be re- 
 ceived in what way they will, they are still but external ideas, or 
 ideas of outward appearances, and so are not spiritual. Yea, if 
 men should actually receive such external ideas by the immediate 
 power of the most high God upon their minds, they would not 
 be spiritual, they would be no more than a common work of the 
 Spirit of God; as is evident, in fact, in the instance of Balaam, 
 who had impressed on his mind, by God himself, a clear and 
 lively outward representation or idea of Jesus Christ, as " the Star 
 rising out of Jacob, when he heard the words of God, and knew the 
 
 seen him more immediately, I will not dispute it. But if they have seen the 
 Lord Jesus as immediately as if here on earth, yet Capernaum saw him so; 
 nay, some of them were disciples for a time, and followed him, John vi. and 
 yet the Lord was hid from their eyes. Nay, all the world shall see him in 
 his glory, which shall amaze tliem; and yet this is far short of having the 
 saving knowledge of him, which the Lord doth communicate to the elect. 
 So that though you see the Lord so really, as that you become familiar with 
 him, yet Luke xiii. 26, " Lord, have we not eat and drank," &c. — and so 
 perish." Shepard's Parable of the Ten Virgins, P. I. p. 197, 198. 
 
 j-" Satan is transformed into an angel of light: and hence we have heard 
 that some have heard voices; some have seen th^ very blood of Christ drop- 
 ing on them, and his wounds in his side: some have seen a great light shin- 
 ing in the chamber; some have been wonderfully affected with their dreams: 
 some in great distress have had inward witness, " Thy sins are forgiven;" 
 and hence such liberty and joy, that they are ready to leap up and down the 
 chamber. O adulterous generation! this is natural and usual with men; they 
 would fain see Jesus, and have him present to give them peace; and hence 
 papists have his images. Wo to them that have no other manifested Christ, 
 but such an one." Shepard's Parable of the Ten Virgins, P. L p. 189. 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 151 
 
 knowledge of the Most High, and saw the vision of the Almighty, 
 falling into a trance," Numb. xxiv. 16, 17, but yet had no man- 
 ner of spiritual discovery of Christ; that Day Star never spiritu- 
 ally arose in his heart, he being but a natural man. 
 
 And as these external ideas have nothing divine or spiritual in 
 their nature, and nothing but what natural men, without any new 
 principles, are capable of; so there is nothing in their nature 
 w^hich requires that peculiar, inimitable and unparalleled exercise 
 of the glorious power of God, in order to their production, which 
 it has been shown there is in the production of true grace. There 
 appears to be nothing in their nature above the power of the de- 
 vil. It is certainly not above the power of Satan to suggest 
 thoughts to men; because otherwise he could not tempt them to 
 sin. And if he can suggest any thoughts or ideas at all, doubt- 
 less imaginary ones, or ideas of things external, are not above his 
 power;! for the external ideas men have are the lowest sort of 
 ideas. These ideas may be raised only by impressions made on 
 the body, by moving the animal spirits, and impressing the brain. 
 Abundant experience does certainly show that alterations in the 
 body will excite imaginary or external ideas in the mind; as of- 
 ten in the case of a high fever, melancholy, &c. These external 
 ideas are as much below the more intellectual exercises of the 
 soul, as the body is a less noble part of man than the soul. 
 
 And there is not only nothing in the nature of these external 
 ideas or imaginations of outward appearances, from whence we 
 can infer that they are above the power of the devil; but it is cer- 
 tain also that the devil can excite, and often hath excited such 
 ideas. They were external ideas which he excited in the dreams 
 and visions of the false prophets of old, who were under the in- 
 fluence of lying spirits, that we often read of in scripture, as Deut. 
 xiii. 1, 1 Kings xxii. 22, Isa. xxviii. 7, Ezek. xiii. 7. And they 
 
 • " Consider liow difficult, yea and impossible it is to determine that such 
 a voice, vision, or revelation is of God, and that Satan can not feign or coun- 
 terfeit it: seeing lie hath left no certain marks by which we may distinguish 
 one spirit from another." FlaveVs Causes and Cures of Menlat Terror.?, 
 Cause 14. 
 
1521 FIRST SIGN OF 
 
 were external ideas that he often excited in the minds of the 
 heathen priests, magicians and sorcerers, in their visions and ec* 
 stacies, and they were external ideas that he excited in the mind 
 of the man Christ Jesus, when he showed him all the kingdoms 
 of the world, with the glory of them, when those kingdoms were 
 not really in sight. 
 
 And if Satan, or any created being has power to impress the 
 mind with outward representations, then no particular sort of 
 outward representations can be any evidence of a divine power. 
 Almighty power is no more requisite to represent the shape of 
 man to the imagination than the shape of any thing else: there 
 is no higher kind of power necessary to form in the brain one 
 bodily shape or colour than another: it needs a no more glori- 
 ous power to represent the form of the body of a man, than the 
 form of a chip or block; though it be of a very beautiful human 
 body, with a sweet smile in his countenance, or arms open, or 
 blood running from the hands, feet and side. That sojt of power 
 which can represent black or darkness to the imagination, can 
 also represent white and shining brightness. The power and 
 skill which can well and exactly paint a straAV, or a stick of 
 wood on a piece of paper or canvass; the same in kind, only per- 
 haps further improved, will be sufficient to paint the body of a 
 man^ with great beauty and in royal majesty, or a magnificent 
 city paved with gold, full of brightness, and a glorious throne, 
 &c. So it is no more than the same sort of power that is requi- 
 site to paint one as the other of these on the brain. The same 
 sort of power that can put ink upon paper, can put on leaf gold. 
 So that it is evident to a demonstration, if we suppose it to be in 
 the devil's power to make any sort of external representation at 
 all on the fancy (as without doubt it is, and never any one ques- 
 tioned it who believed there was a devil, that had any agency 
 with mankind;) I say, if so, it is demonstrably evident, that a 
 created power may extend to all kinds of external appearances 
 and ideas in the mind. From hence it again clearly appears, 
 that no such things have any thing in them that is spiritual, su- 
 pernatural and divine, in the sense in which it has been proved 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 153 
 
 that all truly gracious experiences have. And though external 
 ideas, through man's make and frame, do ordinarily in some de- 
 gree attend spiritual experiences, yet these ideas are no part of 
 their spiritual experience, any more than the motion of the blood, 
 and beating of tiie pulse, that attends experiences, are a part of 
 spiritual experience. And though undoubtedly, through mens 
 infirmity in the present state, and especially through the weak 
 constitution of some persons, gracious affections which are very 
 strong, do excite lively ideas in the imagination; yet it is also un- 
 doubted, that when persons' affections are founded on imagina- 
 tions, which is often the case, those affections are merely na- 
 tural and common, because they are built on a foundation that is 
 not spiritual; and so are entirely different from gracious affec- 
 tions, which, as has been proved, do evermore arise from those 
 operations that are spiritual and divine. 
 
 These imaginations do oftentimes raise the carnal affections of 
 men to an exceeding great height :f and no wonder, when the 
 
 f There is a remarkable passage of Mr. John Smith, in his discourse on 
 the shortness of a pharisaic rijjhteousness, p. 370, 371, of his select dis- 
 courses, describing that sort of religion which is built on such a foundation 
 as I am here speaking of. I can not forbear tracing the whole of it. Speak- 
 ing of a sort of Christians, whose life is nothing but a strong energy of 
 fancy, he says, " Lest their religion might too grossly discover itself to be 
 nothing else but a piece of art, there may be sometimes such extraordinary 
 motions stirred up within them, which may prevent all their own thoughts, 
 that they may seem to be a true operation of the divine life; when yet all this is 
 nothing else but the energy of their own self love, touched with some fleshly 
 apprehensions of divine things, and excited by them. There are such things 
 in our christian religion, when a carnal, unhallowed mind takes tlie chair 
 and gets the expounding of them, may seem very delicious to the fleshly 
 appetites of men; some doctrines and notions of free grace and justification, 
 the magnificent titles of sons of God and heirs of heaven, ever flowing 
 streams of joy and pleasure that blessed souls shall swim in to all eternity, a 
 glorious paradise in the world to come, always springing up with well 
 scented and fragrant beauties, a new Jerusalem paved with gold, and be- 
 spangled with stars, comprehending in its vast circuit such numberless 
 varieties, that a busy curiosity may spend itself about to all eternity. I doubt 
 not but that sometimes the most fleshly and earthly men, that fly in their 
 ambition to the pomp of this world, may be so ravished with the conceits of 
 
154 FIRST SIGN OF 
 
 subjects of them have an ignorant, but undoubted persuasion, 
 that they are divine manifestations, which the great Jehovah im- 
 mediately malies to their souls, therein giving them testimonies 
 in an extraordinary manner, of his high and peculiar favour. 
 
 Again, it is evident from what has been observed and proved 
 of the manner in which gracious operations and effects in the 
 
 such things as these, that they may seem to be made partakers of the powers 
 of the world to come. I doubt not but that they might be much exalted 
 with them, as the souls of crazed or distracted persons seem to be some- 
 times, when their fancies play with those quick and nimble spirits, which a 
 distempered frame of body, and unnatural heat in their heads, beget witliin 
 them. Thus may these blazing comets rise up above the moon, and climb 
 higher than the sun; which yet, because they have no solid consistence 
 of theii! own, and are of a base and earthly alloy, will soon vanish and fall 
 ilown again, being only borne up by an external force. They may seem to 
 themselves to have attained higher than those noble Christians that are 
 gently moved by the natural force of true goodness: They seem to be 
 pletiiores Deo (i. e. more full of God) than those that are really informed and 
 actuated by the divine Spirit, and do move on steadily and constantly in the 
 way towards heaven. As the seed that was sown in stony ground, grew up 
 and lengthened out its blade faster than that which was sown in the good 
 and fruitful soil. And as the motions of our sense, and fancy, and passions, 
 while our souls are in this mortal condition, sunk down deeply into the 
 body, are many times more vigorous, and make stronger impressions upon 
 us than those of the higher powers of the soul which are more subtle and 
 remote from these mixed animal perceptions: that devotion which is there 
 seated, may seem to have more energy and life in it, than that which gently, 
 and with a more delicate kind of touch spreads itself upon the understand- 
 ing, and from thence mildly derives itself through our wills and affections. 
 But however the former may be more boisterous for a time, yet this is of a 
 more consistent, spermatical and thriving nature. For that proceeding in- 
 deed from nothing but a sensual and fleshly apprehension of God and true 
 happiness, is but of a flitting and fading nature; and as the sensible powers 
 and faculties grow more languid, or the sun of divine light shines more 
 brightly upon us, these earthly devotions, like our culinary fires, will abate 
 their heat and fervour. But a true celestial warmth will never be extin- 
 guished, because it is of an immortal nature; and being once seated vitally 
 jn the souls of men, it will regulate and order all the motions of it in a due 
 manner, as the natural heat, radicated in the hearts of living creatures, hath 
 the dominion and economy of the whole body under it. True religion is no 
 piece of artifice; it is no boiling up of our imaginative powers, nor the glow- 
 ing beats of passion; though these are too often mistaken for it, when in our 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS, 155 
 
 " heart are spiritual, supernatural and divine, that the immediate. 
 suggesting of the words of scripture to the mind has nothing in it 
 j^ich is spiritual. 
 
 I have had occasion to say something of this already; and 
 what has been said may be sufficient to evince it; but if the 
 reader bears in mind what has been said concerning the nature 
 of spiritual influences and effects, it will be more abundantly 
 manifest that this is no spiritual elfect. For I suppose there is 
 no person of common understanding, who will say or imagine 
 that the bringing words (let them be what words they will) to 
 the mind, is an effect of that nature which it is impossible the 
 mind of a natural man, while he remains in a state of nature, 
 should be the subject of, or any thing like it; or that it requires 
 any new divine sense in the soul; or that the bringing sounds or 
 letters to the mind, is an effect of so high, holy and excellent a 
 nature, that it is impossible any created power should be the 
 cause of it. 
 
 As the suggesting words of scripture to the mind, is only the 
 exciting in the mind ideas of certain sounds or letters; so it is 
 only one way of exciting ideas in the imagination; for sounds and 
 letters are external things, that are the objects of the external 
 senses of seeing and hearing. Ideas of certain marks upon pa- 
 per, such as any of the twenty-four letters, in whatever order, or 
 any sounds of the voice, are as much external ideas, as of any 
 other shapes or sounds whatsoever; and therefore, by what has 
 been already said concerning these external ideas, it is evident 
 they are nothing spiritual; and if at any time the Spirit of God 
 suggests these letters or sounds to the mind, this is a common, 
 and not any special or gracious influence of that Spirit. And 
 
 juggl'ings in religion we cast a mist before our own e3'es: but it is a new 
 nature, informing the souls of men; itf is a godlike frame of spirit, disco- 
 vering itself most of all in serene and clear minds, in deep Immilit}', meek- 
 ness, self denial, universal love to God and all true goodness, without par- 
 tiality, and without iiypocrisy, whereby we are taught to know God, and 
 knowing him to love him, and conform ourselves as mnch as may be to al! 
 that perfection which shines in him. 
 
156 FIRST SIGN OF 
 
 therefore it ibilows from what has been ah'eady proved, that 
 those affections which have this effect for their foundation, are no 
 spiritual or gracious affections. But let it be observed what [\ is 
 that I say, viz. when this effect, even the immediate and extra- 
 ordinary manner of words of scripture, coming to the mind, is 
 that which excites the affections, and is properly ihe foundation 
 of them, then these affections are not spiritual. It may be so, 
 that persons may have gracious affections going with scriptures 
 which come to their minds, and the Spirit of God may make use 
 of those scriptures to excite them; when it is some spiritual sense, 
 taste or relish they have of the divine and excellent things con- 
 tained in those scriptures, that is the thing which excites their af- 
 fections, and not the extraordinary and sudden manner of words 
 being brought to their minds. They are affected with the in- 
 struction they receive from the words, and the view of the glori- 
 ous things of God or Christ, and things appertaining to them, that 
 they contain and teach; and not because the words came sudden- 
 ly, as though some person had spoken them to them, thence con- 
 cluding that God did as it were immediately speak to them. Per- 
 sons oftentimes are exceedingly affected on this foundation; the 
 words of some great and high promises of scripture came sudden- 
 ly to their minds, and they look upon the words as directed im- 
 mediately by God to them, as though the words that moment pro- 
 ceeded out of the mouth of God as spoken to them: so that they 
 take it as a voice from God, immediately revealing to them their 
 happy circumstances, and promising such and such great things 
 to them: and this it is that affects and elevates them. There is 
 KO new spiritual understanding of the divine things contained in the 
 scripture, or new spiritual sense of the glorious things taught in that 
 part of the Bible going before their affection, and being the founda- 
 tion of it. All the new understanding they have, or think they have, to 
 be the foundation of their affection, is this, that the words are spo- 
 ken to them, because they come so suddenly and extraordinarily. 
 And so this affection is built wholly on the sand! because it is 
 built on a conclusion for which they have no foundation. For, as 
 has been shown, the sudden coming of the words to their minds, 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 157 
 
 is no evidence that the bringing them to their minds in that man- 
 ner was from God. And if it was true that God brought the 
 w.ords to their minds, and they certainly knew it, that would not 
 be spiritual knowledge; it may be without any spiritual sense. 
 Balaam might know that the words which God suggested to him, 
 were indeed suggested to him by God, and yet have no spiritual 
 knowledge. So that these affections which are built on that no- 
 tion, that texts of scripture are sent immediately from God, are 
 built on no spiritual foundation, and are vain and delusive. Per- 
 sons who have their affections thus raised, if they should be in- 
 quired of; whether they have any new sense of the excellency of 
 things contained in those scriptures, would probably say, Fes, 
 withous hesitation: but it is true no otherwise than thus, that when 
 they have taken up that notion, that the words are spoken imme- 
 diately to them that makes them seem sweet to them, and they own 
 the things which these scriptures say to them, for excellent things 
 and wonderful things. As for instance, supposing these were the 
 ^vords which were suddenly brought to their minds, Fear not, it 
 is your Fatherh good pleasure to give you the kingdom; they have 
 confidently taken up a notion that the words were, as it were, im- 
 mediately spoken from heaven to them, as an immediate revela- 
 tion that God was their Father, and had given the kingdom to 
 them, they are greatly affected by it, and the words seem sweet 
 to them; and oh, they say, " they are excellent things that are 
 contained in those words!" But the reason why the promise 
 seems excellent to them, is only because they think it is made to 
 them immediately; all the sense they have of any glory in them, 
 is only from self-love, and from their own imagined interest in the 
 words; not that they had any view or sense of the holy and glori- 
 ous nature of the kingdom of heaven and the spiritual glory of 
 that God who gives it, and of his excellent grace to sinful men, 
 in offering and giving them this kingdom of his own good plea- 
 sure, preceding their imagined interest in these things, and their 
 being affected by them, and being the foundation of their affec- 
 tion, and hope of an interest in them. On the contrary, they first 
 imagine they are interested, and then are highly affected with 
 
15S FIRST SIGN OF 
 
 that, and then can own these things to be excellent. So that the 
 sudden and extraordinary way of the scripture's coming to their 
 mind is plainly the first foundation of the whole; which is a clear 
 evidence of the wretched delusion they are under. 
 
 The first comfort of many persons, and what they call their 
 conversion, is after this manner: after awakening and terror, 
 some comfortable sweet promise comes suddenly and wonderfully 
 to their minds; and the manner of its coming makes them con- 
 clude it comes from God to them; and this is the very thing that 
 is all the foundation of their faith and hope and comfort: from 
 hence they take their first encouragement to trust in God and in 
 Christ, because they think that God, by some scripture so brought, 
 has now already revealed to them that he loves them, and has 
 already promised them eternal life, which is very absurd; for 
 every one of common knowledge of the principles of religion, 
 knows that it is God's manner to reveal his love to men, and their 
 interest in the promises, after they have believed, and not before, 
 because they must first believe before they have any interest in 
 the promises to be revealed. The Spirit of God is a Spirit of 
 truth and not of lies: he does not bring scriptures to mens minds 
 to reveal to them that they have an interest in God's favour and 
 promises when they have none, having not yet believed: which 
 would be the case, if God's bringing texts of scripture to mens 
 minds to reveal to them that their sins were forgiven, or that it 
 was God's pleasure to give them the kingdom, or any thing of 
 that nature, went before, and was the foundation of their first 
 faith. No promise of the covenant of grace belongs to any man, 
 until he has first believed in Christ; for it is by faith alone that 
 we become interested in Christ, and the promises of the new 
 covenant made in him: and therefore whatever spirit applies the 
 promises of that covenant to a person who has not first believed, 
 as being already his, must be a lying spirit, and that faith which 
 is first built on such an application of promises, is built upon a 
 lie. God's manner is not to bring comfortable texts of scripture 
 to give men assurance of his love, and that they shall be happy 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 159 
 
 before they have had a faith of dependence.! And if the scrip- 
 ture which comes to a person's mind be not so properly a promise 
 as an invitation; yet if he makes the sudden or unusual manner 
 of the invitation's coming to his mind, the ground on which he 
 
 f Mr. Stoddard in liis Guide to Christ, p. 8. says, that "sometimes men, 
 after they have been in trouble a while, have some promises come to them, 
 with a great deal of refreshing; and they hope God has accepted them:" 
 And says that, " In this case, the minister may tell them, that God never 
 gives a faith of assurance, before he gives a faith of dependence; for he 
 never manifests his love until men are in a state of favour and reconciliation, 
 which is by faith of dependence. When men have comfortable scriptures 
 come to them, they are apt to take them as tokens of God's love: but men 
 must be brought into Chr^t, by accepting the offer of the gospel, before 
 they are fit for such manifestations. God's method is, first to make the soul 
 accept of the offers of grace, and then to manifest his good estate unto 
 him." And p. 76, speaking of them " that seem to be brought to lie at 
 God's foot, and give an account of their closing with Christ, and that God 
 has revealed Christ to them, and drawn their hearts to him, and they do 
 accept of Christ," he says, " In this case, it is best to examine whether by 
 that light that was given him, he saw Christ and salvation offered to him, 
 or whether he saw that God loved him, or pardoned him: for the offer of 
 grace and our acceptance goes before pardon, and therefore much more 
 before the knowledge of it. 
 
 Mr. Shepard, in his Parable of the Ten Virghis, Part II. p. 15, says, that 
 " Grace and the love of Christ (the fairest colours under the sun) may be 
 pretended; but if you shall receive, under this appearance, that God wit- 
 nesseth his love, first by an absolute promise, take heed there; for under 
 lliis appearance you may as well bring in immediate revelations, and from 
 thence come to forsake the scriptures." 
 
 And in Part I. p. 86, he says, " Is Christ yours? Yes, I see it. How? By 
 any word or promise? No; this is delusion." And p. 136, speaking of them 
 that have no solid ground of peace, he reckons, " Those that content them- 
 selves with the revelation of the Lord's love without the sight of any work, 
 or not looking to it." And says presently after, " The testimony of the 
 Spirit does not make a man more a Christian, but only evidenceth it; as it 
 is the nature of a witness not to make a thing to be true, but to clear 
 and evidence it." And p. 140. Speaking of them that say they have the 
 witness of the Spirit, that makes a difference between them and hypocrites, 
 he says, " the witness of the Spirit makes not the first difference: for first 
 a man is a believer, and in Christ, and justified, called and sanctified, be- 
 fore the Spirit does witness it; else the Spirit should witness to an untruth 
 and lie." 
 
160 l-'IRST SIGN Of 
 
 believes that he is invited, it is not true fliith; because it is built 
 on that which is not the true ground of faith. True faith is built 
 on no precarious foundation: but a determination that the words- 
 of such a particular text were, by the immediate power of God, 
 suggested to the mind at such a time, as though then spoken and 
 directed by God to him, because the words came after such a 
 manner, is wholly an uncertain and precarious determination, as 
 has been now shown; and therefore is a false and sandy founda- 
 tion for faith; and accordingly that faith which is built upon it is 
 false. The only certain foundation which any person has to be- 
 lieve that he is invited to partake of the blessings of the gospel, 
 is, that the word of God declares that persons so qualified as he 
 is, are invited, and God who declares it, is true and can not lie. 
 If a sinner be once convinced of the veracity of God, and that 
 the scriptures are his word, he will need no more to convince and 
 satisfy him that he is invited; for the scriptures are full of invi- 
 tations to sinners, to the chief of sinners, to come and partake of 
 the benefits of the gospel; he will not want any new speaking of 
 God to him; what he hath spoken adready will be enough ^vith 
 him. 
 
 As the first comfort of many persons, and their affections at 
 the time of their supposed conversion, are built on such grounds 
 as these which have been mentioned; so are their joys and 
 hopes and other affections, from time to time afterwards. They 
 have often particular words of scripture, sweet declarations and 
 promises suggested to them, which by reason of the manner of 
 their coming, they think are immediately sent from God to them 
 at that time, which they look upon as their warrant to take 
 them, and which they actually make the main ground of their 
 appropriating them to themselves, and of the comfort they take 
 in them, and the confidence they receive from them. Thus they 
 imagine a kind of conversation is carried on between God and 
 them; and that God, from time to time, does as it were, imme- 
 diately speak to them and satisfy their doubts, and testifies his 
 love to them, and promises them supports and supplies, and his 
 blessing in such and such cases, and reveals to them clearly 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 16t 
 
 their interest in eternal blessings. And thus they are often ele- 
 vated, and have a course of a sudden and tumultuous kind of 
 joys, mingled with a strong contidence and high opinion of them- 
 selves; when indeed the main ground of these joys and this con- 
 tidence, is not any thing contained in, or taught by these scrip- 
 tures, as they lie in the Bible, but the manner of their coming to 
 them; which is a certain evidence of their delusion. There is 
 no particular promise in the word of God that is the saint's, or is 
 any otherwise made to him, or spoken to him, than all the pro- 
 mises of the covenant of grace are his, and are made to him and 
 spoken to him;t though it be true that some of these promises 
 may be more particularly adapted to his case than others, and 
 God by his Spirit may enable him better to understand some 
 than others, and to have a greater sense of the preciousness and 
 glory, and suitableness of the blessings contained in them. 
 
 But here some may be ready to say. What! is there no such 
 thing as any particular spiritual application of the promises of 
 scripture by the Spirit of God? I answer, there is doubtless such 
 a thing as a spiritual and saving application of the invitations and 
 promises of scripture to the souls of men; but it is also certain 
 that the nature of it is wholly misunderstood by m'any persons, to 
 the great ensnaring of their own souls, and the giving Satan a 
 vast advantage against them, and against the interest of religion 
 and the church of God. The spiritual application of a scripture 
 promise does not consist in its being immediately suggested to the 
 
 ■j-Mr. Shepard, in his Sound Believer, p. 159, of the late impression at 
 IJoston, says, " Embrace in thy bosom not only some few promises, but all." 
 And then he asks the question, " When may a Christian take a promise 
 witliout presumption, as spoken to him?" lie answers, " Tlie rule is very 
 sweet, but certain — when he takes all the scripture, and embraces it as 
 spoken unto him, he may then take any particular jjromise boldly. My 
 meaning is, when a Christian takes hold and wrestles with God lor the ac- 
 complishment of all the promises of the New Testament, when he sets all 
 the commands before him, as a compass and guide to walk after, when he 
 apphes all the threatenings to drive him nearer unto Christ, the end of 
 them. This no hypocrite can do: this the saints shall do: and by this they 
 may know when the Lord speaks in particular unto them." 
 
162 FIRST SIGN OF 
 
 tlioughts by some extrinsic agent, and being borne into the mind 
 with this strong apprehension, that it is particularly spoken and 
 directed to them at that time; there is nothing of the evidence of 
 the hand of God in this effect, as events have proved, in many 
 notorious instances; and it is a mean notion of a spiritual appli- 
 cation of scripture; there is nothing in the nature of it at all be- 
 yond the power of the devil, if he be not restrained by God; for 
 there is nothing in the nature of the effect that is spiritual, im- 
 plying any vital communication of God. A truly spiritual appli- 
 cation of the word of God is of a vastly higher nature; as much 
 above the devil's power, as it is so to apply the word of God to 
 a dead corpse, as to raise it to life; or to a stone, to turn it into 
 an angel. A spiritual application of the word of God consists in 
 applying it to the heart, in spiritually enlightening, sanctifying 
 influences. A spiritual application of an invitation or offer of the 
 gospel consists, in giving the soul a spiritual sense or relish of the 
 holy and divine blessings offered, and also the sweet and wonder- 
 ful grace of the offerer, in making so gracious an offer, and of his 
 holy excellency and faithfulness to fulfd what he offers, and his 
 glorious sufficiency for it; so leading and drawing forth the heart 
 to embrace the offer; and thus giving the man evidence of his 
 title to the thing offered. And so a spiritual application of the 
 promises of scripture for the comfort of the saints, consists in en 
 lightening their minds to see the holy excellency and sweetness 
 of the blessings promised, and also the holy excellency of the pro- 
 miser, and his faithfulness and sufficiency; thus drawing forth 
 their hearts to embrace the promiser and thing promised; and by 
 this means giving the sensible actings of grace, enabling them to 
 see their grace, and so their title to the promise. An application 
 not consisting in this divine sense and enlightening of the mind, 
 but consisting only in the word's being born into the thoughts, as 
 if immediately then spoken, so making persons bejieve on no 
 other foundation, that the promise is theirs, is a blind application, 
 and belongs to the spirit of darkness, and not of light. 
 
 When persons have their affections raised after this manner, 
 those affections are really not raised by the word of God; the 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 163 
 
 scripture Is not tlie foundation of them; it is not any tiling con- 
 tained in those scriptures which come to their minds, that raise 
 tlieir affections; but truly that effect, viz. the strange manner of 
 the Avord's being suggested to their minds, and a proposition from 
 thence taken up by them, which indeed is not contained in that 
 scripture nor any other, as that his sins are forgiven him, or that 
 it is the Father's good pleasure to give him in particular the 
 kingdom, or the like. There are propositions to be found in the 
 Bible, declaring that persons of such and such qualifications are 
 forgiven and beloved of God: but there are no propositions to be 
 found in the Bible, declaring that such and such particular per- 
 sons, independent on any previous knowledge of any qualifica- 
 tions, are forgiven and beloved of God: and, therefore, when any 
 person is comforted, and affected by any such proposition, it is by 
 another word, a word newly coined, and not any word of God 
 contained in the Bible. f And thus many persons are vainly af- 
 fected and deluded. 
 
 Again; it plainly appears from what has been demonstrated, 
 that no revelation of secret facts by immediate suggestion is any 
 thing spiritual and divine in that sense wherein gracious effects 
 and operations are so. 
 
 By secret facts I mean things that have been done or are come 
 to pass, or shall hereafter come to pass, which are secret in that 
 sense that they do not appear to the senses, nor are known by 
 any argumentation, or any evidence to reason, nor any other way, 
 
 f " Some Christians have rested with a work witliout Christ, which is 
 abominable: but after a man is in Christ, not to judge by the work, is first 
 not to judge from a word. For though there is a word which may give a 
 man a dependence on Christ, without feeling any work, nay, when he feels 
 none, as absolute promises; yet no word giving assurance, but that which is 
 made to some work, he that believeth, or is poor in spirit, &c. until that 
 work is seen, has no assurance from that promise." Shepard's Parable of the 
 Te?i Vir^i7i», Part I. p. 86. 
 
 " If God should tell a saint that he has grace, he might know it by be- 
 lieving the word of God: but it is not in this way that godly men do know- 
 that they have grace: it is not revealed in the word, and the Spirit of God 
 doth not testify it to particular persons " StmldnrrVs .XnUirp of Saving Coit- 
 ■•frsion, p. 84, 8.5, 
 
164 FIRST SIGN OF 
 
 but only by that revelation by immediate suggestion of the ideas 
 of them to the mind. Thus, for instance, if it should be revealed 
 to me that the next year this land would be invaded by a fleet 
 from France, or that such and such persons would then be con- 
 verted, or that I myself should then be converted, not by enabling 
 me to argue out these events from any thing which now appears 
 in providence, but immediately suggesting and bearing in upon 
 my mind, in an extraordinary manner, the apprehension or ideas 
 of these facts, with a strong suggestion or impression on my mind, 
 that I had no hand in myself, that these things would come to 
 pass: or if it should be revealed to me, that this day there is a 
 battle fought between the armies of such and such powers in 
 Europe; or that such a prince in Europe was this day converted, 
 or is now in a converted state, having been converted formerly, 
 or that one of my neighbours is converted, or that I myself am 
 converted; not by having any other evidence of any of these facts 
 from whence I argue them, but an immediate extraordinary^ sug- 
 gestion or excitation of these ideas, and a strong impression of 
 them upon my mind: this is a revelation of secret facts by im- 
 mediate suggestion as much as if the facts were future; for the 
 facts being past, present, or future, alters not the case, as long as 
 they are secret and hidden from my senses and reason, and not 
 spoken of in scripture, nor known by me any other way than by 
 immediate suggestion. If I have it revealed to me that such a 
 revolution is come to pass this day in the Ottoman empire, it is 
 the very same sort of revelation as if it were revealed to me that 
 such a revolution would come to pass there this day come twelve- 
 month; because, though one is present and the other future, y.et 
 both are equally hidden from me, any other way than by imme- 
 diate revelation. When Samuel told Saul that the asses which 
 he went to seek were found, and that his father had left caring 
 for the asses and sorrowed for him, this was by the same kind of 
 revelation as that by which he told Saul that in the plain of Tabor 
 there should meet him three men going up to God to Bethel, (1 
 Sam. X. 2, 3.) though one of these things was future, and the 
 other was not. So when Elisha told the king of Israel the words 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 16^ 
 
 that the king of Syria spake in his bed chamber, it was by the 
 same kind of revelation with that by which he foretold many 
 things to come. 
 
 It is evident that this revelation of secret facts by immediate 
 suggestions, has nothing of the nature of a spiritual and divine 
 operation in the sense forementioned; there is nothing at all in 
 the nature of the perceptions or ideas themselves, which are ex- 
 cited in the mind, that is divinely excellent, and so far above all 
 the ideas of natural men, though the manner of exciting the ideas 
 be extraordinary. In those things which are spiritual, as has 
 been shown, not only the manner of producing the effect, but the 
 effect wrought is divine, and so vastly above all that can be in an 
 unsanctified mind. Now simply the having an idea of facts, set- 
 ting aside the manner of producing those ideas, is nothing beyond 
 what the minds of wicked men are susceptible of, without any 
 goodness in them; and they all, either have or will have, the 
 knowledge of the truth of the greatest and most important facts 
 that have been, are, or shall be. 
 
 And as to the extraordinaiy manner of producing the ideas or 
 perception of facts, even by immediate suggestion, there is nothing 
 in it but what the minds of natural men, while they are yet natu- 
 ral men, are capable of; as is manifest in Balaam, and others 
 spoken of in the scripture. And therefore it appears that there is 
 nothing appertaining to this immediate suggestion of secret facts 
 that is spiritual, in the sense in which it has been proved that 
 gracious operations are so. If there be nothing in the ideas them- 
 selves which is holy and divine, and so nothing but what may be 
 in a mind not sanctified, then God can put them into the mind b} 
 immediate power, without sanctifying it. As there is nothing in the 
 idea of a rainbow itself that is of a holy and divine nature; so that 
 nothing hinders but that an unsanctified mind may receive that 
 idea; so God, if he pleases, and when he pleases, immediate- 
 ly and in an extraordinary manner, may excite that idea in an 
 unsanctified mind. So also, as there is nothing in the idea or 
 knowledge that such and such particular persons are forgiven and 
 accepted of God, and entitled to heaven, but what unsanctified 
 
166 FIRST SIGN OF 
 
 minds may have and will have concerning many at the day of 
 judgment; so God can, if he pleases, extraordinarily and imme- 
 diately suggest this to and impress it upon an unsanctified mind 
 now: there is no principle wanting in an unsanctified mind to make 
 it capable of such a suggestion or impression, nor is there any 
 thing in it to exclude, or necessarily to prevent such a suggestion. 
 
 And if these suggestions of secret facts be attended with texts 
 of scripture, immediately and extraordinarily brought to mind, 
 about some other facts that seem in some respects similar, that 
 does not make the operation to be of a spiritual and divine nature. 
 For that suggestion of words of scripture is no more divine than 
 the suggestion of the facts themselves; as has been just now de- 
 monstrated: and two effects together, which are neither of them 
 spiritual, can not make up one complex effect that is spiritual. 
 
 Hence it follows, from what has been already shown, and of- 
 ten repeated, that those affections which are properly founded on 
 such immediate suggestions or supposed suggestions of secret facts, 
 are not gracious affections. Not but that it is possible that such 
 suggestions may be the occasion or accidental cause of gracious 
 affections; for so may a mistake and delusion; but it is never pro- 
 perly the foundation of gracious affections: for gracious affections, 
 as has been shown, are all the effects of an influence and opera- 
 tion which is spiritual, supernatural and divine. But there are 
 many affections, and high affections, which some have, that have 
 such kind of suggestions or revelations for their very foundation : they 
 look upon these as spiritual discoveries, which is a gross delusion, 
 and this delusion is truly the spring whence their affections flow. 
 
 Here it may be proper to observe, that it is exceedingly mani- 
 fest from what has been said, that what many persons call the 
 witness of the Spirit, that they are the children of God, has no- 
 thing in it spiritual and divine; and consequently that the affec- 
 tions built upon it are vain and delusive. That which many call 
 the witness of the Spirit, is no other than an immediate sugges- 
 tion and impression of that fact, otherwise secret, that they are 
 converted, or made the children of God, and so that their sins are 
 pardoned, and that God has given them a title to heaven. This 
 kind of knowledge, viz. knowing that a certain person is convert- 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 167 
 
 ed, and delivered from hell, and entitled to heaven, is no divine 
 sort of knowledge in itself This sort of fact is not that which 
 requires any higher or more divine kind of suggestion, in order to 
 imjDress it on their mind, than any other fact which Balaam had 
 impressed on his mind. It requires no higher sort of idea or sen- 
 sation for a man to have the apprehension of his own conversion 
 impressed upon him, than to have the apprehension of his neigh- 
 bour's conversion, in like manner impressed: but God, if he 
 pleased, might impress the knowledge of this fact, that he had for- 
 given his neighbour's sins, and given him a title to heaven, as 
 Avell as any other fact, without any communication of his holiness: 
 the excellency and importance of the fact do not at all hinder a 
 natural man's mind being susceptible of an immediate suggestion 
 and impression of it. Balaam had as excellent, important and 
 glorious facts as this, immediately impressed on his mind, with- 
 out any gracious influence; as, particularly, the coming of Christ, 
 and his setting up his glorious kindgom, and the blessedness of 
 the spiritual Israel in his peculiar favour, and their happiness 
 living and dying. Yea, Abimelech, king of the Philistines, had 
 God's special favour to a particular person, even Abraham, re- 
 vealed to him. Gen. xx. G, 7. So it seems that he revealed to 
 Laban his special favour to Jacob, see Gen. xxxi. 24, and Psal. 
 cv. 15. And if a truly good man should have an immediate reve- 
 lation or suggestion from God, after the like manner, concerning 
 his favour to his neighbour or himself, it would be no higher kind 
 of influence ; it would be no more than a common sort of influence 
 of God's Spirit, as the gift of prophecy and all revelation by im- 
 mediate suggestion is; see 1 Cor. xiii. 2. And though it be true 
 that it is not possible that a natural man should have that indivi- 
 dual suggestion from the Spirit of God that he is converted, be- 
 cause it is not true; yet that does not arise from the nature of the 
 influence, or because that kind of influence which suggests such 
 excellent facts, is too high for him to be the subject of; but pure- 
 ly from the defect of a fact to be revealed. The influence which 
 immediately suggests this fact, when it is true, is of no different 
 kind from that which immediately suggests other true fact«: and so 
 
168 FIRST SIGN OF 
 
 the kind and nature of the influences is not above what is com- 
 mon to natural men, with good men. 
 
 But this is a mean, ignoble notion of the witness of the Spirit 
 of God given to his dear children, to suppose that there is nothing 
 in the kind and nature of that influence of the Spirit of God, in 
 imparting this high and glorious benefit, but what is common to 
 natural men, or which men are capable of, and be in the mean 
 time altogether unsanctified and the children of hell; and that 
 therefore the benefit or gift itself has nothing of the holy nature 
 of the Spirit of God in it, nothing of a vital communication of 
 Spirit. This notion greatly debases that high rud most exalted 
 kind of influence and operation of the Spirit, which there is in 
 the true witness of the Spirit.f That which is called the witness 
 of the Spirit, Rom. viii. is elsewhere in the New Testament call- 
 ed the seal of the Spirit, 2 Cor. i. 22, Eph. i. 13, and iv. 13, al- 
 luding to the seal of princes annexed to the instrument by which 
 they advanced any of their subjects to some high honour and dig- 
 nity, or peculiar privilege in the kingdom, as atokenof their spe- 
 cial favour. Which is an evidence that the influence of the Spi- 
 
 f The late venerable Stoddard, in his younger time, falling in with the opin- 
 ion of some others, received this notion of the witness of the Spirit, by way 
 of immediate suggestion; but in the latter part of his life, when he had more 
 thoroughly weighed things, and had more experience, he entirely rejected 
 it, as appears by his treatise of the nature of saving conversion, p. 84. "The 
 Spirit of God doth not testify to particular persons that they are godly. — 
 Some think that the Spirit of God doth testify it to some; and they ground 
 it on Rom. viii. 16, « The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that 
 we are the children of God.' They think the Spirit reveals it by giving an 
 inward testimony to it; and some godly men think they have had experi- 
 ence of it: but they may easily mistake; when the Spirit of God doth emi- 
 nently stir up a spirit of faith, and shed abroad the love of God in the heart, 
 it is easy to mistake it for a testimony. And that is not the meaning of 
 Paul's words. The Spirit reveals things to us by opening our eyes to see 
 •what is revealed in the word; but the Spirit doth not reveal new truths, not 
 revealed in the word. The Spirit discovers the grace of God in Christ, and 
 therefore draws forth special actings of faith and love, which are evidential; 
 but it doth not work in way of testimony. If God do but help us to receive 
 the revelations in the word, we shall have comfort enough without new reve- 
 lations." 
 
CRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 1G9 
 
 rit of the Prince of princes, in sealing his favourites, is far from 
 being of a common kind; and that there is no efiect of God's Spi- 
 rit whatsoever, which is in its nature more divine; nothing more ho- 
 ly, peculiar, inimitable, and distinguishing of divinity. As no- 
 thing is more royal than the royal seal; nothing more sacred that 
 belongs to a prince, and more peculiarly denoting what belongs 
 to him; it being the veiy end and design of it to be the most pe- 
 culiar stamp and confirmation of the royal authority, and great 
 note of distinction, whereby that which proceeds from the king, 
 or belongs to him, may be known from every thing else. And 
 therefore undoubtedly the seal of the great King of heaven and 
 earth enstamped on the heart, is something high and holy in its 
 own nature, some excellent communication from the infinite foun- 
 tain of divine beauty and glory; not merely a making known a se- 
 cret fact by revelation or suggestion; which is a sort of influence 
 of the Spirit of God, that the children of the devil have often been 
 the subjects of. The seal of the Spirit is a kind of effect of the 
 Spirit of God on the heart, which natural men, while such, arc 
 so far from a capacity of being the subjects of, that they can have 
 no manner of notion or idea of it; agreeably to Rev. ii. 17: " To 
 him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and 
 I will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name writ- 
 ten, which no man knovveth, saving he that receiveth it." There 
 is all reason to suppose that what is here spoken of, is the same 
 mark, evidence, or blessed token of special favour, which is else- 
 where called the seal of the Spirit. 
 
 What has misled many in their notion of that influence of the 
 Spirit of God we are speaking of, is the word loitness, its being 
 called the witness of the Spirit. Hence they have taken it, not 
 to be ai^y effect or work of the Spirit upon the heart, giving evi- 
 dence from whence men may argue that they are the children of 
 God; but an inward immediate suggestion, as though God in- 
 wardly spoke to the man, and testified to him, and told him that 
 he was his child by a kind of a secret voice or impression: not 
 observing the manner in which the word, ^vitness or testimony, 
 is often used in the New Testament, v.^here such terms often sig- 
 
170 FIRST SIGN OP 
 
 nify, not only a mere declaring and asserting a thing to be true, 
 but holding forth evidence from whence a thing maj' be argued, 
 and proved to be true. Thus Heb. ii. 4. " God is said to bear 
 witness, with signs and wonders, and divers miracles, and gifts 
 of the Holy Ghost." Now these miracles, here spoken of, are 
 called God's witness, not because they are of the nature of as- 
 sertions, but evidences and proofs. So Acts xiv. 3. " Long time 
 therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave 
 testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and won- 
 ders to be done by their hands." And John v. 36. " But I have 
 greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father 
 hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness 
 of me that the Father hath sent me." Again, chap. x. 25. " The 
 jik^ works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me." 
 So the water and the blood are said to bear witness, 1 John, v. 8, 
 not that they spoke or asserted any thing, but they were proofs 
 and evidences. So God's works of providence, in the rain and 
 finiitful seasons, are spoken of as witnesses of God's being and 
 goodness, i. e. they are evidences of these things. And when the 
 scripture speaks of the seal of the Spirit, it is an expression which 
 properly denotes, not an immediate voice or suggestion, but some 
 work or effect of the Spirit, that is left as a divine mark upon the 
 soul, to be an evidence by which God's children might be known. 
 The seals of princes were the distinguishing marks of princes: 
 and thus God's seal is spoken of as God's mark. Rev. vii. 3. 
 " Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have 
 sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads;" together with 
 Ezek. ix. 4. " Set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that 
 sigh and that cry for all the abominations that are done in the 
 midst thereof." When God sets his seal on a man's heart by his 
 Spirit, there is some holy stamp, some image impressed and left 
 upon the heart by the Spirit, as by the seal upon the wax. And 
 ' this holy stamp, or impressed image, exhibiting clear evidence to 
 the conscience, that the subject of it is the child of God, is the 
 very thing which in scripture is called the seal of the Spirit, and 
 the witness or evidence of the Spirit. And this image enstamped 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 171 
 
 by the Spirit on God's children's hearts, is his own image; that 
 is the evidence by which they are known to be God's children, 
 that they have the image of their Father stamped upon their 
 hearts by the Spirit of adoption. Seals anciently had engraven 
 on them two things, viz. the image and the name of the person 
 whose seal it was. Therefore when Christ says to his spouse, 
 Cant. viii. 6. " Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon 
 thine arm;" it is as much as to say let my name and image re- 
 main impressed there. The seals of princes were wont to bear 
 their image, so that what they set their seal and royal mark upon, 
 had their image left on it. It was the manner of princes of old 
 to have their image engraven on their jewels and precious stones; 
 and the image of Augustus engraven on a precious stone, was 
 used as the seal of the Roman emperors, in Christ's and the 
 apostles' times. t And the saints are the jewels of Jesus Christ, 
 the great potentate, who has the possession of the empire of the 
 universe; and these jewels have his image enstamped upon them, 
 by his royal signet, which is the Holy Spirit. And this is un- 
 doubtedly what the scripture means by the seal of the Spirit; 
 especially when it is stamped in so fair and clear a manner, as to 
 be plain to the eye of conscience; which is what the scripture 
 calls our spirit. This is truly an effect that is spiritual, superna- 
 tural, and divine. This is in itself of a holy nature, being a com- 
 munication of the divine nature and beauty. That kind of influ- 
 ence of the Spirit which gives and leaves this stamp upon the 
 heart, is such that no natural man can be the subject of any thing 
 of the like nature with it. This is the highest sort of witness of 
 the Spirit, which it is possible the soul should be the subject of. 
 If there were any such thing as a witness of the Spirit by imme- 
 diate suggestion or revelation, this would be vastly more noble 
 and excellent, and as much above it as the heaven is above the 
 earth. This the devil cannot imitate; as to an inward suggestion 
 of the Spirit of God, by a kind of secret voice speaking, and im- 
 mediately asserting and revealing a fact, he can do that which is 
 a thousand times so like to this, as he can to that holy and di- 
 
 f See Cliambcr's Dictionaiy, under the word r.xGRtviM;. 
 
172 FIRST SIGN OF 
 
 vihe effect, or work of the Spirit of God, which has now been 
 spoken of.f 
 
 I Mr. Shepard is abundant in militating against the notion of mens know* 
 ing their good estate by an immediate witness of the Spirit, without judging 
 by any effect or work of the Spirit wrought on the heart, as an evidence and 
 proof that persons are the children of God. Parab, P. I. p. 134; " Knowing 
 your election of God? How so? Immediately? Some divines think angels see 
 it not so, and that it is peculiar to God so to do; but mediately; for our word 
 came in power and in much assurance, to make you enlarged for God, to 
 turn you from idols unto God, &c." — Again, in the same page, " It is heaven 
 to cleave to him in every command; it is death to depart from any command. 
 Hereby know we that we are in him. If it were possible to ask of the an- 
 gels, how they know they are not devils? they would answer, The Lord's 
 will is ours. So here, how do you know that you have not the nature of de- 
 vils, and so in a state of devils, bound there until the judgment of the great 
 day? because God hath changed our vile natures, and made our wills like 
 unto his glorious will." And p. 135, " The major is the word, the minor 
 experience, and the conclusion the Lord's Spirit's work quickening your 
 spirits to it. Now, say some, how do you know this? Thus you may be mis- 
 taken; for many have been deceived thus. Grant that; and shall a child not 
 take bread when it is given to him, though dogs snatch at it? And p. 137, 
 If you look to a spirit without a work whilst you do seek consolation, you 
 can not avoid the conderrination of the word. You say the Spirit has spoken 
 peace to you; but do you love Christ? I look not to that, but to the Spirit. 
 Why the word saith, " He that loves him not, let him be Anathema." So 
 is the league between your sins and your souls broken? Ans. I look not to 
 that. Why John saith, " he that committeth sin is of the devil." Are you 
 new creatures? I look not to that. Why the Word saith, " unless you be 
 born again you can not enter into the kingdom of God." Page 176, 177, 
 " A man saith, I have Christ; and so hath not they. I ask, where is the Spi- 
 rit? You have the deed; where is the seal? You have the testator; where is 
 the executor? the spirit in you? Yes, I have it; it has witnessed Christ is 
 mine. Ans. It has witnessed, but what has it wrought? where is the power 
 of his death, killing thy lusts? where is the hfe of the Spirit of Jesus in you, 
 where is the oil in your vessel? Truly I look for the Bridegroom; but I re- 
 gard not that; neither are others to regard it in way of evidence. Then I 
 say the chief evidence is destroyed in the churches. I have known many 
 that have had assurances; yet never saw them prove right, until it witnessed 
 this was here. What should be the cause of this, and that men should make 
 blusters in the churches because of this, as though it was building on works? 
 In several men they are several. 1. An aptness to out run the truth and fall 
 from one extreme to another. 2. The apostacy of eminent professors, 
 who have been deceived in their evidencing thus. 3. Corrupt experience 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 173 
 
 Another thing which is a full proof that the seal of the Spirit 
 is no revelation of any fact by immediate suggestion, but is grace 
 itself in the soul, is, that the seal of the Spirit is called in the 
 scripture, the earnest of the Spirit. It is very plain that the seal 
 
 4. A heart that never felt the bitterness and bondage of sin as the greatest 
 evil." Page 215, 216, "The peace, and joy, and assurance of that glory, 
 which eye never saw, in the saints, it is from the witness of the Spirit of glo- 
 ry; not only because thai God is their God, but because Ihey are his people. 
 It is, 1 say, from the witness of God in his word; not from themselves, nor 
 from man only, that they approve me; nor from dreams and diabolical breatii- 
 ings; but from the Spirit of God; he brings tidings of it; and from such a spi- 
 rit (that you may know it) that not only shows you God is your God, and so 
 you rejoice because "of this, for thus it is with many a carnal heart, and he 
 hath peace, being in horror, from this, the Lord loves me: but he makes you 
 to rejoice because you are tlie Lord's people, because he hath changed your 
 heart, now the peace is found, and joy is riglit: and here I would try the 
 peace of any man." Part II. p. 168, 169, " All the heirs of tlie promises, 
 as heirs that have legacies left them, they go to the will of the deceased fa- 
 ther; and that comforts, tliat they hold to, that is sure such a one will have 
 it, if his name be there. IJut if one shall say, such a one hath promised me 
 such lands: Is it in his will? No: but since he died, as 1 was taking a pipe, 
 he came to me. O be not deceived!" 
 
 Again, in his Sound Rehever, there is a long discourse of sanctification as 
 the chief evidence of justification, from p. 221, for many pages following, I 
 shall transcribe but a very small part of it. 
 
 " Tell me how you will know that you are justified. You will say, by the 
 testimony of the Spirit. And can not tlie same Spirit shine upon your graces, 
 and witness that you are sanctified, as well? 1 John iv. 13, 24. 1 Cor. ii. 12. 
 Can the Spirit make the one clear to you and not the other? Ojbeloved, it is a 
 sad thing to hear such questions, and such cold answers also, tiiat sanctifi- 
 cation possibly may be an evidence. May be! is it not certain? Assuredly 
 to deny it is as bad as to affirm that God's own promi.ses of favour are not 
 true evidences thereof, and consequently that they are lies and untruths." 
 
 Mr. Flavel also much opposes this notion of the witness of the S[)irit by 
 immediate revelation. Sacramental Meditations, Med. 4, speaking of the 
 sealing of the Spirit, he says, " In sealing the believer he does not make use 
 of an audible voice, nor the ministry of angels, nor immediate and extraor- 
 dinary revelations; but he makes use of his own Sfrac es implanted in our* 
 hearts, and his own pi-omises, written in the scrijiturc: and in this method, 
 he usually brings the doubting, trembling heart ofabchcverto rest and 
 comfoi't." Again, ibid. " Assurance is j)roduced in our souls by tlie re- 
 flective acts of faith; the Spirit helps us to reflect upon what has been done 
 
 y 
 
174 FIRST SIGN OF 
 
 of the Spirit is the same thing with the earnest of the Spirit by 
 2 Cor. i. 22. " Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest 
 of the Spirit in our hearts;" and Eph. i. 13, 14, "In whom, 
 after that ye believed, ye were sealed ^vith that Holy Spirit of 
 promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance, until the re- 
 demption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory." 
 Now the earnest is part of the money agreed for, given in hand, 
 as a token of the whole, to be paid in due time; a part of the 
 promised inheritance granted now, in token of full possession of 
 the whole hereafter. But surely that kind of communication of 
 the Spirit of God, which is of the nature of eternal glory, is the 
 highest and most excellent kind of communication, something 
 that is in its own nature spiritual, holy and divine, and far from 
 any thing that is common: and, therefore, high above any thing 
 of the nature of inspiration, or revelation of hidden facts b}' sug- 
 
 by him formerly upon our liearts; hereby we know that we know him, 1 
 John ii. 3. To know that we know is a reflect act. Now it is impossible 
 there should be a reflex, before there hath been"a direct act. No man can 
 have the evidence of his faith before the habit is infused and the vital act 
 performed. The object matter, to wJiich the Spirit seals, is his own san cti- 
 fvin g operatio n." Afterwards, ibid, he says, " immediate ways of t he Spi- 
 rit's sealing are ceased. Mo man may now expect, by any new revelation 
 or sign from heaven, by any voice or extraordinary inspiration, to have his 
 salvation sealed; but must expect that mercy in God's ordinary way and me- 
 thod, searching the scriptures, examining our own hearts, and waiting on 
 the Lord in prayer. The learned Gerson gives an instance of one that had 
 been long upon the borders of despair, and at last sweetly assured and set- 
 tled: he answered A'aii ex nova aliqxia revelatione; not by any new revelation, 
 but by subjecting my understanding to, and comparing my heart with the 
 written word. And Mr. Roberts, in his Treatise of the Covenants, speaks 
 of another that so vehemently panted after the sealings and assurance of the 
 love of God to his soul, that for a long time he" earnestly desired some voice 
 from heaven; and sometimes, walking in the solitary fields, earnestly desir- 
 ed some miraculous voice from the trees or stones there. This was denied 
 him; but, in time, a better was afforded, in a scriptural way. Again, ibid. 
 " This method of sealing is beyond all other methods in the world. For 
 in miraculous voices and inspirations, it is possible there may subesse falsum, 
 be found some cheat or impostures of the devil: but the Spirit's witness in 
 the heart, suitable to the revelation of the scripture, can not deceive us," 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 175 
 
 "•estion of the Spirit of God, which many natural men have had. 
 What is the earnest and hcgianing of glory but grace itself, espe- 
 cially in the more lively and clear exercises of it? It is not pro- 
 phecy, nor tongues, nor knowledge, but that more excellent di- 
 vine thing, " charity that never faileth," which is a prelibation 
 and beginning of the light, sweetness and blessedness of heaven, 
 that world of love or charity. It is grace that is the seed of 
 glory and dawning of glory in the heart, and therefore it is grace 
 that is tlie earnest of the future inheritance. What is it that is 
 the beginning or earnest of eternal life in the soul, but spiritual 
 life; and what is that but grace? The inheritance that Christ has 
 purchased for the elect, is the Spirit of God; not in any extraor- 
 dinary gifts, but in his vital indwelling in the heart, exerting and 
 communicating himself there, in his own proper, holy, or divine 
 nature; and this is the sum total of the inheritance that Christ 
 purchased for the elect. For so are things constituted in the af- 
 fair of our redemption, that the Father provides the Saviour or 
 purchaser, and the purchase is made of him; and the Son is the 
 purchaser and the price; and the Holy Spirit is the great blessing 
 or inheritance purchased, as is intimated, Gal. iii. 13, 14, and 
 hence the Spirit often is spoken of as the sum of the blessings 
 promised in the gospel, Luke xxiv. 49, Acts i, 4, and chap, ii. 
 38, 39, Gal. iii. 14, Eph, i, 13. This inheritance was the 
 grand legacy which Christ left his disciples and church, in his 
 last will and testament, John, chap. xiv. xv. xvi. This is the sum 
 of the blessings of eternal life, which shall be given in heaven. 
 (Compare John vii. 37, 38, 39, and John iv. 14, with Rev. xxi. 
 6, and xxii. 1,17.) It is through the vital communications and 
 indwelling of the Spirit that the saints have all their light, life, 
 holiness, beauty, and joy in heaven; and it is through the vital 
 communications and indwelling of the same Spirit that the saints 
 have all light, life, holiness, beauty and comfort on earth; but 
 only communicated in less measure. And this vital indwelling 
 of the Spirit in the saints, in this* less measure and small be- 
 ginning, is " the earnest of the Spirit, the earnest of the future 
 inheritance, and the first fruits of the Spirit," as the apostle calls 
 
no FIRST SIGN OF 
 
 it, Roni. viii, 22, where, by " the first fruits of the Spirit," the 
 apostle undoubtedly means the same vital, gracious principle that 
 he speaks of in all the preceding part of the chapter, which he 
 calls Spirit, and sets in opposition to ilesh or corruption. There- 
 fore this earnest of the Spirit, and first fruits of the Spirit, which 
 has been shown to be the same with the seal of the Spirit, is the 
 vital, gracious, sanctifying communication and influence of the 
 Spirit, and not any immediate suggestion or revelation of facts by 
 the Spirit.! 
 
 And indeed the apostle, when in that, Rom. viii. 16, be speaks 
 of the Spirit's bearing witness with our spirit that we are the 
 children of God, does sufficiently explain himself, if his words 
 were but attended to. What is here exjiressed is connected with 
 the two preceding verses, as resulting from what the apostle had 
 said there, as every reader may see. The three verses together 
 arc thus, " For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they arc 
 the sons of God: For ye have not received the spirit of bondage 
 again to fear; but ye have received the spirit of adoption whereby 
 w^e cry, Abba Father: The Spirit itself beareth witness with 
 our spirits that we are the children of God." Here, what the 
 apostle says, if we take it together, plainly shows that what he 
 has respect to, ivhen he speaks of the Spirit's giving us witness 
 or evidence that we are God's children, is his dwelling in us, and 
 leading us, as a sgirit of adoption, or spirit of a child, disposing 
 us to behave towards God as to a Father. This is the Avitness or 
 evidence which the apostle speaks of that we are children, that 
 we have the spirit of children, or spirit of adoption. And what is 
 that but the spirit of love? There are two kinds of spirits the 
 apostle speaks of, tlie spirit of a slave, or the spirit of bondage, 
 
 f " After a man is in Christ, not to judge by the work, is not to judge by 
 the Spirit. For the apostle makes the earnest of the Spirit to be the seal. — 
 Now earnest is part of the money bargained for; the beginning of heaven, of 
 the light and life of it. He that sees not that the Lord is his by that, sees no 
 God of his at all. Oh, therefore,, do not look for a Spirit without a word to 
 reveal, nor a word to reveal without seeing and feeling of some work first. 
 1 thank the Lord I do but pity those that think otherwise. If a sheep of 
 Christ, O wonder not." SfiepanPs Far. P. L p. 26. 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 177 
 
 that is fear; and the spirit of a cliild, or spirit of adoption, and 
 that is love. The apostle sajs, we have not received the spirit 
 of bondage, or of slaves, which is a spirit of fear; but we have 
 received the more ingenuous noble spirit of children, a spirit of 
 love, which naturaliv disposes us to go to God as children to a 
 father, and behave towards God as children. And this is the 
 evidence or witness which the Spirit of God gives us that we are 
 his children. This is the plain sense of the apostle; and so, un- 
 doubtedly, he here is speaking of the very same way of casting 
 out doubting and fear and the spirit of bondage, which the apos- 
 tle John speaks of, 1 John iv. 18, viz. by the prevailing of love, 
 that is the spirit of a child. The spirit of bondage ^vorks by 
 fear, the slave fears the rod: but love cries, Abba Father; it dis- 
 poses us to go to God, and behave ourselves towards God as chil- 
 dren; and it gives us clear evidence of our union to God as his 
 children, and so casts out fear. So that it appears that the wit- 
 ness of the Spirit the apostle speaks of, is far from being any 
 whisper, or immediate suggestion or revelation; but that gracious 
 holy effect of the Spirit of God in the hearts of the saints, the dis- 
 position and temper of children, appearing in sweet childlike love 
 to God, which casts out fear, or a spirit of a slave. 
 
 And the same thing is evident from all the context: it is plain 
 the apostle speaks of the Spirit, over and over again, as dwelling 
 in the hearts of the saints, as a gracious principle, set in opposi- 
 tion to the flesh or corruption: and so he does in the words that 
 immediately introduce this passage we are upon, ver. 13; " For 
 if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye, through the Spirit, 
 do mortify the deeds of the flesh, ye shall live. 
 
 Indeed it is past doubt with me, that the apostle has a more 
 special respect to the spirit of grace, or the spirit of love, or spirit 
 of a child, in its more lively actings; for it is perfect love, or 
 strong love only, which so witnesses or evidences that we arc 
 children, as to cast out fear, and wholly deliver from the spirit of 
 bondage. The strong and lively exercises of a spirit of childlike, 
 evangelical, humble love to God, give clear evidence of the soul's 
 relation to God as his child, which does very greatly and directly 
 
178 FIRST SIGN OF 
 
 satisfy the soul. And though it be far from being true, that the 
 soul, in this case, judges only by an immediate witness, without 
 any sign or evidence; for it judges and is assured by the greatest 
 sign and clearest evidence; yet in this case the saint stands in no 
 need of multiplied signs, or any long reasoning upon them. And 
 though the sight of his relative union with God, and his being in 
 his favour, is not without a medium, because he sees it by that 
 medium, viz, his love; yet his sight of the union of his heart to 
 God is immediate. Love, the bond of union, is seen intuitively: 
 the saint sees and feels plainly the union between his soul and 
 God; it is so strong and lively that he can not doubt of it. And 
 hence he is assured that he is a child. How can he doubt whe- 
 ther he stands in a childlike relation to God, when he plainly sees 
 a childlike union between God and his soul, and hence does bold- 
 ly, and as it were naturally and necessarily cry, Abba Father? 
 
 And whereas the apostle says, the Spirit bears witness with 
 our spirits; by our spirit here, is meant our conscience, which is 
 called the spirit of man, Prov. xx. 27; " The spirit of man is 
 the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the 
 belly." We elsewhere read of the witness of this spirit of ours, 
 2 Cor. i. 12 ; " For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our 
 conscience." And 1 John iii. 19, 20, 21; "And hereby we 
 know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before 
 him. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our 
 heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn 
 us not, then have we confidence towards God." When the 
 apostle Paul speaks of the Spirit of God bearing witness with our 
 spirit, he is not to be understood of two spirits that are two sepa- 
 rate, collateral, independent witnesses; but it is by one that we 
 receive the witness of the other. The Spirit of God gives the 
 evidence by infusing and shedding abroad the love of God, the 
 spirit of a child in the heart, and our spirit, or our conscience, 
 receives and declares this evidence for our rejoicing. 
 
 Many have been the mischiefs that have arisen from that false 
 and delusive notion of the witness of the Spirit, that it is a kind 
 o[ inward voice, suggestion, or declaration from God to man, that 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 179 
 
 he is beloved of him, and pardoned, elected, or the like, some- 
 times with, and sometimes without a text of scripture; and many 
 have been the false and vain (though very high) affections that 
 have arisen from hence. And it is to be feared that multitudes 
 of souls have been eternally undone by it. I have therefore in- 
 sisted the longer on this head. But I proceed now to a second 
 characteristic of gracious affections. 
 
 II. The first objective ground_of gcackms affections is the 
 transcendently excellent and amiable nature of divine things as 
 they are themselves; and not any conceived relation they bear to 
 self, or self-interest. 
 
 I say, that the supremely excellent nature of divine things, is 
 the first, or primary and original objective foundation of the spi- 
 ritual affections of true saints; for I do not suppose that all rela- 
 tion which divine things bear to themselves, and their own parti- 
 cular interest is wholly excluded from all influence in their gra- 
 cious affections. For this may have and indeed has, a secondary 
 and consequential influence in those affections that are truly hofy 
 and spiritual, as I shall show by and by. 
 
 It was before observed, that the affection of love is, as it were, 
 the fountain of all affection; and particularly that Christian love 
 is the fountain of all gracious affections. Now the divine excel- 
 lency and glory of God and Jesus Christ, the word of God, the 
 works of God, and the ways of God, &c. is the primary reason 
 why a true saint loves these things; and not any suj)posedinter- 
 est that he has in them, or any conceived beije^j;hat he has re- 
 ceived trom them, or shall receive from them, or any such ima- 
 gined relation Avhich they bear to his interest, that self-love can 
 properly be said to be the first foundation of his love to these 
 things. 
 
 Some say that all love arises from self-love; and that it is im- 
 possible in the nature of things, for any man to have any love to 
 God, or any other being, but that love to himself must be the 
 foundation of it. But I humbly suppose it is for want of consi- 
 deration that they say so. They argue, that whoever loves God, 
 and so desires his glory or the enjoyment of him, he desires these 
 
180 SECOND SIGN OF 
 
 things as his onn happiness; the glory of God, and the beholding 
 and enjoying his perfections, are considered as things agreeable 
 to him, tending to make him happy; he places his happiness in 
 them, and desires them as things which (if they were obtained) 
 would be delightful to him, or would fill him with delight and 
 joy, and so make him happy. And so, they say, it is from self 
 love, or a desire of his own happiness, that he desires God should 
 be glorified, and desires to behold and enjoy his glorious perfec- 
 tions. But then they ought to consider a little further, and in- 
 quire how the man came to place his happiness in God's being 
 glorified, and in contemplating and enjoying God's perfections. — 
 There is no doubt but that after God's glory, and the beholding 
 his perfections, are become so agreeable to him, that he places 
 'lis highest happiness in these things, then he will desire them as 
 he desires his own happiness. But how came these things to be 
 so agreeable to him, that he esteems it his highest happiness to 
 glorify God, &c.? Is not this the fruit of love? A man must 
 first love God, or have his heart united to him, before he will es- 
 teem God's good his own, and before he will desire the glorifying 
 and enjoying of God as his happiness. It is not strong arguing, 
 that because after a man has his heart united to God in love, as 
 a fruit of this, he desires liis glory and enjoyment as his own hap- 
 piness, that, therefore, a desire of this happiness of his own must 
 needs be the cause and foundation of his love; unless it be strong 
 aro-uing, that because a father begat a son, therefore his son cer- 
 tainly begat him. If after a man loves God, and has his heart so 
 united to him as to look upon God as his chief good, and on God's 
 good as his own, it will be a consequence and fruit of this, that 
 even self-love, or love to his own happiness, will cause him to 
 desire the glorifying and enjoying of God; it will not thence fol- 
 low that this very exercise of self-love went before his love to 
 God, and that his love to God was a consequence and fruit of 
 that. Something else, entirely distinct from self-love, might be 
 the cause of this, viz. a change made in the views of his mind 
 and relish of his heart, whereby he apprehends a beauty, glory, 
 and supreme good in God's nature as it is in itself. This may be 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 181 
 
 the thing that first draw s his heart to him, and causes his heart to 
 be united to him, prior to all considerations of his own interest or 
 happiness, although after this, and as a fruit of this, he necessarily 
 seeks his interest and happiness in God. 
 
 There is such a thing as a kind of love or affection that a man 
 may have towards persons or things, which does properly arise 
 from self-love; a preconceived relation to himself, or some respect 
 already manifested by another to him, or some benefit already receiv- 
 ed or depended on, is truly the first foundation of his love, and what 
 his affection does wholly arise from; and is what precedes any 
 relish of, or delight in, the nature and qualities inherent in the 
 being beloved, as beautiful and amiable. When the first thing 
 that draws a man's benevolence to another, is the beholding those 
 qualifications and properties in him, which appear to him lovely 
 in themselves; and the subject of them, on this account, worthy 
 of esteem and good will, love arises in a very different manner, 
 than when it first arises from some gift bestowed by another or 
 depended on from him, as a judge loves and favours a man that 
 has bribed him; or from the relation he supposes another has to 
 him, as a man who loves another, because he looks upon him as 
 his child. When love to another arises thus, it does truly and 
 properly arise from self-love. 
 
 That kind of affection to God or Jesus Christ, which does thus 
 properly arise from self-love, can not be a truly gracious and spi- 
 ritual love, as appears from what has been said already: for self- 
 love is a principle entirely natural, and as much in the hearts of 
 devils as angels; and therefore surely nothing that is the mere re- 
 sult of it can be supernatural and divine, in the manner before 
 described.! Christ plainly speaks of this kind of love, as what 
 is nothing beyond the love of w icked men, Luke vi. S2. " If ye 
 love them that love you, what thank have ye? For sinners also 
 love those that love them." And the devil himself knew that 
 that kind of respect to God which was so mercenary, as to be only 
 
 •}■ "There is a natural love 'o Clirist, as to one ihat doih thee good, and 
 for thine own ends; and spiritual, T r iiimself, wliereby the Lord only is ex» 
 altecl." Shepard's Parable tif the Ten Virgins, P, I, p. ^5. 
 Z 
 
182 SECOND SIGN OF 
 
 for benefits received or depended on (which is all one) is worth- 
 less in the sight of God; otherwise he never would have made 
 use of such a slander before God, against Job, as in Job i, 9, 10; 
 " Doth Job serve God for nought? Hast not thou made an hedge 
 about him, and about his house," &c. Nor would God ever have 
 implicilly allowed the objection to have been good, in case the 
 accusation had been true, by allowing that that matter should be 
 tried, and that Job should be so dealt with, that it might appear 
 in the event whether Job's respect to God was thus mercenary or 
 not, and by putting the proof of the sincerity and goodngss of his 
 respect upon that issUe. 
 
 It is unreasonable to think otherwise, than that the first foun- 
 dation of a true love to God, is that whereby he is in himself 
 lovely, or worthy to be loved, or the supreme loveliness of his 
 nature. This is certainly what makes him chiefly amiable. What 
 chiefly makes a man or any creature lovely, is his excellency; 
 and so what chiefly renders God lovely, and must undoubtedly be 
 the chief ground of true love, is his excellency. God's nature, or 
 the divinit}', is infinitely excellent; yea it is infinite beauty, bright- 
 ness, and glory itself. But how can that be true love of this 'ex- 
 cellent and lovely nature, which is not built on the foundation of 
 its true loveliness? How can tliat be true love of beauty and 
 brightness, which is not for beauty and brightness' sake? How 
 can that be a true prizing of that which is in itself infinitely wor- 
 thy and precious, which is not for the sake of its worthiness and 
 preciousness? This infinite excellency of the divine nature, as it 
 is in itself, is the true ground of" all that is good in God in any 
 respect; but how can a man truly and rightly love God, without 
 loving him for that excellency in him, which is the foundation of 
 all that is in any manner of respect good or desirable in him? 
 They whose affection to Grod is founded first on his profitableness 
 to them, their affection begins at the wrong end; they regard God 
 only for the utmost limit of the stream of divine good, where it 
 touches them, and reaches their interest; and have no respect to 
 that infinite glory of God's nature^ which is the original good, 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 183 
 
 and the true fountain of all good, the first fountain of all loveli- 
 ness of every kind, and so the first foundation of all true love. 
 
 A natural principle of self-love may be the foundation of great 
 affections towards God and Christ, without seeing any thing of 
 the beauty and glory of the divine nature. There is a certain 
 gratitude that is a mere natural thing. Gratitude is one of the 
 natural affections of the soul of man, as well as anger; and there 
 is a gratitude that arises from self-love, very much in the same 
 manner as anger does. Anger in men is an affection excited 
 against another, or in opposition to another, for something in him 
 that crosses self-love. Gratitude is an affection one has towards 
 another, for loving him, or gratifying him, or for something in him 
 that suits self-love. And there may be a kind of gratitude, with- 
 out any true or proper love; as there may be anger with- 
 out any proper hatred, as in parents towards their children, that 
 they may be angry with, and yet at the same time have a strong 
 habitual love to them. This gratitude is a principle which is an 
 exercise in wicked men, in that which Christ declares concerning 
 them, in Luke vi. where he says, sinners love those that love 
 them; and which he declares concerning even the publicans, who 
 were some of the most carnal and profligate sort of men, Mat. v. 
 46. This is the very principle that is wrought upon by bribery 
 in unjust judges; and it is a principle that even the brute beasts 
 do exercise; a dog will love his master that is kind to him. And 
 we see in innumerable instances, that mere nature is sufficient to 
 excite gratitude in men, or affect their hearts with thankfulness 
 to others for kindnesses received ; and sometimes towards them 
 whom at the same time they have an habitual enmity against. 
 Thus Saul was once and again greatly affected, and even dissolv- 
 ed with gratitude towards David for sparing his life, and yet re- 
 mained an habitual enemy to him. And as men from mere na- 
 ture may be thus affected towards men, so they may towards God. 
 There is nothing hinders but that the same self-love may work 
 after the same manner towards God as towards men. And we 
 have manifest instances of it in scripture; as indeed the children 
 of Israel, who sang God's praises at the Red Sea, but soon forgot 
 
184 SECOND SIGN OF 
 
 God's works: and in Naaman the Syrian, who was greatly ai- 
 lected with the miraculous cure of his leprosy, so as to have his 
 heart engaged thenceforward to Avorship the God that had healed 
 him, and him only, excepting Avhen it would expose him to be ru- 
 ined in his temporal interest. So was Nebuchadnezzar greatly 
 affected with God's goodness to him, in restoring him to his rea- 
 son and kingdom, after his dwelling with the beasts. 
 
 Gratitude being thus a natural principle, it renders ingratitude 
 so much the more vile and heinous; because it shows a dreadful 
 prevalence of wickedness, when it even overbears and suppresses 
 the better principles of human nature: As it is mentioned as an 
 evidence of the high degree of the wickedness of many of the hea- 
 then, that they were without natural affection, Rom. ii. 31. But 
 that the want of gratitude, or natural affection, is evidence of a 
 high degree of vice, is no argument that all gratitude and natural 
 affection has the nature of virtue or saving grace. 
 
 Self-love, through the exercise of mere natural gratitude, may 
 be the foundation of a sort of love to God many ways. A kind 
 of love may arise from a false notion of God, that men have been 
 educated in, or have some way imbibed; as though he were only 
 goodness and mercy^ and not revenging justice; or as though the 
 exercises of his goodness were necessary, and not free and sove- 
 reign; or as though his goodness were dependent on what is in 
 them, and as it were constrained by them. Men on such grounds 
 as these^may love a God of their own forming in their imagina- 
 tions, when they are far from loving such a God as reigns in 
 heaven. 
 
 Again, self-love may be the foundation of an affection in men 
 towards God, through a great insensibility of their state with re- 
 jrard to God, and for want of conviction of conscience to make 
 them sensible how dreadfully they have provoked God to anger; 
 they have no sense of the heinousness of sin, as against God, 
 and of the infinite and terrible opposition of the holy nature of 
 God against it: and so, having formed in their minds such a God 
 / as suits them, and thinking God to be such a one as themselves^ 
 who favours and agrees with them, they may like him very well, 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 185 
 
 » 
 
 and feel a sort of love to him, when they are far from loving the 
 true God. And mens affections may be much moved towards 
 God from self-love, by some remarkable outward benefits received 
 from God, as it was with Naaman, Nebuchadnezzai'j and the 
 children of Israel at the Red Sea. 
 
 Again, a very high affection towards God may and often does 
 arise in men, from an opinion of the favour and love of God to 
 them, as the first foundation of their love to him. After awaken- 
 ings and distress, through fears of hell, they may suddenly get a 
 notion, through some impression on their imagination, or imme- 
 diate suggestion, with or without texts of scripture, or by some 
 other means, that God loves them and has forgiven their sins, and 
 made them his children; and this is the first thing that causes 
 their affections to flow towards God and Jesus Christ: and then, 
 after this and upon this foundation, many things in God may ap- 
 pear lovely to them, and Christ may seem excellent. And if such 
 persons are asked whether God appears lovely and amiable in him- 
 self ? they would perhaps readily answer, Yes; when indeed, if 
 this matter be strictly examined, this good opinion of God was pur- 
 chased and paid for before ever they afforded it, in the distinguish- 
 ing and infinite benefits they imagined they received from God: 
 and they allow God to be lovely in himself no otherwise than that 
 he has forgiven them, and accepted them, and loves them above 
 most in the world, and has engaged to improve all his infinite pow- 
 er and wisdom in prefering, dignifying and exalting them, and 
 will do for them just as they would have him. When once they 
 are firm in this apprehension, it is easy to own God and Christ 
 to be lovely and glorious, and to admire and to extol them. It is 
 easy for them to own Christ to be a lovely person, and the best 
 in the world, when they are first firm In it, that he, though Lord 
 of the universe Is captivated with love to them, and has his hearl 
 swallowed up in them, and prizes them far beyond most of their 
 neighbours, and loved them from eternity, and died for them, and 
 will make them reign in eternal glory with him in heaven. When 
 this is the case with carnal men, their very lusts will make him 
 seem lovely: pride itself will prejudice them in favour of that which 
 
186 SECOND SIGN OP ' 
 
 they call Christ: selfish, proud man naturally calls that lovely that 
 greatly contributes to his interest, and gratifies his ambition. 
 
 And as this sort of persons begin, so they go on. Their affec- 
 tions are raised from time to time, primarily on this foundation of 
 self-love and a conceit of God's love to them. Many have a false 
 notion of communion with God, as though it were carried on by 
 impulses, and whispers, and external representations immediately 
 made to their imagination. These things they often have, which 
 they take to be manifestations of God's great love to them, and 
 evidences of their high exaltation above others of mankind, and 
 so their affections are often renewedly set a going. 
 ♦ Whereas the exercises of true and holy love in the saints arise 
 in another way. They do not first see that God loves them, and 
 then see that he is lovely, but they first see that God is lovely, and 
 that Christ is excellent and glorious, and their hearts are first cap- 
 tivated with this view, and the exercises of their love are wont 
 from time to time to begin here, and to arise primarily from these 
 views, and then, consequentially, they see God's love and great 
 favour to them.f The saint's affections begin with God, and self- 
 love has a hand in these affections consequentially and seconda- 
 rily only. On the contrary, those false affections begin with self, 
 and an acknowledgment of an excellency in God, and an affect- 
 edness with it, is only consequential and dependent. In the love 
 of the true saint God is the lowest foundation; the love of the ex- 
 cellency of his nature is the foundation of all the affections which 
 come afterwards, wherein self-love is concerned as a handmaid: 
 on the contrary, the hypocrite lays himself at the bottom of all, 
 as the first foundation, and lays on God as the superstructure, and 
 even his acknowledgment of God's glory itself depends onhis re- 
 gard to his private interest. 
 
 Self-love may not only influence men, so as to cause them to 
 be affected with God's kindness to them separately; but also 
 
 f " There is a seeing of Christ after a man beheves, which is Christ in his 
 love, SiC. But 1 speak of that first sig'ht of liim that precedes the second act 
 of faith; and it is an intuitive, or real sight of him as he is in his glory." 
 SheparcTs Par. of the Ten Virgins, Part, I. p. 74. 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS, 187 
 
 with God^ kindness to them as parts of a community: as a na- 
 tural principle of self-love, without any other principle, may be 
 suthcient to make a man concerned for the interest of the na- 
 tion to which he belongs: as, for instance, in the present war, 
 self love may make natural men rejoice at the successes of our 
 nation, and sorry for their disadvantages, they being concerned as 
 members of the body. So the same natural principle may ex- 
 tend further, and even to the world of mankind, and might be af- 
 fected with the benefits the inhabitants of the earth have, beyond 
 those of the inhabitants of other planets, if we knew that such 
 there were, and how it was with them. So this principle may 
 cause men to be affected with the benefits that mankind have re- 
 ceived beyond the fallen angels. And hence men from this prin- 
 ciple may be much affected with the wonderful goodness of God 
 to mankind, his great goodness in giving his Son to die for fallen 
 man, and the marvellous love of Christ in suffering such great 
 things for us, and with the great glory they hear God has provi- 
 ded in heaven for us; looking on themselves as persons concerned 
 and interested, as being some of this species of creatures so high- 
 ly favoured. The same principle of natural gratitude may influ- 
 ence men here, as in the case of personal benefits. 
 
 But these things that I have said do by no means imply, that 
 all gratitude to God is a mere natural thing, and that there is no such 
 thing as a spiritual gratitude, which is a holy and divine affection. 
 They imply no more than that there is a gratitude that is merely na- 
 tural, and that when persons have affections toward God only or pri- 
 marily for benefits received, their affection is only the exercise of a 
 natural gratitude. There is doubtless such a thing as a gracious 
 gratitude, which does greatly differ from all that gratitude which 
 natural men experience. It differs in the following respects: 
 
 1. True gratitude or thankfulness to God for his kindness to us, 
 arises from a foundation laid before, of love to God for what he 
 is in himself; whereas a natural gratitude has no such antecedent 
 foundation. The gracious stirrings of grateful affection to God, 
 for kindness received, always are from a stock of love already in 
 the heart, established in the first place on other grounds, viz. 
 
188 SECOND SIGN OF 
 
 flow out on occasions of God's kindness. The saint, having seen 
 the glory of God, and his heart being overcome by it, and capti- 
 vated with love to him on that account, his heart hereby becomes 
 tender, and easily affected with kindnesses received. If a man 
 has no love to another, yet gratitude may be moved by some ex- 
 traordinary kindness, as in Saul towards David: but this is not 
 the same kind of thing as a man's gratitude to a dear friend, 
 that his heart was before possessed with a high esteem of, and 
 love to; whose heart by this means became tender towards him, 
 and more easily affected with gratitude, and affected in another 
 manner. Self-love is not excluded from a gracious gratitude; the 
 saints love God for his kindness to them, Psal. cxvi. 1, " I love 
 the Lord, because he hath heard the voice of my supplication." 
 But something else is included; and another love prepares the 
 way and lays the foundation for these grateful affections. 
 
 2. In a gracious gratitude men are affected with the attribute 
 of God's goodness and free grace, not only as they are concerned 
 in it, or as it affects their interest, but as a part of the glory 
 and beauty of God's nature. That wonderful and unparalleled 
 grace of God, which is manifested in the work of redemption, and 
 shines forth in the face of Jesus Christ, is infinitely glorious in 
 itself, and appears so to the angels; it is a great part of the moral 
 perfection and beauty of God's nature. This would be glorious, 
 whether it were exercised towards us or not; and the saint who 
 exercises a gracious thankfulness for it, sees it to be so, and de- 
 lights in it as such: though his concern in it serves the more to 
 engage his mind and raise the attention and affection; and self- 
 love here assists as a handmaid, being subservient to higher 
 principles, to lead forth the mind to the view and contemplation, 
 and engage and fix the attention, and heighten the joy and love: 
 God's kindness to them is a glass that God sets before them, 
 wherein to behold the beauty of the attribute of God's goodness. 
 The exercises and displays of this attribute, by this means are 
 brought near to them, and set right before them. So that in a 
 holy thankfulness to God, the concern our interest has in God's 
 goodness is not the first foundation of our being affected with it; 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 189 
 
 that was laid in the heart before, in that stock of love ■which was 
 to God for his excellency in himself, that makes the heart tender 
 and susceptive of such impressions from his goodness to us. Nor is 
 our own interest, or the benefits we have received, the only or the 
 chief objective ground of the present exercises of the affection, 
 but God's goodness as part of the beauty of his nature; although 
 the manifestations of that lovely attribute, set immediately before 
 our eyes, in the exercises of it for us, be the special occasion of 
 the mind's attention to that beauty at that time, and serves to fix 
 the attention and heighten the affection. 
 
 Some may perhaps be ready to object against the whole that 
 has been said, that text, 1 John iv. 1 9, " We love him because 
 he first loved us," as though this implied that God's love to the 
 true saints were the first foundation of their love to him. 
 
 In answer to this I would observe that the apostle's drift in 
 these words is to magnify the love of God to us from hence, that 
 he loved us, while we had no love to him; as will be manifest to 
 any one who compares this verse and the two following with the 
 9th, 10th and 11th verses. And that God loved us when we had 
 no love to him, the apostle proves by this argument, that God's 
 love to the elect is the ground of their love to him. And that it is 
 three ways: — 1. The saints' love to God is the fruj^- of God's love 
 to them, as it is the gift of that love. God gave them a spirit of 
 love to him because he loved them from eternity. And in this 
 respect God's love to the elect is the first foundation of their love to 
 him, as it is the foundation of their regeneration, and the whole 
 of their redemption. 2. The exercises and discoveries that God 
 has made in his wonderful love to sinful men, by Jesus Christ in 
 the work of redemption, is one of the chief manifestations which 
 God has made of the glory of his moral perfection to both angels 
 and men; and so is one main objective ground of the love of both 
 to God; in a good consistence with what was said before. 3. God's 
 love to a particular elect person, discovered by his conversion, is 
 a great manifestation of God's moral perfection and glory to him, 
 and a proper occasion of the excitation of the love of holy grati- 
 tude, agreeable to what was before said. And that the saints do 
 
 9 4 
 
190 SECOND SIGN OF 
 
 in these respects love God, because lie first loved them, fully an- 
 swers the design of the apostle's argument in that place. So that 
 no good argument can be drawn from hence against a spiritual 
 and gracious love in the saints, arising primarily from the excel- 
 lency of divine things as they are in themselves, and not from any 
 conceived relation they bear to their interest. 
 
 And as it is with the love of the saints, so it is with their joy 
 and spiritual delight and pleasure; the first foundation of it is not 
 any consideration or conception of their interest in divine things; 
 but it primarily consists in the sweet entertainment their minds 
 have in the view or contemplation of the divine and holy beauty of 
 these things, as they are in themselves. And this is indeed the 
 verv main difference between the joy of the hypoorite and the 
 joy of the true saint. The former rejoices in himself; self is the 
 first foundation of his joy: the latter rejoices in God. The hypo- 
 crite has his mind pleased and delighted, in the first place, with 
 his own privilege, and the happiness which he supposes he ha» 
 attained to, or shall attain to. True saints have their minds, in 
 the first place, inexpressibly pleased and delighted with the sweet 
 ideas of the glorious and amiable nature of the things of God. 
 And this in the spring of all their delights, and the cream of all 
 their pleasures: it is the joy of their joy. This sweet and ravishing 
 entertainment they have in the view of the beautiful and delightful 
 nature of divine things, is the foundation of the joy that they have 
 afterwards, in the consideration of their being theirs. But the 
 dependence of the affections of hypocrites is in a contrary order: 
 they first rejoice and are elevated with it, that tliey are made so 
 much of by God; and then on that ground he seems, in a sort, 
 lovely to them. 
 
 The first foundation of the delight a true saint has in God, is 
 his own perfection, and the first foundation of the delight he has 
 in Christ is his own beauty; he appears in himself the chief 
 among ten thousand, and altogether lovely. The* ^vay of salva- 
 tion by Christ is a delightful way to him, for the sweet and ad- 
 mirable manifestations of the divine perfections in it: the holy 
 doctrines of the gospel by which God is exalted and man abased, 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 191 
 
 holiness honoured and promoted, and sin greatly disgraced and 
 discouraged, and free and sovereign love manifested, are glorious 
 doctrines in his eyes, and sweet to his taste, prior to any concep- 
 tion of his interest in these things. Indeed the saints rejoice in 
 their interest in God, and that Christ is theirs; and so they have 
 great reason; but this is not the first spring of their joy. They 
 first rejoice in God as glorious and excellent in himself, and then 
 secondarily rejoice in it, that so glorious a God is theirs. They 
 first have their hearts filled with sweetness, from the view of 
 Christ's excellency, and the excellency of his grace and the beauty 
 of the way of salvation by him, and then they have a secondary 
 joy in that so excellent a Saviour, and such excellent grace are 
 theirs, t But that which is the true saint's superstructure is the 
 hypocrite's foundation. When they hear of the wonderful things 
 of the gospel of God's great love in sending his Son, of Christ's 
 dying love to sinners, and the great things Christ has purchased 
 and promised to the saints, and hear these things livelily and elo- 
 quently set forth, they may hear ^vith a great deal of pleasure, and 
 be lifted up with what they hear; but if their joy be examined, it 
 will be found to have no other foundation than this, that they 
 look upon these things as theirs, all this exalts them, they love to 
 hear of the great love of Christ, so vastly distinguishing some 
 from others; for self-love, and even pride itself makes them af- 
 fect great distinction from others. No wonder, in this confident 
 opinion of their ovvn good estate, that they feel well under such 
 doctrine, and are pleased in the highest degree, in hearing how 
 much God and Christ makes of them. So that their joy is reallv 
 a joy in themselves, and not in God. 
 
 •}■ Dr. Owen on the Spirit, p. 199, speaking of a common work of the Spi- 
 rit, says, " The effects oftliis work on the mind, which is the first subject 
 afi'ected with it, proceeds not so far as to give delight, complacency and sa- 
 tisfaction, in the lovely spiritual nature and excellency of the things reveal- 
 ed unto it. The true nature of saving illumination consists in this, that it 
 gives the mind such a direct intuitive insight and prospect into spiritual 
 things, as that in their own spiritual nature they suit, please, and satisfy it; 
 so that it is transformed into them, cast into the mould of them, and rests 
 in them. 
 
 1 , 
 
192 
 
 SECOND SIGN OF 
 
 And because the joy of hypocrites is in themselves, hence it 
 comes to pass that in their rejoicings and elevations, they are 
 wont to keep their eye upon themselves: having received what 
 they call spiritual discoveries or experiences, their minds are 
 taken up about them, admiring their own experiences; and what 
 they are principally taken and elevated with, is not the glory of 
 God, or beauty of Christ, but the beauty of their experiences. 
 They keep thinking with themselves, What a good experience 
 is this! What a great discovery is this! What wonderful things 
 have I met with ! And so they put their experiences in the place 
 of Christ, and his beauty and fulness; and instead of rejoicing 
 in Christ Jesus, they rejoice in their admirable experiences; in- 
 stead of feeding and feasting their souls in the view of what is 
 without them, viz. the innate, sweet refreshing amiableness of 
 th^: things exhibited in the gospel, their eyes are off from these 
 things, or at least they view them only as it were sideways; but 
 the object that fixes their contemplation, is their experience; and 
 they are feeding their souls, and feasting a selfish principle, with 
 a vicAv of their discoveries: they take more comfort in their dis- 
 coveries than in Christ discovered, which is the true notion of 
 living upon experiences and frames, and not a using experiences 
 as the signs on which they rely for evidence of their good estate, 
 which some call living on experiences; though it be very ob- 
 servable, that some of them who do so are most notorious for 
 living upon experiences, according to the true notion of it. 
 
 The affections of hypocrites are very often after this manner; 
 they are first much affected with some impression on their ima- 
 gination, or some impulse which they take to be an immediate 
 suggestion or testimony from God of his love and their happiness, 
 and high privileges in some respect, either with or without a text 
 of scripture; they are mightily taken with this as a great disco- 
 very, and hence arise high affections. And when their affections 
 are raised, then they view those high affections, and call them 
 great and wonderful experiences; and they have a notion that God 
 is greatly pleased with those affections; and this affects them more; 
 and so they are affected with their affections. And thus their af- 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 193 
 
 fections rise higher and higher, until they sometimes are perfectly 
 swallowed up: and self-conceit, and a fierce zeal rises withal; 
 and all is built like a castle in the air, on no othei' foundation but 
 imagination, self-love and pride. 
 
 And as the thoughts of this sort of persons are, so is their talk; 
 for out of the abundance of their heart their mouth speaketh. As 
 in their high affections they keep their eye upon the beauty of their 
 experiences, and greatness of their attainments; so they are great 
 talkers about themselves. The true saint, when under great spi- 
 ritual affections, from the fulness of his heart, is ready to be speak- 
 ing much of God and his glorious perfections and works, and of 
 the beauty and amiableness of Christ, and the glorious things of 
 the gospel: but hypocrites, in their high affections, talk more of 
 the discovery than they do of the thing discovered; they are full 
 of talk about the great things they have met with, the wonderful 
 discoveries they have had, how sure they are of the love of God 
 to them, how safe their condition is, and how they know they shall 
 go to heaven, &c. 
 
 A true saint, when in the enjoyment of true discoveries of the 
 sweet glory of God and Christ, has his mind too much captivated 
 and engaged by what he views without himself, to stand at that 
 time to view himself and his own attainments. It would be a di- 
 version and loss which he could not bear, to take his eye off from 
 the ravishing object of his contemplation, to survey his own ex- 
 perience, and to spend time in thinking with himself, what a high 
 attainment this is, and what a good story I now have to tell others. 
 Nor does the pleasure and sweetness of his mind at that time 
 chiefly arise from the consideration of the safety of his state, or 
 any thing he has in view of his own qualifications, experiences, 
 or circumstances; but from the divine and supreme beauty of what 
 is the object of his direct view, without himself; which sweetly 
 entertains and strongly holds his mind. 
 
 As the love and joy of hypocrites are all from the source of 
 self-love; so it is with their other affections, their sorrow for sin, 
 their humiliation and submission, their religious desires and zeal: 
 
194 THIRD SIGN OF 
 
 every thing is, as it were, paid for beforehand, in God's highly 
 gratifying their self-love and their lusts, by making so much of 
 them, and exalting them so highly, as things are in their imagin- 
 ation. It is easy for nature, as corrupt as it is, under a notion of 
 being already some of the liighest favourites of heaven, and having 
 a God who does so protect them and favour them in their sins, to 
 love this imaginary God that suits them so well, and to extol him, 
 and submit to him, and to be fierce and zealous for him. The 
 high affections of many are all built on the supposition of their 
 being eminent saints. If that opinion which they have of them- 
 selves were taken away, if they thought they were some of the 
 lower form of saints (though they should yet suppose themselves 
 to be real saints) their high affections would fall to the ground. 
 If they only saw a little of the sinfulness and vileness of their OAvn 
 hearts, and their deformity in the midst of their best duties and 
 their best affections, it would knock their affections on the head; 
 . because their affections are built upon self, therefore self-know- 
 ledge would destroy them. But as to truly gracious affections, 
 they are built elsewhere; they have their foundation out of self in 
 God and Jesus Christ; and therefore a discovery of themselves, of 
 their own deformity, and the meanness of their experiences, though 
 it will purify their affections, yet it will not destroy them, but in 
 some respects sweeten and heighten them. 
 
 III. Those affections that are truly holy, are primarily founded 
 on the loveliness of the moral excellency of divine things. Or 
 (to express it otherwise) a love to divine things for the beauty and 
 sweetness of their moral excellency, is the first beginning and 
 spring of all holy affections. 
 
 Here, for the sake of the more illiterate reader, I will explain 
 what I mean by the moral excellency of divine things. 
 
 And it may be observed, that the word moral is not to be un- 
 derstood here according to the common and vulgar acceptation of 
 the word, when men speak of morality and a moral behaviour; 
 meaning an outward conformity to the duties of the moral law, 
 and especially the duties of the second table; or intending no more 
 at farthest, than such seeming virtues as proceed from natural 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 195 
 
 principles in opposition to those virtues that are more inward, 
 spiritual, and divine; as the honesty, justice, generosity, good na- 
 ture, and public spirit of many of the heathen are called moral 
 virtues, in distinction from the holy faith, love, humility, and hea- 
 venly mindedness of true Christians: I say, the word moral is not 
 to be understood thus in this place. 
 
 But in order to a right understanding what is meant, it must be 
 observed, that divines commonly make a distinction between mo- 
 ral good and evil, and natural good and evil. By moral evil they 
 mean the evil of sin, or that evil which is against duty, and con- 
 trary to what is right and ought to be. By natural evil they do 
 not mean that evil which is properly opposed to duty; but that 
 which is contrary to mere nature, without any respect to a rule of 
 duty. So the evil of suffering is called natural evil, such as pain 
 and torment, disgrace, and the like. These things are contrary 
 to mere nature, contrary to the nature of both bad and good, hate- 
 ful to wicked men and devils, as well as good men and angels. 
 So likewise natural defects are called n gturaj evil s, as if a child 
 be monstrous, or a natural fool; these are natural evils, but are 
 not moral evils, because they have not properly the nature of the 
 evil of sin. On the other hand, as by moral evil, divines mean 
 the evil of sin, or that which is contrary to what is right; so by 
 moral good, they mean that which is contrary to sin, or that good 
 in beings who have will and choice, whereby, as voluntary agents, 
 they are, and act as it becomes them to be and to act, or so as is 
 most fit and suitable and lovely. By natural good, they mean that 
 good that is entirely of a different kind from holiness or virtue, 
 viz. that which perfects or suits nature, considering nature ab- 
 stractly from any holy or unholy qualifications, and without any 
 relation to any rule or measure of right and wrong. 
 
 Thus pleasure is a natural good; so is honour, so is strength; 
 so is speculative knowledge, human learning, and policy. Thus 
 there is a distinction to be made between the natural good that 
 men are possessed of, and their moral good; and also between the 
 natural and moral good of the angels in heaven. The great ca- 
 pacity of their understandings, and their great strength, and the 
 
196 THIRD SIGN OF 
 
 honourable circumstances they are in as the great ministers of 
 God's kingdom, whence they are called thrones, dominions, princi- 
 palities, and powers, is the natural good which they are possessed 
 of; but their perfect and glorious holiness and goodness, their pure 
 and flaming love to God, and to the saints and to one another, is 
 their moral good. /So divines make a distinction between the na- 
 tural and moral perfections of God: by the moral perfections of 
 God, they mean those attributes which God exercises as a moral 
 agent, or whereby the heart and will of God are good, rig ht and 
 infinitely becoming and lovely; such as his righteousness, truth, 
 faithfulness, and goodness; or, in one word, his holiness. By 
 God's natural attributes or perfections, they mean those attributes, 
 wherein, according to our way of conceiving of God, consists, not 
 the holiness or moral goodness of God, but his greatness; such as 
 his power, his knowledge, whereby he knows all things, and his 
 being eternal, from everlasting to everlasting, his omnipresence 
 and his awful and terrible majesty. 
 
 The moral excellency of an intelligent voluntary being is more 
 immediately seated in the heart or will of moral agents. That 
 intelligent being, w^hose will is truly right and lovely, is morally 
 good or excellent. 
 
 This moral excellency of an intelligent being, when it is true 
 
 /and real, and not only external, or merely seeming and counter- 
 feit, is holiness. Therefore holiness comprehends all the true 
 moral excellency of intelligent beings: there is no other true vir- 
 tue but real holiness. Holiness comprehends all the true virtue 
 of a good man, his love to God, his gracious love to men, his jus- 
 tice, his charity and bowels of mercies, his gracious meekness 
 and gentleness, and all other true christian virtues that he has, be- 
 long to his holiness. So the holiness of God in the more exten- 
 
 , sive sense of the word, and the sense in which the word is com- 
 monly, if not universally, used concerning God in scripture, is the 
 same with the moral excellency of the divine nature, or his puri- 
 ty and beauty as a moral agent, comprehending all his moral per- 
 fections, his righteousness, faithfulness and goodness. As in ho- 
 ly men, their charity, christian kindness and mercy, belong to 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 197 
 
 their holioess; so the kindness and mercy of God belong to 
 his holiness? Holiness in man is but the image of God's holi- 
 ness. There are not more virtues belonging to the image 
 than are in the original: derived holiness has not more in it than 
 is in that underived holiness which is its fountain: there is no 
 more than grace for grace, or grace in the image, answerable to 
 grace in the original. 
 
 As there are two kinds of attributes in God, according to our 
 way of conceiving of him, his moral attributes, which are sum- 
 med up in his holiness, and his natural attributes of strength, 
 knowledge, &c, that constitute the greatness of God; so there is a 
 twofold image of God in man, his moral or spiritual image, which 
 is his holiness, that is the image of God's moral excellency, which 
 image was lost by the fall, and God's natural image consisting iu 
 man's reason and understanding, his natural ability, and dominion 
 over the creatures, which is the image of God's natural attribute. 
 
 From what has been said, it may easily be understood what I 
 intend when I say that a love to divine things for the beauty of 
 their moral excellency, is the beginning and spring of all holy af- 
 fections. It has been already shown, under the former head, that 
 the first objective ground of all holy affections is the supreme ex- 
 cellency of the divine things as they are in themselves, or in their 
 own nature: I now proceed further, and say more particularly, 
 that that kind of excellency of the nature of divine things, which 
 is the first objective ground of all holy affections, is their moral 
 excellency, or their holiness. Holy persons, in the exercise of 
 holy affections, do love divine things primarily for their holiness: 
 they love God, in the first place, for the beauty of his holiness or 
 moral perfection, as being supremely amiable in itself. Not that 
 the saints in the exercise of gracious affections, do love God only 
 for his holiness; all his attributes are amiable and glorious in their 
 eyes; they delight in every divine perfection; the contemplation 
 of the infinite greatness, power and knowledge, and terrible ma- 
 jesty of God, is pleasant to them. But their love to God for his holi- 
 ness is what is most fundamental and essential in their love. Here 
 it is that true love to God begins; all other holy love to divine things 
 flows from hence: this is the jnost essential and distinguishing 
 
19S ^ ' ■ THIRD S^IGN or | V 
 
 thing that belongs to a holy love to God, with regard to the foun- 
 dation of it. A love to God for the beauty of his moral attributes 
 > leads to, and necessarily causes a delight in God for all his attri- 
 butes; for his moral attributes can not be without his natural attri- 
 butes: for infinite holiness supposes infinite wisdom, and an infinite 
 capacit)' and greatness; and all the attributes of God do as it were 
 imply one another. 
 
 The true beauty and loveliness of all intelligent beings do 
 primarily and most essentially consist in their moral excellency 
 or holiness. Herein consists the loveliness of the angels, with- 
 out which, with all their natural perfections, their strength and 
 their knowledge, they would have no more loveliness than devils. 
 It is a moral excellency alone that is in itself, and on its own ac- 
 count, the excellency of intelligent beings: it is this that gives 
 beauty to, or rather is the beauty of their natural perfections and 
 qualifications. Moral excellency is the excellency of natural ex- 
 cellencies. Natural qualifications are either excellent or other- 
 wise, according as they are joined with moral excellency or not. 
 Strength and knowledge do not render any being lovely without 
 holiness, but more hateful; though they render them more lovely 
 when joined with holiness. Thus the elect angels are more glo- 
 rious for their strength and knowledge, because these natural per- 
 fections of theirs are sanctified by their moral perfection. But 
 though the devils are very strong, and of great natural understand- 
 ing, they are not the more lovely: they are more terrible indeed, 
 but not the more amiable; but on the contrary, the more hateful. 
 The holiness of an intelligent creature, is the beauty of all his 
 natural perfections. And so it is in God, according to our way 
 of conceiving of the divine Being. Holiness is in a peculiar man- 
 ner the beauty of the divine nature. Hence we often read of the 
 beauty of holiness, Psal. xxix. 2, Psal. xcvi. 9, and ex. 3. This 
 I'endei's all his others attributes glorious and lovely. It is the 
 glory of God's wisdom, that it is a holy wisdom, and not a wicked 
 subtilty and craftiness. This makes his majesty lovely; and not 
 merely dreadful and horrible, that it is a holy majesty. It is the 
 glory of God's immutability, that it is a holy immutability, and 
 not an inflexible obstinacy in wickedness. 
 
k 
 
 GRACIOUS AFFECT! bNS. 199 
 
 And therefore it must needs be, that a sight of God's loveli- 
 ness must begin here. A true love to God must begin with a de- 
 light in his holiness, and not with a delight in any other attribute; 
 for no other attribute is truly lovely without this, and no other- 
 VN'ise than as (according to our way of conceiving of God) it de- 
 rives its loveliness from this; and therefore it is impossible that 
 other attributes should appear lovely, in their true loveliness, until 
 this is seen; and it is impossible that any perfection of the divine 
 nature should be loved with true love until this is loved. If the 
 true loveliness of all God's perfections arise from the loveliness 
 of his holiness; then the true love of all his perfections arises from 
 the love of his holiness. They that do not see the glory of God's '•-•-v 
 holiness, can not see any thing of the true glory of his mercy and 
 grace: they see nothing of the glory of those attributes, as any ex- 
 cellency of God's nature, as it is in itself, though they may be af- ^A 
 fected with them, and love them, as they concern their interest; 
 for these attributes are no part of the excellency of God's nature, 
 as that is excellent in itself, any otherwise than as they are in- 
 cluded in his holiness, more largely taken; or as they are a part 
 of his moral perfection. 
 
 As the beauty of the divine nature does primarily consist in 
 God's holiness, so docs the beauty of all divine things. Herein 
 consists the beauty of the saints, that they are saints or holy ones; 
 it is the moral image of God in them, which is their beauty; and 
 that is their holiness. Herein consist the beauty and brightness 
 of the angels in heaven, that they are holy angels, and so not de- 
 vils, Dan. iv. 13, 17, 23, Mat. xxv. 31, Mark viii. 38, Acts x. ,' 
 22, Rev. xiv. 10. Herein consists the beauty of the christian re- 
 ligion; above all other religions, that it is so holy a religion. Here- 
 in consists the excellency of the word of God, that it is so holy, 
 Psal. cxix. 140; " Thy word is very pure, therefore thy servant 
 loveth it;" verse 128, " I esteem all thy precepts concerning 
 all things to be right; and I hate every false way:" verse 138, 
 *' Thy testimonies that thou hast commanded are righteous and 
 very faithful." And 172, "My tongue shall speak of thy word; 
 for all thy commandments are righteousness :" and Psal. xix. 
 
200 THIRD SIGN OF 
 
 7 — 10, " The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; 
 the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The 
 statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the com- 
 mandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The 
 fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever: the judgments of the 
 Lord are true, and righteous altogether; more to be desired are they 
 than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and 
 the honey comb." Herein does primarily consist the amiableness 
 and beauty of the Lord Jesus, whereby he is the chief among ten 
 thousands, and altogether lovely, even in that he is the holy one 
 of God, Acts iii. 14, and God's holy child. Acts iv. 27, and he 
 that is holy, and he that is true, Rev. iii. 7. All the spiritual 
 beauty of his human nature consisting in his meekness, lowliness, 
 patience, heavenliness, love to God, love to men, condescension 
 to the mean and vile, and compassion to the miserable, &c. all is 
 summed up in his holiness. And the beauty of his divine nature, 
 of which the beauty of his human nature is the image and reflec- 
 tion, does also primarily consist in his holiness. Herein primari- 
 ly consists the glory of the gospel, that it is a holy gospel, and so 
 bright fin emanation of the holy beauty of God and Jesus Christ. 
 Herein consists the spiritual beauty of its doctrines, that they are 
 holy doctrines, or doctrines according to godliness. And herein 
 does consist the spiritual beauty of the way of salvation by Jesus 
 Christ, that it is so holy a way. And herein chiefly consists the 
 glory of heaven, that it is the holy city, the holy Jerusalem, the 
 habitation of God's holiness, and so of his glory, Isa. Ixiii, 
 15. All the beauties of the new Jerusalem, as it is described 
 in the two last chapters of Revelation, are but various represen- 
 tations of this. See chap. xxi. 2, 10, 11, 18, 21, 27, chap. xxii. 
 
 And therefore it is primarily on account of this kind of ex- 
 cellency, that the saints do love all these things. Thus they love 
 the word of God, because it is very pure. It is on this account 
 they love the saints; and on this account chiefly it is, that heaven 
 is lovely to them, and those holy tabernacles of God amiable in 
 their eyes. It is on this account that they love God; and on this 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 201 
 
 account primarily it is, that they love Christ, and that their hearts 
 delight in the doctrines of the gospel, and sweetly acquiesce in 
 the way of salvation therein revealed. f 
 
 Under the head of the first distinguishing characteristic of gra- 
 cious affection, I observed, that there Is given to those that are re- 
 generated, a new supernatural. sfinse, that is as it were a certain di- 
 vine spiritual taste, which is, in its whole nature, diverse from 
 any former kinds of sensation of the mind, as tasting is diverse 
 from any of the other five senses, and that something Is perceived 
 by a true saint in the exercise of this new sense of mind, in spi- 
 ritual and divine things, as entirely different from any thing that 
 is perceived in them by natural men, as the sweet taste of honey 
 is diverse from the ideas men get of honey by looking on it or 
 feeling it. Now this that I have been speaking, viz. the beauty 
 of holiness, is that thing in spiritual and divine things, which Is 
 perceived by this spiritual sense, that Is so diverse from all that 
 natural men perceive in them; this kind of beauty is the quality 
 that is the immediate object of this spiritual sense; this is the 
 sweetness that is the proper object of this spiritual taste. The 
 scripture often represents the beauty and sweetness of holiness as 
 the grand object of a spiritual taste and spiritual appetite. This 
 was the sweet food of the holy soul of Jesus Christ, John iv. 
 32, 34. " I have meat to eat that ye know not of. My meat is 
 to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work." I 
 know of no part of the holy scriptures, where the nature and evi- 
 
 f " To the right closing with Clirist's person, this is also required, to state 
 the bitterness of sin, as the greatest evil: else a mnn will never close with 
 Christ, for his hohness in him, and from him, as the greatest good. For 
 we told you, that that is the right closing with Christ for himself, when it is 
 for his holiness. For ask a whorish heart, what beauty he sees in the per- 
 son of Christ; he will, after he has looked over his kingdom, his righteous- 
 ness, and all his works, see a beauty in them, because they do serve his 
 turn, to comfort him only. Ask a virgin heart, he will see his happiness in all; 
 but that which makes the Lord amiable is his holiness, which is in him to 
 make him holy too. As in marriage, it is the personal beauty draws the 
 heart. And hence I have thought it reason, that he that loves the bre- 
 thren for a little grace, will love Christ much more. Shepard's Parable, 
 Part I, p. 84. 
 
\ I 
 
 302 THIRD SIGN OP 
 
 dences of true and sincere godliness are so much of set pur- 
 pose and so fully and largely insisted on and delineated, as the 
 i 119th Psalm; the psalmist declares his design in the first verses 
 of the Psalm, and he keeps his eye on this design all along, and 
 pursues it to the end. But in this Psalm the excellency of holi- 
 ness is represented as the immediate object of a spiritual taste, 
 
 . relish, appetite, and delight of God's law, that grand expression 
 and emanation of the holiness of God's nature, and prescription 
 of holiness to the creature, is ^11 along represented as the food 
 and entertainment, and as the great object of the love, the appe- 
 tite, the complacence and rejoicing of the gracious nature, which 
 prizes God's commandments above gold, yea, the finest gold, and 
 to which they are sweeter than the honey and honey comb; and 
 that upon account of their holiness, as I observed before. The same 
 psalmist declares, that this is the sweetness that a spiritual taste 
 relishes in God's law, Psal. xix. 7, 8, 9, 10. " The law of the 
 Lord is perfect: the commandment of the Lord is pure: the fear 
 of the Lord is clean: the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing 
 the heart: the judgments of the Lord are true, and righteous al- 
 together; more to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much 
 fine gold; sweeter also than honey, and the honey comb." 
 
 A holy love has a holy object. The holiness of love consists 
 especially in this, that it is the love of that which is holy, as holy, 
 
 - or for its holiness, so that it is the holiness of the object, which 
 is the quality whereon it fixes and terminates. An holy nature 
 must needs love that in holy things chiefly which is most agree- 
 able to itself; but surely that in divine things, which above all 
 others is agreeable to a holy nature is holiness, because holiness 
 must be above all other things agreeable to holiness; for nothing 
 can be more agreeable to any nature than itself; holy nature must 
 be above all things agreeable to holy nature: and so the holy na- 
 ture of God and Christ, and the word of God, and other divine 
 things, must be above all other things agreeable to the holy na- 
 ture that is in the saints. 
 
 And again, a holy nature doubtless loves holy things, especi- 
 ally on the account of that for which sinful nature has enmity 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 203 
 
 against them: but that for which chiefly sinful nature is at enmity 
 against holy things is their holiness; it is for this that the carnal 
 mind is at enmity against God, and against the law of God, and 
 the people of God. Now it is just arguing from contraries, from 
 contrary causes to contrary effects; from opposite natures to oppo- 
 site tendencies. We know that holiness is of a directly contrary 
 nature to wickedness; as, therefore, it is the nature of wickedness 
 chiefly to oppose and hate holiness, so it must be the nature of 
 holiness chiefly to tend to and delight in holiness. 
 
 The holy nature in the saints and angels in heaven (where the 
 true tendency of it best appears) is principally engaged by the 
 holiness of divine things. This is the divine beauty which chief- 
 ly'engages the attention, admiration, and praise of the bright and 
 burning seraphim; Isa. vi. 3, " One cried unto another, and 
 said. Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is 
 full of his glory." And Rev. iv. 8; " They rest not day and 
 night, saying. Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, 
 and is, and is to come." So the glorified saints, chap. xv. 4; 
 " Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? For 
 thou only art holy." 
 
 And the scriptures represent the saints on earth as adoring God 
 primarily on this account, and admiring and extolling all God's 
 attributes, either as deriving loveliness from his holiness or as be- 
 ing a part of it. Thus when they praise God for his power, his 
 holiness is the beauty that engages them. Psal. xcviii. 1, "0 
 sing unto the Lord a new song, for he hath done marvellous things: 
 his right hand, and his holy arm hath gotten him the victory." 
 So when they praise him for his justice and terrible majesty, 
 Psal. xcix. 2, 3, " The Lord is great in Zion, and he is high 
 above all people. Let them praise thy great and terrible name; 
 for it is holy:" ver. 5, " Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship 
 at his footstool; for he is holy:" ver. 8, 9, " Thou wast a God 
 that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inven- 
 tions. Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship at his holy hill; 
 for the Lord our God is holy." So when they praise God for 
 his mercy and faithfulness^ Psal. ?i;cvii. 11, 12, " Light is sown 
 
204 THIRD SIGN OF 
 
 for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. Rejoice 
 in the Lord ye righteous, and give thanks at the remembrance of 
 his hohness," 1 Sam. ii. 2, " There is none holy as the Lord; 
 for there is none besides thee; neither is there any rock like our 
 God." 
 
 By this, therefore, all may try their affections, and particularly 
 their love and joy. Various kinds of creatures show the differ- 
 ence of their natures, very much in the different things they re- 
 lish as their proper good, one delighting in that which another 
 abhors. Such a difference is there between true saints and na- 
 tural men: natural men have no sense of the goodness and excel- 
 lency of holy things, at least for their holiness; they have no taste 
 for that kind of good; and so may be said not to know that divine 
 good, or not to see it; it is wholly hid from them; but the saints, 
 by the mighty power of God, have it discovered to them; they 
 have that supernatural, most noble and divine sense given them, 
 by which they perceive it; and it is this that captivates their 
 hearts and delights them above all things; it is the most amiable 
 and sweet thing to the heart of a true saint that is to be found in 
 heaven or earth; that which above all others attracts and engages 
 his soul, and that wherein, above all things, he places his happi- 
 ness, and which he lots upon for solace and entertainment to his 
 mind in this world, and full satisfaction and blessedness in another. 
 By this you may examine your love to God, and to Jesus Christ, 
 and to the word of God, and your joy in them, and also your love 
 to the people of God, and your desires after heaven; whether they 
 be from a supreme delight in this sort of beauty, without being 
 primarily moved from your imagined interest in them or expecta- 
 tions from them. There are many high affections, great seeming 
 love and rapturous joys which have nothing of this holy relish be- 
 longing to them. 
 
 Particularly by what has been said you may try your disco- 
 veries of the glory of God's grace and love and your affections 
 arising from them. The grace of God may appear lovely two 
 ways, either as bonum utile^ a profitable good to me, that which 
 greatly serves my interest, and so suits my self-love, or as bonutn 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 205 
 
 formosum^ a beautiful good in itself, and part of the moral and 
 spiritual excellency of the divine nature. In this latter respect 
 it is that the true saints have their hearts affected, and love cap- 
 tivated by the free grace of God in the first place. 
 
 From the things that have been said it appears that if persons 
 have a great sense of the natural perfections of God, and are great- 
 ly affected with them, or have any other sight or sense of God 
 than that which consists in, or implies a sense of the beauty of his 
 moral perfections, it is no certain sign of grace; as particularly 
 mens having a great sense of the awful greatness and terrible 
 majesty of God; for this is only God's natural perfection, and 
 what men may see and yet be entirely blind to the beauty of his 
 moral perfection, and have nothing of that spiritual taste which 
 relishes this divine sweetness. 
 
 It has been shown already in what was said upon the first dis- 
 tinguishing mark of gracious affections, that that which is spiritual 
 is entirely different in its nature from all that it is possible any 
 graceless person should be the subject of while he continues grace- 
 less. But it is possible that those who are wholly without grace 
 should have a clear sight and very great and affecting sense of 
 God's greatness, his mighty power, and awful majesty; for this 
 is what the devils have, though they have lost the spiritual know- 
 ledge of God, consisting in a sense of the amiableness of his mo- 
 ral perfections; they are perfectly destitute of any sense or relish 
 of that kind of beauty, yet they have a very great knowledge of 
 the natural glory of God (if I may so speak) or his awful great- 
 ness and majesty; this they behold and are affected with the ap- 
 prehensions of, and therefore tremble before him. This glory of 
 God all shall behold at the day of judgment; God will make all 
 rational beings to behold it to a great degree indeed, angels and 
 devils, saints and sinners: Christ will manifest his infinite great- 
 ness and awful majesty to every one, in a most open, clear, and 
 convincing manner, and in a light that none can resist, " when he 
 shall come in the glory of his Father, and every eye shall see 
 him;" when they shall cry to the mountains to fall upon them, to 
 
 hide them from the face of him that sits upon the throne, they are 
 2 c 
 
206 THIRD SIGN OF 
 
 represented as seeing the glory of God's majesty, Isa. ii. 10, 19,21. 
 God will make all his enemies to behold this, and to live in a 
 most clear and affecting view of it, in hell, to all eternity. God 
 hath often declared his immutable purpose to make all his ene- 
 mies to know him in this resi>ect, in so often annexing these words 
 to the threatenings he denounces against them: "And they shall 
 know that I am the Lord." Yea, he hath sworn that all men shall 
 see his glory in this respect, Numb. xiv. 31. "As truly as Hive, 
 all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord." And this 
 kind of manifestation of God is very often spoken of in scripture, 
 as made, or to be made, in the sight of God's enemies in this 
 world; Exod. ix. 16, and chap, xiv. 18, andxv. 16, Psal. Ixvi. 3, and 
 xlvi. 10, and other places innumerable. This was a manifestation 
 which God made of himself in the sight of that wicked congre- 
 gation at mount Sinai; deeply affecting them with it, so that all 
 the people in the camp trembled. Wicked men and devils will 
 see, and have a great sense of every thing that appertains to the 
 glory of God, but only the beauty of his moral perfection; they 
 will see his infinite greatness and majesty, his infinite power, and 
 will be fully convinced of his omniscience, and his eternity and 
 immutability; and they will see and know every thing appertain- 
 ing to his moral attributes themselves, but only the beauty and 
 amiableness of them; they will see and know that he is perfectly 
 justj and righteous, and true, and that be is a holy God, of purer 
 eyes than to behold evil, who can not look on iniquity; and they 
 will see the wonderful manifestations of his infinite goodness and 
 free grace to the saints; and there is nothing will be hid from 
 their eyes, but only the beauty of these moral attributes, and 
 that beauty of the other attributes which arises from it. And so 
 natural men in this world are capable of having a very affect- 
 ing sense of every thing else that appertains to God, but this 
 only. Nebuchadnezzar had a great and very affecting sense 
 of the infinite greatness and awful majesty of God, of his su- 
 preme and absolute dominion, and mighty and irresistible power, 
 and of his sovereignty, and that he and all the inhabitants of 
 the earth were nothing before him; and also had a great convic- 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 201 
 
 tion in his conscience of his justice, ami an affecting sense of his 
 great goodness, Dan. iv. 1, 2, 3, 34, 35, 37. And the sense 
 that Darius had of God's perfections, seems to be very much 
 like his, Dan. vi. 25, &c. But the paints and angels do behold 
 the glory of God consisting in the beauty of his holiness; and it is 
 this sight only that will melt and humble the hearts of men, and 
 wean them from the world, and draw them to God, and effectu- 
 ally change them. A sight of the awful greatness of God, may 
 overpower mens strength, and be more than they can endure; but 
 if the moral beauty of God be hid, tlie enmity of the heart will 
 remain in its full strength, no love will be enkindled, all will not 
 be effectual to gain the will, but that will remain inflexible; 
 whereas the first glimpse of the moral and spiritual glory of God 
 shining into the heart, produces all these effects, as it were, with 
 omnipotent power, which nothing can withstand. 
 
 The sense that natural men may have of the awful greatness of 
 God, may affect them various ways; it may not only terrify them, 
 but it may elevate them, and raise their joy and praise, as their 
 circumstances may be. This will be the natural effect of it, un- 
 der the real or supposed receipt of some extraordinary mercy 
 from God, by the influence of mere principles of nature. It has 
 been shown already tliat the receipt of kindness may, by the in- 
 fluence of natural principles, affect the heart with gratitude and 
 praise to God; but if a person, at the same time that he receives 
 remarkable kindness from God, has a sense of his infinite greatness, 
 and that he is but nothing in comparison of him, surely this will 
 naturally raise his gratitude and praise the higher, for kindness to 
 one so much inferior. A sense of God's greatness had this effect 
 upon Nebuchadnezzar, under the receipt of that extraordinary fa- 
 vour of restoration, after he had been driven from men, and had 
 his dwelling with the beasts: a sense of God's exceeding great- 
 ness raises his gi-atitude very high; so that he does, in the most 
 lofty terms, extol and magnify God, and call upon all the world 
 to do it with him; and much more if a natural man, at the same 
 time that he is greatly affected with God's infinite greatness and 
 majesty, entertaining a strong conceit tliat this great God has made 
 
308 FOURTH SIGN OF 
 
 him his child and special favourite, and promised him eternal 
 glory in his highest love, will not this have a tendency, accord- 
 ing to the course of nature, to raise his joy and praise to a great 
 height. 
 
 Therefore, it is heyond douht that too much w^eight has been 
 Jlaid, by many persons of late, on discoveries of God's greatness, 
 , 'awful majesty, and natural perfection, operating after this man- 
 ner, without any real view of the holy majesty of God, And ex- 
 perience does abundantly witness to what reason and scripture 
 declare as to this matter; there having been very many persons 
 who have seemed to be overpowered with the greatness and ma- 
 jesty of God, and consequently elevated in the manner that has 
 been spoken of, who have been very far from having appearances 
 of a christian spirit and temper, in any manner of proportion, or 
 fruits in practice in any wise agreeable; but their discoveries have 
 worked in a way contrary to the operation of truly spiritual dis- 
 coveries. 
 
 Not that a sense of God's greatness and natural attributes is 
 not exceeding useful and necessary. For, as I observed before, 
 this is implied in a manifestation of the beauty of God's holiness. 
 Though that be something beyond it, it supposes it, as the greater 
 supposes the less. And though natural men may have a sense of 
 the natural perfections of God; yet undoubtedly this is more fre- 
 quent and common with the saints than with natural men; and 
 grace tends to enable men to see these things in a better manner 
 than natural men do; and not only enables them to see God's na- 
 tural attributes, but that beauty of those attributes, which, accord- 
 ing to our way of conceiving of God, is derived from his holiness. 
 
 IV. Gracious affections do arise from the mind's being enligh t- 
 ened, richly and spiritually to understand or apprehend divine things. 
 
 Holy affections are not heat without light; but evermore arise 
 from the information of the understanding, some spiritual instruc- 
 tion that the mind receives, some light or actual knowledge. The 
 child of God is graciously affected, because he sees and under- 
 stands something more of divine things than he did before, more 
 of God or Christ, and of the glorious things exhibited in the gos- 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 209 
 
 jjel; he has some clearer and better view than he had before, 
 when he was not affected: either he receives some understanding 
 of divine things that is new to him, or has his former knowledge 
 renewed after the view was decayed, 1 John iv. 7, " Every one 
 that loveth, knoweth God:" Phil. i. 9, " I pray that your love 
 may abound more and more in knowledge and in all judgment:" 
 Rom. X. 2, " They have a zeal of God, but not according to 
 knowledge:" Col. iii. 10, " The new man which is renewed in 
 knowledge:" Psal. xliii. 3, 4, " send out thy light and thy 
 truth; let them lead me, let them bring me unto thy holy 
 hill:" John vi. 45, " It is written in the prophets, and they 
 shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, 
 and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me." Knowledge 
 is the key that first opens the hard heart, and enlarges the affec- 
 tions, and so opens the way for men into the kingdom of heaven: 
 Luke xi. 52, " Ye have taken a\vay the key of knowledge." 
 
 Now there are many affections which do not arise from any 
 light in the understanding. And when it is thus, it is a sure evi- 
 dence that these affections are not spiritual, let them be ever so 
 high.f Indeed they have some new apprehensions which they 
 
 ■j- " Many that have had mighty strong affections at first conversion, after- 
 wards became dry, and wither, and consume, and pine, and die away; and 
 now their hypocrisy is manifest; if not to all the world by open profanencss, 
 yet to the discerning eye of living Christians, by a formal, barren, unsa- 
 voury, unfruitful heart and course; because they never had light to convic- 
 tion enough as yet. 
 
 " It is strange to see some people carried with mighty affection against 
 sin and hell, and after Christ. And what is the hell you fear? A dreadful 
 place. What is Christ, they scarce know so much as devils do: but that is 
 all. O trust them not! Many have: and these will fall away to some lust, or 
 opinion, or pride, or world; and the reason is, they never had light enough: 
 .John was a burning and shining hght, and they did joy in him for a season; 
 yet glorious as it was, they saw not Christ by it, especially not with divine 
 light. It is rare to see Christians full both of light and affection. And there- 
 fore consider of this; many a man has been well brought up, and is of 
 a sweet loving nature, mild and gentle, and harmless, likes and loves the 
 best things, and his meaning, and mind, and heart is good, and has more in 
 heart than in show; and so hopes all shall go well with him. I say there may 
 lie greatest hypocrisy under greatest affections; especially if they want light 
 
210 FOURTH SIGN OF 
 
 had not before. Such Is the nature of inan that it is impossible 
 his mind should be affected, unless it be by something that he ap- 
 prehends, or that his mind conceives of. But in many per- 
 sons those apprehensions or conceptions that they have, vvhere- 
 ivith they are affected, have nothing of the nature of knowled ge 
 or instruction in them. As, for instance, when a person is affect- 
 ed with a lively idea, suddenly excited in his mind, of some shape 
 or very beautiful form of countenance, or some shining light, or 
 other glorious outward appearance: here is something apprehend- 
 ed or conceived by the mind; but there is nothing of the nature 
 of instruction in it; persons become never the wiser by such things, 
 or more knowing about God, or a Mediator between God and 
 man, or the way of salvation by Christ, or any thing contained in 
 any of the doctrines of the gospel.. Persons by these external 
 ideas have no further acquaintance with God, as to any of the at- 
 tributes or perfections of his nature; nor have they any further un- 
 derstanding of his word, or any of his ways or works. Truly spi- 
 ritual and gracious affections are not raised after this manner; 
 these arise from the enlightening of the understanding to understand 
 the things that are taught of God and Christ in a new manner, 
 the coming to a new understanding of the excellent nature of God, 
 and his wonderful perfections, some new view of Christ in his 
 spiritual excellencies and fulness, or things opened to him in a 
 new manner, that appertain to the way of salvation by Christ, 
 whereby he now sees how it is, and understands those divine and 
 spiritual doctrines which once jvere foolishness to him. Such 
 enlightenings of the understanding as these, are things entirely 
 different in their nature from strong ideas of shapes and colours 
 and outward brightness and glory, or sounds and voices. That 
 all gracious affections do arise from some instruction or enlight- 
 ening of the understanding, is therefore a further proof, that af- 
 
 You shall be hai-dened in your hypocrisy by them. I never liked violent 
 affections and pangs, but only such as were dropped in by light; because 
 those come from an external principle, and last not, but these do. Men are 
 not affrighted by the hght of the sun, though clearer than the lightning." 
 Shepard's Parable, Part I. p. 146. 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS, 211 
 
 fections which arise from such impression on the imagination, are 
 not gracious affections, besides the things observed before, which 
 make this evident. 
 
 Hence also it appears, that affections arising from texts of scrip- 
 ture coming to the mind are vain, when no instruction received 
 in the understanding from those texts, or any thing taught in those 
 texts, is the ground of the affection, but the manner of their com- 
 ing to the mind. When Christ makes the scripture a means of 
 the heart's burning with gracious affection, it is " by opening the 
 scriptures to their understandings," Luke xxiv. 32, " Did not our 
 heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and 
 while he opened to us the scriptures?" It appears also that the 
 affection which is occasioned by the coming of a text of scripture 
 must be vain, when the affection is founded on something that is 
 supposed to be taught by it, which really is not contained in it, 
 nor in any other scripture; because such supposed instruction is 
 not real instruction, but a mistake and misapprehension of the 
 mind. As for instance, when persons suppose that they are ex-. 
 pressly taught by some scripture coming to their minds, that they 
 in particular are beloved of God, or that their sins are forgiven, 
 that God is their Father, and the like, this is a mistake or misap- 
 prehension; for the scripture no where reveals the individual per- 
 sons who are beloved, expressly; but only by consequence, by 
 revealing the qualification s of persons that are beloved of God: 
 and therefore this matter is not to be learned from scripture any 
 other way than by consequence, and fr oni these quah fications; for 
 things are not to be learned from the scripture any other way than 
 they are taught in the scripture. 
 
 Affections really arise from ignorance rather than instruction, 
 in these instances which have been mentioned; as likewise in 
 some others that might be mentioned. As some, when they find 
 themselves free of speech in prayer, they call it God's being with 
 them; and this affects them more; and so their affections are set 
 a going and increased; when they look not into the cause of this 
 freedom of speech, which may arise many other ways besides 
 God's spiritual presence. So some are much affected with some 
 
212 FOURTH SIGN OF 
 
 apt thoughts that come into their minds about the scripture, and 
 call it the Spirit of God teaching them. So they ascribe many of 
 the workings of their own minds, which they have a high opinion 
 of, and are pleased and taken with, to the special immediate in- 
 fluences of God's Spirit; and so are mightily affected with their 
 privilege. And there are some instances of persons in whom it 
 seems manifest that the first ground of their affection is some 
 bodily sensation. The animal spirits, by some cause (and proba- 
 bly sometimes by the devil) are suddenly and unaccountably put 
 into a very agreeable motion, causing persons to feel pleasantly in 
 their bodies; the animal spirits are put into such a motion as is 
 wont to be connected with the exhilaration of the mind; and the 
 soul, by the laws of the union of soul and body, hence feels plea- 
 sure. The motion of the animal spirits does not first arise from 
 any affection or apprehension of the mind whatsoever; but the 
 very first thing that is felt is an exhilaration of the animal spirits, 
 and a pleasant external sensation it may be in their breasts. — 
 Hence through ignorance, the person being surprised, begins to 
 think, surely this is the Holy Ghost coming into him. And then 
 the mind begins to be affected and raised. There is first great joy ; 
 and then many other affections, in a very tumultuous manner, 
 putting all nature, both body and mind, into a mighty ruffle. For 
 though, as I observed before, it is the soul only that is the seat of 
 the affections; yet this hinders not but that bodily sensations may, 
 in this manner, be an occasion of affections in the mind. 
 
 And if mens religious affections do truly arise from some in- 
 struction or light in the understanding; yet the affection is not 
 gracious, unless the light which is the ground of it be spiritual. 
 Affections may be excited by that understanding of things which 
 they obtain merely by human teaching, with the common improve- 
 ment of the faculties of the mind. Men may be much affected 
 by knowledge of things of religion that they obtain this way; as 
 some philosophers have been mightily affected, and almost carried 
 beyond themselves, by the discoveries they have made in mathe- 
 matics and natural philosophy. So men may be much affected 
 from corngjon illuminations of the Spirit of God, in which God 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 213 
 
 assists mens faculties to a greater degree of that kind of under- 
 standing of religious matters, which they have in some degree, by 
 only the ordinary exercise and improvement of their own facul- 
 ties. Such illuminations may much affect the mind; as in many 
 whom we read of in scripture, that were once enlightened; but 
 these affections are not spiritual. 
 
 There is such a thing, if the scriptures are of any use to teach 
 us any thing, as a spiritual, supernatural understanding of divine 
 things, that is peculiar to the saints, and which those who are not 
 saints have nothing of. It is certainly a kind of understanding, 
 apprehending or discerning of divine things, that natural men have 
 nothing of, which the apostle speaks of, 1 Cor. ii. 14, " But the 
 natural mat. receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they 
 are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they 
 are spiritually discerned." It is certainly a kind of seeing or dis- 
 cerning spiritual things peculiar to the saints, which is spoken of, 
 1 John iii. 6, " Whosoever sinneth, hath not seen him, neither 
 known him." 3 John 11, "He that doth evil, hath not seen 
 God." And John vi. 40, " This is the will of him that sent me, 
 that every one that seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have 
 everlasting life." Chap. xiv. 19, " The world seeth me no more; 
 but ye see me." Chap. xvii. 3, " This is eternal life, that they 
 might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou 
 hast sent." Matt. xi. 27, " No man knoweth the Son, but the 
 Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, but the Son, and 
 he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him." John xii. 45, " He 
 that seeth me, seeth him that sent me." Psal. ix. 10, " They 
 that know thy name, will put their trust in thee." Phil. iii. 8, 
 " I count all things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge 
 of Christ Jesus my Lord:" ver. 10, "That I may know him." 
 And innumerable other places there are, all over the Bible, which 
 show the same. And that there is such a thing as an understand- 
 ing of divine things, which in its nature and kind is wholly differ- 
 ent from all knowledge that natural men have, is evident from 
 this, that there is an understanding of divine things, which the 
 
 scripture calls spiritual understanding; Col. i. 9, " We do not 
 2d 
 
214: FOURTH SIGN OF 
 
 cease to pray for you, and to desire that you may be tilled with 
 the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understand- 
 ing." It has been already shown that that which is spiritual, in 
 the ordinary use of the word in the New Testament, is entirely 
 different in nature and kind, from all which natural men are or 
 can be the subjects of. 
 
 From hence it may be surely inferred wherein spiritual under- 
 standing consists. For if there be in the saints a kind of appre- 
 hension or perception, which is in its nature perfectly diverse from 
 all that natural men have, or that it is possible they should have, 
 until they have a new nature; it must consist in their having a 
 certain kind of ideas or sensations of mind, which are simply di- 
 verse from all that is or can be in the minds of naturrj men. And 
 that is the same thing as to say, that it consists in the sensations 
 of a new spiritual sense, which the souls of natural men have not; 
 as is evident by what has been before, once and again observed. 
 But I have already shown what that new spiritual sense is which 
 the saints have given them in regeneration, and what is the object 
 of it. I have shown that the immediate object of it is the su- 
 preme beauty and excellency of the nature of divine things, as 
 they are in themselves. And this is agreeable to the scripture; 
 the apostle very plainly teaches, that the great thing discovered 
 by spiritual light, and understood by spiritual knowledge, is the 
 glory of divine things; 2 Cor. iv. 3, 4, " But if our gospel be hid, 
 it is hid to them that are lost; in whom the god of this world hath 
 blinded the m.inds of them that believe not, lest the light of the 
 glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine 
 unto them;" together with verse 6, " For God, who commanded 
 the liglit to shine out of darkness, hath shined into our hearts, to 
 give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face 
 of Jesus Christ." And chap. iii. 18, preceding: " But we all 
 with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, arc 
 changed into the same image, from glory to glorj, even as by the 
 Spirit of the Lord." And it must needs be so, for, as has been 
 before observed, tire scripture often teaches, that all true religion 
 summarily consists in the love of divine things. And therefore 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 215 
 
 that kind of understanding or knowledge, which is the proper 
 foundation of true religion, must be the knowledge of the loveli- 
 ness of divine things. For doubtless, that knowledge which is 
 the proper foundation of love, is the knowledge of loveliness. 
 What that beauty of divine things is, which is the proper and im- 
 mediate object of a spiritual sense of mind, was shown under the 
 last head insisted on, viz. that it is the beauty of their moral per- 
 fection. Therefore it is in the view or sense of this, that spirit- 
 ual understanding does more immediately and primarily consist 
 And indeed it is plain it can be nothing else; for (as has been 
 shown) there is nothing pertaining to divine things, besides the 
 beauty of their moral excellency, and those properties and quali- 
 ties of divine things which this beauty is the foundation of, but 
 what natural men and devils can see and know, and will know 
 fully and clearly to all eternity. 
 
 From what has been said, therefore, we come necessarily to 
 this conclusion, concerning that wherein spiritual understanding 
 consists, viz. that it consists in " a sense of the heart, of the su- 
 preme beauty and sweetness of the holiness or moral perfection of 
 divine things, together with all that discerning and knowledge of 
 things of religion, that depends upon, and flows from such a 
 sense." 
 
 Spiritual understanding consists primarily in a sense of heart 
 of that spiritual beauty. I say, a sense of heart; for it is not 
 speculation merely that is concerned in this kind of understand- 
 ing; nor can there be a clear distinction made between the two 
 faculties of understanding and will, as acting distinctly and sepa- 
 rately, in this matter. When the mind is sensible of the sweet 
 beauty and amiableness of a thing, that implies a sensibleness of 
 sweetness and delight in the presence of the idea of it: and this 
 sensibleness of the amiableness or delightfulness of beauty, car- 
 ries in the very nature of it the sense of the heart; or an effect 
 and impression the soul is the subject of, as a substance possess- 
 ed of taste, inclination and will. 
 
 There is a distinction to be made between a mere notional un- 
 derstanding, wherein the mind only beholds things in the exer- 
 
216 FOURTH SIGN OF 
 
 cise of a speculative faculty; and the sense of the heart, wherela 
 the mind does not only. speculate and behold, but relishes and 
 feels. That sort of knowledge by which a man has a sensible 
 perception of amiableness and loathsomeness, or of sweetness and 
 nauseousness, is not just the same sort of knowledge with that 
 by which he knows what a triangle is, and what a square is. 
 The one is mere speculative knowledge, the other sensible 
 knowledge, in which more than the mere intellectual is con- 
 cerned; the heart is the proper subject of it, or the soul as a be- 
 ing that not only beholds, but has inclination, and is pleased or 
 displeased. And yet there is the nature of instruction in it; as 
 he that has perceived the sweet taste of honey, knows much 
 more about it than he who has only looked upon and felt of it. 
 
 The apostle seems to make a distinction between mere specu- 
 lative knowledge of the things of religion and spiritual know- 
 ledge, in calling that " the form of knowledge and of the truth in 
 the law," Rom. ii. 20, " Wliich hath the form of knowledge, and 
 of the truth in the law." The latter is often represented by re- 
 lishing, smelling, or tasting, 2 Cor. ii. 14, " Now tlianks be to 
 God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ Jesus, and 
 maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge in every place." 
 Matt. xvi. 53, " Thou savourest not the things that be of God, 
 but those things that be of men:" 1 Pet. ii. 2, 3, " As new born 
 babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow 
 thereby; if so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious:" Cant. 
 i. 3, " Because of the savour of thy good ointments, thy name is as 
 ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee;" com- 
 pared with 1 John ii. 20, " But ye have an unction from the Holy 
 One, and ye know all things." 
 
 Spiritual understanding primarily consists in this sense, or taste 
 of the moral beauty of divine things; so that no knowledge can 
 be called spiritual, any further than it arises from this, and has 
 this in it. But secondarily it includes all that discerning and 
 knowledge of things of religion which depend upon and flow from 
 such a sense. 
 
 When the true beauty and amiableness of the holiness or true 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 217 
 
 iiioral good that is in divine things is discovered to the soul, it as 
 it were opens a new world to its views. This shows the glory 
 of all the perfections of God, and of every thing appertaining to 
 the divine Being. For, as was observed before, the beauty of all 
 arises from God's moral perfection. This shows the glory of all 
 God's works, both of creation and providence. For it is the spe- 
 cial glory of them, that God's holiness, righteousness, faithful- 
 ness and goodness are so manifested in them; and without these 
 moral perfections, there would be no glory in that power and 
 skill with which they are wrought. The glorifying of God's mo- 
 ral perfections is the special end of all the works of God's hands. 
 By this sense of the moral beauty of divine things is understood 
 the sufficiency of Christ as a mediator; for it is only by the dis- 
 covery of the beauty of the moral perfection of Christ, that the 
 believer is let into the knowledge of the excellency of his person, 
 so as to know any thing more of it than the devils do; and it is 
 only by the knowledge of the excellency of Christ's person, that 
 any know his sufficiency as a mediator; for the latter depends 
 upon, and arises from the former. It is by seeing the excellency of 
 Christ's person, that the saints are made sensible of the precious- 
 ness of his blood, and its sufficiency to atone for sin; for therein 
 consists the preciousness of Christ's blood, that it is the blood 
 of so excellent and amiable a person. And on this depends the 
 meritoriousness of his obedience, and sufficiency and prevalence of 
 his intercession. By this sight of the moral beautj^ of divine things 
 is seen the beauty of the way of salvation by Christ; for that con- 
 sists in the beauty of the moral perfections of God, which won- 
 derfully shines forth in every step of this method of salvation, 
 from beginning to end. By this is seen the fitness and suitable- 
 ness of this way; for this wholly consists in its tendency to deli- 
 ver us from sin and hell, and to bring us to the happiness which 
 consists in the possession and enjoyment of moral good, in a way 
 sweetly agreeing with God's moral perfections. And in the 
 way's being contrived so as to attain these ends, consists the ex- 
 cellent wisdom of that way. By this is seen the excellency of 
 the word of God. Take away all the moral beauty and sweet- 
 
218 FOURTH SIGN OP 
 
 ness in the word, and the Bible is left wholly a dead letler, a dry. 
 lifeless, tasteless thing. By this is seen the true foundation of our 
 duty, the worthiness of God to be so esteemed, honoured, loved, 
 submitted to, and served, as he requires of us, and the amiable- 
 ness of the duties themselves that are required of us. And by 
 this is seen the true evil of sin; for he who sees the beauty of 
 holiness, must necessarily see the hatefulness of sin, its contrary. 
 By this men understand the true glory of heaven, which consists 
 in the beauty and happiness that is in holiness. By this is seen 
 the amiableness and happiness of both saints and angels. He 
 that sees the beauty of holiness, or true moral good, sees the 
 greatest and most important thing in the world, which is the ful- 
 ness of all things, without which all the world is empty, no bet- 
 ter than nothing, yea, worse than nothing. Unless this is seen, 
 nothing is seen that is worth the seeing; for there is no other true 
 excellency or beauty. Unless this be understood, nothing is un- 
 derstood that is worthy of the exercise of the noble faculty of un- 
 derstanding. This is the beauty of the godhead, and the di- 
 vinity of divinity (if I may so speak) the good of the infinite 
 fountain of good; without which, God himself (if that were pos- 
 sible to be) would be an infinite evil; Avithout which, we our- 
 selves had better never have been; and without which there had 
 better have been no being. He therefore in effect knows nothing, 
 that knows not this; his knowledge is but the shadow of know- 
 ledge, or the form of knowledge, as the apostle calls it. Well 
 therefore may the scriptures represent those who are destitute of 
 that spiritual sense, by which is perceived the beauty of holiness, 
 as totally blind, deaf, and senseless, yea, dead. And well may 
 regeneration, in which this divine sense is given to the soul by 
 its Creator, be represented as opening the blind eyes, and raising 
 the dead, and bringing a person into a new world. For if what 
 has been said be considered, it will be manifest, that when a 
 person has this sense and knowledge given him, he will view 
 nothing as he did before; though before he knew all things " af- 
 ter the flesh, yet henceforth he will know them so no more; and 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 219 
 
 he is become a new creature; old things are passed away, be- 
 hold, all things are become new;" agreeable to 2 Cor, v. 16, 17. 
 
 And besides the things that have been already mentioned, there 
 arises from this sense of spiritual beauty, all true experimental 
 knowledge of religion, which is of itself, as it were, a new world 
 of knowledge. He that sees not the beauty of holiness, knows 
 not what one of the graces of God's Spirit is; he is destitute of 
 any idea or conception of all gracious exercises of soul, and all 
 holy comforts and delights, and all effects of the saving influences 
 of the Spirit of God on the heart; and so is ignorant of the great- 
 est works of God, the most important and glorious effects of his 
 power upon the creature; and also is wholly ignorant of the saints, 
 as saints, he knows not what they are; and in effect is ignorant 
 of the whole spiritual world. 
 
 Things being thus, it plainly appears, that God's implanting that 
 spiritual supernatural sense which has been spoken of, makes a 
 great change in a man. And were it not for the very imperfect 
 degree, in which this sense is commonly given at first, or the 
 small degree of this glorious light, that first dawns upon the soul; 
 the change made by this spiritual opening of the eyes in conver- 
 sion, would be much greater, and more remarkable every way, 
 than if a man who had been born blind, and with only the other 
 four senses, should continue so a long time, and then at once 
 should have the sense of seeing imparted to him, in the midst of 
 the clear light of the sun, discovering a world of visible objects. 
 For though sight is more noble than any of the other external 
 senses, yet this spiritual sense which has been spoken of, is infi- 
 nitely more noble than that, or any other principle of discerning 
 that a man naturally has, and the object of this sense infinitely 
 greater and more important. 
 
 This sort of understanding or knowledge is that knowledge of 
 divine things from whence all truly gracious affections do proceed; 
 by which therefore all affections are to be tried. Those affec- 
 tions that arise wholly from any other kind of knowledge, or do 
 result from any other kind of apprehensions of mind are vain.f 
 
 I "Take heed of contenting j ourselves with every kind of knowledge. 
 
220 FOURTH SIGN OP 
 
 From what has been said may be learned wherein the most es- 
 sential difference lies between that light and understanding which 
 is given by the common influences of the Spirit of God on the 
 hearts of natural men, and that saving instruction which is given 
 to the saints. The latter primarily and most essentially lies in 
 beholding the holy beauty that is in divine things; which is the 
 only true moral good, and which the soul of fallen man is by na- 
 ture totally blind to. The former consists only in a further un- 
 derstanding, through the assistance of natural principles, of those 
 things which men may know, in some measure, by the alone or- 
 dinary exercise of their faculties. And this knowledge consists only 
 in the knowledge of those things pertaining to religion, which are 
 natural. Thus, for instance, in those awakenings and convic- 
 tions of conscience, that natural men are often subject to, the Spi- 
 rit of God gives no knowledge of the true moral beauty which is 
 in divine things; but only assists the mind to a clearer idea of the 
 guilt of sin, or its relation to punishment, and connexion with the 
 
 Do not worship every image of your own heads; especially you that fall 
 short of truth, or the knowledge of it. For when you have some, there may 
 be that wanting which may make you sincere. There are many men of great 
 knowledge, able to teach themselves, and others too, and yet their hearts 
 are unsound. How comes this to pass? Is it because they have so much 
 light? No: because they want much. And therefore content not yourselves 
 with every knowledge. There is some knowledge which men, by the light 
 of nature, (which leaves them without excuse) receive from the book of the 
 creation, some by power of education, some by the Ught of the law whereby 
 men know their sin and evils, some by the letter of the gospel; and so men 
 may know much and speak well; and so in seeing, see not: some by the Spi- 
 rit, and may see much, so as to prophesy in Christ's name, and yet bid de- 
 part. Mat. vii. Now there is a light of glory, whereby the elect see things 
 in another manner: to tell you how, they can not; it is the light in heaven; 
 andr-tlie same Spirit that fills Christ, filling their minds, that they know, by 
 the anointing, all things; which if ever you have, you must become babes 
 and fools in your own eyes. God will never write his law in your minds, 
 until all the scribblings of it are blotted out. Account all your knowledge 
 loss for the gaining of this. It is sad to see many a man pleasing himself in 
 his own dreaming delusions; yet the poor creature in seeing, sees not; which 
 is God's heavy curse upon men under greatest means, and which lays all 
 waste and desolate. Sheparcfs Parable, Part 1, p. 147. 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 221 
 
 «;.vil of suffering, without anj sight of its moral evil, or odiousness 
 as sin, and a clearer idea of the natural perfections of God, where- 
 in consist, not his holy beauty and glory, but his awful and terri- 
 ble greatness. It is a clear sight of this that will fully awaken 
 the consciences of wicked men at the day of judgment, without 
 any spiritual light. And it is a less degree of the same that 
 awakens the consciences of natural men, without spiritual light, 
 in this world. The same discoveries are in some measure given 
 in the conscience of an awakened sinner in this world, which will 
 be given more fully in the consciences of sinners at the day of? 
 judgment. The same kind of sight or apprehension of God, in a' 
 less degree, makes awakened sinners in this world sensible of the 
 dreadful guilt of sin, against so great and terrible a God, and sen- 
 sible of its amazing punishment, and fills them with fearful ap- 
 prehensions of divine wrath, that will thoroughly convince all 
 wicked men of the infinitely dreadful nature and guilt of sin, and 
 astonish them with apprehensions of wrath, when Christ shall 
 come in the glory of his power and majesty, and every eye shall 
 see him, and all the kindreds of the earth shall wail because of 
 him. And in those common illuminations which are sometimes 
 given to natural men, exciting in them some kind of religious de- 
 sire, love and joy, the mind is only assisted to a clearer appre- 
 hension of the natural good that is in divine things. Thus some- 
 times, under common illuminations, men are raised with the ideas 
 of the natural good that is in heaven; as its outward glory, its 
 ease, its honour and advancement, a being there the object of the 
 high favour of God, and the great respect of men and angels, &c. 
 So there are many things exhibited in the gospel concerning God 
 and Christ, and the way of salvation, that have a natural good in 
 them, which suits the natural principle of self-love. Thus in 
 that great goodness of God to sinners, and the wonderful dying 
 love of Christ, there is a natural good which all men love, as they 
 love themselves; as well as a spiritual and holy beauty, which is 
 seen only by the regenerate. Therefore there arc many things 
 appertaining to the word of God's grace delivered in the gospel, 
 
 which may cause natural men, when they hear it, anon with joy 
 2 E 
 
222 FOURTH SIGN OF 
 
 to receive it. All that love which natural men have to God and 
 Christ, and christian virtues, and good men, is not from any sight 
 of the amiableness of the holiness, or true moral excellency of 
 these things; but only for the sake of the natural good there is in 
 : them. All natural mens hatred of sin is as much from principles of 
 nature, as mens hatred of a tiger for his rapaciousness. Or their aver- 
 sion to a serpent for his poison and hurtfulness; and all their love 
 of christian virtue is from no higher principle than their love of 
 a man's good nature, which appears amiable to natural men; but 
 no otherwise than silver and gold appears amiable in the eyes of 
 a merchant, or than the blackness of the soil is beautiful in the 
 eyes of a farmer. 
 
 From what has been said of the nature of spiritual understand- 
 ing, it appears that spiritual understanding does not consist in any 
 new doctrinal knowledge, or in having suggested to the mind any 
 new proposition not before heard or read of; for it is plain that 
 this suggesting of new propositions is a thing entirely diverse 
 from giving the mind a new taste or relish of beauty and sweet- 
 ness,! It is also evident that spiritual knowledge does not con- 
 sist in any new doctrinal explanation of any part of the scripture; 
 for still, this is but doctrinal knowledge, or the knowledge of pro- 
 positions; the doctrinal explaining of any part of scripture is only 
 giving us to understand what are the propositions contained or 
 taught in that part of scripture. 
 
 Hence it appears that the spiritual understanding of the scrip- 
 ture does not consist in opening to the mind the mystical mean- 
 ing of the scripture, in its parables, types and allegories; for this 
 is only a doctrinal explication of the scripture. He that explains 
 
 •J- Calvin, in his Institutions, Book I. chap. is. § 1, says, " It is not the office 
 of the Spirit that is promised us, to make new and before unheard of revela- 
 tions, or to coin some new kind of doctrine, whicli tends to draw us away 
 from the received doctrines of the gospel; but to seal and confirm to us that 
 very doctrine which is by the gospel." And in the same place he speaks of 
 some that in those days maintained the contrary notion, " pretending to be 
 immediately led by the Spirit, as persons that were governed by a most 
 haughty self-conceit: and not so properly to be looked upon as only labour- 
 ing under a, mistake, as driven by a sort of raving madness. 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 223 
 
 what is meant by the stony ground, and the seed's springing up 
 suddenly and quickly, and withering away, only explains what 
 propositions or doctrines are taught in it. So he that explains 
 what is typified by Jacob's ladder, and the angels of God ascend- 
 ing and descending on it; or what Avas typified by Joshua's lead- 
 ing Israel through Jordan, only shows what propositions are hid 
 in these passages. And many men can explain these types, who 
 liave no spiritual knowledge. It is possible that a^^n might 
 know how to interpret all the types, parables, enigmas and alle- 
 gories in the Bible, and not have one beam of spiritual light in 
 his mind; because he may not have the least degree of that spi- 
 ritual sense of the holy beauty of divine things which has been 
 spoken of, and may see nothing of this kind of glory in any thing 
 contained in any of these mysteries, or any other part of the scrip- 
 ture. It is plain by what the apostle says, that a man might un- • 
 -derstand all such mysteries, and have no saving grace, 1 Cor. 
 xiii. 2, " And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand 
 all mysteries, and all knowledge, and have not charity, it pro- 
 fiteth me nothing." They therefore are very foolish who are 
 exalted in an opinion of their own spiritual attainments, from no- 
 tions that come into their minds, of the mystical meaning of these 
 and those passages of scripture, as though it was a spiritual un- 
 derstanding of these passages, immediately given them by the 
 Spirit of God, and hence have their affections highly raised; and 
 what has been said shows the vanity of such affections. 
 
 From what has been said it is also evident that it is not spi- 
 ritual knowledge for persons to be informed of ttieir duty, by hav- 
 ing it immediately suggested to their minds that such and such 
 outivard actions or deeds are the will of God. If we suppose 
 that it is truly God's manner thus to signify his will to his people 
 by immediate inward suggestions, such suggestions have nothing 
 of the nature of spiritual light. Such kind of knowledge would 
 only be one kind of doctrinal knowledge; a proposition concern- 
 ing the will of God is as properly a doctrine of religion, as a pro- 
 position concerning the nature of God, or a work of God; and a 
 having either of these kinds of propositions, or any other propo- 
 
224 FOURTh SIGN OF 
 
 sition, declared to a man, either by speech or inward suggestion, 
 differs vastly from a having the holy beauty of divine things mani- 
 fested to the soul, wherein spiritual knowledge does most essen- 
 tially consist. Thus there was no spiritual light in Balaam, 
 though he had the will of God immediately suggested to him by 
 the Spirit of God from time to time, concerning the way that he 
 should go, and what he should do and say. 
 
 It is manifest therefore that a being led and directed in this 
 manner, is not that holy and spiritual leading of the Spirit of God 
 which is peculiar to the saints, and a distinguishing mark of the 
 sons of God, spoken of, Rom. viii. 14, " For as many as are led 
 h\ the Spirit of God, are the sons of God;" Gal. v. 18, " But if 
 ye be led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law." 
 
 And if persons have the will of God concerning their actions, 
 suggested to them by some text of scripture, suddenly and extra- 
 ordinarily brought to their minds, which text, as the words lay in 
 the Bible before they came to their minds, related to the action 
 and behaviour of some other person, but they suppose, as God 
 sent the words to them, he intended something further by them, 
 and meant such a particular action of theirs; I say, if persons 
 should have the will of God thus suggested to them with texts ol* 
 scripture, it alters not the case. The suggestion being accompa- 
 nied with an apt text of scripture, does not make the suggestion 
 to be of the nature of spiritual instruction. As for instance, if a 
 person in New England, on some occasion, were at a loss whe- 
 ther it was his duty to go into some popish or heathenish land, 
 where he was like to be exposed to many difficulties and dangers, 
 and should pray to God that he would show him the way of his 
 duty; and after earnest prayer, should have those words which 
 God spake to Jacob, Gen. xlvi. suddenly and extraordinarily 
 brought to his mind, as if they were spoken to him; " Fear not 
 to go down into Egypt; for I will go with thee; and I will also 
 surely bring thee up again." In which words, though as they lay 
 in the Bible before they came to his mind, they related only to 
 Jacob and his behaviour; yet he supposes that God has a further 
 meaning, as they were brought and applied to him, that thus they 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 225 
 
 are to be understood in a new sense, that by Egypt is to be under- 
 stood this particular country he has in his mind, and that the ac- 
 tion intended is his going thither, and that the meaning of the 
 promise is, that God would bring him back into New England 
 again. There is nothing of the nature of a spiritual or gracious 
 leading of the Spirit in this; for there is nothing of the nature of 
 spiritual understanding in it. Thus to understand texts of scrip- 
 ture, is not to have a spiritual understanding of them. Spiritually 
 to understand the scripture, is rightly to understand what is in the 
 scripture, and what was in it before it was understood: it is to 
 understand rightly, what used to be contained in the meaning of 
 it, and not the making of a new meaning. When the mind is 
 enlightened spiritually and rightly to understand the scripture, it 
 is enabled to see that in the scripture which before was not seen 
 by reason of blindness. But if it was by reason of blindness, that 
 is an evidence that the same meaning was in it before, otherwise 
 it would have been no blindness not to see it; it is no blindness 
 not to see a meaning which is not there. Spiritually enlighten- 
 ing the eyes to understand the scripture, is to open the eyes, Psal. 
 cxix. 18, " Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous 
 things out of thy law;" which argues that the reason why the same 
 was not seen in the scripture before was that the eyes were shut; 
 which would not be the case, if the meaning that is now under- 
 derstood was not there before, but is now newly added to the 
 scripture, by the manner of the scripture's coming to my mind. 
 This making a new meaning to the scripture, is the same thing 
 as making a new scripture; it is properly adding to the word, 
 which is threatened with so dreadful a curse. Spiritually to un- 
 derstand the scripture, is to have the eyes of the mind opened, to- 
 behold the wonderful spiritual excellency of the glorious things 
 contained in the true meaning of it, and that always were con- 
 tained in it ever since it was written; to behold the amiable and 
 bright manifestations of the divine perfections, and of the excel- 
 lency and sufficiency of Christ, and the excellency and suitable- 
 ness of the way of salvation by Christ, and the spiritual glory of 
 the precepts and promises of the scripture, &c. which things an; 
 
226 FOURTH SIGN OP 
 
 and always were in tlie Bible, and would have been seen before, 
 if it had not been for blindness, without having any new sense 
 added, by the words being sent by God to a particular person, 
 and spoken anew to him with a new meaning. 
 
 And as to a gracious leading of the Spirit, it consists in two 
 things: partly in instructing a person in his duty by the Spirit, 
 and partly in powerfully inducing him to comply with that in- 
 struction. But so far as the gracious leading of the Spirit lies in 
 instruction, it consists in a person's being guided by a spiritual 
 and distinguishing taste of that which has in it true moral beauty. 
 I have shown that spiritual knowledge primarily consists in a taste 
 or relish of the amiableness and beauty of that which is truly good 
 and holy. This holy relish is a thing that discerns and distin- 
 guishes between good and evil, between holy and unholy, without 
 being at the trouble of a train of reasonins". As he who has a 
 true relish of external beauty, knows what is beautiful by looking 
 upon it; he stands in no need of a train of reasoning about the 
 proportion of the features, in order to determine whether that 
 which he sees be a beautiful countenance or not; he needs no- 
 thing but only the glance of his eye. He who has a rectified 
 musical ear, knows whether the sound he hears be true harmony; 
 he does not need first to be at the trouble of the reasonings of a 
 mathematician about the proportion of the notes. He that has a 
 rectified palate knows what is good food, as soon as he tastes it, 
 without the reasoning of a physician about it. There is a holy 
 beauty and sweetness in words and actions, as well as a natural 
 beauty in countenances and sounds, and sweetness in food; Job 
 xii. 11, "Doth not the ear try words, and the mouth taste his 
 meat?" When a holy and amiable action is suggested to the 
 thoughts of a holy soul, that soul, if in the lively exercise of its 
 spiritual taste, at once sees a beauty in it, and so inclines to it^ 
 and closes with it. On the contrary, if an unworthy, unholy ac" 
 tion be suggested to it, its sanctified eye sees no beauty in it, and 
 is not pleased with it; its sanctified taste relishes no sweetness in 
 it, but on the contrary, it is nauseous to it. Yea, its holy taste 
 and appetite leads it to Uiink of that which is truly lovely, and 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 227 
 
 naturally suggests it; as a healthy taste and appetite naturally 
 suggests the idea of its proper object. Thus a holy person is led 
 by the Spirit, as he is instructed and led by his holy taste and dis- 
 position of" heart; whereby, in the lively exercise of grace, he 
 easily distinguishes good and evil, and knows at once what is a 
 suitable amiable behaviour towards God and towards man, in this 
 case and the other, and judges what is right, as it Avere spontane- 
 ously, and of himself, without a particular deduction, by any other 
 arguments than the beauty that is seen, and goodness that is tast- 
 ed. Thus Christ blames the pharisees, that they " did not, even 
 of their own selves, judge what was right," without needing mi- 
 racles to prove it, Luke xii. 57. The apostle seems plainly to 
 have respect to this way of judging of spiritual beauty, in Rom. 
 xii. 2, " Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that 
 ye may prove what is that good and perfect and acceptable will 
 of God." 
 
 There is such a thing as good taste of natural beauty (which 
 learned men often speak of) that is exercised about temporal 
 things, in judging of them; as about the justness of a speech, the 
 goodness of style, the beauty of a poem, the gracefulness of de- 
 portment, &c. A late great philosopher of our nation, writes 
 thus upon itf; " To have a taste is to give things their real va- 
 lue, to be touched with the good, to be shocked with the ill; not 
 to be dazzled with false lustres, but in spite of all colours, and 
 every thing that might deceive or amuse, to judge soundly. Taste 
 and judgment, then, should be the same thing; and yet it is easy 
 to discern a difference. The judgment forms its opinions from re- 
 flection: the reason on this occasion fetches a kind of circuit, 
 to arrive at its end; it supposes principles, it draws consequen- 
 ces, and it judges; but not without a thorough knowledge of the 
 case; so that after it has pronounced, it is ready to render a rea- 
 son of its decrees. Good taste observes none of these formalities; 
 ere it has time to consult, it has taken its side; as soon as ever 
 the object is presented, the impression is made, the sentiment 
 
 f Chambers' Dictionary, under the word taste. 
 
) 
 
 238 FOURTH SIGN OF 
 
 formecl, ask no more of it. As the ear is wounded with a harsh 
 sound, as the smell is soothed with an agreeable odour, before 
 ever the reason have meddled with those objects to judge of 
 them, so the taste opens itself at once, and prevents all reflec- 
 tion. They may come afterwards to confirm it, and discover the 
 secret reasons of its conduct; but it was not in its power to wait 
 for them. Frequently it happens not to know them at all, and 
 ivhat pains soever it uses, can not discover what it was determin- 
 ed it to think as it did. This conduct is very different from what 
 the judgment observes in its decisions: unless we choose to say, 
 that good taste is, as it were, a first motion, or a kind of instinct 
 of right reason, which hurries on with rapidity, and conducts 
 more securely, than all the reasonings she could make; it is a 
 first glance of the eye, which discovers to us the nature and rela- 
 tions of things in a moment. 
 
 Now as there is such a kind of taste of the mind as this, which 
 philosophers speak of, whereby persons are guided in their judg- 
 ment, of the natural beauty, gracefuhiess, propriety, nobleness, 
 and sublimity of speeches and action, whereby they judge as it 
 were by the glance of the eye, or by inward sensation, and the 
 first impression of the object; so there is likewise such a thing as 
 a divine taste, given and maintained by the Spirit of God, in the 
 hearts of the saints, whereby they are in like manner led and 
 guided in discerning and distinguishing the true spiritual and holy 
 beauty of actions; and that more easily, readily, and accurately, 
 as they have more or less of the Spirit of God dwelling in them. 
 And thus " the sons of God are led by the Spirit of God, in their 
 behaviour in the world." 
 
 A holy disposition and spiritual taste, where grace is strong 
 and lively, will enable a soul to determine what actions are right 
 and becoming Christians, not only more speedily, but far more ex- 
 actly than the greatest abilities without it. This may be illus- 
 trated by the manner in which some habits of mind and disposi- 
 tions of heart, of a nature inferior to true grace, will teach and 
 guide a man in his actions. As for instance, if a man be a veiy 
 good natured man, his good nature will teach him better how to 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 229 
 
 act benevolently amongst mankind, and will direct him on every 
 occasion to those speeches and actions wiiich are agreeable to 
 rules of goodness, than the strongest reason will a man of a mo- 
 rose temper. So if a man's heart be under the influence of an 
 entire friendship, and most endeared affection to another; though 
 he be a man of an indifferent capacity, yet this habit of his 
 mind will direct him, far more readily and exactly, to a speech 
 and deportment, or manner of behaviour, which shall in all re- 
 spects be sweet and kind, and agreeable to a benevolent disposi- 
 tion of heart, than the greatest capacity without it. He has as 
 it were a spirit within him that guides him; the habit of his mind 
 is attended with a taste, by which he immediately relishes that 
 air and mien which is benevolent, and disrelishes the contrary^ 
 and causes him to distinguish between one and the other in a 
 moment, more precisely, than the most accurate reasonings can 
 find out in many hours. As the nature and inward tendency of 
 a stone, or other heavy body that is let fall from aloft, shows the 
 way to the centre of the earth more exactly in an instant, than 
 the ablest mathematician without it, could determine, by his most 
 accurate observations in a whole day. Thus it is that a spiritual 
 disposition and taste teaches and guides a man in his behaviour 
 in the world. So an eminently humble, or meek, or charitable 
 disposition will direct a person of mean capacity to such a beha- 
 viour as is agreeable to christian rules of humility, meekness and 
 charity, far more readily and precisely than the most diligent 
 study and elaborate reasonings of a man of the strongest faculties, 
 who has not a christian spirit within him. So also will a Spirit' 
 of love to God, and holy fear and reverence towards God, and 
 filial confidence in God, and a heavenly disposition, teach and guide 
 a man in his behaviour. 
 
 It is an exceeding difficult thing for a wicked man, destitute 
 of christian principles in his heart to guide him, to know how to 
 demean himself like a Christian, with the life and beauty, and 
 heavenly sweetness of a truly holy, humble, christlike behaviour. 
 He knows not how to put on these garments; neither do they fit 
 him, Eccl. x. 2, 3. " A wise man's heart is at his right hand; 
 
230 FOURTH SIGN OF 
 
 but a fool's heciii: is at his left. Yea also, when he that is a 
 fool walketh b> the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to 
 every one that he is a fool;" with ver. 15, " The labour of the 
 foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how 
 to go to the city;" Prov. x. 32, " The lips of the righteous know 
 what is acceptable;" chap. x^'. 2, " The tongue of the wise useth 
 knowledge aright; but the mouth of fools poureth out foolish- 
 ness;" and chap. xvi. 23, "The heart of the righteous teacheth 
 his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips." 
 
 The saints in thus judging of actions, by a spiritual taste, have 
 not a particular recourse to express rules of God's word, with re- 
 spect to every word and action that is before them, the good or 
 evil of which they thus judge: but yet their taste itself, in general, 
 is subject to the rule of God's word, and must be tried by that, 
 and a right reasoning upon it. As a man of a rectified palate 
 judges of particular morsels by his taste; but yet his palate itself 
 must be judged of, whether it be right or not, by certain rules and 
 reasons. But a spiritual taste of soul mightily helps the soul in its 
 reasonings on the word of God, and in judging of the true meaning 
 of its rules; as it removes the prejudices of a depraved appetite 
 and naturally leads the thoughts in the right channel, casts a light 
 on the word of God, and causes the true meaning most naturally 
 to come to mind, through the harmony there is between the dis- 
 position and relish of a sanctified soul and the true meaning of the 
 rules of God's word. Yea, this harmony tends to bring the texts 
 themselves to mind, on proper occasions, as the particular state of 
 the stomach and palate tends to bring such particular meats and 
 drinks to mind as are agreeable to that state. " Thus the children 
 of God are led by the Spirit of God" in judging of actions them- 
 selves, and in their meditations upon and judging of and applying 
 the rules of God's holy word: and so God " teaches them his 
 statutes, and causes them to understand the way of his precepts," 
 which the psalmist so often prays for. 
 
 But this leading of the Spirit is a thing exceedingly diverse 
 from that which some call so; which consists not in teaching them 
 God's statutes and precepts that he has already given; but in giv- 
 ing them new precepts, by immediate inward speech or suggestion; 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 231 
 
 and has in it no tasting the true excellency of things, or judging 
 or discerning the nature of things at all. Thej do not determine 
 what is the will of God by any taste or relish, or any manner of 
 judging of the nature of things, but by an immediate dictate con- 
 cerning the thing to be done; there is no such thing as any judg- 
 ment or wisdom in the case. Whereas in that leading of the 
 Spirit, which is peculiar to God's children, is imparting that true 
 wisdom and holy discretion, so often spoken of in the word of God; 
 which is high above the other way, as the stars are higher than a 
 glow worm; and that which Balaam and Saul (who sometimes 
 were led by the Spirit in that other way) never had, and no na- 
 tural man can have, without a change of nature. 
 
 What has been said of the nature of spiritual understanding, as 
 consisting most essentially in a divine supernatural sense and re- 
 lish of the heart, not only shows that there is nothing of it in this 
 falsely supposed leading of the Spirit, which has been spoken of; 
 but also shows the difference between spiritual understanding and 
 all kinds and forms of enthusiasm, all imaginary sights of God and 
 Christ and heaven, all supposed witnessing of the Spirit, and tes- 
 timonies of the love of God by immediate inward suggestion; and 
 all impressions of future events, and immediate revelations of 
 any secret facts whatsoever; all enthusiastical impressions and 
 applications of words of scripture, as though they were words now 
 immediately spoken by God to a particular person, in a new mean- 
 ing, and carrying something more in them than the words contain 
 as they lie in the Bible; and all interpretations of the mystical mean- 
 ing of the scripture, by supposed immediate revelation. None of 
 these things consists in a divine sense and relish of the heart, of the 
 holy beauty and excellency of divine things; nor have they any 
 thing to do with such a sense; but all consist in impressions in the 
 head: all are to be referred to the head of impressions on the im- 
 agination, and consist in the exciting external ideas in the mind, 
 either in ideas or outward shapes and colours, or words spoken, 
 or letters written, of ideas of things external and sensible, belong- 
 ing to actions done, or events accomplished or to be accomplish- 
 ed. An enthusiastical supposed manifestation of the love of Gotj, 
 
232 FOURTH SIGN OF 
 
 is made by the exciting an idea of a smiling countenance, or some 
 other pleasant outward appearance, or by the idea of pleasant 
 words spoken or written, excited in the imagination, or some 
 pleasant bodily sensation. So when persons have an imaginary 
 revelation of some secret fact, it is by exciting external ideas; 
 either of some words implying a declaration of that fact, or some 
 visible or sensible circumstances of such a fact. So the supposed 
 leading of the Spirit to do the will of God, in outward behaviour, 
 is either by exciting the idea of words (which are outward things) 
 in their minds, either the words of scripture, or other words, which 
 they look upon as an immediate command of God; or by exciting 
 and impressing strongly the ideas of the outward actions themselves. 
 So when an interpretation of a scripture type or allegory is imme- 
 diately, in an extraordinary way, strongly suggested, it is by sug- 
 gesting words, as though one secretly whispered and told the 
 meaning, or by exciting other ideas in the imagination. 
 
 Such sort of experiences and discoveries as these commonly 
 raise the affections of such as are deluded by them to a great 
 height, and make a mighty uproar in both soul and body. And 
 a very great part of the false religion that has been in the world, 
 from one age to another, consists in such discoveries as these, and 
 in the affections that flow from them. In such things consisted the 
 experiences of the ancient Pythagoreans among the heathen, and 
 many others among them, who had strange ecstacies and raptures, 
 and pretended to a divine afflatus, and immediate revelations from 
 heaven. In such things as these seem to have consisted the ex- 
 periences of the Essenes, an ancient sect among the Jews, at and 
 after the times of the apostles. In such things as these consisted 
 the experiences of many of the ancient Gnostics, and the Monta- 
 nists, and many other sects of ancient heretics, in the primitive 
 ages of the christian church. And in such things as these con- 
 sisted the pretended immediate converse with God and Christ, 
 and saints and angels of heaven, of the Monks, Anchorites and 
 Recluses, that formerly abounded in the church of Rome. In 
 such things consisted the pretended high experiences, and great 
 spirituality of many sects of ej[ithusiasts that swarmed in the world 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 233 
 
 after the reformation; such as Anabaptists, Antinomians and Fa- 
 mihsts, the followers of N. Stork, Th. Miincer, Jo. Becold, Hen- 
 ry Pfeiser, David George, Casper Swenckfield, Henry Nicholas, 
 Johannas Agricola Eislebius; and the many wild enthusiasts that 
 were in England in the days of Oliver Cromwell; and the follow- 
 ers of Mrs. Hutchinson in New England ; as appears by the par- 
 ticular and large accounts given of all these sects by that emi- 
 nently holy man, Mr. Samuel Rutherford, in his " Display of the 
 Scriptural Antichrist." And in such things as these consisted the 
 experiences of the late French prophets and their followers. And 
 in these things seems to lie the religion of many kinds of enthu- 
 siasts of the present day. It is by such sort of religion as this, 
 chiefly, that Satan transforms himself into an angel of light: and 
 it is that which he has ever most successfully made use of to 
 confound hopeful and happy revivals of religion, from the begin- 
 ning of the christian church to this day. When the Spirit of God 
 is poured out, to begin a glorious work, then the old sequent, as 
 fast as possible, and by all means, introduces this bastard religion 
 and mingles it with the true; which has from time to time soon 
 brought all things into confusion. The pernicious consequence of it 
 is not easily imagined or conceived of, until we see and are amazed 
 with the awful effects of it, and the dismal desolation it has made. 
 Though the revival of true religion be very great in its beginning, 
 yet, if this bastard comes in, there is danger of its doing as Gide- 
 on's bastard Abimelech did, who never left until he had slain 
 all his three score and ten true-born sons, excepting one, who 
 was forced to fly. Great and strict therefore should be the watch 
 and guard that ministers maintain against such things, especially 
 at a time of great awakening: for men, especially the common 
 people, are easily bewitched with such things; they having such 
 a glaring and glistering show of high religion; and the devil hiding 
 his own shape, and appearing as an angel of light, that men may 
 not be afraid of him, but may adore him. 
 
 The imagination or phantasy seems to be that wherein are 
 formed all those delusions of Satan, which those are carried away 
 witli, who are under the influence of false religion, and counter- 
 
234 FOURTH SIGN OF 
 
 feit graces and affections. Here is the devil's grand lurking place, 
 the very nest of foul and delusive spirits. It is very much to be 
 doubted, whether the devil can come at the soul of man at all to 
 affect it, or to excite any thought or motion, or produce any effect 
 whatsoever in it, any other way than by the phantasy; which is 
 that power of the soul by which it receives, and is the subject of 
 the species or ideas of outward and sensible things. As to the 
 laws and means which the Creator has established, for the inter- 
 course and communication of unbodied spirits, we know nothing 
 about them; we do not know by what medium they manifest their 
 thoughts to each other, or excite thoughts in each other. But as 
 to spirits that are united to bodies, those bodies God has united 
 them to, are their medium of communication. They have no 
 other medium of acting on other creatures, or being acted on by 
 them, than the body. Therefore it is not to be supposed that Sa^ 
 tan can excite any thought, or produce any effect in the soul of 
 man any otherwise than by some motion of the animal spirits, 
 or by causing some motion or alteration in something which 
 appertains to the body. There is this reason to think that the 
 devil can not produce thoughts in the soul immediately, or any 
 other way than by the medium of the body, viz. that he can 
 not immediately see or know the thoughts of the soul: it is 
 abundantly declared in the scripture to be peculiar to the omni- 
 scient God to do that. But it is not likely that the devil can im- 
 mediately produce an effect, which is out of the reach of his im- 
 mediate view. It seems unreasonable to suppose that his imme- 
 diate agency should be out of his own sight, or that it should be 
 impossible for him to see what he himself immediately does. Is 
 it not unreasonable to suppose that any spirit or intelligent agent 
 should, by the act of his will, produce effects according to his un- 
 derstanding or agreeable to his own thoughts, and that immedi- 
 ately, and yet the effects produced be beyond the reach of his un- 
 derstanding, or where he can have no immediate perception or 
 discerning at all? But if this be so, that the devil can not produce 
 thoughts in the soul immediately, or any other way than by the 
 animal spirits, or by the body, then it follows, that he never brings 
 to pass any thing in the soul but by the imagination or phantasy, 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 235 
 
 or by exciting external ideas. For we know that alterations in 
 the body do immediately excite no other sort of ideas in the mind 
 but external ideas, or ideas of the outward senses, or ideas which 
 are of the same outward nature. As to reflection, abstraction, 
 reasoning, &c. and those thoughts and inward motions which are 
 the fruits of these acts of the mind, they are not the next effects 
 of impressions on the body. So that it must be only by the ima- 
 gination that Satan has access to the soul, to tempt and delude it, 
 or suggest any thing to it.f And this seems to be the reason why 
 persons that are under the disease of melancholy, are commonly 
 so visibly and remarkably subject to the suggestions and tempta- 
 tions of Satan; that being a disease which peculiarly affects the 
 
 f " The imagination is that room of the soul wherein the devil doth often 
 appear. Indeed (to speak exactly) the devil hath no efficient power over 
 the rational part of a man; he can not change the will, he can not alter the 
 heart of a man. So that the utmost he can do, in tempting a man to sin, is 
 by suasion and suggestion only. But how doth the devil do this? Even by 
 working upon the imagination. He observeth the temper and bodily con- 
 stitution of a man; and thereupon suggests to his fancy, and injects his fiery 
 darts thereinto, by which the mind will come to be wrought upon. The 
 devil then, though he hath no imperious efficacy over thy will, yet because 
 he can thus stir and move thy imagination, and thou being naturally desti- 
 tute of grace, canst not withstand these suggestions: hence it is that any sin 
 in thy imagination, though but in the outward works of the soul, yet doth 
 quickly lay hold on all. And indeed, by this means, do arise those horrible 
 delusions that are in many erroneous ways of religion; all is because their 
 imaginations are corrupted. Yea, how often are these diabolical delusions 
 of the imagination taken for the gracious operations of God's Spirit.'' It is 
 from hence that many have pretended to enthusiasms. They leave the scrip- 
 tures, and wholly attend to what they perceive and feel within them." — 
 Burgets on Original Sin, p. 369. 
 
 The great Turretine, speaking on that question. What is the power of 
 angels? says, " As to bodies, there is no doubt but that they can do a great 
 deal upon all sorts of elementary and sublunary bodies, to move them lo- 
 cally, and variously to agitate them. It is also certain, that they can act upon 
 the external and internal sense, to excite them or to bind them. But as to 
 the rational soul itself, they can do nothing immediately upon that; for to 
 God alone, who knows and searches the hearts, and who has them in his 
 hands, does it also appertain to bow and move them whithersoever he will. 
 But angels can act upon the rational soul, only mediately, by imaginations." 
 Theolog. Elench. Loc. VII. Quest. 7. 
 
236 FOURTH SIGN OP 
 
 animal spirits, and is attended with weakness of that part of the 
 body which is the fountain of the animal spirits, even the brain, 
 which is, as it were, the seat of the phantasy. It is by impres- 
 sions made on the brain, that any ideas are excited in the mind, 
 by the motion of the animal spirits, or any changes made in the 
 body. The brain being thus weakened and diseased, it is less 
 under the command of the higher faculties of the soul, and yields 
 the more easily to extrinsic impressions, and is overpowered by 
 the disordered motions of the animal spirits; and so the devil has 
 greater advantage to affect the mind by working on the imagina- 
 tion. And thus Satan, when he casts those horrid suggestions in- 
 to the minds of many melancholy persons, in which they have no 
 hand themselves, he does it by exciting imaginary ideas, either of 
 some dreadful words or sentences, or other horrid outward ideas. 
 And when he tempts other persons who are not melancholy, he 
 does it by presenting to the imagination, in a lively and alluring 
 manner, the objects of their lusts, or by exciting ideas of words, 
 and so by them exciting thoughts; or by promoting an imagina- 
 tion of outward actions, events, circumstances, &c. Innumerable 
 are the ways by which the mind might be led on to all kind of 
 evil thoughts, by exciting external ideas in the imagination. 
 
 If persons keep no guard at these avenues of Satan, by which he 
 has access to the soul, to tempt and delude it, they will be likely to 
 have enough of him. And especially, if instead of guarding against 
 him, they lay themselves open to him, and seek and invite him, 
 because he appears as an angel of light, and counterfeits the illu- 
 minations and graces of the Spirit of God, by inward whispers, 
 and immediate suggestions of facts and events, pleasant voices, 
 beautiful images, and other impressions on the imagination. There 
 are many who are deluded by such things, and are lifted up with 
 them, and seek after them, that have a continued course of them, 
 and can have them almost when they will; and especially when 
 their pride and vain glory has most occasion for them, to make a 
 show of them before company. It is with them, something as it is 
 with those who are professors of the art of telling where lost things 
 are to be found, by impressions made on their imaginations; they 
 
 :\ 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 231 
 
 laying themselves open to the devil, he is always at hand to give 
 them the desired impression. 
 
 Before I finish what I would say on this head of imaginations, 
 counterfeiting spiritual light, and affections arising from them, I 
 would renewedly (to prevent misunderstanding of what has been 
 said) desire it may be observed, that I am far from determining 
 that no affections are spiritual which are attended with imaginary 
 ideas. Such is the nature of man, that he can scarcely think 
 of any thing intensely, without some kind of outward ideas. 
 They arise and interpose themselves unavoidably, in the course 
 of a man's thoughts; though oftentimes they are very confused, 
 and are not what the mind regards. When the mind is much 
 engaged, and the thoughts intense, oftentimes the imagination 
 is more strong, and the outward idea more lively, especially 
 in persons of some constitutions of body. But there is a great dif- 
 ference between these two things, viz. lively imaginations arising 
 from strong affections, and strong affections arising from lively 
 imaginations. The former may be, and doubtless often is, in 
 case of truly gracious affections. The affections do not arise from 
 the imagination, nor have any dependence upon it; but, on the 
 contrary, the imagination is only the accidental effect, or conse- 
 quent of the affection, through the infirmity of humun nature. 
 But when the latter is the case, as it often is, that the affection 
 arises from the imagination, and is built upon it, as its foundation, 
 instead of spiritual illumination or discovery, then is the affection, 
 however elevated, worthless and vain. And this is the drift of 
 what has been now said, of impressions on the imagination. Hav- 
 ing observed this, I proceed to another mark of gracious affec- 
 tions. 
 
 V. Truly gracious affections are attended with a reasonable 
 and spir itual convict ion of the judgment, of the reality and cer- ^^^j 
 tainty of divine things. 
 
 This seems to be implied in the text that was laid as the foun- 
 dation of this discourse." "Whom having not seen, yc love; in 
 whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with 
 joy unspeakable, and full of glorv," 
 2g 
 
 \ 
 
2S8 FIFTH SIGN OF 
 
 All those who are truly gracious persons liave a solid, full, 
 thorough and effectual conviction of the truth of the great things 
 of the gospel; I mean, that they no longer halt between two 
 opinions; the great doctrines of the gospel cease to be any longer 
 doubtful things, or matters of opinion, which, though probable, are 
 yet disputable; but with them, they are points settled and deter- 
 mined, as undoubted and indisputable; so that they are not afraid 
 to venture their all upon their truth. Their conviction is an 
 effectual conviction; so that the great, spiritual, mysterious, and 
 invisible things of the gospel, have the influence of real and cer- 
 tain things upon them; they have the weight and power of real 
 things in their hearts; and accordingly rule in their affections, 
 and govern them through the course of their lives. With respect 
 to Christ's being the Son of God, and Saviour of the world, and 
 the great things he has revealed concerning himself, and his 
 Father, and another world, they have not only a predominating, 
 opinion that these things are true, and so yield their assent, as 
 they do in many other matters of doubtful speculation; but they 
 see that it is really so; their eyes are opened, so that they see 
 that really Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. And 
 as to the things which Christ has revealed, of God's eternal pur- 
 poses and designs, concerning fallen man, and the glorious and 
 everlasting things prepared for the saints in another world, they 
 see that they are so indeed; and therefore these things are of 
 great weight with them, and have a mighty power upon their 
 hearts, and influence over their practice, in some measure an- 
 swerable to their infinite importance. 
 
 That all true Christians have such a kind of conviction of the 
 truth of the things of the gospel is abundantly manifest from the 
 holy scriptures. I will mention a few places of many, Matt. xvi. 
 15, 16, 17, " But whom say ye that I am? Simon Peter answer- 
 ed and said. Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God. And 
 Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar- 
 jona: — My Father which is in heaven hath revealed it unto thee." 
 Jolaj vi. 68, 69, " Thou hast tlie words of eternal life. And we 
 believe and are sure that thou ajt that Christ, the Son of the iiv- 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 239 
 
 ing God." John xvii. 6, 7, 8, " I have manifested thy name unto 
 the men which thou gavest me out of the world. Now they have 
 known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me, are of thee. 
 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and 
 they have received them, and have known surely that I came out 
 from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me." Acts 
 viii. 37, "If thou believest with all thy heart thou mayest." 2 
 Cor. iv. 11, 12, 13, 14, "We which live, are always delivered 
 unto death for Jesus' sake — Death worketh in us — We having 
 the spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and there- 
 fore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak; know- 
 ing, that he which raised up the Lord Jesus, shall raise up us also 
 by Jesus, and shall present us with you." Together with ver. 16. 
 " For which cause we faint not." And ver. 18. " While we look 
 not at the things which are seen," &,c. And chap. v. 1. " For we 
 know, that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, 
 Tve have a building of God." And ver. 6, 7, 8, "Therefore w« 
 are always confident, knowing that whilst we are at home in the 
 body, we are absent from the Lord; for we walk by faith, not by 
 sight. We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent 
 from the body, and present with the Lord." 2 Tim. i. 12, "For 
 the which cause I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not 
 ashamed; for I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded 
 that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him 
 against that day." Heb. iii. 6, "Whose house are we, if we 
 hold fast the confidence, and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto 
 the end." Heb. xi. 1, "Now faith is the substance of things 
 hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen;" together with 
 that whole chapter. 1 John iv. 13, 14, 15, 16, " Hereby know 
 we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us 
 of his Spirit. And we have seen, and ^9 testify, that the Father 
 sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall 
 confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and 
 he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God 
 hath to us." Chap, v. 4. 5, " For whatsoever is born of God, 
 overcometh the world; and this is the victory that overcometh the 
 
J- 
 
 240 FIFTH SIGN OF 
 
 world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, 
 but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God." 
 
 Therefore truly gracious affections are attended with such a 
 kind of conviction and persuasion of the truth of the things of the 
 gospel, and sight of their evidence and reality, as these and other 
 scriptures speak of. 
 
 There are many religious affections which are not attended 
 with such a conviction of the judgment. There are many appre- 
 hensions and ideas which some have that they call divine disco- 
 veries, which are affecting, but not convincing. Though for a 
 little while they may seem to be more persuaded of the truth of 
 the thmgs of religion than they used to be, and may yield a for- 
 ward assent, like many of Christ's hearers, who believe for a 
 while; yet they have no thorough and effectual conviction; nor is 
 there any great abiding change in them in this respect, that whereas 
 formerly they did not realize the great things of the gospel, now these 
 things, with regard to reality and certainty, appear new to them, 
 and they behold them quite in another view than they used to do. 
 There are many persons who have been exceedingly raised with 
 religious affections, and think they have been converted, they do 
 [not go about the world any more convinced of the truth of the 
 gospel than they used to be, or, at least, there is no remarkable 
 alteration: they are not men who live under the influence and 
 power of a realizing conviction of the infinite and eternal things 
 which the gospel reveals; if they were it would be impossible for 
 them to live as they do. Because their affections are not attend- 
 ed with a thorough conviction of the mind, they are not at all to 
 be depended on; however great a show and noise they make, it is 
 like the blaze of tow, or crackling of thorns, or like the forward 
 flourishing blade on stony ground, that has no root nor deepness 
 of earth to maintain its life. 
 
 Some persons under high affections, and a confident persuasion 
 of their good estate, have that which they very ignorantly call a 
 seeing the truth of the word of God, and which is very far from 
 it, after this manner; they have some text of scripture coming to 
 their minds in a sudden and extraordinary manner, immediately 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 241 
 
 declaring unto them (as they suppose) that their sins are forgiven, 
 or that God loves them, and will save them; and it may be have 
 a chain of scriptures coming one after another to the same pur- 
 pose, and they are convinced that it is truth; i, e. they are confi- 
 dent that it is certainly so, that their sins are forgiven, and God 
 does love them, &.c. — they say they know it is so, and when the 
 words of scripture are suggested to them, and, as they suppose, 
 immediately spoken to them by God, in this meaning they are 
 ready to cry out, Truth, truth! It is certainly so! The word of 
 God is true! And this they call a seeing the truth of the word of 
 God. Whereas the whole of their faith amounts to no more than 
 only a strong confidence of their own good estate, and so a con- 
 fidence that these words are true which they suppose tell them 
 they are in a good estate: when, indeed, (as was shown before) 
 there is no scripture which declares that any person is in a good 
 estate directly, or any other way than by consequence. So that 
 this, instead of being a real sight of the truth of the word of God, 
 is a sight of nothing but a phantom, and is wholly a delusion. 
 Truly to see the truth of the word of God, is to see the truth of 
 the gospel; wkich is the glorious doctrine the word of God con- 
 tains concerning God and Jesus Christ, and the way of salvation 
 by him, and the world of glory that he is entered hito and pur- 
 chased for all them who believe, and not a revelation that such i^ X^ 
 and such particular persons are true Christians and shall go to 
 heaven. Therefore those affections which arise from no other 
 persuasion of the truth of the word of God than this, arise from 
 delusion and not true conviction, and, consequently, are them- 
 selves delusive and vain. 
 
 But if the religious affections that persons have do indeed arise 
 from a strong persuasion of the truth of the christian religion, 
 their affections are not the better, unless their persuasion be a rea- - ' 
 sonable persuasion or conviction. By a reasonable conviction, I 
 mean a conviction founded on real evidence, or upon that which 
 is a good reason, or just ground of conviction. Men may have 
 a strong persuasion that the christian religion is true, when their 
 persuasion is not at all built on evidence, but altogether on edu- 
 
^42 FIFTH SIGN OF 
 
 cation and the opinion of others; as many Mahometans are strongly 
 persuaded of the truth of the Mahometan religion, because their 
 fathers, and neighbours, and nation believe it. Thatbelief of the 
 truth of the christian religion, which is built on the very same 
 grounds with a Mahometan's belief of the Mahometan religion, 
 is the same sort of belief. And though the thing believed hap- 
 pens to be better, yet that does not make the belief itself to be of 
 
 ' j a better sort; for though the thing believed happens to be true^ 
 
 "I yet the belief of it is not owing to this truth, but to education. 
 So that as the conviction is no better than the Mahometan's con- 
 viction, so the affections that flow from it are no better in them- 
 selves than the religious affections of Mahometans. 
 
 But if that belief of christian doctrines, which persons' affec- 
 tions arise from, be not merely from education; but, indeed, from 
 reasons and arguments which are offered, it will not from thence 
 necessarily follow that their affections are truly gracious: for, in 
 
 ' order to that, it is requisite not only that the belief which their 
 affections arise from should be a reasonable, but also a spiritual 
 belief or conviction. I suppose that none will doubt but that 
 some natural men do yield a kind of assent of their judgments to 
 the truth of the Christian religion, from the rational proofs or ar- 
 guments that are offered to evince it. Judas, without doubt, 
 thought Jesus to be the Messiah from the things which he saw 
 and heard; but yet all along was a devil. So in John ii. 23, 24^ 
 25, we read of many that believed in Christ's name when they 
 saw the miracles that he did, whom yet Christ knew had not that 
 within them which was to be depended on. So Simon the sor- 
 cerer believed when he beheld the miracles and signs which were 
 done; but yet remained in the gall of bitterness and bond of ini- 
 quity, Acts viii. 1 3, 23. And if there is such a belief or assent 
 of the judgment in some natural men, none can doubt but that 
 religious affections may arise from that assent or belief; as we read 
 of some who believed for a while, tliat were greatly affected, and 
 anon with joy received the word. 
 
 It is evident that there is sUch a thing as a spiritual belief or 
 
 ' conviction of the truth of the things of the gospel, or a belief that 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 243 
 
 is peculiar to those who are spiritual, or who are regenerated, 
 and have the Spirit of God, in his holy communications, and 
 dwelling in them as a vital principle. So that the conviction 
 they have, does not only differ from that which natural men have, 
 in its concomitants, in that it is accompanied with good works; 
 but the belief itself is diverse, the assent and conviction of the 
 judgment is of a kind peculiar to those who are spiritual, and 
 that which natural men are wholly destitute of. This is evident 
 by the scripture, if any thing at all is so; John xvii. 8, " They 
 havebelieved that thou didst send me." Tit. i. 1, " According ta 
 the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth 
 which is after godliness." John xvi. 27, "The Father himself 
 loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I 
 came out from God." 1 John iv. 15, "Whosoever shall confess 
 that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in 
 God." Chap, v, 1, "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ, 
 is born of God." Ver. 10, " He that believeth on the Son of God, 
 hath the witness in himself." 
 
 What a spiritual conviction ofthejudgmentis, we are natural- 
 ly led to determine from what has been said already, under the 
 former head of a spiritual understanding. The conviction of the 
 judgment arises from the illumination of the understanding; the 
 passing of a right judgment on things, depends on having a right 
 apprehension or idea of things. And therefore it follows, that a 
 spiritual conviction of the truth of the great things of the gospel, 
 is such a conviction, as arises from having a spiritual view or ap- 
 prehension of those things in the mind. And this is also evident 
 from the scripture, which often represents, that a saving belief of 
 the reality and divinity of the things proposed and exhibited to us 
 in the gospel, is from the Spirit of God's enlightening the mind, 
 to have right apprehensions of the nature of those things, and so 
 as it were unveiling things, or revealing them, and enabling the 
 mind to view them and see them as they are. Luke x. 21,22, 
 " I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou 
 hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast reveal- 
 ed them unto babes: even so. Father, for so it seemed good in 
 
244 FIFTH SIGN OF 
 
 thy sight. All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and 
 no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the 
 Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him." 
 John vi. 40, " And this is the will of him that sent me, that every 
 one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have ever- 
 lasting life," Where it is plain, that true faith arises from a 
 spiritual sight of Christ. And John xvii, 6, 7, 8, " I have man- 
 ifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the 
 world. Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou 
 hast given me, are of thee. For I have given unto them the words 
 which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have 
 known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed 
 that thou didst send rae." Where Christ's manifesting God's 
 name to the disciples, or giving them a true apprehension and view 
 of divine things, was that whereby they knew that Christ's doc- 
 trine was of God, and that Christ himself was of him, and was 
 sent by him; Matth. xvi, 16, 17, "Simon Peter said, thou art 
 Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said 
 unto him. Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood 
 hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven." 
 1 John V. 10, "He that believeth on the Son of God, hath the 
 witness in himself." Gal. i. 14, 15, 16, "Being more exceedingly 
 zealous of the traditions of my fathers. But when it pleased 
 God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me 
 by his grace, to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him 
 among the heathen; immediately I, conferred not with flesh and 
 blood." 
 
 If it be so, that that is a spiritual conviction of the divinity and 
 reality of the things exhibited in the gospel, which arises from a 
 spiritual understanding of those things; I have shown already 
 what that is, viz, a sense and taste of the divine, supreme, and 
 ,holy excellency and beauty of those things. So that then is the 
 mind spiritually convinced' of the divinity and truth of the great 
 things of the gospel, when that conviction arises, either directly 
 or remotely, from such a sense or view of their divine excellency 
 and glory as is there exhibited. This clearly follows, from 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 245 
 
 iliingsthat have been already said: and for this the scripture is 
 very plain and express, 2 Cor. iv. 3 — 6, " But if our gospel be 
 hid, it is hid to them that are lost; in whom the God of this 
 world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not, lest the 
 light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, 
 should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ 
 Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. For 
 God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath 
 shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the 
 glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ." Together with the 
 last verse of the foregoing chapter, which introduces this, " but 
 we all, with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the 
 Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even 
 as by the Spirit of the Lord." Nothing can be more evident, 
 than that a saving belief of the gospel is here spoken of, by the 
 apostle, as arising from the mind's being enlightened to behold 
 the divine glory of the things it exhibits. 
 
 This view or sense of the divine glory, and unparalleled beauty 
 of the things exhibited to us in the gospel, has a tendency to con- 
 vince the mind of their divinity, two ways; directly, and more 
 indirectly and remotely. 1 . A view of this divine glory directly 
 convinces the mind of the divinity of these things, as this glory is 
 in itself a direct, clear and all-conquering evidence of it; espe- 
 cially when clearly discovered, or when this supernatural sense 
 is given in a good degree. 
 
 He that has his judgment thus directly convinced and assured 
 of the divinity of the things of the gospel, by a clear view of 
 their divine glory, has a reasonable conviction; his belief and 
 assurance is altogether agreeable to reason; because the divine 
 glory and beauty of divine things is in itself, real evidence of their 
 divinity, and the most direct and strong evidence. He that truly 
 sees the divine, transcendent, supreme glory of those things which 
 are divine, does as it were know their divinity intuitively: he not 
 only argues that they are divine, but he sees that they are divine; 
 he sees that in them wherein divinity chietly consists, for in this 
 
 glory, which is so vastlv and inexpressibly distinguished from the 
 2h 
 
246 PIPTH SIGN OF 
 
 glory of artificial things, and all other glory, does mainly consist 
 the true notion of divinity. God is God, and distinguished from 
 all other beings, and exalted above them, chiefly by his divine 
 beauty, which is infinitely diverse from all other beauty. They 
 therefore that see the stamp of this glory in divine things, they 
 see divinity in them, they see God in them, and so see them to 
 be divine; because they see that in them wherein the truest idea 
 of divinity does consist. Thus a soul may have a kind of intui- 
 tive knowledge of the divinity of the things exhibited in the 
 gospel; not that he judges the doctrines of the gospel to be from 
 God, without any argument or deduction at all; but it is without 
 any long chain of arguments; the argument is but one, and the 
 ^S. evidence direct; the mind ascends to the truth of the gospel but 
 'by one step, and that is its divine glory. 
 
 It wortid be very strange if any professing Christian should de- 
 ny it to be possible that there should be an excellency in divine 
 things, which is so transcendent, and exceedingly different from 
 what is in other things, that if it were seen would easily distinguish 
 them. We can not rationally doubt, but that things that are di- 
 vine, that appertain to the Supreme Being, are vastly different from 
 things that are human: that there is a godlike, high and glorious 
 excellency in them, that does so distinguish them from the things 
 which are of men, that the difference is ineffable; and therefore 
 such as, if seen, will have a most convincing, satisfying influence 
 upon any one, that they are what they are, viz. divine. Doubt- 
 less there is that glory and excellency in the divine Being, by 
 which he is so infinitely distinguished from all other beings, that 
 if it were seen, he might be known by it. It would therefore be 
 very unreasonable to deny that it is possible for God to give mani- 
 festations of this distinguishing excellency, in things by which he 
 is pleased to make himself known; and that this distinguishing 
 excellency may be clearly seen in them. There are natural ex- 
 cellencies that are very evidently distinguishing of the subjects or 
 authors, to any one who beholds them. How vastly is the speech 
 of an understanding man different from that of a little child! and 
 how greatly distinguished is the speech of some men of g^eat ge- 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 247 
 
 nius, as Homer, Cicero, Milton, Locke, Addison and others from 
 that of many other understanding men! There are no limits to be 
 set to the degrees of manifestation of mental excellency, that there 
 may be in speech. But the appearances of the natural perfec- 
 tions of God, in the manifestations he makes of himself, may 
 doubtless be unspeakably more evidently distinguishing than the 
 appearances of those excellencies of worms of the dust, in which 
 they differ one from another. He that is well acquainted with 
 mankind and their works, by viewing the sun may know it 
 is no human work. And it is reasonable to suppose that when 
 Christ comes at the end of the world, in the glory of his Father, 
 it will be with such inefFable appearances of divinity, as will leave 
 no doubt to the inliabitants of the world, even the most obstinate 
 infidels, that he who appears is a divine person. But above all, 
 do the manifestations of the moral and spiritual glory of the divine 
 Being (which is the proper beauty of the divinity) bring their 
 own evidence, and tend to assure the heart. Thus the disciples 
 "vvere assured that Jesus was the son of God, " for they beheld his; 
 glory, as the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace 
 and truth," John i, 14. When Christ appeared in the glory of 
 his transfiguration to his disciples with that outward glory to their 
 bodily eyes, which was a sweet and admirable symbol and sem- 
 blance of his spiritual glory, together with his spiritual glory it- 
 self, manifested to their minds; the manifestation of glory was 
 such as did perfectly and with good reason, assure them of his 
 divinity; as appears by what one of them, viz. the apostle Peter, 
 says concerning it, 2 Pet. i. 16, 17, 18, " For we have not fol- 
 lowed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you 
 the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye 
 witnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father, 
 honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the 
 excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well 
 pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, 
 when we were with him in the holy mount." The apostle calls that 
 mount the holy mount, because the manifestations of Christ, which 
 were there made to their minds, and which their minds were espe- 
 
248 FIFTH SIGN OF 
 
 cially impressed and ravished with, were the glory of his holiness, 
 or the heauty of his moral excellency; or, as another of these dis- 
 ciples who saw it, expresses it, " his glory, as full of grace and 
 truth." 
 
 Now this distinguishing glory of the divine Being has its bright- 
 est appearance and manifestation, in the things proposed and ex- 
 hibited to us in the gospel, the doctrines there taught, the word 
 there spoken, and the divine counsels, acts and works there re- 
 vealed. These things have the clearest, most admirable and dis- 
 tinguishing representations and exhibitions of the glory of God's 
 moral perfections, that ever were made to the world. And if 
 there be such a distinguishing, evidential manifestation of divine 
 glory in the gospel, it it reasonable to suppose that there may be 
 such a thing as seeing it. What should hinder but that it may 
 be seen? It is po argument that it can not be seen, that some do 
 not see it; though they may be discerning men in temporal mat- 
 ters. If there be such ineffable, distinguishing, evidential excel- 
 lencies in the gospel, it is reasonable to suppose that they are 
 such as are not to be discerned but by the special influence and 
 enlightenings of the Spirit of God. There is need of uncommon 
 force of mind to discern the distinguishing excellencies of the works 
 of authors of great genius: those in Milton, which to mean judges 
 appear tasteless and imperfections, are his inimitable excellencies 
 in the eyes of those who are of greater discerning and better 
 taste. And if there be a book which God is the author of, it is 
 most reasonable to suppose that the distinguishing glories of his 
 ; Word are of such a kind, as that the corruptions of mens hearts, 
 which above all things alienates men from the Deity, and makes 
 the heart dull and stupid to any sense or taste of those things 
 •f wherein the moral glory of the divine perfections consists. I say, 
 I it is but reasonable to suppose that this would blind men from 
 ' discerning the beauties of such a book; and that therefore they 
 ! will not see them, but as God is pleased to enlighten them, and 
 restore a holy taste to discern and relish divine beauties. 
 
 This sense of the spiritual excellency and beauty of divine 
 i things, does also tend directly to convince the mind of the truth 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS, 249 
 
 of the gospel, as there are very many of the most important things 
 declared in the gospel, that are hid from the eyes of natural men, 
 the truth of which does in effect consist in this excellency, or does 
 so immediately depend upon it, and result from it, that in this ex- 
 cellency's being seen, the truth of those things is seen. As soon 
 as ever the eyes are opened to behold the holy beauty and amia- 
 bleness that is in divine things, a multitude of most important 
 doctrines of the gospel that depend upon it (which all appear 
 strange atnd dark to natural men) are at once seen to be true. 
 As for instance, hereby appears the truth of what the word of 
 God declares concerning the exceeding evil of sin; for the same 
 eye that discerns the transcendent beauty of holiness, necessarily 
 therein sees the exceeding odiousness of sin: the same taste which 
 relishes the sweetness of true moral good, tastes the bitterness of 
 moral evil. And by this means a man sees his own sinfulness 
 and loathsomeness; for he has now a sense to discern objects of 
 this nature; and so sees the truth of what the word of God de- 
 clares concerning the exceeding sinfulness of mankind, which be- 
 fore he did not see. He now sees the dreadful pollution of his 
 heart, and the desperate depravity of his nature, in a new man- 
 ner; for his soul has now a sense given it to feel the pain of such 
 a disease; and this shows him the truth of what the scripture re- 
 veals concerning the corruption of man's nature, his original sin, 
 and the ruinous, undone condition man is in, and his need of a 
 Saviour, his need of the mighty power of God to renew his heart 
 and change his nature. Men, by seeing the true excellency of 
 holiness, do see the glory of all those things, which both reason 
 and scripture show to be in the divine Being; for it has been 
 shown, that the glory of them depends on this: and hereby they 
 see the truth of all that the scripture declares concerning God's 
 glorious excellency and majesty, his being the fountain of all 
 good, the only happiness of the creature, &c. And this again 
 shows the mind the truth of what the scripture teaches concerning 
 the evil of sin against so glorious a God; and also the truth of what 
 it teaches concerning sin's just desert of that dreadful punishment 
 which it reveals; and also concerning the impossibility of our 
 
250 FtPTH SIGN OF 
 
 offering any satisfaction, or sufficient atonement for that Avhich is 
 so infinitely evil and heinous. And this again shows the truth of 
 what the scripture reveals concerning the necessity of a Saviour, 
 to offer an atonement of infinite value for sin. And this sense of 
 spiritual beauty that has been spoken of, enables the soul to see 
 the glory of those things which the gospel reveals concerning the 
 person of Christ; and so enables to see the exceeding beauty and 
 dignity of his person, appearing in what the gospel exhibits of his 
 word, works, acts, and life: and this apprehension of the super- 
 lative dignity of his person, shows the truth of what the gospel de- 
 clares concerning the value of his blood and righteousness, and so 
 the infinite excellency of that offering he has made to God for us, 
 and so its sufficiency to atone for our sins, and recommend us to 
 God. And thus the Spirit of God discovers the way of salvation 
 by Christ; thus the soul sees the fitness and suitableness of this 
 way of salvation, the admirable wisdom of the contrivance, and 
 the perfect answerableness of the provision that the gospel exhi- 
 bits (as made for us) to our necessities. A sense of true divine 
 beauty being given to the soul, the soul discerns the beauty of 
 every part of the gospel scheme. This also shows the soul the 
 truth of what the word of God declares concerning man's chief 
 happiness, as consisting in holy exercises and enjoyments. This 
 shows the truth of what the gospel declares concerning the un- 
 speakable glory of the heavenly state. And what the prophecies 
 of the Old Testament, and the writings of the apostles declare 
 concerning the glory of the Messiah's kingdom, is now all plain; 
 and also what the scripture teaches concerning the reasons and 
 grounds of our duty. The truth of all these things revealed in 
 ' the scripture, and many more that might be mentioned, appears 
 to the soul, only by imparting that spiritual taste of divine beauty, 
 which has been spoken of; they being hidden things to the soul 
 before. 
 
 And besides all this, the truth of all those things which the 
 scripture says about experimental religion, is hereby known; for 
 they are now experienced. And this convinces the soul, that 
 one who knew the heart of man, better than we know our own 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 251 
 
 hearts, and perfectly knew the nature of virtue and holiness, was 
 the author of the scriptures. And the opening to view, with 
 such clearness, such a world of wonderful and glorious truth in 
 the gospel, that before was unknown, being quite above the view 
 of a natural eye, but now appearing so clear and bright, has a 
 powerful and invincible influence on the soul, to persuade of the 
 divinity of the gospel. 
 
 Unless men may come to a reasonable, solid persuasion and 
 conviction of the truth of the gospel, by the internal evidences of 
 it, in the way that has been spoken, viz. by a sight of its glory; it 
 is impossible that those who are illiterate, and unacquainted with 
 history, should have any thorough and effectual conviction of it 
 at all. They may without this, see a great deal of probability of 
 it; it may be reasonable for them to give much credit to what 
 learned men and historians tell them; and they may tell them so 
 much, that it may look very probable and rational to them, that 
 the christian religion is true; and so much that they would be 
 very unreasonable not to entertain this opinion. But to have a 
 conviction, so clear and evident, and assuring, as to be sufficient 
 to induce them, with boldness to sell all, confidently and fearless- 
 ly to run the venture of the loss of all things, and of enduring the 
 most exquisite and long continued torments, and to trample the 
 world under foot, and count all things but dung for Christ; the 
 evidence they can have from history, can not be sufficient. It is 
 impossible that men, who have not something of a general view 
 of the historical world, or the series of history from age to age, 
 should come at the force of arguments for the truth of Christian^ 
 ity, drawn from history, to that degree, as effectually to induce 
 them to venture their all upon it. After all that learned men 
 have said to them, there will remain innumerable doubts on their 
 minds; they will be ready, when pinched with some great trial 
 of their faith, to say, "How do I know this, or that? How do I 
 know when these histories were written? Learned men tell me 
 these histories were so and so attested in the day of them; but 
 bow do I know that there were such attestations then? They telj 
 me there is equal reason to believe these facts, as any wbatsoevcv 
 
2B2 FIFTH SIGN OF 
 
 that are related at such a distance; but how do I know that other 
 facts which are related of those ages, ever were ?" Those who 
 have not something of a general view of the series of historical 
 events, and of the state of mankind from age to age, can not see 
 the clear evidence from history, of the truth of facts, in distant 
 ages; but there will endless doubts and scruples remain. 
 
 But the gospel was not given only for learned men. There 
 are at least nineteen in twenty, if not ninety-nine in a hundred, 
 ^ of those for whom the scriptures were written, that are not capa- 
 ble of any certain or effectual conviction of the divine authority of 
 the scriptures, by such arguments as learned men make use of. 
 If men who have been brought up in heathenism, must wait for 
 a clear and certain conviction of the truth of Christianity, until 
 they have learning and acquaintance with the histories of politer 
 nations, enough to see clearly the force of such kind of arguments; 
 it will make the evidence of the gospel to them immensely cum- 
 bersome, and will render the propagation of the gospel among 
 them infinitely difficult. Miserable is the condition of the Hous- 
 satunnuck Indians, and others, who have lately manifested a de- 
 sire to be instructed in Christianity, if they can come at no evi- 
 dence of the truth of Christianity, sufficient to induce them to sell 
 all for Christ, in any other way but this. 
 
 It is unreasonable to suppose, that God has provided for his 
 people no more than probable evidences of the truth of the gospel. 
 He has with great care, abundantly provided, and given them, 
 the most convincing, assuring, satisfying and manifold evidence 
 of his faithfulness in the covenant of grace; and as David says, 
 *'made a covenant, ordered in all things and sure." Therefore 
 it is rational to suppose, that at the same time, he would not fail 
 of ordering the matter so, that there should not be wanting, as 
 great and clear evidence, that this is his covenant, and that these 
 promises are his promises; or, which is the same thing, that the 
 christian religion is true, and that the gospel is his word. Other- 
 wise in vain are those great assurances he has given of his faith- 
 fulness in his covenant, by confirming it with his oath, and so 
 variously establishing it by seals and pledges. For the evidence 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 25S 
 
 that it is his covenant, is properly the foundation on which all the 
 force and effect of those other assurances do stand. We may 
 therefore undoubtedly suppose and conclude, that there is some 
 sort of evidence which God has given, that this covenant, and 
 these promises are his, beyond all mere probability; that there 
 are some grounds of assurance of it held forth, which, if we were 
 not blind to them, tend to give a higher persuasion, than any 
 arguing from history, human tradition, &,c. which the illiterate 
 and unacquainted with history are capable of; yea, that which is 
 good ground of the highest and most perfect assurance, that man- 
 kind have in any case whatsoever, agreeable to those high ex- 
 pressions which the apostle uses, Heb. x. 22, "Let us draw near 
 in full assurance of faith." And Col. ii. 2, " That their hearts 
 might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all 
 riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledg- 
 ment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ." 
 It is reasonable to suppose, that God would give the greatest evi- 
 dence of those things which are greatest, and the truth of which 
 is of greatest importance to us: and that we therefore, if we are 
 wise, and act rationally, shall have the greatest desire of having 
 full, undoubting, and perfect assurance of. But it is certain, that 
 such an assurance is not to be attained by the greater part of 
 them who live under the gospel, by arguments fetched from an- 
 cient traditions, histories and monuments. 
 
 And if we come to fact and experience, there is not the least 
 reason to suppose, that one in a hundred of those who have been 
 sincere Christians, and have had a heart to sell all for Christ, 
 have come by their conviction of the truth of the gospel this way. 
 If we read over the histories of the many thousands that died mar- 
 tyrs for Christ, since the beginning of the reformation, and have 
 cheerfully undergone extreme tortures in a confidence of the truth 
 of the gospel, and consider their circumstances and advantages, 
 how few of them were there, that wc can reasonably suppose, 
 ever came by their assured persuasion this way; or indeed for 
 whom it was possible, reasonably to receive so full and strong an 
 assurance, from such arguments ! Manv of them were weak wo- 
 
354 FIFTH SIGN OF 
 
 men and ch'ldren, and the greater part of them illiterate persons, 
 many of whom had heen brought up in popish ignorance and 
 darkness, and were but newly come out of it, and lived and died 
 in times wherein those arguments for the truth of Christianity, 
 from antiquity and history, had been but very imperfectly handled. 
 And indeed, it is but very lately that these arguments have been 
 set in a clear and convincing light, even by learned men them- 
 selves: and since it has been done, there never were fewer tho- 
 rough believers among those who have been educated in the true 
 religion; infidelity never prevailed so much, in any age, as in this, 
 wherein these arguments are handled to the greatest advantage. 
 
 The true martyrs of Jesus Christ are not those who have only 
 been strong in opinion that the gospel of Christ is true, but those 
 that have seen the truth of it; as the very name of martyrs or 
 witnesses (by which they are called in scripture) implies. Those 
 are very improperly called witnesses of the truth of any thing, 
 who only declare they are very much of opinion that such a thing 
 is true. Those only are proper witnesses, who can and do testi- 
 fy that they have seen the truth of the thing they assert; John iii. 
 11," We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen. 
 John i. 34, " And I saw and bare record that this is the Son of 
 God." 1 John iv. 14. " And we have seen and do testify that 
 the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world." Acts 
 xxii. 14, 15, " The God of our Fathers hath chosen thee, that 
 thou shouldst know his will, and see that just one, and shouldst 
 hear the voice of his mouth; for thou shalt be his witness unto all 
 men, of what thou hast seen and heard." But the true martyrs 
 of Jesus Christ are called his witnesses; and all the saints, who 
 by their holy practice under great trials, declare that faith, which 
 is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things 
 not seen, are called witnesses, Heb. xi. 1, and xii. 1, because by 
 their profession and practice, they declare their assurance of the 
 truth and divinity of the gospel, having had the eyes of their minds 
 enlightened to see divinity in the gospel, or to behold that unpa- 
 ralleled, ineffably excellent and truly divine glory shining in it, 
 which is altogether distinguishing, evidential and convincing: so 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 255 
 
 that thej may truly be said to have seen God in it, and to have 
 seen that it is indeed divine; and so can speak in the style of wit- 
 nesses; and not only say that they think the gospel is divine, but 
 say that it is divine, giving it in their testimony, because they 
 have seen it to be so. Doubtless Peter, James and John, after 
 they had seen that excellent glory of Christ in the mount, would 
 have been ready, when they came down to speak in the language 
 of witnesses, and to say positively that Jesus is the Son of God; 
 as Peter says, they were eye witnesses, 2 Pet. i. 16. And so all 
 nations will be ready positively to say this, when they shall be- 
 hold his glory at the day of judgment; though what will be uni- 
 versally seen, will be only his natural glory, and not his moral 
 and spiritual glory, which is much more distinguishing. But yet 
 it must be noted, that among those who have a spiritual sight of 
 the divine glory of the gospel, there is a great variety of degrees 
 of strength of faith, as there is a vast variety of the degrees of 
 clearness of views of this glory: but there is no true and saving 
 faith or spiritual conviction of the judgment, of the truth of the 
 gospel, that has nothing in it, of this manifestation of its internal 
 evidence in some degree. The gospel of the blessed God does 
 not go abroad a begging for its evidence so much as some think; 
 it has its highest and most proper evidence in itself. Though 
 great use may be made of external arguments, they are not to be 
 neglected, but highly prized and valued; for they may be greatly 
 i?erviceable to awaken unbelievers, and bring them to serious con- 
 sideration, and to confirm the faith of true saints; yea, they may 
 be in some respects subservient to the begetting of a saving faith 
 in men. Though what was said before remains true, that there 
 is no spiritual conviction of the judgment, but what arises from 
 an apprehension of the spiritual beauty and glory of divine things; 
 for, as has been observed, this apprehension or view has a ten- 
 dency to convince the mind of the truth of the gospel two ways, 
 either directly or indirectly. Having therefore already observed 
 how it does this directly, 1 proceed now, 
 
 2. To observe how a view of this divine glory does convince 
 the mind of the truth of Christianity more indirectly. 
 
J256 FIFTH SIGN OP 
 
 First, It doth so, as the prejudices of the heart against the truth 
 of divine things are hereby removed, so that the mind thereby lies 
 open to the force of the reasons which are offered. The mind of 
 man is naturally full of enmity against the doctrines of the gospel ; 
 which is a disadvantage to those arguments that prove their truth, 
 and causes them to lose their force upon the mind; but when a per- 
 son has discovered to him the divine excellency of christian doc- 
 trines, this destroys that enmity, and removes the prejudices, and 
 sanctifies the reason, and causes it to be open and free. Hence is a 
 Vast difference as to the force that arguments have to convince the 
 tnind. Hence was the very different effect, which Christ's mira- 
 cles had to convince the disciples, from what they had to convince 
 the scribes and pharisees: not that they had a stronger reason, or 
 had their reason more improved; but their reason was sanctified, 
 and those blindiiig prejudices, which the scribes and pharisees 
 were under, wt.*re removed by the sense they had of the excellen- 
 cy of Christ and his doctrine. 
 
 Secondly, It not only removes the hiiiderances of reason, but 
 positively helps reason. It makes even the speculative notions 
 more lively. It assists and engages the attention of the mind to 
 that kind of objects which causes it to have a clearer view of them, 
 and more clearly to see their mutual relations. The ideas them- 
 selves, which otherwise are dim and obscure, by this means have 
 a light cast upon them, and are impressed with greater strength, 
 so that the mind can better judge of them; as he who beholds the 
 objects on the face of the earth, when the light of the sun is cast 
 ! tipon them, is under greater advantage to discern them, in their 
 true forms and mutual relations, and to see the evidences of divine 
 wisdom and skill in their contrivance, than he that sees them in- 
 a dim star-light or twilight. 
 
 What has been said may serve in some measure to show the 
 nature of a spiritual conviction of the judgment of the truth and 
 reality of divine things; and so to distinguish truly gracious affec- 
 tions from others; for gracious affections are evermore attended 
 with such a conviction of the judgment>. 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 25T 
 
 Eut before I dismiss this head, it will be needful to observe the 
 ways whereby some are deceived with respect to this matter; and 
 take notice of several things that are sometimes taken for a spi- 
 ritual and saving belief of the truth of the things of religion, which 
 are indeed very diverse from it. 
 
 1. There is a degree of conviction of the truth of the great 
 things of religion, that arises from the common enlightenings of 
 the Spirit of God. That more lively and sensible apprehension 
 of the things of religion, with respect to what is natural in them, 
 such as natural men have who are under awakenings and common 
 i illuminations, will give some degree of conviction of the truth of 
 '. divine things, beyond what they had before they were thus en- 
 lightened. For hereby they see the manifestations there are, in 
 the revelation made in the holy scriptures, and things exhibited in 
 that revelation, of the natural perfections of God; such as his 
 greatness, power and awful majesty; which tends to convince the 
 mind that this is the word of a great and terrible God. From 
 the tokens there are of God's greatness and majesty in his word 
 and works, which they have a great sense of, from the common 
 influence of the Spirit of God, they may have a much greater con^ 
 viction that these are indeed the words and works of a very great 
 invisible Being. And the lively apprehension of the greatness of 
 God, which natural men may have, tends to make them sensi- 
 ble of the great guilt which sin against a God brings, and the 
 dreadfulness of his wrath for sin. And this tends to cause them 
 more easily and fully to believe the revelation the scripture makes 
 of another world, and of the extreme misery it treatens, there to 
 be inflicted on sinners. And so from that sense of the great na- 
 tural good there is in the things of religion, which is sometimes 
 given in common illuminations, men may be the more induced to 
 believe the truth of religion. These things persons may have, 
 , and yet have no sense of the beauty and amiableness of the moral 
 and holy excellence that is in the things of religion, and therefore 
 i no spiritual conviction of their truth. But yet such convictions 
 are sometimes mistaken for saving convictions, and the aifectioris 
 flowing from them for saving affections. 
 
358 FIFTH SIGN OF 
 
 2. The extraordinaiy impressions which are made on the im- 
 aginations of some persons, in the visions and immediate strong 
 impulses and suggestions that they have, as though they saw sights, 
 and had words spoken to them, may, and often do beget a strong 
 persuasion of the truth of invisible things. Though the general 
 tendency of such things, in their final issue, is to draw men off 
 from the word of God, and to cause them to reject the gospel, 
 and to establish unbelief and atheism; yet for the present, they 
 may, and often do beget a confident persuasion of the truth of 
 some things that are revealed in the scriptures; however, their con- 
 fidence is founded in delusion, and so nothing worth. As for in- 
 stance, if a person has by some invisible agent, immediately and 
 strongly impressed on his imagination, the appearance of a bright 
 light, and glorious form of a person seated on a throne, with great 
 external majest}' and beauty, uttering some remarkable words, 
 with great force and energy; the person who is the subject of 
 such an operation, may be from hence confident, that there are 
 invisible agents, spiritual beings, from what he has experienced, 
 knowing that he had no hand himself in this extraordinary effect, 
 which he has experienced: and he may also be confident, that 
 this is Christ whom he saw and heard speaking: and this may 
 make him confident that there is a Christ, and that Christ reigns 
 on a throne in heaven, as he saw him; and may be confident that 
 the words which he heard him speak are true, &c. In the same 
 manner, as the lying miracles of the papists, may for the present, 
 beget in the minds of the ignorant deluded people, a strong perr 
 suasion of the truth of many things declared in the New Testa- 
 ment. Thus when the images of Christ, in popish churches, are 
 on some extraordinary occasions, made by priestcraft to appear to 
 the people as if they wept, and shed fresh blood, and moved, and 
 uttered such and such words; the people may be verily persuaded 
 that it is a miracle wrought by Christ himself; and from thence 
 may be confident there is a Christ, and that what they are told of 
 his death and sufferings, and resurrection, and ascension, and 
 present government of the world is true; for they may look upon 
 this miracle, as a certain evidence of all these things, and a kind 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 259 
 
 of occular der/ionstration of them. This may be the influence of 
 these lying winders for the present; though the general tendency 
 ^ of them is noj to convince that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, 
 but finally to rtromote atheism. Even the intercourse which Satan 
 has with w iich es, and their often experiencing his immediate 
 power, has a tendency to convince them of the truth of some of 
 the doctrines of religion; as particularly the reality of an invisible 
 world, or world of spirits, contrary to the doctrine of the Saddu- 
 cees. The general tendency of Satan's influence is delusion: but 
 yet he may mix some truth with his lies, that his lies may not be 
 so easily discovered. 
 
 There are multitudes that are deluded with a counterfeit faith, 
 j from impressions on their imagination, in the manner which has 
 been now spoken of. They say they know that there is a God, 
 for they have seen him; they know that Christ is the Son of God, 
 for they have seen him in his glory; they know that Christ died 
 for sinners, for they have seen him hanging on the cross, and his 
 blood running from his wounds; they know there is a heaven and 
 a hell, for they have seen the misery of the damned souls in hell, 
 and the glory of saints and angels in heaven (meaning some ex- 
 ternal representations, strongly impressed on their imagination;) 
 they know that the scriptures are the word of God, and that such 
 and such promises in particular are his word, for they have heard 
 him speak them to them; they came to their minds suddenly and 
 immediately from God, without their having any hand in it. 
 3. Persons may seem to have their belief of the truth of the 
 L things of religion greatly increased, when the foundation of it is 
 only a persuasion they have received of their interest in them. 
 They first, by some means or other, take up a confidence, that if 
 there be a Christ and heaven, they are theirs; and this prejudices 
 them more in favour of the truth of them. When they hear of the 
 great and glorious things of religion, it is with this notion, that all 
 I these things belong to them; and hence easily become confident 
 that they are true; they look upon it to be greatly for their interest 
 that they should be true. It is very obvious what a strong influ- 
 ence fliens interest and inclinations have on their judgments. 
 
260 SIXTH SIGN OP 
 
 While a natural man thinks, that if there be a heaven and hell, 
 the latter, and not the former, belongs to him; then he will be 
 hardly persuaded that there is a heaven or hell: but when he 
 comes to be persuaded, that hell belongs only to other folks, and 
 not to him, then he can easily allow the reality of hell, and cry 
 out of others' senselessness and sottishness in neglecting means of 
 escape from it: and being confident that he is a child of God, and 
 that God has promised heaven to him, he may seem strong in the 
 faith of its reality, and may have a great zeal against that infidelity 
 which denies it. 
 
 But I proceed to another distinguishing sign of gracious affec- 
 tions. 
 
 VI. Gracious affections are attended with evangelical humilia- 
 tion. 
 
 Evangelical humiliation is a sense that a Christian has of his 
 own utter insufficiency, despicableness, and odiousness, with an 
 answerable frame of heart. 
 
 - There is a distinction to be made between ^legal and evangel- 
 ical humiliation. The former is what men may be the subjects of, 
 while they are yet in a state of nature, and have no gracious affec- 
 tion; the latter is peculiar to true saints: the former is from the 
 common influence of the Spirit of God, assisting natural princi- 
 ples, and especially natural conscience; the latter is from the spe- 
 cial influences of the Spirit of God, implanting and exercising 
 supernatural and divine principles: the former is from the mind's 
 being assisted to a greater sense of the things of religion, as to 
 their natural properties and qualities, and particularly of the na- 
 tural perfections of God, such as his greatness, terrible majesty, 
 &c. which were manifested to the congregation of Israel, in giv- 
 ing the law at Mount Sinai; the latter is from a sense of the 
 transcendent beauty of divine things in their moral qualities: in 
 the former, a sense of the awful greatness, and natural perfections 
 of God, and of the strictness of his law, convinces men that they 
 are exceeding sinful, and guilty, and exposed to the wrath of God, 
 as it will wicked men and devils at the day of judgment; but they 
 dq not see their own odiousness on the account of sin; they do not 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 261 
 
 aee the hateful nature of sin; a sense of this is given in evangelical 
 humiliation, by a discovery of the beauty of God's holiness and 
 moral perfection. In a legal humiliation, men are made sensible 
 that they are little and nothing before the great and terrible God, 
 and that they are undone, and wholly insufficient to help them- 
 selves; as wicked men will be at the day of judgment: but they 
 have not an answerable frame of heart, consisting in a disposition 
 to abase themselves, and exalt God alone; this disposition is giv- 
 en only in evangelical humiliation, by overcoming the heart, and 
 changing its inclination, by a discovery of God's holy beauty: in 
 a legal humiliation, the conscience is convinced; as the con- 
 sciences of all will be most perfectly at the day of judgment; but 
 because there is no spiritual understanding, the will is not bowed, 
 nor the inclination altered; this is done only in evangelical humili- 
 ation. In legal humiliation, men are brought to despair of help- 
 ing themselves; in evangelical, they are brought voluntarily to 
 deny and renounce themselves: in the former, they are subdued 
 and forced to the ground; in the latter, they are brought sweetly 
 to yield, and freely and with delight to prostrate themselves at the 
 feet of God. 
 
 Legal humiliation has in it no spiritual good, nothing of the na- 
 ture of true virtue; whereas evangelical humiliation is that wherein 
 the excellent beauty of christian grace does very much consist. 
 Legal humiliation is useful, as a means in order to evangelical; 
 as a common knowledge of the things of religion is a means re- 
 quisite in order to spiritual knowledge. Men may be legally 
 humbled and have no humility: as the wicked at the day of judg- 
 ment will be thoroughly convinced that they have no righteous- 
 ^ness, but are altogether sinful, and exceedingly guilty, and justly 
 exposed to eternal damnation, and be fully sensible of their owa 
 helplessness, without the least mortification of the pride of their 
 hearts: but the essence of evangelical humiliation consists in such 
 humility, as becomes a creature, in itself exceeding sinful, under 
 a dispensation of grace; consisting in a mean esteem of himself, 
 as in himself nothing, and altogether contemptible and odious; at- 
 
262 SIXTH SIGN OF 
 
 tended with a mortification of a disposition to exalt himself, and a 
 free renunciation of his own glory. 
 
 This is a great and most essential thing in true religion. The 
 whole frame of the gospel, and every thing appertaining to the 
 new covenant, and all God's dispensations towards fallen man 
 are calculated to bring to pass this effect in the hearts of men. 
 They that are destitute of this, have no true religion, whatever 
 profession they may make, and how high soever their religious af- 
 fections may be; Hah. ii. 4, " Behold, his soul which is lifted up 
 is not upright in him; but the just shall live by his faith;" i. e. he 
 shall live by his faith on God's righteousness and grace, and not 
 his own goodness and excellency. God has abundantly manifest- 
 ed in his word, that this is what he has a peculiar respect to in his 
 saints, and that nothing is acceptable to him without it; Psalms, 
 xxxiv. 18, " The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken 
 heart, and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit." Psal. li. IT, 
 " The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a 
 contrite heart, God, thou wilt not despise." Psal. cxxxviii. 6, 
 " Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly." 
 Prov. iii. 34, " He giveth grace unto the lowly." Isa. Ivii. 15, 
 " Thus saith the high and lofty One who inhabiteth eternity, whose 
 name is Holy, I dwell in the high and holy place; with him also 
 that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of 
 the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." Isa. 
 Ixvi. 1,2, " Thus saith the Lord, the heaven is my throne, 
 and the earth is my footstool: — but to this man will I look, even 
 to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my 
 word." Micah vi. 8, " He hath showed thee, O man, what is 
 good; and what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to do 
 justly, and to love mercy, and walk humbly with thy God?" Matt, 
 3. " Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of 
 God." Matt, xviii. 3, 4, " Verily I say unto you, Except ye be 
 converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into 
 the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble him- 
 self as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of 
 heaven." Mark x. 15, " Verily I say unto you, whosoever shall 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 
 
 not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not en- 
 ter therein." The centurion that we have an account of, Luke 
 vii, acknowledged that he was not worthy that Christ should 
 enter under his roof, and that he was not worthy to come to him. 
 See the manner of the woman's coming to Christ, that was a sin- 
 ner, Luke vii. 37, &c. " And behold, a woman in the city, which 
 was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the phari- 
 see's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, and stood at his 
 feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, 
 and did wipe them with the hairs of her head." She did not 
 think the hair of her head, which is the natural crown and 
 glory of a woman, (1 Cor. xi. 15) too good to wipe the feet of 
 Christ withal. Jesus most graciously accepted her, and says to 
 her, " Thy faith hath saved thee, go in peace." The woman of 
 Canaan submitted to Christ, in his saying, " It is not meet to take 
 the childrens bread, and to cast it to dogs," and did, as it were, 
 own that she was worthy to be called a dog; whereupon Christ 
 says unto her, " O woman, great is thy faith; be it unto thee 
 even as thou wilt," Matt. xv. 26, 27, 28. The prodigal son said, 
 " I will arise and go to my father, and I will say unto him, Fa- 
 ther, I have sinned against heaven and before thee, and am no 
 more worthy to be called thy son; make me as one of thy hired 
 servants," Luke xv. 18, &c. See also Luke xviii. 9, &c. " And 
 he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in them- 
 selves that they were righteous, and despised others," &c. 
 " The publican standing afar off, would not so much as lift up his 
 eyes to heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merci- 
 ful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house 
 justified rather than the others: for every one that exalteth him- 
 self, shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself, shall be ex- 
 alted." Matt, xxviii. 9, " And they came and held him by the 
 feet, and worshipped him." Col. iii. 12, " Put ye on as the elect 
 of God, — humbleness of mind." Ezek. xx. 41, 43, " I will ac- 
 cept you with the sweet savour, when I bring you out from the 
 people," &,c. " And there shall ye remember your ways and all 
 your doings, wherein ye have been defiled, and ye shall loathe 
 
26i SIXTH SIGN OF 
 
 yourselves in your own sight, for all your evils that ye liave com- 
 mitted," Chap, xxxvi. 26, 27, 31, " A new heart also will I give 
 unto you; and I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you 
 to walk in my statutes," &c, " Then shall ye remember your 
 own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall 
 loathe yourselves in your own sight, for your iniquities and for 
 your abominations." Chap. xvi. 63, " That thou mayest remem- 
 ber and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more be- 
 cause of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee for all that 
 thou hast done, saith the Lord." Job xlii. 6, " I abhor myself, 
 and repent in dust and ashes." 
 
 As we would therefore make the holy scriptures our rule, in 
 judging of the nature of true religion, and judging of our own re- 
 ligious qualifications and state; it concerns us greatly to look at 
 this humiliation, as one of the most essential things pertaining to 
 true Christianty.f This is the principal part of the great christian 
 duty of self-denial. That duty consists in two things, viz. first^ 
 In a man's denying his worldly inclinations, and in forsaking and 
 renouncing all worldly objects and enjoyments; and, secondly, In 
 denying his natural self- exaltation, and renouncing his own dig- 
 nity and glory, and in being emptied of himself; so that he does 
 freely and from his very heart, as it were, renounce himself, and 
 annihilate himself. Thus the Christian doth in evangelical hu- 
 miliation. And this latter is the greatest and most difficult part 
 of self-denial: although they always go together, and one never 
 truly is, where the other is not; yet natural men can come much 
 nearer to the former than the latter. Many anchorites and re- 
 cluses have abandoned (though without any true mortification) 
 
 ■j- Calvin, in his Institutions, Book, II. chap 2, § 11, says, "I was always 
 exceedingly pleased with that saying of Chrysostom, "The foundation of 
 our philosophy is humility;" and yet more pleased with that of Augustine. 
 " As, says he, the rhetorician being asked, what was the first thing in the 
 rules of eloquence, he answered, pronunciation; what was the second, pro- 
 nunciation; what was the third, still he answered, pronunciation. So if you 
 shall ask me concerning the precepts of the christian religion, I would an- 
 •awer, firstly, secondly, and thirdly, and forever, humility." 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 265 
 
 the wealth, and pleasures, and common enjoyments of the world, 
 who were far irom renouncing their own dignity and righteous- 
 ness; they never denied themselves for Christ, but only sold one 
 lust to feed another, sold a beastly lust to pamper a devilish one; 
 so were never the better, but their latter end u'as worse than their 
 beginning; they turned out one black devil to let in seven white 
 ones, that were worse than the first, though of a fairer counte- 
 nance. It is inexpressible and almost inconceivable, how strong 
 a self-righteous, self-exalting disposition is naturally in man; and 
 what he will not do and suffer to feed and gratify it; and what 
 lengths have been gone in a seeming self-denial in other respects, 
 by Essenes and Pharisees among the Jews, and by Papists, many 
 sects of heretics, and enthusiasts, among professing Christians; 
 and by many Mahometans; and by Pythagorean philosophers, 
 and others among the Heathen; and all to do sacrifice to this 
 Moloch of spiritual pride or self-righteousness; and that they may 
 have something wherein to exalt themselves before God, and above 
 their fellow creatures. 
 
 That humiliation which has been spoken of, is what all the 
 most glorious hypocrites, who make the most splendid show of 
 mortification to the world, and high religious affections, do grossly 
 fail in. Were it not that this is so much insisted on in scripture, 
 as a most essential thing in true grace, one would be tempted to 
 think that many of the heathen philosophers were truly gracious, 
 in whom was so bright an appearance of many virtues, and also 
 great illuminations, and inward fervours and elevations of mind, 
 as though they were truly the subjects of divine illapses and 
 heavenly communications.! It is true that many hypocrites make 
 
 •{■ "Albeit the Pytliagoreans were thus famous for Judaic mysterious wis- 
 dom, and many moral, as well as natural accomplishments, yet were they 
 not exempted from boasting and pride; which was indeed a vice most epi- 
 demic, and as it were congenial, among all the philosophers; but in a more 
 particular manner, among the Pythagoreans. So Hornius Hist. I'hilosoph. 
 L. 3. chap. xi. The manner of the Pythagoreans were not free from boast- 
 ing. They were all such as abounded in the sense and commendation of 
 their own excellencies, and boasting even almost to the degree of immodesty 
 and impudence, as great lieinsius, ad Horat. has rightly observed, , Thus in- 
 
266 SIXTH SIGN ov 
 
 great pretences to humility, as well as other graces; and very often 
 there is nothing whatsoever which they make a higher profession 
 of. They endeavour to make a great show of humility in speech 
 and behaviour; but they commonly make bungling work of it, 
 though glorious work in their own eyes. They can not find out 
 what a humble speech and behaviour is, or how to speak and act 
 so that there may indeed be a savour of christian humility in what 
 they say and do: that sweet humble air and mien is beyond their 
 art, being not led by the Spirit, or naturally guided to a behaviour 
 becoming holy humility, by the vigor of a lowly spirit within them. 
 And therefore they have no other way, many of them, but only 
 to be much in declaring that they be humble, and telling how 
 they were humbled to the dust at such and such times, and abounding 
 in very bad expressions which they use about themselves; such as, 
 "I am the least of all saints, I am a poor, vile creature, I am not 
 worthy of the least mercy, or that God should look upon me! 
 Oh, I have a dreadful wicked heart! My heart is worse than the 
 devil! Oh, this cursed heart of mine," &c. Such expressions are 
 very often used, not with a heart that is broken, not with spiritual 
 mourning, not with the tears of her that washed Jesus' feet, not 
 as " remembering and being confounded, and never opening their 
 mouth more because of their shame, when God is pacified," as 
 
 deed does proud nature delight to walk in the sparks of its own fire. And 
 although many of these old philosophers could, by the strength of their own 
 lights and heats, together with some common elevations and raisures of 
 spirit, (peradvenlure from a more than ordinary, though not special and 
 saving assistance of the Spirit) abandon many grosser vices; yet they were 
 all deeply immersed in that miserable cursed abyss of spiritual pride: so 
 that all their natural, and moral, and philosophic attainments, did feed, nou- 
 rish, strengthen and render most inveterate this hell-bred pest of their hearts. 
 Yea, those of them that seemed most modest, as the Academics, who pro- 
 fessed they knew nothing, and the Cynics, who greatly decried, both in 
 words and habits, the pride of others, yet even they abounded in the most 
 notorious and visible pride. So connatural and morally essential to corrupt 
 nature, is this evenomed root, fountain, and plague of spiritual pride; espe- 
 cially where there is any natural, moral, or philosophic excellence to feed 
 the same. Whence, Austin rightly judged all these philosophic virtues to 
 he but splendid sins. Gale's Court of the Gentiles, Part II. B. ii. chap. x. § 17. 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 261 
 
 Uie expression is, Ezek. xvi. 63, but with a light air, with smiles 
 in the countenance, or with a pharisaical affection: and we must 
 believe that they are thus humble, and see themselves so vile, 
 upon the credit of their say so; for there is nothing appears in 
 them of any savour of humility, in the manner of their deportment 
 and deeds that they do. There are many that are full of expres- 
 sions of their own vileness, who yet expect to be looked upon as 
 eminent and bright saints by others, as their due; and it is danger- 
 ous for any, so much as to hint the contrary, or to carry it towards 
 them any otherwise, than as if we looked upon them as some of 
 the chief of Christians. There are many that are much in crying 
 out of their wicked hearts, and their great short comings, and un- 
 profitableness, and speaking as though they looked on themselves 
 as the meanest of the saints; who yet, if a minister should seriously 
 tell them the same things in private, and should signify, that he 
 feared they were very low and weak Christians, and thought they 
 had reason solemnly to consider of their great barrenness and un- 
 profitableness, and falling so much short of many others, it would 
 be more than they could digest; they would think themselves 
 highly injured; and there would be a danger of a rooted prejudice 
 in them against such a minister. 
 
 There are some that are abundant in talking against legal 
 doctrines, legal preaching, and a legal spirit, who do but little un- 
 derstand the thing they talk against. A legal spirit is a more 
 subtle thing than they imagine; it is too subtle for them. It lurks, 
 and operates, and prevails in their hearts, and they are most no- 
 toriously guilty of it, at the same time when they are inveighing 
 against it. So far a man is not emptied of himself, and of his 
 own righteousness and goodness, in whatever form or shape, so 
 far he is of a legal spirit. A spirit of pride of man's own righteous- 
 ness, morality, holiness, affection, experience, faith, humiliation, 
 or any goodness whatsoever, is a legal spirit. It was no pride in 
 Adam before the fall, to be of a legal spirit; because of his cir- 
 cumstances he might seek acceptance by his own righteousness. 
 But a legal spirit in a fallen, sinful creature, can be nothing else 
 but spiritual pride; and reciprocally, a spiritually proud spirit is 
 
268 SIXTH SIGN OP 
 
 a legal spirit. There is no man living that is lifted up with a 
 conceit of his own experiences and discoveries, and upon the ac- 
 count of them glisters in his own eyes, but what trusts in his ex- 
 periences, and makes a righteousness of them; however he may 
 use humble terms, and speak of his experiences as of the great 
 things God has done for him, and it may be calls upon others to 
 glorify God for them; yet he that is proud of his experiences ar- 
 rogates something to himself, as though his experiences were 
 some dignity of his. And if he looks on them as his own dignity, 
 he necessarily thinks that God looks on them so too; for he neces- 
 sarily thinks his own opinion of them to be true; and consequently 
 judges that God looks on them as he does; and so unavoidably 
 imagines that God looks on his experiences as a dignity in him, 
 as he looks on them himself; and that he glisters as much in God's 
 eyes, as he does in his own. And thus he trusts in what is in- 
 herent in him, to make him shine in God's sight, and recommend 
 him to God: and with this encouragement he goes before God in 
 prayer; and this makes him expect much from God; and this 
 makes him think that Christ loves him, and that he is willing to 
 clothe him with his righteousness; because he supposes that he is 
 \ taken with his experiences and graces. And this is a high de- 
 ■^i^^'i gree of living on his own righteousness; and such persons are in 
 I the high road to hell. Poor deluded wretches, who think they 
 / look so glistering in God's eyes, when they are a smoke in his 
 jnose, and are many of them more odious to him than the most 
 ' impure beast in Sodom, that makes no pretence to religion! To 
 do as these do, is to live upon experiences, according to the true 
 notion of it; and not to do as those, who only make use of spirit- 
 ual experiences, as evidences of a state of grace, and in that way 
 receive hope and comfort from them. 
 
 There is a sort of men, who indeed abundantly cry down 
 works, and cry up faith in opposition to works, and set up them- 
 selves very much as evangelical persons, in opposition to those 
 that are of a legal spirit, and make a fair show of advancing 
 Christ and the gospel, and the way of free grace; who are in- 
 deed sopie of the greatest enemies to the gospel way of free 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 269 
 
 grace, and tlie most dangerous opposers of pure humble Chris- 
 tianity.! 
 
 There is a pretended great humiliation, and being dead to the 
 law, and emptied of self, which is one of the biggest and most 
 elated things in the world. Some there are who have made great 
 profession of experience of a thorough work of the law on their 
 hearts, and of being brought fully off from works; whose conver- 
 sation has savoured most of a self-righteous spirit of any that ever 
 I had opportunity to observe. And some who think themselves 
 quite emptied of themselves, and are confident that they are 
 abased in the dust, are full as they can hold with the glory of their 
 own humility, and lifted up to heaven with a high opinion of 
 their abifsement. Their humility is a swelling, self-conceited, con- 
 fident, showy, noisy, assuming humility. It seems to be the na- 
 ture of spiritual pride to make men conceited and ostentatious of 
 their humility. This appears in that first born of pride among 
 the children of men, that would be called his holiness, even the 
 man of sin, that exalts himself above all that is called God or is 
 worshipped; he styles himself servant of servants; and to make 
 
 ■j- Take not every opinion and doctrine from men or angels, that bears a 
 fair show of advancing Christ; for they may be but the fruits of evangelical 
 hypocrisy and deceit; that being deceived themselves, may deceive otliera 
 too; Matt. vii. 15, " Beware of them that come in sheep's clotliing; in the 
 innocency, purity and meekness of Christ and his people: but inwardly are 
 wolves, proud, cruel, censorious, speaking evil of what they know not. 
 By their fruits you shall know them. Do not think, beloved, tliat Satan will 
 not seek to send delusions among us. And do you think these delusions 
 will come out of the popish pack, wliose inventions smell above ground 
 here? No, he must come, and will come with more evangelical, fine-spun 
 devices. It is a rule observed among Jesuits at this day, if they would con- 
 quer religion by subtlety, never oppose religion with a cross religion; but 
 set it against itself. So oppose the gospel by the gospel. And look, as 
 churches pleading for works, had new invented devised works: so when 
 faith is preached, men will have their new inventions of faith. I speak not 
 this against the doctrine of faith, where it is preached; but am glad of it: 
 not that I would have men content themselves with every form of faith: for 
 I believe that most mens faith needs confirming or trying. But I speak to 
 prevent danger on that hand." ShepartPs Parable, Part I. p. 122. 
 
 2 r. 
 
270 SIXTH SIGN OF 
 
 a show of humility, washes the feet of a number oT poor men at 
 his inauguration. 
 
 For persons to be truly emptied of themselves, and to be poor 
 in spirit, and broken in heart, is quite another thing, and has 
 other effects than many imagine. It is astonishing how greatly 
 many are deceived about themselves as to this matter, imagining 
 themselves most humble, when they are most proud, and their 
 behaviour is really the most haughty. The deceitfulness of the 
 heart of man appears in no one thing so much as this of spi- 
 ritual pride and self-righteousness. The subtlety of Satan ap- 
 pears in its height, in his managing of persons with respect to this 
 sin. And perhaps one reason may be, that here he has most ex- 
 perience; he knows the way of its coming in; he is acquainted 
 with the secret springs of it: it was his own sin. Experience 
 gives vast advantage in leading souls, either in good or evil. 
 
 But though spiritual pride be so subtle and secret an iniquity, 
 and commonly appears under a pretext of great humility; yet 
 there are two things by which it maj (perhaps universally and 
 surely) be discovered and distinguished. 
 
 The first thing is this; he that is under the prevalence of this 
 distemper is apt to think highly of his attainments in religion, as 
 comparing himself with others. It is natural for him to fall into 
 that thought of himself, that he is an eminent saint, that he is very 
 high amongst the saints, and has distinguishingly good and great 
 experiences. That is the secret language of his heart; Luke 
 xviii. 11, " God, I thank thee that I am not as other men." And 
 Isa. Ixv. 5, " I am holier than thou." Hence such are apt to 
 put themselves forward among God's people, and as it were to 
 take a high seat among them, as if there was no doubt ol it but 
 it belonged to them. They, as it were, naturally do that which 
 Christ condemns; Luke xiv. 7, &c. take the highest room. This 
 they do, by being forward to take upon them the place and bu- 
 siness of the chief; to guide, teach, direct and manage; "they 
 are confident that they are guides to the blind, a light of them 
 which are in darkness, instructors of the foolish, teachers of babes;" 
 Rom. ii. 19, 20. It is natural for them to take it for granted, 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 271 
 
 that it belongs to them to do the part of dictators and masters in 
 matters of religion; and so they implicitly affect to be called of 
 men Rabbi, which is by interpretation Master, as the pharisees 
 did; Matt, xxiii. 6, 7. i. e. they are yet apt to expect that others 
 should regard them, and yield to them, as masters in matters of 
 religion.! 
 
 But he whose heart is under the power of christian humility, is 
 of a contrary disposition. If the scriptures are at all to be relied 
 on, such a one is apt to think his attainments in religion to be 
 comparatively mean, and to esteem himself low among the saints, 
 and one of the least of saints. Humility or true lowliness of mind, 
 disposes persons to think others better than themselves; Phil. ii. 3, 
 " In lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than them- 
 selves." Hence they are apt to think the lowest room belongs 
 to them, and their inward disposition naturally leads them to obey 
 that precept of our Saviour, Luke xiv. 10, It is not natural to 
 them to take it upon them to do the part of teachers; but on the 
 contrary, they are disposed to think that they are not the persons, 
 that others are better fitted for it than they; as it was with Moses 
 and Jeremiah, (Exod. iii. 11, Jer. i. 6,) though they were such 
 eminent saints, and of great knowledge. It is not natural to them 
 to think that it belongs to them to teach, but to be taught: they 
 are much more eager to hear and to receive instruction from others, 
 than to dictate to others, Jam. i. 19, " Be ye swift to hear, slow 
 to speak." And when they do speak, it is not natural to them 
 to speak with a bold, masterly air; but humility disposes them ra- 
 ther to speak trembling. Hos. xiii. 1, " When Ephraim spake, 
 trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended in 
 Baal, he died." They are not apt to assume authority, and to 
 take upon them to be chief managers and masters; but rather to 
 
 f " There be two things wherein it appears that a man has only common 
 gifts, and no inward principle: 1. These gifts ever puff up, and make a man 
 something in his own eyes, as the Corinthian knowledge did, and many a 
 private man thinks himself fit to be a minister." ShepartVs Parable, Part I, 
 p. 181, 182. 
 
372 SIXTH SIGN OF 
 
 be subject to others; Jam. iii. 1,2," Be not many masters." 1 
 Pet. V. 5, " All of you be subject one to another, and be clothed 
 with humility." Eph. v. 21, " Submitting yourselves one to an- 
 other in the fear of God." 
 
 There are some persons' experiences that naturally work that 
 way, to make them think highly of them; and they do often them- 
 selves speak of their experiences as very great and extraordinary; 
 they freely speak of the great things they have met with. This 
 may be spoken and meant in a good sense. In one sense every 
 degree of saving mercy is a great thing: it is indeed a thing great, 
 yea, infinitely great, for God to bestow the least crumb of chil- 
 drens bread on such dogs as we are in ourselves; and the more 
 humble a person is that hopes that God has bestowed such mercy 
 on him, the more apt will he be to call it a great thing that he 
 has met with in this sense. But if by great things which they 
 have experienced, they mean comparatively great spiritual experi- 
 ences, or great compared with others' experiences, or beyond 
 what is ordinary, which is evidently oftentimes the case: then for 
 a person to say, I have met with great things, is the very same 
 thing as to say, I am an eminent saint, and have more grace than 
 ordinary; for to have great experiences, if the experiences be true 
 and worth telling of, is the same thing as to have great grace. 
 There is no true experience, but the exercise of grace; and exact- 
 ly according to the degree of true ex^perience, is the degree of 
 grace and holiness. The persons that talk thus about their expe- 
 riences, when they give an account of them, expect that others 
 should admire them. Indeed they do not call it boasting to talk 
 after this manner about their experiences, nor do they look upon 
 it as any sign of pride; because they say, " they know that it 
 was not they that did it, it was free grace, they are things 
 that God has done for them, they would acknowledge the great 
 mercy God has shown to them, and not make light of it." But 
 so it was with the pharisee that Christ tells us of, Luke xviii. 
 He in words gave God the glory of making him to differ from 
 other men; God, I thank thee, says he, that I am not as other 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 273 
 
 inen.f Their verbally ascribing it to the grace of God, that they 
 are holier than other saints, does not hinder their forwardness to 
 think so highly of their holiness, being a sure evidence of the pride 
 and vanity of their minds. If they were under the influence of 
 a humble spirit, their attainments in religion would not be so apt 
 to shine in their own eyes, nor would they be so much in admiring 
 their own beauty. The Christians that are really the most emi- 
 nent saints, and therefore have the most excellent experiences, 
 and arc the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, humble themselves 
 as a little child, Matth. viii. 4, because they look on themselves 
 as but little children in grace, and their attainments to be but the 
 attainments of babes in Christ, and are astonished at, and ashamed 
 of the low degrees of their love, and their thankfulness, and their 
 little knowledge of God. Moses, when he had been conversing 
 with God in the mount, and his face shone so bright in the eyes 
 of others as to dazzle their eyes, wist not that his face shone. 
 There are some persons that go by the name of high professors, 
 and some will own themselves to be high professors; but eminently 
 humble saints, that will shine brightest in heaven, are not at all 
 apt to profess high. I do not believe there is an eminent saint in 
 the world that is a high professor. Such w^ill be much more 
 likely to profess themselves to be least of all saints, and to think 
 that every saint's attainments and experiences are higher than 
 his.l 
 
 I Calvin, in his Institutions, B. III. chap. xii. § 7, speaking of this pharisee, 
 observes, " That in his outward confession, he acknowledges that the 
 righteousness he has is the gift of God: but (says he) because he trusts that 
 he is righteous, he goes away out of the presence of God, unacceptable and 
 odious." 
 
 t Luther, as his words are cited by Rutherford, in his Display of the Spi- 
 ritual Antichrist, p. 14o, 144, says thus, " So is the life of a Christian, that he 
 that has begun; seems to himself to have nothing; but strives and presses 
 forward that he may apprehend. Whence Paul says, « I count not my- 
 self to have apprehended. For indeed nolliing is more pernicious to a 
 believer than that presumption, that he has already apprehended, and has 
 no further need of seeking. Hence also many fall back, and pine away in 
 spiritual security and slothfulness. So Bernard says, ' To stand still in God's 
 way, is to go back.' Wherefore this remains to him that he has begun to 
 
274 SIXTH ^IGN OF 
 
 -i Such is the nature of grace and of true spiritual light, that they 
 naturally dispose the saints in the present state, to look upon their 
 grace and goodness little, and their deformity great. And they 
 that have the most grace and spiritual light, of any in this world, 
 have most of this disposition. As will appear most clear and evi- 
 dent to any one that soberly and thoroughly weighs the nature 
 and reason of things, and considers the things following. 
 
 That grace and holiness is worthy to be called little, that is, 
 little in comparison of what it ought to be. And so it seems to 
 one that is truly gracious: for such a one has his eye upon the 
 rule of his duty; a conformity to that is what he aims at; it is 
 what his soul struggles and reaches after; and it is by that that he 
 estimates and judges of what he does, and what he has. To a 
 gracious soul, and especially to one eminently gracious, that holi- 
 ness appears little, which is little of what it should be; little of 
 what he sees infinite reason for, and obligation to. If his holi- 
 ness appears to him to be at a vast distance from this, it naturally 
 appears despicable in his eyes, and not worthy to be mentioned 
 as any beauty or amiableness in him. For the like reason as a 
 hungry man naturally accounts that which is set before him, but a 
 little food, a small matter, not worth mentioning, that is nothing 
 in comparison of his appetite. Or as the child of a great prince, that 
 is jealous for the honour of his father, and beholds the respect 
 which men show him, naturally looks on that honour and respect 
 very little, and not worthy to be regarded, which is nothing in 
 comparison of that which the dignity of his father requires. 
 
 But that is the nature of true grace and spiritual light, that it 
 opens to a person's view the infinite reason there is that he should 
 be holy in a high degree. And the more grace he has, the more 
 
 be a Christian, to think that he is not yet a Christian, but to seek that he may 
 be a Christian, that he may glory with Paul, ' I am not, but I desire to be;' a 
 Christian not yet finished, but only in his beginnings. Therefore he is not 
 a Christian, that is a Christian; that is, he that thinks himself a finished 
 Christian, and is not sensible how he falls short. We reach after heaven, 
 but are not in heaven. Wo to him that is wholly renewed; that is, that thinks 
 himself to be so. That man, without doubt, has never so much as begun t.o 
 be renewed, nor did he ever taste what it is to be a Christian." 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 275. 
 
 this is opened to view, the greater sense he has of the infinite ex- 
 cellency and glory of the divine Being, and of the infinite dignity 
 of the person of Christ, and the boundless length and breadth, and 
 depth and height, of the love of Christ to sinners. And as grace 
 increases, the field opens more and more to a distant view, until 
 the soul is swallowed up with the vastness of the object, and the 
 person is astonished to think how much it becomes him to love 
 this God, and this glorious Redeemer, that has so loved man, and 
 how little he does love. And so the more he apprehends, the 
 more the smallness of his grace and love appears strange and 
 wonderful: and therefore is more ready to think that others are 
 beyond him. For wondering at the littleness of his own grace, 
 he can scarcely believe that so strange a thing happens to othei: 
 saints: it is amazing to him, that one that is really a child of God, 
 and that has actually received the saving benefits of that unspeak- 
 able love of Christ, should love no more: and he is apt to look 
 upon it as a thing peculiar to himself, a strange and exempt in- 
 stance; for he sees only the outside of other Christians, but he sees 
 his own inside. 
 
 Here the reader may possibly object, that love to God is really 
 increased in proportion as the knowledge of God is increased; 
 and therefore how should an increase of knowledge in a saint 
 make his love appear less, in comparison of what is known? To 
 which I answer, that although grace and the love of God in the 
 saints, be answerable to the degree of knowledge or sight of God; 
 yet it is not in proportion to the object seen and known. The 
 soul of a saint, by having something of God opened to sight, is 
 convinced of much more than is seen. There is something that 
 is seen, that is wonderful; and that sight brings with it a strong 
 conviction of something vastly beyond, that is not immediately 
 seen. So that the soul at the same time, is astonished at its ig- 
 norance, and that it knows so little, as well as that it loves so 
 little. And as the soul, in a spiritual view, is convinced of in- 
 finitely more in the object, yet beyond sight; so it is convinced of 
 the capacity of the soul, of knowing vastly more, if the clouds 
 and darkness were but removed. Which causes the soul, in the 
 
276 SIXTH SIGN OP 
 
 enjoyment of a spiritual view, to complain greatly of spiritual ig- 
 norance, and want of love, and to long and reach after more 
 knowledge and more love. 
 
 Grace and the love of God in the most eminent saints in this 
 world, is truly very little in comparison of what it ought to be. 
 Because the highest love that ever any attain to in this life, is poor, 
 cold, exceeding low, and not worthy to be named in comparison 
 of what our obligations appear to be, from the joint consideration 
 of these two things, viz. 1. The reason God has given us to love 
 him, in the manifestations he has made of his infinite glory, in his 
 word, and in his works; and particularly in the gospel of his Son, 
 and what he has done for sinful man by him. And, 2. The ca- 
 pacity there is in the soul of man, by those intellectual faculties 
 which God has given it, of seeing and understanding these reasons, 
 which God has given us to love him. How small indeed is the 
 love of the most eminent saint on earth, in comparison of what 
 these things, jointly considered, do require! And this grace tends 
 to convince men of this, and especially eminent grace; for grace 
 is of the nature of light, and brings truth to view. And therefore 
 lie that has much grace, apprehends much more than others that 
 great height to which his love ought to ascend; and he sees better 
 than others, how little a way he has risen towards that height. 
 And therefore estimating his love by the whole height of his duty, 
 hence it appears astonishingly little and low in his eyes. 
 
 And the eminent saint, having such a conviction of the high de- 
 gree in which he ought to love God, this shows him, not only the 
 littleness of his grace, but the greatness of his remaining corrup- 
 tion. In order to judge how much corruption or sin we have re- 
 maining in us, we must take our measure from that height to which 
 the rule of our duty extends: the whole of the distance we are at 
 from that height, is sin: for failing of duty is sin; otherwise our 
 duty is not our duty, and by how much the more we fall short of 
 our duty, so much the more sin have we. Sin is no other than 
 disagreeableness, in a moral agent, to the law or rule of his duty. 
 And therefore the degree of sin is to be judged of by the rule: so 
 much disagreeableness to the rule, so much sin, whether it be in 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 277 
 
 defect or excess. Therefore if men, in their love to God, do not 
 come up half way to that height which duty requires, then they 
 have more corruption in their hearts than grace; because there 
 is more goodness wanting than is there: and all that is wanting 
 is sin: it is an abominable defect; and appears so to the saints; 
 especially those that are eminent; it appears exceeding abomina- 
 ble to them, that Christ should be loved so little, and thanked so 
 little for his dying love: it is in their eyes hateful ingratitude. 
 
 And then the increase of grace has a tendency another way, to 
 cause the saints to think their deformity vastly more than their 
 goodness: it not only tends to convince them that their corrup- 
 tion is much greater than their goodness, which is indeed the case; 
 but it also tends to cause the deformity that there is in the least 
 sin, or the least degree of corruption, to appear so great as vastly 
 to outweigh all the beauty there is in their greatest holiness; for 
 this also is indeed the case. For the least sin against an infinite God, 
 has an infinite hatefulness or deformity in it; but the highest de- 
 gree of holiness in a creature, has not an infinite loveliness in it: 
 and therefore the loveliness of it is as nothing, in comparison of 
 the deformity of the least sin. That every sin has infinite deformity 
 and hatefulness in it, is most demonstrably evident; because what 
 the evil, or iniquity, or hatefulness of sin consists in, is the vio- 
 lating of an obligation, or the being or doing contrary to what we 
 should be or do, or are obliged to. And therefore by' how much 
 the greater the obligation is that is violated, so much the greater 
 is the iniquity and hatefulness of the violation. But certainly our 
 obligation to love and honour any being is in some, proportion to 
 his loveliness and honourableness, or to his worthiness to be loved 
 and honoured by us; which is the same thing. We are surely 
 under greater obligation to love a more lovely being, than a less 
 lovely; and if a being be infinitely lovely or worthy to be loved 
 by us, then our obligations to love him are infinitely great; and 
 therefore, whatever is contrary to this love, has in it infinite ini- 
 quity, deformity and unworthiness. But on the other hand, with 
 respect to our holiness or love to God, there is not an infinite 
 worthiness in that. The sin of the creature against God, is ill« 
 2 m 
 
2*78 SIXTH SIG^• of 
 
 deserving and hateful in proportion to the distance there is be- 
 tween God and the creature: the greatness of the object, and the 
 meanness and inferiority of the subject, aggravates it. But it is 
 the reverse with regard to the worthiness of the respect of the 
 creature to God; it is worthless, and not worthy, in proportion to 
 the meanness of the subject. So much the greater the distance 
 between God and the creature, so much the less is the creature's 
 respect worthy of God's notice or regard. The great degree of 
 superiority increases the obligation on the inferior to regard the 
 superior; and so makes the want of regard more hateful: but the 
 great degree of inferiority diminishes the worth of the regard of 
 the inferior; because the more he is inferior, the less he is worthy 
 of notice; the less he is, the less is what he can offer worth; for 
 he can offer no more than himself, in offering his best respect; and 
 therefore he is little, and little worth, so is his respect little worth. 
 And the more a person has of true grace and spiritual light, the 
 more will it appear thus to him; the more will he appear to him- 
 self infinitely deformed by reason of sin, and the less will the good- 
 ness that is in his grace, or good experience, appear in proportion 
 to it. For indeed it is nothing to it; it is less than a drop to the 
 ocean; for finite bears no proportion at all to that which is infinite. 
 But the more a person has of spiritual light, the more do things ap- 
 pear to him, in this respect, as they are indeed. Hence it most 
 demonstrably appears, that true grace is of that nature, that the 
 more a person has of it, with remaining corruption, the less does 
 his goodness and holiness appear, in proportion to his deformity; 
 and not only to his past deformity, but to his present deformity, 
 in the sin that now appears in his heart, and in the abominable 
 defects of his highest and best affections, and brightest experiences. 
 The nature of many high and religious affections, and great 
 discoveries (as they are called) in many persons that I have been 
 acquainted with, is to hide and cover over the corruption of their 
 hearts, and to make it seem to them as if all their sin was gone, 
 and to leave them without complaints of any hateful evil left in 
 them; (though it may be they cry out much of their past unwor- 
 thiness) a sure and certain evidence that their discoveries (as they 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS, 279 
 
 call them) are darkness ami not light. It is darkness that hides 
 mens pollution and deformity; but light let into the heart disco- 
 vers it, searches it out in its secret corners, and makes it plainly 
 to appear, especially that penetrating, all-searching light of God's 
 holiness and glory. It is true that saving discoveries may for 
 the present hide corruption in one sense; they restrain the posi- 
 tive exercises of it, such as malice, envy, covetousness, lascivious- 
 ness, murmuring, &,c. but they bring corruption to light in that 
 which is privative, viz. that there is no more love, no more hu- 
 mility, no more thankfulness. Which defects appear most hate- 
 ful in the eyes of those who have the most eminent exercises of 
 grace, and are very burdensome, and cause the saints to cry out 
 of their leanness, and odious pride and ingratitude. And what- 
 ever positive exercises of corruption at any time arise, and mingle 
 themselves with eminent actings of grace, grace will exceedingly 
 magnify the view of them, and render their appearance far more 
 heinous and horrible. 
 
 The more eminent saints are, and the more they have of the 
 light of heaven in their souls, the more do they appear to them- 
 selves, as the most eminent saints in this world do, to the saints 
 and angels in heaven. How can we rationally suppose the most 
 eminent saints on earth appear to them, if beheld any otherwise 
 than covered over with the righteousness of Christ, and their de- 
 formities swallowed up and hid in the coruscation of the beams 
 of his abundant glory and love? How can we suppose our most 
 ardent love and praises appear to them, that do behold the beau- 
 ty and glory of God without a veil ? How does our highest thank- 
 fulness for the dying love of Christ appear to them, who see 
 Christ as he is, who know as they are known, and see the glory 
 of the person of him that died, and the wonders of his dying 
 love, without any cloud of darkness? And how do they look on 
 the deepest reverence and humility, with which worms of the 
 dust on earth approach that infinite Majesty which they behold? 
 Do they appear great to them, or so much as worthy of the name 
 of reverence and humility, in those that they see to be at such an 
 infinite distance jrom that great and holy God, in whose glorioir; 
 
SIXTH SIGN OP 
 
 presence they are? The reason why the highest attainments ol'thc 
 saints on earth appear so mean to them, is because they dwell in 
 the light of God's glory, and see God as he is. And it is in this 
 respect with the saints on earth, as it is with the saints in hea- 
 ven, in proportion as they are more eminent in grace. 
 
 I would not be understood that the saints on earth have in all 
 respects the worst opinion of themselves, when they have most of 
 the exercise of grace. In many respects it is otherwise. With 
 respect to the positive exercises of corruption, they may appear to 
 themselves freest and best when grace is most in exercise, and 
 worse when the actings of grace are lowest. And when they 
 compare themselves with themselves at different times, they may 
 know, when grace is in lively exercise, that it is better with 
 them than it was before (though before, in the time of it, they 
 did not see so much badness as they see now) and when after- 
 wards they sink agnin in the frame of their minds, they may know 
 that they sink, and have a new argument of their great remaining 
 corruption, and a rational conviction of a greater vileness than 
 they saw before; and many have more of a sense of guilt, and a 
 kind of legal sense of their sinfulness by far, than when in the 
 lively exercise of grace. But yet it is true, and demonstrable 
 from the forementioned considerations, that the children of God 
 never have so much of a sensible and spiritual conviction of their 
 deformity, and so great, and quick, and abasing a sense of their 
 present vileness and odiousness, as when they are highest in the 
 exercise of true and pure grace; and never are they so much dis- 
 posed to set themselves low among Christians as then. And thus 
 he that is greatest in the kingdom, or most eminent in the church 
 of Christ, is the same that humbles himself, as the least infant among 
 them; agreeable to the great saying of Christ, Matt, xviii. 4. 
 
 A true saint may know that he has some true grace: and the 
 more grace there is, the more easily is it known; as was ob- 
 served and proved before. But yet it does not follow, that an 
 eminent saint is easily sensible that he is an eminent saint, when 
 compared with others. I will not deny that it is possible, that 
 he that has much grace, and isi au eminent saint, may know it. 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS, 281 
 
 But he will not be apt to know it; it will not be a thing obvious 
 to him: that he is better than others, and has higher experiences 
 and attainments, is not a foremost thought; nor is it that wiiich 
 from time to time readily offers itself; it is a thing that is not in 
 his way, but lies far out of sight; he must take pains to convince 
 himself of it; there will be need of a great command of reason, 
 and a high degree of strictness and care in arguing, to convince 
 himself. And if he be rationally convinced by a very strict con- 
 sideration of his own experiences, compared with the great ap- 
 pearances of low degrees of grace in some other saints, it will 
 hardly seem real to him, that he has more grace than they; and 
 he will be apt to lose the conviction that he has by pains ob- 
 tained: nor will it seem at all natural to him to act upon that 
 supposition. And this may be laid down as an infallible thing, 
 " That the person who is apt to think that he, as compared with 
 others, is a very eminent saint, much distinguished in christian 
 experience, in whom this is a lirst thought, that rises of itself, and 
 naturally offers itself; he is certainly mistaken; he is no eminent 
 saint, but under the great prevailings of a proud and self-righ- 
 teous spirit." And if this be habitual with the man, and is 
 steadily the prevailing temper of his mind, he is no saint at all; 
 he has not the least degree of any true christian experience; so 
 surely as the word of God is true. 
 
 And that sort of experiences that appears to be of that tenden- 
 cy, and is found from time to time to have that effect, to elevate 
 the subject of them with a great conceit of those experiences, is 
 certainly vain and delusive. Those supposed discoveries that 
 naturally blow up the person with an admiration of the eminency 
 of his discoveries, and till him with conceit that now he has seen 
 and knows more than most other Christians, have nothing of the 
 nature of true spiritual light in them. All true spiritual know- 
 ledge is of that nature, that the more a person has of it, the more 
 is he sensible of his own ignorance; as is evident by 1 Cor. viii. 
 2, " He that thinketh he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing 
 yet as he ought to know." Augur, when he had a great disco- 
 very of God, and sense of the wonderful height of his glory, and 
 
282 SIXTH SIGN Of 
 
 of his marvellous works, and cries out of his greatness and in- 
 comprehensibleness; at the same time, had the deepest sense of 
 his brutish ignorance, and looked upon himself the most ignorant 
 of all the saints, Prov. xxx. 2, 3, 4, " Surely I am more brutish 
 than any man, and have not the understanding of a man. I nei- 
 ther learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy. Wlio 
 hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? Who hath gathered 
 the wind in his fists? Who hath bound the waters in a garment? 
 Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is his 
 name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?" 
 
 For a man to be highly conceited of his spiritual and divine 
 knowledge, is for him to be wise in his own eyes, if any thing is. 
 And therefore it comes under those prohibitions; Prov. iii. 7. " Be 
 not wise in thine own eyes;" Rom. xii. 16, " Be not wise in 
 your own conceits;" and brings men under that wo; Isa. v. 21, 
 " Wo unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in 
 their own sight." Those that are thus wise in their own eyes, 
 are some of the least likely to get good of any in the world. Ex- 
 perience shows the truth of that; Prov. xxvi. 12, " Seest thou a 
 man wise in his own conceit? There is more hope of a fool than 
 of him." 
 
 To this some may object, that the psalmist, when we must 
 suppose that he was in a holy frame, speaks of his knowledge as 
 eminently great, and far greater than that of other saints; Psal. 
 cxix. 99, 100, " I have more understanding than all my teachers: 
 for thy testimonies are my meditation: I understand more than the 
 ancients: because I keep thy precepts." 
 
 To this I answer two things: 
 
 ( 1 .) There is no restraint to be laid upon the Spirit of God, as to 
 what he shall reveal to a prophet for the benefit of his church, who 
 is speaking or writing under immediate inspiration. The Spirit of 
 God may reveal to such a one, and dictate to him to declare to 
 others secret things, that otherwise would be hard, yea impossible 
 for him to find out. As he may reveal to him mysteries, that 
 otherwise would be above the reach of his reason; or things in a 
 distant place that he can not see; or future events that it would 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS, 283 
 
 be impossible for him to know and declare, if they were not ex- 
 traordinarily revealed to him; so the Spirit of God might reveal 
 to David this distinguishing benefit he had received, by conversing 
 much with God's testimonies; and use him as his instrument to 
 record it for the benefit of others, to excite them to the like duty, 
 and to use the same means to gain knowledge. Nothing can be 
 gathered concerning the natural tendency of the ordinary gra- 
 cious influences of the Spirit of God, from that that David de- 
 clares of his distinguishing knowledge under the extraordinary in- 
 fluences of God's Spirit, immediately dictating to him the divine 
 mind, by inspiration, and using David as his instrument to write 
 what he pleased for the benefit of his church, any more than we 
 can reasonably argue that it is the natural tendency of grace to 
 incline men to curse others, and wish the most dreadful misery 
 to them that can be thought of, because David, under inspiration, 
 often curses others, and prays that such misery may come upon 
 them. 
 
 (2.) It is not certain that the knowledge David here speaks of 
 is spiritual knowledge, wherein holiness does fundamentally con- 
 sist. But it may be that greater revelation which God made to 
 him of the Messiah, and the things of his future kingdom, and 
 the far more clear and extensive knowledge that he had of the 
 mysteries and doctrines of the gospel than others, as a reward for 
 his keeping God's testimonies. In this it is apparent, by the book 
 of Psalms, that David far exceeded all that had gone before him. 
 
 Secondly^ another thing that is an infallible sign of spiritual 
 pride is persons being apt to think highly of their humility. False 
 experiences are commonly attended with a counterfeit humility. 
 And it is the very nature of a counterfeit humility to be highly 
 conceited of itself. False religious affections have generally 
 that tendency, especially when raised to a great height, to make 
 persons think that their humility is great, and accordingly to take 
 much notice of their great attainments in this respect and admire 
 them. But eminently gracious affections (I scruple not to say it) 
 are evermore of a contrary tendency, and have universally a con- 
 trary effect in those that have them. They, indeed, make them 
 
284 SIXTH SIGN OF 
 
 very sensible what reason there is that they should be deeply 
 humbled, and cause them earnestly to thirst and long after it; but 
 they make their present humility, or that which they have alrea- 
 dy attained to, to appear small; and their remaining pride great, 
 and exceedingly abominable. 
 
 The reason why a proud person should be apt to think his hu- 
 mility great, and why a very humble person should think his hu- 
 mility small, may be easily seen, if it be considered that it is na- 
 tural for persons, in judging of the degree of their own humilia- 
 tion, to take their measures from that which they esteem their 
 proper height, or the dignity wherein they properly stand. That 
 may be great humiliation in one, that is no humiliation at all in 
 another; because the degree of honourableness or considerable- 
 ness wherein each does properly stand, is very different. For 
 «ome great man to stoop to loose the latchet of the shoes of ano- 
 ther great man, his equal, or to wash his feet, would be taken no- 
 tice of as an act of abasement in him; and he, being sensible of 
 his own dignity, would look upon it so himself. But if a poor 
 slave is seen stooping to unloose the shoes of a great prince, no- 
 body will take any notice of this as any act of humiliation in him, 
 or token of any great degree of humility : nor would the slave 
 himself, unless he be horribly proud, and ridiculously conceit- 
 ed of himself: and if, after he had done it, he should, in his talk 
 and behaviour, show that he thought his abasement great in it, 
 and had his mind much upon it, as an evidence of his being very 
 humble; would not every body cry out upon him, " Whom do you 
 think yourself to be, that you should think this that you have done 
 such a deep humiliation?" This would make it plain to a demon- 
 stration, that this slave was swollen with a high degree of pride 
 and vanity of mind, as much as if he declared in plain terms, " I 
 think myself to be some great one," And the matter is no 
 less plain and certain, when worthless, vile and loathsome worms 
 of the dust are apt to put such a construction on their acts of 
 abasement before God; and to think it a token of great humility 
 in them, that they, under their affections, can find themselves so 
 willing to acknowledge themselves to be so mean and unworthy, 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 285 
 
 and to behave themselves as those that are so inferior. The very 
 reason why such outward acts and such inward exercises look 
 like great abasement in such a one, is because he has a high con- 
 ceit of himself. Whereas if he thought of himself more justly, 
 these things would appear nothing to him, and his humility in 
 them worthy of no regard; but would rather be astonished at his 
 pride, that one so infinitely despicable and vile is brought no low- 
 er before God. — When he says in his heart, " This is a great act 
 of humiliation; it is certainly a sign of great humility in me, that 
 I should feel thus and do so;" his meaning is, " This is great hu- 
 mility for me, for such a one as I, that am so considerable and 
 worthy." He considers how low he is now brought, and com- 
 pares this with the height of dignity on which he in his heart 
 thinks he properly stands, and the distance appears very great, 
 and he calls it all mere humility, and as such admires it. Whereas 
 in him that is truly humble, and really sees his own vileness and 
 loathsomeness before God, the distance appears the other way. 
 When he is brought lowest of all, it does not appear to him that he is 
 brought below his proper station, but that he is not come to it; he ap- 
 pears to himself yet vastly above it, he longs to get lower that he may 
 come to it, but appears at a great distance from it. And this dis- 
 tance he calls pride; and therefore his pride appears great to him, 
 and not his humility. For although he is brought much lower 
 than he used to be, yet it does not appear to him worthy of the 
 name of humiliation, for him that is so infinitely mean and detest- 
 able, to come down to a place, which, though it be lower than 
 what he used to assume, is yet vastly higher than what is proper 
 for him. As men would hardlv count it worthy of the name of 
 humility, in a contemptible slave, that formerly affected to be a 
 prince, to have his spirit so far brought down, as to take the place 
 of a nobleman; when this is still so far above his proper station. 
 
 All men in the world, in judging of the degree of their own and 
 others' humility, as appearing in any act of theirs, consider two 
 things, viz. the real degree of dignity they stand in, and the degree 
 of abasement and the relation it bears to that real dignity. Thus 
 the complying with the same low place, or low act, mav be an evi- 
 2ii 
 
286 ' SIXTH SIGN OF 
 
 dence of great humility in one, that evidences little or no humili- 
 ty in another. But truly humble Christians have so mean an 
 opinion of their own real dignity, that all their self-abasement, 
 when considered with relation to that, and compared to that, ap- 
 pears very small to them. It does not seem to them to be any great 
 humility, or any abasement to be made much of, for such poor, 
 vile, abject creatures as they to lie at the foot of God. 
 
 The degree of humility is to be judged of by the degree of abase- 
 ment, and the degree of the cause for abasement: but he that is 
 truly and eminently humble, never thinks his humility great, con- 
 sidering the cause. The cause why he should be abased appears 
 so great, and the abasement of the frame of his heart so greatly 
 short of it, that he takes much more notice of his pride than his 
 humility. 
 
 Every one that has been conversant with souls under convic- 
 tions of sin, knows that those who are greatly convinced of sin, 
 are not apt to think themselves greatly convinced. And the rea- 
 son is this: men judge of the degree of their own convictions of 
 sin by two things jointly considered, viz. the degree of sense 
 which they have of guilt and pollution, and the degree of cause 
 they have for such a sense, in the degree of their real sinfulness. 
 It is really no argument of any great conviction of sin, for some 
 men to think themselves to be very sinful, beyond most others in 
 the world; because they are so indeed, very plainly and notorious- 
 ly: and therefore a far less conviction of sin may incline such a 
 one to think so than another; he must be very blind indeed not to 
 be sensible of it. But he that is truly under great convictions of 
 sin, naturally thinks this to be his case. It appears to him that 
 the cause he has to be sensible of guilt and pollution is greater 
 than others have; and therefore he ascribes his sensibleness of 
 this to the greatness of his sin, and not to the greatness of his sen- 
 sibility. It is natural for one under great convictions, to think 
 himself one of the greatest of sinners in reality, and also that it is so 
 very plainly and evidently; for the greater his convictions are, the 
 ir>ore plain and evident it seems to be to him. And therefore it 
 necessarily seems to liim so plain and so easy to him to see it, 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 287 
 
 that it may be seen without much conviction. That man is un- 
 der great convictions, whose conviction is great in proportion to 
 his sin. But no man that is truly under great convictions, thinks 
 his conviction great in proportion to his sin. For if he does, it is 
 a certain sign that he inwardly thinks his sins small. And if that 
 be the case, that is a certain evidence that his conviction is small. 
 And this, by the way, is the main reason that persons, when un- 
 der a work of humiliation, are not sensible of it at the time of it. 
 
 And as it is with conviction of sin, just so it is, by parity of 
 reason, with respect to persons' conviction or sensibleness of their 
 own meanness and vileness, their own blindness, their own im- 
 potence, and all that low sense that a Christian has of himself, ia 
 the exercise of evangelical humiliation. So that in a high degree 
 of this, the saints are never disposed to think their sensibleness of 
 their own meanness, filthiness, impotence, &.c. to be great; be- 
 cause it never appears great to them, considering the cause. 
 
 An eminent saint is not apt to think himself eminent in any 
 thing; all his graces and experiences are ready to appear to him 
 to be comparatively small; but especially his humility. There is 
 nothing that appertains to christian experience and true piety that 
 is so much out of his sight as his humility. He is a thousand times 
 more quicksighted to discern his pride than .his humility: that he 
 easily discerns, and is apt to take much notice of, but hardly dis- 
 cerns his humility. On the contrary, the deluded hypocrite, that 
 is under the power of spiritual pride, is so blind to nothing as his 
 pride, and so quicksighted to nothing as the shows of humility that 
 are in him. 
 
 The humble Christian is more apt to find fault with his own 
 pride than with other mens. He is apt to put the best construc- 
 tion on others' words and behaviour, and to think that none are 
 so proud as himself. But the proud hypocrite is quick to discern 
 the mote in his brother's eye, in this respect, while he sees no- 
 thing of the beam in his own. He is very often much in cry- 
 ing out of others' pride, finding fault with others' apparel, and 
 way of living; and is affected ten times as much with his neigh- 
 bour's ring or ribband, as with all the filthiness of his own heart. 
 
288 SIXTH SIGN OF 
 
 From the disposition there is in hypocrites to tliink highly of 
 their humility, it comes to pass that counterfeit humility is for- 
 ward to put itself forth to view. Those that have it, are apt to 
 be much in speaking of their humiliations, and to set them forth 
 in high terms, and to make a great outward show of humility, in 
 affected looks, gestures or manner of speech, or meanness of ap- 
 parel, or some affected singularity. So it was of old with the 
 false prophets, Zech. xiii, 4; so it was with the hypocritical Jews, 
 Isa. Ivii. 5, and so Christ tells us it was with the pharisees, Matt. 
 vi. 16. But it is contrariwise with true humility; they that have 
 it are not apt to display their eloquence in setting of it forth, or 
 to speak of the degree of their abasement in strong terms. f It 
 does not affect to show itself in any singular outward meanness of 
 apparel, or way of living; agreeable to what is applied in Matt, 
 vi. 17, " But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head and wash 
 thy face;" Col. ii. 23, " Which things have indeed a show of 
 wisdom in will worship and humility, and neglecting of the body." 
 Nor is true humility a noisy thing; it is not loud and boisterous. 
 The scripture represents it as of a contrary nature. Ahab, when 
 he had a visible humility, a resemblance of true humility, went 
 softly, 1 Kings xxi. 37. A penitent, in the exercise of true hu- 
 miliation, is represented as still and silent. Lam. iii. 28, " He 
 sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon 
 him." And silence is mentioned as what attends humility; Prov. 
 XXX. 32, " If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if 
 thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth." 
 
 Thus I have particularly and largely shown the nature of that 
 true humility that attends holy affections, as it appears in its ten- 
 dency to cause persons to think meanly of ^.eir attainments in re- 
 
 I It is an observalion of Mr. Jones, in his excellent treatise of the canon 
 of the New Testament, that the evangelist Mark, who was the companion of 
 St. Peter, and is supposed to have written his gospel under the direction of 
 that apostle, when he mentions Peter's repentance after his denying his Mas- 
 ter, does not use such strong terms to set it forth as the other evangelists, 
 he only uses these words, " When he thought thereon, he wept," Mark xiv. 
 72; whereas the other evangelists say thus, " he went out and wept bitterly." 
 Matt. xxvi. 75, Luke xxii. 62. 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 289 
 
 ligion, as compared with the attainments of others, and particularly 
 of their attainments in humility: and have shown the contrary 
 tendency of spiritual pride, to dispose persons to think their at- 
 tainments in these respects to be great. I have insisted the longer 
 on this, because I look upon it as a matter of great importance, 
 as it affords a certain distinction between true and counterfeit 
 humility; and also as this disposition of hypocrites to look on 
 themselves better than others^ is what God has declared to be very 
 hateful to him, "a smoke in bis nose, and a tire that burneth all 
 the day," Isa. Ixv. 5. It is mentioned as an instance of the pride 
 of the inhabitants of that holy city (as it was called) Jerusalem, 
 thaf they esteemed themselves far better than the people of Sodom, 
 and so looked upon them worthy to be overlooked and disregard- 
 ed by them, Ezek. xvi. 56, "For thy sister Sodom was not men- 
 tioned by thy mouth in the day of thy pride." 
 
 Let not the reader lightly pass over these things in application 
 to himself. If you have once taken it in, that it is a bad sign for 
 a person to be apt to think himself a better saint than others, there 
 will arise a blinding prejudice in your own favour; and there will 
 probably be need of a great strictness of self-examination, in order 
 to determine whether it be so with you. If on the proposal of the 
 question, you answer, " No, it seems to me, none are so bad as I," 
 do not let the matter pass off so; but examine again, whether or 
 not you do not think yourself better than others on this very ac- 
 count, because you imagine you think so meanly of yourself. Have 
 not you a high opinion of this humility? And if you answer again, 
 " No; I have not a high opinion of my humility; it seems to me I 
 am as proud as the devil;" yet examine again, whether self-con- 
 ceit do not rise up under this cover; whether on this very account, 
 that you think yourself as proud as the devil, you do not think 
 yourself to be very humble. 
 
 From this opposition that there is between the nature of a true, 
 and of a counterfeit humility, as to the esteem that the subjects of 
 them have of themselves, arises a manifold contrariety of temper 
 and behaviour. 
 
 A truly humble person, having such a mean opinion of his 
 
290 SIXTH SIGN OF 
 
 righteousness and holiness, is poor in spirit. For a person to be 
 poor in spirit, is to be in his own sense and apprehension poor, 
 as to what is in him, and to be of an answerable disposition. 
 Therefore a truly humble person, especially one eminently hum- 
 ble, naturally behaves himself in many respects as a poor man. 
 "The poor useth intreaties, but the rich answereth roughly." A 
 poor man is not disposed to quick and high resentment when he 
 is among the rich: he is apt to yield to others, for he knows others 
 are above him; he is not stiff and self-willed; he is patient with 
 hard fare; he expects no other than to be despised, and takes it 
 patiently; he does not take it heinously that he is overlooked and 
 but little regarded; he is prepared to be in a low place; he rea- 
 dily honours his superiors; he takes reproof quietly; he readily 
 honours others as above him; he easily yields to be taught, and 
 does not claim much to his understanding and judgment; he is not 
 over nice or humoursome, and has his spirit subdued to hard things; 
 he is not assuming, nor apt to take much upon him, but it is natural 
 for him to be subject to others. Thus it is with the humble Chris- 
 tian. Humility is (as the great Mastricht expresses it) a kind of 
 holy pusillanimity. 
 
 A man that is very poor is a beggar; so is he that is poor in 
 spirit. There is a great difference between those affections that 
 are gracious, and those that are false: under the former, the per- 
 son continues still a poor beggar at God's gates, exceeding empty 
 and needy; but the latter makes men appear to themselves rich, 
 and increased with goods, and not very necessitous; they have a 
 great stock in their own imagination for their subsistence.! 
 
 •j- " This spirit ever keeps a man poor and vile in his own eyes, and empty. 
 When the man hath got some knowledge, and can discourse pretty well, 
 and hath some taste of the heavenly gift, some sweet illapses of grace, and 
 so his conscience is pretty well quieted: and if he hath got some answer to 
 his prayers, and hath sweet afFections, he grows full: and having ease to his 
 conscience, casts off sense, and daily groaning under sin. And hence the 
 spirit of prayer dies: he loses his esteem of God's ordinances, feels not such 
 need of them; or gets no good, feels no life or power by them: — This is the 
 woful condition of some; but yet they know it not. But now he that is 
 filled with the Spirit, the Lord empties him; and the more, the longer be 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 2dl 
 
 A poor man is modest in his speech and behaviour; so and 
 much more, and more certainly and universally, is one that is poor 
 in spirit; he is humble and modest in his behaviour amongst men. 
 It is in vain for any to pretend that they are humble, and as little 
 children before God, when they are haughty, assuming, and im- 
 pudent in their behaviour amongst men. The apostle informs us, 
 that the design of the gospel is to cut off all glorying, not only be- 
 fore God, but also before men, Rom. iv. 1, 2. Some pretend to 
 great humiliation, that are very haughty, audacious, and assuming 
 in their external appearance and behaviour: but they ought to 
 consider those scriptures, Psal. cxxxi. 1 , " Lord, my heart is not 
 haughty, nor mine eyes lofty; neither do I exercise myself in great 
 matters, or in things too high for me." Prov. vi. 16, 17, " These 
 six things doth the Lord hate; yea seven are an abomination unto 
 him: a proud look," kc. Chap. xxi. 4, "An high look, and a 
 proud heart are sin." Psal. xviii. 27, " Thou wilt bring down 
 high looks." And Psal. ci. 5, " Him that hath an high look, and 
 a proud heart, I will not suffer." 1 Cor. xiii. 4, " Charity vaunteth 
 not itself, doth not behave itself unseemly." There is a certain 
 amiable modesty and fear that belongs to a christian behaviour 
 among men, arising from humility, that the scripture often speaks 
 of, 1 Pet. iii. 15, "Be ready to give an answer to every man 
 that asketh you — with meekness and fear." Romans xiii. 7, 
 "Fear to whom fear." 2 Cor. vii. 15, " Whilst he remembereth 
 the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling you received 
 him." Eph. vi. 5, " Servants, be obedient to them that are your 
 masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling." 1 Pet. 
 
 lives. So that though others think lie needs not much g^race, yet he ac- 
 counts himself the poorest." Shepurd's Parable of the Ten Virgins, Part II. 
 p. 132. 
 
 " After all fillings, be ever empty, hungry, and feeling need, and praying 
 for more." Ibid, p. 151. 
 
 " 'I'ruly, brethren, when I see the curse of God upon many Christians, 
 that are now grown full of their pirts, gifts, peace, comforts, abilities, duties, 
 I stand adoring the riches of the Lord's mercy, to a little handful of poor 
 believers, not only in making tliem empty, but in keeping tliem so a^l their 
 days." Shepard's Sormd Believer, the late edition in Boston, p. 158, 159 
 
2^2 ' SIXTH SIGN OP 
 
 ii. 18, " Servants be subject to jour masters with all fear." 1 
 Pet. iii. 3, "•While they behold your chaste conversation coupled, 
 with fear." 1 Tim. ii. 9, "That women adorn themselves in 
 modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety." In this re- 
 spect a Christian is like a little child; a little child is modest be- 
 fore men, and his heart is apt to be possessed with fear and awe 
 amongst them. 
 
 The same spirit will dispose a Christian to honour all men; 
 1 Pet. ii. 17, " Honour all men." A humble Christian is not 
 only disposed to honour the saints in his behaviour; but others 
 also, in all those ways that do not imply a visible approbation of 
 their sins. Thus Abraham, the great pattern of believers, ho- 
 noured the children of Heth; Gen. xxiii. 7, " Abraham stood up, 
 and bowed himself to the people of the land." This was a re- 
 markable instance of a humble behaviour towards them that are 
 out of Christ, and that Abraham knew to be accursed: and 
 therefore ^vould by no means suffer his servant to take a wife to 
 his son from among them; and Esau's wives being of these chil- 
 dren of Heth, were a grief of mind to Isaac and Rebekah. So 
 Paul honoured Festus; Acts xxvi. 25, " I am not mad, most no- 
 ble Festus." Not only will christian humility dispose persons to 
 honour those wicked men that are out of the visible church, but 
 also false brethren and persecutors. As Jacob, when he was in an 
 excellent frame, having just been wrestling all night with God, 
 and received the blessing, honoured Esau, his false and perse- 
 cuting brother; Gen. xxxiii. 3, " Jacob bowed himself to the 
 ground seven times, until he came near to his brother Esau." So 
 he called him lord; and commanded all" his family to honour him 
 in like manner. 
 
 Thus I have endeavoured to describe the heart and behaviour 
 of one that is governed by a truly gracious humility, as exactly 
 agreeable to the scriptures as I am able. 
 
 Now, it is out of such a heart as this, that all truly holy affec- 
 tions do flow. Christian affections rfl-e like Mary's precious oint- 
 ment that she poured on Christ's head, that filled the whole house 
 with a sweet odour. That was poured out of an alabaster box; 
 
CtRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 293 
 
 SO gracious affections How out to Christ out of a pure heart. That 
 was poured out of a broken box; until the box was broken, the 
 ointment could not flow, nor diffuse its odour; so gracious affec- 
 tions flow out of a broken heart. Gracious affections are also like 
 those of Mary Magdalene (Luke vii. at the latter end) who also 
 pours precious ointment on Christ, out of an alabaster broken 
 box, anointing therewith the feet of Jesus, when she had washed 
 them with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head. 
 All gracious affections that are a sweet odour to Christ, and that 
 fill the soul of a Christian with an heavenly sweetness and fra- 
 grancy, are broken-hearted affections. A truly christian love, 
 either to God or men, is a humble broken-hearted love. The de- 
 sires of the saints, however earnest, are humble desires: their 
 hope is an humble hope; and their joy, even when it is unspeaka- 
 ble and full of glory, is an humble broken-hearted joy, and leaves 
 the Christian more poor in spirit, and more like a little child, and 
 more disposed to an universal lowliness of behaviour. 
 
 VII. Another thing, wherein gracious affections are distinguish- 
 . ed from others, is, that they are attended with a change of na- 
 ture. 
 
 All gracious affections do arise from a spiritual understanding, 
 in which the soui has the excellency and glory of divine thin«-s 
 discovered to it, as was shown before. But all spiritual disco- 
 veries are transforming; and not only make an alteration of the 
 present exercise, sensation, and frame of the soul; but such power 
 and efficacy have they, that they make an alteration in the very 
 nature of the soul; 2_Cor. iii. ,18, " But we all with open face, 
 beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into 
 the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the 
 Lord." Such power as this is properly divine power, and is pe- 
 culiar to the Spirit of the Lord: other power may make a great 
 alteration in mens present frames and feelings: but it is the 
 power of a Creator only that can change the nature, or give a new 
 nature. And no discoveries or illuminations, but those that are 
 divine and supernatural, will have this supernatural effect. But 
 this effect all those discoveries have, that are trulv divine. The 
 2 .0 
 
 ^ 
 
■594 SEVENTH SIGN OF 
 
 soul is deeply aflected by these discoveries, and so affected as 
 to be transformed. 
 
 Thus it is with those affections that the soul is the subject of 
 in its conversion. The scripture representations of conversion 
 do strongly imply and signify a change of nature: such as " be- 
 ing born again; becoming new creatures; rising from the dead; 
 being renewed in the spirit of the mind; dying to sin, and living 
 to righteousness; putting off the old man, and putting on the new 
 man; a being ingrafted into a new stock; a having a divine seed 
 implanted in the heart; a being made partakers of the divine na- 
 ture, &c. 
 
 Therefore if there be no great and remarkable abiding change 
 in persons, that think they have experienced a work of conver- 
 sion, vain are all their imaginations and pretences, however they 
 have been affected.f Conversion is a great and universal change 
 of the man, turning him from sin to God, A man may be re- 
 strained from sin before he is converted; but when he is convert- 
 ed, he is not only restrained from sin, his very heart and nature 
 is turned from it unto holiness: so that thenceforward he be- 
 comes a holy person, and an enemy to sin. If therefore, after a 
 person's high affections, at his supposed first conversion, it comes 
 to that in a little time, that there is no very sensible, or remarka- 
 ble alteration in him, as to those bad qualities and evil habits 
 which before were visible in him, and he is ordinarily under the 
 prevalence of the same kind of dispositions that he used to be, 
 and the same things seem to belong to his character; he appears 
 as selfish, carnal, as stupid and perverse, as unchristian and un- 
 savoury as ever; it is greater evidence against him, that the 
 brightest story of experiences that ever was told, is for him. For 
 in Christ Jesus neither circumcision, nor uncircumcision, neither 
 
 •}■ " 1 would not judge of the whole soul's coming to Christ, so much by 
 sudden pangs as by Luyvard bent. For the whole soul, in affectionate ex- 
 pressions and actions, ipay be carried to Clirist; but being without this 
 bent, and cliange of affections, is unsound." ShcpanVs Parable, Parti, p. 
 203. 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTfONS. 295 
 
 high profession, nor low profession, neither a fair story, nor a 
 broicen one, avails any thing; but a new creature. 
 
 If there be a very great alteration visible in a person for a 
 while; [fit be not abiding, but he afterwards returns, in a stated 
 manner, to be much as he used to be; it appears to be no change 
 of nature; for nature is an abiding thing. A swine that Is of a 
 filthy nature may be washed, but the swinish nature remains; 
 and a dove that is of a cleanly nature may be defiled, but its 
 cleanly nature remains.! 
 
 Indeed allowances must be made for the natural temper; con- 
 version does not entirely root out the natural temper; those sins 
 which a man by his natural constitution was most Inclined to be- 
 fore his conversion, he i may be most apt to fall into still. But /^ 
 yet conversion will make a great alteration even with respect to 
 these sins. Though grace, while imperfect, does not root out an evil 
 natural temper, yet it Is of great pow^r and efficacy with respect 
 to it, to correct it. The change that is wrought in conversion, is 
 an universal change; grace changes a man with respect to what- 
 ever is sinful in him; the old man is put off, and the new man 
 put on; he is sanctified throughout; and the man becomes a new 
 creature, old things are passed away,, and all things are become 
 new; all sin is mortified, constitution"^ sins, as well as others. If a 
 man, before his conversion, was by his natural constitution espe- 
 cially inclined to lascivlousness, or drunkenness, or malicious- 
 ness; converting grace will make a great alteration in him, with 
 respect to these evil dispositions; sothat however he maybe still 
 most in danger of these sins, yet they shall no longer have domi- 
 nion over him; nor will they any more be properly his character. 
 Yea, true repentance does In some respects, especially turn a man 
 
 I It is with the soul as with water; all the cold may be gone, but the na- 
 tive principle of cold remains still. You may remove the burning of lusts, 
 not the blackness of nature. Where the power of sin lies, change of con- 
 science from security to terror, change of life from profaneness to civility, 
 and fashions of t!ie world, to escape the pollutions thereof, cliange of lusts, 
 may quench tliem for a time: but tlie nature is never changed in the best 
 hypocrite that ever was. Shcpard's Paraile, Part 1. p. 194. 
 
•296 SEVEXtH SIGN OF 
 
 against his own iniquity, that wherein he has been most guilty, 
 and has chiefly dishonoured God. He that forsakes other sins, 
 but saves his leading sin, the iniquity he is chiefly inclined to, is 
 like Saul, when sent against God's enemies, the Amalekites, with 
 a strict charge to save none of them alive, but utterly to destroy 
 them, small and great; who utterly destroyed inferior people, but 
 saved the king, the chief of them all, alive. 
 
 Some foolishly make it an argument in favour of their discoveries 
 and affections, that when they are gone, they are left wholly with- 
 out any life or sense, or any thing beyond what they had before. 
 They think it an evidence that what they experienced was wholly 
 of God, and not of themselves, because (say they) when God is 
 departed, all is gone; they can see and- feel nothing, and are no 
 better than they used to be. 
 
 It is very true, that all grace and goodness in the hearts of the 
 -saints is entirely from God; and they are universally and imme- 
 diately dependent on him for it. But yet these persons are mis- 
 taken, as to the manner of God's communicating himself and his 
 holy Spirit, in imparting saving grace to the soul. He gives his 
 Spirit to be united to the faculties of the soul, and to dwell there 
 after the manner of a principle of nature; so that the soul, in be- 
 ing endued with grace, is endued with a new nature: but nature 
 is an abiding thing. All the exercises of grace are entirely from 
 Christ: but those exercises are not from Christ, as something that 
 is alive, moves and stirs, something that is without life, and re- 
 mains without life; but as having life communicated to it; so as 
 through Christ's power, to have inherent in itself a vital nature. 
 In the soul where Christ savingly is, there he lives. He does not 
 only live without it, so as violently to actuate it, but he lives in 
 it, so that that also is alive. Grace in the soul is as much from 
 Christy as the light in a glass, held out in the sunbeams, is from 
 the sun. But this represents the manner of the communication 
 of grace to the soul, but in part; because the glass remains as it 
 was, the nature of it not being at all changed, it is as much with- 
 ! out any lightsomeness in its nature as ever. But the soul of a 
 ^saint receives light from the Sun of righteousness, in such a man- 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. ' 297 
 
 ner, that its nature is changed, and it becomes properly a lumin- 
 ous thing; not only does the sun shine in the saints, but they also 
 become little suns, partaking of the nature of the fountain of their 
 light. In this respect, the manner of their derivation of light, is 
 like that of the lamps in the tabernacle, rather than that of a re- 
 flecting glass; which, though they were lit up by fire from 
 heaven, yet thereby became themselves burning shining things. 
 The saints do not only drink of the water of life, that flows from 
 the original fountain; but this water becomes a fountain of water y 
 in them, springing up there, and flowing out of them, John iv. 14, ^ 
 and chap, vii, 38, 39. Grace is compared to a seed implanted, 
 that not only is in the ground, but has hold of it, has root there, 
 and grows there, and is an abiding principle of life and nature 
 there. 
 
 As it is with spiritual discoveries and affections given at first 
 conversion, so it is in all illuminations and afi'ections of that kind, 
 that persons are the subjects of afterwards; they are all transfj^jriJOz ® 
 ing. There is a like divine power and energy in them, as in the 
 first discoveries; and they will reach the bottom of tlie heart, and 
 affect and alter the very nature of the soul, in proportion to the 
 degree in which they are given. And a transformation of nature 
 is continued and carried on by them, to the end of life, until it is 
 brought to perfection in glory. Hence the progress of the work 
 of grace in the hearts of the saints, is represented in scripture, as 
 a continued conversion and renovation of nature. So the apostle 
 exhorts those that were at Rome, "beloved of God, called to be 
 saints," and that were subjects of God's redeeming mercies, " to 
 be transformed by the renewing of their mind," Rom. xii. 1,"I be- 
 seech you therefore, by the mercies of God, that ye present your 
 bodies a living sacrifice; and be not conformed to this world; but 
 be }'e transformed by the renewing of your mind." Compared 
 with chap. i. 7. So the apostle, writing to the " saints and faith- 
 ful in Christ Jesus, that were at Ephesus (Eph. i. 1.) and those 
 who were once dead in trespasses and sins, but were now quick- 
 ened and raised up, and made to sit together in heavenly places 
 in Christ, apd created in Christ Jesus unto good works, that were 
 
298 SEVENTH SIGN OP 
 
 once far off, but were now made nigh by the blood of Christ, and 
 that were no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens 
 with the saints, and of the household of God, and that were built 
 together for an habitation of God through the Spirit; I say, the 
 apostle writing to these, tells them, "that he ceased not to pray 
 for them, that God would give them the Spirit of wisdom and re- 
 velation, in the knowledge of Christ; the eyes of their understand- 
 / ing being enlightened, that they might know, or experience, what 
 
 > was the exceeding greatness of God's power towards them that 
 I believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he 
 [ wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him 
 ■ at his own right hand in the heavenly places," Eph, i. 16, to the 
 '^^ end. In this the apostle has respect to the glorious power and 
 
 > work of God in converting and renewing the soul; as is most plain 
 by the sequel. So the apostle exhorts the same persons " to put 
 off the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 
 and be renewed in the spirit of their minds; and to put on the new 
 man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holi- 
 ness," Eph. iv. 22, 23, 24. 
 
 There is a sort of high affections that some have from time to 
 time, that leave them without any manner of appearance of an 
 abiding effect. They go off suddenly ; so that from the very height 
 of their emotion, and seeming rapture, they pass at once to be 
 quite dead, and void of all sense and activity. It surely is not 
 wont to be thus with high gracious affections;! they leave a sweet 
 savour and relish of divine things on the heart, and a stronger 
 bent of soul towards God and holiness. As Moses's face not only 
 shone while he was in the mount, extraordinarily conversing with 
 God, but it continued to shine after he came down from the mount. 
 When men have been conversing with Christ in an extraordinary 
 manner, there is a sensible effect of it remaining upon them; there 
 is something remarkable in their disposition and frame, which if 
 
 -j- " Do you think the Holy Ghost comes on a man as on Balaam, by im- 
 meihate acting, and then leaves him, and then he has nothing?" Shepard'e 
 Parable, Part 1. p. 126. 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 299 
 
 we take knowledge of, and trace to its cause, we shall find it is 
 because they have been with Jesus; Acts iv. 13. 
 
 VIII. Truly gracious afTections differ from those affections that 
 arc false and delusive in that they tend to, and are attended with 
 the lamb like, dove like spirit and temper of Jesus Christ; or in 
 other words, they naturally beget and promote such a spirit of love, 
 meekness, quietness, forgiveness and mercy, as appeared in Christ, 
 
 The evidence of this in the scripture is very abundant. If we 
 judge of the nature of Christianity, and the proper spirit of the 
 gospel, by the word of God, this spirit is what may, by way of 
 emiaency, be called the christian spirit; and may be looked upon 
 as the true, and distinguishing disposition of the hearts of Chris- 
 tians, as Christians. When some of the disciples of Christ said 
 something, through inconsideration and infirmity, that was not 
 agreeable to such a spirit, Christ told them, that they knew not 
 what manner of spirit they were of, Luke ix. 55, implying that 
 this spirit that I am speaking of, is the proper spirit of his religion 
 and kingdom. AH that are truly godly, and real disciples of Christ 
 have this spirit in them; and not only so, but they are of this spirit; 
 it is the spirit by which they are so possessed and governed, that 
 it is their true and proper character. This is evident by ^vliat 
 the wise man says, Prov. xvii. 27, (having respect plainly to such 
 a spirit as this) "A man of understanding is of an excellent 
 spirit:" and by the particular description Christ gives of the qua- 
 lities and temper of such as are truly blessed, that shall obtain 
 mercy, and are God's children and heirs, Matt, v, " Blesed are 
 the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are the mer- 
 ciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the peacemakers: 
 for they shall be called the children of God." And that this spirit 
 is the special character of the elect of God, is manifested by Col, 
 iii. 12, 13, "Put on therefore as the elect olGod, holy and be- 
 loved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meek- 
 ness, long suffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one 
 another." And the apostle, speaking of that temper and disposi- 
 tion, which he speaks of as the most excellent and essential thing 
 in Christianity, and that without which none are true Christians, 
 
SOO EIGHTH SIGN OF 
 
 and the most glorious profession and gifts are nothing (calling this 
 spirit by the name of charity, he describes it thus) 1 Cor. xiii. 
 4, 5, "Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; 
 charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself 
 unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh 
 no evil." And the same apostle. Gal. v. designedly declaring 
 the distinguishing marks and fruits of true christian grace, chiefly 
 insists on the things that appertain to such a temper and spirit as 
 I am speaking of, ver. 22, 23, "The fruit of the Spirit is love, 
 joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, 
 temperance." And so does the apostle James, in describing true 
 grace, or that wisdom that is from above, with that declared de- 
 sign, that others who are of a contrary spirit may not deceive 
 themselves, and lie againstthe truth, in professing to be Christians, 
 when they are not; James iii. 14 — 17, " If ye have bitter envying 
 and strife in your hearts, glory not; and lie not against the truth. 
 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, 
 devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion, and 
 every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above, is first pure, 
 then peaceable, gentle and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and 
 good fruits." 
 
 ,t Every thing that appertains to holiness of heart, does indeed 
 belong to the nature of true Christianity, and the character of 
 Christians; but a spirit of holiness, as appearing in some parlicu- 
 
 Llar graces, may more especially be called the christian spirit or 
 temper. There are some amiable qualities and virtues, that do 
 more especially agree with the nature of the gospel constitution 
 and christian profession; because there is a special agreeableness 
 in them with those divine attributes which God has more remark- 
 ably manifested and glorified in the work of redemption by Jesus 
 Christ, that is the grand subject of the christian revelation; and 
 also a special agreeableness with those virtues that were so won- 
 derfully exercised by Jesus Christ towards us in that affair, and 
 the blessed example he hath therein set us; and likewise because 
 they are peculiarly agreeable to the special drift and design of the 
 work of redemption, and the benefits we thereby receive, and the 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 301 
 
 relation that it brings us into to God and one another. And these 
 virtues are such as humility, meekness, love, forgiveness and 
 mercy. These things therefore especially belong to the character 
 of Christians, as such. 
 
 These things are spoken of as what are especially the charac- 
 ter of Jesus Christ himself, the great head of the christian church. 
 
 They are so spoken of in the prophecies of the Old Testament; 
 as in that cited. Matt. xxi. 5, " Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Be- 
 hold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, 
 and a colt, the foal of an ass." So Christ himself speaks of them, 
 Matt. xi. 29, " Learn of me, fori am meek and lowly in heart." 
 The same appears by the name by which Christ is so often called 
 in scripture, viz. the Lamb. And as these things are especially 
 the character of Christ, so they are also especially the character 
 of Christians. Christians are christlike; none deserve the name 
 of Christians, that are not so in their prevailing character. " The 
 new man is renewed, after the image of him that creates him," 
 Col. iii. 10. " All true Christians behold as in a glass the 
 glory of the Lord, and are changed into the same image by his Spi- 
 rit," 2 Cor. iii. 18. " The elect are all predestinated to be con- 
 formed to the image of the Son of God, that he might be the first 
 born among many brethren," Rom. viii. 29. " As we have borne 
 the image of the first man, that is earthly, so we must also bear 
 the image of the heavenly; for as is the earthly, such are they also 
 that are earthly; and as is the heavenly, such are they also that 
 are heavenly," 1 Cor. xv. 47, 48, 49. — Christ is full of grace; 
 and Christians all receive of his fulness, and grace for grace; i. e. 
 there is grace in Christians answering to grace in Christ, such an 
 answerableness as there is between the wax and the seal; there 
 is character for character: such kind of graces, such a spirit and 
 temper, the same things that belong to Christ's character, belong 
 to theirs. The disposition, wherein Christ's character does in a 
 special manner consist, therein does his image in a special man- 
 ner consist. Christians that shine by reflecting the light of the 
 Sun of righteousness, do shine with the same sort of brightness, 
 the same mild, sweet and pleasant beams. These lamps of the 
 2p 
 
302 ' EIGHTH SIGN OF 
 
 spiritual temple, that are enkindled by fire fronrheaven, burn witii 
 the same sort of flame. The branch is of the same nature with 
 the stock and root, has the same sap, and bears the same sort of 
 fruit. The members have the same kind of life with the head. 
 It would be strange if Christians should not be of the same tem- 
 per and spirit that Christ is of; when they are his flesh and his 
 bone, yea, are one spirit, 1 Cor. vi. 17; and live so, that it is not 
 they that live, but Christ that lives in them. A christian spirit is 
 Christ's mark that he sets upon the souls of his people; his seal 
 in their foreheads, bearing his image and superscription, — Chris- 
 tians are the followers of Christ; and they are so, as they are obe- 
 dient to that call of Christ, Matt. xi. 28, 29, " Come to me and 
 learn of me, for I am meek and lowly of heart." They follow 
 him as the Lamb, Rev. xvi. 4, " These are they which follow 
 the Lamb whithersoever he goeth." True Christians are as it 
 were clothed with the meek, quiet and loving temper of Christ; 
 for as many as are in Christ, have put on Christ. And in this 
 respect the church is clothed with the sun, not only by being 
 clothed with his imputed righteousness, but also by being adorned 
 with his graces, Rom. xiii. 14. Christ, the great Shepherd, is 
 himself a Lamb, and believers are also lambs; all the flock are 
 lambs; John xxi. 15, " Feed my lambs." Luke x. 3, " I send 
 you forth as lambs in the midst of wolves," The redemption of 
 the church by Christ from the power of the devil, was typified of 
 old by David's delivering the lamb out of the mouth of the lion 
 and the bear. 
 
 That such manner of virtue as has been spoken of, is the very 
 nature of the christian spirit, or the spirit that worketh in Christ, 
 and in his members, and in the distinguishing nature of it, is evi- 
 dent by this, that the dove is, the very symbol or emblem, chosen 
 of God, to represent it. Those things are fittest emblems of other 
 things, which do best represent that which is most distinguishing 
 in their nature. The Spirit that descended on Christ, when he 
 was anointed of the Father, descended on him like a dove. The 
 dove is a noted emblem of meekness, harmlessness, peace and 
 love. But the same Spirit that descended on the head of the 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS, 303 
 
 church, descends to the niemhers. " God hath sent forth the Spi- 
 rit of his Son into their hearts," Gal. iv. 6, And " if any man 
 have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his," Rom. viii. 9. 
 There is but one Spirit to the whole mystical body, head and 
 members, 1 Cor. vi. 17, Eph. iv. 4. Christ breathes his own 
 Spirit on his disciples, John xx. 22. As Christ was anointed 
 with the Holy Ghost, descending on him like a dove, so Chris- 
 tians also " have an anointing from the Holy One," 1 John ii. 20, 
 27. And they are anointed with the same oil; it is the same 
 " precious ointment on the head that goes down to the skirts of 
 the garments." And on both, it is a spirit of peace and love: 
 Psalm cxxxiii. 1,2, " Behold, how good and pleasant it is for 
 brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oint- 
 ment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's 
 beard, that went down to the skirts of his garments." The oil 
 on Aaron's garments had the same sweet and inimitable odour 
 with that of his head; the smell of the same sweet spices, chris- 
 tian affections and a christian behaviour, is but the flowing out 
 of the savour of Christ's sweet ointments. Because the church 
 had a dovelike temper and disposition, therefore it is said of her 
 that she has doves' eyes; Cant. i. 15, " Behold, thou art fair, my 
 love, behold thou art fair, thou hast doves' eyes." And chap. vi. 
 1 , " Behold, thou art fair, my love, behold thou art fair, thou hast 
 doves' eyes within thy locks." The same that is said of Christ, 
 chap. vi. 12, " His eyes are as the eyes of doves." And the 
 church is frequently compared to a dove in scripture; Cant. ii. 14, 
 " 0, my dove, thou art in the clefts of the rock." Chap. v. 2, 
 " Open to me, my love, my dove." And chap. vi. 9. " My dove, 
 my undefiled is but one." Psal. Ixviii. 13, " Ye shall be as the 
 wings of a dove, covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow 
 gold." And Ixxiv. 19, " deliver not the soul of thy turtle dove 
 unto the multitude of the wicked." The dove that Noah sent 
 out of the ark, that could find no rest for the sole of her foot, un- 
 til she returned, was a type of a true saint- 
 Meekness is so much the character of the saints, that the meek 
 and the godly are used as synonymous terms in scripture: so PsaJ. 
 
304 EIGHTH SIGN OF 
 
 xxxvii. 10, 11; the wicked and the meek arc set in opposition, 
 one to another, as wicked and godly: " Yet a little while and the 
 wicked shall not be: but the meek shall inherit the earth." So 
 Psal. cxlvii. 6, '' The Lord lifteth up the meek: he casteth the 
 wicked down to the ground." 
 
 It is doubtless very much on this account, that Christ repre- 
 sents all his disciples, all the heirs of heaven, as little children, 
 Matt. xix. 14, " Suffer little children to come unto me, and for- 
 bid them not; for of such is the kingdom of heaven." Matt. x. 42, 
 " Whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones, a 
 cup of cold water, in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto 
 you, he shall in nowise lose his reward." Matt, xviii. 6, " Whoso 
 shall offend one of these little ones," &c. ver. 10, " Take heed 
 that ye despise not one of these little ones," ver. 14, " It is not 
 the will of your Father, which is in heaven, that one of these lit- 
 tle ones should perish." John xiii. 33, " Little children, yet a lit- 
 tle while I am with you." Little children are innocent and harm- 
 less; they do not do a great deal of mischief in the world; men 
 need not be afraid of them; they are no dangerous sort of persons; 
 their anger does not last long; they do not lay up injuries in high 
 resentment, entertaining deep and rooted malice. So Christians, 
 in malice, are children, 1 Cor. xiv. 20. Little children are not 
 guileful and deceitful, but plain and simple; they are not versed 
 in the arts of fiction and deceit, and are strangers to artful dis- 
 guises;, they are yieldable and flexible, and not wilful and obsti- 
 nate; do not trust to their own understanding, but rely on the in- 
 struction of parents, and others of superior understanding. Here is 
 therefore a fit and lively emblem of the followers of the Lamb. Per- 
 sons being thus like little children, is not only a thing highly com- 
 mendable, and what Christians approve and aim at, and which 
 some of extraordinary proficiency do attain to; but it is their uni- 
 versal character, and absolutely necessary in order to entering 
 into the kingdom of heaven; Matt, xviii. 3, " Verily I say unto 
 you. Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye 
 shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." Markx. 15, " Veri- 
 
GRACIOUS A^'FECTIONS. 305 
 
 ly I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of 
 God as a little child, he shall not enter therein." 
 
 But here some may be ready to say, is there no such thing 
 as christian fortitude, and boldness for Christ, being good soldiers 
 in the christian warfare, and coming out boldly against the ene- 
 mies of Christ and his people? 
 
 To which I answer. There doubtless is such a thing. The 
 whole christian life is compared to a warfare, and fitly so. And 
 the most eminent Christians are the best soldiers, endued with 
 the greatest degrees of christian fortitude. And it is the duty of 
 God's people to be steadfast and vigorous in their opposition to the 
 designs and ways of such as are endeavouring to overthrow the 
 kingdom of Christ and the interest of religion. But yet many 
 persons seem to be quite mistaken concerning the nature of chris- 
 tian fortitude. It is an exceeding diverse thing from a brutal 
 fierceness, or the boldness of the beasts of prey. True christian 
 fortitude consists in strength of mind, thorough grace, exerted in 
 two things; in ruling and suppressing the evil and unruly passions 
 and affections of the mind, and in steadfastly and freely exerting 
 and following good affections and dispositions, without being hin- 
 dered by sinful fear, or the opposition of enemies. But the pas- 
 sions that are restrained and kept under, in the exercise of this 
 christian strength and fortitude, are those very passions that are 
 vigorously and violently excited in a false boldness for Christ. 
 And those affections that are vigorously exerted in true fortitude, 
 are those christian, holy affections, that are directly contrary to 
 them. Though christian fortitude appears, in withstanding and 
 counteracting the enemies that are without us; yet it much more 
 appears in resisting and suppressing the enemies that are within 
 us; because they are our worst and strongest enemies, and have 
 greatest advantage against us. The strength of the good soldier 
 of Jesus Christ appears in nothing more than in steadfastly main- 
 taining the holy calm, meekness, sweetness, and benevolence of 
 his mind, amidst all the storms, injuries, strange behaviour and 
 surprising acts and events of this evil and unreasonable world. 
 The scripture seems to intimate that true fortitude consists chiefly 
 
306 EIGHTH SIGN OF 
 
 in this; Prov. xvi. 32, " He that is slow to anger, is better than 
 the miglity; and he that riileth his spirit, than he thattaketh a city." 
 Tiic directest and surest way in the world, to make a right 
 judgment what a holy fortitude is, in fighting with God's enemies, 
 is to look to the Captain of all God's hosts, and our greater leader 
 and example, and see wherein his fortitude and valour appeared, 
 in his chief conflict, and in the time of the greatest battle that ever 
 was, or ever will be fought with these enemies, when he fought 
 ^vith them alone, and of the people there was none with him, and 
 exercised his fortitude in the highest degree that ever he did, and 
 got that glorious victory that will be celebrated in the praises and 
 triumphs of all the hosts of heaven, throughout all eternity; even 
 to Jesus Christ in the time of his last sufferings, when his enemies 
 in earth and hell made their most violent attack upon him, com- 
 passing him round on every side, like renting and roaring lions. 
 Doubtless here we shall see the fortitude of a holy warrior and 
 champion in the cause of God, in its highest perfection and great- 
 est lustre, and an example fit for the soldiers to follow that fight 
 under this Captain. But how did he show his holy boldness and 
 valour at that time? Not in the exercise of any fiery passions; not 
 in fierce and violent speeches, and vehemently declaiming against 
 and crying out of the intolerable wickedness of opposers, giving 
 them their own in plain terms: but in not opening his mouth when 
 afflicted and oppressed, in going as a lamb to the slaughter, and 
 as a sheep before his shearers is dumb, not opening his mouth; 
 praying that the Father would forgive his cruel enemies because 
 they knew not what they did; not shedding others' blood, but 
 with all-conquering patience and love, shedding his own. Indeed 
 one of his disciples, that made a forward pretence to boldness for 
 Christ, and confidently declared he would sooner die with Christ 
 than deny him, began to lay about him with a sword: but Christ 
 meekly rebukes him, and heals the wound he gives. And never 
 was the patience, meekness, love, and forgiveness of Christ in so 
 glorious a manifestation, as at that time. Never did he appear so 
 much a lamb, never did he show so much of the dovelike spirit, 
 as at that time. If therefore we see anv of the followers of Christ, 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 307 
 
 in the midst of the most violent, unreasonable, and wicked oppo- 
 sition of God's and his own enemies, maintaining under all this 
 temptation, the humility, quietness, and gentleness of a lamb, and 
 the harmlessness, and love, and sweetness of a dove, we may well 
 judge that here is a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 
 
 When persons are fierce and violent, and exert their sharp and 
 bitter passions, it shows weakness, instead of strength and forti- 
 tude. 1 Cor. iii. at the beginning, "■ And I, brethren, could not 
 speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto 
 babes in Christ. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is 
 among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, 
 and walk as men?" 
 
 There is a pretended boldness for Christ that arises from no 
 better principle than pride. A man may be forward to expose 
 himself to the dislike of the world, and even to provoke their dis- 
 pleasure out of pride. For it is the nature of spiritual pride to 
 cause men to seek distinction and singularity; and so oftentimes 
 to set themselves at war with those that they call carnal, that they 
 may be more highly exalted among their party. True boldness 
 for Christ is universal, and overcomes all, and carries men above 
 the displeasure of friends and foes; so that they will forsake all 
 rather than Christ; and will rather offend all parties, and be thought 
 meanly of by all, than offend Christ. And that duty which tries 
 whether a man is willing to be despised by them that are of his 
 own party, and thought the least worthy to be regarded by them, 
 is a much more proper trial of his boldness for Christ, than his 
 being forward to expose himself to the reproach of opposers. The 
 apostle sought not glory, not only of Heathens and Jens, but of 
 Christians; as he declares, 1 Tbess. ii. 26.1 He is bold for Christ, 
 that has christian fortitude enough, to confess his fault openly, 
 when he has committed one that requires it, and as it were to 
 come down upon his knees before opposers. Such things as these 
 
 ■}■ Ml*. Shepard, speaking of liypocrites HfTecting applause, says, "Hence 
 men forsake their friends, and trample under foot tlie scorns of the world: 
 they have credit elsewhere. To- maintain their inlerist in the love ot godly 
 men, they will .siitter much." Parable of the Ten Virgins, I'art 1. p, 180 
 
308 EIGHTH SIGN OF 
 
 are of vastly greater evidence of holy boldness, than resc^utely and 
 fiercely confronting opposers. 
 
 As some are much, mistaken concerning the nature of true bold- 
 ness for Christ, so they are concerning christian zeal. It is indeed 
 a flame, but a sweet one; or rather it is the heat and fervour of a 
 sweet flame. For the flame of which it is the heat, is no other 
 than that of divine love, or christian charity; which is the sweet- 
 est and most benevolent thing that is, or can be, in the heart of 
 man or angel. Zeal is the fervour of this flame, as it ardently 
 and vigorously goes out towards the good that is its object, in de- 
 sires of it, and pursuit after it; gnd so consequentially, in oppo- 
 sition to the evil that is contrary to it, and impedes it. There is 
 indeed opposition, and vigorous opposition, that is a part of it, or 
 rather is an attendant of it; but is against things, and not persons. 
 Bitterness against the persons of men is no part of it, but it is very 
 contrary to it; insomuch that so much the warmer true zeal is, 
 and the higher it is raised, so much the farther are persons from 
 such bitterness, and so much fuller of love, both to the evil and 
 to the good. As appears from what has been just now observed, 
 that it is no other, in its very nature and essence, than the fervour 
 of a spirit of christia« love. And as to what opposition there is 
 in it to things, it is firstly and chiefly against the. evil things in 
 the person himself, who has this zeal; against the enemies of God 
 and holiness, that are in his own heart; (as these are most in his 
 view, and what he has most to do with) and but secondarily 
 against the sins of others. And therefore there is nothing in a 
 true christian zeal, that is contrary to that spirit of meekness, 
 gentleness, and love, that spirit of a little child, a lamb and dove, 
 that has been spoken of; but it is entirely agreeable to it, and tends 
 to promote it. 
 
 But to say something particularly concerning this christian spirit 
 I have been speaking of, as exercised in these three things, for- 
 giveness, love, and mercy; I would observe that the scripture is 
 very clear and express concerning the absolute necessity of each 
 of these, as belonging to the temper and character of every Chris- 
 tian. 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 309 
 
 It is SO as to a forgiving spirit, or a disposition to overlook and 
 ibrgive injuries. Christ gives it to us both as a negative and posi- 
 tive evidence; and is express in teaching us, that if we are of 
 such a spirit, it is a sign that we are in a state of forgiveness and 
 favour ourselves: and that if we are not of such a spirit, we are 
 not forgiven of God; and seems to take special care that we should 
 take good notice of it, and always bear it in our minds. Matt. vi. 
 12, 14, 15, "Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. 
 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father 
 will also forgive you. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, 
 neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." Christ express- 
 es the same again at another time, Mark xi. 25, 26, and again 
 in Matt, xviii. 22, to the end, in the parable of the servant that 
 owed his lord ten thousand talents, that would not forgive his fel- 
 low servant an hundred pence; and therefore was delivered to the 
 tormentors. In the application of the parable, Christ says, ver, 
 35, " So likewise shall my heavenly Father do, if ye from your 
 hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses." 
 
 And that all true saints are of a loving, benevolent, and benifi- 
 cent temper, the scripture is very plain and abundant. Witliout 
 it the apostle tells us, though we should speak with the tongues of 
 men and angels, we are as a sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal; 
 and that though we have the gift of prophecy, and understand all 
 mysteries, and all knowledge, yet without this spirit we are nothing. 
 And there is no one virtue or disposition of the mind, that is so 
 often, and so expressly insisted on, in the marks that are laid down 
 in the New Testament, whereby to know true Christians. It is 
 often given as a sign that is peculiarly distinguishing, by which 
 all may know Christ's disciples, and by which they may know 
 themselves; and is often laid down, both as a negative and posi- 
 tive evidence. Christ calls the law of love, by way of eminency, 
 his commandment, John xiii. 34, "A new commandment give I 
 unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye 
 also love one another." And chap. xv. 12, "This is my com- 
 mandment, that ye love one another as I have loved you." And 
 ver, 17, " These things I command vou. that ve love one another '■ 
 
310 EIGHTH SIGN OF 
 
 And says, chap. xiii. 35, " By this shall all men know that ye 
 are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." And chap. xiv. 
 21, (still with a special reference to this which he calls his com- 
 mandment) " He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, 
 he it is that loveth me." The beloved disciple who had so much 
 of this sweet temper himself, abundantly insists on it, in his epis- 
 tles. There is none of the apostles so much in laying down ex- 
 press signs of grace, for professors to try themselves by, as he; and 
 in his signs, he insists scarcely on any thing else, but a spirit of 
 christian love, and an agreeable practice, 1 John ii. 9, 10, "He 
 that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness 
 even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light 
 and there is none occasion of stumbling in him." Chap. iii. 14, 
 " We know that we are passed from death unto life, because we 
 love the brethren: he that loveth not his brother abideth in death," 
 ver. 18, 19, " My little children, let us not love in w^ord and in 
 tongue, but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that wc 
 are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him;" ver. 23, 
 24, " This is his commandment, that we should love one another. 
 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he 
 in him; and hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the spirit 
 which he hath given us." Chap. iv. 7, 8, " Beloved, let us love 
 one another; for love is of God; and every one that loveth, is born 
 of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not, knoweth not God: 
 for God is love;" ver. 12, 13, " No man hath seen God at any 
 time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love 
 is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, be- 
 cause he hath given us of his Spirit;" ver. 16, "God is love; 
 and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him," 
 ver. 20, " If a man say I love God, and hateth his brother, he is 
 a liar: for he that loveth not his brother, whom he hath seen, how 
 can he love God whom he hath not seen?" 
 
 And the scripture is as plain as it is possible it should be, thai 
 none are true saints, but those whose true character it is, that 
 they are of a disposition to pity and relieve their fellow creatures, 
 that are 4ioor, indigent, and afflicted, Psal. xxxvii. 21, "The 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 311 
 
 righteous showeth mercy, and giveth," ver. 26, " He is merciful, 
 and lendeth," Psal. cxii. 5, " He hath dispersed abroad, and given 
 to the poor," Prov. xiv. 31, "He that honoureth God, hath mer- 
 cy on the poor," Prov. xxi. 26, "The righteous giveth, and spareth 
 not," Jer. xxii. 1 6, " He judgeth the cause of the poor and needy, 
 then it was well with him: was not this to know me? saith the 
 Lord," Jam. i, 27, "Pure religion and undefiled before God and 
 the Father, is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their 
 affliction," &c. Hos. vi. 6, "For I have desired mercy, and not 
 sacrifice; and the knowledge of God, more than burnt offerings;" 
 Matt. V. 7, " Blessed are the merciful; for they shall obtain mer- 
 cy." 2 Cor. viii. 8, "I speak not by commandment, but by oc- 
 casion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of 
 your love." Jam. ii. 13 — 16, " For he shall have judgment with- 
 out mercy, that hath showed no mercy. What doth it profit, my 
 brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? 
 Can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and des- 
 titute of daily food; and one of you say unto them, depart in 
 peace, be you warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them 
 not those things which are needful to the body, what doth it profit?" 
 1 John iii. 17, " Whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his 
 brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from 
 him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?" Christ in that de- 
 scription he gives us of the day of judgment, Matt. xxv. (which is 
 the most particular that we have in all the Bible) represents that 
 judgment will be passed at that day, according as men have been 
 found to have been of a merciful spirit and practice, or otherwise. 
 Christ's design in giving such a description of the process of that 
 day, is plainly to possess all his followers with that apprehension, 
 that unless this was their spirit and practice, there was no hope of 
 their being accepted and owned by him at that day. Therefore 
 this is an apprehension that we ought to be possessed with. We 
 find in scripture, that a righteous man, and a merciful man are 
 synonymous expressions, Isa. Ivii. 1, " The righteous perisheth, 
 and no man layeth it to heart; and merciful men are taken away 
 none considering that the righteous is taken away, from the evil 
 to come." 
 
31S fclGHTH SIGN OF 
 
 Thus we see how full, clear and abundant, the evidence from 
 scripture is, that those who are truly gracious, are under the gov- 
 ernment of that lamblike, dovelike Spirit of Jesus Christ, and 
 that this is essentially and eminently the nature of the saving 
 grace of the gospel, and the proper spirit of true Christianity. We 
 may therefore undoubtedly determine that all truly christian af- 
 fections are attended with such a spirit, and that this is the na- 
 tural tendency of the fear and hope, the sorrow and the joy, the 
 confidence and the zeal of true Christians. 
 
 None will understand me, that true Christians have no remains 
 of a contrary spirit, and can never, in any instance, be guilty of 
 a behaviour disagreeable to such a spirit. But this I affirm, and 
 shall affirm, until I deny the Bible to be any thing worth, that 
 every thing in Christians that belongs to true Christianity, is of 
 this tendency, and works this way; and that there is no true 
 Christian upon earth, but is so under the prevailing power of such 
 a spirit, that he is properly denominated from it, and it is truly 
 and justly his character: and that therefore ministers and others 
 have no warrant from Christ to encourage persons that are of a 
 contrary character and behaviour to think they are converted, be- 
 cause they tell a fair story of illuminations and discoveries. In 
 so doing, they would set up their own wisdom against Christ's, 
 and judge without and against that rule by which Christ has de- 
 clared all men should know his disciples. Some persons place 
 religion so much in certain transient illuminations and impres- 
 sions (especially if they are in such a particular method and or- 
 der) and so little in the spirit and temper persons are of, that they 
 greatly deform religion, and form notions of Christianity quite 
 different from what it is, as delineated in the scriptures. The 
 scripture knows of no such true Christians as are of a sordid, self- 
 ish, cross and contentious spirit. Nothing can be invented that 
 is a greater absurdity, than a morose, hard, close, high spirited, 
 spiteful true Christian. We must learn the way of bringing men 
 to rules, and not rules to men, and so strain and stretch the rules 
 of God's word, to take in ourselves and some of our neighbours. 
 Until we make them wholly of none eifect. 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 31S 
 
 It is true, that allowances must be made for mens natural tem- 
 j per, with regard to these things as well as others; but not such 
 allowances, as to allow men that once were wolves and serpents, 
 to be now converted, without any remarkable change in the spi- 
 /'vit of their mind. The change made by true conversion is wont 
 to be most remarkable and sensible, with respect to that which 
 before was the wickedness the person was most notoriously guilty 
 of. Grace has as great a tendency to restrain and mortify such 
 sins as are contrary to the spirit that has been spoken of, as it is 
 to mortify drunkenness and lasciviousness. Yea, the scripture re- 
 presents the change wrought by gospel grace, as especially ap- 
 pearing in an alteration of the former sort; Isa. xi. 6 — 9. " The 
 wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down 
 with the kid: and the calf, and the young lion, and the fatling to- 
 gether, and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the 
 bear shall feed, their young ones shall lie down together: and the 
 lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play 
 on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand 
 on the cockatrice den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my 
 holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the 
 Lord, as the waters cover the sea." And to the same purpose is Isa. 
 Ixv. 25. Accordingly we find that in the primitive times of the 
 christian church, converts were remarkably changed in this respect; 
 Tit. iii. 3, &c. " For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, diso- 
 bedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in ma- 
 lice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But after that 
 the kindness and love of God our Saviour towards man appeared; 
 he saved us by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the 
 Holy Ghost." And Col. iii. 7. 8, " In the which ye also walk- 
 ed some time, when ye lived in them. But now you also put off 
 all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communications 
 out of your mouth." 
 
 IX. Gracious affections soften the heart, and are attended and 
 followed with a christian tenderness of spirit. 
 
 False affections, however persons may seem to be melted l)y 
 f them while they are new, yet have a tendency in the end to 
 
314 NINTH SIGN or 
 
 harden the heart. A disposition to some kind of passions may be 
 established; such as imply self-seeking, self-exaltation, and op- 
 position to others. But false affections, with the delusion that at- 
 tends them, finally tend to stupify the mind, and shut it up against 
 those affections wherein tenderness of heart consists: and the ef- 
 fect of them at last is, that persons in the settled frame of their 
 minds, become less affected with their present and past sins, and 
 less conscientious with respect to future sins, less moved with 
 the warnings and cautions of God's word, or God's chastise- 
 ments in his providence, more careless of the frame of their 
 hearts, and the manner and tendency of their behaviour, less 
 quick-sighted to discern what is sinful, less afraid of the appear- 
 ance of evil, than they were while they were under legal awak- 
 enings and fears of hell. Now they have been the subjects of 
 such and such impressions and affections, and have a high opi- 
 nion of themselves, and look on their state to be safe; they can 
 be much more easy than before, in living in the neglect of duties 
 that are troublesome and inconvenient; and are much more slow 
 and partial in complying with difficult commands; are in no mea- 
 sure so alarmed at the appearance of their own defects and trans- 
 gressions; are emboldened to favour themselves more, with re- 
 spect to their labour, and painful care and exactness in their 
 walk, and more easily yield to temptations, and the solicitations 
 of their lusts; and have far less care of their behaviour, when they 
 come into the holy presence of God, in the time of public or pri- 
 vate worship. Formerly it may be, under legal convictions, they 
 took much pains in religion, and denied themselves in many 
 things: but now they think themselves out of danger of hell, 
 they very much put off the burden of the cross, and save them- 
 selves the trouble of difficult duties, and allow themselves more 
 in the enjoyment of their ease and their lusts. 
 
 Such persons as these, instead of embracing Christ as their 
 saviour from sin, trust in him as the saviour of their sins; in- 
 stead of flying to him as their refuge from their spiritual ene- 
 mies, they make use of him as the defence of their spiritual ene- 
 mies, from God, and to strengthen them against him. They make 
 
CTRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 315 
 
 Christ the minister of sin, and great officer and vicegerent of the 
 devil, to strengthen his interest, and make him above all things 
 in the world strong against Jehovah; so that they may sin against 
 him with good courage, and without any fear, being effectually 
 secured from restraints, by his most solemn warnings and most 
 awful threatenings. They trust in Christ to preserve to them the 
 quiet enjoyment of their sins, and to be their shield to defend 
 them from God's displeasure; while they come close to him, even 
 to his bosom, the place of his children, to fight against him, with 
 their mortal weapons, hid under their skirts. f However, some of 
 
 f " These are hypocrites that believe, but fail in regard of the use of the 
 gospel, and of the Loi'd Jesus. And these we read oi', Jude 3, viz. of some 
 men that did turn grace into wantonness. For therein appears the exceed- 
 ing evil of a man's heart, that not only the law, but also the glorious gospel 
 of the Lord Jesus, works in him all manner of unrighteousness. And it is 
 too common for men at tlie first work of conversion, O then to cry for 
 grace and Christ, and afterwards grow licentious, live and lie in the breach 
 of the law, and take their warrant for their course from the gospel!" S/iep- 
 ard's Parable, Part I. p. 126. 
 
 Again, p. 232, Mr. Shepard speaks of such hypocrites as those " who, 
 like strange eggs, being put into the same nest, where honest men have 
 lived, they have been hatched up; and when they are young keep their 
 nest, and live by crying and opening their mouths wide after the Lord, and 
 the food of his word; but when their wings are grown, and they have got 
 some affections, some knowledge, some hope of mercy, are hardened there- 
 by to fly from God. And adds, " Can that man be good whom God's grace 
 makes worse." 
 
 Again, part II. p. 167; " When men fly to Christ in time of peace, that so 
 they may preserve their sins with greater peace of conscience, so that sin 
 makes them fly to Christ as well as miserj', not that they may destroy and 
 abolish sin, but that they may be preserved in their sins with peace; then 
 men may be said to apprehend Christ only by a seeming faitli. — Many a 
 heart secretly saith this, if I can have my sin, and peace, and conscience 
 quiet for the present, and God merciful to pardon it afterward, hence he 
 doth rely (as he saith) only on the mercy of God in Christ, and now this 
 hardens and blinds him, and makes him secure, and his faith is sermon-proof, 
 nothing stirs him. And were it not for their faith they should despair, but 
 this keeps them up. And now they think if they have any trouble of mind, 
 the devil troubles them; and so make Clirist and faith protectors of sin, not 
 purifiers from sin, which is most cireadful; turning grace to wantonness, as 
 they did sacrifice. So these would sin under the shadow of Christ, because 
 
316 NINTH SIGN OP 
 
 these, at the same thiie, make a great profession of love to God, 
 and assurance of his favour, and great joy in tasting the sweet- 
 ness of his love. 
 
 After this manner they trusted in Christ, that the apostle Jude 
 speaks of, who crept in among the saints unknown, but were 
 really ungodly men, turning the grace of God into lasciviousness, 
 Jude 4. These are they that trust in their being righteous, and 
 because God has promised that the righteous shall surely live, or 
 certainly be saved, are therefore emboldened to commit iniquity, 
 whom God threatens in Ezek. xxxiii. 13, "When I shall say to 
 the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own 
 righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousness shall not 
 be remembered but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he 
 shall die for it." 
 
 Gracious affections are of a quite contrary tendency; they turn 
 a heart of stone more and more into a heart of flesh. A holy 
 love and hope are principles that are vastly more efficacious upon 
 the heart, to make it tender, and to fill it with a dread of sin, or 
 whatever might displease and offend God, and to engage it to 
 watchfulness, and care, and strictness, than a slavish fear of hell. 
 Gracious affections, as was observed before, flow out of a contrite 
 heart, or (as the word signifies) a bruised heart, bruised and bro- 
 ken with godly sorrow; which makes the heart tender, as bruised 
 flesh is tender, and easily hurt. Godly sorrow has much greater 
 influence to make the heart tender, than mere legal sorrow from 
 selfish principles. 
 
 The tenderness of the heart of a true Christian, is elegantly 
 signified by our Saviour, in his comparing such a one to a little 
 
 the shadow is good and sweet, Mic. iii. 11 They had subtile sly ends in 
 good duties; for therein may lie a man's sin, yet they lean upon the Lord, — 
 When money-changers came into the temple, *' You have made it a den of 
 thieves." Thieves, when hunted, fly to their den or cave, and there they 
 are secure against all searches and hue-and-cries: so here, Uut Christ 
 whipped them out. So when men are pursued with cries and fears of con- 
 science, away to Christ they go as to their den, not as saints, to pru) and 
 lament out the life of their sin there, but to preserve their sin. This is 
 vile; will the Lord receive svtch? 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 317 
 
 diild. The flesh of a little child is very tender; so is the heart 
 of one that is new born. This is represented in what we are told 
 of Naaman's cure of his leprosy, by his washing in Jordan; which 
 was undoubtedly a type of the renewing of the soul, by washing 
 in the laver of regeneration. We are told, 2 Kings v. 14, that 
 " he went down and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, accord- 
 ing to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like un^ 
 to the flesh of a little child." Not only is the flesh of a little child ten- 
 der, but his mind is tender. A little child has his heart easily moved, 
 wrought upon and bowed: so is a Christian in spiritual things. A 
 little child is apt to be affected with sympathy, to weep with them 
 that weep, and can not well bear to see others in distress: so it is 
 with a Christian, John xi. 35, Rom. xii. 15, 1 Cor. xii. 26. A 
 little child is easily won by kindness: so is a Christian. A little 
 child is easily affected with grief at temporal evils, and has his 
 heart melted, and falls a weeping: thus tender is the heart of a 
 Christian, with regard to the evil of sin. A little child is easily 
 affrighted at the appearance of outward evils, or any thing that 
 threatens its hurt: so is a Christian apt to be alarmed at the ap- 
 pearance of moral evil, and any thing that threatens the hurt of 
 the soul. A little child, when it meets enemies or fierce beasts 
 is not apt to trust its own strength, but flies to its parents for re» 
 fuge: so a saint is not self-confident in engaging spiritual enemies, 
 but flies to Christ. A little child is apt to be suspicious of evil 
 in places of danger, afraid in the dark, afraid when left alone, or 
 far from home: so is a saint apt to be sensible of his spiritual dan- 
 gers, jealous of himself, full of fear when he can not see his way 
 plain before him, afraid to be left alone, and be at a distance 
 from God, Prov. xxviii. 14, " Happy is the man that feareth al- 
 way: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief." A 
 little child is apt to be afraid of superiors, and to dread their an- 
 ger, and tremble at their frowns and threatenings: so is a true 
 saint with respect to God, Psal. cxix. 120, " My flesh trembleth 
 for fear of thee, and I am afraid of thy judgments." Isa. Ixvi. 2, 
 " To this man will I look, even to him that is poor, and trem- 
 bleth at my word." Ver. 5, " Hear ye the word of the Lord, ye 
 <hat tremble at his word." Ezra ix, 4, " Then were assembled 
 
318 NINTH SIGN OF 
 
 unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Is- 
 rael." Chap. X. 3, " According to the council of my Lord, and 
 of these that tremble at the commandment of our God." A little 
 child approaches superiors with awe: so do the saints approach God 
 with holy awe and reverence: Job. xiii. 2, " Shall not his excel- 
 lency make you afraid? And his dread fall upon you?" Holy 
 fear is so much the nature of true godliness, that it is called in 
 scripture by no other name more frequently than the fear of God. 
 
 Hence gracious affections do not tend to make men bold, for- 
 ward, noisy and boisterous; but rather to speak trembling: Hos. 
 xiii. 1, " When Ephraim spake, trembling, he exalted himself in 
 Israel; but when he offended in Baal, he died;" and to clothe with 
 a kind of holy fear in all their behaviour towards God and man; 
 agreeably to Psal. ii. 11, 1 Pet. iii. 15, 2 Cor. vii. 15, Eph. vi. 
 5, 1 Pet. iii. 2, Rom. xi. 20. 
 
 But here some may object and say, is there no such thing as a 
 holy boldness in prayer, and the duties of divine worship? I an- 
 swer, there is doubtless such a thing; and it is chiefly to be found 
 in eminent saints, persons of great degrees of faith and love. But 
 this holy boldness is not in the least opposite to reverence; though 
 it be to disunion and servility. It abolishes or lessens that dis- 
 position which arises from moral distance or alienation; and also 
 distance of relation, as that of a slave; but not at all that which 
 becomes the natural distance, whereby we are infinitely inferior. 
 No boldness in poor sinful worms of the dust, that have a right 
 sight of God and themselves, will prompt them to approach to 
 God with less fear and reverence than spotless and glorious angels 
 in heaven, who cover their faces before his throne, Isa. vi. at the 
 beginning. Rebecca (who in her marriage with Isaac, in almost all 
 its circumstances, was manifestly a great type of the church, the 
 spouse of Christ) when she meets Isaac, lights off from her camel, 
 and takes a veil and covers herself; although she was brought to 
 him as his bride, to be with him in the nearest relation, and most 
 intimate union that mankind are ever united one to another in.f 
 Elijah, that great prophet, who had so much holy familiarity with 
 
 f Dr Ani.-s, in his Caics of Conscience, Book III. chap. iv. speaks of a ho- 
 ly modesty in the worship of (iod, as one sign of true humiUty. 
 
-GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 319 
 
 God, at a time of special nearness to God, even when he convers- 
 ed with God in the mount, wrapped his face in his mantle. 
 Which was not because he was terrified with any servile fear, 
 by the terrible wind, and earthquake, and fire; but after these 
 were all over, and God spake to him as a friend, in a still small 
 voice; 1 Kings xix. 12, 13, " And after the fire, a still small 
 X'oice; and it was so Avhen Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face 
 in his mantle." And Moses, with whom God spake face to 
 face, as a man speaks with his friend, and was distinguished 
 from all the prophets, in the familiarity with God that he was 
 admitted to; at a time when he was brought nearest of all, 
 when God showed him his glory in that same mount where 
 he afterwards spake to Elijah, "He made haste, and bowed his 
 head towards the earth, and worshipped," Exod. xxxiv. 8. There 
 is in some persons a most unsuitable and unsufferable boldness, 
 in their addresses to the great Jehovah, in an affectation of a 
 holy boldness, and ostentation of eminent nearness and familiarity; 
 the very thoughts of which would make them shrink into nothing, 
 with horror and confusion, if they saw the distance that is be- 
 tween God and them. They are like the pharisee, that boldly 
 came up near, in a confidence of his own eminency in holiness. 
 Whereas, if they saw their vileness, they would be more like the 
 publican, that " stood afar ofi*, and durst not so much as lift up 
 his eyes to heaven; but smote upon his breast, saying, God be 
 merciful to me a sinner." It becomes such sinful creatures as we, 
 to approach a holy God (although with faith, and without terror, 
 yet) with contrition, and penitent shame and confusion of face. It 
 is foretold that this should be the disposition of the church, in the 
 time of her highest privileges on earth in her latter day of glory, 
 when God should remarkably comfort her, by revealing his cove- 
 nant mercy to her, Ezek. xvi. 60, to the end, " I will establish 
 unto thee an everlasting covenant. Then thou shalt remember 
 thy ways and be ashamed — And I will establish my covenant with 
 thee, and thou shalt know that I am the Lord; that thou mayst 
 remember and be confounded and never open thy mouth any more 
 because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee for all that 
 thou hast done, saith the Lord God." The woman that we read 
 
 1 
 
B^O NINTH SIGN OF 
 
 of in the 7th chapter of Luke, that was an eminent saint, and had 
 much of that true love which casts out fear, by Christ's own tes- 
 timony, ver. 47, she approached Christ in an amiable and ac- 
 ceptable manner, when she came with that humble modesty, rev- 
 erence and shame, when she stood at his feet, weeping behind 
 him, as not being fit to appear before his face, and washed his 
 feet with her tears. 
 
 One reason why gracious affections are attended with this ten- 
 derness of spirit which has been spoken of, is, that true grace 
 tends to promote convictions of conscience^ Persons are Wont to 
 have convictions of conscience before they have any grace: and 
 if afterwards they are truly converted, and have true repentance, 
 and joy, and peace in believing; this has a tendency to put an 
 end to terrors, but has no tendency to put an end to convictions 
 of sin, but to increase them. It does not stupify a man's conscience; 
 but makes it more sensible, more easily and thoroughly discerning 
 the sinfulness of that which is sinful, and receiving a greater con-^ 
 viction of the heinous and dreadful nature of sin, susceptive of a 
 quicker and deeper sense of it, and more convinced of his own 
 sinfulness, and wickedness of his heart; and consequently it has 
 a tendency to make him more jealous of his heart. Grace tends 
 to give the soul a further and better conviction of the same things 
 concerning sin, that it was convinced of, under a legal work of 
 the Spirit of God; viz. its great contrariety to the will, and law, 
 and honour of God, the greatness of God's hatred of it, and dis- 
 pleasure against it, and the dreadful punishment it exposes to and 
 deserves. And not only so, but it convinces the soul of something 
 further concerning sin, that it saw nothing of, while only under 
 legal convictions; and that is the infinitely hateful nature of sin, 
 and its dreadfulness upon that account. And this makes the heart 
 tender with respect to sin; like David's heart, that smote him 
 when he had cut off Saul's skirt. The heart of a true penitent 
 is like a burnt child that dreads the fire. Whereas, on the con- 
 trary, he that has had a counterfeit repentance, and false comforts 
 and joys, is like iron that has been suddenly heated and quenched; 
 it becomes much harder than before. A false conversion puts an 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 321 
 
 end to convictions of conscience; and so either takes away, or 
 much diminishes that conscientiousness, which was manifested 
 under a work of the law. 
 
 All gracious affections have a tendency to promote this chris- 
 tian tenderness of heart, that has been spoken of; not only a godly 
 sorrow, but also a gracious joy, Psal. ii, 11, "Serve the Lord 
 with fear, and rejoice with trembling." As also a gracious hope, 
 Psal. xxxiii. 18, "Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that 
 fear him; upon them that hope in his mercy." And Psal. cxlvii. 
 11, "The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those 
 that hope in his mercy." Yea, the most confident and assured 
 hope, that is truly gracious, has this tendency. The higher a holy 
 hope is raised, the more there is of this christian tenderness. The 
 banishing of a servile fear, by a holy assurance, is attended with 
 a proportionable increase of a reverential fear. The diminishing 
 of the fear of the fruits of God's displeasure in future punishment, 
 is attended with a proportionable increase of fear of his displeasure 
 itself; the diminishing of the fear of hell, with an increase of the 
 fear of sin. The vanishing of jealousies of the person's state, is 
 attended with a proportional increase of jealousy of his heart, in 
 a distrust of its strength, wisdom, stability, faithfulness, &,c. The 
 less apt he is to be afraid of natural evil, having his heart fixed, 
 trusting in God, and so not afraid of evil tidings; the more apt he 
 is to be alarmed with the appearance of moral evil, or the evil of 
 sin. As he has more holy boldness, so he has less of self-confi- 
 dence, and a forward assuming boldness, and more modesty. As 
 he is more sure than others of deliverance from hell, so he has 
 more of a sense of the desert of it. He is less apt than others to 
 be shaken in faith; but more apt than others to be moved with 
 solemn warnings, and with God's frowns, and with the calamities 
 of others. He has the firmest comfort, but the softest heart: richer 
 than others, but poorest of all in spirit: the tallest and strongest 
 saint, but the least and tenderest child among them. 
 
 X. Another thing wherein those affections that are truly gra- 
 cious and holy, differ from those that are false, is beautiful sym- 
 metry and proportion. "" 
 
322 TENTH SIGN OJT 
 
 Not that Ihe symmetrj' of the virtues, and gracious ali'eciions of 
 the saints, in this life is perfect: it oftentimes is in many things 
 defective, through the imperfection of grace, for want of proper 
 instructions, through errors in judgment, or some particular un- 
 happiness of natural temper, or defects in education, and many 
 other disadvantages that might be mentioned. But yet there is, 
 in no wise, that monstrous disproportion in gracious affections, and 
 the various parts of true religion in the saints, that is very com- 
 monly to be observed, in the false religion, and counterfeit graces, 
 of hypocrites. 
 
 In the truly holy affections of the saints is found that propor- 
 tion, which is the natural consequence of the universality of their 
 sanctification. They have the whole image of Christ upon them: 
 they have put off the old man, and have put on the new man en- 
 tire in all its parts and members. It hath pleased the Father that 
 in Christ all fulness should dwell; there is in him every grace; 
 he is full of grace and truth: and they that are Christ's, do 
 "of his fulness receive grace for grace;" (John i. 14, 16.) i. e. 
 there is every grace in them, which is in Christ: grace fof grace; 
 that is, grace answerable to grace: there is no grace in Christ, 
 but there is its image in believers to answer it: the image is a 
 true image; and there is something of the same beautiful propor- 
 tion in the image, which is in the original; there is feature for 
 feature, and member for member. There is symmetry and beauty 
 in God's workmanship. The natural body, which God hath made, 
 consists of many members; and all are in a beautiful proportion: 
 so it is in the new man, consisting of various graces and affections. 
 The body of one that was born a perfect child, may fail of exact 
 proportion through distemper, and the weakness and wounds of 
 some of its members; yet the disproportion is in no measure like 
 that of those that are born monsters. 
 
 It is with hypocrites as it was with Ephraim of old, at a time 
 when God greatly complains of their hypocrisy, Hos. vii. " Eph- 
 raim is a cake not turned," half roasted and half raw: there is 
 commonly no manner of uniformity in their affections. 
 
 There is in many of them a great partiality with regard to the 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 323 
 
 several kinds of religious affections; great affections in some 
 things, and no manner of proportion in others. A holy hope and 
 holy fear go together in the saints, as has been observed from 
 Psal. xxxiii. 18, and chap, cxlvii. 11. But in some of these is the 
 most confident hope, while they are void of reverence, self-jealousy 
 and caution, to a great degree cast off fear. In the saints, joy 
 and holy fear go together, though the joy be never so great: as it 
 was with the disciples, in that joyful morning of Christ's resur- 
 rection, Matt, xxviii. 8, "And they departed quickly from the 
 sepulchre, with fear and great joy. "f But many of these rejoice 
 without trembling: their joy is of that sort, that it is truly opposite 
 to godly fear. 
 
 But particularly, one great difference between saints and hypo- 
 crites is this, that the joy and comfort of tlie former is attended 
 with godly sorrow and mourning for sin. They have not only 
 sorrow to prepare them for their first comfort, but after they are 
 comforted, and their joy established. As it is foretold of the 
 church of God, that they should mourn and loathe themselves for 
 their sins, after they were returned from the captivity, and were 
 settled in the land of Canaan, the land' of rest, and the land that 
 flows with milk and honey, Ezek. xx. 42, 43, " And ye shall 
 know that I am the Lord, when I shall bring you into the land of 
 Israel, into the country for the which I lifted up mine hand to give 
 it to your fathers. And there shall ye remember your ways, and 
 all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled, and ye shall Ipathe 
 yourselves in your own sight, for all your evils that ye have com- 
 mitted." As also in Ezek. xvi. 61, 62, 63. A true saint is like, 
 a little child in this respect; he never had any godly sorrow be- 
 fore he was born again; but since has it often in exercise: as a 
 little child, before it is born, and while it remains in darkness, 
 never cries; but as soon as it sees the light, it begins to cry; and 
 thenceforward is often crying. Although Christ hatli borne ouj- 
 
 •{• " Renewed care and diligence follow tlie sealings of the Spirit. Now 
 is the soul at tlie foot of Christ, as Mary was at the sepulclire, with fear and 
 great joy. He that travels the road with a ricli treasure about him, is afraid 
 of a thief in every bush." Flavel's Siicramcnial Maliiatiojis, .Med. 4. 
 
324 TENTH SIGN OF 
 
 griefs, and carried our sorrows, so that we are freed from the sor- 
 row of punishment, and may now sweetly feed upon the comforts 
 Christ hath purchased for us; yet that hinders not but that our 
 feeding on these comforts should be attended with the sorrow of 
 repentance. As of old, the children of Israel were commanded, 
 evermore to feed upon the paschal lamb, with bitter herbs.t True 
 
 •j- If repentance accompanies faith, it is no presumption to believe. Many 
 know the sin, and hence believe in Christ, trust in Christ, and there is an 
 end of their faith. But what confession and sorrow for sin? what more love 
 to Christ follows this faith? Truly none. Nay, their faith is the cause why 
 they have none. For they think, if I trust in Christ to forgive me, he will 
 doit; and there is an end of the business. Verily this hedge-faith and this 
 bramble-faith, that catches hold on Christ, and pricks and scratches Christ, 
 by more impenitency, more contempt of him, is mere presumption; which 
 shall one day be burnt up and destroyed by the fire of God's jealousy. Fy 
 upon that faith, that serves only to keep a man from being tormented before 
 his time! Your sins would be your sorrows, but that your faith quiets you. 
 But if faith be accompanied with repentance, mourning for sin, more esteem 
 of God's grace in Christ; so that nothing breaks thy heart more than the 
 thoughts of Christ's unchangeable love to one so vile, and tiiis love makes 
 thee love much, and love him the more; as thy sin increaseth, so thou de- 
 sirest thy love's increase; and now the stream of thy thoughts run, how 
 thou mayst live to him that died for thee: this was Mary's faith, who sat at 
 Christ's feet weeping, washing them with her tears, and loving much, be- 
 cause much was forgiven." Shepard's Sound -Believer, p. 128, 129. 
 
 "You shall know godly sorrow (says Dr. Preston, in his discourse on Paul's 
 conversion) by the continuance of it; it is constant: but worldly sorrow is 
 but a passion of the mind; it changes, it lasts not. Though for the present 
 It may be violent and strong, and work much outwardly; yet it comes but 
 by fits and continues not: like a land-flood, which violently for the present, 
 overflows the banks: but it will away again; it is not always thus. But godly 
 sorrow is like a spring, that still keeps his running both winter and summer, 
 wet and dry, in heat and cold, early and late. So this godly sorrow is the 
 same in a regenerate man still: take him when you will, he is still sorrowing 
 for sin. This godly sorrow stands like the centre of the earth, which re- 
 moves not, but still remains." 
 
 " I am persuaded, many a man's heart is kept from breaking and mourn- 
 ing, because of this. He salth (it may be) that he is a vile sinner; but I 
 trust in Christ, &c. If they do go to Christ to destroy their sin, this makes 
 them more secure in their sin. For (say they) I can not help it, and Christ 
 must do all Whereas faith makes the soul mourn after the Lord the more.'" 
 Shepard's Parable of the Ten Virgins, Part II. p. 168. 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 325 
 
 jviiiils are spoken of in scripture, not only as those that have 
 mourned for sin, but as those that do mourn, whose manner it is 
 still to mourn. Matt. v. 4, " Blessed are they that mourn; for they 
 shall be comforted." 
 
 Not only is there often in hypocrites an essential deficiency as 
 to the various kinds of religious affections, but also a strange 
 partiality and disproportion, in the same affections, with regard to 
 different objects. 
 
 Thus, as to the affection of love, some make high pretences, 
 and a great show of love to Go'd and Christ, and it may be, have 
 been greatly affected with what they have heard or thought con- 
 cerning them: but they have not a spirit of love and benevolence 
 towards men, but are disposed to contention, envy, revenge, and 
 evil speaking; and will, it may be, suffer an old grudge to rest in 
 their bosoms towards a neighbour, for seven j'cars together, if not 
 twice seven years; living in real ill will and bitterness of spirit 
 towards him: and it may be in their dealings with their neigh- 
 bours, are not very strict and conscientious in observing the rule 
 of " doing to others as they would that they should do to them." 
 And, on the other hand, there are others that appear as if they 
 had a great deal of benevolence to men, are very good natured 
 and generous in their way, but have no love to God. 
 
 And as to love to men, there are some that have flowing affections 
 to some; but their love is far from being of so extensive and uni- 
 versal a nature, as a truly christian love is. Thej are full of dear 
 affections to some, and full of bitterness tow^ar<]s others. They 
 are knit to their own party, them that approve of them, love them 
 and admire them; but are fierce against those that oppose and 
 dislike them. Matt. v. 45, 46, " Be like your Father, which is 
 in heaven; for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil, and on the 
 good. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have 
 ye? Do not even the publicans the same.''" Some show a great 
 affection to their neighbours, and pretend to be ravished with the 
 iompany of the children of God abroad; and at the same time are 
 uncomfortable and churlish towards their wives and other near 
 relations at home, and are very negligent of relative duties. And 
 
326 TENTH SIGN Of 
 
 as to the great love to sinners and opposers of religion, and the 
 great concern for their souls, that there is an appearance of in 
 some, even to extreme distress and agony, singling out a particu- 
 lar person, from among a multitude, for its object, there being at 
 the same time no general compassion to sinners, that are in equally 
 miserable circumstances, but what is in a monstrous disproportion; 
 this seems not to be of the nature of gracious affection. Not that 
 I suppose it to be at all strange, that pity to the perishing souls of 
 sinners should be to a degree of agony, if other things are answer- 
 able: or that a truly gracious con-jassion to souls should be 
 exercised much more to some persons than others that are equally 
 miserable, especially on some particular occasions: there may 
 many things happen to fix the mind, and affect the heart, with re- 
 spect <o a particular person, at such a juncture; and without doubt 
 some saints have been in great distress for the souls of particular 
 persons, so as to be as it were in travail for them; but when per- 
 sons appear, at particular times, in racking agonies for the soul of 
 some single person, far beyond what has been usually heard or 
 read of in eminent saints, but appear to be persons that have a spirit 
 of meek and fervent love, charity, and compassion to mankind in 
 general, in a far less degree than they: I say, such agonies are 
 greatly to be suspected, for reasons already given; viz. that the 
 Spirit of God is wont to give graces and gracious affections in a 
 beautiful symmetry and proportion. 
 
 And as there is a monstrous disproportion in the love of some, 
 in its exercises towards different persons, so there is in their seem- 
 ing exercises of love towards the same persons. Some men show 
 a love to others as to their outward man, they are liberal of their 
 worldly substance, and often give to the poor; but have no love 
 to, or concern for the souls of men. Others pretend a great love 
 to mens souls, that are not compassionate and charitable towards 
 their bodies. The making a great show of love, pity and distress 
 for souls, costs them nothing; but in order to show mercy to mens 
 bodies, they must port with money out of their pockets. But a 
 true christian love to our brethren extends both to their souls and 
 bodies; and herein is like the love and compassion of Jesus Christ. 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS, 327 
 
 He showed mercy to mens souls, by labouring for them in preach- 
 ing the gospel to them; and showed mercy to their bodies, in going 
 about doing good, healing all manner of sickness and diseases 
 among the people. We have a remarkable instance of Christ's 
 having compassion at once both to mens souls and bodies, and 
 showing compassion by feeding both, in Mark vi. 34, &c. " And 
 Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with 
 compassion towards them, because they were as sheep not having 
 a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things." Here 
 was his compassion to their souls. And in the sequel we have 
 an account of his compassion to their bodies, because they had 
 been a long while having nothing to eat; he fed five thousand of 
 them with five loaves and two fishes. And if the compassion of 
 professing Christians towards others does not work in the same 
 wajs, it is a sign that it is no true christian compassion. 
 
 And furthermore, it is a sign that affections are not of the right 
 sort, if persons seem to be much affected with the bad qualities of 
 their fellow Christians, as the coldness and lifclessness of other 
 saints, but are in no proportion affected with their o^vn defects 
 and corruptions. A true Christian may be affected with the cold- 
 ness and unsavouriness ol' other saints, and may mourn much over 
 it: but at the same time, he is not so apt to be affected with the 
 badness of any body's heart, as his own; this is most in his view; 
 this he is most quicksighted to discern; this he sees most of the 
 aggravations of, and is most ready to lament. And a less degree 
 of virtue will bring him to pity himself, and be concerned at his 
 own calamities, than rightly to be affected with others' calamities.' 
 And if men have not attained to the less, we may determine they 
 never attained to the greater. 
 
 And here by the way, I would observe, that it may be laid down 
 as a general rule, that if persons pretend that they come to high at- 
 tainments in religion, but have never yet arrived to the less attain- 
 ments, it is a sign of a vain pretence. As if persons pretend, 
 that they have got beyond mere morality, to live a spiritual and 
 divine life; but really have not come to be so much as moral per- 
 sons: or pretend to be greatly affected with the wickedness of 
 
i26 TENTH bIGN OF 
 
 their hearts, and are not affected with the palpable violations of 
 God's commands in their practice, which is a less attainment: or 
 if they pretend to be brought to be even willing to be damned for 
 the glory of God, but have no forwardness to suffer a little in their 
 estates and names, and worldly convenience, for the sake of their 
 duty; or pretend that they are not afraid to venture their souls 
 Upon Christ, and commit their all to God, trusting to his bare 
 word, and the faithfulness of his promises, for their eternal wel- 
 fare; but at the same time, have not confidence enough in God, 
 to dare to trust him with a little of their estates, bestowed to pious 
 and charitable uses; I say, when it is thus with persons, their 
 pretences are manifestly vain. He that is in a journey, and im- 
 feigines he has got far beyond such a place in his road, and never 
 yet came to it, must be mistaken; and he is not yet arrived to the 
 top of the hillj that never yet got hall" way hither. But this by 
 the way. 
 
 The same that has been observed of the affection of love, is also 
 to be observed of other religious affections. Those that are true, 
 extend in some proportion to the various things that are their due 
 and proper objects; but when they are false, they are commonly 
 strangely disproportionate. So it is with religious desires and 
 longings: these in the saints, are to those things that are spiritual 
 and excellent in general, and that in some proportion to their ex- 
 cellency, importance or necessity, or their near concern in them; 
 but in false longings it is often far otherwise. They will strangely 
 run, with an impatient vehemence, after something of less im- 
 portance, when other things of greater importance are neglected. 
 Thus for instance, some persons, from time to time, are attended 
 with a vehement inclination, and unaccountably violent pressure, 
 to declare to others what they experience, and to exhort others; 
 when there is, at the same time, no inclination, in any measure 
 equal to it, to other things, that true Christianity has as great, yea, 
 a greater tendency to; as the pouring out the soul before God in 
 secret, earnest prayer and praise to him, and more conformity to 
 him, and living more to his glory, &c. We read in scripture of 
 " groanings that «an not be uttered, and soul breakings for the 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 329 
 
 longing it hath, and longings, thirstings, and pantings," nnuch 
 more frequently to these latter things, than the former. 
 
 And so as to hatred and zeal; when these are from right prin- 
 ciples, they are against sin in general, in some proportion to the 
 degree of sinfulness. Psalm cxix. 104, " I hate every false 
 way." So ver, 128. But a false hatred and zeal against sin, is 
 against some particular sin only. Thus some seem to be very 
 zealous against profaneness, and pride in apparel, who themselves 
 are notorious for covetousness, closeness, and it may be backbit- 
 ing, envy towards superiors, turbulency of spirit towards rulers, 
 and ill will to them that have injured them. False zeal is against 
 the sins of others, while men have no zeal against their own sins. 
 But he that has true zeal, exercises it chiefly against his own sins; 
 though he shows also a proper zeal against prevailing and danger- 
 ous iniquity in others. And some pretend to have a great abhor- 
 rence of their own sins of heart, and cry out much of their inward 
 corruption; and yet make light of sins in practice, and seem to 
 commit them without much restraint or remorse; though these 
 imply sin both in heart and life. 
 
 As there is a much greater disproportion in the exercises 6f 
 false affections than of true, as to different objects, so there is also 
 as to different times. For although true Christians are not al- 
 ways alike; yea, there is very great difference, at different times, 
 and the best have reason to be greatly ashamed of their unsteadi- 
 ness; yet there is in no wise that instability and inconstancy in 
 the hearts of those that are true virgins, " that follow the Lamb 
 whithersoever he goeth," which is in false hearted professors. 
 The righteous man is truly said to be one whose heart is fixed, 
 trusting in God, Psal. cxii. 7, and to have his heart established 
 with grace, Heb. xiii. 9, and to hold on his way. Job, xvii. 9, 
 " The righteous shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean 
 hands shall wax stronger and stronger," It is spoken of as a note 
 of the hypocrisy of the Jewish church, that they were as a swift 
 dromedary, traversing her ways. 
 
 If therefore persons are religious only by fits and starts; if they 
 now and then seem to be raised up to the clouds in their affec- 
 
330 TENTH SIGN OF 
 
 tions, and then suddenly fall down again, lose all, and become 
 quite careless and carnal, and this is their manner of carrying on 
 religion; if they appear greatly moved, and mightily engaged in 
 religion, only in extraordinary seasons, in the time of a remarka- 
 ble outpouring of the Spirit, or other uncommon dispensation of 
 providence, or upon the real or supposed receipt of some great 
 mercy, when they have received some extraordinary temporal 
 mercy, or suppose that they are newly converted, or have late- 
 ly had what they call a great discovery; but quickly return to 
 such a frame, that their hearts are chiefly upon other things, and 
 the prevailing bent of their hearts and stream of their affections, 
 is ordinarily towards the things of this world; when they are like 
 the children of Israel in the wilderness, who had their affections 
 highly raised by what God had done for them at the Red Sea, and 
 sang his praise, and soon fell a lusting after the fleshpots of Egypt; 
 but then again when they came to Mount Sinai, and saw the great 
 manifestations God made of himself there, seemed to be greatly en- 
 gaged again, and mightily forward to enter into covenant with God, 
 saying " All that the Lord hath spoken will we do, and be obedient," 
 but then quickly made them a golden calf; I say, when it is thus 
 with persons, it is a sign of the unsoundness of their affections.! 
 
 f Dr. Owen, (on the Spirit, Book III. chap, ii.sect. 18.) speaking of a com- 
 mon work of the Spirit, says, " This work operates greatly on the affec- 
 tions: we have given instances in fear, sorrow, joy and delight, about spirit- 
 ual things, that are stirred up and acted thereby: but yet it comes short in 
 two things of a thorough work upon the affections themselves. For, 1st, it 
 doth not fix them. And, 2dly, it doth not till them. 1. It is required that 
 our affections be fixed on heavenly and spiritual things; and true grace will 
 effect it: Col. iii. 1, 2, ' If ye be risen with Christ, seek those things which 
 are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affections 
 on things above.' The joys, fears, hopes and sorrows, with reference unto spi- 
 ritual and eternal things, which the work before mentioned doth produce, 
 are evanid, uncertain, unstable, not only as to the degrees, but as to the very 
 being of them. Sometimes they are as a river ready to overflow its banks; 
 Doen can not but be pouring them out on all occasions, and sometimes as wa- 
 ters that fail, no drop comes from them. Sometimes they are hot, and some- 
 times cold; sometimes up and sometimes down; sometimes all heaven, and 
 sometimes all world: without equality, without stability. But true grace 
 fixeth the affections on spiritual things. As to the degrees of their exer- 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 331 
 
 They are like the waters in the time of a shower of rain, which, 
 during the shower, and a little after, run like a brook, and flow 
 abundantly; but are presently quite dry; and when another shower 
 comes, then they flow again. Whereas a true saint is like a stream 
 from a living spring; which, though it may be greatly increased 
 by a-shower of rain, and diminished in time of drought, yet con- 
 stantly runs; John iv. 14, " The water that I shall give him, shall 
 be in him a well of water springing up," &c. or like a tree plant- 
 ed by such a stream, that has a constant supply at the root, and 
 is always green, even in time of the greatest drought, Jer. xvii. 7, 
 8, " Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope 
 the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and 
 that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when 
 heat Cometh, but her leaf shall be green, and shall not be careful 
 in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit." 
 Many hypocrites are like comets that appear for a while with a 
 mighty blaze, but are very unsteady and irregular in their motion, 
 (and are therefore called wandering stars, Jude 13,) and their 
 \ blaze soon disappears, and they appear but once in a great while. 
 
 cise, there may be, and is in them a great varief j-, according as they may be 
 excited, aided, assisted by grace and the means of it, or obstructed and im- 
 peded by the interposition of temptations and diversions. But the constant 
 bent and inclination of renewed affections, is unto spiritual things; as thft 
 scripture every where testifieth, and as experience doth confirm." 
 
 ♦' There is (says Dr. Preston) a certain love, by fits, which God accepts 
 not; when men come and offer to God great promises, like the waves of the 
 sea, as big as mountains: O, they think they will do much for God! But 
 their minds change; and they become as those high waves, which at last fall 
 level with the other waters. If a man should proffer thee great kindnesses, 
 and thou shouldst afterwards come to him to make use of him, and he should 
 look strangely upon thee, as if he were never acquainted with thee, how 
 wouldst thou esteem of such love? If we are now On, now off, in our love, 
 God will not esteem of such love." Discourse on the divine love of Christ. 
 
 Mr. Flavel, speaking of these changeable professors, says, " These pro- 
 fessors have more of the moon than of the sun; little light, less heat, and 
 many changes. They deceive many, yea, they deceive themselves, but can 
 not deceive God. They want that ballast and estabhshment in themselves, 
 that would have kept them tight and steady " Touchstone of Sincerifv, chap, 
 ii. sect. 2, 
 
332 TENTH SIGN OP 
 
 But the true saints are like the fixed stars, which, though they 
 rise and set and are often clouded, yet are steadfast in their orb, 
 and may truly be said to shine with a constant light. Hypocritical 
 affections are like a violent motion; like that of the air that is moved 
 with winds, Jude 12; but gracious affections are more a natural 
 motion; like the stream of a river, which, though it has many 
 turns hither and thither, and may meet with obstacles, and runs 
 more freely and swiftly in some places than others; yet in the 
 general, with a steady and constant course, tends the same way, 
 until it gets to the ocean. 
 
 And as there is a strange unevenness and disproportion in false 
 affections, at different times; so there often is in different places. 
 Some are greatly affected from time to time, when in company; 
 but have nothing that bears any manner of proportion to it in se- 
 cret, in close meditation, secret prayer, and conversing with God, 
 when alone, and separated from all the world.! A true Christian 
 doubtless delights in religious fellowship, and christian conver- 
 sation, and finds much to affect his heart in it; but he also de- 
 lights at times to retire from all mankind, to converse with God 
 in solitary places. And this also has its peculiar advantages for 
 fixing his heart, and engaging its affections. True religion dis- 
 
 •f " The Lord Is neglected secretly, yet honoured openly; because there 
 is no wind in their chambers to blow their sails; and therefore there they 
 stand still. Hence many men keep their profession, when they lose their 
 affection. They have by the one a name to live (and that is enough) 
 though their hearts be dead. And hence so long as you love and com- 
 mend them, so long they love you; but if not, they will forsake you. They 
 were warm only by another's fire, and hence, having no principle of life 
 within, soon grow dead. This is the water that turns a pharisee's mill." 
 Shepard's Parable, Part I. p. 180. 
 
 " The hypocrite (says Mr. Flavel) is not for the closet, but the syna- 
 gogue, Matt. vi. 5, 6. It is not his meat and drink to retire from the cla- 
 mour of the world, to enjoy God in secret." Touchstone of Sincerity, chap, 
 vii. sect. 2. 
 
 Dr. Ames, in his Cases of Conscience, Lib. IH. chap. v. speaks of it as a 
 thing by which sincerity may be known, " that persons be obedient in the 
 absence, as well as in the presence of lookers on; in secret, as well, yea 
 more, than in public;" alledging Phil. ii. 12, and Matt. vi. 6. 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 333 
 
 poses persons to be much alone in solitary places, for holy medi- 
 tation and prayer. So it wrought in Isaac, Gen, xxiv. 63. And 
 which is much more, so it wrought in Jesus Christ. How often 
 do we read of his retiring into mountains and soHtary places, for 
 holy converse with his Father? It is difficult to conceal great af- 
 fections, but yet gracious affections are of a much more silent and 
 secret nature, than those that are counterfeit. So it is with the 
 gracious sorrow of the saints. So it is with their sorrow for their 
 own sins.f Thus the future gracious mourning of true penitents, 
 at the beginning of the latter day glory, is represented as being so 
 secret, as to be hidden from the companions of their bosom, Zech. 
 xii. 12, 13, 14, " And the land shall mourn, every family 
 apart, the family of the house of David apart, and their wives 
 apart: the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives 
 apart: the family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives 
 apart: the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart: all 
 the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives 
 apart." So it is with their sorrow for the sins of others. The 
 saints' pains and travailing for the souls of sinners are chiefly in 
 secret places; Jer. xiii. 17, " If ye will not hear it, my soul shall 
 weep in secret places for your pride, and mine eye shall weep 
 sore, and run down with tears, because the Lord's flock is car- 
 ried away captive." So it is with gracious joys: they are hid- 
 den manna, in this respect, as well as others, Rev. ii. 17. 
 
 The psalmist seems to speak of his sweetest comforts, as those 
 that were to be had in secret; Psal. Ixiii. 5, 6, " My soul shall 
 be satisfied as Avith marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall 
 praise thee with joyful lips: when I remember thee upon my 
 bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches." Clirist calls 
 forth his spouse away from the world, into retired places, thaf he 
 may give her his sweetest love; Cant. vii. 11, 12, " Come, my 
 beloved, let us go forth into the field; let us lodge in the vil- 
 
 •j- Mr. Flavel, in reckoning up lliose tilings, wlierein the sorrow of saint? 
 is distinguished from the sorrow of liypocrites, about tlieit- sins, sa} s, '* their 
 troubles for sin are more private and silent troul>!es tlian ollit-rs' are; their 
 sore runs in the night." Tuuchsto?ie of ,'Smceritv, chap, vl, sect. 5. 
 2 T 
 
334 
 
 TENTH SIGN OF 
 
 iages: there I will give thee my loves." The most eminent di- 
 vine favours that the saints obtained, that we read of in scrip- 
 ture, \vere in their retirement. The principal manifestations 
 that God made of himself, and his covenant mercy to Abraham, 
 were when he was alone, apart from his numerous family; as any 
 one will judge that carefully reads his history. Isaac received that 
 special gift of God to him, Rebekah, who was so great a comfort 
 to him, and by whom he obtained the promised seed, walking 
 alone, meditating in the field. Jacob Avas retired for secret 
 prayer, when Christ came to him, and he wrestled with him, and 
 obtained the blessing. God revealed himself to Moses in the 
 bush, when he was in a solitary place in the desert, in Mount 
 Horeb, Exod, iii. at the beginning. And afterwards, when God 
 showed him his glory, and he was admitted to the highest de- 
 gree of communion with God that ever he enjoyed; he was alone, 
 in the same mountain, and continued there forty days and forty 
 nights, and then came down with his face shining. God came 
 to those great prophets, Elijah and Elisha, and conversed freely 
 with them, chiefly in their retirement. Elijah conversed alone 
 with God at mount Sinai, as Moses did. And when Jesus Christ 
 had his greatest prelibation of his future glory, when he w^as 
 transfigured; it was not when he was with the multitude, or with 
 the twelve disciples, but retired into a solitary place in a moun- 
 tain, with only three select disciples, charging them that they 
 should tell no man, until he was risen from the dead. When the 
 angel Gabriel came to the blessed virgin, and when the Holy 
 Ghost came upon her, and the power of the highest overshadowed 
 her, she seems to have been alone, and to be in this matter hid 
 from the world; her nearest and dearest earthly friend, Joseph, 
 that had betrothed her (though a just man) knew nothing of the 
 matter. And she that first partook of the joy of Christ's resur- 
 rection, was alone with Clirist at the sepulchre, John xx. And 
 when the beloved disciple was favoured with those wonderful 
 visions of Christ and his future dispensations towards the church 
 and the world, he was alone in the isle of Patmos. Not but that 
 we have also instances of great privileges that the saints haye r$- 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. o6o 
 
 ceived when with others; or that there is not so much in chris- 
 tian conversation, and social and public worship, tending greatly 
 to refresh and rejoice the hearts of the saints. But this is all that 
 I aim at by what has been said, to show that it is the nature of 
 true grace, that however it loves christian society in its place, yet 
 in a peculiar manner delights in retirement and secret converse 
 -with God. So that if persons appear greatly engaged in social re- 
 ligion, and but little in the religion of the closet^ and are often 
 highly affected when with others, and but little moved when they 
 have none but God and Christ to converse w"ith, it looks very dark- 
 ly upon their religion. 
 
 XI. Another great and very distinguishing difference between 
 gracious affections and others is, that gracious affections, the high- 
 er they are raised, the more is a spiritual appetite and longing of 
 soul after spiritual attainments increased. On the contrary, false 
 affections rest satisfied in themselves. f 
 
 The more a true saint loves God with a gracious love, the more 
 he desires to love him, and the more uneasy is he at his want of 
 love to him; the more he hates sin, the more he desires to hate 
 it, and laments that he has so much remaining love to it; tlie more 
 he mourns for sin, the more he longs to mourn for sin; the more 
 his heart is broke, the more he desires it should be broke; the 
 more he thirsts and longs after God and holiness, the more he 
 
 f " Truly there is no work of Christ that is right (sa3s Mr. Shepard) but 
 it carries the soul to long for more of it." Parable of the Ten Viroins, Part 
 I. p. 136. 
 
 And again, " There is in true grace an infinite circle: a man by thirsting 
 receives, and receiving thirsts for more. But hence the Spirit is not pour- 
 ed out abundantly on churches; because men shut it out by shutting in 
 and contenting themselves with their common graces and gift^; Matt. vii. 29. 
 Examine if it be not so." Ibid, p. 182. 
 
 And in p. 210, he says. This I say: True grace, as it comforts, so it never 
 fills, but puts an edge on the appetite: more of that grace, Lord! Thus Paul, 
 Phil. iii. 13, 14. Thus David, " Out of my poverty I have given," &c 1 Cliron* 
 xxix. 3, 17, 18. It is a sure way never to be deceived in lighter strokes of 
 the Spirit, to be thankful for any, but to be content with no measure of it- 
 And this cuts the thread of difference between a superficial lighter Stroke 
 «t'the Spirit, afld that which is sound; 
 
336 ELEVENTH SIGN OF 
 
 longs to long, and breaihe out his very soul in longings vSUiv GoJ^' 
 The kindling and raising of gracious affections is like kindling a 
 flame; the higher it is raised, the more ardent it is; and the more 
 it burns, the more vehemently does it tend and seek to burn. So 
 that the spiritual appetite after holiness, and an increase of holy 
 affections, is much more lively and keen in those that are eminent 
 in holiness, than others; and more when grace and holy affections 
 are in their most lively exercise, than at other times. It is as 
 much the nature of one that is spiritually new-born, to thirst after 
 growth in holiness, as it is the nature of a new-born babe to thirst 
 after the mother's breast; who has the sharpest appetite when best 
 in health, 1 Pet. ii. 2, 3, " As new-born babes desire the sincere 
 milk of the Avord, that ye may grow thereby: if so be ye have 
 tasted that the Lord is gracious." The most that the saints have 
 in this world, is but a taste, a prelibation of that future glory 
 which is iheir proper fulness; it is only an earnest of their future 
 inheritance in their hearts, 2 Cor. i. 22, and v. 5, and Eph. i. 14. 
 The most eminent saints in this state are but children, com- 
 pared with their future, which is their proper state of maturity 
 and perfection; as the apostle observes, 1 Cor. xiii. 10, 11. The 
 greatest eminency that the saints arrive to in this w^orld, has no 
 tendency to satiety, or to abate their desires after more; but on 
 the contrary makes them more eager to press foi-wards, as is evi- 
 dent by the apostle's words, Phil. iii. 13, 14, 15, " Forgetting 
 those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those 
 things which are before, I press towards the mark — Let us, there- 
 fore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded." 
 
 The reasons of it are, that the more persons have of holy affec- 
 tions, the more they have of that spiritual taste which I have spo- 
 ken of elsewhere; whereby they perceive the excellency, and relish 
 the divine sweetness of holiness. And the more grace they have, 
 while in this state of imperfection, the more they see their imper- 
 fection and emptiness, and distance from what ought to be: and 
 so the more do they see their need of grace; as I showed at large 
 before, when speaking of the nature of evangelical humiliation. 
 And besides, grace as long as it is imperfect, is of a growing nature. 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 337 
 
 and in a growing state. And we see it to be so with all living 
 things; that while they are in a state of imperfection, and in their 
 growing state, their nature seeks after growth; and so much the 
 more, as they are more healthy and prosperous. Therefore, the 
 cry of every true grace, is like that cry of true faith, Mark ix. 24? 
 " Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief." And the gyeater spi- 
 ritual discoveries and affections the true Christian has, the more 
 does he become an earnest beggar for grace, and spiritual food, 
 that he may grow; and the more earnestly does he pursue after it, 
 in the use of proper means and endeavours; for true and gracious 
 longings after holiness are no idle ineffectual desires. 
 
 But here some may object and say. How is this consistent with 
 what all allow, that spiritual enjoyments are of a soul satisfying 
 nature ? 
 
 I answer, its being so, will appear to be not at all inconsistent 
 with what has been said, if it be considered in what manner spi- 
 ritual enjoyments are said to be of a soul satisfying nature. Cer- 
 tainly they are not so in that sense, that they are of so cloying a 
 nature, that he who has any thing of them, though but in a very 
 imperfect degree, desires no more. But spiritual enjoyments are 
 of a soul satisfying nature in the following respects. 1. They in 
 their kind and nature, are fully adapted to the nature, capacity, 
 and need of the soul of man. So that those who find them, de- 
 sire no other kind of enjoyments; they sit down fully contented 
 with that kind of happiness which they have, desiring no change, 
 nor inclining to wander about any more, saying, " Who will show 
 us any good?" The soul is never cloyed, never weary; but per- 
 petually giving up itself, with all its powers, to this happiness. 
 But not that those who have something of this happiness, desire 
 no more of the same. 2. They are satisfying also in this respect, 
 that they answer the expectation of the appetite. When the ap- 
 petite is high to any thing, the expectation is consequently so. Ap- 
 petite to a particular object, implies expectation in its nature. 
 This expectation is not satisfied by worldly enjoyments; the man 
 expected to have a great accession of happiness, but he is disap- 
 pointed. But it is not so with spiritual enjoyments; they fully 
 
338 ELEVENTH SIGN OF 
 
 answer antl satisfy the expectation. 3. The gratification and 
 pleasure of spiritual enjoyments are permanent. It is not so with 
 worldly enjoyments. They in a sense satisfy particular appetites: 
 but the appetite, in being satisfied, is glutted, and then the plea- 
 sure is over: and as soon as that is over, the general appetite of 
 human nature after happiness returns; but it is empty, and with- 
 out any thing to satisfy it. So that the gluttingof a particular ap- 
 petite, does but take away from, and leave empty, the general 
 thirst of nature. 4. Spiritual good is satisfying, as there is enough 
 in it to satisfy the soul, as to degree, if obstacles were but removed, 
 and the enjoying faculty duly applied. There is room enough 
 here for the soul to extend itself; here is an infinite ocean of it. 
 If men be not satisfied here, in degree of happiness, the cause is 
 with themselves; it is because they do not open their mouths wide- 
 enough. 
 
 But these things do not argue that a soul has no appetite ex- 
 cited after more of the same, that has tasted a little; or that his 
 appetite will not increase, the more he tastes, until he comes to 
 fulness of enjoyment: as bodies that are attracted to the globe of 
 the earth, tend to it more strongly, the nearer they come to the 
 attracting body, and are not at rest out of the centre. Spiritual 
 good is of a satisfying nature; and for that very reason, the soul 
 that tastes, and knows its nature, will thirst after it, and a fulness 
 of it, that it may be satisfied. And the more he experiences, and 
 the more he knows this excellent, unparalleled, exquisite, and sat- 
 isfying sweetness, the more earnestly will he hunger and thirst for 
 more, until he comes to perfection. And therefore this is the na- 
 ture of spiritual affections that the greater they be, the greater the 
 appetite and longing is, after grace and holiness. 
 
 But with those joys, and other religious affections, that are false 
 and counterfeit, it is otherwise. If before, there was a great de- 
 sire, of some sort, after grace; as these affections rise, that desire 
 ceases, or is abated. It may be before, while the man was under 
 legal convictions, and much afraid of hell, he earnestly longed 
 that he might obtain spiritual light in his understanding, and faith 
 in Christ, and love to God: but now, when tljese false affections 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 3£f9 
 
 a^re risen, that deceive him, and make him confident that he is 
 converted, and his state good, there are no more earnest longings 
 after hght and grace; for his end is answered; he is confident that 
 his sins are forgiven him, and that he shall go to heaven; and so 
 he is satisfied. And especially when false affections are raised 
 very high, they put an end to longings after grace and holiness. 
 The man now' is far from appearing to himself a poor empty crea- 
 ture; on the contrary, he is rich, and increased with goods, and 
 hardly conceives of any thing more excellent than what he has al- 
 ready attained to. 
 
 Hence there is an end to many persons' earnestness in seeking., 
 after they have once obtained that which they call their conver- 
 sion; or at least, after they have had those high affections, that 
 make them fully confident of it. Before, while they looked upon 
 themselves as in a state of nature, they were engaged in seeking 
 after God and Christ, and cried earnestly for grace, and strove in 
 the use of means: but now they act as though they thought their 
 work was done; they live upon their first work, or some high ex- 
 periences that are past; and there is an end to their crying, and 
 striving after God and grace. f Whereas the holy principles that 
 
 f It is usual to see a false heart most diligent in seeking the Lord, when 
 he has been worst, and most careless wlien it is best. Hence many at first 
 conversion sought the Lord earnestly; afterwards affections and endeavours 
 die; that now they are as good as the word can make them. A iiypocrite's last 
 end is to satisfy himself: hence he has enough. A saint's is to satisfy Christ: 
 lience lie never has enough." Shepard's Parable, Part I, p. 157. 
 
 " Many a man, it may be, may say, I have notiiing in myself, and all is in 
 Christ; and comfort himself there; and so falls asleep. Hands off! and touch 
 not this ark, lest the Lord slay thee: a Ciirist of clouts would serve your turn 
 as well » Ibid, p, 72. 
 
 " A hypocrite's light goes out, and grows not. Hence many ancient standi- 
 ers take .ill their comfort from their first work, and droop when in old age." 
 Ibid. p. 77. 
 
 And p. 93, 94. Mr. Shepard, mentioning tlie characters of those that have 
 a dead hope, says, "Tliey that content themselves with any measure of 
 holiness and grace, they look not for Christ's coming and company. Foi* 
 saints that look for him, thoiigli they have not that holiness and grace they 
 would iiave, yet they rest not satisfied with any measure; 1 John, iii. 3, 
 '* He that hath this hope purifieth himself as he is pure." — The saints con- 
 
340 ELEVENTH SIGN OF 
 
 actuate a true saint, have a far more powerful influence to stir 
 him up to earnestness in seeking God and holiness, than servile 
 fear. Hence seeking God is spoken of as one of the distinguish- 
 ing characters of the saints; and those that seek God is one of the 
 names by which the godly are called in scripture, Psal. xxiv. 6, 
 " This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, 
 O Jacob." Psal. Ixix. 6, " Let not those that seek thee, be con- 
 tent not themselves with any dressings, until made glorious; and so fit for 
 fellow ship with that spouse. — When a man leaves not, until he gets such a 
 measure of faith and grace, and now when he has got this, contents himself 
 with this, as a good sign that he shall be saved, he looks not for Christ. Or 
 when men are heavily laden with sin; then close with Christ; and then are 
 comforted, sealed, and have joy that fills them; and now the work is done. 
 And when men shall not content themselves with any measure; but wish 
 they liad more, if grace would grow, while they tell clocks and sit idle; and 
 so God must do all; but do not purge themselves and make work of it." 
 
 Again, p. 109. " There is never a hypocrite living, but closeth with Christ 
 for his own ends; for he can not work beyond his principle. Now when men 
 have served their own turns out of another man, away they go, and keep 
 that which they have, A hypocrite closeth with Christ, as a man with a 
 rich shop; he will not be at cost to buy all the shop, but so much as serves 
 his turn. Commonly, men in horror, seek so much of Christ as will ease 
 them; and hence profess, and hence seek for so much of Christ as will credit 
 them; and hence their desires after Christ are soon satisfied. Appetiiua Jiiiit 
 est infinltiis. 
 
 *' Wo to thee that canst paint such a Christ in thy head, and receive such 
 a Christ into thy heart, as must be a pander to your sloth. Why what can 
 we do.' what can we do? — Why as the first Adam conveys not only guilt, but 
 power; so the second conveys both righteousness and strength." Ji/id. p 
 158. 
 
 " When the Lord hath given some light and affection, and some comfort 
 and some reformation, now a man grows full here. Saints do for God; and 
 carnal hearts do something too; but a little fills them and quiets them; and 
 so damns them. And hence men at the first work upon them, are very dil- 
 igent in the use of means; but after that, they be brought to neglect prayer, 
 sleep out sermons, and to be careless, sapless, lifeless." Ibid. p. 210. 
 
 "It is an argument of want of grace, when a man saith to himself, as the 
 glutton said to his soul. Take thy rest, for thou hast goods laid up for many 
 years. So thou hast repentance and grace, and peace enough for many years, 
 and hence the soul takes its rest, grows sluggish and negligent. Oh! if you 
 die in this case, tljis night thy soul shall be taken away to hell." Ibid. p. 227' 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTrONS. 341 
 
 founded for my sake," ver. 32, "• The humble shall see this and 
 be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God." And Ixx. 4, 
 " Let all those that seek thee, rqoice, and be glad in thee: and 
 let such as love thy salvation say continually, " The Lord be mag- 
 nified." And the scriptures every where represent the seeking, 
 striving, and labour of a Christian, as being chiefly after his con- 
 version, and his conversion as being but the beginning of his work. 
 And almost all that is said in the New Testament, of mens watch- 
 ing, giving earnest heed to themselves, running the race that is 
 set before them, striving and agonizing, wrestling not with flesh 
 and blood, but principalities and powers, fighting, putting on the 
 whole armour of God, and standing, having done all to stand, 
 pressing forward, reaching forth, continuing instant in prayer, cry- 
 ing to God day and night; I say, almost all that is said in the New 
 Testament of these things, is spoken of, and directed to the saints. 
 Where these things are applied to sinners' seeking conversion once, 
 they are spoken of the saints' prosecution of the great business of 
 their high calling ten times. But many in these days have got 
 into a strange antiscriptural way, of having all their striving and 
 wrestling over, before they are converted; and so having an easy 
 lime of it afterwards, to sit down and enjoy their sloth and indo- 
 lence; as those tliat now have a supply of their wants, and are 
 become rich and full. But when the Lord " fills the hungry with 
 good tidings, these rich are like to be sent away empty," Luke 
 i. 53. 
 
 But doubtless there are some hypocrites, that have only false 
 affections, who will think they are able to stand this trial; and 
 will readily say, that they desire not to rest satisfied with past at- 
 tainments, but to be pressing forward, they do desire more, 
 ihey long after God and Christ, and desire more holiness, and do 
 seek it. But the truth is, their desires are not properly the de- 
 sires of appetite after holiness, for its own sake, or for the moral 
 excellency and holy sweetness that is in it; but only for by ends. 
 They long after clearer discoveries, that they maybe better satisfied 
 about the state of their souls; or because in great discoveries self 
 i? gratified, in being made so much of by God, and so exalte(J 
 
342 ELEVENTH SIGN OF 
 
 above others; thev long to taste the love of God (as they call it; 
 more than to have more love to God. Or, it may be, they have 
 a kind of forced, fancied, or made longings; because they think 
 they must long for more grace, otherwise it will be a dark sign 
 upon them. But such things as these are far different from the 
 ^natural, and as it were necessary appetite and thirsting of the new 
 man, after God and holiness. There is an inward burning desire 
 that a saint has after holiness, as natural to the new creature, as 
 vital heat is to the body. There is a holy breathing and panting 
 after the Spirit of God, to increase holiness, as natural to a holy 
 nature as breathing is to a living body. And holiness or sanctifi- 
 cation is more directly the object of it, than any manifestation of 
 God's love and favour. This is the meat and drink that is the 
 object of the spiritual appetite, John iv. 34, " My meat is to do 
 the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work." Where we 
 read in scripture of the desires, longings, and thirstings of the saints, 
 righteousness and God's laws are much more frequently mention- 
 ed, as the object of them, than any thing else. The saints de- 
 sire the sincere milk of the word, not so much to testify God's 
 love to them, as that they may grow thereby in holiness. I have 
 shown before, that holiness is that good which is the immediate 
 object of a spiritual taste. But undoubtedly the same sweetness 
 that is the chief object of a spiritual taste, is also the chief object 
 of a spiritual appetite. Grace is the godly man's treasure, Isa. xxxiii. 
 6, "The fear of the Lord is his treasure." Godliness is the gain 
 that he is covetous and greedy of: 1 Tim. vi. 6. Hypocrites long 
 for discoveries, more for the present comfort of the discovery, and 
 the high manifestation of God's love in it, than for any sanctifying 
 influence of it. But neither a longing after great discoveries, or 
 after great tastes of the love of God, nor longing to be in heaven, 
 nor longing to die, are in any measure so distinguishing marks of 
 true saints, as longing after a more holy heart, and living a more 
 holy life. 
 
 But I am come now^ to the last distinguishing mark of holy af- 
 fections that I shall mention. 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. S4S 
 
 XII. Gracious and holy affections have their exercise and fruit 
 in christian practice — I mean, they have that influence and power 
 upon him who is the subject of them, that they cause that a prac- 
 tice, which is universally conformed to, and directed by christian 
 rules, should be the practice and business of his life. 
 
 This implies three things; 1. That his behaviour or practice 
 in the world, be universally conformed to, and directed by chris- 
 tian rules. 2. That he makes a business of such a holy practice 
 above all things; that it be a business which he is chiefly en- 
 gaged in, and devoted to, and pursues with highest earnestness 
 and diligence: so that he may be said to make this practice of 
 religion eminently his work and business. And 3. That he per- 
 sists in it to the end of life: so that it may be said, not only to be 
 his business at certain seasons, the business of Sabbath days, or 
 certain extraordinary times, oi' the business of a month, or a year, 
 or of sev^n years, or his business under certain circumstances; 
 but the business of his life; it being that business which he per- 
 severes in through all changes, and under all trials, as long as he 
 lives. 
 
 The necessity of each of these, in all true Christians, is most 
 clearly and fully taught in the word of God. 
 
 1. It is necessary that men should be universally obedient,! 
 
 I He that pretends to gv)dliness, and turns aside to crooked ways, is a 
 hypocrite: for those thai are really godiy, do Hve in a way of obedience; 
 Psal. cxix. I, 2, 3. " Blessed are the undefiled in the way, that walk in the 
 law of the Lord. They also do no iniquity." Luke i. 6, "They were both 
 righteous before God, walking in all the commandments of the Lord, blame- 
 less." But such as live in ways of sin, are dissemblers; for all such will be 
 rejected in the day of judgment; Matt. vii. 23, " Depart from me, ye that 
 work iniquity." The like we have in Luke xiii. 27. If men live in a way 
 of disobedience, they do not love God; for love will make men keep God's 
 commandments; 1 John v. 3, " Herein is love, that we keep his command- 
 ments; and his commandments are not grievous." If men live in a way of 
 disobedience, they have not a spirit of faith: for faith sanctifies men; Acts 
 xxvi. 18, '• Sanctified by faith that is in me." If men live in a way of diso- 
 bedience, they are not Christ's sheep; for his sheep hear his voice, John x_ 
 27. Men th-.it live in a way of disooedience are not born of God; 1 John 
 iii- 9. " He that is born of God, sinueth not." Men that live in a way of 
 
344 TWELFTH SIGN OK 
 
 1 John iii. 3, &c. " Every man that hath this hope in him pu- 
 fifieth himself, even as he is pure. And ye know that he was 
 manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. Whoso- 
 ever abideth in him sinneth not; whosoever sinneth, hath not 
 seen him, neither known him. He that doth righteousness, is 
 
 disobedience are the servants of sin; John viii. 34, " He that committeth 
 sin, is the servant of sin." A course of external sin is an evidence of hypo- 
 crisy; whether it be of sin of omission or comnnission. If men live in the 
 neglect of known duties, or in the practice of known evils, that will be 
 their condemnation: let the sin be what it will; let it be profaneness, un- 
 cleanness, lying, or injustice. If men allow themselves in malice, envy, 
 wanton thoughts^ profane thoughts, that will condemn them; though those 
 corruptions do not break out in any scandalous way. These thoughts arc 
 an evidence of a rotten heart; Tit. iii. 3, " We ourselves were sometimes 
 foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in 
 malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another." If a man allows him- 
 self, though he thinks he doth not, in malice and envy, he is a hypocrite: 
 though his conscience disallows it, yet if his heart allows it, he is no saint. 
 Some make pretences to godliness, whereby they do not only deceive 
 others, (but which is a great deal worse) deceive themselves also: but this 
 \vill condemn them, that they live in a course of sin, and so must go with 
 ungodly men; Psal. cxxv. 5, " As for such as turn aside unto their crooked 
 ways, the Lord will lead them forth with the workers of iniquity." If there 
 be a great change in a man's carriage, and he be reformed in several parti- 
 culars, yet if there be one evil way, the man is an ungodly man: where 
 there is piety there is universal obedience. A man may have great infir- 
 mities, yet be a godly man. So it was with Lot, David, and Peter: but if 
 he lives in away of sin, he does not render his godhness only suspicious, 
 but it is full evidence against him. Men that are godly have respect to all 
 tSod's commandments, Psal. cxix. 6. There be a great many commands, 
 and if there be one of them that a man has not respect unto, he will be put 
 to shame another day. If a man lives in one evil way, he is not'subject to 
 God's authority; but then he lives in rebellion: and that will take off all his 
 pleas, and at once cut off all his pretences; and he will be condemned in 
 the day of judgment. One way of sin is exception enough against the man's 
 salvation. Though the sin that he lives in be but small: such persons will 
 not be guilty of perjury, stealing, drunkenness, fornication; they look upon 
 them to be heinous things, and they are afraid of them; but they do not 
 much matter it, if they oppress a little in a bargain, if they commend a 
 thing too much when they are about to sell it, if they break a promise, if 
 they spend the Sabbath unprofitably, if they neglect secret prayer, if they 
 talk rudely and reproach others; they think these are but small things; if 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 346 
 
 lighteous even as he is righteous: he that committcth sin is of 
 the devil;" chap. v. 18, " We know that whosoever is born ol" 
 God sinneth not, but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, 
 and that wicked one toucheth him not;" John xv. 14, " Ye are 
 my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you." 
 
 If one member only be corrupt, and we do not cut it off, it will 
 carry the whole body to hell, Matt. v. 29, 30. Saul was com- 
 manded to slay all God's enemies, the Amalekites; and he slew 
 all but Agag, and the saving him alive proved his ruin. Caleb 
 and Joshua entered into God's promised rest, because they wholly 
 followed the Lord, Numb. xiv. 24, and xxxii. 11, 12. Deut. i. 
 36. Josh. xiv. 6, 8, 9, 14. Naaman's hypocrisy appeared in 
 that, hovv'ever, he seemed to be greatly affected with gratitude to 
 God for healing his leprosy, and engaged to serve him, yet in one 
 thing he desired to be excused. And Herod, though he feared 
 John, and observed him, and heard him gladly, and did many 
 things; yet was condemned, in that in one thing he would not 
 hearken to him, even in parting with his beloved Herodias. So 
 that it is necessary that men should part with their dearest ini- 
 quities, which are as their right hand and right eye, sins that 
 most easily beset them, and which they are most exposed to by 
 their natural inclinations, evil customs, or particular circum- 
 stances, as Avell as others. As Joseph would not make known 
 
 they can keep clear of great transgression, they hope that God will not in- 
 sist upon small things. But indeed all the commands of God are establish- 
 ed by divine authority: a small shot may kill a man, as well as a cannon 
 bullet: a small leak may sink a ship. If a man lives in small sins, that shows 
 he has no love to God, no sincere care to please and honour God. Little 
 sins are of a damning nature, as well as great: if they do not deserve so 
 much punishment as greater, yet they do deserve damnation. There is a 
 contempt of God in all sins; Matt. v. 19, " He that shall break one of the 
 least of these commands, and shall teach men so, shall be called the least in 
 the kingdom of God;" Prov. xix. 16. " He that keepeth the commandment, 
 keepeth his own soul; but he that despiseth his way shall die." If a man 
 says, this is a great command, and so lays weight on it, and another is a little 
 commandment, and so does not regard it, but will allow himself to break it, 
 he is in a perishing condition." Stoddard's IVaji to knoiu Sincerity and ff-y- 
 pocrisy. 
 
o4b" TWELFTH hIGN OF 
 
 himself to his brethren who had sold him, until Benjamin the be- 
 loved child of the family, that was most hardly parted with, was 
 delivered up; no more will Christ reveal his love to us, until we 
 part with our dearest lusts, and until we are brought to comply 
 with the most difficult duties, and those that we have the greatest 
 aversion to. 
 
 And it is of importance that it should be observed, that in or- 
 der to a man's being truly said to be universally obedient, his 
 obedience must not only consist in negatives, or in universally 
 avoiding wicked practices, consisting in sins of commission, but 
 he must also be universal in the positives of religion. Sins of 
 omission are as much breaches of God's commands, as sins of 
 commission. Christ, in Matt. xxv. represents those on the left 
 hand as being condemned and cursed to everlasting fire for sins 
 of omission. " I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat," 
 &c. A man, therefore, cannot be said to be universally obedi- 
 ent, and of a christian conversation, only because he is no thief, 
 nor oppressor, nor fraudulent person, nor drunkard, nor tavern- 
 haunter, nor whoremaster, nor rioter, nor night-walker, nor un- 
 clean, nor profane in his language, nor slanderer, nor liar, nor 
 furious, nor malicious, nor reviler. He is falsely said to be of a 
 conversation that becomes the gospel, who goes thus far and no 
 farther; but in order to this, it is necessary that he should also 
 be of a serious, religious, devout, humble, meek, forgiving, peace- 
 ful, respectful, condescending, benevolent, merciful, charitable 
 and beneficent xvalk and conversation. Without such things as 
 these, he does not obey the laws of Christ, and laws that he and 
 his apostles did abundantly insist on, as of the greatest impor- 
 tance and necessity. 
 
 2. In order to mens being true Christians, it is necessary that 
 they prosecute the business of religion, and the service of God 
 with great earnestness and diligence, as the work which they de- 
 vote themselves to, and make the main business of their lives. 
 All Christ's peculiar people not only do good works, but are zeal- 
 ous of good works, Tit. ii. 14. No man can do the work of two 
 masters at once. They that are God's true servants do give up 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 347 
 
 themselves to his service, and make it as it were their whole work, 
 therein employing their whole hearts, and the chief of their 
 strength, Phil. ili. 13, " This one thing I do." Christians in their 
 effectual calling, are not called to idleness, but to labour in God's 
 vineyard, and spend their day in doing a great and laborious ser- 
 vice. All true Christians comply with this call, (as is implied in 
 its being an effectual call) and do the work of Christians; which 
 is every where in the New Testament compared to those exer- 
 cises wherein men are wont to exert their strength with the great- 
 est earnestness, as running, wrestling, fighting. All true Chris- 
 tians are good and faithful soldiers of Jesus Christ, and " fight 
 the good fight of faith;" for none but those who do so, do " ever 
 lay hold on eternal life." Those who " fight as those that beat the 
 air," never win the crown of victory. " They that run in a race, 
 run all, but one wins the prize," and they that are slack and neg- 
 ligent in their course, do not so run as that they may obtain." The 
 kingdom of heaven is not to be taken but by violence. Without ear- 
 nestness there is no getting along in that narrow way that leads 
 to life; and so no arriving at that state of glorious life and happi- 
 ness which it leads to. Without earnest labour there is no as- 
 cending the steep and high hill of Zion, and so no arriving at the 
 heavenly city on the top of it. Without a constant laboriousness 
 there is no stemming the swift stream in which we swim, so as 
 ever to come to that fountain of water of life that is at the head 
 of it. There is need that we should " watch and pray always, in 
 order to our escaping those dreadful things that are coming on the 
 ungodly, and our being counted worthy to stand before the Son 
 of man." There is need of our " putting on the whole armour 
 of God, and doing all, to stand," in order to our avoiding a total 
 overthrow, and being utterly destroyed by the fiery " darts of the 
 devil." There is need that we should " forget the things that 
 are behind, and be reaching forth to the things that are before, 
 and pressing towards the mark, for the prize of the high calling of 
 God in Jesus Christ our Lord," in order to our obtaining that 
 prize. Slothfulness in the service of God in his professed ser- 
 vaiiits, is as damning as open rebellion; for the slothful servant is 
 
348 TWELFTH SIGN OF 
 
 a wicked servant, and shall be cast into outer darkness, among 
 God's open enemies, Matt. xxv. 26, 30. They that are sloth- 
 ful are not " followers of them who through faith and patience 
 inherit the promises;" Heb. vi. 11, 12, " And we desire that every 
 one of you do show the same diligence, to the full assurance of 
 hope unto the end; that ye be not slothful, but followers of them 
 who through faith and patience inherit the promises." And all 
 they who follow that cloud of witnesses that are gone before to 
 heaven; " do lay aside every weight, and the sin that easily be- 
 sets them, and do run with patience the race that is set before 
 them," Heb. xii. 1. That true faith, by which persons rely on 
 the righteousness of Christ, and the work that he hath done for 
 them, and do truly feed and live upon him, is evermore accompa- 
 nied with such a spirit of earnestness in the christian work and 
 course. Which was typified of old, by the manner of the chil- 
 dren of Israel's feeding on the paschal Iamb; who were directed to 
 eat it, as those that were in haste, with their loins girded, their 
 shoes on their feet, and their staff in their hand, Exod. xii. 11. 
 
 3. Every true Christian perseveres in this way of universal obe- 
 dience, and diligent and earnest service of God, through all the 
 various kinds of trials that he meets with, to the end of life. That 
 all true saints, all those that do obtain eternal life, do thus per- 
 severe in the practice of religion, and the service of God, is a doc- 
 trine so abundantly taught in the scripture, that particularly to re- 
 hearse all the texts which imply it would be endless, 1 shall con- 
 tent myself with refering to some in the margin.f 
 
 But that in perseverance in obedience, which is chiefly insisted 
 on in the scripture, as a special note of the truth of grace, is the 
 continuance of professors in the practice of their duty, and being 
 
 f Deut. V. 29, Deut. xxxii. 18, 19, 20. 1 Chron. xxviii. 9. Psal. Ixxviii, 7, 8, 
 10, 11, 35, 36, 37, 41, 42, 56, &c Psal. cvi. 3, 12—15. Psal cxxv. 4, 5. Prov. 
 xxvi. 11. Isa, Ixiv, 5. Jer, xvii. 13. Ezek. iii. 20, and xviii. 24, and xxxiii. 12, 
 13. Matt. X. 22, and xiii. 4 — 8, with verses 19 — 23, and xxv. 8, and xxiv. 12, 
 13. Luke ix. 62, and xii, 35, &c. and xxii. 28, and xvii. 32. John viii. '2)0, 31, 
 and XV, 6, 7, 8, 10, 16. Rom. ii. 7, and xi. 22. Col. i. 22, 23, Heb. iii. 6, 12, 14, 
 and vi. 11, 12, and x. 35, &c. James i. 25. Rev. ii. 13, 26, and ii. 10. 1 Tim^ 
 Ji. 15. 2 Tim. iv. 4—8. 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 349 
 
 Steadfast in a holy walk, through the Various trials that they meet 
 with. 
 
 By trials here, I mean those things that occur, and that a pro- 
 fessor meets with in his course, that do especially render his con- 
 tinuance in his duty, and faithfulness to God, difficult to nature. 
 These things are from time to time called in scripture by the name 
 of trials, or temptations, (which are words of the same significa- 
 tion.) These are of various kinds: there are many things that 
 render persons' continuance in the way of their duty difficult, by 
 their tendency to cherish and foment, or to stir up and provoke 
 their lusts and corruptions. Many things make it hard to continue 
 in the way of their duty, by their being of an alluring nature, and 
 having a tendency to entice persons to sin, or by their tendency 
 to take off restraints, and embolden them in iniquity. Other things 
 are trials of the soundness and steadfastness of professors, by their 
 tendency to make their duty appear terrible to them, and so to 
 affright and drive them from it; such as the sufferings which their 
 duty will expose them to; pain, ill will, contempt, and reproach, 
 or loss of outward possessions and comforts. If persons, after they 
 have made a profession of religion, live any considerable time in 
 this world, which is so full of changes, and so full of evil, it can 
 not be otherwise than that they should meet with many trials of 
 their sincerity and steadfastness. And besides, it is God's manner, 
 in his providence, to bring trials on his professing friends and ser- 
 vants designedly, that he may manifest them, and may exhibit 
 sufficient matter of conviction of the state which they are in, to 
 their own consciences, and oftentimes to the world; as appears by 
 innumerable scriptures. 
 
 True saints may be guilty of some kinds and degrees of back- 
 sliding, and may be foiled by particular temptations, and may fall 
 1 into sin, yea great sins; but they can never fall away so as to grow 
 weary of religion, and the service of God, and habitually to dis- 
 like it and neglect it, either on its own account, or on account of 
 the difficulties that attend it; as is evident by Gal. vi. 9, Rom. 
 ii. 7, Ileb. X. 3G, Isa. xliii. 22, Mai. i. 13. The> can never 
 backslide, so as to continue no longer m a way of universal obe- 
 2 X 
 
3oO TWELFTH SIGN OF 
 
 (lience; or, so that It shaU cease to be their manner to observe all 
 the rules of Christianity, and do all duties required, even in the 
 most difficult circumstances.! This is abundantly manifest by the 
 things that have been observed already. Nor can they ever fall 
 away so as habitually to be more engaged in other things than in 
 the business of religion; or so that it should become their way and 
 manner to serve something else more than God; or so as statedly 
 to cease to serve God, with such earnestness and diligence, as still 
 to be habitually devoted and given up to the business of religion; 
 unless those words of Christ can fall to the ground, " Ye can not 
 serve two masters," and those of the apostle, " He that will be a 
 
 ■j- " One way of sin is exception enough against mens salvation, though 
 their temptations be great. Some persons delight in iniquity; they take 
 pleasure in rudeness, and intemperate practices; but there be others, that 
 do not delight in sin; when they can handsomely avoid it, they do not choose 
 it; except they be under some great necessity, they will not do it. They 
 are afraid to sin; they think it is dangerous, and have some care to avoid it: 
 but sometimes they force themselves to sin: they are reduced to difficulties, 
 and can not tell how well to avoid it; it is a dangerous thing not to do it. If 
 Naaman do not bow himself in the house ofRimmon, the king will be in a 
 rage with him, take away his office, it may be take away his life, and so he 
 complies; 2 Kings v. 18. — So Jeroboam forced himself to set up the calves 
 at Dan and Bethel: he thought that if the people went up to Jerusalem to 
 worship, they would return to Rehoboam, and kill him; therefore he must 
 think of some expedient to deliver himself in this strait; 1 Kings xii. 37, 28. 
 He was driven by appearing necessity to take this wicked course. — So the 
 stony-ground hearers were willing to retain the profession of the true re- 
 ligion: but the case was such, that they thought they could not well do it; 
 Matt. xiii. 21. " When tribulation or persecution ariseih because of thefword, 
 by and by he is offended." — So Achan and Gehzai had singular opportuni- 
 ties to get an estate; if they live twenty years they are not like to have such 
 an advantage: and they force themselves to borrow a point, and break tlie 
 law of God. They lay a necessity on estate, and liberty, and life, but not 
 upon obedience. If a man be willing to serve God in ordinary cases, but 
 excuse himself when there be great difficulties, he is not godly. It is a small 
 matter to serve God when men have no temptation: but Lot was holy in 
 Sodom; Noah was righteous in the old world. Temptations try men, but they 
 do not force men to sin: and grace will estabhsh the heart in a day of temp- 
 tation." They are blessed that do endure temptation, James i. 12. but they 
 are cursed that fall away in a day of temptation. Stoddard's Way to Kno'iD 
 Sincerity and Hypoaisi'. 
 
 h 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTI0NS. 35 I 
 
 friend of the. world, is the enemy of God;" and unless a saint can 
 change his God, and yet be a true saint. Nor can a true saint 
 ever fall away so, that it shall come to this, that ordinarily there 
 shall be no remarkable difference in his walk and behaviour since 
 his conversion, from what was before. They that are truly con- 
 verted are new men, new creatures; new, not only within, but 
 without; they are sanctified throughout; in spirit, soul and body; 
 old things are passed away, all things are become new; they have 
 new hearts, and new eyes, new ears, new tongues, new hands, 
 new feet; i. e. a new conversation and practice; and they walk 
 in newness of life, and continue to do so to the end of life. And 
 they that fall away, and cease visibly to do so, it is a sign they 
 I never were risen with Christ. f And especially when mens opin* 
 ' ion of their being converted, and so in a safe estate, is the very 
 cause of their coming to this, it is a most evident sign of their 
 hypocrisy.| And that, whether their falling away be into their 
 
 f Hence we learn what verdict to pass ami give in, concerning' those men 
 that decay and fall off from the Lord. They never had oil in the vessel; 
 never had a dram of grace in their heart. Thus 1 John ii. 19, " Iftiiey had 
 been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us." It seems they 
 v«re such men, who were so eminent and excellent, as that there wore no 
 brands nor marks upon them, to give notice to the churches, that they were 
 marked out for apostacy; but were only discovered to be unsound, by their 
 apostacy; and this was argument good enough." S/iepard^s Parable, Part I. 
 p. 226. 
 
 \ " When a man's rising is the cause of his fldl, or seals a man up in his 
 fall, or at least the cause tlirough his corruption. Ex. Gr. Time was a man 
 lived a loose, careless, carnal life: by the ministry of some word, or reading 
 of some book, or speaking with some friend, he comes to be convinced of 
 his misery and woful condition, and sees no good nor grace in himself; he 
 hath even been hitherto deceived; at last he comes to get some light, 
 some taste, some sorrows, some heart to use the means, some comfort and 
 mercy, and hope of life: and when it is thus with him, now he falls; he grows 
 full and fulls; and this rising is the cause of his fall; his light is darkness and 
 death to him; and grows to a form of knowledge; his rising makes him fall 
 to formality, and then to profaneness; and so his tasting satisfies him; his 
 sorrows empty his heart of sorrow for sin; and his sorrow for his falls hardens 
 his heart in liis falls, and all the means of recovering him harden him. Look 
 as it is in diseases; if the physic and meat turn, to be poison, tlien there is 
 
3o2 TWELFTH SIGN Of 
 
 former sins, or into some new kind of wickedness, having tiie cor- 
 ruption of nature only turned into a new channel, instead of its be- 
 ing mortified. As when persons that think themselves converted, 
 though they do not return to former profaneness and lewdness, 
 yet from the high opinion they have of their experiences, graces, 
 and privileges, gradually settle more and more in a self-righteous 
 and spiritually proud temper of mind, and in such a manner of 
 behaviour as naturally arises therefrom. When it is thus with 
 men, however far they may seem to be from their former evil 
 practices, this alone is enough to condemn them, and may render 
 their last state far worse than the first. For this seems to be the 
 very case of the Jews of that generation that Christ speaks of, 
 !Matt. xii. 43, 44, 45, who being awakened by John the Baptist's 
 preaching, and brought to a reformation of their former licentious 
 courses, whereby the unclean spirit ivas as it were turned out, 
 and the house swept and garnished; yet, being empty of God and 
 of grace, became full of themselves, and were exalted in an ex- 
 ceeding high opinion of their own righteousness and eminent holi- 
 ness, and became habituated to an answerably self-exalting be- 
 haviour; so changing the sins of publicans and harlots, for those 
 of the pharisees; and in issue, had seven devils, worse than the first. 
 
 Thus I have explained what exercise and fruit I mean, when I 
 say, that gracious aiFections have their exercise and fruit in chris- 
 tian practice. 
 
 The reason why gracious affections have such a tendency and 
 effect, appears from many things that have already been observed, 
 in the preceding parts of this discourse. 
 
 The reason of it appears from this, that gracious affections do 
 arise from those operations and influences which are spiritual, 
 and that the inward principle from ivhence they flo^v, is something 
 divine, a communication of God, a participation of the divine na- 
 ture, Christ living in the heart, the Holy Spirit dwelling there, in 
 union with the faculties of the soul, as an internal vital principle, 
 
 no hope of a recovery; a man is sick to death now. The saint's little mea- 
 sure makes him forget what is behind." Hhefiavcrs Parable, Part I. p. 226. 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. SoJ 
 
 exerting his own proper nature, in the exercise of those faculties. 
 This is sufficient to show us why true grace should have such ac- 
 tivity, power, and efficacy. No wonder that which is divine, is 
 powerful and effectual; for it has omnipotence on its side If God 
 dwells in the heart, and be vitally united to it, he will show that 
 he is a God, by the efficacy of his operation. Christ is not in the 
 heart of a saint, as in a sepulchre, or as a dead saviour, that does 
 nothing; but as in his temple^ and as one that is alive from the 
 dead. For in the heart where Christ savingly is, there he lives, 
 and exerts himself after the power of that endless life that he re- 
 ceived at his resurrection. Thus every saint that is a subject of 
 the benefit of Christ's sufferings, is made to know and experience 
 the power of his resurrection. The Spirit of Christ, which is the 
 immediate spring of grace in the heart, is all life, all power, all 
 act, 2 Cor. ii. 4, "In demonstration of the Spirit, and of power." 
 1 Thess. i. 5, " Our gospel came not unto you in word only, 
 but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost." 1 Cor. iv. 20, "The 
 kingdom of God is not in the word, but in power." Hence saving 
 affections, though oftentimes they do not make so great a noise 
 
 ; and shoAv as others, yet have in them a secret solidity, life, and 
 i- strength, whereby they take hold of, and carry away the heart, 
 leading it into a kind of captivity, 2 Cor. x. S, gaining a full and 
 steadfast determination of the will for God and holiness, Psal. ex. 
 3, "Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power," 
 And thus it is that holy affections have a governing power in the 
 course of a man's life. A statue may look very much like a real 
 man, and a beautiful man; yea, it may have, in its appearance to 
 the eye, the resemblance of a very lively, strong, and active man; 
 but yet an inward principle of life and strength is wanting; and 
 therefore it does nothing, it brings nothing to pass, there is no ac- 
 tion or operation to answer the show. False discoveries and af- 
 fections do not go deep enough to reach and govern the spring of 
 mens actions and practice. The seed in stony ground had not 
 deepness of earth, and the root did not go deep enough to bring 
 
 / forth fruit. But gracious affections go to the very bottom of the 
 heart, and take hold of the very inmost springs of life and activity. 
 
Sbi TWELFTH SIGN OF 
 
 Herein chiefly appears the power of true godliftess, viz. in its he- 
 1 ing effectual in practice. And the efficacy of godliness in this re- 
 spect, is what the apostle has respect to, when he speaks of the 
 power of godliness, 2 Tim. iii. 5, as is very plain; for he there is 
 particularly declaring, how some professors of religion would noto- 
 riously fail in the practice of it, and then in the 5th verse ob- 
 serves, that in being thus of an unholy practice, they deny the 
 power of godliness, though they have the form of it. Indeed the 
 power of godliness is exerted in the first place within the soul, in 
 the sensible, lively exercise of gracious affections there. Yet the 
 principal evidence of this power of godliness, is in those exercises 
 of holy affections that are practical, and in their being practical; 
 in conquering the will, and conquering the lusts and corruptions 
 of men, and carrying men on in the way of holiness, through all 
 temptation, difficulty, and opposition. 
 
 Again, the reason why gracious affections have their exercise 
 and effect in christian practice, appears from this (which has also 
 been before observed) that " the first objective ground of gracious 
 affections, is the transcendently excellent and amiable nature of 
 divine things, as they are in themselves, and not any conceived 
 relation they bear to self, or self-interest." This shows why 
 holy affections will cause men to be holy in their practice univer- 
 sally. Wliat makes men partial in religion is, that they seek 
 themselves, and not God, in their religion; and close with reli- 
 gion, not for its own excellent nature, but only to serve a turn. 
 He that closes with religion only to serve a turn, will close with 
 no more of it than he imagines serves that turn; but he that closes 
 with religion for its own excellent and lovely nature, closes with 
 all that has that nature: he that embraces religion for its own 
 sake, embraces the whole of religion. This also shows why gra- 
 cious affections will cause men to practise religion perseveringly, 
 and at all times. Religion may alter greatly in process of time, 
 as to its consistence with mens private interest, in many respects; 
 and therefore he that complies with it only for selfish views, is 
 liable in change of times to forsake it; but the excellent nature 
 ef religion, as it is in itself, is invariable; it is always the same, 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 3$d 
 
 at JvJl times, and through all changes; it never alters in any re- 
 spect. 
 
 The reason why gracious affections issue in holy practice, also 
 further appears from the kind of excellency of divine things, that 
 it has been observed is the foundation of all holy affections, viz. 
 " their moral excellency, or the beauty of their holiness." No 
 wonder that a love to holiness, for holiness' sake, inclines persons 
 to practise holiness, and to practise every thing that is holy. See- 
 ing holiness is the main thing that excites, draws, and governs 
 all gracious affections, no wonder that all such affections tend to 
 holiness. That which men love, they desire to have and to be 
 united to, and possessed of. That beauty which men delight in, 
 they desire to be adorned with. Those acts which men delight 
 in, they necessarily incline to do. 
 
 And what has been observed of the divine teaching and lead- 
 ing of the Spirit of God which there is in gracious affections, 
 show s the reason of this tendency ^of such affections to an univer- 
 sally holy practice. For, as has been observed, the Spirit of God 
 in this his divine teaching and leading, gives the soul a natural re- 
 lish of the sweetness of that which is holy, and of every thing 
 that is holy, so far as it comes in view and excites a disrelish and 
 disgust of every thing that is unholy. 
 
 The same also appears from what has been observed of the 
 walure of that spiritual knowledge, which is the foundation of all 
 holy affection, as consisting in a sense and view of that excellen- 
 cy in divine things, which is supreme and transcendent. For 
 hereby these things appear above all others, worthy to be chosen 
 and adhered to. By the sight of the transcendent glory of Christ, 
 true Christians see him worthy to be followed; and so are power- 
 fully drawn after him; they see him worthy that they should for- 
 sake all for him: by the sight of that superlative amiablcness, 
 they are thoroughly disposed to be subject to him, and engaged to 
 labour with earnestness and activity in his service, and made wil- 
 ling to go through all difficulties for his sake. And it is the dis- 
 covery of this divine excellency of Christ, that makes them con- 
 stant to him; for it makes a deep impression upon their minds. 
 
356 TWELFTH SIGN OF 
 
 that they can not forget him; and they will follow him whither- 
 soever he goes, and it is in vain for any to endeavour to draw 
 them away from him. 
 
 The reason of this practical tendency and issue of gracious af- 
 fections, further appears from what has been observed of such 
 affections being " attended with a thorough conviction of the 
 judgment of the reality and certainty of divine things." No won- 
 der that they who were never thoroughly convinced that there is 
 any reality in the things of religion, will never be at the labour and 
 trouble of such an earnest, universal, and persevering practice of 
 religion, through all difficulties, self-denials, and sufferings, in a 
 dependence on that which they are not convinced of. But on the 
 other hand, they who are thoroughly convinced of the certain 
 truth of those things, must needs be governed by them in their 
 practice; for the things revealed in the word of God are so great, 
 and so infinitely more important than all other things, that it is 
 inconsistent with the human nature, that a man should fully be- 
 lieve the truth of them, and not be influenced by them above all 
 things in his practice. 
 
 Again, the reason of this expression and effect of holy affections 
 in the practice, appears from what has been observed of " a 
 change of nature, accompanying such affections." Without a 
 change of nature, mens practice will not be thoroughly changed. 
 Until the tree be made good, the fruit will not be good. Men 
 dp not gather grapes of thorns, nor figs of thistles. The swine 
 may be washed, and appear clean for a little while, but yet, with- 
 out a change of nature he will still wallow in the mire. Nature 
 is a more powerful principle of action than any thing that op- 
 poses it: though it may be violently restrained for awhile, it will 
 finally overcome that which restrains it: it is like the stream of 
 a river, it may be stopped awhile with a dam, but if nothing be 
 done to dry tlie fountain, it will not be stopped always; it will 
 have a course, either in its old channel, or a new one. Nature is 
 a thing more constant and permanent than any of those things 
 that are the foundation of carnal mens reformation and righte- 
 ousness. When a natural man denies his lusts, and lives a strict. 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 357 
 
 Leligious life, and seems humble, painful, and earnest in reli- 
 gion, it is not natural; it is all a force against nature; as when a 
 stone is violently thrown upwards; but that force will be gradually 
 spent, yet nature will remain in its full strength, and so prevails 
 again, and the stone returns downwards. As long as corrupt na- 
 ture is not mortified, but the principle left whole in a man, it is a 
 vain thing to expect that it should not govern. But if the old na- 
 ture be indeed mortified, and a new and heavenly nature infused, 
 then may it well be expected, that men will ivalk in newness of 
 life, and continue to do so to the end of their days. 
 
 The reason of this practical exercise and effect of holy affec- 
 tions, may also be partly seen, from what has been said of that 
 spirit of humility which attends them. Humility is that wherein 
 a spirit of obedience does much consist. A proud spirit is a re- 
 bellious spirit, but an humble spirit is a yieldable, subject, obedi- 
 ential spirit. We see among men, that the servant who is of a 
 haughty spirit, is not apt in every thing to be submissive and 
 obedient to the will of his master; but it is otherwise with that 
 servant who is of a lowly spirit, 
 
 Aad that lamblike, dovelike spirit, that has been spoken of, 
 which accompanies all gracious affections, fulfils (as the apostle 
 observes, Rom. xiii, 8, 9, 10, and Gal. v, 14,) all the duties of 
 the second table of the law; wherein christian practice does very 
 much consist, and wherein the external practice of Christianity 
 chiefly consists. 
 
 And the reason why gracious affections are attended with that 
 strict, universal and constant obedience which has been spokert 
 of, further appears from what has been observed of that tender- 
 ness of spirit which accompanies the affections of true saints, 
 causing in them so quick and lively a sense of pain through the 
 presence of moral evil, and such a dread of the appearance of 
 evil. 
 
 And one great reason why the christian practice which flows 
 from gracious affections, is universal, and constant, and perse- 
 vering, appears from what has been observed of those affections 
 
 themselves, from whence this practice flows, being universal n.x\A 
 
 2 Y 
 
358 TWELFTH SIGN OF 
 
 constant, in all kinds of holy exercises, and towards all objects, 
 and in all circumstances, and at all seasons in a beautiful sym- 
 metry and proportion. 
 
 And much of the reason why holy affections are expressed and 
 manifested in such an earnestness, activity, and engagedncss and 
 perseverance in holy practice, as has been spoken of, appears from 
 what has been observed, of the spiritual appetite and longing after 
 further attainments in religion, which ever more attends true af- 
 fection, and does not decay, but increases as those affections in- 
 crease. 
 
 Thus we see how the tendency of holy affections to such a chris- 
 tian practice, as has been explained, appears from each of those 
 characteristics of holy affection that have been before spoken of. 
 
 And this point may be further illustrated and confirmed, if it be 
 considered, that the holy scriptures do abundantly place sincerity 
 and soundness in religion, in making a full choice of God as our 
 only Lord and portion, forsaking all for him, and in a full deter- 
 mination of the will for God and Christ, on counting the cost; 
 in our heart's closing and complying with the religion of Jesus 
 Christ, with all that belongs to it, embracing it with all its diffi- 
 culties, as it were hating our dearest earthly enjoyments, and even 
 our own lives, for Christ; giving up ourselves, with all that we 
 have, wholly and forever, unto Christ, without keeping back any 
 thing, or making any reserve; or, in one word, in the great duty 
 of self-denial for Christ; or in denying, i. e. as it were, disowning 
 and renouncing ourselves for him, making ourselves nothing that 
 he may be all. See the texts to this purpose referred to in the 
 margin.! Now surely having a heart to forsake all for Christ, 
 
 f Matt. V. 29, 30. Chap. vi. 24. Chap. viii. 19—22. Chap. iv. 18, to 22 
 Chap. X. 37, 38, 39. Chap. xiii. 44, 45, 46. Chap. xvi. 24, 25, 26. Chap, xviii. 
 8, 9. Chap, xix, 21, 27, 28, 29. Luke v. 27, 28. Chap. x. 42. Chap. xii. 33, 
 34. Chap. xiv. 16.— 20, 25—33. Chap. xvi. 13. Acts iv. 34, 35, with Chap. 
 V. 1—11. Rom. vi.3— 8. Gal. ii. 20. Chap. vi. 14. Philip, iil. 7—10. Jam. i. 
 8, 9, 10. Chap. iv. 4. 1 John ii. 15. Rev. xrv. 4. Gen. xxii. 1 — 4. with Heb. xi. 
 8, 9, 10. Gen. xxii. 12, and Heb. xi. 17. Chap. xi. 24—27. Deut. xiii. 6, and 
 Chap, xxxiii. 9. Ruth i. 6—16, with Psal.xlv. 10, 11, and 2 Sam. xv. 19—22'. 
 Psal. Ixxiii. 25, Psal. xvi. 5, 6. Lam. iii. 24. Jer. x. 16. 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 359 
 
 tends to actually forsaking all for him, so far as there is occasion, 
 and we have the trial. And having a heart to deny ourselves for 
 Christ, tends to a denying ourselves indeed, when Christ and self- 
 interest stand in competition. A giving up of ourselves, with all 
 that we have, in our hearts, without making any reserve there, 
 tends to our behaving ours^elv^es universally as his, as subject to 
 his will and devoted to his ends. Our heart's entirely closing with 
 the religion of Jesus, with all that belongs to it, and as attended 
 with all its difficulties, upon a deliberate counting the cost, tends 
 to a universal closing with the same in act and deed, and actually 
 going through all the difficulties that we meet with in the way of 
 religion, and so holding out with patience and perseverance. 
 
 The tendency of grace in the heart to holy practice, is very direct, 
 and the connexion most natural, close, and necessary. True grace 
 is not an unactive thing; there is nothing in heaven or earth of a 
 more active nature; for it is life itself, and the most active kind of 
 life, even spiritual and divine life. It is no barren thing; there is 
 nothing in the universe that in its nature has a greater tendency 
 to fruit. Godliness in the heart has as direct a relation to prac- 
 tice, as a fountain has to a stream, or as the luminous nature of 
 the sun has to beams sent forth, or as life has to breathing, or the 
 beating of the pulse, or any other vital act; or as a habit or prin- 
 , ciple of action has to action; for it is the very nature and notion 
 I of grace, that is a principle of holy action or practice. Regene- 
 , ration, which is that work of God in which grace is infused, has 
 I a direct relation to practice; for it is the very end of it, with a 
 view to which the whole work is wrought; all is calculated and 
 framed, in this mighty and manifold change wrought in the soul, 
 so as directly to tend to this end. Eph. ii. 10, " For we are his 
 workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works," Yea it 
 is the very end of the redemption of Christ, Tit. ii. 14, " Who 
 gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and 
 purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.'" 
 Eph. i, " According as he hath chosen us in him, before the founda- 
 tion of the world, that Ave should be holy, and without blame be- 
 fore him in love." Chap, ii. 10, "Created unto good works. 
 
d60 tWELFTH SIGN OF 
 
 which God hath foreordained that we should walk in them.'"' 
 Holv practice is as much the end of all that God does about his 
 ^saints, as fruit is the end of all the husbandman does about the 
 growth of his field or vineyard; as the matter is often represented 
 in scripture, Mat. iii. 10, chapter xiii. 8, 23, 30, 38, chapter xxi, 
 19, 33, 34. Luke xiii. 6. John xv. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8. 1 Cor. iii. 
 9. Heb. vi. 7, 8. Isa. v. 1—8. Cant. viii. 11, 12. Isa. xxvii.2, 
 S.f And therefore every thing in a true Christian is calculated 
 to reach this end. This fruit of holy practice is what every grace, 
 and every discovery, and every individual thing which belongs to 
 christian experience, has a direct tendency to.| 
 
 ■|- " To profess to know much is easy; but to bring your affections into sub- 
 jection, to wrestle with lusts, to cross your wills and yourselves, upon every 
 occasion, this is hard. The Lord looketh that in our lives we should be ser- 
 viceable to him, and useful to men. That which is vvit:iin, the Lord and our 
 brethren are never the better for it: but the outward obedience, flowing 
 thence, glorifieth God, and does good to men. The Lord will have this 
 done. What else is the end of our planting and watering, but that the trees 
 may be filled with sap? And what is the end of that sap, but that the trees 
 may bring forth fruit? What careth the husbandman for leaves and barren 
 trees?" Dv. Preston of the Church's Carriage, 
 
 ^ " what is the end of every grace, but to mollify the heart, and make it 
 pliable to some command or other? Look how many commandments, so 
 many graces there are in virtue and efficacy, although not so many several 
 names are given them. The end of every such grace is to make us obedient: 
 as the end of temperance is chastity, to bow the heart to these commands. 
 Be ye sober, &c. not in chambering and wantonness, &c. When the Lord 
 commandeth us not to be angry with our brother, the end of meekness, and 
 why the Lord infuseth it, is to keep usfrom unadvised rash anger. So faith, 
 the end of it is to take Jesus Christ to make us obedient to the command of 
 the gospel, which commands us to believe in him. So as all graces do join to- 
 gether, but to frame and fashion the soul to obedience, then so much obe- 
 dience as in your lives, so much grace in your hearts, and no more. Therefore 
 ask your hearts, how subject you are to the Lord in your lives? It was the 
 counsel that Francis Spira gave to them about him, saith he. Learn all of me 
 to take heed of severing faith and obedience; I taught justification by faith, 
 but neglected obedience; and therefore is this befallen me. I have known 
 some godly men, whose comfort on their death-beds hath been not from the 
 inward acts of their minds, which apart considered, might be subject to 
 iTiisapprehensions, but from the course of obedience in their lives, issuing 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 361 
 
 The constant and indissoluble connexion that there is between 
 a christian principle and profession in the true saints, and the fruit 
 of holy practice in their lives, was typified of old in the frame of 
 the golden candlestick in the temple. It is beyond doubt that 
 that golden candlestick, with its seven branches and seven lamps, 
 was a type of the church of Christ. The Holy Ghost himself has 
 been pleased to put that matter out of doubt, by representing his 
 church by such a golden candlestick, with seven lamps, in the 
 fourth chapter of Zechariah, and representing the seven churches 
 of Asia by seven golden candlesticks, in the first chapter of the 
 Revelation. That golden candlestick in the temple was every 
 where, throughout its Avhole frame, made with knops and flowers, 
 Exod. XXV. 31, to the end, and chapter xxxvii. 17 — 24. The 
 worcl translated knop, in the original, signifies apple or pome- 
 granate. There was a knop and a flower, a knop and a flower: 
 wherever there was a flower, there was an apple or pomegranate 
 with it: the flower and the fruit were constantly connected, with- 
 out fail. The flower contained the principle of the fruit, and a 
 beautiful promising appearance of it; and it never was a deceit- 
 ful appearance; the principle or show of fruit, had evermore real 
 fruit attending it, or succeeding it. So it is in the church of Christ: 
 there is the principle of fruit in grace in the heart: and there is an 
 amiable profession, signified by the open flowers of the candle- 
 stick; and there is answerable fruit, in holy practice, constantly 
 attending this principle and profession. Every branch of the gold- 
 en candlestick, thus composed of golden apples and flowers, was 
 crowned with a burning, shining lamp on the top of it. For it is 
 by this means that the saints shine as lights in the world, by making 
 a fair and good profession of religion, and having their profession 
 evermore joined with answerable fruit in practice: agreeable to 
 that of our Saviour, Matt. v. 15, 16, " Neither do men light a 
 candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and it 
 
 thence. Let Christians look to it, that in all their conversation, as they 
 stand in every relation, as scholars, tradesmen, husbands, wives, look to this, 
 that when they come to die, they have been subject in all things. This will 
 yield comfort." Lr. Preston's Church's Ccrrriage. 
 
S62 TWELFTH SIGN OP 
 
 giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine 
 before men, that they may see your good works, and gloriiy your 
 Father which is in heaven." A fair and beautiful profession, and 
 golden fruits accompanying one another, are the amiable orna- 
 ments of the true church of Christ. Therefore we find that- ap- 
 ples and flowers were not only the ornaments of the candlestick in 
 the temple, but of the temple itself, which is a type of the church; 
 which the apostle tells us " is the temple of the living God," See 
 1 Kings vi. 18, "And the cedar of the bouse within was carved 
 with knops, and open flowers," The ornaments and crown of the 
 pillars, at the entrance of the temple, were of the same sort: they 
 were lilies and pomegranates, or flowers and fruits mixed to- 
 gether, 1 Kings vii. 18, 19, So it is with all those that are " as 
 pillars in the temple of God, who shall go no more out," or never 
 be ejected as intruders; as it is with all true saints, Rev, iii. 12, 
 " Him that overcometh, will I make a pillar in the temple of my 
 God, and he shall go no more out." 
 
 Much the same thing seems to be signified by the ornaments 
 on the skirts of the ephod, the garment of Aaron, the high priest, 
 which were golden bells and pomegranates. That these skirts 
 of Aaron's garment represented the church, or the saints, (that 
 are as it were the garment of Christ) is manifest; for they are evi- 
 dently so spoken of, Psal. cxxxiii. 1,2," Behold how good and 
 how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is 
 like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the 
 beard, even Aaron's beard, that w^ent down fo the skirts of his 
 garments." That ephod of Aaron signified the same with the 
 seamless coat of Christ, our great High Priest. As Christ's coat 
 had no seam, but was woven from the top throughout, so it was 
 with the ephod, Exod. xxix. 22. As God took care in his pro- 
 vidence, that Christ's coat should not be rent; so God took special 
 care that the ephod should not be rent; Exod. xxviii. 32, and 
 chap, xxxix. 23. The golden bells on this ephod, by their pre- 
 cious matter and pleasant sound, do well represent the good pro- 
 fession that the saints make; and the pomegranates, the fruit they 
 bring forth. And as in the hem of the ephod, bells and pome- 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 363 
 
 ^'anates were constantly connected, as is once and again observ- 
 ed, there was a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and 
 a pomegranate, Exod. xxviii. 34, and chap, xxxix. 26, so it is in 
 the true saints; their good profession and their good fruit do con- 
 stantly accompany one another: the fruit they bring forth in life, 
 evermore answers the pleasant sound of their profession. 
 
 Again, the very same thing is represented by Christ, in his de- 
 scription of his spouse. Cant. vii. 2. " Thy belly is like a heap 
 of wheat, set about with lilies." Here again are beautiful flow- 
 ers and good fruit, accompanying one another. The lilies were 
 fair and beautiful flowers, and the wheat was good fruit. 
 
 As this fruit of christian practice is evermore found in true 
 saints, according as they have opportunity and trial, so it is found 
 in them only; none but true Christians do live such an obedient 
 life, so universally devoted to their duty, and given up to the bu- 
 siness of a Christian, as has been explained. All unsanctified 
 men are workers of iniquity: they are of their father the devil, 
 and the lusts of their father they will do. There is no hypocrite 
 that will go through with the business of religion, and both begin 
 and finish the tour. They will not endure the trials God is xvont 
 to bring on the professors of religion, but will turn aside to their 
 crooked ways: they will not be thoroughly faithful to Christ in 
 their practice, and follow him withersoever he goes. Whatever 
 lengths they may go in religion in some instances, and though 
 they may appear exceeding strict, and mightily engaged in the 
 service of God for a season, yet they are servants to sin; the chains 
 of their old task-masters are not broken; their lusts have yet a 
 reigning power in their hearts; and therefore to these masters they 
 will bow down again.f Daniel, xii. 10, " Many shall be puri- 
 
 t " No unregenerate man, though he go never so far, let him do nevei* 
 so much, but he lives in some one sin or other, secret or open, little or great. 
 Judas went far, but he was covetous; Herod went far but he loved his He- 
 rodias. Every dog has hi« kennel; every swine hath his swill ; and every 
 wicked man his lust." Shepard's Sincere Convert, 1st. edition, p. 96. 
 
 " There is never an unsound heart in the world, but as they say of witches 
 they have some familiar tJiat sucks them, so they have some lust that is be- 
 
364 TWELFTH SIGN OF 
 
 fied and made white, and tried: but the wicked will do wickedly, 
 and none of the wicked shall understand." Isa. xxvi. 10, " Let 
 favour be showed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteous- 
 ness; in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly." Isa. xxxv, 
 8, " And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be 
 called the way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it." 
 
 loved of thenis some beloved there is they have given a promise never to 
 forsake. Shepnrd's Parable, Part I. p. 15. 
 
 " No man that is married to the law, but his fig leaves cover some na- 
 kedness. All his duties ever breed some lust. There is some one sin or 
 other the man lives in ; which either the Lord discovers, and he will not 
 part with, as the young man ; or else is so spiritual, he can not see all his 
 life-time. Read through the strictest of all and see this, Matth. xxiii. 
 Painted sepulchres. Paul that was blameless, yet (Eph. ii. 3. Tit. iii. 3.) 
 ' served divers lusts and pleasures.' And the reason is, the law is not the 
 ministration of the Spirit, 2 Cor. iii. 8, 9, which breaks off from every sin ^ 
 There is no law tliat can give life. Gal. iii. '2l. and hence many men have 
 strong resolutions, and break all again. Hence men sin and sorrow, and 
 pray again, and then go with more ease in their sin. Examine thyself, is 
 there any living lust with thy righteousness? It is sure, it is a righteousness 
 thou art married to, and never wert yet matched to Christ." Shepard's Pa- 
 rable, Part I. p. 19. 20. 
 
 " No hypocrite, though hecloseth with Christ, and for a time grow up in 
 knowledge of, and communion with Christ; but he hath at that time hidden 
 lusts and thorns that overgrow his growings, and choke all at last, and in 
 conclusion mediates a league between Christ and his lusts, and seeks to re- 
 concile them together." Shepard's Parable, Part 1. p. 109. 
 
 " — Their faith is in such a party, as never was vet thoroughly rent from 
 sin. And here is the great wound of the most cunning hypocrite's living. — 
 Let a man be cast down as low as hell with sorrow, and lie under chains, 
 quaking in apprehension of terror to come, let a man then be raised up to 
 heaven in joy, not abla to live, let a man reform and shine like an earthly 
 angel; yet if not rent from lust, that either you did never see it, or if so, 
 you have not followed the Lord to remove it, but proud, dogged, worldly 
 sluggish still, false in your dealings, cunning in your tradings, devils in your 
 families, images in your churches; you are objects of pity now, and shall be 
 of terror at the great day. For where sin remains in power, it will bring 
 faith and Christ and joy into bondage and service of itself." Shepard's 
 Parable, Part I. p. 125. 
 
 "Methinks it is with the best hypocrites, as it is with divers old merchants: 
 they prize and desire the gain of merchandize; but to be at the trouble of 
 preparing the ship, to put themselves upon the hazards and dangers of the 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS, 36$^ 
 
 Hos. xiv. 9, " The ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall 
 walk in them: but the transgressor shall fall therein." Job xxii. 
 8, 9, 10, " What is the hope of the hypocrite? Will he delight 
 himself in the Almighty? Will he always call upon God?" An 
 unsanctified man may hide his sin, and may in many things, and 
 for a season, refrain from sin; but he will not be brought finally to 
 renounce his sin, and give it a bill of divorce: sin is too dear to him, 
 for him to be willing for that: " Wickedness is sweet in his 
 mouth; and therefore he hides it under his tongue; he spares it, 
 and forsakes it not; but keeps it still within his mouth," Job xx, 
 12, 13. Herein chiefly consists the straightness of the gate, and 
 
 sliip, to go and fetcli the treasures that they prize, this tliey will never do. 
 So many prize and desire earnestly the treasures of heaven; but to be at 
 the trouble of a heaven voyage to fetch this treasure, to pass through the 
 valley of Bacca, tears, temptations, the powers of darkness, the breaches, 
 oppositions, and contradictions of a sinful and unbelieving heart, good and 
 evil report; to pass from one depth and wave to another, this the best 
 hypocrite fails in; and hence loses all at last. And this I conceive to be 
 one of the great differences between the strong desires and esteems of hy- 
 pocrites and saints. — Look, as it is with men that have two trades, or two 
 sliops; one is as much as ever they can follow or tend; they are forced at last 
 to put off one, and they mu.st neglect one; so here.— That spirit of sloth and 
 slumber which the Lord ever leaves the best hypocrite to, so mightily op- 
 presseth all their senses, that they can not use effectually all means to ac- 
 complish their ends. And hence a man desires the end but has it not; 
 I'rov. xiii. 4." Shepard's Parable, Part \. p. 150, 151. 
 
 '' Head through all the scripture; constantly, never any hypocrites but 
 ihey had this brand, Matth. vii. 23. 'You workers of iniquity.' " Shepard^s 
 Parable, Part L p. 195. 
 
 " A carnal man may hit upon some good duty that God commands, and re- 
 frain from some sin that God forbids: but to go through he can not; to take up 
 reproach and disgrace, to lose his credit, to forsake his friends, lo lose honour 
 and riches and pleasures; this he will not do until hebe humbled." Br. Pres- 
 ton on Paitl'n Conversion. 
 
 " So it is with men because they want humiliation. Therefore their pro- 
 fession and they do not continue, but part willmgly one from another. Tiiey 
 will do some things, but not all things; and tiiey will forego some things, but 
 not all things. And therefore our Saviour sailh, Luke, xiv. ' He that will 
 not forsake all for my sake is not worthy of me.' Me is not worth the saving 
 that prizes not me above all things whatsoever. And a man will not priae 
 'Christ, nor forsake all things for Christ, until he be humbled." Ibid. 
 
 2 7. 
 
366 TWELFTH SIGN OF 
 
 the narrowness of the way that leads to life: upon the account oi' 
 which, carnal men will not go in thereat, viz. that it is a way of 
 utterly denying and finally renouncing all ungodliness, and so a 
 way of self-denial or self-renunciation. 
 
 Many natural men, under the means that are used with them, 
 and God's strivings with them to bring them to forsake their sins, 
 do by their sins as Pharaoh did by his pride and covetousness, 
 which he gratified by keeping the children of Israel in bondage, 
 when God strove with him, to bring him to let the people go. 
 When God's hand pressed Pharaoh sore, and he was exercised 
 with fears of God's future wrath, he entertained some thoughts of 
 letting the people go, and promised he would do it; but from time 
 to time he broke his promises, when he saw there was respite. 
 When God filled Egypt with thunder and lightning, and the fire 
 ran along the ground, then Pharaoh is brought to confess his sin 
 with seeming humility, and to have a great resolution to let the 
 people go, Exod. ix. 27, 28, " And Pharaoh sent, and called for 
 Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: 
 the Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wicked: entreat 
 the Lord (for it is enough) that there be no more mighty thun- 
 derings and hail; and I will let you go, and ye shall stay no 
 longer." So sinners are sometimes by thunders and lightnings, 
 and great terrors of the law, brought to a seeming work of hu- 
 miliation, and to appearance to part with their sins; but are no 
 more thoroughly brought to a disposition to dismiss them, than 
 Pharaoh was to let the people go. Pharaoh in the struggle that 
 was between his conscience and his lusts, was for contriving that 
 God might be served, and he enjoy his lusts that were gratified by 
 the slavery of the people. Moses insisted that Israel's God should 
 be served and sacrificed to: Pharaoh was willing to consent to 
 that; but would have it done without his parting with the people; 
 " Go sacrifice to your God in the land," says he, Exod. viii. 25. 
 So, many sinners are for contriving to serve God, and enjoy their 
 lusts too. Moses objected against complying with Pharaoh's pro- 
 posal, that serving God, and yet continuing in Egypt under their 
 taskmasters, did not agree together, and were inconsistent one witli 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 367 
 
 another; (there is no serving God, and continuing slaves to such 
 enemies of God at the same time.) After this Pharaoh consented 
 to let the people go, provided they would not go far away: he was 
 not willing to part with them Hnally, and therefore would have 
 them within reach. So do many hypocrites with respect to their 
 sins. Afterwards Pharaoh consented to let the men go, if they 
 would leave the women and children, Exod. x. 8, 9, 10. And 
 then after that, when God's hand was yet harder upon him, he 
 consented they should go, even women and children, as well as 
 men, provided they would leave their cattle behind? But he was 
 not willing to let them go, and all that they had, Exod. x. 24. 
 So it oftentimes is with sinners; they are willing to part with some 
 of their sins, but not all; they are brought to part with the more 
 gross acts of sin, but not to part with their lusts, in lesser indul- 
 gencies of them. Whereas we must part with all our sins, little 
 and great; and all that belongs to them, men, women, children, 
 and cattle; they must be let go, with " their young, and with 
 their old, with their sons, and with their daughters, with 
 their flocks, and with their herds, there must not be an hoof 
 left behind;" as Moses told Pharaoh, with respect to the 
 children of Israel. At last, when it came to extremity, Pharaoh 
 consented to let the people all go, and all that they had; but 
 he was not steadfastly of that mind, he soon repented and pursued 
 after them again, and the reason was, that those lusts of pride 
 and covetousness, that were gratified by Pharaoh's dominion over 
 the people, and the gains of his service, were never really mortified 
 in him, but only violently restrained. And thus, being guilty of 
 backsliding, after his seeming compliance with God's commands, 
 he was destroyed without remedy. Thus there may be a forced 
 parting with ways of disobedience to the commands of God, that 
 may seem to be universal, as to what appears for a little season; 
 but because it is a mere force, without the mortification of the 
 inward principle of sin, they will not persevere in it; but will re- 
 turn as the dog to his vomit; and so bring on themselves dreadful 
 and remediless destruction. There were many false disciples in 
 Christ's time, that followed him for awhile; but none of them fol- 
 
368 TWELFTH SIGN OF 
 
 lowed him to the end; but some on one occasion, and some on 
 another, went back and walked no more with him.f 
 
 From what has been said, it is manifest, that christian practice, 
 or a holy life, is a great and distinguishing sign of true and saving 
 grace. But I may go farther, and assert, that it is the chief of 
 all the signs of grace, both as an evidence of the sincerity of pro- 
 fessors unto others, and also to their own consciences. 
 
 But then it is necessary that this be rightly taken, and that it 
 
 ■}■ " The counterfeit and common grace of foolish virgins, after some time 
 of glorious profession, will certainly go out and be quite spent. It consumes 
 in the using, and shining, and burning. — Men that have been most forward, 
 decay; their gifts decay, life decays. It is so, aftei* some time of profession : 
 for at first, it rather grows than decays and withers; but afterwards they 
 have enough of it, it withers and dies. The Spirit of God comes upon many 
 hypocrites, in abundant and plentiful measure of awakening grace: it comes 
 upon them, as it did upon Balaam, and as it is in overflowing waters, which 
 spread far, and grow very deep, and fill many empty places. Though it 
 doth come upon ihem so yet it doth never rest within, so as to dwell there, 
 
 to take up an eternal mansion for himself- Hence it doth decay by little 
 
 and little, until at last it is quite gone. As ponds filled with rain water, 
 which comes upon them; not spring water, that riseth up within them; it 
 dries up by little and little, until quite dry." SheparcVs Parable, Part II, 
 p. 58, 59. 
 
 " Some men may apprehend Christ, neither out of fear of misery, nor 
 only to preserve some sin; but God lets in light and heat of the blessed 
 beams of the glorious gospel of the Son of God; and therefore there is 
 mercy, rich, free, sweet, for damned, great, vile sinners: good Lord, saith 
 the soul, what a sweet ministrj-, word, God, and gospel is this! and there 
 rests. This was the frame of the stony ground; which heard tiie word, and 
 received it with joy, and for a time believed. And this is the case of thou- 
 sands, that are much affected with the promise and mercy of Christ, and 
 hang upon free grace for a time; but as it is with sweet smells in a room, 
 they continue not long; or as flowers, they grow old and withered, and then 
 fall. In time of temptation, lust, and world, and sloth is more sweet than 
 Christ, and all his gospel is." Ibid. Part II. p. 168. 
 
 "Never any carnal heai't,but some root of bitterness did grow up at last 
 in this soil." Ibid. Part L p. 195. 
 
 *• We shall see in experience; take the be.st professors living; though they 
 may come, as they and others judged, to the Lord, and follow the Lord; yet 
 they will in time depart. Tiie Spirit never was given effectually to draw 
 them; nor yet to beep them." Ibid. Part I. p. 205, 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 369 
 
 be well understood and observed, in what sense and manner 
 christian practice is the greatest sign of grace. Therefore to set 
 this matter in a clear light, I will endeavour particularly and dis- 
 tinctly to prove, that christian practice is the principal sign by 
 "ivhich Christians are to judge, both of their own and others' sin- 
 cerity and godliness; withal observing some things that are need- 
 ful to be particularly noted, in order to a right understanding of 
 this matter. 
 
 1. I shall consider christian practice, and an holy life, as a 
 manifestation and sign of the sincerity of a professing Christian, 
 to the eye of his neighbours and brethren. 
 
 And that this is the chief sign of grace in this respect, is very 
 evident from the word of God. Christ, who knew best how to 
 give us rules to judge of others, has repeated it and inculcated it, 
 that we should know them by their fruits, Matth. vii. 16, " Ye 
 shall know them by their fruits." And then, after arguing the 
 point, and giving clear reasons why it must needs be, that mens 
 fruits must be the chief evidence of what sort they are, in the fol- 
 lowing verses, he closes by repeating the assertion, verse 20, 
 " Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." Again, chap, 
 xii. 33, " Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else 
 make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt." As much as to 
 say, it is a very absurd thing, for any to suppose that the tree is 
 good and yet the fruit bad, that the tree is of one sort, and the 
 fruit of another; for the proper evidence of the nature of the tree 
 is its fruit. Nothing else can be intended by that last clause in 
 the verse, " For the tree is known by its fruit," than that the 
 tree is chiefly known by its fruit, that this is the main and most 
 proper diagnostic by which one tree is distinguished from an- 
 other. So Luke vi. 44, " Every tree is known by his own 
 fruit." Christ no where says, Ye shall know the tree by its 
 leaves or flowers, or ye shall know men by their talk, or ye shall 
 know them by the good story they tell of their experiences, or ye 
 shall know them by the manner and air of their speaking, and 
 emphasis and pathos of expression, or by their speaking feel- 
 JMgly, or by making a very great show by abundance of talk, or 
 
370 TWELFTH SIGN OF 
 
 by many tears and affectionate expressions, or by the affections 
 ve feel in your hearts towards them; but by their fruits shall 
 ye know them; the tree is known by its fruit; every tree is 
 known by its own fruit. And as this is the evidence that 
 Christ has directed us mainly to look at in others, in judging 
 of tbem, so it is the evidence that Christ has mainly directed 
 us to give to others, whereby they may judge of us, Matth. 
 V. 16, " Let your light so shine before men, that others see- 
 ing your good works, may glorify your Father which is in 
 heaven." Here Christ directs us to manifest our godliness to 
 others. Godliness is as it were a light that shines in the soul. 
 Christ directs that this light not only shine within, but that it 
 should shine out before men, thai they may see it. But which 
 way shall this be? It is by our good works. Christ doth not say, 
 that others hearing your good works, your good story, or your pa- 
 thetical expressions; but " that others, seeing your good works, 
 may glorify your Father which is in heaven." Doubtless, when 
 Christ gives us a rule how to make our light shine, that others 
 may have evidence of it, his rule is the best that is to be found. 
 And the apostles do mention christian practice as the principal 
 ground of their esteem of persons as true Christians. As the 
 apostle Paul, in the 6th chapter of Hebrews. There the apostle, 
 in the beginning of the chapter, speaks of them that have great 
 common illuminations, that have " been enlightened, and have 
 tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy 
 Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of 
 the world to come, that afterwards fall away, and are like bar- 
 ren ground, that is nigh unto cursing, whose end is to be burned;" 
 and then immediately adds in the 9th verse (expressing his cha- 
 rity for the Christian Hebrews, as having that saving grace, 
 which is better than all these common illuminations) " but be- 
 loved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that ac- 
 company salvation, though we thus speak." And then, in the 
 next verse, he tells them what was the reason he had such good 
 thoughts of them: he does not say that it was because they had 
 given him a good account of a work of God upon their souls, and 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 371 
 
 talked very experimentally; but it was their work and labour of 
 love; " for God is not unrighteous, to forget your work and la- 
 bour of love, which ye have showed towards his name, in that ye 
 have ministered to the saints, and do minister." And the same 
 apostle speaks of a faithful serving of God in practice, as the pro- 
 per proof to others of mens loving Christ above all, and pre- 
 ferring his honour to their private interest; Phil. ii. 21,22, 
 " For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's; 
 but ye know the proof of him, that as a son with the Father, he 
 hath served with me in the gospel." So the apostle John ex- 
 presses the same, as the ground of his good opinion of Gaius, 
 3 John 3 — 6, " For I rejoiced greatly when the brethren came 
 and testified of the truth that is in thee." But how did the bre- 
 thren testify of the truth that was in Gaius? And how did the 
 apostle judge of the truth that was in him? It was not because 
 they testified that he had given them a good account of the steps 
 of his experiences, and talked like one that ftit what he said, and 
 had the very language of a Christian: but they testified, " that 
 he walked in the truth; as it follows, even as thou walkest in the 
 truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk 
 in the truth. Beloved, thou dost faithfully whatsoever thou dost 
 to the brethren and to strangers; which have borne witness of thy 
 charity before the church." Thus the apostle explains what the 
 brethren had borne witness of, when they came and testified of 
 his walking in the truth. And the apostle seems in this same 
 place, to give it as a rule to Gaius how he should judge of others; 
 in verse 10, he mentions one Diotrephes, that did not carry him- 
 self well, and led away others after him; and then in the 11th 
 verse, he directs Gaius to beware of such, and not to follow 
 them; and gives him a rule whereby he may know them, exactly 
 agreeable to that rule Christ had given before, " by their fruits 
 ye shall know them;" says the apostle, " beloved, follow not that 
 which is evil, but that which is good. He that doth good, is of 
 God; but he that doth evil, hath not seen God." And I would 
 further observe, that the apostle James, expressly comparing 
 that way of showing others our faith and Christianity by our 
 
372 TWELFTH SIGN OP 
 
 practice or works, with other ways of showing our faith without 
 works, or not by works, does plainly and abundantly prefer the 
 former; James ii. 18, " Yea, a man may say, thou hast faith, 
 and I have works; show me thy faith without thy , works, and I 
 will show thee my faith by my works." A manifestation of our 
 faith without works, or in a way diverse from works, is a mani- 
 festation of it in words, whereby a man professes faith. As the 
 apostle says, verse 14, " What doth it profit, my brethren, though 
 a man may sjiy he hath faith?" Therefore here are two ways of 
 manifesting to our neighbour what is in our hearts; one by what 
 we say, and the other by what we do. But the apostle abun- 
 dantly prefers the latter as the best evidence. Now certainly all 
 accounts we give of ourselves in words, our saying that we have 
 faith, and that we are converted, and telling the manner how we 
 came to have faith, and the steps by which it was wrought, and 
 the discoveries and experiences that accompany it, are still but 
 manifesting our faith by what we say; it is but showing our faith 
 by our words; which the apostle speaks of as falling vastly short 
 of manifesting of it by what we do, and showing our faith by our 
 works. 
 
 And as the scripture plainly teaches, that practice is the best 
 evidence of the sincerity of professing Christians; so reason teach- 
 es the same thing. Reason shows, that mens deeds are better and 
 more faithful interpreters of their minds, than their words. The 
 common sense of all mankind, through all ages and nations, teach- 
 es them to judge of mens hearts chiefly by their practice, in other 
 matters; as, whether a man be a loyal subject, a true lover, a du- 
 tiful child, or a faithful servant. If a man profess a great deal of 
 love and friendship to another, reason teaches all men, that such 
 a profession is not so great an evidence of his being a real and 
 hearty friend, as his appearing a friend in deeds; being faithful 
 and constant to his friend in prosperity and adversity, ready to lay 
 out himself, and deny himself, and suffer in his personal interest, 
 to do him a kindness. A wise man will trust to such evidences 
 of the sincerity of friendship, further than a thousand earnest pro- 
 fessions and solemn declarations, and most affectionate expressions 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 378 
 
 #f friendship in words. And there is equal reasoo, why practice 
 should also be looked upon as the best evidence of friendship to- 
 wards Christ. Reason says the same that Christ said, in John 
 xiv. 21, " He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, 
 he it is that loveth me." Thus if we see a man, who in the course 
 of his life seems to follow and imitate Christ, and greatly to ex- 
 ert and deny himself for the honour of Christ, and to promote his 
 kingdom and interest in the world; reason teaches, that this is an 
 evidence of love to Christ, more to be depended on, than if a man 
 only says he has love to Christ, and tells of the inward experiences 
 he has had of love to him, what strong love he felt, and how his 
 heart was drawn out in love at such and such a time, when it may 
 be there appears but little imitation of Christ in his behaviour, 
 and he seems backward to do any greater matter for him, or to 
 put himself out of his way for the promoting of his kingdom, but 
 seems to be apt to excuse himself, whenever he is called to deny 
 himself for Christ. So if a man, in declaring his experiences, tells 
 how he found his heart weaned from the world, and saw the vanity 
 of it, so that all looked as nothing to him, at such and such times, 
 and professes that he gives up all to God, and calls heaven and 
 earth to witness to it; but yet in his practice is violent in pursuing 
 the world, and what he gets he keeps close, is exceeding loath to 
 part with much of it to charitable and pious uses, it comes from 
 him almost like his heart's blood. But there is another profess- 
 ing Christian, that says not a great deal, yet in his behaviour ap- 
 pears ready at all times to forsake the world, whenever it stands 
 in the way of his duty, and is free to part with it at any time, to 
 promote religion and the good of his fellow creatures. Reason 
 teaches that the latter gives far the most credible manifestation of 
 a heart weaned from the world. And if a man appears to walk 
 humbly before God and men, and to be of a conversation that 
 savours of a broken heart, appearing patient and resigned to God 
 under affliction, and meek in his behaviour amongst men; this 
 is a better evidence of humiliation, than if a person only tells 
 how great a sense he had of his own unworthiness, how he was 
 brought to lie in the dust, and was quite emptied of himself, and 
 3a 
 
874 TWELFTH SIGN OF' 
 
 see himself nothing and all over filthy and abominahIc,.&c. ike. 
 but yet acts as if he looked upon himself one of the first and best of 
 saints, and by just right the head of all the Christians in the town, 
 and is assuming, self-willed, and impatient of the least contradic- 
 tion or opposition; we may be assured in such a case, that a man's 
 practice comes from a lower place in his heart than his profes- 
 sion. So (to mention no more instances) if a professor of Chris- 
 tianity manifests in his behaviour a pitiful tender spirit towards 
 others in calamity, ready to bear their burdens with them, Avilling 
 to spend his substance for them, and to suffer many inconveniences 
 in his worldly interest to promote the good of others' souls and 
 bodies; is not this a more credible manifestation of a spirit of love 
 to men, than only a man's telling what love he felt to others at 
 certain times, how he pitied their souls, how his soul was in travail 
 for them, and how he felt a heart}' love and pity to his enemies; 
 when in his behaviour he seems to be of a very selfish spirit, close 
 and niggardly, all for himself, and none for his neighbours, and 
 perhaps envious and contentious? Persons in a pang of affection 
 may think they have a willingness of heart for great things, to do 
 much and to suffer much, and so may profess it very earnestly and 
 confidently, when really their hearts are far from it. Thus many 
 in their affectionate pangs, have thought themselves willing to be 
 damned eternally for the glory of God. Passing affections easily 
 produce words; and words are cheap; and godliness is more easily 
 feigned in words than in actions. Christian practice is a costly, 
 laborious thing. The self-denial that is required of Christians, 
 and the narrowness of the way that leads to life, does not consist 
 in words, but in practice. Hypocrites may much more easily be 
 brought to talk like saints, than to act like saints. 
 
 Thus it is plain, that christian practice is the best sign or mani- 
 festation of the true godliness of a professing Christian, to the eye 
 of his neighbours. 
 
 But then the following thing should be well observed, that this 
 matter may be rightly understood. 
 
 First, it must be observed, that when the scripture speaks of 
 christian practice, as the best evidence to otiiers. of sincerity and 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 375 
 
 ITUth of grace, a profession of Christianity is not excluded, but 
 supposed. The rules mentioned, were rules given to the follow- 
 ers of Christ, to guide them in their thoughts of professing Chris- 
 tians, and those that offered themselves as some of their society, 
 whereby they might judge of the truth of their pretences, and the 
 sincerity of the profession they made; and not for the trial of 
 heathens, or those that made no pretence to Christianity, and that 
 Christians had nothing to do with. This is as plain as is possible 
 in tliat great rule which Christ gives in the 7th of Matthew, " By 
 their fruits ye shall know them." He there gives a rule how to 
 judge of those that professed to be Christians, yea that made a 
 very high profession, false prophets, "who come in sheep's cloth- 
 ing," as ver. 15. So it is also with that of the apostle James, 
 chapter ii. 18, " Show me thy faith without thy works, and I will 
 show thee my faith by my works." It is evident, that both these 
 sorts of persons, offering to give these diverse evidences of their 
 faith, are professors of faith: this is implied in their offering each 
 of them to give evidences of the faith they professed. And it is 
 evident by the preceding verses, that the apostle is speaking of 
 professors of faith in Jesus Christ. So it is very plain, that the 
 apostle John, in those passages that have been observed in his 
 third epistle, is speaking of professing Christians. Though in these 
 rules, the christian practice of professors be spoken of as the great- 
 est and most distinguishing sign of their sincerity in their profes- 
 sion, much more evidential than their profession itself; yet a pro- 
 fession of Christianity is plainly presupposed: it is not the main 
 thing in the evidence, nor any thing distinguishing in it; yet it is 
 a thing requisite and necessaiy in it. As the having an animal 
 body, is not any thing distinguishing of a man from other crea- 
 Uu'es, and is not the main thing in the evidence of human nature, 
 yet it is a thing requisite and necessary in the evidence. So that 
 if any man should say plainly that he was not a Christian, and did 
 Hot believe that Jesus was the Son of God, or a person sent of 
 God; these rules of Christ and his apostles do not at all oblige us 
 to look upon him as a sincere Christian, let his visible practice 
 and virtues be what they will. And not only do these rules tal?e 
 
olii tWELFTH SIGN OF 
 
 no place with respect to a man that explicitly denies Christianity, 
 and is a professed Deist, Jew, Heathen, or open Infidel; but also 
 with respect to a man that only forbears to make a profession of 
 Christianity; because these rules were given us to judge of pro- 
 fessing Christians only: fruits must be joined with open flowers; 
 bells and pomegranates go together. 
 
 But here will naturally arise this inquiry, viz. when may a 
 man be said to profess Christianity, or what profession may pro- 
 perly be called a profession of Christianity? 
 
 I answer in two things. 
 
 I . In order to a man's being properly said to make a profes- 
 sion of Christianity, there must undoubtedly be a profession of all 
 that is necessary to his being a Christian, or of so much as be- 
 longs to the essence of Christianity. Whatsoever is essential in 
 Christianity itself, the profession of that is essential in the profes- 
 sion of Christianity. The profession must be of the thing pro- 
 fessed. For a man to profess Christianity, is for him to declare 
 that he has it. And therefore so much as belongs to a thing, so as 
 to be necessary in order to its being truly denominated that thing; 
 so much is essential to the declaration of that thing, in order to 
 its being truly denominated a declaration of that thing. If we 
 take only a part of Christianity, and leave out a part that is es- 
 sential to it, what we take is not Christianity; because something 
 that is of the essence of it is wanting. So if we profess only a 
 part, and leave out a part that is essential, that which we profess 
 is not Christianity. Thus, in order to a profession of Christianity, 
 we must profess that we believe that Jesus is the Messiah; for 
 this reason, because such a belief is essential to Christianity. And 
 so we must profess, either expressly or implicitly, that Jesus sat- 
 isfied for our sins, and other essential doctrines of the gospel, be- 
 cause a belief of these things also is essential to Christianity. But 
 there are other things as essential to religion as an orthodox be- 
 lief; which it is therefore as necessary that we should profess, in 
 order to our being truly said to profess Christianity. Thus it is 
 essential to Christianity that we repent of our sins, that we be con- 
 vinced of our own sinfulness, and that we are sensible we have 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. STi 
 
 justly exposed ourselves to God's wrath, and that our hearts do re- 
 nounce all sin, and that we do with our whole hearts embrace Christ 
 as our only Saviour; and that we love him above all, and are willing 
 for his sake to forsake all, and that we do give up ourselves to be 
 entirely and forever his, &.c. Such things as these do as mucb 
 belong to the essence of Christianit}-, as the belief of any of the 
 doctrines of the gospel: and therefore the profession of them does 
 as much belong to a christian profession. Not that in order to a 
 being professing Christians, it is necessary that there should be an 
 explicit profession of every individual thing that belongs to chris- 
 tian grace or virtue: but certainly there must be a profession, 
 either express or implicit, of what is of the essence of religion. 
 And as to those things that Christians should express in their pro- 
 fession, we ought to be guided by the precepts of God's word, or 
 by scripture examples of public professions of religion, God's peo- 
 ple have made from time to time. Thus they ought to profess 
 their repentance of sin: as of old, when persons were initiated as 
 professors, they came confessing their sins, manifesting their hu- 
 miliation for sin. Matt. iii. 6. And the baptism they were bap- 
 tized with, was called the baptism of repentance, Mark i. 3. And 
 John, when he had baptized them, exhorted them to bring forth 
 ■fruits meet for repentance. Matt. iii. 8; i. e. agreeable to that re- 
 pentance which they had professed; encouraging them that if they 
 did so, they should escape the wrath to come, and be gathered as 
 wheat into God's garner. Matt. iii. 7, 8, 9, 10, 12. So the apos- 
 tle Peter says to the Jews, Acts. ii. 38, " Repent, and be bap- 
 tized:" which shows that repentance is a qualification that must 
 be visible in order to baptism; and therefore ought to be publicly 
 professed. So when the Jews that returned from captivity, en- 
 tered publicly into covenant, it was with confession, or public 
 confession of repentance of their sins, Neh. ix. 2. This profession 
 of repentance should include or imply a confession of conviction, 
 that God would be just in our damnation: see Neh. ix. 33, to- 
 gether with verse 35, and the beginning of the next chapter. 
 They should profess their faith in Jesus Christ, and that they em- 
 brace Christ, and rely upon him as their Saviour, with their 
 
378 TWELFTH SIGN OF 
 
 whole hearts, and that they do joyfully entertain the gospel of 
 Christ. Thus Philip, in order to baptizing the eunuch, required 
 that he should profess that he believed with all his heart: and they 
 that were received as visible Christians, at that great outpouring 
 of the Spirit, which began at the day of Pentecost, appeared glad- 
 ly to receive the gospel. Acts ii. 41, " Then they that gladly re- 
 ceived the word, were baptized: and the same day there were add- 
 ed unto them about three thousand souls." They should pro- 
 fess that they rely on Christ's righteousness only, and strength; 
 and that they are devoted to him, as their only Lord and Saviour, 
 and that they rejoice in him as their only righteousness and j^or- 
 tioni It is -foretold, that all nations shall be brought publicly to 
 make this profession, Isa. xlv. 32, to the end: " Look unto me, 
 and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there 
 is none else. I have sworn by myself; the word is gone out of 
 my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that unto me 
 every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. Surely shall 
 one say. In the Lord have I righteousness and strength; even to 
 him shall men come, and all that are incensed against him shall 
 be ashamed. In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, 
 and shall glory." They shall profess to give up themselves entire- 
 ly to Christ, and to God through him; as the children of Israel, 
 when they publicly recognized their covenant with God, Deut. 
 xxvi. 17, " Thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God, 
 and to walk in his ways, and to keep his statutes, and his com- 
 mandments, and his judgments, and to hearken unto his voice." 
 They ought to profess a willingness of heart to embrace religion 
 with all its difficulties, and to walk in a way of obedience to God 
 universally and perseveringly, Exod. xix. 8, and xxiv. 3, 7, Deut, 
 xxvi. 16, 17, 18, 2 Kings xxiii. 3, Neh. x. 28, 29, Psal. cxix. 
 57, 106. They ought to profess that all their hearts and souls 
 are in these engagements to be the Lord's, and for ever to serve 
 him, 2 Chron. xv. 12, 13, 14. God's people swearing to God, 
 and swearing by his name, or to his name, as it might be render- 
 ed, (by which seems to be signified their solemnly giving up them- 
 selves to him in covenant, and vowing to receive him as their 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 379 
 
 God, and to be entirely his, to obey and serve him) is spoken of 
 as a duty to be performed by all God's visible Israel, Deut. vi. 
 13, and x. 20, Psal. Ixiii, 11, Isa. xix. 18,''chap. xlv. 23, 24, 
 compared with Rom. xiv. 11, and Phil, ii, 10, 11, Isa. xlviii. 1, 
 2, and Ixv. 15, 16, Jer. iv. 2, and v. 7, and xii. 16, Hos. iv. 15, 
 and X. 4. Therefore, in order to persons' being entitled to full 
 esteem and charity with their neighbours, as being sincere pro- 
 fessors of Christianity; by those forementioned rules of Christ and 
 his apostles, there must be a visibly holy life, with a profession, 
 or plainly implying such things as those which have been now 
 mentioned. We are to know them by their fruits, that is, we are 
 by their fruits to know whether they be what they proftss to be; 
 not that we are to know by their fruits, that they have something 
 in them, they do not so much as pretend to. 
 
 And moreover, 
 
 2. That profession of these things, which is properly called a 
 christian profession, and which must be joined with christian 
 practice, in order to persons being entitled to the benefit of those 
 rules, must be made (as to what appears) understandingly: that 
 is, they must be persons that appear to have been so far instructed 
 in the principles of religion, as to be in an ordinary capacity to 
 understand the proper import of what is expressed in their pro- 
 fession. For sounds are no significations or declarations 6f any 
 thing, any further than men understand the meaning of their own 
 sounds. 
 
 But in order to persons making a proper profession of Christi- 
 anity, such as the scripture directs to, and such as the followers of 
 Christ should require, in order to the acceptance of the professors 
 with full charity, as of their society; it is not necessary they 
 should give an account of the particular steps and method, bv 
 which the Holy Spirit, sensibly to them, wrought and brought 
 about those great essential things of Christianity in their hearts. 
 There is no footstep in the scripture of any such way of the apostles, 
 or primitive ministers and Christians, requiring any such relation, 
 in order to their receiving and treating others as their christian 
 brethren, to all intents and purposes, or of their first examining 
 
380 rVt^ELFTH SIGN OF 
 
 them, concerning the particular method and order of their expe- 
 riences. They required of them a profession of the things wrought; 
 but no account of the manner of working was required of them. 
 Nor is there the least shadow in the scripture of any such cus- 
 tom in the church of God, from Adam to the death of the apostle 
 John. 
 
 I am far from saying, that it is not requisite that persons should 
 give any sort of account of their experiences to their brethren. 
 For persons to profess those things wherein the essence of Christi- 
 anity lies, is the same thing as to profess that they experience 
 those things. Thus for persons solemnly to profess, that, in a 
 full conviction of their own utter sinfulness, misery, and impo- 
 tence, and totally undone state as in themselves, and their just 
 desert of God's utter rejection and eternal wrath, and the utter 
 insufficiency of their own righteousness, or any thing in them, to 
 satisfy divine justice, or recommend them to God's favour, they 
 do entirely depend on the Lord Jesus Christ, and his satisfaction 
 and righteousness; that they do with all their hearts believe the 
 truth of the gospel of Christ; and that in a full conviction of his 
 sufficiency and perfect excellency as a Saviour, as exhibited in the 
 gospel, they do with their whole souls cleave to him, and acqui- 
 ^ce in him, as the refuge and rest of their souls, and fountain of 
 their comfort; that they repent of their sins, and utterly renounce 
 all sin, and give up themselves wholly to Christ, willingly sub- 
 jecting themselves to him as their King; that they give him their 
 hearts and their whole man; and are willing and resolved to have 
 God for their whole and everlasting portion; and in a dependence 
 on his promises of a future eternal enjoyment of him in heaven, 
 to renounce all the enjoyments of this vain world, selling all for 
 this great treasure and future inheritance, and to comply with every 
 command of God, even the most difficult and self-denying, and 
 devote their whole lives to God's service; and that in forgiveness 
 of those that have injured them, and a general benevolence t» 
 mankind, their hearts are united to the people of Jesus Christ as 
 their people, to cleave to them and love them as their brethren, 
 and worship and serve God, and follow Christ in union and fei- 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 381 
 
 dowship with them, being willing and resolved to perform all those 
 duties that belong to them, as members of the same family of God 
 ■and mystical body of Christ: I say, for persons solemnly to pro- 
 fess such things as these, as in the presence of God, is the same 
 thing as to profess that they are conscious to, or do experience such 
 things in their hearts. 
 
 Nor is it what I suppose, that persons giving an account of their 
 experience of particular exercises of grace, with the times and 
 circumstances, gives no advantage to others in forming a judg- 
 ment of their state; or that persons may not fitly be inquired of 
 concerning these in some cases, especially cases of great import- 
 ance, where all possible satisfaction concerning persons' piety is 
 especially to be desired and sought after, as in the case of ordina- 
 tion or approbation of a minister. It may give advantage in form- 
 ing a judgment, in several respects; and among others, in this, 
 ihat hereby we may be better satisfied, that the professor speaks 
 honestly and understandingly, in what he professes; and that he 
 does not make the profession in mere formality. 
 
 In order to a profession of Christianity being accepted to any 
 purpose, there ought to be good reason, from the circumstances of 
 the profession, to think, that the professor does not make such a 
 profession out of a mere customaiy compliance with a prescribed 
 form, using words without any distinct meaning, or in a very lax 
 and ambiguous manner, as confessions of faith are often subscribed; 
 but that the professor understandingly and honestly signifies what 
 he is conscious of in his own heart; otherwise his prolession can 
 be of no significance, and no more to be regarded than the sound 
 of things without life. But indeed (whatever advantage an ac- 
 count of particular exercises may give in jutlging of this) it must 
 be owned, that the professor having been previously thoroughly 
 instructed by his teachers, and given good proof of his sufficient 
 knowledge, together with a practice agreeable to his prolession, 
 is the best evidence of this. 
 
 Nor do I suppose, but that, if a person that is inquired of about 
 particular passages, times, and circumstances of his christian ex- 
 perience, among other things, seems to be able to give a distinqt 
 3 B 
 
38;^ TWELFTH SIGN OF 
 
 account of the manner of his first conversion, in such a method as 
 has been frequently observable in true conversion, so that things 
 seem sensibly and distinctly to follow one another, in the order of 
 time, according to the order of nature; it is an illustrating cir- 
 cumstance, that among other things adds lustre to the evidence he 
 gives his brethren of the truth of his experiences. 
 
 But the thing that I speak of as unscriptural, is the insisting on 
 a particular account of the distinct method and steps, wherein the 
 Spirit of God did sensibly proceed, in first bringing the soul into 
 a state of salvation, as a thing requisite in order to receiving a. 
 professor into full charity as a real Christian; or so, as for the 
 want of such relation, to disregard other things in the evidence 
 persons give to their neighbours of their Christianity, they are 
 vastly more important and essential. 
 
 Secondly, That we may rightly understand how Christian 
 practice is the greatest evidence that others can have of the sin- 
 cerity of a professing Christian, it is needful that what was said 
 before, showing what christian practice is, should be borne in 
 mind; and that it should be considered how far this may be vi- 
 sible to others. Merely that a professor of Christianity is what 
 is commonly called an honest man, and a moral man, (i. e. we 
 have no special transgression or iniquity to charge him with, 
 that might bring a blot on his character) is no great evidence of 
 the sincerity of his profession. This is not making his light shine 
 before men. This is not that work and labour of love showed 
 towards Christ's name, which gave the apostle such persuasion of 
 the sincerity of the professing Hebrews, Heb. vi. 9, 10. It may 
 be so, that we may see nothing in a man, but that he may be a 
 good man, there may appear nothing in his life and conversation 
 inconsistent with his being godly, and yet neither may there be 
 any great positive evidence that he is so. But there may be great 
 positive appearance of holiness in men's visible behaviour. Their 
 life may appear to be a life of the service of God: they may ap- 
 pear to follow the example of Jesus Christ, and come up in a 
 great measure to those excellent rules in the 5th, 6th, and 7th 
 chapters of Matthew, and 12th of Romans, and many other parts 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 38o 
 
 of the New Testament: there may be a great appearance of their 
 being universal in their obedience to Christ's commands and the 
 rules of the gospel. They may appear to be universal in the per- 
 formance of the duties of the first table, manifesting the fear and 
 love of God; and also universal in fulfilling rules of love to men, 
 love to saints, and love to enemies: rules of meekness and for- 
 giveness, rules of mercy and charity, and looking not only at our 
 own things but also at the things of others; rules of doing good 
 to mens souls and bodies, to particular persons and to the pub- 
 lic; rules of temperance and mortification, and of an humble con- 
 versation; rules of bridling the tongue, and improving it to glori- 
 fy God and bless men, showing that in their tongues is the law of 
 kindness. They may appear to walk as Christians, in all places, 
 and at all seasons, in the house of God, and in their families, and 
 among their neighbours, on Sabbath days and every day, in bu- 
 siness and in conversation, towards friends and enemies, towards 
 superiors, inferiors, and equals. Persons in their visible walk may 
 appear to be very earnestly engaged in the service of God and man- 
 kind, much to labour and layout themselves inthis workof a Chris- 
 tian, and to be very constant and steadfast in it, under all circum- 
 stances and temptations. There may be great manifestations of a 
 spirit to deny themselves, and suffer for God and Christ, and the 
 interest of religion, and the benefit of their brethren. There may 
 be great appearances in a man's walk, of a disposition to forsake 
 any thing, rather than to forsake Christ, and to make every thing 
 give place to his honour. There may be great manifestations in 
 a man's behaviour of such religion as this, being his element, and 
 of his placing the delight and happiness of his life in it; and his 
 conversation may be such, that he may carry with him a sweet 
 odour of christian graces and heavenly dispositions, wherever he 
 goes. And when it is thus in the professors of Christianity, here 
 is an evidence to others of their sincerity in their profession, to 
 which all other manifestations are not worthy to be compared. 
 
 There is doubtless a great variety in the degrees of evidence 
 
 that professors do exhibit of their sincerity, in their life and prac- 
 
 "tice; as there is a variety in the fairness and clearness of ac- 
 
S84 TWELFTH SIGN Of 
 
 counts persons give of the manner and method of tlieir experi- 
 ences: but undoubtedly such a manifestation as has been de- 
 scribed, of a christian spirit in practice, is vastly beyond the 
 fairest and brightest story of particular steps and passages of ex- 
 perience that ever was told. And in general, a manifestation of 
 the sincerity of a christian profession in practice, is far better 
 than a relation of experiences. But yet, 
 
 Thirdly, It must be noted, agreeable to what was formerly ob- 
 served, that ho external manifestations and outward appearances 
 whatsoever, that are visible to the world, are infallible evidences 
 of grace. These manifestations that have been mentioned, are 
 the best that mankind can have; and they are such as do oblige 
 Christians entirely to embrace professors as saints, and love them 
 and rejoice in them as the children of God, and are sufficient to 
 give them a^ great satisfaction concerning them, as ever is need- 
 ful to guide them in their conduct, or for any purpose that needs 
 to be answered in this world. But nothing that appears to them 
 in their neighbour, can be sufficient to beget an absolute certainty 
 concerning the state of his soul: for they see not his heart, nor can 
 they see all his external behaviour; for much of it is in secret, and 
 hid from the eye of the world; and it is impossible certainly to 
 determine how far a man may go in many external appearances 
 and imitations of grace, from other principles. Though undoubt- 
 edly, if others could see so much of what belongs to mens prac- 
 tice, as their own consciences may see of it, it might be an infal- 
 lible evidence of their state, as will appear from what follows. 
 
 Having thus considered christian practice as the best evidence 
 of the sincerity of professors to others, I now proceed, 
 
 2. To observe, that the scripture also speaks of christian prac- 
 tice as a distinguishing and sure evidence of grace to persons' own 
 consciences. This is very plain in 1 John ii. 3, " Hereby we do 
 know that we know him, if we keep his commandments." And 
 the testimony of our consciences, with respect to our good deeds, 
 is spoken of as that which may give us assurance of our own god- 
 liness, 1 John iii. 11, 19, "My little children, let us not love in 
 word, neither in tongue, but in deed, and in truth. And hereby 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 385 
 
 we know that we ave of the truth, and shall assure our hearts be- 
 fore him." And the apostle Paul, in Heb. vi. speaks of the work 
 and labour of love, of the Christian Hebrews, as that which both 
 gave him a persuasion that they had something above the highest 
 common illuminations, and also as that evidence which tended to 
 give them the highest assurance of hope concerning themselves; 
 verse 9, &c. " But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of 
 you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. 
 For God is not unrighteous, to forget your work and labour of love, 
 which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have minis- 
 tered to his saints, and do minister. And we desire that every one 
 of you do show the same diligence, to the full assurance of hope 
 unto the end." So the apostle directs the Galatians to examine 
 their behaviour or practice, that they might have rejoicing in 
 themselves in their own happy state, Gal. vi. 4, " Let every man 
 prove his own work, so shall he have rejoicing in himself, and not 
 in another." And the psalmist says, Psal. cxix. 6, " Then shall 
 I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy command- 
 ments;" i. e. then I shall be bold, and assured, and steadfast in my 
 hope. And in that of our Saviour, Matt. vii. 19,20, "Every tree 
 that bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down and cast into the 
 fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." Though 
 Christ gives this, firstly, as a rule by which we should judge of 
 others, yet in the words that next follow he plainly shows, that he 
 intends it also as a rule by which we should judge ourselves, 
 "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into 
 the kingdom of heaven; but he that doth the will of my Father 
 which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day. Lord, Lord, 
 
 &c. And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: 
 
 depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Therefore, whosoever hear- 
 eth these sayings of mine, and doth them, I will liken him unto a 
 
 wise man which built his house upon a rock. And every one 
 
 that heareth these sayings of mine, and doth them not, shall be 
 likened unto a foolish man which built his house upon the sand." 
 I shall have occasion to mention other texts that show the same 
 thing, hereafter. 
 
336 TWELFTH SIGN OF 
 
 But for the greater clearness in this matter, I would first show 
 how christian practice, doing good works, or keeping Christ's 
 commandments, is to be taken, when the scripture represents it 
 as a sure sign to our own consciences, that we are real Christians. 
 And, secondly, will prove, that this is the chief of all evidences 
 that m€n can have of their own sincere godliness. 
 
 First, I would show how christian practice, or keeping Christ's 
 commandments, is to be taken, when the scripture represents it 
 as a sure evidence to our own consciences, that we are sincere 
 Christians. 
 
 And here I would observe, that we can not reasonably suppose, 
 that when the scripture in this case speaks of good works, good 
 fruit, and keeping Christ's commandments, it has respect merely 
 to what is external, or the motion and action of the body without 
 including any thing else, having no respect to any aim or inten- 
 tion of the agent, or any act of his understanding or will. For 
 consider mens actions so, and they are no more good works or acts 
 of obedience, than the regular motions of a clock; nor are they 
 considered as the actions of the man, nor any human actions at 
 all. The actions of the body, taken thus, are neither acts of 
 obedience nor disobedience, any more than the motions of the body 
 in a convulsion. But the obedience and fruit that is spoken of, is 
 the obedience and fruit of the man; and therefore not only the 
 acts of the body, but the obedience of the soul, consisting in the 
 acts and practice of the soul. Not that I suppose, that when the 
 scripture speaks, in this case, of gracious works, and fruit and 
 practice, that in these expressions are included all inward piety 
 and holiness of heart, both principle and exercise, both spirit and 
 practice: because then, in these things being given as signs of a 
 gracious principle in the heart, the same thing would be given as 
 a sign of itself, and there would be no distinction between root 
 and fruit. But only the gracious exercise, and holy act of the soul 
 is meant, and given as the sign of the holy principle and good es- 
 tate. Neither is every kind of inward exercise of grace meant; 
 but the practical exercise, that exercise of the soul, and exertion 
 of inward holiness, which there is in an obediential act; or that 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 387 
 
 exertion of the mind, and act of grace, which issues and termin- 
 ates in what they call the imperate acts of the will; in which 
 something is directed and commanded by the soul to be done, and 
 brought to pass in practice. 
 
 Here, for a clearer understanding I would observe, that there 
 are two kinds of exercises of grace. 1. There are those that some 
 call immanent acts; that is, those exercises of grace that remain 
 within the soul, that begin and are terminated there, without any 
 immediate relation to any thing to be done outwardly, or to be 
 brought to pass in practice. Such are the exercises of grace, 
 which the saints often have in contemplation; when the exercise 
 that is in the heart does not directly proceed to, or terminate in 
 any thing beyond the thoughts of the mind; however they may 
 tend to practice (as all exercises of grace do) more remotely. 
 2. There is another kind of acts of grace, that are more strictly 
 called practical, or effective exercises, because they immediately 
 respect something to be done. They are the exertions of grace 
 
 f in the commanding acts of the will, directing the outward actions. 
 As when a saint gives a cup of cold water to a disciple, in and 
 from the exercise of the grace of charity, or voluntarily endures 
 persecution in the way of his duty, immediately from the exer- 
 cise of a supreme love to Christ Here is the exertion of grace 
 producing its effect in outward actions. These exercises of grace 
 are practical and productive of good works, not only in this sense, 
 that they are of a productive nature, (for so are all exercises of 
 
 , true grace) but they are the producing acts. This is properly 
 the exercise of grace in the act of the will; and this is properly 
 
 ; the practice of the soul. And the soul is the immediate actor of 
 no other practice but this; the motions of the body follow from 
 the laws of union between the soul and body, which God, and no! 
 the soul, has fixed and does maintain. The act of the soul and 
 the exercise of grace, that is exerted in the performance of a good 
 work, is the good work itself, so far as the soul is concerned in it, 
 or so far as it is the soul's good work. The determinations of the 
 ivill are indeed our very actions, so far as they are properly ours, 
 
TWELFTH Sign of 
 
 as Dr. Doddridge observes.! In this practice of the soul is in- 
 j eluded the aim and intention of the soul, which is the agent. For 
 -'■-not only should we not look on the motions of a statue, doing jus- 
 tice or distributing alms by clockwork, as any acts of obedience 
 to Christ in that statue; but neither would any body call the vol- 
 untary actions of a man, externally and materially agreeable to a 
 command of Christ, by the name of obedience to Christ, if he 
 had never heard of Christ, or any of his commands, or had no 
 thought of his commands in what he did. If the acts of obedience 
 and good fruit spoken of, be looked upon, not as mere motions 
 of the body, but as acts of the soul: the whole exercise of the 
 spirit of the mind in the action, must be taken in, with the end 
 acted for, and the respect the soul then has to God, &c. otherwise 
 they are no acts of denial of ourselves, or obedience to God, or 
 service done to him, but something else. Such effective exercises 
 of grace as these that I have now described, many of the martyrs 
 have experienced in a high degree. And all true saints live a life 
 of such acts of grace as these; as they all live a life of gracious 
 ■f works, of which these operative exertions of grace are the life and 
 «oul. And this is the obedience and fruit that God mainly looks 
 at, as he looks at the soul, more than the body; as much as the 
 soul, in the constitution of the human nature, is the superior part. 
 As God looks at the obedience and practice of the man, he looks 
 at the practice of the soul; for the soul is the man in God's sight, 
 " for the Lord seeth not as man seeth, for he looketh on the heart." 
 And thus it is, that obedience, good works, good fruits, are to 
 be taken, when given in scripture as a sure evidence to our own 
 consciences of a true principle of grace: even as including the 
 obedience and practice of the soul, as preceding and governing 
 the actions of the body. When practice is given in scripture as 
 the main evidence to others of our true Christianity, then is meant, 
 that in our practice which is visible to them, even our outward 
 actions: but when practice is given as a sure evidence of our real 
 Christianity to our own consciences, then is meant that in our 
 
 t Scripture Doctrine of Salvation, Sermon I, p. 11.. 
 
fiRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 389 
 
 practice which is visible to our own consciences; wliich is not 
 only the motion of our bodies, but the exertion of the soul, which 
 directs and commands that motion; which is more directly and 
 immediately under the view of our own consciences, than the act 
 of the body. And that this i^ the intent of the scripture, not only does 
 the nature and reason of the thing show, but it is plain by the 
 scripture itself. Thus it is evident, that when Christ, at the con- 
 clusion of his sermon on the mount, speaks of doing or practising 
 those sayings of his, as the grand sign of professors being true dis- 
 ciples, without which he likens them to a man that built his house 
 upon the sand, and with which, to a man that built his house upon 
 a rock; he has a respect, not only to the outward behaviour, but 
 to the inward exercise of the mind in that behaviour: as is evi- 
 dent by observing what those preceding sayings of his are that he 
 refers to, when he spealvs of our doing or practising them; and we 
 shall find that they are such as these: "Blessed are the poor in 
 spirit; blessed are they that mourn; blessed are the meek; blessed 
 are they that do hunger and thirst after righteousness; blessed are 
 the merciful; blessed are the pure in heart; whosoever is angry 
 with his brother without a cause, &c. whosoever looketh on a 
 woman to lust after her, Sic. love your enemies; take no thought 
 for your life," and others of the like nature, which imply inward 
 exercises: and when Christ says, John xiv. 2, " He that hath my 
 commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me;" he 
 has evidently a special respect to that command several times re- 
 peated in the same discourse (which he calls by way of eminence, 
 bis commandment) that they should love one another, as he had loved 
 them (see chap. xiii. 34,35, and chap. xv. 10,1,^,13,14.) But this 
 command respects chiefly an exercise of the mind or heart, though ex- 
 erted in practice. So when the apostle John says, 1 John ii, 3, "Here- 
 by we do know that we know him, if ^ve keep his command- 
 ments;" he has plainly a principal respect to the same command, 
 as appears by what follows, ver. 7 — 11, and 2d E|)ist, ver. 5, 6, 
 and vvlien we are told in scripture that men shall at the last day 
 be judged according to their works, and all shall receive accord- 
 ing to the things done in the body; it is not to be understood only 
 3 c 
 
390 TWELFTH SIGN OF 
 
 of outward acts; for if so, why is God so often spoken of as search- 
 ing the hearts and trying the reins, " that he may render to every 
 one according to his works?" As Rev. ii. 23, "And all the 
 churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and 
 hearts; and I will give unto every one according to his works," 
 Jer. xvii. 9, 10, "I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even 
 to give every man according to his ways, and according to the 
 fruit of his doings." But if hy his ways, and the fruit of his doings, 
 is meant only the actions of his body, what need of searching the 
 heart and reins in order to know them? Hezekiah in his sickness 
 pleads his practice as an evidence of his title to God's favour, as 
 including not only his outward actions, but what was in his heart, 
 Isa. xxxviii. 3, " Remember now, Lord, I beseech thee, how I 
 have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart." 
 
 Though in this great evidence of sincerity that the scripture 
 gives us, what is inward is of greatest importance; yet what is 
 outward is included and intended, as connected with the practi- 
 cal exertion of grace in the will, directing an4-eommanding the 
 actions of the body. And hereby 3.f:e effectually cut off all pre- 
 tensions that any man can have to evidences of godliness, who 
 externally lives wickedly; because the great evidence lies in that 
 inward exercise and practice of the soul, which consists in the 
 acts of the will, commanding outward acts. But it is known, 
 that these commanding acts of the will are not one way, and the 
 actions of the bodily organs another: for the unalterable law of 
 nature is, that they should be united, as long as soul and body are 
 united, and the organs are not so destroyed as to be incapable of 
 those motions that the soul commands. Thus it would be ridi- 
 culous for a man to plead, that the commanding act of his will 
 was to go to the public worship, while his feet carry him to a 
 tavern or brothel-house; or that the commanding act of his will 
 was to give such a piece of money he had in his hand to a poor 
 beggar, while his hand at the same instant kept it back, and held 
 it fast. 
 
 Secondly, I proceed to show, that christian practice, taken in 
 the same sense that has been explained, is the chief of all the 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 591 
 
 evidences of a saving sincerity in religion, to the consciences of 
 the professors of it; much to be preferred to the method of the 
 first convictions, enhghtenings, and comforts in conversion, or any 
 eminent discoveries or exercises of grace v.hatsocver, that be- 
 gin and end in contemplation.! The evidence of this appears by 
 the following arguments. 
 
 Argument I. — Reason plainly shows, that those things which 
 put it to the proof what men wull actually cleave to and prefer in 
 their practice, when left to follow their own choice and inclina- 
 tions, are the proper trial what they do really prefer in their 
 hearts. Sincerity in religion, as has been observed already, con- 
 sists in setting God highest in the heart, in choosing him before 
 
 ■}• " Look upon John, Christ's beloved disciple and bosom compunion; he 
 had received the anointing to know him that is true, and he knew that he 
 knew him, 1 John ii, 3. But how did he know that? He might be de- 
 ceived; (as it is strange to see what a melancholy fancy will do, and the ef- 
 fects of it; as honest men are reputed to have weak brains, and never saw 
 the depths of the secrets of God;) what is his last proof? • because we keep 
 his commandments.' " S/iepard's Parable, Part I. p. 131. 
 
 " A man may know his present union to the Lord Jesus, by works: 1 John 
 ii. 4, • He that saith I know him, and keeps not his commandments, is a 
 liar.' — Yes, that is true negatively; but may a man, ought a man, to see or 
 know his union positively by this? Answ. ver. 5. Many said they did know 
 and love the Lord, but he that keeps his words — O they are sweet! It is 
 heaven to cleave to him in every command; it is death to depart from any 
 command; hereby know we that we are in him. If it were possible to ask 
 «f angels how they know they are not devils, they would answer. The 
 Lord's will is our's." Sfiepard^s Parable, Part L p. 134. 
 
 •« If the question be. Whom doth the Lord Jesus love? you need not go 
 to heaven for it, the word is nigh thee. Those that love Christ. Who are 
 those? Those that keep his commandments." ShepanVs Parable, Parti, p. 
 138. 
 
 " Will you have Christ sit in heaven, and not look that he subdue your 
 lusts by the work of his grace, and so sway your hearts? You despise his 
 kingdom then. Do you seek for pardon in the blood of Christ, and never 
 look for the virtue and end of that blood to wash you, and make you with- 
 out spot, &c.? You despise his pricstiiood and blood then. Do you look for 
 Christ to do work for you, and you not do Christ's work, and bring forth 
 fruit to him? You despise his honour then, John xv. 8. If I were to discover 
 a hypocrite, or a false heart, this I would say, it is he that shall set up Christ, 
 but loathe his works." Shepard's Parable, Part I. p. 140.^ 
 
392 TWELFTH SIGN OF 
 
 other things, in having a heart to sell all for Christ, &c. But a 
 man's actions are the proper trial what a man's heart prefers. 
 As for instance, when it is so that God and other things come to 
 stand in competition, God is as it were set before a man on one 
 hand, and his worldly interest or pleasure on the other (as it of- 
 ten is so in the course of a man's life) his behaviour in such case, 
 in actually cleaving to the one and forsaking the other, is the pro- 
 per trial which he prefers. Sincerity consists in forsaking all for 
 Christ in heart; but to forsake all for Christ in heart, is the very 
 same thing as to have a heart to forsake all for Christ; but cer- 
 tainly the proper trial whether a man has a heart to forsake all 
 for Christ, is his being actually put to it, the having Christ and 
 other things coming in competition, that he must actually or prac- 
 tically Cleave to one and forsake the other. To forsake all for 
 Christ in heart, is the same thing as to have a heart to forsake 
 all for Christ when called to it: but the highest proof to our- 
 selves and others, that we have a heart to forsake all for Christ 
 when called to it, is actually doing it when called to it, or so far 
 as called to it. To follow Christ in heart is to have a heart to 
 follow him. To deny ourselves in heart for Chri&t, is the same 
 thing as to have a heart to deny ourselves for him in fact. The 
 main and n^.ost proper proof of a man's having a heart to any 
 thing, concerning which he is at liberty to follow his own incli- 
 nations, and either to do or not to do as he pleases, is his doing of 
 it. When a man is at liberty whether to speak or keep silence, 
 the most proper evidence of his having a heart to speak, is his 
 speaking. When a man is at liberty whether to walk or sit still, 
 the proper proof of his having a heart to walk, is his walking. 
 Godliness consists not in a heart to intend to do the will of God, 
 but in a heart to do it. The children of Israel in the wilder- 
 ness had the former, of whom we read, Deut. v. 27, 28, 29. 
 *' Go thou near, and hear all that the Lord our God shall say; 
 and speak thou unto us all that the Lord our God shall speak 
 unto thee, and we will hear it, and do it. And the Lord heard 
 the voice of your words, when ye spake unto me; and the Lord 
 said unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, 
 
QRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 393 
 
 "which they have spoken unto thee; they have well said all that 
 they have spoken. that there were such a heart in them, that 
 they would fear me and keep all my commandments always, that 
 it might be well with them, and with their children forever!" 
 The people manifested that they had a heart to intend to keep 
 God's commandments, and to he very fonvard in those inten- 
 tions; but God manifests, that this was far from being the thing 
 that he desired, wherein true godliness consists, even a heart ac- 
 tually to keep them." 
 
 It is therefore exceedingly absurd, and even ridiculous, for any 
 to pretend that they have a good heart, while they live a wicked 
 life, or do not bring forth the fruit of universal holiness in (heir 
 practice. For it is proved in fact, that such men do not love God 
 above all. It is foolish to dispute against plain fact and expe- 
 rience. Men that live in ways of sin, and yet flatter themselves 
 that they shall go to heaven, or expect to be received hereafter as 
 holy persons, without a holy practice, act as though they expected 
 to make a fool of their Judge. Which is implied in what the 
 apostle says (speaking of mens doing good works and living a holy 
 life, thereby exhibiting evidence of their title to everlasting life) 
 Gal. vi. 7, " Be not deceived; God is not mocked; for whatso- 
 ever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." As much as to say, 
 " Do not deceive yourselves with an expectation of reaping life 
 everlasting hereafter, if you do not sow to the spirit here; it is in 
 vain to think that God will be made a fool of by you, that he will 
 be shammed and baffled with shadows instead of substance, and 
 with vain pretences, instead of that good fruit which he expects, 
 when the contrary to what you pretend appears plainly in your life, 
 before his face." In this manner the word mock is sometimes used 
 in scripture. Thus Delilah says to Sampson, " behold thou hast 
 mocked me, and told me lies." Judges xvi. 10, 13, i. e. " Thou 
 hast baffled me, as though you would have made a fool of me, as 
 if I might be easily turned off with any vain pretence, instead of 
 the truth." So it is said that Lot^ when he told his sons-in-law 
 that God would destroy that place, " beseemed as one that mock- 
 ed, to his sons-in-law." Gen. xix. 14, i. e. he seemed as one 
 
394 TWELFTH SIGN OF 
 
 that would make a game of them, as though they were such credu- 
 lous fools as to regard such bugbears. But the great Judge, whose 
 eyes are as a flame of fire, will not be mocked or baffled with 
 any pretences, without a holy life. If in his name men have prophe- 
 sied and wrought miracles, and have had faith, so that they could 
 remove mountains, and cast out devils, and however high their re- 
 ligious affections have been, however great resemblances they have 
 had of grace, and though their hiding place has been so dark and 
 deep, that no human skill nor search could find them out; yet if 
 they are workers or practisers of iniquity, they can not hide their 
 hypocrisy from their Judge: Job xxxiv. 22, "There is no dark- 
 ness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide 
 themselves." Would a wise prince suffer himself to be fooled and 
 baffled by a subject, who should pretend that he was a loyal sub- 
 ject, and should tell his prince that he had an entire affection to 
 him, and that at such and such a time he had experience of it, 
 and felt his affections strongly working towards him, and should 
 come expecting to be accepted and rewarded by his prince, as one 
 of his best friends on that account, though he lived in rebellion 
 against him, following some pretender to his crown, and from time 
 to time stirring up sedition against him? Or would a master suffer 
 himself to be shammed and gulled by a servant, that should pre- 
 tend to great experiences of love and honour towards him in his 
 heart, and a great sense of his worthiness and kindness to him, 
 when at the same time he refused to obey him, and he could get 
 no service done by him.'' 
 
 Argument II. — As reason shows, that those things which occur 
 in the course of life, that put it to the proof whether men will pre- 
 fer God to other things in practice, are the proper trial of the up- 
 rightness and sincerity of their hearts; so the same are represent- 
 ed as the proper trial of the sincerity of professors in the scrip- 
 ture. There we find that such things are called by that very name, 
 trials or temptations (which I before observed are both words of 
 the same signification, ) The things that put it to the proof, whether 
 men will prefer God to other things in practice, are the difficulties 
 ©f religion, or those things which occur that make the practice of 
 
GRACIOUS AFFE(friONS. 395 
 
 duty difficult and cross to other principles beside the love of God; 
 because in them, God and other things are both set before men 
 together, for their actual and practical choice; and it comes to this, 
 that we can not hold to both, but one orthe other must be forsaken. 
 And these things are all over the scripture called by the name oC 
 trials or proofs.f And they are called by this name, because 
 hereby professors are tried and proved of what sort they be, whether 
 they are really what they profess and appear to be; and because 
 in them the reality of a supreme love to God is brought to the test 
 of experiment and fact; they are the proper proofs in which it is 
 truly determined by experience, whether men have a thorough 
 disposition of heart to cleave to God or not, Deut. viii. 2, " And 
 thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee 
 these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove 
 thee, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments or not," 
 Judges ii. 21, 22, " I also will not henceforth drive out any from 
 before them, of the nations which Joshua left when he died; that 
 through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the waj 
 of the Lord." So chap. iii. 1, 4, and Exod. xvi. 4. 
 
 The scripture, when it calls these difficulties of religion by the 
 name of temptations or trials, explains itself to mean thereby the 
 trial or experiment of their faith, James i. 2, 3, " My brethren, 
 count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, 
 that the trying of j'our faith worketh patience. 1 Pet. i. 6, 7, 
 " Now, for a season ye are in heaviness, through manifold temp- 
 tations; that the trial of your faith being much more precious than 
 of gold," &c. So the apostle Paul speaks of that expensive duty 
 of parting with our substance to the poor, as the proof of the sin- 
 cerity of the love of Christians, 2 Cor. viii. 8. And the difficulties 
 of religion are often represented in scripture, as being the trial of 
 professors, in the same manner that the furnace is the proper trial 
 of gold and silver, Psal. Ixvi. 10, 1 1, " Thou, God, hast proved 
 
 f 2 Cor. viii. 2. Heb. xi. 36. IPet. i.T. Chap. iv. 12. Gen. s.xii. 1. Deut. 
 viii. 2, 16. Chap. xiii. 3. Exod xv.25. Chap. xvi. 4. Judges ii. :i2. Cliap. jii.l. 
 4. Psal. Jxvi. 10, 11. Dan. xii. 10. Rev. iii 10. Job xxiii. 10. Zech. xiii. 9, 
 James i. 12. Kev. 11. 10. Luke viii. 1.", Acts xs. 19. James i. 2.3. IPet. 1,6. 
 
396 TWELFTH SIGN OF 
 
 us: thou hast tried us as silver is tried: thou broughtest us into 
 the net, thou laidest affliction upon our loins." Zech. xiii, 9, "And 
 I will bring the third part of them through the fire; and I will re- 
 fine them as silver is refined; and I will try them as gold is tried." 
 That which has the colour and appearance of gold, is put into 
 the furnace to try whether it be what it seems to be, real gold or 
 not. So the difficulties of religion are called trials, because they trjr 
 those that have the profession and appearance of saints, whether 
 they are what they appear to be, real saints. 
 
 If we put true gold into the furnace, we shall find its great value 
 and preciousness: so the truth and inestimable value of the virtues 
 of a true Christian appear when under these trials, 1 Pet. i. 7, 
 " That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of 
 gold that perisheth, might be found unto praise, and honour, and 
 glory." True and pure gold will come out of the furnace in full 
 weight: so true saints, when tried, come forth as gold, Job xxiii. 
 10. Christ distinguishes true grace from counterfeit by this, that 
 it is gold tried in the fire, Rev. iii. 17, 18. So that it is evident, 
 that these things are called trials in scripture, principally as they 
 try or prove the sincerity of professors. And, from what has now 
 been observed, it is evident that they are the most proper trial or 
 proof of their sincerity: inasmuch as the very meaning of the word 
 trial as it is ordinarily used in scripture, is the difficulty occurring 
 in the way of a professor's duty, as the trial or experiment of his 
 sincerity. If trial of sincerity be the proper name of these diffi-» 
 culties of religion, then, doubtless, these difficulties of religion are 
 properly and eminently the trial of sincerity; for they are doubt- 
 less eminently what they are called by the Holy Ghost: God gives 
 things their name from that which is eminently their nature. And, 
 if it be so, that these things are the proper and eminent trial, 
 proof, or experiment of the sincerity of professors, then certainly 
 tlie result of the trial or experiment (that is, persons' behaviour or 
 practice under such trials) is the proper and eminent evidence of 
 their sincerit)'; for they are called trials or proofs, only with re- 
 gard to the result, and because the effect is eminently the proof 
 €r evidence. And this is the most proper proof and evidence to the 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 391 
 
 conscience of those that are the subjects of these trials. For, when 
 God is said by these things to try men, and prove them, to see what 
 is in their hearts, and whether they will keep his commandments or 
 not; we are not to understand, that it is for his own information, 
 or that he may obtain evidence himself of their sincerity; (for he 
 needs no trials for his information) but chiefly for their conviction, 
 and to exhibit evidence to their consciences.! 
 
 Thus when God is said to prove Israel by the difficulties they 
 met with in the wilderness, and by the difficulties they met witb 
 from their enemies in Canaan, to know what was in their hearts, 
 whether they would keep his commandments or not; it must be 
 understood, that it was to discover them to themselves, that they 
 might know what was in their own hearts. So when God tempted 
 or tried Abraham with that difficult command of offisring up his 
 son, it was not for his satisfaction, whether he feared God or not, 
 but for Abraham's own greater satisfaction and comfort, and the 
 more clear manifestation of the favour of God to him. When 
 Abraham had proved faithful under this trial, God says to him, 
 " Now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not with- 
 held thy son, thine only son, from me." Which plainly implies, 
 that in this practical exercise of Abraham's grace under this trial, 
 was a clearer evidence of the truth of his grace, than ever was be- 
 fore; and the greatest evidence to Abraham's conscience; because 
 God himself gives it to Abraham as such, for his comfort and re- 
 joicing; and speaks of it to him as what might be the greatest evi- 
 dence to his conscience of his being upright in the sight of his 
 Judge, Which proves what I say, that holy practice, under trials, 
 is the highest evidence of the sincerity of professors to their own 
 consciences. And we find that Christ, from time to time, took the 
 same method to convince the consciences of those that pretended 
 friendship to him, and to show them what they were. This was 
 
 f "I am persuaded, as Calvin is, that all the several trials of men are to 
 show them to themselves, and to the world, that they be but counterfeits; 
 and to make saints known to themselves the better. Rom. v. 5. Tribulation 
 works trial, and that hope. Prov.xvii. 3. If you will know whether it will 
 hold weight, the trial will tell you," Sfiepard's Parable, Part I, p. 19f . 
 
 3o 
 
398 TWELFTH SIGN OF 
 
 Ihe method he took with the rich young man, Matt. xix. 16, &c. 
 He seemed to show a great respect to Christ; he came kneeling 
 to him, ant] calling him good Master, and made a great profession 
 of obedience to the commandments; but Christ tried him, by bid- 
 ding him go and sell all that he had, and give to the poor, and 
 come and take up his cross and follow him; telling him, that then 
 he should have treasure in heaven. So he tried another that we 
 read of, Matt. viii. 20. He made a great profession of respect to 
 Christ: says he, Lord, I will follow thee withersoever thou goest. 
 Christ immediately puts his friendship to the proof, by telling him, 
 that the foxes had holes, and the birds of the air had nests, but 
 that the Son of Man had not where to lay his head. And thus 
 Christ is wont still to try professed disciples in general, in his 
 providence. So the seed sown, in every kind of ground, stony 
 ground, thorny ground, and good ground, which, in all appears 
 alike, when it first springs up; yet is tried, and the difference made 
 to appear, by the burning heat of the sun. 
 
 Seeing therefore, that these are the things that God makes use 
 of to try us, it is undoubtedly the surest way for us to pass a right 
 judgment on ourselves, to try ourselves by the same things. These 
 trials of his are not for his information, but for ours; therefore we 
 ought to receive our information from thence. The surest way to 
 know our gold, is to look upon it and examine it in God's furnace, 
 where he tries it for that end, that we may see what it is. If we 
 have a mind to know whether a building stands strong or not, we 
 must look upon it whent he wind blows. If we would know whe- 
 ther that which appears in the form of wheat, has the real substance 
 of wheat, or be only chaff, we must observe it when it is winnow- 
 ed. If we would know whether a staff be strong, or a rotten broken 
 reed, we must observe it when it is leaned on, and weight is borne 
 upon it. If we would weigh ourselves justly, we must weigh our- 
 selves in God's scales, that he makes use of to weigh us.f Tliese 
 
 ■}■ Dr. Sibbs, in his Bruised Reed, says, " When Christ's will cometh in 
 competition with any worldly loss or gain, yet, if then, in that particular 
 case, the heart will stoop to Christ, it is a true sign. For the truest tiial of the 
 power of grace, is in such particular cases as touch us the nearest; for there 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 399 
 
 trials, in the course of our practice, are as it were the balances in 
 which our hearts are weighed, or in which Christ and the world, 
 or Christ and his competitors, as to the esteem and regard they 
 have in our hearts, are weighed, or are put into opposite scales, by 
 
 our corruption maketh the greatest head. AVhen Christ came home to the 
 young man in the gospel, he lost a disciple of him." 
 
 Mr. Fiavel speaks of a holy practice under trials, as the greatest evidence 
 of grace. "No man (says lie) can say what he is, whether his graces be 
 true or false, until they be tried and examined by those things, which are to 
 them as fire is to gold." Touchstone of Sinceriti/, chap. iv. sect. 1. Again, 
 speaking of great difficulties and sufferings in the way of duty, wherein a 
 person must actually part with what is dearest of a worldly nature, or with 
 his duty; he says, " That such sufferings as these will discover the falseness 
 and rottenness of men's hearts, can not be doubted; if you consider, that this 
 is the fire designed by God for this very use and purpose, to separate the 
 gold from the dross. So you will find it, 1 Pet. iv. 12, ' Beloved, think it 
 not strange concerning the fiery trial that is to try you,* i. e. The very de- 
 sign and aim of Providence in permitting and ordering them, is to try you. 
 Upon this account you find the hour of persecution (in a suitable notion) 
 called the hour of temptation, or probation. Rev. iii. 10. For then professors 
 are sifted to the very bran, searched to the very bottom principles. This 
 is • the day that burns as an oven; all that do wickedly shall be as stubble,' 
 Mai. iv. i. For, in that day, the predominant interest must appear and be 
 discovered, it can be concealed no longer. ' No man can serve two masters,' 
 saith Christ, Luke xvi. 13. A man may serve many masters, if they all com- 
 mand the same thing, or things subordinate to each other; but he can not 
 serve two masters, if their commands clash and interfere with each other: 
 and such are the commands of Christ and the flesh in a suffering hour: — 
 thus the two interests come in full opposition. And now, have but patience 
 and wait a little, and you will discern which is predominant. A dog follows 
 two men, while they both walk one way, and you know not which of the two 
 is his master: stay but a little, until their path parts, and then you shall 
 quickly see who is his master: so it is in this case. And, in another chapter, 
 he says, ' Great numbers of persons are deceived and destroyed by trusting 
 to seeming untried grace.' This was the miserable condition of the Laodi- 
 cean professors: they reckoned themselves rich, but were really poor: all 
 is not gold that glitters: their gold (as they accounted it) was never tried 
 in the fire. If a man's whole estate lay in some precious stone, suppose a 
 rich diamond, Itow is he concerned to have it thoroughly tried, to see whether 
 it will bear a smart stroke with the hammer, or fly like a Bristol diamond!" 
 ISid, chap. x. sect. 3. ,\gain, in the same place, " The promises of salvation 
 are made over to tried grace, and that only as will endure the trial." 
 
400 TWELFTH SIGN OF 
 
 which there is opportunity to see which preponderates. When a 
 man is brought to the dividing of paths, the one of which leads to 
 Christ, and the other to the object of his lusts, to see which way 
 he will go, or is brought, and as it were set between Christ and 
 the world, Christ on the right hand, and the world on the left, so 
 that, if he goes to one, he must leave the other, to see what his 
 heart inclines most to, or which preponderates in his heart; this 
 is just the same thing as laying Christ and the world in two op- 
 posite scales; and his going to the one, and leaving the other, is 
 just the same thing as the sinking of one scale, and rising of the 
 other. A man's practice, therefore, under the trials of God's 
 providence, is as much the proper evidence of the superior incli- 
 nation of his heart, as the motion of the balance, with different 
 weights, in opposite scales, is the proper experiment of the supe- 
 rior weight. 
 
 Argument III. — Another argument, that holy practice, in the 
 sense which has been explained, is the highest kind of evidence 
 of the truth of grace to the consciences of Christians, is, that in 
 practice, grace, in scripture style, is said to be made perfect, or to 
 be finished. So the apostle James says, James ii. 22, " Seest 
 thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith 
 made perfect, or finished?" (as the word in the original properly 
 signifies.) So the love of God is said to be made perfect, or 
 finished, in keeping his commandments. 1 John ii. 4, 5, " He 
 that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a 
 liar, and the truth is not in him: but, whoso keepeth his word, in 
 
 " The Lord will try you. God halh his trying times: and they were never 
 sent, but to discover who were dross, who were gold. And the main end 
 of all God's trials, is to discover this truth that I now am pressing upon you. 
 Some have a thorough work; and now the trial discovers the truth^ as in 
 Abraham, Heb. xi. 17. Some have a superficial work, and they fall in trial, as 
 in Saul; and it doth discover it was but an overly work. For this is the ques- 
 tion God makes, is it thorough or not? Ay, saith the carnal heart; Yes, saith 
 A gracious heart. Hence it is strange to see what men will do when a trial 
 comes." Shepard's Parable, Part I. p. 219. 
 
 " There is an hour of temptation which tries men, which will discover 
 men indee^." J^id. Part II. p. 60. 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 401 
 
 him verily is the love of God perfected." The commandment of 
 Christ, which the apostle has especial respect to, when he here 
 speaks of our keeping his commandments, is (as I observed be- 
 fore) that great commandment of his, which respects deeds of 
 love to our brethren, as appears by the following verses. Again-, 
 the love of God is said to be perfected in the same sense, chap. 
 iv. 12, " If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love 
 is perfected in us." Here, doubtless, the apostle has still respect 
 to loving one another, in the same manner that he had explained 
 in the preceding chapter, speaking of loving one another, as a sign 
 of the love of God, verse 17, 18. " Whoso hath this world's 
 goods, and shutteth up his bowels, &c. how dwelleth the love of 
 God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither 
 in tongue, but in deed (or in work) and in truth." By thus loving 
 in work, the apostle says, the love of God is perfected in us. 
 Grace is said to be perfected or finished in holy practice, as therein 
 it is brought to its proper effect, and to that exercise which is the 
 end of the principle; the tendency and design of grace herein is 
 reached, and its operation completed and crowned. As the tree 
 is made perfect in the fruit; it is not perfected in the seed's being 
 planted in the ground; it is not perfected in the first quickening 
 of the seed, and in its putting forth root and sprout; nor is it per- 
 fected when it comes up out of the ground; nor is it perfected 
 in bringing forth leaves; nor yet in putting forth blossoms: but, 
 when it has brought forth good ripe fruit, then it is perfected, 
 therein it reaches its end, the design of the tree is finished: all 
 that belongs to the tree is completed and brought to its proper 
 effect in the fruit. So is grace in its practical exercises. Grace 
 is said to be made perfect or finished in its work or fruit, in the 
 same manner as it is said of sin, James i, 15, " When lust hath 
 conceived, it bringeth forth sin; and sin, when it is finished, 
 bringeth forth death." Here are three steps; first, sin in its 
 principle or habit, in the being of lust in the heart; and nextly, 
 here is its conceiving, consisting in the immanent exercises of it 
 in the mind; and lastly, here is the fruit that was conceived actu- 
 ally brought forth in the wicked work and practice. And this 
 
402 TWELFTH SIGN OP 
 
 the apostle calls the finishing or perfecting of sin: for the word, 
 in the original, is the same that is translated perfected in those 
 forementioned places. 
 
 Now, certainly if it be so, if grace be in this manner made per- 
 fect in its fruit, if these practical exercises of grace are those ex- 
 ercises wherein grace is brought to its proper effect and end, and 
 the exercises wherein whatsoever belongs to its design, tendency, 
 and operation, is completed and crowned; then these exercises 
 must be the highest evidences of grace, above all other exercises. 
 Certainly the proper nature and tendency of every principle must 
 appear best and most fully in its most perfect exercises, or in those 
 exercises wherein its nature is most completely exerted, and in its 
 tendency most fully answered and crowned, in its proper effect 
 and end. If we would see the proper nature of any thing what- 
 soever, and see it in its full distinction from other things; let us 
 look upon it in the finishing of it. The apostle James says, by 
 works is faith made perfect; and introduces this as an argument 
 to prove, that works are the chief evidence of faith, whereby the 
 sincerity of the professors of faith is justified, James ii. And the 
 apostle John, after he had once and again told us that love was 
 made perfect in keeping Christ's commandments, observes, 1 
 John iv. 18, That perfect love casteth out fear; meaning (at 
 least in part) love made perfect in this sense; agreeable to what 
 he had said in the foregoing chapter, " That, by loving in deed, 
 or work, we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our 
 hearts," verse 18, 19. 
 
 Argument IV. — Another thing which makes it evident, that 
 holy practice is the principal evidence that we ought to make use 
 of in judging both of our own and others' sincerity, is, that this 
 evidence is above all others insisted on in scripture. A common 
 acquaintance with the scripture, together with a little attention 
 and observation, will be sufficient to show to any one, that this 
 is ten times more insisted on as a note of true piety, throughout 
 the scripture, from the beginning of Genesis to the end of Revela- 
 tions, than any thing else. And, in the New Testament, where 
 Christ and his apostles do expressly, and of declared purpose, lay 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 403 
 
 down signs of true godliness, this is almost wholly insisted on. It 
 may be observed that Christ and his apostles, do not only often 
 say those things, in their discoursing of.the great doctrines of re- 
 ligion, which do show what the nature of true godliness must be, 
 or from whence the nature and signs of it may be inferred by just 
 consequence, and often occasionally mention many things which 
 do appertain to godliness; but they do also often, of set purpose, 
 give signs and marks for the trial of professors, putting them upon 
 trying themselves by the signs they give, introducing what they 
 say, with such like expressions as these: " By this you shall know 
 that you know God: by this are manifest the children of God and 
 the children of the devil: he that hath this builds on a good foun- 
 dation; he that hath it not, builds on the sand: hereby we shall 
 assure our hearts: he is the man that loveth Christ," &:c. But I 
 can find no place, where either Christ or his apostles do, in this 
 manner, give signs of godliness, (though the places are many) but 
 where christian practice is almost the only thing insisted on. In- 
 deed, in many of these places, love to the brethren is spoken of 
 as a sign of godliness; and as I have observed before, there is no 
 one virtuous afifection or disposition, so often expressly spoken of 
 as a sign of true grace, as our having love one to another. But 
 then the scriptures explain themselves to intend chiefly tliis love 
 as exercised and expressed in practice, or in deeds of love. So 
 does the apostle John, who, above all others, insists on love to 
 the brethren as a sign of godliness, most expressly explain him- 
 self, in that 1 John iii. 14, &c. " We know that we have passed 
 from death unto life, because we love the brethren: he that loveth 
 not his brother, abideth in death. Whoso hath this ^vorld's good, 
 and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of 
 compassion from him, how dwellcth the love of God in him? My 
 little children, let us love, not in word, neither in tongue, but in deed 
 (i. e. in deeds of love) and in truth. And hereby we know that 
 we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him." So 
 that when the scripture so much insists on our loving one ano- 
 ther, as a great sign of godliness, we are not thereby to under- 
 stand the immanent workings of affection which men feci one to 
 
 %. 
 
404 TWELFTH SIGN OP 
 
 another, so much as the soul's practising all the duties of the se* 
 cond table of the law; all which the New Testament tells us 
 again and again, a true love one to another comprehends, Rom. 
 xiii. 8, and 10, Gal. v. 14, Matt. xxii. 39, 40. So that really 
 there is no place in the New Testament where the declared de- 
 sign is to give signs of godliness, but that holy practice, and keep- 
 ing Christ's commandments, is the mark chosen out from all 
 others to be insisted on. Which is an invincible argument, that 
 it is the chief of all the evidences of godliness: unless we suppose 
 that when Christ and his apostles, on design, set themselves about 
 this business of giving signs, by which professing Christians, in 
 all ages, might determine their state, they did not know how to 
 choose signs so well as we could have chosen for them. But if 
 we make the word of Christ our rule, then undoubtedly those 
 marks which Christ and his apostles did chiefly lay down, and 
 give to us, that we might try ourselves by them, those same marks 
 we ought especially to receive, and chiefly to make use of in the 
 trial of ourselves.! And surely those things which Christ and 
 his apostles chiefly insisted on in the rules they gave, ministers 
 ought chiefly to insist on in the rules they give. To insist much 
 on those things that the scripture insists little on, and to insist ve- 
 ry little on those things on which the scripture insists much is a 
 dangerous thing; because it is going out of God's way, and is to 
 judge ourselves, and guide others, in an unscriptural manner. God 
 knew which way of leading and guiding souls was safest and best 
 for them: he insisted so much on some things, because he knew 
 it to be needful that they should be insisted on; and let other 
 things more alone as a wise God, because he knew it was not 
 best for us so much to lay the weight of the trial there. As the 
 Sabbath was made for man, so the scriptures were made for man; 
 and they are, by infinite wisdom, fitted for our use and benefit. 
 We should therefore make them our guide in all things, in our 
 thoughts of religion and of ourselves. And for us to make that; 
 
 f "It is a sure rule," says Dr. Preston, " that what the scriptures bestow 
 much words on, we should have much thoujjhts on; and, what the Holy Ghost 
 urgeth most, we should prize most." Church's Carriage,- 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 405 
 
 great which the scripture makes little, and that little which the 
 scripture makes great, tends to give us a monstrous idea of reli- 
 gion; and (at least indirectly and gradually) to lead us wholly 
 away from the right rule, and from a right opinion of ourselves, 
 and to establish delusion and hypocrisy. 
 
 Argume:mt V. — Christian practice is plainly spoken of in the 
 word of God, as the main evidence of the truth of grace, not only 
 to others, but to mens own consciences. It is not only more 
 spoken of and iusjsted on than other signs, but in many places 
 where it is spoken of, it is represented as the chief of all eviden- 
 ces. This is plain in the manner of expression from time to time. 
 If God were now to speak from heaven to resolve our doubts con- 
 cerning signs of godliness, and should give some particular sign, 
 that by it all might know whether they were sincerely godly or 
 not, \v\t\\ such emphatical expressions as these, the man that has 
 such a qualification or mark, " that is the man that is a true saint, 
 that is the very man, by this you may knoAV, this is the thing by 
 Tvhich it is manifest who are saints and who are sinners, such men 
 as these are saints indeed;" should not we look upon it as a thing 
 beyond doubt, that this was given as a special, and eminently 
 distinguishing note of true godliness? But this is the very case 
 ivith respect to the sign of grace I am speaking of; God has again 
 and again uttered himself in his word in this very manner, con- 
 cerning christian practice, as John xiv, " he that hath my com- 
 mandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me." Thus 
 Christ in this place gives to the disciples, not so much to guide 
 them in judging of others, as to apply to themselves for their own 
 comfort after his departure, as appears by every word of the con- 
 text. And by the way I would observe, that not only the empha- 
 sis with which Christ utters himself is remarkable, but also his 
 so much insisting on, and repeating the matter, as he does in the 
 context; verse 15, " If ye love me, keep my coijimandments." 
 Verse 23, " If a man love me, he will keep my words." And 
 verse 24, " He that loveth me not, keepeth not my sayings." 
 And in the next chapter over and over; verse 2, " Every branch 
 in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away; and every branch 
 3e 
 
406 TWELFTH SIGN OF 
 
 that beareth fruit, he purgeth it;" verse 8, " Herein is my Fa- 
 ther glorified, that ye bear much fruit, so shall ye be my disci- 
 ples;" verse 14, " Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I com- 
 mand you." We have this mark laid down with the same em- 
 phasis again; John viii, 31, " If ye continue in my word, then 
 are ye my disciples indeed." And again, 1 John ii. 3, hereby 
 do we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 
 And verse 5, " Whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the 
 love of God perfected; hereby know we, that we are in him;" 
 and chapter iii. 18, 19, " Let us love in deed and in truth; here- 
 by we know that we are of the truth." What is translated hereby 
 would have been a little emphatical, if it had been rendered more 
 literally from the original, by this we do know. And how evi- 
 dently is holy practice spoken as the grand note of distinction be- 
 tween the'children of God and the children of the devil, inverse 
 10, of the same chapter? " In this the children of God are ma- 
 nifest, and the children of the devil." Speaking of a holy, and 
 a wicked practice, as may be seen in all the context; as verse 
 S, " Every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself, 
 even as he is pure;" verse 6 — 10, " Whosoever abideth in him, 
 sinueth not; whosoever sinneth, hath not seen him, neither known 
 him. Little children, let no man deceive you; he that doth 
 righteousness, is righteous, even as he is righteous: he that com- 
 mitteth sin is of the devil. Whosoever is born of God sinneth 
 not. Whosoever doth not righteousness, is not of God." So we 
 have the like emphasis; 2 John, 6, "This is love, that we walk 
 after his commandments;" that is (as w-e must understand it) 
 this is the proper evidence of love. So 1 John v. iii, " This is 
 the love of God, that we keep his commandments." So the apos- 
 tle James, speaking of the proper evidences of true and pure re- 
 ligion, says, James i. 27, " Pure religion and undefiled before 
 God and the Father, is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in 
 their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." 
 We have the like emphatical expressions used about the same 
 thing in the Old Testament; Job xxviii. 28, " And unto man he 
 said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 407 
 
 fii'om evil is understanding; Jer. xxii, 15, 16, " Did not thy fa- 
 ther eat and drink, and do judgment and justice? He judged the 
 cause of the poor and needy: Was not this to know me? saith the 
 Lord;" Psal. xxxiv. 11, &c. " Come, ye children unto me, and 
 I will teach you the fear of the Lord: keep thy tongue from 
 evil, and thy lips from speaking guile; depart from evil, and do 
 good; seek peace and pursue it;" Psal. xv. at the beginning, 
 "Who shall abide in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy 
 holy hill? He that walketh uprightly," &c. Psal. xxiv. 3, 4, 
 " Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? And who shall 
 stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure 
 heart," &c. Psal. cxix. 1, " Blessed are the undefiled in the way, 
 who walk in the law of the Lord." Verse vi. " Then shall I not 
 be ashamed, when I have respect to all thy commandments." 
 Prov. viii. 13, " The fear of the Lord is to hate evil." 
 
 So the scripture never uses such emphatical expressions con- 
 cerning any other signs of hypocrisy, and unsoundness of heart, 
 as concerning an unholy practice. So Gal. vi. 7, " Be not de- 
 ceived; God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that 
 shall he also reap." 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10, "Be not deceived; nei- 
 ther fornicators, nor idolaters, &c. shall inherit the kin2;dom of 
 God." Eph. V. 5, 6, " For this ye know, that no whoremonger 
 nor unclean person, &c. hath any inheritance in the kingdom of 
 Christ, and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words." 
 1 John iii. 7, 8, " Little children, let no man deceive you; he 
 that doth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous; he that 
 committeth sin, is of the devil." Chap. ii. 4, " He that saith, I 
 know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the 
 truth is not in him." And chap. i. 6, " If we say that we have 
 fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the 
 truth." James i. 26, " If any man among you seem to be re- 
 ligious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, 
 this man's religion is vain." Chap, iii. 14, 15, " If ye have bit- 
 ter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against 
 the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, 
 sensual, devilish." Psal. cxxv. 5, "As for such as turn aside unto 
 
408 TWELFTH SIGN OF 
 
 their crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them forth with the work- 
 ers of iniquity." Isa. xxxv. 8, " A high way shall he there, and it 
 shall be called the way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass 
 over it." Rev. xxi. 27, "And there shall in no wise enter into 
 it, whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie." And in 
 many places, " Depart from me, I know you not, ye that work 
 iniquity." 
 
 Argument VI. — Another thing which makes it evident, that 
 holy practice is the chief of all the signs of the sincerity of pro- 
 fessors, not only to the world, but to their own consciences is, that 
 this is the grand evidence which will hereafter be made use of, 
 before the judgment seat of God; according to which his judgment 
 will be regulated, and the state of every professor of religion un- 
 alterably determined. In the future judgment, there will be an 
 open trial of professors and evidences will be made use of in the 
 judgment. For God's future judging of men, in order to their 
 eternal retribution, will not be his trying, and finding out, and 
 passing a judgment upon the state of mens hearts, in his own mind; 
 but it will be, a declarative judgment; and the end of it will be, 
 not God's forming a judgment within himself, but the manifesta- 
 tion of his judgment, and the righteousness of it, to mens own con- 
 sciences, and to the world. And therefore the day of judgment 
 is called the day of the revelation of the righteous judgment of 
 God, Rom. ii. 5. And the end of God's future trial and judgment 
 of men, as to the part that each one in particular is to have in the 
 judgment, will be especially the clear manifestation of God's 
 righteous judgment, with respect to him, to his conscience; as is 
 manifest by Matt, xviii. 31, to the end. Chap. xx. 8 — 15. Chap, 
 xxii. 11, 12, 13. Chap. xxv. 19 — 30, and verse 35, to the end. 
 Luke xix. 15 — 23. And therefore though God needs no medium, 
 whereby to make the truth evident to himself, yet evidences will 
 be made use of in his future judging of men. And doubtless the 
 evidences that will be made use of in their trial, will be such as 
 will be best fitted to serve the ends of the judgment; viz. the mani- 
 festation of the righteous judgment of God, not only to the world, 
 but to mens own consciences. But the scriptures do abundantly 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 409 
 
 teach us, that the grand evidences which the Judge will make use 
 gf in the trial, for these ends, according to which the judgment of 
 every one shall be regulated, and the irreversible sentence passed, 
 will be mens works, or practice, here in this world, Rev. xx. 12, 
 " And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the 
 books were opened; — and the dead were judged out of those things 
 which were written in the books, according to their works." So 
 verse 13, " And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and 
 death and hell gave up the dead which were in them: and they 
 were judged every man according to their works." 2 Cor. v. 10; 
 " For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that 
 every one may receive the things done in his body, whether it be 
 good or bad." So mens practice is the only evidence that Christ 
 represents the future judgment as regulated by, in that most par- 
 ticular description of the day of judgment, which we have in the 
 Holy Bible, Matt. xxv. at the latter end. See also Rom. ii. 6, 
 
 13. Jer. xvii. 10. Job xxxiv. 11. Prov.xxiv. 12. Jer. xxxii. 19. 
 Rev. xxii. 12. Matt. xvi. 27. Rev. ii. 23. Ezek. xxxiii. 20. 1 
 Pet. i. 17. The Judge at the day of judgment, will not (for the 
 conviction of mens own consciences, and to manifest them to the 
 world) go about to examine men, as to the method of their ex- 
 periences, or set every man to tell his story of the manner of his 
 conversion; but his works will be brought forth, as evidences of 
 what he is, what he has done in darkness and in light, Eccl. xii. 
 
 14, " For God will bring every work into judgment, with every 
 secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." In the 
 trial that professors shall be the subjects of, in the future judg- 
 ment, God will make use of the same evidences, to manifest them 
 to themselves and to the world, which he makes use of to mani- 
 fest them, in the temptations or trials of his providence here, viz. 
 their practice, in cases wherein Christ and other things come into 
 actual and immediate competition. At the day of Judgment, God, 
 for the manifestation of his righteous judgment, will weigh pro- 
 fessors in a balance that is visible. And the balance will be the 
 same that he weighs men in now, which has been already de- 
 scribed. 
 
410 TWELFTH SIGN OF 
 
 Hence we may undoubtedly infer, that mens works (taken in 
 the sense that has been explained) are the highest evidences by 
 which they ought to try themselves. Certainly that which our 
 supreme Judge will chiefly make use of to judge us by, when we 
 come to stand before him, we should chiefly make use of to judge 
 ourselves by.f If it had not been revealed in what manner, and 
 by what evidence the Judge would proceed with us hereafter, how 
 natural would it be for one to say, " O that I knew what token 
 God will chiefly look for and insist upon in the last and decisive 
 judgment, and which he expects that all should be able to pro- 
 duce, who would then be accepted of him, and according to which 
 sentence shall be passed; that I might know what token or evi- 
 dence especially to look at and seek after now, as I would be sure 
 not to fail then." And seeing God has so plainly and abundantly 
 revealed what this token or evidence is, surely if we act wisely, 
 we shall regard it as of the greatest importance. 
 
 Now from all that has been said, I think it to be abundantly 
 manifest, that christian practice is the most proper evidence of 
 the gracious sincerity of professors, to themselves and others; and 
 the chief of all the marks of grace, the sign of signs, and evidence 
 
 of evidences, that which seals and crowns all other signs 1 
 
 had rather have the testimony of my conscience, that I have such 
 a saying of my Supreme Judge on my side, as that, John xiv. 21, 
 "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is 
 that loveth me;" than the judgment and fullest approbation of all 
 the wise, sound, and experienced divines, that have lived this 
 thousand years, on the most exact and critical examination of my 
 experiences, as to the manner of my conversion. Not that there 
 are no other good evidences of a state of grace but this. There 
 may be other exercises of grace, besides these efficient exercises, 
 
 f •' That which God maketh a rule of his own judgment, as that by which 
 he judgeth of every man, that is a sure rule for every man to judge himself 
 by. That which we shall be judged by at the last day, is a sure rule to apply 
 to ourselves for the present. Now by our obedience and works he judgeth 
 us. * He will give to every man according to his works.* " Dr, J'reston's 
 Church's Carriage, 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 411 
 
 which the saints my have in contemplation, that maybe very' sat- 
 isfying to them, but yet this is the chief and most proper evidence. 
 There may be several good evidences that a tree is a fig-tree; but 
 the higliest and most proper evidence of it is, that it actually bears 
 figs. It is possible, that a man may have a good assurance of a 
 state of grace, at his first conversion, before he has had opportu- 
 nity to gain assurance by this great evidence I am speaking of. — 
 If a man hears that a great treasure is offered him, in a distant 
 place, on condition that he will prize it so much, as to be willing 
 to leave what he possesses at home, and go a journey for it, over 
 the rocks and mountains that are in the way, to the place where 
 it is; it is possible the man may be well assured, that he values 
 the treasure to the degree spoken of, as soon as the offer is made 
 him; he may feel within him, a willingness to go for the treasure, 
 beyond all doubt; but yet, this does not hinder but that his actual 
 going for it, is the highest and most proper evidence of his being 
 willing, not only to others, but to himself. But then as an evi- 
 dence to himself, his outward actions, and the motions of his bodj 
 in his journey, are not considered alone, exclusive of the action of 
 his mind, and a consciousness within himself, of the thing that 
 moves him, and the end he goes for; otherwise his bodily motion 
 is no evidence to him of his prizing the treasure. In such a man- 
 ner is christian practice the most proper evidence of a saving value 
 of the pearl of great price, and treasure hid in the field. 
 
 Christian practice is the sign of signs, in this sense, that it is the 
 great evidence, which confirms and crowns all otiier signs of godli- 
 ness. There is no one grace of the Spirit of God, but that christian 
 practice is the most proper evidence of the truth of it. As it is 
 with the members of our bodies, and all our utensils, the proper 
 proof of the soundness and goodness of Ihem, is in the use of them, 
 so it is with our graces (which are given to be used in practice, 
 as much as our hands and feet, or the tools with which we work, 
 or the arms with which we fight) the proper trial and proof of 
 them is in their exercise in practice. Most of the things we use 
 are serviceable to us, and so have their serviceableness proved, in 
 some pressure, straining, agitation, or collision. So it is with a bow, 
 
412 TWELFTH SIGN OP 
 
 a sword, an axe, a saw, a cord, a chain, a staff, a foot, a tooth, &,c. 
 And they that are so weak, as not to bear the strain or pressure 
 we need to put them to, are good for nothing. So it is with all 
 the virtues of the mind. The proper trial and proof of them, is 
 in being exercised under those temptations and trials that God 
 brings us under, in the course of his providence, and in being 
 put to such service as strains hard upon the principles of nature. 
 
 Practice is the proper proof of the true and saving knowledge 
 of God; as appears by that of the apostle already mentioned, 
 " hereby do we know that we know him, that we keep his com- 
 mandments." It is in vain for us to profess that we know God, if 
 in works we deny him. Tit. i. 16, " And if we know God, but 
 glorify him not as God; our knowledge will only condemn us, and 
 not save us," Rom, i. 21, The great note of that knowledge 
 which saves and makes happy, is, that it is practical, John xiii. 
 17, "If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them;" Job 
 xxviii. 28, " To depart from evil is understanding." 
 
 Holy practice is the proper evidence of repentance. When 
 the Jews professed repentance, when they came, confessing their 
 sins, to John, preaching the baptism of repentance for the re- 
 mission of sins; he directed them to the right way of getting and 
 exhibiting proper evidences of the truth of their repentance, when 
 he said to them, " Bring forth fruits meet for repentance," Matth. 
 iii. 8. Which was agreeable to the practice of the apostle Paul; 
 see Acts xxvi. 20. Pardon and mercy are from time to time 
 promised to him who has this evidence of true repentance, that he 
 forsakes his sin, Prov. xxviii. 13, and Isa. Iv. 7, and many other 
 places. 
 
 Holy practice is the proper evidence of a saving faith. It is 
 evident that the apostle James speaks of works, as what do emi- 
 nently justify faith, or (which is the same thing) justify the pro- 
 fessors of faith, and vindicate and manifest the sincerity of their 
 profession, not only to the world, but to their own consciences; 
 as is evident by the instance he gives of Abraham, James ii. 
 21 — 24. And in verse 20, and 26, he speaks of the practical 
 and working nature of faith, as the very life and soul of it; in the 
 
fiRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 413 
 
 same manner that the active nature and substance, which is in the 
 body of a man, is the hfe and soul of that. And if so, doubtless 
 practice is the proper evidence of the life and soul of true faith, 
 by which it is distinguished from a dead faith. For doubtless, 
 practice is the most proper evidence of a practical nature, and 
 operation the most proper evidence of an operative nature. 
 
 Practice is the best evidence of a saving belief of the truth. 
 That is spoken of as the proper evidence of the truth's being in a 
 professing Christian, that he walks in the truth, 3 John 3, " I re- 
 joiced greatly when the brethren came and testified of the truth 
 that is in thee, even as thou walkest in thfe truth," 
 
 Practice is the most proper evidence of a true coming to Christ, 
 and accepting of, and closing with him. A true and saving 
 coming to Christ, is (as Christ often teaches) a coming so as to 
 forsake all for him. And, as was observed before, to forsake all 
 for Christ in heart, is the same thing as to have a heart actu- 
 ally to forsake all; but the proper evidence of having a heart ac- 
 tually to forsake all, is, indeed, actually to forsake all so far as 
 called to it. If a prince make suit to a woman in a far coun- 
 try, that she would forsake her own people, and father's house, 
 and come to him to be his bride; the proper evidence of the com- 
 pliance of her heart with the king's suit, is her actually forsaking 
 her own people and father's house, and coming to him. By this 
 her compliance with the king's suit is made perfect, in the same 
 sense that the apostle James says. By works is faith made per- 
 fect.! Christ promises us eternal life, on condition of our coming 
 to him: but it is such a coming as he directed the young man to, 
 
 f "Our real taking of Christ appears in our actions and worksj Isa. i. 19. 
 If ye consent and obey, ye shall eat the good things of the land. That is. 
 If ye will consent to take JEHOVAH for your Lord and King: if ye give 
 consent; there is the first thing: but that is not enougii; but if ye also obey. 
 The consent that standeth in the inward act of the mind, the truth of it will 
 be seen in your obedience, in the acts of your lives. If ye consent and 
 obey, ye shall eat the good things of the land; that is, you shall take of all 
 that he hath that is convenient for you: for then you are married to him, in 
 truth, and have an interest in all his goods." Dr. Preston's Church's Car* 
 riage. 
 
 3p 
 
414 TWELFTH SIGN OF 
 
 who came to inquire what he should do that he might have eter- 
 nal life; Christ bade him go and sell all that he had, and come 
 to him, and follow him. If he had consented in his heart to the pro- 
 posal, and had therein come to Christ in his heart, the proper evi- 
 dence of it would have been his doing of it; and therein his com- 
 ing to Christ would have been made perfect. When Christ call- 
 ed Levi the publican, when sitting at the receipt of custom, and 
 in the midst of his worldly gains, the closing of Levi's heart with 
 this invitation of his Saviour to come to him, was manifested and 
 made perfect by his actually rising up, leaving all, and following 
 him, Luke v. 27, 28. Christ and other things are set before us 
 together, for us practically to cleave to one and forsake the other. 
 In such a case, a practical cleaving to Christ is a practical accept- 
 ance of Christ; as much as a beggar's reaching out his hand and 
 taking a gift that is offered, is his practical acceptance of the gift. 
 Yea, that act of the soul that is in cleaving to Christ in practice, 
 is itself the most perfect coming of the soul to Christ, 
 
 Practice is the most proper evidence of trusting in Christ for 
 salvation. The proper signification of the word trust, according 
 to the more ordinary use of it, both in common speech and in the 
 holy scriptures, is the emboldening and encouragement of a person's 
 mind, to run some venture in practice, or in something that he does 
 on tlie credit of another's sufficiency and faithfulness. And there- 
 fore the proper evidence of his trusting, is the venture he runs in 
 what he does. He is not properly said to run any venture, in a 
 dependence on any thing, that does nothing on that dependence, 
 or whose practice is no otherwise than if he had no dependence. For 
 a man to run a venture on a dependence on another, is for him to 
 do something from that dependence by which he seems to expose 
 himself, and which he would not do, were it not for that depend- 
 ence. And, therefore, it is in complying with the difficulties and 
 seeming dangers of christian practice, in a dependence on Christ's 
 sufficiency and faithfulness to bestow eternal life, that persons are 
 said to venture themselves upon Christ, and trust in him for hap- 
 piness and life. They depend on such promises as that. Matt, x, 
 39, " He that loseth his life for my sake, shall find it." And so 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 415 
 
 the^ part with all, and venture their all, in a dependence on 
 Christ's sufficiency and truth. And this is the scripture notion 
 of trusting in Christ, in the exercise of a saving faith in him. 
 Thus Ahraham, the father of believers, trusted in Christ, and by 
 faith forsook his own country, in a reliance on the covenant of 
 grace God established with him; Heb. xi. 8, 9. Thus also, " Mo- 
 ses, by faith refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, 
 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to 
 enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season," Heb. xi. 23, &c. So by 
 faith, others exposed themselves to be stoned and sawn asunder 
 or slain with the sword; " endured the trial of cruel mockings 
 and scourgings, bonds and imprisonments, and wandered about in 
 sheep skins and goat skins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented." 
 And in this sense, the apostle Paul, by faith, trusted in Christ; 
 and committed himself to him, venturing himself and his whole 
 interest, in a dependence on the ability and faithfulness of his Re- 
 deemer, under great persecutions, and in suffering the loss of all 
 things, 2 Tim. i. 12, " for the which cause I also suffer these 
 things; nevertheless, I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have 
 believed, and I am persuaded, that he is able to keep that which 
 I have committed unto him against that day." 
 
 If a man should have word brought, him from the king of a 
 distant island, that he intended to make him his heir, if, upon re- 
 ceiving the tidings, he immediately leaves his native land and 
 friends, and all that he has in the world, to go to that country, in 
 a dependence on what he hears, then he may be said to venture 
 himself, and all that he has in the world upon it. JSut, if he only 
 sits still, and hopes for the promised benefit, inwardly pleasing 
 himself with the thoughts of it; he can not properly be said to 
 venture himself upon it; he runs no venture in the case; he does 
 nothing, otherwise than he would do, if he had received no such 
 tidings, by which he would be exposed to any suffering in case all 
 should fail. So he that, on the credit of what he hears of a future 
 world, and, in a dependence on the report of the gospel, concern- 
 ing life and immortality, forsakes all, or does so at least, so far as 
 tliere is occasion, making every thing entirely give place to his 
 
416 TWELFTH SIGN OF 
 
 eternal interest; he, and he only, may properly be said to venture 
 himself on the report of the gospel. And this is the proper evi- 
 dence of a true trust in Christ for salvation. 
 
 Practice is the proper evidence of a gracious love, both to God 
 and men. The texts that plainly teach this, have been so often 
 mentioned already, that it is needless to repeat them. 
 
 Practice is the proper evidence of humility. That expression, 
 and manifestation of humility of heart, which God speaks of, as 
 the great expression of it, that he insists on; that we should look 
 upon as the proper expression and manifestation of it: but this is 
 walking humbly. Mieah vi. 8, " He hath showed thee, man 
 what is good, and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do 
 justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God." 
 
 This is also the proper evidence of the true fear of God, Prov. 
 viii. 13, " The fear of the Lord is to hate evil," Psal. xxxiv. 11, 
 &c. " Come, ye children, hearken unto me, and I will teach you 
 he fear of the Lord. Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips 
 from speaking guile: depart from evil, and do good; seek peace 
 and pursue it." Prov. iii. 7, " Fear the Lord, and depart from 
 evil;" Prov. xvi. 6, "By the fear of the Lord, men depart from 
 evil." Job. i. 8, " Hast thou considered my servant Job — a per- 
 fect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth 
 evil?" Chap. ii. 3, "Hast thou considered my servant Job — a 
 perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth 
 evil? And still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst 
 me against him." Psal. xxxvi. 1, "The transgression of the 
 wicked saith within my heart, There is no fear of God before his 
 eyes." 
 
 So practice, in rendering again according to benefits received. 
 is the proper evidence of true thankfulness. Psal. cxvi. 12, 
 " Wliat shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me?" 
 2 Chron. xxxii. 25, " But Hezekiah rendered not again accord- 
 ing to the benefit done unto him." Paying our vows unto God, 
 and ordering our conversation aright, seem to be spoken of as the 
 proper expression and evidence of true thankfulness, in the 50th 
 Psalm, verse 14, " Offer unto God thanksgiving, and pay thy vows 
 
GRACIOUS AFFEGTIONS. 417 
 
 unto the Most High." Verse 23, " Whoso offereth praise, glori- 
 fieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright, will I 
 show the salvation of God." 
 
 So the proper evidence of gracious desires and longings, and 
 that which distinguishes them from those that are false and vain, 
 is, that they are not idle wishes and wouldings like Balaam's; hut 
 effectual in practice, to stir up persons earnestly and thoroughly 
 to seek the things they long for. Psalm xxvii. 4, " One thing have 
 I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after." Psal. Ixiii. 1, 2, 
 " God, thou art my God, early will I seek thee: my soul thirst- 
 eth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, 
 where no water is, to see thy power and. thy glory." Verse 8, 
 " My soul followeth hard after thee." Cant. i. 4, " Draw me, 
 we will run after thee." 
 
 Practice is the proper evidence of a gracious hope. 1 John iii. 
 3, " Every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself even 
 as he is pure." Patient continuance in well doing, through the 
 difficulties and trials of the christian course, is often mentioned as 
 the proper expression and fruit of a christian hope, 1 Thess. i. 3, 
 *' Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of 
 love, and patience of hope." 1 Pet. i. 13, 14, " Wherefore, gird 
 up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end, for the 
 grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus 
 Christ, as obedient children," &c. Psal. cxix. 166, " Lord, I have 
 hoped in thy salvation, and done thy commandments," Psal. 
 Ixxviii. 7, "That they might set their hope in God, and not for- 
 get the works of the Lord, but keep his commandments." 
 
 A cheerful practice of our duty, and doing the will of God, is 
 the proper evidence of a truly holy joy. Isa. Ixiv. 5, " Thou 
 meetest him that rejoiceth, and worketh righteousness," Psal. 
 cxix. Ill, 112, " Thy testimonies have I taken for my heritage 
 for ever; for they are the rejoicings of my heart. I have inclined 
 mine heart to perform thy statutes alway, even to the end." Verse 
 14, "I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies as much as in 
 all riches." 1 Cor. xiii. 6, " Charity rejoiceth not in iniquity. 
 
418 TWELFTH SIGN OP 
 
 but rejoiceth in the truth." 2 Cor. viii. 2, " The abundance of 
 their joy abounded unto the riches of their liberality." 
 
 Practice also is the proper evidence of christian fortitude. The 
 trial of a good soldier is not in his chimney corner, but in the field 
 of battle, 1 Cor. ix. 25, 26. 2 Tim. ii. 3, 4, 5. 
 
 And, as the fruit of holy practice is the chief evidence of the 
 truth of grace, so the degree in which experiences have influence 
 on a person's practice, is the surest evidence of the degree of that 
 which is spiritual and divine in his experiences. Whatever pre- 
 tences persons may make to great discoveries, great love and joys, 
 they are no further to be regarded than they have influence on 
 their practice. Not but that allowances must be made for the 
 natural temper. But that does not hinder, but that the degree of 
 grace is justly measured by the degree of the effect in practice. 
 For the effect of grace is as great, and the alteration as remarka- 
 ble, in a very ill natural temper, as another. Although a person 
 of such a temper will not behave himself so well, with the same 
 degree of grace as another, the diversity from what was before 
 conversion, may be as great; because a person of a good natural 
 temper did not behave himself so ill before conversion. 
 
 Thus I have endeavoured to represent the evidence there is, 
 that christian practice is the chief of all the signs of saving grace. 
 And, before I conclude this discourse, I would say something briefly 
 in answer to two objections that may possibly be made by some 
 against what has been said upon this head. 
 
 Objection I. — Some may be read to say, this seems to be con- 
 trary to that opinion, so much received among good people; that 
 professors should judge of their state, chiefly by their inward ex- 
 perience, and that spiritual experiences are the main evidences of 
 true grace. 
 
 I answer, it is doubtless a true opinion, and justly much re- 
 ceived among good people, that professors should chiefly judge of 
 their state by their experience. But it is a great mistake, that 
 what has been said is at all contrary to that opinion. The chief 
 sign of grace to the consciences of Christians, being christian 
 practice, in the sense that has been explained, and according to 
 
CRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 419 
 
 what has been shown to be the true notion of christian practice, 
 is not at all inconsistent with christian experience being the chief 
 evidence of grace. Christian or holy practice is spiritual prac- 
 tice; and that is not the motion of a body that knows not how, 
 nor when, nor wherefore it moves: but spiritual practice in man 
 is the practice of a spirit and body jointly, or the practice of a 
 spirit animating, commanding, and actuating a body to which it 
 is united, and over which it has power given it by the Creator. 
 And, therefore, the main thing in this holy practice, is the holy 
 action of the mind, directing and governing the motions of the 
 body. And the motions of the body are to be looked upon as 
 belonging to christian practice, only secondarily, and as they are 
 dependent and consequent on the acts of the soul. The exerci- 
 ses of grace that Christians find, or are conscious to within them- 
 selves, are what they experience within themselves ; and hereia 
 therefore lies christian experience : and this christian experi- 
 ence consists as much in those operative exercises of grace in the 
 will that are immediately concerned in the management of the 
 behaviour of the body, as in other exercises. These inward ex- 
 ercises are not the less a part of christian experience, because 
 they have outward behaviour immediately connected with them. 
 A strong act of love to God, is not the less a part of spiritual ex- 
 perience, because it is the act that immediately produces and ef- 
 fects some selfish denying and expensive outward action, which is 
 much to the honour and glory of God. 
 
 To speak of christian experience and practice, as if they were 
 two things, properly and entirely distinct, is to make a distinction 
 without consideration or reason. Indeed, all christian experience 
 is not properly called practice, but all christian practice is pro- 
 perly experience. And the distinction that is made between them, 
 is not only an unreasonable, but an unscriptural distinction. Holy 
 practice is one kind or part of christian experience; and both 
 reason and scripture represent it as the chief and most important 
 and most distinguishing part of it. So it is represented in Jer. xxii. 
 15, 16, " Did not thy father eat and drink, and do justice and 
 judgment? He judged the cause of the poor and needy: was not 
 
420 TWELFTH SIGN OF 
 
 this to know me, saith the Lord?" Our inward acquaintance 
 with God surely belongs to the head of experimental religion: but 
 this, God represents as consisting chiefiv in that experience which 
 there is in holy practice. So the exercises of those graces of the 
 love of God, and the fear of God, are a part of experimental re- 
 ligion: but these the scripture represents as consisting chiefly in 
 practice, in those forementioned texts, 1 John v. 3, " This is the 
 love of God, that we keep his commandments." 2 John 6, 
 " This is love, that we walk after his commandments." Psal. 
 xxxiv. 11, &c. " Come, ye children, and I will teach you the fear 
 of the Lord: depart from evil, and do good." Such experiences 
 as these Hezekiah took comfort in, chiefly on his sick bed, when 
 he said, " Remember, Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked 
 before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart." And such expe- 
 riences as these, the psalmist chiefly insists upon, in the 119th 
 Psalm, and elsewhere. 
 
 Such experiences as these the apostle Paul mainly insists upon, 
 when he speaks of his experiences in his epistles; as, Rom, i. 9, 
 " God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel 
 of his Son, 2 Cor. i. 12; For our rejoicing is this, the testimony 
 of our conscience, that — by the grace of God, we have had our 
 conversation in the world, chap. iv. 13, We having the same 
 spirit of faith, according as it is written, I have believed, and 
 therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak, 
 chap. V. 7, We walk by faith, not by sight, ver. 14, The love of 
 Christ constraineth us, chap, vi, 4 — 7, In all things approving 
 ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, 
 in necessities, in distresses, in labours, in watchings, in fastings. 
 By pureness, by knowledge, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by 
 love unfeigned, by the power of God, Gal. ii. 20, I am crucified 
 with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but but Christ liveth 
 in me: and the life, which I now live in the flesh, I live by the 
 faith of the Son of God, Phil. iii. 7, 8, But what things were gain 
 to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea, doubtless, and I 
 count all things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of 
 Christ Jesus my Lord, and do count them but dung that I may 
 
GRACIOUS AFFF.C IONS. 421 
 
 Win Christ, Col. i. 29, Whereunto I also kbour, striving accord- 
 ing to his working, wiiich vvorkeUi in me mightily, 1 Thes. ii. 2, 
 We were bold in God, to speak unto you the gospel of God with 
 much contention, verse 8, 9, 10, Being affectionately desirous 
 of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel 
 of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto 
 us. For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail, labouring 
 night and day. Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily, and 
 justly, and unblameably, we behaved ourselves among you." And 
 such experiences as these they were, that this blessed apostle 
 t;hiefly comforted himself in the consideration of, wlxen he was 
 going to martyrdom, 2 Tim. iv. 6, 7, " For I am now ready to 
 be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have 
 fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the 
 faith." 
 
 And not only does the most important and distinguishing part 
 of christian experience lie in spiritual practice; but such is the 
 nature of that sort of exercises of grace, wherein spiritual practice 
 consists, that nothing is so properly called by the name of experi- 
 mental religion. For, that experience, which is in these exer- 
 cises of grace, that are found and prove effectual at the very point 
 of trial, wherein God proves, which we will actually cleave to, 
 whether Christ or our lusts, is as has been shown already, the 
 proper experiment of the truth and power of our godliness; wherein 
 its victorious power and efficacy, in producing its proper efiect, 
 and reaching its end, is found by experience. This is properly 
 christian experience, wherein the saints have opportunity to see, 
 by actual experience and trial, whether they have a heart to do 
 the will of God, and to forsake other things for Christ, or not. As 
 that is called experimental philosophy which brings opinions and 
 notions to the test of fact, so is that properly called experimental 
 religion, which brings religious affections and intentions to the like 
 test. 
 
 There is a sort of external religious practice, wherein is no in- 
 ward experience, which no account is made of in the sight of 
 God, but it is esteemed good for nothing. And there is what is 
 
423 TWELFTH SIGN OP 
 
 called experience, that is without practice, being neither accom- 
 panied nor followed with a christian behaviour; and this is worse 
 than nothing. Many persons seem to have very wrong notions of 
 christian experience and spiritual light and discoveries. Whenever 
 a person finds within him a heart to treat God as God, at the time 
 that he has the trial, and finds his disposition effectual in the ex- 
 periment, that is the most proper, and most distinguishing expe- 
 rience. And to have, at such a time, that sense of divine things, 
 that apprehension of the truth, importance and excellency of the 
 things of religion, which then sways and prevails, and governs his 
 heart and hands; this is the most excellent spiritual light, and these 
 are the most distinguishing discoveries. Religion consists much 
 in holy affection; but those exercises of affection which are most 
 distinguishing of true religion, are these practical exercises. 
 Friendship between earthly friends consists much in affection; 
 but yet, those strong exercises of affection, that actually carry them 
 through fire and water for each other, are the highest evidences 
 of true friendship. 
 
 There is nothing in what has been said, contrary to what is 
 asserted by some sound divines; when they say, that there are no 
 sure evidences of grace, but the acts of grace. For that doth not 
 hinder, but that these operative, productive acts, those exercises 
 of grace that are effiectual in practice, may be the highest evidences 
 above all other kinds of acts of grace. Nor does it hinder, but 
 that, when there are many of these acts and exercises, following 
 one another in a course^ under various trials of every kind, the 
 evidence is still heightened; as one act confirms another. A man, 
 once by seeing his neighbour, may have good evidence of his pre- 
 sence; but by seeing him from day to day, and conversing with 
 him, in a course in various circumstances, the evidence is esta- 
 blished. The disciples, when they first saw Christ, after his re- 
 surrection, had good evidence that he was alive; but, by convers- 
 ing with him for forty days, and his showing himself to them alive 
 by many infallible proofs, they had yet higher evidence.! 
 
 f " The more tliese visible exercises of grace are renewed, the more cer- 
 fain you will be. The more frequently these actions are renewed, the more 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 423 
 
 The witness or seal of the Spirit that we read of, doubtless con- 
 sists in the effect of the Spirit of God in the heart, in the impbn- 
 tation and exercises of grace there, and so consists in experience. 
 And it is also beyond doubt, that this seal of the Spirit, is the high- 
 est kind of evidence of the saints' adoption, that ever they obtain. 
 But in these exercises of grace in practice, that have been spoken 
 of, God gives witness, and sets to his seal, in the most conspicu- 
 ous, eminent, and evident manner. It has been abundantly found 
 to be true in fact, by the experience of the christian church, that 
 Christ commonly gives, by his Spirit, the greatest and most joyful 
 evidences to his saints of their sonship, in those effectual ex- 
 ercises of grace under trials, which have been spoken of; as is 
 manifest in the full assurance, and unspeakable joys of many of 
 the martyi's. Agreeable to that, 1 Pet. iv. 14, "If ye are re- 
 proached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the Spirit of 
 glory, and of God resteth upon you." And that in Rom. v. 2, 3, 
 " We rejoice in hope of the glory of God, and glory in tribula- 
 tions." And agreeable to what the apostle Paul often declares of 
 what he experienced in his trials. And when the apostle Peter, 
 in my text, speaks of the joy unspeakable, and full of glory, which 
 the Christians to whom he wrote, experienced; he has respect to 
 what they found under persecution, as appears by the context. 
 Christ's thus manifesting himself, as the friend and saviour of his 
 saints, cleaving to him under trials, seems to have been repre- 
 
 abiding and confirmed your assurance will be. A man that has been assured 
 of such visible exercises of grace, may quickly after be in doubt whether 
 he was not mistaken. But when such actings are renewed again and again, 
 he grows more settled and established about his good estate. If a man see 
 a thing once, that makes him sure: but, if afterwards, he fear he was de- 
 ceived, when he comes to see it again, he is more sure he was not mistaken, 
 if a man read such passages in a book, he is sure it is so. Some months 
 after, some may bear him down, that he was mistaken, so as to make him 
 question it himself; but, when he looks and reads it again, he is abundantly 
 confirmed. * The more mens grace is multiplied, the more their peace is 
 multiplied,' 2 Pet. i. 2. ' Grace and peace be multiplied unto you, through 
 the knowledge of God, and Jesus our liOrd.' " Stodt^iuPi Way to KnQ-.v 
 Sincerity and Hypocrisy. 
 
4S4 TWELFTH SIGN OF 
 
 senteJ of old, by liIs coming and manifesting himself, to Sliadracli, 
 Meshach and iVbednego, in the furnace. And when the apostlo 
 speaks of the witness of the Spirit, in Rom. viii. 15, 16, 17, he 
 has a more immediate respect to what the Christians experienced, 
 in their exercises of love to God, in sutfering persecution; as is 
 plain by the context. He is, in the foregoing verses, encouraging 
 the christian Romans under their sufferings, that though their 
 bodies be dead, because of sin, yet they should be raised to life 
 again. But it is more especially plain by the verse immediately 
 following, verse 18, " For I reckon, that the sufferings of this 
 present time, are not worthy to be compared with the glory that 
 shall be revealed in us." So the apostle has evidently respect to 
 their persecutions in all that he says to the end of the chapter. 
 So when the apostle speaks of the earnest of the Spirit, which 
 God had given to him, in 2 Cor. v. 5, the context shows plainly 
 that he has respect to what was given him in his great trials and 
 sufferings. And in that promise of the white stone, and new name, 
 to him that overcomes. Rev. ii. 17, it is evident Christ has a spe- 
 cial respect to a benefit that Christians should obtain, by over- 
 coming. In the trial they had, in that day of persecution. This 
 appears by verse 13, and many other passages in this epistle to the 
 seven churches of Asia. 
 
 Objection II. — Some also maybe ready to object against what 
 has been said of christian practice being the chief evidence of the 
 truth of grace, that this is a legal doctrine; and that this making 
 practice a thing of such great importance in religion, magnifies 
 works, and tends to lead men to make too much of their own do- 
 ings, to the diminution of the glory of free grace, and does not 
 seem well to consist with the great gospel doctrine of justification 
 by faith alone. 
 
 But this objection is altogether without reason. Which way is 
 it inconsistent with the freeness of God's grace, that holy practice 
 should be a sign of God's grace : it is our works being the price 
 of God's favour, and not their being the sign of it, that is the thing 
 which is inconsistent with the freeness of that favour. Surely the 
 beggary's looking on the money he has in his hands, as a sign of 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 425 
 
 the kindness of him who gave it to him, is in no respect incon- 
 sistent with the freeness of that iiindness. It is his having money 
 in his hands as the price of a benefit, that is the thing which is in- 
 consistent with the free kindness of the giver. The notion of the 
 freeness of the grace of God to sinners, as that is revealed and 
 taught in the gospel, is not that no holy and amiable qualifications 
 or actions in us shall be a fruit, and so a sign of that grace; but 
 that it is not the worthiness or loveliness of any qualification or ac- 
 tion of ours which recommends us to that grace; that kindness is 
 shown to the unworthy and unlovely; there is great excellency in 
 the benefit bestowed, and no excellency in the subject as the price 
 of it; that goodness goes forth and flows out, from the fulness of 
 God's nature, the fulness of the fountain of good, without any 
 amiableness in the object to draw it. And this is the notion of 
 justification without works (as this doctrine is taught in the scrip- 
 ture) that it is not the worthiness or loveliqess of our works, or any 
 thing in us, which is in any wise accepted with God, as a balance 
 for the guilt of sin, or a recommendation of sinners to his accept- 
 ance as heirs of life. Thus we are justified only by the righteous- 
 ness of Christ, and not by our righteousness. And when works 
 are opposed to faith in this affair, and it is said that we are justi- 
 fied by faith and not by works; thereby is meant, that it is not 
 the worthiness or amiableness of our works, or any thing in us, 
 which recommends us to an interest in Christ and his benefits; 
 but that we have this interest only by faith, or by our souls re- 
 ceiving Christ, or adhering to and closing with him. But that 
 the worthiness or amiableness of nothing in us recommends and 
 brings us to an interest in Christ, is no argument that nothing in 
 us is a sign of an interest in Christ. 
 
 If the doctrines of free grace, and justification by faith alone, 
 be inconsistent with the importance of holy practice as a sign of 
 grace; then they are equally inconsistent with the importance of 
 any thing whatsoever in us as a sign of grace, any holiness, or any 
 grace that is in us, or any of our experiences or religion; for it is 
 as contrary to the doctrines of free grace and justification by faith 
 alone, that any of these should be the righteousness wliich we are 
 
426 TWELFTH SIGN OP 
 
 justified by, as that holy practice should be so. It is with holy 
 works, as it is with holy qualifications; it is inconsistent with the 
 freeness of gospel grace, that a title to salvation should be given 
 to men hr the loveliness of any of their holy qualifications, as 
 much as that it should be given for the holiness of their works. 
 It is inconsistent with the gospel doctrine of free grace, that an 
 interest in Christ and his benefils should be given for the loveli- 
 ness of a man's true holiness, for the amiableness of his renewed, 
 sanctified, heavenly heart, his iove to God, and being like God, 
 or his experience of joy in the Hoiy Ghost, self emptiness, a spirit 
 to exalt Christ above all, and to give all glory to him, and a heart 
 devoted unto him; I say it is inconsistent with the gospel doctrine 
 of free grace, that a title to Christ's benefits should be given out 
 of regard to the loveliness of any of these, or that any of these 
 should be our righteousness in the affair oi justification. And yet 
 this does not hinder the importance of these things as evi- 
 dences of an interest in Christ. Just so it is with respect to holy 
 ■-' actions and works. Tomakelightof works, because we be not justi- 
 fied by works, is the same thing in effect, as to make light of all re- 
 ligion, all grace and holiness, yea, true evangelical holiness, and 
 all gracious experience; for all is included, when the scripture 
 says, we are not justified by works; for by works in this case, is 
 meant all our own righteousness, religion, or holiness, and every 
 thing that is in us, all the good we do, and all the good which we 
 are conscious of, all external acts, and all internal acts and exer- 
 cises of grace, and all experiences, and all those holy and heavenly 
 things wherein the life and power, and the very essence of reli- 
 gion do consist, all those great things which Christ and his apos- 
 tles mainly insisted on in their preaching, and endeavoured to pro- 
 mote, as of the greatest consequence in the hearts and lives of 
 men, and all good dispositions, exercises and qualifications of every 
 kind whatsoever; and even faith itself, considered as a part of 
 our holiness. For we are justified by none of these things; and 
 if Ave were, we should, in a scripture sense, be justified by works. 
 And therefore if it be not legal, and contrary to the evangelical 
 doctiine of justification without works, to insist on any of these, 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 42'? 
 
 ^s of great importance, as evidences of an interest in Ciirist; then 
 no nnore is it, thus to insist on the importance of holy practice. 
 It would be legal to suppose, that holy practice justifies by bring- 
 ing us to a title to Christ's benefits, as the price of it, or as recom- 
 mending to it by its preciousness or excellence; but it is not legal 
 to suppose, that holy practice justifies the sincerity of a believer, 
 as the proper evidence of it. The apostle James did not think it 
 legal to say, that Abraham our father was justified by works, in 
 this sense. The Spirit that indited the scripture, did not think 
 the great importance and absolute necessity of holy practice, in 
 this respect, to be inconsistent with the freeness of grace; for it 
 commonly teaches them both together; as in Rev. xxi. 6, 7, God 
 says, " I will give unto him that is athirst, of the fountain of the 
 water of life freely;" and then adds, in the very next words, "he 
 that overcometh shall inherit all things." As though behaving 
 well in the christian race and warfare, were the condition of the 
 promise. So in the next chapter, in the 14th and 15th verses, 
 Christ says, " Blessed are they that do his commandments, that 
 they may have a riglit to the tree of life, ajid enter in through the 
 gates into the city;" and then declares in the 15th verse, " how 
 they that are of a v^icked practice" shall be excluded; and yet in 
 the two verses next following, does with very great solemnity give 
 forth an invitation to all to come and take of the water of life 
 freely; " I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright and 
 morning star. And the Spirit and the bride say, come. And let 
 him that heareth, say, come. And let him that is athirst, come; and 
 whosoever will, let him come and take of the water of life freely," 
 So chapter iii. 20, 21, " Behold I stand at the door and knock; 
 if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to 
 him, and sup with him, and he with me." But then it is added 
 in the next words, " To him that overcometh will I grant to sit 
 with me in my throne." And in that great invitation of Christ, 
 Matth. xi. latter end, " Come unto me, all ye that labour, and are 
 heavy laden, and I will give you rest;" Christ adds in the next 
 words, " Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek 
 and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls; for my 
 
 1 
 
 / 
 
428 TWELFTH SIGN OP 
 
 yoke is easy, and my burden is light: as though taking the burden 
 of Christ's service, and imitating his example, were necessary 
 in order to the promised rest. So in that great invitation to sin- 
 ners to accept of free grace, Isa. Iv. " Ho, every one that thirst- 
 eth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, 
 buy and eat, yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and 
 without price;" even there, in the continuation of the same invi- 
 tation, the sinner's forsaking his wicked practice is spoken of as 
 necessary to the obtaining mercy, verse 7, " Let the wicked for- 
 sake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let 
 him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, 
 and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." So the riches 
 of divine grace, in the justification of sinners, is set forth with the 
 necessity of holy practice, Isa, i. 16, &c., " Wash ye, make you 
 clean, put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes, 
 cease to do evil, learn to do well, seek judgment, relieve the op- 
 pressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, 
 let us reason together, saith the Lord; though your sins be as scar- 
 let, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crim- 
 son, they shall be as wool." 
 
 And in that most solemn invitation of wisdom, Prov. ix. after 
 it is represented what great provision is made, and iiow that all 
 things were ready, the house built, the beasts killed, the wine 
 mingled, and the table furnished, and the messengers sent forth 
 to invite the guests; then we have the free invitation, verse 4, 5, 
 6, " Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither; as for him that want- 
 eth understanding (i. e. has no righteousness) she saith to him, 
 Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have min- 
 gled." But then in the next breath it follows, " Forsake the 
 foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding;" as though 
 forsaking sin, and going in the way of holiness, were necessar\ in 
 order to life. So that the freeness of grace, and the necessity of holy 
 practice, which are thus from time to time joined together in scrip- 
 ture are not inconsistent one with another. Nor does it at all dimin- 
 ish the honour and importance of faith, that the exercises and ef- 
 fects of/aith in practice, should be esteemed the chief signs of it. 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 429 
 
 any more than it lessens the importance of life, that action and 
 motion are esteemed the chief signs of that. 
 
 So that in what has been said of tlie importance of holy prac- 
 tice as the main sign of sincerity, there is nothing legal, nothing 
 derogatory to the freedom and sovereignty of gospel grace, nothing 
 in the least clashing with the gospel doctrine of justification by 
 faith alone, without the works of the law, nothing in the least tend- 
 ing to lessen the glory of the Mediator, and our dependence on his 
 righteousness, nothing infringing on the special prerogatives of 
 faith in the affair of our salvation, nothing in any wise detracting 
 from the glory of God and his mercy, or exalting man, or dimin- 
 ishing his dependence and obligation. So that if any are against 
 such an importance of holy practice as has been spoken of, it must 
 be only from a senseless aversion to the letters and sound of the 
 word works, when there is no reason in the world to be given for 
 it, but what may be given with equal force, why they should have 
 an aversion to the ^vords holiness, godliness, grace, religion, expe- 
 rience, and even faith itself; for to make a righteousness of any of 
 these, is as legal and as inconsistent with the way of the new co- 
 venant as to make a righteousness of holy practice.! 
 
 f " You say you know Christ, and the.love and goodwill of Christ towards 
 you, and that he is the propitiation for your sins. How do you know this? 
 ' He tliat saitli I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar,' 
 1 Joiin ii.4. True, might some reply, he that keeps not the commands of 
 Christ, hath thereby a sure evidence that he knows him not, and that he Is 
 not united to him; but is this any evidence that we do know him, and that 
 we are united to him, if we do keep his commandments? ' Yes verily,' saith 
 the apostle, 'hereby we do know him, if we keep his commaudmenls.' 
 And again, verse 5, ' hereby know we that we are in him.' What can be 
 more plain? What a vanity is it to say, that this is running upon a covenant 
 of works? — O beloved, it is a sad thing to hear such questions, and such cold 
 answers also, that sanctihcation possibly may be an evidence. May be? Is 
 it not certain? Assuredly to deny it, is as bad as to affirm that God's own 
 promises of favour are not sure evidences thereof, and consequently that they 
 are lies and untruths. Our Saviour, who was no legal preacher, pronouiiceth, 
 and consequently evidenceth blessedness, by eight or nine promises, ex- 
 pressly made to such persons, as had inherent graces, Matlh. v. 3, 4, &c." 
 SheparWs Sound Believer, p. 221, 222, 223. 
 
 3u 
 
 / 
 
430 TWELFTH SIGN OF 
 
 It is greatly to the hurt of religion, for persons to make light of, 
 and insist little on those things which the scripture insists most 
 upon, as of most importance in the evidence of our interest in 
 Christ, under a notion that to lay weight on these things is legal, 
 and an old covenant way; and so to neglect the exercises and ef- 
 fectual operations of grace in practice, and insist almost wholly 
 on discoveries, and on the method and manner of the immanent 
 exercises of conscience and grace in contemplation; depending on 
 an ability to make nice distinctions in these matters, and a facul- 
 ty of accurate discerning in them, from philosophy or experience. 
 It is vain to seek for any better, or any further signs than those 
 that the scriptures have most expressly mentioned, and most fre- 
 quently insisted on, as signs of godliness. They who pretend to 
 a greater accuracy in giving signs, or by their extraordinary ex- 
 perience or insight into the nature of things, to give more distin- 
 guishing marks, which shall more thoroughly search out and def- 
 lect the hypocrite, are but subtile to darken their own minds, and 
 the minds of others; their refmings and nice discerning are, in 
 God^s sight, but refined foolishness and a sagacious delusion. Here 
 are applicable those words of Agur, Prov. xxx. 5, G, " Every 
 word of God is pure; he is a shield to them that put their trust in 
 Lim: add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou 
 be found a liar." Our discerning, with regard to the hearts of 
 men, is not much to be trusted. We can see but a little way into 
 the nature of the soul, and the depth of man's heart. The ways 
 are so many whereby persons' affections may be moved without 
 any supernatural influence, the natural springs of the affections 
 are so various and so secret, so many things have oftentimes a joint 
 influence on the affections, the imagination, and that in ways in- 
 numerable and unsearchable, natural temper, education, the com- 
 mon influences of the Spirit of God, a surprising concourse of 
 affecting circumstances, an extraordinary coincidence of things in 
 the course of mens thoughts, together with the subtile manage- 
 ment of invisible malicious spirits, that no philosophy or experi- 
 ence will be sufficient to guide us safely through this labyrinth and 
 maze, without our closely following the clue which God has given 
 
 \ 
 
GRACIOUS AFFECTIONS. 431 
 
 US in his word. God knows his own reasons why he insists on 
 some things, and plainly sets them forth as the things that we 
 should try ourselves by rather than others. It may be it is be- 
 cause he knows that these things are attended with less perplexi- 
 ty, and that we are less liable to be deceived by them than others. 
 He best knows our nature; and he knows the nature and manner 
 of his own operations; and he best knows the way of our satety; 
 he knows what allowances to make for different states of his 
 church, and different tempers of particular persons, and varieties 
 in the manner of his own operations, how far nature may resem- 
 ble grace, and how far nature may be mixed with grace, what af- 
 fections may rise from imagination, and how far imagination may 
 be mixed with spiritual illumination. And therefore it is our 
 wisdom, not to take his work out of his hands, but to follow him, 
 and lay the stress of the judgment of ourselves there, where he has 
 directed us. "If we do otherwise, no wonder if we are bewilder- 
 ed, confounded and fatally deluded. But if we had got into the 
 way of looking chiefly at those things which Christ and his apos- 
 tles and prophets chiefly insisted on, and so in judging of our- 
 selves and others, chiefly regarding practical exercises and effects 
 of grace not neglecting other things, it would be of manifold hap- 
 py consequence; it would above all things tend to the conviction 
 of deluded hypocrites, and to prevent the delusion of those whose 
 hearts were never brought to a thorough compliance with the 
 straight and narrow way which leads to life; it would tend to 
 deliver us from innumerable perplexities, arising from the various 
 inconsistent schemes there are about methods and steps of expe- 
 rience ; it would greatly tend to prevent professors neglecting 
 strictness of life, and tend to promote their engagedness and earn- 
 estness in their christian walk; and it would become fashionable 
 for men to show their Christianity, more by an amiable dis- 
 tinguished behaviour, than by an abundant and excessive de- 
 claring their experiences; and we should get into the way of ap- 
 pearing lively in religion, more by being lively in the service of 
 God and our generation, than by the liveliness and forwardness 
 of our tongues, and making a business of proclaiming on the house 
 
435 TWELFTH SIGN &C. 
 
 tops, with our mouths, the holy and eminent acts and exercises of 
 our own hearts; and Christians that are intimate friends, would 
 talk together of their experiences and comforts, in a manner bet- 
 ter becoming christian humility and modesty, and more to each 
 other's profit; their tongues not running before, but rather going 
 behind their hands and feet, after the prudent example of the 
 blessed apostle, 2 Cor. xii. 6, and many occasions of spiritual 
 pride would be cut off; and so a great door shut against the devil; 
 and a great many of the main stumbling blocks against experi- 
 mental and powerful religion would be removed; and religion 
 would be declared and manifested in such a way that, instead of 
 hardening spectators, and exceedingly promoting infidelity and 
 atheism, would, above all things, tend to convince men that there 
 is a reality in religion, and greatly awaken them, and, win them, 
 by convincing their consciences of the importance and excellency 
 of religion. Thus the light of professors would so shine before 
 men, that others, seeing their good works, would glorify their Fa- 
 ther which is in heaven. 
 
 "v 
 
r 
 
Date Due 
 
 ^^ 
 
I