c 
 
 i 
 
 mmT'p  jr®5^/A^iiiAH  mmiri^s^D^ 
 
 ^■'-.  HLI3HI':i.i    B\      V.'IL] 
 
 Eri«:*^  oaS-ecl  "b^  VVHiizar?  E..1 
 
A 
 
 TREATISE 
 
 CONCERNING 
 
 RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 
 
 BY 
 
 JONATHAN 'EDWARDS,  A.M. 
 
 WITH 
 
 AN   INTRODUCTORY  ESSAY, 
 
 BY  THE 
 
 REV.  DAVID  YOUNG, 
 
 PERTH. 
 SECOND  EDITION. 
 
 GLASGOW: 
 
 PRINTED  FOR  WILLIAM  COLLINS; 
 
 OLIVER  &  BOYD,  WM.  WHYTE  &  CO.  AND  WM.  OLIPHANT,  EDINBURGH 
 
 W.  F.  WAKEMAN,  AND  WM.  CURRY,  JUN.  &  CO.  DUBLIN  ; 
 
 WHI'ITAKER,  TREACHER,  &  ARNOT  ;  HAMILTON,  ADAMS,  &  CO. 
 
 SIAIPKIN  &  MARSHALL  ;   BALDWIN  &  CRADOCK  ; 
 
 AND  HURST,  CHANCE,  &  CO.  LONDON. 
 
 MDCCCXXXL 
 
Printed  by  W,  Collins  fc  Co, 
 Glasgow. 
 
INTRODUCTORY  ESSAY. 
 
 It  is  painfully  instructive  to  reflect  on  the  extent  to 
 which  the  depravity  of  man  is  at  once  indicated  and 
 aggravated,  by  the  irreclaimable  waywardness  of  his 
 propensities  and  passions.  By  carrying  this  thought 
 into  the  department  of  religion,  we  shall  see  the  ex- 
 pounding principle  of  his  depravity  laid  open  to  us; 
 and,  while  there  may  still  be  a  mystery  over  the  ori- 
 gin of  this  principle,  which  remains  to  be  cleared 
 away  by  other  evidence,  yet  we  shall  find  it  mani- 
 fest, that  man  is  the  enemy  of  God  by  wicked  works, 
 by  being  previously  his  enemy  in  the  spirit  of  his 
 mind.  But  although  we  were  to  make  a  more  con- 
 fined use  of  the  thought,  and  apply  it  only  to  those 
 actions  in  which  there  is  supposed  to  be  no  direct 
 impiety,  and  which  are  interdicted  by  Christianity 
 only  in  their  excesses,  or  seasons,  or  circumstances, 
 we  shall  still  find  an  element  working  in  the  human 
 mind — more  mildly  in  some,  and  more  fiercely  in 
 others, — which  argues  disease  in  its  moral  constitu- 
 tion. The  creatures  which  are  merely  animal  are 
 guided  by  instinct,  and  they  are  guided  securely  by 
 it — maintaining  a  perfect  uniformity,  exhibiting  a 
 
VI 
 
 thorough  consistency  in  their  likings  and  aversions, 
 and  prosecuting  both  with  amazing  steadiness,  in  sub- 
 serviency to  their  real  enjoyments  :  or,  if  there  be 
 an  instance  of  deviation,  to  any  observable  extent,  in 
 any  individual  of  any  one  of  their  species,  that  in- 
 stance is  marked,  and  wondered  at,  as  a  singularity ; 
 which  shows  at  once  how  rarely  it  occurs,  and  how 
 little  power  it  has  to  shake  our  confidence  in  that, 
 which  with  them  is  the  ordinary  course  of  nature. 
 
 With  man,  however,  the  case  is  vastly  different. 
 Not  only  is  he  led  astray  by  that  which  ought  to  be 
 the  glory  of  his  nature,  but  even  the  law  of  instinct 
 is  baffled  and  bewildered,  enfeebled  by  resistance,  or 
 vitiated  by  perversity,  till  it  is  no  longer  capable  of 
 a  right  appropriation  of  terrestrial  things.  Viewing 
 him  simply  as  made  for  this  world,  and  keeping  the 
 specialities  of  religion  altogether  out  of  the  question, 
 there  is  still  room  for  the  assertion,  that  he  is  unac- 
 countably the  creature  of  extremes ;  to  be  found  in 
 almost  any  state  of  mind  except  that  one  which  tends 
 most  directly  to  promote  his  comfort.  But  the  spring 
 of  all  this  extravagance  is  the  violence  of  undisciplined 
 propensity.  We  see  his  tendency  to  excess  unfold- 
 ing itself,  and  involving  him  in  manifold  little  per- 
 plexities, as  he  passes  through  the  scenes  of  his  early 
 childhood ;  for,  in  no  instance  does  he  leave  the 
 nursery  till,  in  despite  of  the  wisest  guardianship,  he 
 has  betrayed  the  existence  of  partialities  and  dislikes, 
 which  tend  to  do  him  injury,  and  are  sure  to  end  in 
 bitterness,  unless  they  are  counteracted.  The  de- 
 grees of  such  aberration  may  be  greatly  diversified, 
 and  the  fondness  of  parental  love  may  delude  itself 
 with  imagined  instances  in  which  there  is  no  such 
 
vu 
 
 thing, — while,  in  these  very  instances,  the  symptoms 
 of  them  may  be  quite  apparent  to  the  eye  of  an  im- 
 partial observer. 
 
 Nor  can  we  go  far  in  accounting  for  these  evils, 
 on  the  principle  that  their  victim  is  young ;  for,  were 
 they  pecuHar  to  youth,  we  might  ascribe  them  to  that 
 hasty  shooting  forth  of  passion  which  belongs  to  the 
 immaturity  of  his  age,  but  which  the  slower  growth 
 of  reason  and  experience  would,  in  due  time,  restrain 
 and  rectify.  Such  a  solution,  however,  is  opposed 
 by  fact.  Reason  does  grow  up,  and  experience  grows 
 up ;  for  the  dullest  man,  who  is  exempted  from  ab- 
 solute idiocy,  is  placed  in  circumstances  which  con- 
 strain an  advance  in  both.  But  the  evil  is  not  cured. 
 Propensity  retains  the  control,  and  either  allures  the 
 understanding  into  its  measures,  or  prosecutes  in- 
 clination in  defiance  of  her  dictates.  A  comparison 
 of  the  child  with  the  man  of  years,  may  indeed  show 
 us,  that,  in  the  case  of  the  latter,  the  disease  has 
 passed  under  various  modifications,  and,  of  course, 
 has  assumed  an  altered  complexion ;  and  from  this, 
 it  may  be  loosely  inferred  to  have  altogether  disap- 
 peared. On  a  closer  inspection,  however,  it  will  be 
 found,  that  such  an  inference  is  untenable,  and  that 
 scarcely  any  thing  has  been  gained  by  the  superadded 
 strength  of  faculty  which  elevates  the  man  above  the 
 infant,  but  a  corresponding  accession  to  the  power  of 
 his  mental  malady.  The  workings  of  injurious  pre- 
 dilection in  the  mind  of  the  child,  although  violent 
 and  impetuous,  may  be  combated  with  some  hope  of 
 success ;  because  they  have  neither  the  firmness  of 
 purpose,  nor  the  obstinacy  of  habit,  which,  if  unre- 
 sisted, they  are  afterwards  to  acquire.      But  the  same 
 
via 
 
 workings  in  the  mind  of  the  man  are  more  deeply 
 seated ;  and  just  because  they  have  been  longer  in 
 the  soul,  and  have  the  mastery  there  over  a  greater 
 power  of  intellect,  is  it  harder  to  subdue  them.  The 
 boy  may  be  found  who  is  ready  to  part  with  his  title 
 to  a  rich  patrimonial  inheritance,  for  the  means  of  a 
 transient  gratification  ;  but  the  man  is  as  easily  found 
 who  is  prepared  to  sacrifice,  not  his  patrimony  alone,  but 
 his  health,  and  character,  and  conscience  along  with  it, 
 to  the  idol  of  his  pleasure.  In  this  latter  case  there 
 is  more  of  intellect  than  in  the  former ;  and,  as  the 
 thing  done  is  usually  effected  by  a  process,  and  not  a 
 single  act,  a  greater  degree  of  plan,  and  purpose,  and 
 practical  energy,  is  required  to  achieve  it :  but,  for 
 this  very  reason,  there  is  more  of  absurdity  in  the 
 process,  and  of  misery  in  the  result. 
 
 Nor  let  it  be  thought,  that  because  the  instance 
 referred  to  may  be  called  an  extreme  one,  it  is  there- 
 fore inapplicable  to  the  general  principle ;  for  it  is 
 nothing  more  than  a  fair  specimen  of  that  tendency 
 of  passion  to  sophisticate  reason,  which  pervades  the 
 whole  of  human  nature.  The  man  whose  secular 
 wisdom  is  the  greatest,  and  who,  of  course,  has  made 
 the  most  of  his  outward  circumstances,  may  be  safely 
 called  upon  to  decide  whether,  in  the  few  instances 
 in  which  he  has  erred,  (many  in  fact,  but  few  in  com- 
 parison,) the  error  has  not  been  the  same  in  kind  with, 
 the  one  referred  to,  and  differing  from  it  only  in  the 
 degree  of  its  absurdity  ;  that  is,  whether  in  every  one 
 of  these  instances,  his  experience  does  not  bear  him 
 testimony,  that  "inordinate  affection"  was,  in  one 
 shape  or  other,  the  germ  of  the  evil.  Of  course, 
 we  are  not  speaking  of  the  calculations  of  business, 
 
IX 
 
 or  science,   or  politics,  although  even  these  come 
 under  the  sweep  of  the  principle  to  a  greater  extent 
 than  is  always  allowed,  but  of  the  common  use  of 
 common  things ;  and  in  this  department  it  must  be 
 conceded,  that  the  verdict  of  all  experience  is  distinct 
 and  uniform.    The  evil  shows  itself  even  in  those  indi- 
 viduals whose  moderation  is  the  most  exemplary;  and, 
 therefore,  it  must  be  held  as  universal.      But  why  is 
 it  so  ?     Nay,  why  do  such  pernicious  wanderings  of 
 desire  display  themselves  at  all  among  the  sons  of 
 men  ?    By  what  strange  fatality  does  it  come  to  pass, 
 that  while  beasts,  and  birds,  and  fishes,  and  insects, 
 in  all  the  multitudes  of  their  tribes  and  families,  are 
 guided  so  securely  to  their  native  enjoyments,  man 
 alone  has  the  faculty  of  perverting  that  system  of 
 provisions  which  is  so  finely  adapted  to   his   well- 
 being,  and  of  turning  it,  in  defiance  of  his  thirst  for 
 happiness,  into  a  ministration  of  sorrow  ?     Is  it  true 
 that  the  understanding  of  man,  after  all  the  dominion 
 in  which  its  Maker  enthroned  it  on  the  day  when 
 he  gave  it  being,  and  all  the  eulogy  which  sages  have 
 heaped  upon  it  in  the  glow  of  their  admiration  of 
 its  high  capabilities,  is  yet  so  inferior  to  instinct,  for 
 the  great  purposes  of  earthly  existence,  as  to  give 
 him  reason  to  regret  that  he  was  not  created  a  beast  ? 
 It  is  not  true.      The  darkness  of  atheism  begins 
 to  lower  over  the  very  conception  of  the  thought,  and 
 forewarns  us  to  put  it  down,  as  we  value  our  confi- 
 dence in  the  theology  of  nature.      The  understand- 
 ing of  man,  as  a  guide  to  sublunary  comfort,  is  just 
 as  much  superior  to  that  mysterious  something  which 
 is  law  to  the  appetites  of  animals,  as  it  surpasses  that 
 something  in  its  resemblance  to  him  who  is  God  over 
 A  3 
 
all :  and  to  give  up  with  this  thought,  would  he  vir- 
 tually to  surrender  the  great  principle  which  renders 
 a  belief  in  the  Deity  of  any  practical  benefit  to  us. 
 On  the  recurrence  of  the  question,  then.  Why  are 
 the  appetites  of  man,  though  placed  under  the  guar- 
 dianship of  reason,  so  precarious  guides  either  to  the 
 sources  of  earthly  good,  or  in  the  fruition  of  that  en- 
 joyment ?  we  are  forced  on  the  conclusion.  That  man 
 is  not  now  what  he  has  been — that  he  has  fallen  from 
 his  primitive  greatness — that  some  malignant  influ- 
 ence has  blasted  and  enslaved  him — and  that  this 
 same  influence,  whatsoever  it  be,  or  whencesoever  it 
 has  come,  has  its  seat  in  the  affections  of  his  heart. 
 Thus  it  is,  that  looking  at  him  simply  as  he  is  in 
 this  world,  without  any  reference  to  his  higher  rela- 
 tions, we  cannot  account  for  the  thing  which  troubles 
 him,  without  admitting  the  depravity  of  his  nature : 
 nor  can  we  be  acquainted  with  that  depravity,  in  the 
 mode  of  its  noxious  operation,  without  observing  that 
 it  uniformly  bewilders  the  capacity  of  thought,  by 
 previously  poisoning  the  spring  of  feeling. 
 
 These  considerations,  if  duly  pondered,  might  be 
 sufficient  to  redeem  the  religion  of  the  heart  from 
 that  disrepute,  which  is  so  scornfully  cast  upon  it  by 
 men  who  arrogate  a  high  standing  for  intelligence 
 and  wisdom.  They  might  show  such  men,  that  in 
 pure  respect  for  their  own  understandings,  this  spe- 
 cies of  abuse,  at  least,  ought  to  be  left  to  those 
 drivellers  in  impiety,  who  are  as  ignorant  as  they  are 
 profane.  It  is  a  truth  which  ought  to  strike  them, 
 that  a  man  must  be  trained  to  the  use  of  his  affec- 
 tions, in  order  to  exercise  his  reason,  or  to  keep  his 
 place  in  civilized  society.    Nor  can  it  be  easily  denied, 
 
XI 
 
 that  those  ancients  were  men  of  wisdom,  had  they 
 not  overdone  there  own  maxim,  who,  with  no  eye  to 
 Christianity,  and  with  httle  concern  about  rehgion 
 of  any  kind,  regarded  the  discipHne  of  the  passions 
 as  the  grand  secret  of  human  education.      But  it  is 
 not  in  the  things  of  this  life  merely  that  man  feels 
 "  a  law  in  his  members  warring  against  the  law  of 
 his  mind,"  nor  is  it  in  this  department  at  all  that  the 
 licentiousness  of  appetite  inflicts  the  sorest  injury  on 
 his  ultimate  well-being.      The  same  susceptibility  of 
 misleading  impression  which  distresses  him  in  the 
 things  of  this  world,  rises  from  what  is  secular  to 
 what  is  sacred,  and,  in  the  worst  of  its  consequences 
 here,  we  see  but  an  image  of  its  mightier  devastations 
 on  his  prospects  for  immortality.     These  things  must 
 be  conceded  by  every  man  who  admits  the  great  prin- 
 ciples on  which  Christianity  is  founded,  and  with  no 
 other  man  have  we  any  concern  at  present ;  but,  if 
 they  are  conceded,  they  make  it  manifest  that  the 
 writer  who  goes  into  the  science  of  religious  affec- 
 tions, or  inculcates  a  practical  attention  to  them,  is 
 not,  on  this  account,   a  visionary,  but  proceeding  on 
 principles  which,  in  civil  life,  are  held  essential  to  the 
 right  formation  of  human  character.      In  studying 
 such  a  subject,  he  is  not  gazing  at  the  spectres  of 
 a  sickly  brain,  but  conversant  with  solemn  realities, 
 which  are  bound  up  in  close  and  intimate  alliance 
 with  the  eternal  destiny  of  every  human  soul.     That 
 nothing  childish,  or  absurd,   or  visionary,  has  ever 
 been  written  on  this  subject  cannot  be  asserted ;  but, 
 if  the  abuse  of  a  thing  be  a  reason  for  despising  it, 
 then  farewell  to  all  that  is  excellent  among  the  sub- 
 jects of  human  thought. 
 
xu 
 
 But  while  the  subject  is  thus  sanctioned  by  the 
 dictates  of  a  sound  philosophy,  and  strongly  recom- 
 mended by  its  own  intrinsic  importance,  it  is  impos- 
 sible to  look,  with  becoming  interest,  at  the  present 
 state  of  the  Christian  world,  without  observing  the 
 irreligion  of  the  affections  in  very  striking  display, 
 and  finding  reason  to  deplore  it  as  at  once  degrading 
 to  the  Christian  profession,  and  very  grievously  ob- 
 structive of  solid  religious  enjoyment.      By  no  ad- 
 missible stretch  of  charity  can  it  be  concealed,  that 
 the  services  which  Christianity  imposes  are  rendered 
 irksome  and  insipid,  or  the  minds  of  its  professors 
 made  the  seat  of  a  frequently  recurring  uneasiness, 
 while  the  aspect  of  professing  society  is  overspread 
 with  the  symptoms  of  ghastliness  and  death  through 
 the  operation  of  this  very  cause.      To  deny  this  is 
 impossible,  with  the  Bible  in  our  hands,  and  its  glow- 
 ing portraitures  of  primitive  godliness  looking  full 
 upon  us,  in  contrast  with  living  character.     But  are 
 men  in  general  aware  of  it  ?      Do  they  practically 
 hold  by  it,  as  a  dictate  of  sound  reason,  that,  while 
 the  light  of  Christianity  is  to  be  admitted  into  the 
 head,   its  quickening,  and  warming,   and  modifying 
 efficacy  is  to  be  admitted  into  the  heart,  and  suf- 
 fered to  coalesce  with  all  its  affections  ?      Does  ob- 
 servation warrant  the  assertion.  That  all,    or  even 
 the  greater  part,  who  profess  to  rely  on  Christianity 
 as  the  only  effectual  restorative  of  man,  are  atten- 
 tive to  the  divine  requisition,   "  My  son,  give  me 
 thine  heart  ?"      We  are  constrained  to  say  it  does 
 not.     Nay,  so  great  is  the  deficiency  here,  that  were 
 the  most  devoted  man  on  earth  to  be  brought  to  the 
 test  of  his  own  reason,  and  estimated  by  the  extent 
 
XIU 
 
 to  which  he  makes  this  surrender,  according  to  rea- 
 son's dictate,  he  would  be  found  in  woful  deficiency. 
 But  if  this  can  be  said  of  the  green  tree,  what  must 
 be  the  state  of  the  dry  ? 
 
 In  looking  round  on  the  reading  pubUc,  the  eye 
 settles  upon  one  class  of  men,  to  whom  the  culture 
 of  religious  affections  can  be  a  matter  of  no  interest. 
 They  are  living  in  a  cherished  disbelief  of  the  doc- 
 trines of  Christianity,  and  although  they  comply  per- 
 haps with  its  public  observances,  yet  they  do  so  out 
 of  mere  condescension  to  the  credulity  of  their  weaker 
 brethren,  or  on  grounds  w^hich  are  purely  secular, 
 that  they  may  not  defeat  the  influence  of  what  they 
 regard  as  a  very  serviceable  delusion.  For  among 
 the  more  reputable  even  of  sceptics  themselves,  the 
 impression  is  pretty  general,  that  something  more 
 than  the  philosopher  can  furnish,  or  the  moralist  en- 
 force, is  necessary  to  quell  the  insurrectionary  spirit 
 of  man ;  while,  of  all  the  expedients  for  this  purpose 
 which  have  ever  yet  been  heard  of,  Christianity  has 
 the  first  and  the  fairest  claim — a  concession,  by  the 
 way,  which,  if  pressed  to  its  consequences,  might 
 turn  out  to  be  more  candid  than  considerate ;  for 
 that  which,  after  an  ample  experiment,  is  found  to 
 be  best  suited  to  the  present  condition  of  man,  is  most 
 hkely  to  have  come  from  the  God  who  made  him. 
 But  to  expostulate  with  such  persons  on  their  want 
 of  feeling  on  religious  subjects,  is  to  begin  at  the 
 wrong  end  of  the  subject.  They  cannot  be  swayed 
 by  the  authority  of  Christianity,  because  they  disown 
 that  authority ;  they  cannot  be  awed  by  its  sublimi- 
 ties, because  they  have  never  recognized  them :  nor 
 can  they  be  softened  into  tenderness  at  the  thought 
 
XIV 
 
 of  its  flowing  munificence,  because  they  believe  it 
 to  have  no  existence  except  in  the  day-dreams  of 
 visionary  minds.  We  may  tell  them,  that  this  exalted 
 offspring  of  the  Deity  has  resources  of  her  own  to 
 sustain  her,  without  the  aid  of  their  hypocrisy ;  that, 
 in  the  consciousness  of  intrinsic  competency  for  ex- 
 tending her  empire  over  the  human  family,  she  scorns 
 the  proffer  of  their  hollow  alliance ;  that  she  is  so 
 pure,  and  so  gentle,  and  so  full  of  good  fruits,  as  to 
 maintain  her  own  credit  and  support  her  own  pre- 
 tensions ;  and  that,  if  they  will  not  do  justice  to  her 
 credentials,  by  yielding  them  the  homage  of  an  hon- 
 est belief,  they  had  better  refrain  from  her,  and  let 
 her  alone  :  but  to  claim  from  them  those  affections, 
 which  spring  from  her  genius,  and  felicitate  the  hearts 
 of  her  subjects,  would  be  to  expose  her,  in  all  her 
 sacredness,  to  their  impious  derision.  Nor  do  we 
 deprecate  such  an  exposure  for  her  sake,  but  for 
 theirs.  She  may  be  maligned,  or  resisted,  or  detained 
 in  unrighteousness,  but  she  cannot  be  exterminated ; 
 and  she  is  fearful  in  taking  vengeance.  The  de- 
 mand is  made  upon  them,  first  for  belief,  and  then 
 for  fervent  affection,  as  the  result  of  that  belief;  and 
 to  neutralize  the  demand,  is  as  impossible  as  to  break 
 loose  from  the  control  of  the  God  of  Nature.  Chris- 
 tianity is  "  the  kingdom  of  God,"  and  evinced  to  be 
 so  by  signs,  and  wonders,  and  mighty  deeds.  The 
 present  administration  of  this  kingdom  may  be  con- 
 verted into  "  a  stone  of  stumbling  or  a  rock  of 
 offence ;"  and  if  a  man  "  shall  fall  on  this  stone,  he 
 shall  be  broken ;  but  on  whomsoever  it  shall  fall,  it 
 will  grind  him  to  powder." 
 
 It  is  that  portion  of  the  professing  community, 
 
XV 
 
 then,  who  give  way  to  the  truth  of  our  religion,  as 
 well  as  take  part  in  its  outward  observances,  who  are 
 most  directly  accessible  in  a  discussion  of  this  kind. 
 With  them,  the  advocate  of  Christianity  has  at  least 
 this  advantage,  that  they  are  at  one  with  him,  or 
 take  themselves  to  be  so,  as  to  the  reality  of  the 
 great  subject  for  which  he  pleads.  In  this  depart- 
 ment there  are  two  modifications  of  conduct,  or  two 
 extremes,  in  religious  affections,  which  come  very  pro- 
 minently into  view.  The  one  is  a  total  destitution 
 of  these  affections,  the  other  a  diversified  irregularity, 
 or  palpable  want  of  wisdom  in  the  culture  and  dis- 
 play of  them  ;  and  although  the  first  of  these  may 
 be  regarded  as  the  most  prevalent,  as  well  as  in  itself 
 the  most  injurious,  yet  they  are  both  to  be  met  with 
 in  the  present  state  of  reUgious  society,  and  are  both 
 operating  very  injuriously  to  the  diminution  of  Chris- 
 tian piety. 
 
 However  strange  the  thing  may  appear,  it  is  never- 
 theless undeniable,  that  there  are  many  persons,  pro- 
 fessing Christianity,  and  prepared,  in  words,  to  sound 
 its  praises,  who  have  never  surrendered  their  hearts 
 to  its  influence,  nor  ever  seriously  proposed  to  do  so  : 
 although  placed  in  circumstances  where  the  tendencies 
 of  this  influence  are  presented  to  their  view  in  inspired 
 description  or  in  living  character,  they  think  of  it, 
 and  talk  about  it,  as  does  a  blind  man  about  the 
 beauties  of  colour,  or  cherish,  perhaps,  so  inveterate 
 a  dislike  of  it,  that,  were  the  question  put  to  them  in 
 the  mildest  possible  manner,  or  with  the  most  bene- 
 volent intentions.  What  do  you  know  of  the  religion 
 of  the  heart  ?  they  could  scarcely  refrain  from  resent- 
 ing it  as  the  language  of  unbearable  insult.      Still 
 
XVI 
 
 they  do  not  esteem  themselves  profane  men,  nor  do 
 they  wish  to  be  regarded  as  such  by  others.  Their 
 conduct  is  measured  by  the  rules  of  a  correct  morality; 
 their  presence  in  the  social  circle  may  be  a  protection 
 from  the  nuisance  of  flagrant  impiety ;  or  their  in- 
 fluence a  valuable  auxiliary  to  the  dispensers  of  reli- 
 gious instruction.  They  make  their  appearance 
 among  Christian  worshippers,  perhaps,  with  a  com- 
 mendable regularity ;  they  take  part  in  the  prayers 
 or  the  melodies  of  the  scene,  with  a  most  exemplary 
 outward  decorum ;  and  they  listen,  or  seem  to  listen, 
 to  whatever  is  convincing  or  instructive,  or  admoni- 
 tory or  consoling,  in  a  diversified  Christian  ministra- 
 tion, while  they  pass  through  the  whole  with  as  much 
 apathy,  as  if  mere  good-breeding  were  the  sum  total 
 of  social  religion. 
 
 It  is  admitted,  indeed,  that  the  man  who  is  thus 
 precise  in  his  devotion  to  the  ceremony  of  religion, 
 must  come  to  be  interested  in  it,  either  pleasurably 
 or  otherwise.  The  very  growth  of  habit,  as  super- 
 induced by  practice,  will  contribute  something  to  this; 
 while  his  partialities  for  a  particular  ministration,  or 
 his  aversion  to  it,  with  the  display  of  talent  or  imbe- 
 cility, of  taste  or  vulgarity,  of  eloquence  or  its  op- 
 posite, of  decided  churchmanship  or  thorough-going 
 dissenterism,*  which  characterize  it,  may  stimulate  the 
 emotions,  or  call  forth  the  expression  of  approbation 
 or  dislike.  These  emotions,  however,  are  not  to  be 
 confounded  with  religious  affections.  A  man  is  not 
 religious  because  he  admires  what  is  excellent,  or  re- 
 
 *  These  terms,  it  will  be  seen,  are  restricted  to  the  mere  secta- 
 rianism, which  may  render  a  man  a  bigoted  devotee,  and,  of  course, 
 a  discredit  to  either  tlie  church  or  the  chapel. 
 
XVll 
 
 probates  what  is  bad,  in  the  modes  or  appendages  of 
 Christian  worship.  The  two  things  are  as  entirely 
 distinct,  as  the  symmetry  of  a  human  body  and  a  piece 
 of  attire  by  which  it  is  adorned  or  disfigured.  Feel- 
 ings excited  in  this  way,  although  tending,  by  alliance, 
 to  excite  or  repress  the  spirit  of  devotion,  are,  in  them- 
 selves,* absolute  neutralities,  which  may  rise  into  the 
 highest  delight  without  being  subUraated  by  the 
 slightest  tinge  of  Christian  piety,  or  sink  into  the 
 deepest  disgust  without  being  impious,  provided  that, 
 in  both  cases,  they  be  sustained  by  a  proper  estimate 
 of  their  exciting;  cauSe.  Such  a  confusion  of  ideas 
 is,  nevertheless,  very  prevalent;  and  such  appendages 
 as  have  been  specified,  are  very  frequently  taken  up 
 as  the  theme  of  applause  or  reprehension,  just  as  if 
 this  were  religion  :  while  the  spiritualities  of  the  sub- 
 ject, with  the  topics  for  devout  reflection  and  hal- 
 lowed conference,  which  are  suggested  by  its  every 
 service,  are  left,  like  the  robes  of  the  ofliciating 
 priesthood,  within  the  precincts  of  a  place  of  worship, 
 nor  ever  permitted  to  mingle  themselves  in  any  form 
 whatever  with  the  intercourse  of  social  or  domestic  life. 
 It  is  to  this  state  of  mind  that  we  are  to  trace  that 
 ridiculous  medley  of  avocation  to  which  many  indi- 
 viduals, and  many  famiUes,  are  regularly  given  upon 
 the  first  day  of  the  week,  where  attendance  at  church, 
 and  the  more  retired  species  of  festivity  and  amuse- 
 ment, andgossippers  onthetradesmanship  of  preachers, 
 and  the  reading  of  a  newspaper,  and  the  perishing 
 tattle  of  the  day,  and  the  yawn  of  absolute  ennui,  are 
 blended  together  in  one  accordant  mass  of  absurdity 
 and  irrehgion,  while  every  thing  which  properly  be- 
 longs to  that  day  is  parried  off  from  the  heart,  as  if 
 
XVlll 
 
 pregnant  with  contagion.    A  single  impulse  of  celes- 
 tial feeling  would  put  to  flight  this  whirl  of  frivolities, 
 or  convince  the  man  who  gives  way  to  it,  that  he  is 
 under  the  frown  of  the  God  of  heaven.      But  if  the 
 first  day  of  the  week  be  thus  dissipated  into  vanity — 
 if  the  solemnities  of  that  selected  season,  which  God 
 has  ordained  to  be  kept  holy,  can  neither  awe  the  soul 
 into  thoughtfulness,  nor  dissolve  it  into  scriptural  con- 
 trition, nor  attune  it  to  the  melody  of  spiritual  joy, 
 it  would  be  vain  to  look  for  a  better  state  of  mind  at 
 any  other  season.      In  such  a  case  as  this,  the  every- 
 day forms  of  domestic  religion,  which,  when  animated 
 by  its  spirit,  are  so  finely  fitted  to  sweeten  and  con- 
 solidate the  relations  of  families,  with  the  sublimating 
 tendencies  of  the  pieties  of  the  closet,  must  be  alto- 
 gether unknown.      Or  if  a  few  shreds  of  them  make 
 their  appearance,  they  are  so  dry,  and  meagre,  and 
 ill  sustained,  as  only  to  increase  the  moral  desolation. 
 The  man  who  has  no  religion  on  the  Sabbath,  although 
 frequenting  the  scene  of  its  appointed  ministration, 
 must  of  necessity  have  as  little  on  every  other  day : 
 for  if  the  influence  of  that  ministration  could  not  warm 
 his  soul  into  adoration,  while  in  the  act  of  appealing 
 to  his  conscience,  or  as  yet  fresh  in  his  recollection, 
 how  can  it  be  expected  to  do  so  after  its  impression 
 is  weakened  by  the  intervention  of  secular  pursuits. 
 From  the  use,  then,  to  which  a  man  is  in  the  habit  of 
 putting  the  Christian  Sabbath,  we  may  safely  esti- 
 mate the  tenor  of  his  life.      If,  on  that  day,  he  give 
 no  scope  to  the  exercise  of  those  affections  which  are 
 specifically  religious,  it  may  be  confidently  affirmed, 
 that  a  still  deeper  desecration  will  sit  down  upon  his 
 spirits  amidst  the  busmess  of  ordinary  life. 
 
XIX 
 
 It  were  indeed  a  happy  relief  from  this  conclusion, 
 could  it  be  said  with  truth,  that  these  strictures  are 
 hypothetical,  and  have  little  specific  bearing  on  exist- 
 ing circumstances :  but  the  fact,  that  the  evil  exists 
 in  a  multitude  of  instances,  and  is  held  compatible 
 with  a  profession  of  Christianity,  while  the  descrip- 
 tion given  of  it  is  short  of  the  reality,  is  too  notorious 
 to  be  denied.  An  individual  may  indeed  be  situated 
 in  the  midst  of  a  pious  sequestered  circle,  who  are 
 compact  and  happy  in  each  other,  and  see  little  of 
 the  great  world,  but  what  is  cheering  and  auspicious ; 
 and  in  this  case,  he  may  take  it  for  granted,  that 
 what  he  does  not  know  of  the  religion  of  his  times, 
 is  much  of  a  piece  with  what  he  knows.  But  let 
 him  look  at  the  evolutions  of  religious  character  as 
 these  display  themselves  on  a  large  scale,  and  he  will 
 find  a  deficiency  of  the  very  kind  referred  to,  so 
 marked,  and  prevalent,  and  hopelessly  obstinate,  as 
 to  fill  him  with  dismal  forebodings.  Nor  will  it  be 
 the  least  of  his  regrets  to  discover,  that  in  cases  not 
 a  few,  this  worst  of  moral  diseases  has  the  firmest 
 hold  of  its  victim,  and  is  exerting  its  sullen  and  stu- 
 pifying  influence  most  successfully,  where  it  is  least 
 to  be  expected.  For  not  only  is  it  true,  that  hearts 
 which  are  susceptible  of  the  warmest  friendships,  and 
 endowed  with  the  finest  of  natural  sensibilities,  are 
 yet  cold  as  the  icy  ocean  to  every  thing  feelingly 
 Christian ;  but  too  often  does  it  happen,  that  these 
 are  the  very  hearts  which  are  least  of  all  accessible 
 to  any  attempt  to  reclaim  them.  As  if  conscious 
 that  Christianity  has  a  right  to  their  affections,  and 
 power  to  take  them  captive,  they  are  jealous  of  all 
 its  approaches,  and  will  yield  themselves  up  to  any 
 
XX 
 
 discussion  but  that  which  involves  the  spirit  of  its 
 requirements. 
 
 It  is  a  very  possible  thing,  that  persons  of  this 
 description  may  be  suffering  much  uneasiness  amidst 
 the  decencies  of  their  nominal  piety.  They  may  be 
 haunted  by  a  strong  suspicion,  that  a  name  to  live  is, 
 after  all,  the  amount  of  their  attainment.  They  may 
 even  retain  a  habitual  consciousness,  which  is  occa- 
 sionally fired  into  remorse,  that  in  the  sight  of  God 
 they  are  deceivers ;  and,  prompted  by  this  considera- 
 tion, they  may  form  purposes,  and  fix  dates  for  a 
 thorough  renovation  of  their  mental  habits,  while 
 these  formations  and  fixtures,  having  no  root  in  the 
 principle  of  reformation,  but  proceeding  from  the  rest- 
 lessness of  mere  pain,  are  dishonoured  and  forgotten 
 as  the  excitement  subsides.  Such  disquietudes,  it 
 is  true,  are  the  ordinary  presages  of  reformation ; 
 and  the  man  who  is  under  them  is  hopefully  interest- 
 ing, especially  when  their  power  and  frequency  are 
 on  the  increase.  But  so  long  as  the  practice  con- 
 tinues the  same — so  long  as  the  risings  of  conscience, 
 instead  of  changing  the  current  of  feeling,  or  renew- 
 ing the  springs  of  action,  are  combated  and  borne 
 down  by  the  strength  of  opposing  inclination — ^just 
 so  long  are  they  to  be  regarded,  not  as  the  symptoms 
 of  incipient  recovery,  but  as  the  convulsive  indica- 
 tions of  increasing  disease.  They  may  accumulate 
 the  miseries  of  the  man ;  they  may  teach  him  by  ex- 
 perience, that  he  is  putting  "  bitter  for  sweet,  and 
 sweet  for  bitter ;"  but  they  furnish  him  with  nothing 
 whatever,  which  can  place  him  on  a  better  footing  for 
 meeting  the  claims  of  Christian  duty,  or  appearing 
 before  the  Judge  of  all  the  earth. 
 
XXI 
 
 The  darkest  symptom  of  the  case,  however,  is  that 
 in  which  there  is  no  disquietude,  but  a  uniform  and 
 invincible  contentedness,  undisturbed  by  the  slightest 
 suspicion  of  any  serious  defalcation.  The  man  has 
 taken  up  his  profession  at  the  impulse  of  imitative 
 feehng,  or,  it  may  be,  from  a  good  natural  disposition 
 to  support  the  religion  of  his  country.  He  admits 
 the  truth  of  revelation,  not  because  it  is  true,  but 
 because  his  kindred  believe  it,  and  he  is  not  prepared 
 to  say  it  is  false.  He  has  no  stated  controversy  to 
 plead  with  its  doctrines,  or  gratuities,  or  institu- 
 tions, because  he  never  saw  them  in  any  other  light 
 than  that  of  cold,  and  distant,  and  mystified  abstrac- 
 tions, whose  agreement  or  disagreement  with  his 
 ruling  propensities  he  has  never  thought  of  ascertain- 
 ing. In  short,  he  holds  himself  a  subject  of  Chris- 
 tianity, associated  with  its  friends,  sharing  in  its  pri- 
 vileges, and  possessing  an  undoubted  claim  to  its 
 coming  felicities;  although  he  could  have  said  the 
 same  thing,  and  that  too  for  the  same  reasons,  of  the 
 visions  of  Mahomed,  or  the  rites  of  Juggernaut, 
 had  he  been  born  in  Turkey  or  in  Hindostan.  In 
 this  view  of  the  matter,  dry,  and  frigid,  and  cheerless 
 though  it  be,  he  maintains  a  deathHke  acquiescence; 
 and  while,  in  the  things  of  this  life,  he  is  subject  to 
 like  passions  with  other  men,  partaking  with  them  in 
 the  hopes,  and  fears,  and  joys,  and  sorrows  of  our 
 common  humanity,  yet  on  this  one  point  he  exhibits 
 a  flat  and  monotonous  expectation,  which  knows  no 
 vicissitude  and  dreads  no  repulse,  but  seems  alike  in- 
 capable of  elevation  or  depression.  Or  if  there  be 
 some  occasional  variation,  as  in  the  most  equable 
 temperament  there  necessarily  must,  it  is  so  slight 
 
xxu 
 
 and  evanescent,  as  never  to  show  itself  beyond  the 
 precincts  of  the  inner  man. 
 
 There  is  no  reasoning  required  to  show,  that  this 
 way  of  being  a  Christian,  even  in  the  most  favour- 
 able of  its  aspects,  is  a  deep  and  perilous  infatuation. 
 Not  only  is  there  ground  to  fear  that  the  heart  which 
 is  thus  situated  is  shut  out  from  the  grace  of  God, 
 but  the  conviction  that  it  is,  is  forced  upon  us  with- 
 out the  possibihty  of  resistance.  What  is  Chris- 
 tianity? Is  it  not  a  system  which  undeniably  can 
 do  nothing  for  man,  without  working  its  way  into  his 
 affections,  and  making  its  own  of  his  moral  sensibili- 
 ties ?  Does  not  its  Author  found  on  it  as  a  first 
 principle,  that  before  men  can  find  in  it  that  substan- 
 tial satisfaction  which  it  is  fitted  to  impart,  the  foul 
 affections  which  characterize  him  in  his  ungodliness 
 must  be  mortified,  and  new  affections,  of  a  pure  and 
 celestial  order,  created  in  their  stead  ?  Although  it 
 be  unaccountably  forgotten,  it  is  nevertheless  clear 
 as  the  light  of  day,  that  the  religion  of  the  Bible  is 
 devised,  and  revealed,  and  pressed  upon  man,  under 
 the  notion  of  a  remedy ;  and  in  calling  upon  him  to 
 embrace  it,  he  is  uniformly  addressed  as  the  victim 
 of  a  moral  disorder.  But  this  disorder  is  in  the 
 heart :  nor  has  it  merely  reached  the  heart  in  its  pro- 
 gressive invasion  of  the  man,  it  has  commenced  there. 
 The  first  blight  of  its  deadly  influence  was  felt  at 
 the  hearts  of  the  parents  of  men ;  it  is  established  in 
 the  affections  of  the  heart,  as  the  seat  of  its  wasteful 
 dominion ;  and  it  is  only  in  proportion  as  it  is  dis- 
 lodged from  the  heart,  that  the  symptoms  of  conva- 
 lescence can  make  their  appearance  in  the  intellect,  or 
 the  will,  or  the  conduct  of  the  man. 
 
XXUl 
 
 But  as  Christianity  is  thus  made  for  the  heart  of 
 man,  and  fitted  to  purify  its  every  emotion,   so  it  is 
 by  the  respondings  of  the  heart  to  its  compassionate 
 appeals,  that  he  commences  or  continues  his  participa- 
 tion of  its  restoring  efficacy.      It  is  on  this  account, 
 that  the  reception  of  its  benefits  is  described  in  Scrip- 
 ture, not  as  an  exercise  of  cold  intellection,  but  as 
 the  gratification  of  eager  desire.      "  Except  ye  eat 
 the  flesh  of  the  Son  of  man,  and  drink  his  blood,  you 
 have  no  life  in  you."      Unless  your  belief  in  the 
 great  Christian  Sacrifice  be  to  you  a  matter  of  positive 
 fruition,   you  cannot  but  be  dead ;  because  you  are 
 destitute  of  that  instinctive  relish  for  spiritual  nour- 
 ishment which  indicates  the  existence  of  spiritual  life. 
 To  expatiate  here,  however,  would  be  endless.     This 
 high-toned  religion   is  all   over   a  religion  of  love. 
 Whether  we  look  at  it  in  its  origin,  or  its  doctrines, 
 or  its  spirit,  or  its  discipline,  or  its  progress,  or  its 
 consummation,  we  see  it  to  be  pervaded,  and  illumined, 
 and  encompassed  by  the  glory  of  divine  munificence. 
 If  it  were  not  a  religion  of  love,  it  would  be  lost  upon 
 human  nature ;  for  man,   as  the  creature  of  God,  is 
 endowed  with  affections  which,  whether  he  will  or  not, 
 and  whether  he  be  holy  or  unholy,  are  the  medium 
 of  his  happiness  or  misery.      They  are  essential  parts 
 of  his  constitution,   ordained  to  stimulate  his  powers 
 of  action,  and,  without  them,  his  thoughts  and  his 
 recollections,  and,  of  course,  his  capacities  of  pain  or 
 pleasure,  would  languish  in  eternal  torpor.      But  we 
 may  say,  it  is  more  than  a  religion  of  love ;  at  least, 
 it  is  love  modified  and  mixed  up  into  an  exact  accord- 
 ance with  the  present  condition  of  man.    This,  indeed, 
 is  the  character  of  every  dispensation  which  comes 
 
 I 
 
XXIV 
 
 from  God  to  his  rational  offspring.  When  he  cre- 
 ated our  world,  and  wrapt  it  in  respirable  air,  and 
 gilded  it  with  light  and  colour,  and  covered  it  with 
 freshness  and  verdure,  and  overspread  its  teeming 
 bosom  with  all  the  diversities  of  fruit  and  fragrance, 
 andplaced  it  under  the  dominion  of  man,  and  exhibited 
 the  whole  as  a  mirror  for  reflecting  the  wonders  of  his 
 Godhead,  he  showed  himself,  by  symbols  the  most 
 expressive,  to  be  the  fountain  of  exuberant  goodness ; 
 adapting  that  goodness,  in  wisdom  the  most  exquisite, 
 to  the  situation  of  holy  human  intelligences.  And 
 to  enjoy  him,  even  in  this  state  of  things,  it  was  in- 
 dispensable that  the  innocent  creature  who  drank  from 
 the  rivers  of  his  pleasures,  should  exercise  the  purest 
 religious  affections.  But  when  he  created  Chris- 
 tianity he  did  more  than  this.  He  formed  the  new 
 dispensation  to  the  new  state  of  things.  By  a  fresh 
 development  of  wisdom,  he  carried  his  love  beyond 
 the  precincts  of  innocence,  and  sent  it  forth  on  a 
 great  pacific  embassy  into  the  dark  regions  of  depra- 
 vity, proclaiming  to  the  creatures  of  rebellion  and 
 wretchedness,  who  had  lost  the  use  of  his  material 
 creation,  and  converted  its  stores  into  the  resources 
 of  crime,  "forgiveness  with  him  that  he  may  be 
 venerated,  and  plenteous  redemption  that  he  may  be 
 sought  unto." 
 
 If  these  things  are  so,  (and  who  that  has  but 
 glanced  on  his  Bible  can  set  them  aside  ?)  they  teach 
 us  most  forcibly,  that  to  propose  to  be  religious, 
 without  the  exercise  of  the  affections,  is  to  meditate 
 a  wild  excursion  into  the  regions  of  impossibiUty,  to 
 attempt  an  impotent  and  daring  infraction  at  once  on 
 the  specific  bearings  of  Christianity,  and  on  the  con- 
 
XXV 
 
 stitution  of  the  human  mind.  We  may  have  to  do 
 with  many  trivial  things,  and  we  may  give  them  their 
 due  in  a  state  of  comparative  neutraHty  of  mind  :  but 
 duty  to  God,  and  sin  against  him,  are  great  things 
 and  righteous ;  or  wicked,  pious,  or  impious  we  can- 
 not be,  without  a  strong  excitement  of  human  feehng. 
 The  reason  is,  that  thought,  and  feehng,  and  con- 
 duct, are  inseparably  conjoined  in  such  minds  as 
 ours ;  and  where  the  heart  is  not  given,  the  man  is 
 not  given.  Make  of  it  then  what  we  may,  it  re- 
 mains a  truth,  that  the  religion  which  is  from  above 
 was  made  for  hearts — for  human  hearts — for  human 
 hearts  depraved  by  sin, — it  is  kind,  and  gentle,  and 
 suasive,  and  social,  that  it  may  interest  such  hearts ; 
 and  so  far  as  it  is  excluded  from  the  heart,  it  can  have 
 no  living  subsistence  among  the  children  of  men.  A 
 person  may  honour  it  with  whatever  else  he  pleases ; 
 he  may  give  his  body  to  its  ceremonies,  or  his  mind 
 to  its  disquisitions,  or  his  money  to  its  promulgation, 
 or  his  influence  to  the  enforcement  of  its  social  morali- 
 ties ;  but  unless  these  givings  be  sustained  and  con- 
 secrated by  the  higher  and  hoHer  devotion  of  the 
 heart,  they  are  inanities  in  the  sight  of  God. 
 
 If  it  be  asked,  '  Why  labour  to  make  out  a  point 
 which  is  self-evident,  and  which  no  man  in  his  senses 
 will  venture  to  deny  ?'  the  apology  is,  that  although 
 the  point  itself  be  evident,  yet  the  moral  principle 
 involved  in  it  is  wofully  obscured ;  and  we  know  of 
 no  fitter  means  competent  to  man,  for  restoring  it 
 to  its  place,  as  a  stimulant  of  action,  than  a  display 
 of  its  force  and  solidity,  or  an  honest  disclosure  of 
 the  consequences  in  which  the  man  is  involved  who 
 continues  to  disregard  it.  The  only  way  in  which 
 B  20 
 
XXVI 
 
 a  man  can  have  access  to  the  conscience  of  his  fel- 
 low-man, is  by  appealing  to  his  understanding,  from 
 the  principles  of  the  Bible ;  and  although  the  moral 
 of  these  principles  be  always  a  plain   point,  yet  it 
 furnishes  material  for  that  very  species  of  discussion 
 and  persuasion  which  the  Spirit  of  God  employs  for 
 accomplishing    his  merciful    purpose.        Now,    it   is 
 strange  indeed  that  religion,  with  its  collateral  inter- 
 ests, is  almost  the  only  thing  within  the  whole  range 
 of  voluntary  avocation,  from  which  many  thousands 
 of  baptized  men  withhold  the  exercise  of  their  affec- 
 tions ;  and  if  they  found  a  man  displaying  the  same 
 apathy  in  his  secular  pursuits  which  they  display  in 
 this  department,  they  would  be  tempted  to  question 
 the  sanity  of  his  mind.      What,  for  instance,  would 
 be  thought  of  the  man   who,    while  he  had  joined 
 himself  to  the  admirers  of  the  drama,  and  continued 
 to  occupy  a  seat  within  the  walls  of  the  theatre  with 
 the  utmost  steadiness  and  regularity,  had  no  relish 
 whatever  for    dramatic   representation?    and,    while 
 others  around  him  were  gathering  up  delight  from 
 tlie  burst  of  eloquence,  or  the  flash  of  wit,   or  the 
 play  of  humour,  which  the  incidents  of  the  piece,  or 
 the  skill  of  the  performers  was  successively  sending 
 forth  upon  them ;  while,  in  short,  they  were  wafted 
 along  by  the  current  of  the  sentiment,  and  giving 
 way  to  the  alternations  of  joy  or  of  terror,  of  tender- 
 ness or  of  sensuahty,  which  the  spirit  of  the  amuse- 
 ment was  fitted  to  inspire,  he  was  as  completely  isolated 
 from  the  whole  as  if  he  had  been  bhnd,  and  deaf,  and 
 dumb.       Such   a  person   would   unquestionably   be 
 marked  as  a  strange  anomaly  in  his  department,  and 
 it  might  puzzle   ingenuity  to  ascertain  what  could 
 
XXVll 
 
 possibly  induce  him  to  be  there  at  all. — The  same 
 thing  might  be  said  of  the  initiated  sportsman.  He 
 is  not  addicted  to  the  toils,  or  fearless  of  the  hazards 
 of  the  field,  as  a  matter  of  mere  ceremony.  He  gives 
 his  heart  to  it,  as,  to  him  at  least,  the  medium  of 
 high  delight.  Every  incident  of  the  scene  gives  a 
 new  impulse  to  his  soul,  and  catching  the  inspiration 
 of  the  howhng  quadrupeds  which  scour  the  plain 
 before  him,  he  shares  in  their  brutal  happiness,  or 
 suffers  along  with  them  in  their  disappointment. — So 
 it  is  also  with  the  miser,  or  the  sensualist,  or,  to  rise 
 to  names  of  another  order,  the  man  of  taste  and  sci- 
 ence, in  letters  and  philosophy.  It  is  counted  on, 
 as  a  matter  of  course,  that  each  is  actuated  by  the 
 spirit  of  his  pursuit,  or  formed  into  its  likeness  with 
 more  or  less  entireness,  according  to  the  place  which 
 it  holds  in  the  affections  of  his  heart ;  and  where 
 this  inspiration  fails,  he  is  disowned  by  the  brother- 
 hood on  which  he  is  thus  obtruded,  as  a  hated  ob- 
 struction to  the  flow  of  their  enjoyment.  This  is 
 the  way  of  the  world;  but  why  should  it  be  other- 
 wise in  reference  to  Christianity  ?  Shall  men  pour 
 out  the  whole  fervour  of  their  souls  on  science,  or 
 wealth,  or  vulgar  amusement,  while  the  things  which 
 involve  eternity,  with  all  its  woes  or  felicities,  are 
 treated  with  callous  neglect  ?  Men  are  accustomed 
 to  pervert  themselves  thus,  and  the  evil  is  so  com- 
 mon, it  has  ceased  to  be  wondered  at ;  but  were  thev 
 to  look  at  things  as  they  really  are,  the  enormity  of 
 their  conduct,  as  an  offence  against  reason,  to  carry 
 the  matter  no  higher,  would  fill  them  with  alarm. 
 
 It  is  no  vindication  of  the  apathy  complained  of 
 to  say,  '  I   cannot  do  otherwise.      My  friends,  and 
 B  2 
 
XXVlll 
 
 my  habits,  and  my  most  intimate  associations,  are 
 all  in  league  with  it,  and  present  a  barrier  in  the 
 way  of  a  change,  which  is  altogether  impassable/ 
 Reasonings  of  this  kind  are  not  only  unmanly,  be- 
 cause absurd ;  but  to  give  way  to  them,  is  to  make 
 choice  of  death  rather  than  life,  and  of  cursing  rather 
 than  blessing,  and  to  do  so  by  a  decision  which  is  so 
 much  the  more  desperate,  that  it  is  cool  and  deliber- 
 ate. Other  men  have  been  as  deeply  immured  as 
 you  in  the  friendships,  and  habits,  and  associations 
 of  irreligion,  and  yet  have  either  succeeded  in  trans- 
 forming them  into  a  purer  and  better  commodity, 
 or  have  cast  them  off  as  insufferable  incumbrances  to 
 all  rational  and  dignified  activity.  Where,  then,  is 
 the  proof,  that  there  is  a  mysterious  peculiarity  at- 
 taching itself  to  your  destiny,  and  binding  you  down, 
 as  in  chains  of  adamant,  to  a  course  of  conduct  which 
 you  know^  to  be  unreasonable,  and  feel  to  be  ruin- 
 ous? The  bondage  of  which  you  speak  is  moral, 
 not  physical,  not  created  by  your  Maker,  but  con- 
 tracted by  yourself;  not  forced  upon  you  by  the 
 pressure  of  circumstances,  but  wrapped  around  you 
 by  your  own  hands.  Its  real  name  is  disinclination, 
 not  disability.  You  are  just  as  you  wish  to  be,  es- 
 tranged from  religious  affections ;  because,  all  things 
 considered,  you  judge  it  best  to  be  so.  Come  fairly 
 to  the  point  and  you  cannot  but  see  it,  that  the  same 
 portion  of  mental  energy  which  you  daily  put  forth 
 in  offending  the  God  who  made  you,  and  resisting 
 the  spirit  of  his  service,  is  quite  sufficient  for  the 
 exercise  of  loving  him.  The  power  to  dishonour  the 
 God  of  heaven  throughout  the  whole  created  uni- 
 verse, is  co-extensive  with  the  power  to  adore  him ; 
 
XXIX 
 
 and  wherever  we  see  a  creature  who  is  able  to  be 
 impious,  there  we  see  one  who  could  be  pious  were 
 he  so  incHned.  Still  it  is  true,  that  you  cannot  do 
 otherwise :  the  only  reason  of  the  truth,  however, 
 is,  that  you  will  not  do  otherwise ;  and  this  brings 
 the  whole  responsibility  in  fearful  accumulation  on 
 your  own  head.  But  if  the  decision  to  continue  as 
 you  are,  be  at  war  with  your  better  judgment — if,  in 
 despite  of  its  preponderance,  you  feel  conscious  of  a 
 struggling  wish  that  your  heart  were  emancipated ; 
 then  this  very  wish,  cold,  and  languid,  and  overborne 
 though  it  be,  is  the  element  out  of  which  there  may 
 come  forth  a  renovated  order  of  thought  and  voli- 
 tion. But  guard  it  with  incessant  vigilance,  carry 
 it  to  the  great  Author  of  Christianity,  that  he  may 
 transform,  and  invigorate,  and  warm  it  into  desire 
 by  the  Spirit  of  his  grace ;  for  you  will  find  with 
 him  an  influence  rich,  and  free,  and  most  gratuitous, 
 possessing  an  efficacy  which  is  more  than  sufficient 
 to  charm  your  bondage  all  away  :  "  To-day,  if  you 
 will  hear  his  voice,  harden  not  your  hearts." 
 
 Nor  is  it  a  better  vindication  to  say,  '  My  Chris- 
 tianity is  just  like  that  of  others  around  me,  who 
 think,  and  feel,  and  act  as  I  do;  and  if  I  am  in  arrears 
 to  the  claims  of  duty,  I  am  but  on  a  footing  with 
 multitudes  who  are  awaiting  the  final  decision  in  the 
 very  same  predicament.'  This  may  be  true,  for 
 "  wide  is  the  gate,  and  broad  is  the  way  that  leadeth 
 to  destruction,  and  many  there  be  who  go  in  thereat;'* 
 but  the  native  inference  from  it  is,  that  your  situation 
 is  so  much  the  more  perilous.  The  question  is.  Are 
 these  persons  right,  or  are  they  wrong  ?  Is  their  prac- 
 tice supported  by  sound,  and  enlightened,  and  well- 
 
XXX 
 
 defined  religious  principles?  or  is  it  the  spurious 
 offspring  of  depravity  and  delusion,  like  your  own  ? 
 If  the  former,  your  reference  to  them  is  pertinent, 
 and  you  are  warranted  to  feel  confirmed  by  the 
 suf!i*age  of  their  example ;  but  if  the  latter,  it  is 
 preposterous,  and  ministers  nothing  to  you  but  an 
 amplified  illustration  of  your  danger  and  infatuation. 
 He  who  is  under  a  bodily  malady  does  not  fear  it  the 
 less  for  being  told  it  is  epidemic,  and  preying  even 
 unto  death  on  the  whole  neighbourhood  in  which  he 
 resides.  So  far  is  he  from  this,  that  his  knowledge 
 of  these  things,  conjoined  with  his  own  experience 
 of  its  vii'ulence,  invests  it  with  an  additional  horror 
 in  the  eye  of  his  imagination,  and  gives  a  tenfold  in- 
 tensity to  his  desire  for  relief.  The  application  is 
 obvious,  and  the  conclusion  is  irresistible,  that  the 
 man  who  in  this  way  pleads  precedent,  to  palliate  his 
 irreligion,  is  wilfully  disguising  the  whole  subject, 
 and  is  held  fast  in  the  enchantment  which  lures  to 
 destruction. 
 
 Nor  yet  is  it  a  vindication  to  plead  disgust  at  the 
 imprudences  which  may  accompany  religious  affec- 
 tions among  those  who  are  most  distinguished  by 
 them.  It  is  a  very  possible  thing,  that  imprudences 
 alleged  in  this  way  are  greatly  magnified,  if  not  cre- 
 ated, by  the  cherished  dislike  of  the  man  whom  they 
 offend  ;  and  of  course,  that  sounder  views  of  the  sub- 
 ject, and  a  healthier  course  of  conduct,  would  displace 
 them  from  their  present  prominence  as  occasions  of 
 offence.  But  admitting  their  existence  to  an  extent 
 which  is  highly  blameable,  the  point  to  be  ascertained 
 is.  In  what  do  they  originate?  Are  they  inse- 
 parably  connected  with   religious  affections,   or  do 
 
XXXI 
 
 they  proceed  from  incapacity,  or  bad  training,  on  the 
 part  of  the  persons  in  whom  they  appear  ?  To  charge 
 them  on  Christianity  is  to  speak  the  language  of  in- 
 fideHty,  and  to  disregard  the  evidence  of  facts',  which 
 have  shown,  in  instances  unnumbered,  that  the  minds 
 which  are  most  habitually  under  its  influence  are  tlie 
 most  thoroughly  rational.  But  if  in  candour  they 
 are  to  be  ascribed,  not  to  the  system  but  to  the  man 
 who  misguides  it,  then  why  connect  them  with  Chris- 
 tianity at  all?  or  why  regard  its  holy  exercises  as 
 either  the  better  or  the  worse  for  the  prevalence  of 
 such  things?  Men  do  not  depreciate  what  is  in- 
 trinsically excellent,  because  it  is  often  abused;  and 
 if  they  did,  they  would  soon  cease  to  find  excellence 
 beneath  the  sun.  Nor  can  they  involve  it  in  any 
 way  with  the  folhes,  or  even  crimes,  of  which  the 
 imbecility  or  perversity  of  others  may  make  it  the 
 occasion,  without  committing  a  flagrant  outrage  on 
 the  standing  laws  of  human  thought.  A  professor 
 of  religion  may  be  something  of  a  visionary,  who 
 frequently  provokes  the  derision  even  of  the  well- 
 disposed  ;  or  he  may  be  a  brain-sick  enthusiast,  soar- 
 ing in  the  altitudes  of  imagined  felicity,  or  shivering 
 under  the  horrors  of  ideal  despair.  The  theme  of 
 his  rhapsody,  in  the  one  case,  may  be  the  munificence 
 of  the  Bible ;  or  in  the  other,  the  wrath  which  it  re- 
 veals from  heaven  against  all  ungodliness  of  men : 
 but  to  confound  these  things  with  rational  piety,  is 
 to  err  as  widely  on  the  one  extreme  as  he  does  on 
 the  other.  It  is  matter  of  ingenuous  regret,  that  so 
 much  as  an  occasion  of  offence  should  originate  in 
 this  quarter,  although,  in  the  present  state  of  human 
 nature,  it  is  always  to  be  expected ;  and  as  the  spirit 
 
xxxu 
 
 of  Christianity  arises  to  its  native  fervour,  we  are 
 likely  to  see  more  of  it ;  for  were  the  impulse  which 
 it  gives  to  the  affections  more  deeply  and  generally 
 felt,  the  instances  of  constitutional  defect,  among  the 
 subjects  of  its  operation,  would  of  course  be  multi- 
 plied. But  it  is  still  more  deeply  to  be  regretted, 
 that  the  principles  of  candour  and  sound  discrimina- 
 tion should  be  so  far  departed  from,  as  to  foster  the 
 growth  of  irreligion,  by  blending  such  excrescences 
 with  the  genuine  fruits  of  vital  godliness.  If  we 
 look,  however,  at  the  miserable  material  with  which 
 such  a  pretext  is  usually  got  up,  the  circumstances 
 in  which  it  is  resorted  to,  and  the  affected  levity  or 
 wrathful  obstinacy  with  which  it  is  retained,  there  is 
 reason  to  suspect,  that  the  objector  himself  is  aware 
 of  its  futility,  and  that,  after  all,  it  is  not  so  much  his 
 head  as  his  heart  which  is  in  fault. 
 
 The  imprudences  chargeable  on  religious  affec- 
 tions, in  a  few  of  their  diversified  lines  of  operation, 
 were  to  be  noticed  in  the  second  part  of  this  Essay ; 
 but  the  space  already  occupied  restricts  us  to  a  mere 
 outline  of  what  was  at  first  intended.  It  is  very 
 conceivable  that  a  heart  may  be  really  Christian, 
 while  the  motions  of  spiritual  life  are  so  languid  as 
 to  approximate  very  nearly  to  entire  destitution ;  and, 
 in  this  case,  the  person  may  find  a  caveat  in  what  is 
 stated  above.  But  it  cannot  be  denied,  that  even 
 where  these  motions  would  seem  to  be  vigorous,  there 
 is  frequently  error  on  the  other  extreme.  In  almost 
 every  age,  and  in  ours  among  the  rest,  a  species  of 
 affection  has  broke  in  upon  the  sanctities  of  religion, 
 which,  did  it  really  belong  to  the  subject,  would  tend 
 
XXXIU 
 
 infallibly  to  involve  it  in  suspicion — an  affection  which 
 shows  itself  in  all  the  fervour,  and  claims  for  itself 
 all  the  sacredness  of  zeal  for  the  Lord  of  Hosts ; 
 which  is  bustling  and  impetuous  in  its  spirit,  dis- 
 gustingly ostentatious  in  the  display  of  its  activities, 
 and  reckless  of  all  dehcacy,  in  assaulting  every  thing 
 which  is  in  any  way  obstructive  of  its  fiery  career. 
 A  zealot  of  this  kind  usually  takes  his  cast  from  the 
 spirit  of  the  age  in  which  he  lives,  or  the  religious 
 party  to  which  he  belongs,  and  carries  to  a  mischie- 
 vous excess  what  is  either  in  itself  good,  or  would 
 be  comparatively  harmless,  if  tempered  with  modera- 
 tion. In  one  man,  this  spirit  may  be  set  on  fire  by 
 a  favourite  nostrum,  struck  out,  as  he  supposes,  from 
 the  word  of  God,  or  borrowed,  it  may  be,  from  some 
 master-spirit  which  he  has  chosen  to  give  law  to  his 
 understanding.  In  this  nostrum,  however  chilcUsh 
 or  fanciful,  he  is  absorbed.  It  is  to  him  the  central 
 point  of  all  religious  thought  or  feeling.  For  its 
 sake  every  thing  else  is  forgotten,  or  only  noticed  to 
 be  strained  into  a  subserviency  to  it ;  and  in  the  glow 
 of  his  enthusiasm,  he  employs  it  as  a  test  by  which 
 to  estimate  the  understandings,  and  try  the  hearts, 
 if  not  to  settle  the  future  destinies,  of  all  to  whom  he 
 has  access.  In  another  man,  it  assumes  a  sectarian 
 aspect,  magnifying  the  excellencies,  and  palliating 
 the  defects,  either  of  the  church  or  the  chapel,  in 
 some  one  or  other  of  their  modifications,  beyond  all 
 reasonable  bounds.  In  another,  it  raises  the  outcry 
 of  error  and  immorality,  surrounding  itself  with 
 images  of  apostacy,  so  hideous  and  portentous,  as  to 
 lead  the  unwary  to  suppose,  that  the  expiring  re- 
 mains of  Christian  piety,  with  all  that  is  righteous 
 b3 
 
XXXIV 
 
 and  holy,  are  just  about  to  depart  from  the  earth, 
 while  the  points  on  which  he  fixes  as  evidence  of  this, 
 may  be  the  most  equivocal,  or  least  alarming  of  all 
 the  signs  of  the  times.  In  another,  it  sounds  the 
 trumpet  of  liberality,  proclaiming  an  era  of  jubilant 
 felicity,  if  men  would  but  forget  to  investigate,  and 
 learn  to  acquiesce ;  and  fretting  itself  beyond  all  en- 
 durance, at  the  bigotry  of  those  recusants,  who  are  not 
 prepared  to  decry  all  distinctions,  and  hide  them  out 
 of  view,  in  the  placid  ocean  of  universal  good-wilL 
 
 Similar  to  this  in  point  of  injurious  effect,  although 
 widely  different  in  complexion,  is  that  sickly  frame 
 of  spirit,  which  is  all  sensibility,  either  painful  or 
 pleasurable,  andean  appreciate  nothing  in  Christianity, 
 however  important  or  seasonable,  unless  it  minister 
 in  one  shape  or  other  to  the  fitful  and  frivolous  mus- 
 ings of  a  religious  sentimentahsm.  The  mind  which 
 is  afflicted  with  this  disorder  has  usually  a  few  topics, 
 every  one  of  which  is  imbued  with  feeling,  although, 
 perhaps,  but  remotely  connected  with  what  is  solid  or 
 edifying ;  and  to  these  topics  it  is  wedded  by  some- 
 thing like  the  tenacity  of  a  maniac  to  his  reverie, 
 while  so  great  is  its  predilection  for  its  own  isolated 
 habits,  that  it  shrinks  from  every  thing  which  seems 
 to  oppose  them,  and  can  scarcely  be  conversed  with 
 by  any  other  mind  which  is  not  of  precisely  its  own 
 contexture.  The  tendency  of  such  freakishness  is 
 to  narrow  religion  into  a  circle  of  retired  and  mopping 
 tenderness :  and,  instead  of  being  actuated  by  that 
 charity  which  is  extensively  operative,  because  en- 
 lightened, and  liberal,  and  well-established,  it  invests 
 itself  with  a  mantle  of  jealousy,  through  the  foldings 
 of  which  it  looks  shy  upon  every  thing  which  does 
 
XXXV 
 
 not  accord  with  its  preconceptions.  Now,  there  is 
 no  Christianity  in  either  the  one  or  the  other  of  these 
 aberrations ;  nor  can  her  aspect  be  seen  through  so 
 troubled  a  medium,  except  in  a  state  of  the  most  un-* 
 seemly  distortion.  She  may  have  a  place  in  a  mind 
 of  this  description,  for  her  graces  will  exist  where 
 they  are  but  scantily  nourished,  and  very  defectively 
 displayed,  but  for  the  development  of  their  true  ex- 
 cellence— for  the  efficient  exhibition  of  their  attrac- 
 tive and  assimilating  influence,  there  must  be  a  strength 
 of  principle  and  an  enlargement  of  thought,  and  a 
 chastened  disposition  to  coalesce  or  accommodate, 
 from  which  such  a  spirit  is  grievously  estranged. 
 The  spirit  of  Christianity,  it  ought  to  be  considered, 
 is  associating  as  well  as  distinctive.  It  redeems  the 
 soul  from  Httleness,  as  well  as  separates  it  from  this 
 world.  It  takes  effect  upon  the  human  mind  in  all 
 the  possible  diversity  of  its  constitutional  peculiarities, 
 from  the  softest  and  most  retiring,  to  the  hardiest 
 and  most  heroic ;  and  acting  on  this  diversity  without 
 destroying  it,  it  brings  its  subjects  together,  and  fits 
 up  an  instrument  of  complex  mechanism,  and  exqui- 
 site power,  for  sounding  the  praises  of  the  Most  High. 
 The  charm  of  this  moral  melody,  however,  like  that 
 of  all  other  melody,  is  harmony,  not  unison.  It 
 arises  not  from  the  exact  sameness  of  texture  and 
 tension,  in  every  particular  cord  of  the  instrument, 
 but  from  that  nice  adaptation  of  the  one  to  the  other, 
 by  which  the  full  and  free  vibration  of  each,  after  its 
 own  manner,  is  made  to  contribute  its  part  to  heighten 
 the  general  effect.  But,  in  opposition  to  this,  the 
 tendency  of  mind  on  which  we  are  remarking  is  a 
 dull  and  deadening  unison,  which  can  give  forth  no 
 
I 
 
 XXXVl 
 
 melody,  because  it  admits  of  no  diversity — a  state  of 
 things  which  is  incompatible  both  with  the  spirit  of 
 Christianity,  and  with  that  wonderful  power  of  ac- 
 commodation which  God  has  given  to  the  human 
 mind;  while  it  cannot  fail  to  make  the  new  creature, 
 if  a  new  creature  he  be,  a  peevish  and  sickly  nursling, 
 when  he  oug-ht  to  have  been  healthful  and  athletic. 
 The  liberalizhig  of  religious  affections,  no  doubt,  has 
 its  limits,  beyond  which  it  is  sinful,  and  may  be  very 
 pernicious ;  but  these  limits  are  fixed  by  the  same 
 authority  which  demands  it,  and  the  wisdom  to  find 
 them  out  is  imparted  by  the  same  grace  which  inspires 
 it.  To  the  obvious  dereliction  of  principle,  or  piety, 
 or  pure  scriptural  morality,  the  Christian  is  to  give 
 no  tolerance;  and  with  these  things  his  religion  re- 
 quires from  him  no  forbearance.  But  even  in  these 
 cases,  he  is  to  be  actuated  not  by  the  obstinacy  of  a 
 bigot,  or  the  caprice  of  a  recluse,  but  by  a  firmness 
 which  is  intelligent,  and  considerate,  and  thoroughly 
 Christianized. 
 
 It  is  most  frequently,  perhaps,  although  not  ex- 
 clusively, among  the  second  of  these  two  classes  of 
 professors,  that  we  hear  of  those  sudden  and  vivid 
 suggestions  from  the  word  of  God,  which,  in  the 
 musings  of  their  retirement,  have  impressed  their 
 minds,  assuring  them  of  their  interest  in  his  favour, 
 or  affording  them  instant  relief  in  cases  of  peculiar 
 mental  affliction.     Matters  of  this  kind,  we  are  aware, 
 
 ouffht  to  be  touched  with  a  s-entle  hand.      The  in- 
 to o 
 
 stances  are  not  few  in  which  it  is  hard  to  distin- 
 guish between  reality  and  illusion  ;  and  remembering 
 who  hath  said,  "  the  wind  bloweth  where  it  listeth, 
 and  thou  hearest  the  sound  thereof,  but  canst  not  tell 
 
XXXVll 
 
 whence  it  cometh,  and  whither  it  goeth ;  so  is  every 
 one  that  is  born  of  the  Spirit,'* — remembering,  also, 
 that  those  impressions  which  issue  in  conversion,  or 
 revive  the  soul  of  a  drooping  Christian,  are  most  fre- 
 quently made,  especially  upon  minds  which  are  weak 
 and  ignorant,  not  by  a  process  of  deductive  thought, 
 but   in   the   very   "  words   which  the  Holy  Ghost 
 teacheth,"  while   the   circumstances  in  which   they 
 operate  to  gracious  ends,  may  be  very  extraordinary, 
 it  becomes  us  to  speak  with  the  greatest  caution. 
 But  without  any  disparagement  of  these  solemn  con- 
 siderations, nay,  for  the  sake  of  defending  them  from 
 the  abuse  and  obloquy  to  which  they  are  too  often 
 exposed,  we  are  warranted  in  affirming,  that  when  a 
 passage  of  Scripture  is  obviously  perverted,  in  order 
 to  render  it  applicable ;  or,  w^hen  the  mood  of  mind 
 in  which  it  occurs  is  trifling  or  frivolous ;  or,  when 
 the  purpose  to  which  it  is  applied  is  unwarrantable, 
 or  ought  to  be  prosecuted  by  other  means  ;  or,  when 
 the  soul  nestles  in  it  as  in  a  place  of  shelter,  without 
 being  impelled  to  Christian  industry ;  or,  when  the 
 delight  which  it  inspires  is  felt  to  be  compatible  with 
 the  love  of  sin,  or  yields  a  positive  inducement  to  the 
 continuance  of  its  pleasure ;  or,  when  it  is  secretly 
 exulted  in  as  a  rare,  if  not  a  miraculous  token  of  the 
 divine  regard,  although  there  be  nothing  singular  in 
 the  circumstances  of  the  individual,   and  thus  minis- 
 ters to  pride  and  presumption, — when  such  things  as 
 these  are  the  concomitants  or  results  of  sudden  sug- 
 gestions from  the  word  of  God,  they  are  not  to  be 
 associated  with  the  work  of  the  Spirit  in  the  soul  of 
 man. 
 
 The  man,  it  is  true,  whose  religious  enjoyment 
 
XXXVIU 
 
 is  both  genuine  in  kind,  and  exalted  in  degree,  may 
 very  speedily  relapse  into  sin,  yea,  into  aggravated 
 sin,  which  brings  sorrow  upon  himself,  and  scandal 
 upon  his  sacred  profession ;  but  although  this  may 
 come  after  such  enjoyment,  it  can  never  come  out  of 
 it ;  for  the  gifts  of  God  in  Jesus  Christ  are  moral 
 attractions,  not  repellencies.  Their  native  tendency 
 is  to  draw  the  soul  upwards  to  a  higher  elevation  on 
 the  scale  of  holiness,  and  those  impressions  which 
 have  not  this  tendency,  however  vivid,  or  felicitous, 
 or  striking  in  the  mode  of  their  production,  although 
 they  have  come  from  the  words  of  Scripture,  fairly 
 quoted,  and  correctly  interpreted,  are,  after  all,  to  be 
 disregarded.  Much  more  are  they  to  be  disregarded, 
 when  they  proceed  from  a  manifest  abuse  of  Scrip- 
 ture ;  for  it  would  be  impious  to  suppose,  that  when 
 the  Spirit  of  God  speaks  to  man  through  the  medium 
 of  revelation,  he  can  do  so  in  any  other  way  than  by 
 using  his  own  words,  in  his  own  meaning.  He  can- 
 not pervert  the  oracle  which  he  has  dictated,  nor 
 can  a  perversion  of  it  on  the  part  of  man,  however 
 plausible  or  well-intentioned,  be  sanctioned  by  his 
 influence.  In  the  ordinary  course  of  his  gracious 
 operation,  he  makes  a  progressive  use  of  the  gospel 
 of  his  grace,  and  in  dealing  with  man  by  means  of 
 it,  he  treats  him  as  a  reasonable  being,  causing  him  to 
 feel  the  power  of  the  truth,  not  by  entrancing  him 
 in  visions  and  ecstacies,  but  by  bringing  him  to  the 
 sober  and  regulated  use  of  his  understanding  and 
 his  heart.  Nor  has  any  man,  whatever  be  his  stand- 
 ing in  the  church,  or  in  the  estimate  of  the  Chris- 
 tian brotherhood,  a  right  to  suppose,  that  the  secret 
 of  a  happy  destiny  is  revealed  to  him,  except  in  so 
 
XXXIX 
 
 far  as  the  moral  elements  of  such  a  destiny  in  holiness, 
 and  righteousness,  and  love,  are  realized  within  him. 
 We  are  far  from  insinuating,  that  those  floods  of 
 joy  which  are  sometimes  poured  upon  the  hearts  of  the 
 godly,  and  fill  them  with  a  momentary  rapture,  are 
 altogether  imaginary,  or  furnish  no  evidence  that 
 the  man  whom  they  visit  is  born  of  the  Spirit.  To 
 speak  thus  would  be  to  offend,  and  most  justly  to 
 offend,  the  generation  of  the  faithful,  as  well  as  to 
 utter  impiety  against  the  God  of  heaven ;  for  in  these 
 visitations,  rare  and  intermitting  though  they  be,  we 
 see  the  most  signal  foretastes  of  celestial  felicity, 
 which  can  possibly  be  arrived  at  beneath  the  sun.  In 
 themselves,  however,  they  are  no  evidence.  Apart 
 from  the  principle  of  abiding  piety,  and  steadily  pro- 
 gressive holiness,  of  which,  when  genuine,  they  are 
 at  once  the  produce  and  the  index,  the  man  who 
 pretends  to  them  is  greatly  to  be  suspected  ;  and  yet 
 it  too  often  happens,  that  a  fondness  to  talk  about 
 rehgious  ecstacies,  or  an  eagerness  to  cherish  the 
 memory  of  them,  or  a  restless  impatience  of  their 
 absence,  or  a  proneness  to  convert  them  into  tests  of 
 character,  takes  hold  of  the  mind  of  many  a  professor, 
 and  occupies  his  daily  thoughts  at  the  expense  of 
 turning  him  away  from  those  immediate  exercises 
 which  lead,  circuitously  it  may  be,  but  securely,  to 
 the  enjoyment  of  solid  dehght,  in  all  its  purity  and 
 permanence.  It  ought  not  to  be  forgotten,  that  the 
 Christian  must  come  near  to  his  God,  not  by  a  tran- 
 sient impulse  of  feeling,  but  by  the  regular  growth 
 of  his  renovated  character,  in  order  to  detain  upon 
 his  spirit  the  tranquillity,  or  to  fill  it  with  the  satis- 
 faction which  his  religion  is  fitted  to  impart ;  and  to 
 
xl 
 
 seek  to  procure  these  in  any  other  way,  is  to  pass 
 from  the  region  of  sober  thought  into  that  of  gross 
 enthusiasm,  and  thus  to  involve  the  whole  exercsie  in 
 confusion  and  perplexity.  There  may  be  seasons  of 
 uncommon  enjojrment,  especially  with  the  youthful 
 and  zealous,  where  the  process  of  sanctification  is  but 
 in  its  commencement ;  and  when  these  are  granted, 
 let  them  be  cherished  with  all  humility  and  gratitude ; 
 but  let  them  never  be  looked  upon  as  the  only  sure 
 signs  of  true  religion,  nor  ever  put  in  the  place  of 
 the  clearer  and  steadier  indications  of  what  a  man 
 really  is  in  the  sight  of  God. 
 
 On  a  review  of  these  remarks,  it  seems  necessary 
 to  say,  that  they  are  by  no  means  intended  to  inter- 
 fere with  the  diversities  o£  constitutional  tem-perament, 
 which  distinguish  men  from  each  other.  The  man 
 who  is  cool  in  his  natural  temperament,  will  also  be 
 cool  in  his  Christianity ;  and  the  man  who  is  distin- 
 guished for  sensibility,  or  sprightliness,  or  ardour, 
 will  usually  exhibit  these  elements  of  character  in  a 
 Christianized  form,  during  all  the  stages  of  his  pre- 
 paration for  heaven.  Indeed,  he  must  do  so;  for 
 Christianity,  so  far  as  we  know,  is  not  commissioned 
 to  produce  any  change  upon  the  sensibilities  of  our 
 nature,  beyond  what  is  necessary  to  counteract  the 
 effects  of  sin.  Nor  is  it  desirable  that  the  case  should 
 be  otherwise ;  for  were  the  diversities  referred  to  en- 
 tirely abolished,  the  many  utilities  of  which  they  are 
 every  day  productive,  behooved  to  disappear  along 
 with  them.  There  is  an  obvious  charm  in  such  diver- 
 sities ;  and  the  wish  to  see  them  abolished,  may  con- 
 template more  than  is  likely  to  be  arrived  at,  even 
 in  a  state  of  perfection ;  for  there  seems  no  extrava- 
 
xli 
 
 gance  in  supposing,  that  those  constitutional  pecu- 
 Harities,  whether  of  intellect  or  affection,  which  are 
 now  so  much  vitiated  and  overdriven  in  the  servitude 
 of  sin,  may  yet  contribute  very  powerfully  to  enrich 
 and  enHven  the  fellowship  of  the  saints,  and  to  ac- 
 centuate the  song  of  their  combined  adoration,  after 
 sin  is  put  away,  and  the  redemption  of  the  whole 
 man  carried  up  to  its  consummation.  But,  allowing 
 to  them,  in  the  present  state,  all  reasonable  latitude, 
 it  must  still  be  contended,  that  as  every  man  has 
 affections,  the  exercise  of  which  he  owes  to  God  in 
 the  solemnities  of  religion;  and  as  these  affections, 
 whatever  be  their  diversity,  are  so  much  himself, 
 that  the  withholding  of  them  is  equivalent  to  the 
 withholdinop  of  himself  from  God  :  so  the  sin  of  thus 
 withholding  them,  or  of  perversity  in  the  manage- 
 ment of  them,  either  by  shortcoming  or  excess,  is 
 not  palliated  by  this  concession,  but  still  rests  upon 
 his  head.  The  great  matter  for  consideration  is, 
 that  to  have  no  heart  at  all  for  religion,  or  to  have  a 
 heart  which  involves  its  sacred  principles  in  the  wild- 
 est or  silliest  absurdity,  is  not  a  thing  to  which  any 
 man  is  bound  down  by  the  law  of  his  creation,  but  a 
 thing  to  which  he  has  bound  himself  down  by  "  the 
 law  of  sin  and  death  which  is  in  his  members ;"  and 
 for  the  existence  of  it,  therefore,  as  a  delinquency 
 chargeable  on  him,  no  created  ingenuity  can  furnish 
 a  pleadable  apology. 
 
 A  portraiture  of  the  Works  of  President  Ed- 
 wards, is  happily  not  called  for  on  the  present  occa- 
 sion, and  ought  never  to  be  attempted  by  ordinary 
 minds.      Their  place  is  assigned  to  them  by  the  con- 
 
xlii 
 
 current  suffrage  of  all  competent  judges ;  and  to 
 say,  that  in  power  of  metaphysical  thinking,  scarcely 
 less  accurate  than  it  is  profound ;  digested  into  prac- 
 tical uses,  with  amazing  perspicuity ;  overawed  by  a 
 high  veneration  for  the  authority  of  revealed  truth ; 
 adorned  by  a  candour  in  controversy,  the  most  dig- 
 nified and  manly;  and  imbued  with  a  piety  which, 
 for  vigour,  elevation,  and  fervour,  befitted  the  mind 
 from  which  they  came ; — to  say,  that  in  these  things 
 they  are  equalled  by  few,  and  excelled  by  none,  is 
 not  to  give  a  decision,  but  feebly  to  reiterate  the 
 sentence  which  has  abeady  been  often  pronounced, 
 and  to  which  the  pious  and  penetrating  in  subse- 
 quent ages,  as  they  rise  into  eminence  in  the  science 
 of  theology,  are  successively  appending  their  confir- 
 mation. 
 
 The  fact,  that  this  Treatise  was  written  by  Ed- 
 wards, is  sufficient  to  commend  it  to  those  who  are 
 acquainted  with  his  philosophical  acumen,  as  dis- 
 played in  his  other  works ;  and  if  the  subject  do  not 
 offend  them,  they  are  likely  to  grant  it  an  eager  peru- 
 sal. It  is  the  subject  itself,  however,  as  dissected 
 by  the  hand  of  this  great  moral  anatomist,  on  which 
 the  interest  of  the  reader  should  be  chiefly  concen- 
 trated :  and  if  the  things  already  glanced  at,  be  in- 
 deed operating  very  perniciously  each  in  its  own  way ; 
 nay,  if  the  whole  combined,  taken  in  connection  with 
 similar  deformities,  which  could  easily  be  specified, 
 makes  out  a  very  serious  charge  against  the  present 
 generation  of  Christian  professors,  we  do  not  know 
 of  another  treatise  within  the  whole  range  of  prac- 
 tical theology,  which  is  better  fitted  to  do  it  away 
 than  the  one  before  us.      Some  of  the  evils  hinted 
 
xliii 
 
 at  are  directly  encountered  in  the  course  of  its  pages ; 
 and  with  respect  to  others,  which  are  not  so  formally- 
 brought  into  view,  there  are  principles  discussed  with 
 peculiar  clearness  and  force  of  conviction,  which  are 
 well  calculated  to  destroy  their  influence,  and  put  an 
 end  to  their  flimsiness  and  folly.  The  work,  in  fact, 
 may  he  regarded  as  disclosing  what  we  may  call  the 
 philosophy  of  religious  affections ;  demonstrating  the 
 reality  of  Christian  experience  from  the  principles  of 
 the  Bible,  combined  with  established  facts  in  the 
 history  of  man ;  vindicating  its  phenomena  from  the 
 charge  of  enthusiasm,  and  showing  their  most  entire 
 accordance  with  the  soundest  dictates  of  moral  sci- 
 ence :  thus  teaching  the  Christian  to  think  with 
 vigour  and  accuracy,  and  inspiring  him  with  the  ani- 
 mating consciousness,  in  despite  of  the  quibbles  of 
 infidelity,  that  in  yielding  up  his  heart  to  the  sorrows 
 and  joys,  the  solicitudes  and  solacements  of  a  reli- 
 gious life,  he  is  but  complying  with  the  responsibilities 
 of  his  nature,  as  placed  under  a  dispensation  of  the 
 grace  of  God.  This  is  achieved  in  a  style  so  mas- 
 terly, that  had  the  volume  no  other  use,  it  might  be 
 regarded,  on  this  ground  alone,  as  of  the  highest 
 importance ;  for  the  practice  of  exhibiting  the  philo- 
 sophy of  our  nature,  and  the  culture  of  revealed 
 religion,  as  so  much  at  variance,  that  the  man  who 
 embraces  the  one  is  bound  in  consistency  to  abandon 
 the  other,  has  done  incalculable  injury,  both  to  revela- 
 tion itself,  as  a  system  of  saving  belief,  and  to  a  most 
 interesting  class  of  jealous  inquirers,  to  whom  it  is 
 offered  for  salvation.  It  is  painful  to  think,  that  a 
 practice  so  irrational  has  been  too  often  countenanced 
 by  the  friends  of  religion,  as  well  as  exemplified  by 
 
xliv 
 
 its  foes.  But  of  all  men  on  earth,  the  Christian  is 
 the  last  who  ought  to  look  shy  on  the  philosophy  of 
 morals ;  for  in  proportion  as  its  genuine  dictates  are 
 sought  out,  and  defined,  and  multiplied,  will  they  be 
 found,  not  merely  to  tally  with  Christianity,  but 
 powerfully  to  support  its  essential  principles,  to  the 
 overthrow  of  infidelity,  whether  practical  or  specula- 
 tive, and  the  estabhshment  of  "  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
 ven" on  the  ruins  of  its  hollow  pretences.  This 
 department  of  science,  no  doubt,  has  been  wofully  mis- 
 managed, and  thus  made  to  war  against  Christianity, 
 although  its  just  and  natural  ally ;  but  for  that  very 
 reason,  instead  of  being  disowned,  it  ought  to  be 
 clierished  and  rescued :  for  men  are  born  to  be  moral 
 philosophers ;  we  find  that  they  are  so  in  all  ranks 
 or  conditions  of  society,  whether  barbarous  or  civi- 
 lized, and  if  they  are  not  taught  to  consecrate  the 
 subject  to  the  interests  of  true  religion,  they  will  in- 
 fallibly abuse  it. 
 
 A  more  immediate  tendency  of  this  volume,  is  not 
 merely  to  establish  the  Christian  in  the  doctrines  of 
 his  belief,  but  to  teach  him  the  sacred  art  of  digest- 
 ing doctrine  into  the  nourishment  of  piety.  With 
 great  force  of  practical  argument,  and  instructive 
 variety  of  illustration,  docs  the  Author  call  upon  his 
 reader  to  watch  over  the  state  of  his  heart,  to  scru- 
 tinize his  religious  attainments,  to  guard  against  de- 
 ception in  so  momentous  a  concern,  and  to  preserve 
 the  characteristics  of  decided  scriptural  piety  habi- 
 tually before  his  mind.  These  are  things  which 
 give  to  the  volume  a  standing  importance  at  all  times, 
 and  in  all  circumstances;  but  there  are  considera- 
 tions, which  render  the  re-appearance  of  it  in  our 
 
xlv 
 
 times  peculiarly  seasonable.  Whatever  may  be  said 
 of  our  liberality,  or  bustling  public  spirit,  or  whatever 
 be  the  amount  of  sound  and  vital  principle  which  is 
 giving  stimulus  to  our  zeal,  it  cannot  be  concealed, 
 that  to  a  great  extent  we  are  a  careless  generation, 
 engrossed  with  externals,  and  but  little  accustomed 
 to  look  into  our  hearts.  In  the  very  aspect  which 
 the  Christian  world  has  now  assumed,  there  is  some- 
 thing to  be  dreaded,  as  well  as  something  to  be  ex- 
 tolled. We  are  laudably  active  in  doing  good,  on 
 the  arena  of  public  benevolence;  but  just  because 
 we  are  so,  is  there  danger  of  mistaking  the  pleasures 
 of  social  effort  for  the  em^otions  of  Christian  love ; 
 and  to  such  a  state  of  things  there  is  something,  nay, 
 there  is  very  much,  in  this  searching  performance, 
 which  is  fitted  to  be  a  seasonable  antidote.  The 
 man  who  is  constrained  to  be  much  in  society,  and 
 has  but  little  leisure  for  talking  with  his  heart,  will 
 find  it  an  excellent  preservative  from  the  snares  of 
 his  situation.  Besides,  there  are  symptoms  that 
 religion  is  reviving  among  the  children  of  our  people. 
 "  The  day-spring  from  on  high"  is  visiting  us  afresh, 
 in  several  places  of  the  land.  If  these  appearances 
 increase,  as  we  trust  in  God  they  will,  we  may  reckon 
 on  it,  that  now,  as  formerly,  they  w^ill  be  mingled  in 
 theii'  progress  with  errors  and  excesses,  which  disturb 
 the  operation  of  gracious  principle,  and  prove  a  cause 
 of  sorrow  to  every  ingenuous  Christian  heart.  But 
 this  very  Treatise  was  written  at  a  season  of  crreat 
 religious  excitement,  which  was  accompanied  with 
 many  excesses  in  the  Author's  native  country.  It 
 was  the  production  of  such  a  season  on  the  scene  of 
 his  pastoral  labours  in  a  far  distant  region, — it  was 
 
xl 
 
 VI 
 
 blessed  there,  at  that  time,  as  the  means  of  extensive 
 usefulness, — and  to  a  similar  state  of  things  among 
 us,  should  it  come  forth,  it  will  be  found  to  be  equally 
 applicable. 
 
 No  Christian  on  earth,  however,  be  his  talents 
 or  piety  what  they  may,  is  always  exempted  from 
 mistakes :  and  although  the  penetration  and  accu- 
 racy, which  so  strikingly  characterized  the  mind  of 
 Edwards,  render  it  generally  unsafe  to  controvert 
 his  statements,  while  the  fact  that  he  is  no  longer 
 with  us  to  vindicate  himself,  demands  for  his  writings 
 a  charitable  construction;  yet  there  is  one  of  his 
 positions  in  the  work  before  us,  which  cannot  remain 
 unnoticed,  without  leaving  a  stumbling-block  in  the 
 way  of  many  a  sincere  inquirer. — His  second  pro- 
 position under  the  third  division  of  the  work,  is  stated 
 as  follows  :  "  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  which  they  bear  to 
 self  or  self-interest."  The  same  sentiment,  in  sub- 
 stance, is  brought  into  view  in  the  third  proposition 
 of  the  same  series.  Now  it  is  not  denied,  that  reli- 
 gious affections  do  arise  sooner  or  later  from  the 
 things  here  stated;  although  we  cannot  help  doubt- 
 ing, whether  the  first  emotions  of  genuine  piety  in 
 the  heart  of  any  incipient  convert,  were  ever  such  as 
 are  thus  described.  But  the  question  is,  whether 
 the  intrinsic  excellence  of  divine  things  be  the  only 
 ground  of  such  emotions — or,  whether  every  move- 
 ment of  affection  which  is  truly  gracious,  terminate 
 on  "  the  intrinsic  excellence  of  divine  things ;"  while 
 the  person's  own  interest,  or  the  feeling  of  gratitude 
 
xlvii 
 
 produced  by  a  reception  of  the  divine  favour,  has 
 only  "  a  secondary  and  consecutive  influence,"  that 
 is,  such  an  influence,  that  it  would  not  be  gracious  at 
 all,  but  for  the  fact  that  it  is  preceded  by  a  disinter- 
 ested love  of  these  thincrs  ? 
 
 o 
 
 Now,  we  hesitate  very  much  about  the  propriety 
 of  giving  to  such  a   question  an   affirmative  reply. 
 We  have  heard,  indeed,  of  persons  who  wished  to 
 see  the  happiness  of  heaven  annihilated,   and   the 
 flames   of  hell   extinguished,  that  they  might  love 
 God  for  his  own  sake ;  but  we  regard  such  language 
 as  the  raving  of  religious  frenzy,   and  are  much  in- 
 clined to  think,  that  Edwards  himself  would  have 
 looked  upon  it  in  much  the  same  light.      In  the  very 
 formation  of  such  a  wish,  there  is  an  irreverent  im- 
 peachment of  the  existing  state  of  things,  as  not  so 
 favourable  to  piety  as  it  might  have  been ;  but  the 
 truth  is,  the  person  who  forms  it  knows  not  what  he 
 is  doing,  and  ought  to  be  soothed  into  sobriety  by 
 persuasion,  rather  than  reasoned  with  on  general  prin- 
 ciples.     Our  Author's  leading  argument  for  the  ex- 
 clusion of  self-love  from  gracious  exercises,  or  at  least 
 for  confining  it  in  all  cases  to  a  secondary  place,  is, 
 that  it  is  a  "  natural  principle."      But  this  appears  to 
 us  to  be  inconclusive.      We  are  to  distino-uish  be- 
 tween  self-love  and  selfishness.      The  former  is  not 
 a  natural  principle,  if  by  natural  we  mean  sinful ;  for 
 it  is  as  true,  that  man  was  created  to  love  himself,  and 
 is  led  to  do  so  by  the  tendencies  of  his  nature,  as  that 
 he  was  created  to  love  his  Maker,  and  is  bound  to 
 do  so  by  the  responsibilities  of  his  nature.      Besides, 
 the  capacity  of  loving  for  its  own  sake  what  is  in 
 itself  excellent,  is  as  really — although,  perhaps,  not 
 
xlviii 
 
 so  conspicuously — natural  to  man,  as  that  of  loving 
 himself,  or  seeking  his  comfort  or  happiness :   and  if 
 the  fact,  that  the  one  is  natural,  be  sufficient  to  divest 
 it  of  a  directly  religious  character,  the  same  mode  of 
 reasoning  will  place  the  other  in  the  very  same  pre- 
 dicament.     What,  indeed,  are  all  the  affections  or 
 all  the  mental  powers  of  the  most  gracious  man  on 
 earth,  but  natural  principles,  sanctified,  and  harmo- 
 nized, and  restored  to  their  appropriate  uses  by  the 
 Spirit  of  God  ?      So  that,  if  the  affections  which  are 
 natural  to  man  as  a  creature,   are  on  this  account  to 
 be  set  aside  from  those  exercises  which  are  truly  pious, 
 then  he  cannot  be  pious  at  all ;   or,  at  least,  the  piety 
 which  attaches  to  him  by  the  grace  of  God,   cannot 
 be  human,  but  something  foreign  to  his  nature,  or 
 entirely  distinct  from  it,  which  is  manifestly  absurd. 
 This,  however,  is  not  maintained  by  our  Author, 
 although  his  reasoning,   we  fear,   implies   it.      He 
 admits,   that  the  love  of  one's  self,   or  a  desire   to 
 possess  the  benefits  of  salvation,  or  gratitude  for  the 
 enjoyment  of  these  benefits,  may  be  devotional  in  a 
 collateral  way,  although  that  love  to  God  which  is 
 detached  from  self,  or  disinterested,  is  so  exclusively 
 the  essence  of  genuine  piety,  that,  without  its  pre- 
 existence  in  the  soul,  these  other  affections  cannot  be 
 characterized  as  truly  religious.      Now  it  is  here  that 
 we  hesitate,  and  we  cannot  help  suspecting,  that  if 
 the  argument  hinted  at  be  inconclusive,  the  position 
 itself  is  untenable.      It  seems  impossible,  at  least  for 
 any  practical  purpose,  to  clear  out  the  distinction  be- 
 tween what  God  is  in  himself,  and  what  he  is  to  us 
 for  salvation,  so  as  to  make  it  tangible  to  ordinary 
 minds ;  and,  under  Christianity,  we  have  no  view  of 
 
xlix 
 
 him,  except  that  one  in  which  his  essential  moral 
 excellence  is — not  simply  disclosed  as  a  matter  of 
 generous  contemplation  on  our  part,  but — powerfully 
 set  forth  under  the  specific  form  of  goodness  to  be 
 communicated.      But  the  first  feelings  of  the  man 
 whose  soul  is  brought  to  a  reception  of  this  goodness, 
 are  naturally,  that  is,  constitutionally,  feelings  of  gra- 
 titude ;  and  it  is  by  the  exercise  of  this  gratitude  as 
 a  seasonable  and  immediate  duty,  that  his  soul  is  pre- 
 pared for  devoutly  contemplating  the  grandeur  of  the 
 character  from  which  it  came.      Nor  can  gratitude, 
 originated  in   this  way,    although  inseparably  con- 
 nected with  the  man's  own  interest,  be  discarded  as 
 spurious,  for  it  proceeds  from  an  act  of  rehgious  com- 
 pHance  with  the  will  of  God.      If  there  be  a  vitiating 
 element  in  the  exercise,  it  must  have  its  seat  not  in 
 the  gratitude,  although  it  may  have  descended  upon 
 it,  but  in  the  supposition  that  the  goodness  proffered 
 has  been  received  when  it  has  not.      A  real  reception 
 of  saving  benefits,  must  produce  a  feeling  of  obliga- 
 tion by  the  very  laws  of  human  nature,  and  that  feel- 
 ing of  obligation  must,  on  its  own  account,  be  religious, 
 because  it  springs  from  religious  principle,  and  is  a 
 deed  of  commanded  homage  to  the  object  of  Chris- 
 tian worship.      That  this  exercise  can  be  prosecuted 
 without  any  reference  at  all  to  what  is  intrinsic  in  the 
 object  of  worship,  is  by  no  means  insinuated,  for  it  is 
 but  the  work  of  an  instant  with  the  human  mind  to 
 infer,  that  he  who  communicates  excellence  is  himself 
 excellent ;  and  it  is  perhaps  impossible  for  a  Christian 
 *'to  exult  in  the  one  view  of  the  subject  without  a 
 feeling  of  simultaneous  admiration  produced  by  the 
 other.      This,  however,  is  perfectly  consistent  with 
 C  20 
 
I 
 
 maintaining  that  the  man  who  is  conscious  of  either, 
 may  safely  conclude,  that  he  is  adoring  the  God  of 
 salvation. 
 
 Had  the  statement  in  question  been  limited  by  our 
 Author  to  the  saints  in  heaven,  or  to  some  of  the 
 most  distinguished  in  the  church  on  earth,  there 
 might  have  been  little  occasion  for  remarking  on  it, 
 for  it  is  every  way  likely  that  in  the  state  of  perfec- 
 tion, or,  in  some  instances  of  high  maturity  among 
 Christians  in  this  world,  the  love  of  God  is  exem- 
 plified to  a  great  extent,  as  he  describes  it.  For  the 
 sake  of  those,  however,  who  though  on  the  way  to 
 heaven's  perfection,  may  feel  themselves  far  in  the 
 rear,  it  seems  necessary  to  concede,  that  this  is  not 
 a  primary  but  an  ulterior  attainment.  It  is  the  re- 
 sult not  simply  of  a  transition  from  a  state  of  condem- 
 nation into  one  of  pardon  and  friendship  with  God, 
 but  of  a  process  of  restoration,  either  more  brief  or 
 more  protracted,  in  which  the  person  has  been  carried 
 forward  to  a  high  degree  of  spirituality;  and  probably, 
 the  feeling  of  it  is  lost,  or,  in  some  measure,  inter- 
 fered with,  on  every  relapse  into  sinful  indulgence. 
 
 To  understand  the  mystery  of  religious  exercise, 
 we  must  keep  it  closely  in  view,  that  Christianity  is 
 not  a  dispensation  of  bounty  to  the  innocent,  but  a 
 remedy  for  an  existing  evil ;  and  while  the  action  of 
 its  remedial  efficacy  terminates  in  the  production  of  a 
 piety,  the  purest  and  most  sublime,  yet  it  commences 
 its  operations,  and  continues  to  carry  them  on,  by 
 stimulating  the  principle  of  self-preservation.  The 
 man  approaches  the  subject  at  first,  under  the  convic- 
 tion that  he  is  guilty,  and  ready  to  perish  ;  and  the 
 first  movement  of  kindly  affection  within  him  is  not 
 
to  the  delighted  contemplation  of  what  God  is  in 
 himself,  for  to  this  as  yet  he  is  utterly  incompetent, 
 but  to  the  mercy  of  God  in  Jesus  Christ  embraced 
 as  a  benefit,  exactly  suited  to  his  case,  and  freely  set 
 before  him  in  the  word  of  the  truth  of  the  Gospel. 
 This  is  a  movement  in  which  self-love  has  not  a 
 secondary  and  consecutive,  hut  a  primary  and  con- 
 trolling influence;  for  the  man  "  behoves "  inten- 
 tionally and  on  set  purpose,  "  to  the  saving  of  his 
 soul."  It  is  impossible  for  him  to  do  otherwise  in 
 the  circumstances  of  the  case.  He  cannot  look  with 
 dehght  on  the  intrinsic  excellence  of  the  God  that 
 made  him,  while  he  sees  it  hid  in  the  images  of 
 wrath.  He  cannot  adore  that  excellence,  till  he  feel 
 himself  in  alliance  with  it.  He  cannot  so  much  as 
 behold  it  with  the  eye  of  unbiassed  intelligence,  till 
 "  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  its  glory,  in  the  face 
 of  Jesus  Christ,  hath  shined  in  his  heart."  The 
 gift  of  God  is  the  very  thing  which  prepares  him 
 for  extoUing  the  giver.  From  a  contemplation  which 
 is  altogether  disinterested,  he  is  restrained  not  more 
 by  the  disorder  which  sin  has  entailed  upon  his  spi- 
 rit, than  by  the  original  constituents  of  his  own  hu- 
 manity ;  for  the  principle  of  love  to  himself  is  so 
 thoroughly  interwoven  with  his  frame,  that  the  exer- 
 cise of  it  ought  to  combine  itself  with  every  act  of 
 duty,  whether  to  God  or  man.  The  question,  how- 
 ever, is,  whether  the  exercise  of  it,  as  thus  described, 
 be  in  itself  a  rehgious  exercise :  and  we  conceive  it 
 must  be  so,  for  this  one  reason,  that  it  involves  a 
 solemn  acquiescence  in  what  God  has  done  for  sinful 
 men,  which  is  the  very  soul  of  rehgion,  at  least  in 
 its  Christian  form.  A  disregard  of  one's  best  in- 
 c2 
 
lii 
 
 terests  is  impiety,  even  in  a  general  view,  because  it 
 is  a  doing  of  injury  to  the  Creator's  handiwork,  which 
 every  man  is  bound  to  venerate  in  himself  as  well  as 
 in  others. 
 
 The  precept,  "  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour 
 as  thyself,"  is  evidently  founded  on  the  assumption 
 that  man  is  bound  to  love  himself,  and  to  carry  this 
 affection  along  with  him  through  the  whole  circle  of 
 relative  duty.  The  chief  end  of  his  creation,  it  is 
 true,  is  to  glorify  God ;  but  for  that  very  reason  is 
 he  bound  by  an  obligation  the  most  sacred,  in  the 
 first  instance  to  take  care  of  himself,  to  consult  his 
 moral  well-being,  and  to  seek  relief  from  his  moral 
 malady,  that  this  sublime  purpose  may  be  accom- 
 plished in  his  person.  By  no  one  act,  however,  can 
 he  do  this  effectually,  without  believing  on  the  Son 
 of  God  for  salvation  ;  but  by  consulting  his  interest 
 in  this  vvay,  he  is  glorifying  him  as  really  and  as  di- 
 rectly, as  by  contemplating  his  intrinsic  excellence. 
 He  is  thus  yielding  homage  to  the  Most  High,  as 
 a  God  of  faithfulness,  or  doing  him-  honour  in  that 
 great  point  on  which  he  has  concentrated  his  moral 
 attributes,  and  pledged  them  all  to  man  in  revelation  ; 
 but  if  so,  then  is  he  obeying  the  impulses  of  an  en- 
 lightened self-love,  and  giving  scope  to  affections 
 which  are  truly  religious,  by  one  and  the  same  exer- 
 cise of  mind.  With  this  conclusion,  the  inspired 
 history  of  primitive  conversions,  and  consequent  re- 
 ligious exercises,  is  in  perfect  accordance ;  *  and  in 
 passages  almost  innumerable,  the  principle  of  self- 
 
 *  As  a  specimen,  the  reader  may  consult  Acts  ii.  37—41.  and 
 xvi.  26—34.. 
 
liii 
 
 love  is  singled  out,  and  appealed  to  by  motives  of 
 terror  the  most  arousing,  and  of  kindness  the  most 
 persuasive.  All  this  is  done  by  him  who  cannot  err, 
 for  the  express  purpose  of  kindling  up  in  the  heart 
 of  man  the  holy  flame  of  adoration ;  and  surely  it 
 must  be  hazardous  to  say,  that  those  emotions  which 
 rise  up  and  respond  to  such  appeals  in  their  true 
 spirit,  and  in  accordance  with  the  precise  form  in 
 which  they  are  exhibited,  are  yet  destitute  of  pious 
 ingredients.  There  are,  confessedly,  great  diversi- 
 ties among  the  children  of  grace,  as  well  as  among 
 the  children  of  nature ;  and  that  test  which  is  appli- 
 cable to  all,  must  often  be  too  general  to  be  of  ser- 
 'vice  to  individuals :  but  while  the  man  whose  piety 
 is  greatly  disinterested,  may  warrantably  feast  his  soul 
 with  the  livehest  hopes,  the  less  favoured  man,  who 
 seldom  rises  higher  than  an  humble  and  tremulous 
 thankfulness  for  "  God's  unspeakable  gift,"  is  not, 
 on  this  account,  to  sink  into  despondency. 
 
 It  ought  to  have  been  mentioned  previously  to 
 these  remarks,  that  some  things  in  our  Author's  il- 
 lustration, in  the  eleventh  chapter  of  Part  II.  of  this 
 Treatise,  are  rather  obscurely  stated,  and  capable,  as 
 they  stand,  of  a  hurtful  interpretation.*  But,  from 
 the  particular  topic  which  he  is  there  illustrating,  and 
 the  connection  of  the  passage  with  what  follows,  it  is 
 evident  that  he  is  combating  the  error  of  those  who 
 maintain,  that  although  a  Christian  has  no  present 
 discernment  of  spii-itual  things,  but  is  in  a  dark  and 
 
 *  The  passage  chiefly  referred  to,  is  in  the  197th  page,  begin- 
 ning with  the  phrase,  "  And  heie  I  cannot  but  observe."  Foi 
 a  masterly  dissection  of  this  topic,  the  reader  is  referred  to  tiie 
 Author's  two  Letters  to  Mr.  Gillespie,  appended  to  this  edition. 
 
liv 
 
 secular  frame  of  mind,  he  ought  not  to  distrust  the 
 goodness  of  his  state,  but  still  to  cherish  the  belief 
 that  he  is  accepted  of  God.  He  is  not  asserting 
 that  the  man  who  is  in  darkness  ought  not  to  believe 
 the  divine  testimony,  but  that  he  ought  not,  by  a 
 blind  and  unreasonable  confidence,  to  boast  himself 
 a  Christian,  in  the  absence  of  all  legitimate  evidence, 
 that,  in  short,  his  views  must  be  altered,  and  the 
 frame  of  his  mind  improved ;  or,  in  other  words,  he 
 must  come  out  of  the  "  darkness"  of  sinful  indiffer- 
 ence, "  into  the  light"  of  gracious  exercise,  before 
 he  can  believe  himself  to  be  a  child  of  God. 
 
 These  strictures  are  deemed  necessary,  in  justice 
 to  the  Christian  public  to  whom  the  volume  is  offered 
 anew  for  instruction  in  righteousness :  and  although 
 the  intelligent  reader  shoukl  approve  of  their  import, 
 as  intended  to  minister  a  necessary  caution,  he  will 
 very  easily  perceive  that  they  detract  scarcely  any 
 thing  from  its  general  excellence.  The  inaccuracies 
 hinted  at,  although  apt  to  be  wounding  to  pious  in- 
 dividuals, yet  dwindle  into  a  speck  before  the  solid, 
 and  salutary,  and  lucid  discussion  with  which  the 
 work  is  so  richly  fraught.  They  are  the  slips  of  a 
 mind  whose  piety  was  as  uncommon  as  were  its  powers 
 of  subtile  research ;  and  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at, 
 although  somewhat  to  be  rem-etted,  that  the  hiffh 
 test  by  which  it  tried  itself,  (and  might  find  to  be 
 useful,  as  the  entire  Treatise  certainly  was,  in  no  small 
 degree,  for  neutralizing  the  excesses  of  its  times,) 
 should  be  given  to  the  public  at  large.  One  thing 
 more,  against  which  the  reader  ought  to  be  guarded, 
 is  a  relaxed  and  cursory  perusal  of  the  volume ;  and, 
 considering  the  present  tendency  of  the  public  mind 
 
Iv 
 
 to  what  is  smooth,  and  tasteful,  and  superficial  in 
 religious  reading,  as  well  as  in  almost  every  thing 
 else,  there  is  but  too  much  reason  for  apprehension 
 here.  It  is  a  pitiful  thing  to  see  the  religious  com- 
 munity arrested  among  the  elements  of  their  faith,  or 
 amused  with  mere  conceits,  instead  of  being  trained 
 to  that  patience  of  thought,  and  comprehensiveness 
 of  view,  which  are  so  essential  to  the  dignity  of  the 
 man,  and  the  well-being  of  the  Christian.  It  is  for 
 this  cause  that  so  many  are  weak  and  sickly  among 
 us,  and  so  many  asleep.  Edwards  thought  vigorously, 
 and,  by  the  grace  of  God,  he  thought  to  purpose  : 
 and  to  his  reader  here,  as  in  all  his  works,  it  may  be 
 said  with  emphatic  truth,  you  cannot  follow  him  to 
 advantage  in  the  interesting  region  through  which 
 he  conducts  you — you  cannot  make  your  own  of  the 
 varied  moral  portraitures  which  he  brings  into  view — 
 you  cannot  inhale  the  spirit  of  the  man,  nor  see  what 
 he  saw,  nor  feel  what  he  felt,  unless  you  surrender 
 to  his  pages  the  sharpened  power  of  your  intellect, 
 and  the  wakeful  solicitudes  of  your  heart.  This  is 
 the  true  state  of  the  case,  and  to  disguise  it  is  to  do 
 you  injury.  But  if  you  make  this  surrender,  which 
 is  indeed  a  reasonable  request, — if  you  make  it  in 
 the  humility  of  a  Christian,  and  imbue  it  with  the 
 incense  of  a  devout  and  suppliant  spirit,  you  will  find 
 the  Treatise  a  powerful  auxiliary  to  that  great  sys- 
 tem of  means  by  which  the  "man  of  God"  is  made 
 "  perfect,"  being  "  thoroughly  furnished  unto  all 
 good  works." 
 
 ^  D.Y. 
 
 Perth,  April,  1825. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PART  I. 
 
 Page 
 
 Concerning  the  nature  of  the  Affections,  and  their 
 importance  in  religion, 73 
 
 CHAP.  I.  The  affections  are  nothing  else  than  the  more 
 vigorous  and  sensible  exercises  of  the  incHnation  and  will 
 of  the  soul, 78 
 
 CHAP.  II.  True  religion,  in  a  great  measure,  consists  in 
 the  affections, 82 
 
 CHAP.  III.   Inferences  deduced  from  this  proposition,       .   112 
 
 PART  IL 
 
 What  are  no  certain  signs  that  Religious  Affections 
 
 ARE  TRULY  GRACIOUS,  OR  THAT  THEY  ARE  NOT,  .   .   .   .123 
 
 CHAP.  I.  It  is  no  sign  one  way  or  the  other,  that  religious 
 affections  are  very  great,  or  raised  very  high,      .     .     .     .   12i 
 
 CHAP.  II.  It  is  no  sign  that  affections  have  the  nature  of 
 true  religion,  or  that  they  have  not,  that  they  have  great 
 eifects  on  the  body, 130 
 
 CHAP.  III.  It  is  no  sign  that  affections  are  truly  gracious, 
 or  that  they  are  not,  that  they  cause  those  who  have  them 
 to  be  fluent,  fervent,  and  abundant,  in  talking  of  the  things 
 of  religion, 136 
 
 c3 
 
Iviii  CONTENTS. 
 
 Page 
 CHAP.  IV.   It  is  no  sign  that  affections  are  gracious,  or 
 that  they  are  otherwise,  that  persons  did  not  excite  them 
 of  their  own  contrivance,        140 
 
 CHAP.  V.  It  is  no  sign  that  religious  affections  are  truly 
 holy  and  spiritual,  or  that  they  are  not,  that  they  come 
 with  texts  of  Scripture,  remarkably  brought  to  the  mind,     147 
 
 CHAP.  VI.  It  is  no  evidence  that  religious  affections  are 
 saving,  or  that  they  are  otherwise,  that  there  is  an  appear- 
 ance of  love  in  them, 15*2 
 
 CHAP.  VII.  Persons  having  religious  affections  of  many 
 kinds,  is  not  sufficient  to  determine  whether  they  have 
 any  gracious  affections  or  not, 155 
 
 CHAP.  VIII.  Nothing  can  certainly  be  determined  con- 
 cerning the  nature  of  the  affections  by  this,  that  comforts 
 and  joys  seem  to  follow  convictions  of  conscience,       .     .   161 
 
 CHAP.  IX.  It  is  no  certain  sign  that  the  religious  affec- 
 tions are  such  as  have  in  them  the  nature  of  true  religion, 
 or  that  they  have  not,  that  they  dispose  persons  to  spend 
 much  time  in  religion, 179 
 
 CHAP.  X.  Nothing  can  be  certainly  known  of  the  nature 
 of  religious  affections,  that  they  much  dispose  persons  with 
 their  mouths  to  praise  and  glorify  God, 182 
 
 CHAP.  XI.  It  is  no  sign  that  affections  are  right,  or  that 
 they  are  wrong,  that  they  make  persons  exceedingly  con- 
 fident, that  what  they  experience  is  divine, 185 
 
 CHAP.  XII.  Nothing  can  be  certainly  concluded  concern- 
 ing the  nature  of  religious  affections  from  this,  that  the 
 relation  persons  give  of  them  are  very  affecting  and  pleas- 
 ing to  the  truly  godly, 206 
 
CONTENTS.  Kx 
 
 PART  III. 
 
 Page 
 
 What  are  distinguishing  Signs  of  truly  gracious  and 
 HOLY  Affections, 223 
 
 ■CHAP.  I.  Affections  that  are  truly  spiritual  and  gracious, 
 arise  from  those  influences  and  operations  on  the  heart, 
 which  are  spiritual,  supernatural,  and  divine,      ....  230 
 
 CHAP.  II.  The  first  objective  ground  of  gracious  affections, 
 is  the  transcendently  excellent  and  amiable  nature  of  di- 
 vine things,  as  they  are  in  themselves, ,  294i 
 
 CHAP.  III.  Those  affections  that  are  truly  holy,  are  pri- 
 marily founded  on  the  loveliness  of  the  moral  excellency 
 of  divine  things, 315 
 
 CHAP.  IV.  Gracious  affections  arise  from  the  mind's  be- 
 ing enlightened  spiritually  to  apprehend  divine  things,     ,  334< 
 
 CHAP.  V.  Truly  gracious  affections  are  attended  with  a 
 reasonable  and  spiritual  conviction  of  the  judgment,  of  the 
 reality  and  certainty  of  divine  things,  .......  373 
 
 CHAP.  VI.  Gracious  affections  are  attended  with  evange- 
 lical  humiliation,     .     .     ,     - 403 
 
 CHAP.  VII.  Another  thing  wherein  gracious  affections  are 
 distinguished  from  others,  is,  that  they  are  attended  with 
 a  change  of  nature, 447 
 
 CHAP.  VIII.  Truly  gracious  affections  differ  from  those 
 that  are  false  and  delusive,  in  that  they  are  attended  with 
 the  lamb-like,  dove-like  spirit  and  temper  of  Jesus  Christ,  4-54 
 
 CHAP.  IX.  Gracious  affections  soften  the  heart,  and  are 
 attended  with  a  Christian  tenderness  of  spirit,   ....   i71 
 
Ix  CONTENTS. 
 
 Page 
 CHAP.  X.  Truly  gracious  and  holy  affections  differ  from 
 those  that  are  false,  in  beautiful  symmetry  and  proportion,  485 
 
 CHAP.  XI.  Another  very  distinguishing  difference  between 
 gracious  affections  and  others,  is,  that  the  higher  gracious 
 affections  are  raised,  the  more  is  a  spiritual  appetite  after 
 spiritual  attainments  increased,       .,,.,...  502 
 
 CHAP.  XII.  Gracious  and  holy  affections  have  their  exer- 
 cise and  fruit  in  Christian  practice, 512 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 Two  Letters  to  Mr.  Gillespie, 629 
 
PREFACE, 
 
 There  is  no  question  whatever  of  greater  impor- 
 tance to  mankind,  and  in  which  it  more  concerns 
 every  individual  to  be  well  resolved,  than  this.  What 
 are  the  distinguishing  qualijications  of  those  that  are 
 in  favour  with  God,  and  entitled  to  his  eternal  re- 
 wards ?  Or,  which  comes  to  the  same  thing,  What 
 is  the  nature  of  true  religion  ?  And  wherein  do  lie 
 the  distinguishing  marks  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  abundant  light  in  the  word  of  God  to  direct  us 
 in  this  matter,  yet  there  is  no  one  point,  in  which  pro- 
 fessing Christians  differ  more  from  one  another.  It 
 would  be  endless  to  reckon  up  the  variety  of  opinions 
 on  this  point,  that  divide  the  Christian  world ;  mak- 
 ing manifest  the  truth  of  our  Saviour's  declaration, 
 "  Strait  is  the  gate,  and  narrow  is  the  way,  that  leads 
 to  hfe,  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  search  and  inquiry  of  which 
 I  have  been  capable  :  it  is  a  subject  on  which  my 
 mind  has  been  peculiarly  intent,  ever  since  1  first  en- 
 tered on  the  study  of  divinity.      But  as  to  the  sue- 
 
62 
 
 cess  of  my  inquiries,  it  must  be  left  to  the  judgment 
 of  the  reader  of  the  following  Treatise. 
 
 I  am  sensible  it  is  much  more  difficult  to  judge 
 impartially  of  that  which  forms  the  subject  of  this 
 discourse,  in  the  midst  of  such  a  dust  and  smoke  of 
 controversy,  as  is  now  in  this  land,  about  things  of 
 this  nature :  and  as  it  is  more  difficult  to  write  im- 
 partially, 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  con- 
 demned :   and  perhaps  indignation  and  contempt  will 
 be  excited  in  others,  by  finding  so  much  justified 
 and  approved.      And  perhaps  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  con- 
 troversies about  religion.      It  is  a  hard  thing  to  be  a 
 hearty  zealous  friend  of  what  has  been  ^ood  and 
 glorious,  in  the  late  extraordinary  appearances,  and 
 to  rejoice  much  in  it :   and,  at  the  same  time,  to  see 
 the  evil  and  pernicious  tendency  of  what  has  been 
 bad,  and  earnestly  to  oppose  it.      But,  yet,   I   am 
 humbly,  but  fully  persuaded,  we  shall  never  be  in 
 the  way  of  truth,  nor  go  on  in  a  way  acceptable  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,  sliould  be  mixed  together  in  the  church 
 of  God :   as  it  is  a  mysterious  thing,  and  what  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 
 
63 
 
 nature,  dwelling  in  the  same  heart,  with  so  much  cor- 
 ruption, hypocrisy,  and  iniquity,  in  a  particular  saint. 
 Yet  neither  of  these  is  more  mysterious  than  real. 
 And  neither  of  them  is  a  new  or  rare  thing.  It  is 
 no  new  thing,  that  much  false  religion  should  pre- 
 vail, 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 
 reformation  and  revival  of  religion  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,  in  the  days  of  John  the 
 Baptist  :  as  appears  by  the  great  apostacy  of  that 
 people,  so  soon  after  so  general  an  aw^akening;  and 
 the  temporary  religious  comforts  and  joys  of  many : 
 "  Ye  were  willing  for  a  season  to  rejoice  in  his  light." 
 So  it  was  in  those  great  commotions  that  were  among 
 the  multitude,  occasioned  by  the  preaching  of  Jesus 
 Christ :  of  the  many  that  were  then  called,  but  few 
 chosen;  of  the  multitude  that  were  roused  and  affected 
 by  his  preaching,  and  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  gathered,  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  history  of  the 
 New  Testament.  So  it  was  in  that  great  out- 
 pouring of  the  Spirit  in  the  apostles  days  ;  as  appears 
 
64 
 
 by  Matt.  xxiv.  10,  13.   Gal.  iii.  1.  and  iv.  11,  15. 
 
 Phil.  ii.  21.  and  iii.  18,  19.  and  the  two  epistles  to 
 the  Corinthians,  and  many  other  parts  of  the  New 
 Testament.  And  so  it  was  in  the  great  reformation 
 from  Popery.  It  appears  plainly  to  have  been  in 
 the  visible  church  of  God,  in  times  of  great  reviving 
 of  religion,  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  promising 
 appearance  of  young  fruits ;  but  many  of  them  are 
 but  of  short  continuance,  they  soon  fall  off  and  never 
 come  to  maturity. 
 
 Not  that  we  suppose  it  will  always  be  so ;  for 
 though  there  never  will,  in  this  world,  be  an  entire 
 purity,  either  in  particular  saints,  or  in  the  church  of 
 God,  in  a  perfect  freedom  from  mixtures  of  corrup- 
 tion ;  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,  there  will  come  a  time  of  much  greater 
 purity  in  the  church  of  God,  than  has  been  in  ages 
 past,  as  is  plain  by  these  texts  of  Scripture.*  And 
 one  great  reason  of  it  will  be,  that  at  that  time 
 God  will  give  much  greater  light  to  his  people,  to 
 distinguish  between  true  religion  and  its  counter- 
 feits :  "  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.'*  And 
 which  is  a  continuation  of  the  prophecy  of  the  same 
 
 •  Isa.  Iii.  1.  Ezek.  xliv.  6,  7,  9.  Joel  iii.  17.  Zech.  xiv.  21. 
 Psal.  Ixix.  32,  35,  36.  Isa.  xxxv.  8,  18.  and  iv.  3,  4.  Ezek.  xx.  3a 
 Psal.xxxvii.  9,  10,21,29. 
 
65 
 
 happy  times,  "  Then  shall  ye  return,  and  discern 
 between  the  righteous  and  the  wicked ;  between  him 
 that  serveth  God,  and  him  that  serveth  him  not." 
 
 It  is  by  the  mixture  of  counterfeit  rehgion  with 
 true,  not  discerned  and  distinguished,  that  the  devil 
 has  had  his  greatest  advantage  against  the  cause  and 
 kingdom  of  Christ  hitherto.  It  is  principally  by  this 
 means  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  Jews  and  Hea- 
 thens :  the  apostles,  in  all  their  epistles,  show  them- 
 selves much  more  concerned  at  the  former  mischief 
 than  the  latter.  By  this,  Satan  prevailed  against 
 the  reformation,  begun  by  Luther,  ZuingKus,  &c. 
 to  put  a  stop  to  its  progress,  and  bring  it  into  disgrace, 
 ten  times  more  than  by  all  those  bloody,  cruel,  and  be- 
 fore unheard-of  persecutions  of  the  church  of  Rome. 
 By  this,  principally,  has  he  prevailed  against  revivals 
 of  rehgion,  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  a  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  revival  of  religion  in  New-England,  so  happy 
 and  promising  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  daughter  of  Zion  in  this  land  now  lies  on 
 the  ground,  in  such  piteous  cu'cumstances  as  we  now 
 behold  her,  with  her  garments  rent,  her  face  dis- 
 
66 
 
 figured,  her  nakedness  exposed,  her  Hmbs  broken, 
 and  weltermg  in  the  blood  of  her  own  wounds,  and 
 unable  to  arise;  and  this  so  quickly  after  her  late 
 great  joys  and  hopes :  "  Zion  spreadeth  forth  her 
 hands,  and  there  is  none  to  comfort  her;  the  Lord  hath 
 commanded  concerning  Jacob,  that  his  adversaries 
 will  be  round  about  him:  Jerusalem  is  as  a  men- 
 struous  woman  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  began  with  them.  He  prevailed  against  our 
 first  parents,  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  pretending  to  advance  it  to  higher  degrees.  So 
 the  same  cunning  serpent  that  beguiled  Eve  through 
 his  subtlety,  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-England. 
 
 After  religion  has  revived  in  the  church  of  God, 
 and  enemies  appear,  people  that  are  engaged  to  de- 
 fend its  cause,  are  commonly  most  exposed,  where 
 they  are  least  sensible  of  danger.  While  they  are 
 wholly  intent  to  make  head  against  the  opposition 
 that  appears  openly  before  them,  and  neglect  care- 
 fully to  look  around  them,  the  devil  comes  behind 
 them,  and  gives  a  fjital  stab  unseen ;  and  has  oppor- 
 tunity to  give  a  more  home  stroke,  and  wound  the 
 deeper,  because  he  strikes  at  his  leisure,  being  ob- 
 structed by  no  guard  or  resistance. 
 
 And  so  it  is  ever  likely  to  be  in  the  church,  when- 
 
 i 
 
 ■■4 
 
67 
 
 ever  religion  revives  remarkably,  till  we  have  learned 
 well  to  distinguish  between  true  and  false  religion, 
 between  saving  affections  and  experiences,  and  those 
 manifold  fair  shows,  and  glistering  appearances,  by 
 which  they  are  counterfeited;  the  consequences  of 
 which,  when  they  are  not  distinguished,  are  often  in- 
 expressibly dreadful.  By  this  means  the  devil  grati- 
 fies himself,  by  bringing  it  to  pass,  that  that  should 
 be  offered  to  God  by  multitudes,  under  a  notion  of 
 a  pleasing  acceptable  service  to  him,  which  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  undoes 
 them ;  and  not  only  so,  but  establishes  many  in  a 
 stronoc  confidence  of  their  eminent  holiness,  who  are 
 in  God's  sight  the  vilest  of  hypocrites.  By  this 
 means,  he  damps  and  wounds  religion  in  the  hearts 
 of  the  saints,  obscures  and  deforms  it  by  corrupt  mix- 
 tures, causes  their  religious  affections  wofully  to  de- 
 generate, and  sometimes,  for  a  considerable  time,  to 
 be  like  the  manna,  that  bred  worms  and  stank ;  and 
 dreadfully  insnares  and  confounds  the  minds  of  the 
 saints,  brings  them  into  great  difficulties  and  tempta- 
 tions, and  entangles  them  in  a  wilderness,  out  of 
 which  they  cannot  extricate  themselves.  By  this 
 means,  Satan  mightily  encourages  the  hearts  of  open 
 enemies  of  rehgion,  and  strengthens  their  hands  and 
 fills  them  with  weapons,  and  makes  strong  their  for- 
 tresses :  when,  at  the  same  time,  religion  and  the 
 church  of  God,  lie  exposed  to  them  as  a  city  with- 
 out walls.  By  this  means,  he  brings  it  to  pass  that 
 men  work  wickedness  under  a  notion  of  doing  God 
 
68 
 
 service,  and  so  sin  without  restraint,  yea,  with  ear- 
 nest forwardness  and  zeal.  By  this  means,  he  brings 
 in  even  the  friends  of  reHgion,  insensibly  to  them- 
 selves, to  do  the  work  of  enemies,  by  destroying  re- 
 ligion in  a  far  more  effectual  manner  than  open  ene- 
 mies can  do,  under  a  notion  of  advancing  it.  By  this 
 means,  the  devil  scatters  the  flock  of  Christ,  and  sets 
 them  one  against  another,  and  that  with  great  heat 
 of  spirit,  under  a  notion  of  zeal  for  God ;  and  reli- 
 gion, 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  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  interest,  to  make  it  strong  in  ways  innu- 
 merable, and  get  the  government  of  all  into  his  own 
 hands,  to  work  his  own  will.  And  by  what  is  seen 
 of  the  terrible  consequences  of  this  counterfeit  reli- 
 gion, when  not  distinguished  from  true  religion,  God's 
 people  in  general  have  their  minds  unhinged  and  un- 
 settled 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  rehgion;  and  heresy,  and  infideHty,  and 
 atheism  greatly  prevail. 
 
 Therefore,  it  greatly  concerns  us  to  use  our  ut- 
 most endeavours,  clearly  to  discern,  and  have  it  well 
 settled  and  established,  wherein  true  religion  consists. 
 Till  this  be  done,  it  may  be  expected  that  great  re- 
 vivings  of  religion  will  be  but  of  short  continuance : 
 
69 
 
 till  this  be  done,  there  is  but  little  good  to  be  ex- 
 pected of  all  our  warm  debates,  in  conversation  and 
 from  the  press,  not  knowing  clearly  and  distinctly  for 
 what  we  ought  to  contend. 
 
 My  design  is  to  contribute  my  mite,  and  use  my 
 best  (however  feeble)  endeavours  to  this  end,  in  the 
 ensuing  Treatise ;  in  which  it  must  be  noted,  that  my 
 desiOTi  is  somewhat  different  from  the  desicrn  which 
 I  formerly  published,  which  was  to  show,  the  distin- 
 guishing marks  of  a  work  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  in- 
 cluding both  his  common  and  saving  operations ;  but 
 what  I  aim  at  now,  is  to  show  the  nature  and  signs 
 of  the  gracious  operations  of  God's  Spirit,  by  which 
 they  are  to  be  distinguished  from  all  things  what- 
 ever 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  promote  the  interest  of  religion.     And  whe- 
 ther I  have  succeeded  to  bring  any  light  to  this  sub- 
 ject, or  not,  and  however  my  attempt  may  be  re- 
 proached, in  these  captious,  censorious  times,  I  hope 
 in  the  mercy  of  a  gracious  and  righteous  God,  for 
 the  acceptance  of  the  sincerity  of  my  endeavours ; 
 and  hope  also  for  the  candour  and  prayers  of  the 
 true  followers  of  the  meek  and  charitable  Lamb  of 
 God. 
 
« 
 
 i 
 
PART  I. 
 
 CONCERNING  THE  NATURE  OF  THE  AFFECTIONS,, 
 AND  THEIR  IMPORTANCE  IN  RELIGION. 
 
 I 
 
CONCERNING 
 
 RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 
 
 PART  I, 
 
 CONCERNING  THE  NATURE  OF  THE  AFFECTIONS, 
 AND  THEIR  IMPORTANCE  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  apostle  represents  the  state  of  the 
 minds  of  the  Christians  to  whom  he  wrote,  under 
 the  persecutions  to  which  they  were  then  subject. 
 It  is  to  these  persecutions  he  has  respect,  in  the  two 
 preceding  verses,  when  he  speaks  of  the  trial  of  their 
 faith,  and  of  their  being  in  heaviness  through  mani- 
 fold temptations.  « 
 Such  trials  are  of  three-fold  benefit  to  true  reli- 
 gion.     Hereby  its  truth  is  manifested,   and  it  ap- 
 pears to  be  indeed  true  religion :    trials,  above  all 
 other  things,  have  a  tendency  to  distinguish  between 
 true  and  false  rehgion,  and  to  make  the  difference 
 D                                  20 
 
between  tliem  evidently  to  appear.  Hence  they  are 
 called  by  the  name  of  trials,  in  the  verse  preceding 
 the  text,  and  in  many  other  places  :  they  try  the 
 tbith  and  religion  of  professors,  of  what  sort  it  is,  as 
 apparent  gold  is  tried  in  the  fire,  and  manifested 
 vrhether  it  be  true  gold  or  not.  And  the  faith  of 
 true  Christians  being  thus  tried  and  proved  to  be 
 true,  is  found,  as  stated  in  that  verse,  to  praise,  and 
 honour,  and  glory. 
 
 Besides,  these  trials  are  of  further  benefit  to  true 
 relifnon ;  they  not  only  manifest  its  truth,  but  they 
 make  its  genuine  beauty  and  amiableness  remarkably 
 to  appear.  True  virtue  never  appears  so  lovely,  as 
 when  it  is  most  oppressed ;  and  the  divine  excellency 
 of  real  Christianity  is  never  exhibited  with  such  ad- 
 vantage, as  when  under  the  greatest  trials  :  then  it 
 is  that  true  faith  appears  much  more  precious  than 
 o'old  ;  and,  upon  this  account,  is  found  to  praise,  and 
 honour,  and  glory. 
 
 Again,  another  benefit  of  such  trials  to  true  reli- 
 <^>'ion  is,  that  they  purify  and  increase  it.  They  not 
 only  manifest  it  to  be  true,  but  they  tend  to  refine 
 it,  and  deliver  it  from  those  false  mixtures  which 
 incumber  and  impede  it,  that  nothing  may  be  left 
 but  that  which  is  true.  They  not  only  tend  to  make 
 tbe  amiableness  of  true  religion  appear  to  the  best 
 advantage,  but  they  tend  to  increase  its  beauty,  by 
 establishing  and  confirming  it,  making  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  like  gold  in  the  fire,  becomes 
 
75 
 
 more  precious ;  and  thus  also  is  found  unto  praise, 
 and  honour,  and  glory.  The  apostle  seems  to  have 
 respect  to  each  of  these  benefits  of  persecution  to  true 
 religion,  in  the  verse  preceding  the  text. 
 
 And  in  the  text,  the  apostle  observes  how  true 
 religion  operated  in  the  Christians  to  whom  he  wrote, 
 under  their  persecutions,  by  which  these  benefits  of 
 persecution  appeared  in  them.  It  w^as  by  these  per- 
 secutions their  religion  was  manifested  to  be  true  re- 
 ligion, and  eminently  appeared  in  its  genuine  beauty 
 and  amiableness ;  and  it  also  appeared  to  be  increased 
 and  purified,  and  so  was  found  unto  praise,  and  honour, 
 and  glory,  at  the  appearing  of  Jesus  Christ.  And 
 there  were  two  kinds  of  operation,  or  exercise  of 
 true  rehgion,  in  them,  under  their  sufferings,  of  which 
 the  apostle  takes  notice  in  the  text,  w^herein  these 
 benefits  appeared. 
 
 1.  Love  to  Christ:  "  Whom  having  not  seen,  ye 
 love."  The  world  was  ready  to  wonder,  what  strange 
 principle  it  was  that  influenced  them  to  expose  them- 
 selves to  so  great  sufferings,  to  forsake  the  things  that 
 were  seen,  and  renounce  all  those  objects  of  sense 
 that  were  dear  and  pleasant.  They  seemed  to  the 
 men  of  the  world  as  though  they  were  beside  them- 
 selves, and  to  act  as  though  they  hated  themselves ; 
 there  was  nothing  in  their  view  that  could  induce 
 them  thus  to  suffer,  or  to  support  them  under,  and 
 carry  them  through,  such  trials.  But  although  there 
 was  nothing  visible  that  the  world  saw^,  or  that  the 
 Christians  themselves  ever  saw  with  theu'  bodily  eyes, 
 that  thus  influenced  and  supported  them,  yet  they 
 had  a  supernatural  principle  of  love  to  something  un- 
 seen; they  loved  Jesus  Christ,  for  they  saw  him 
 D  2 
 
76 
 
 Spiritually  whom  the  world  saw  not,  and  whom  they 
 themselves  had  never  seen  with  bodily  eyes. 
 
 2.  Joy  in  Christ.  Though  their  outward  suffer- 
 ings were  very  grievous,  yet  their  inward  spiritual  joys 
 were  greater  than  their  sufferings  ;  and  these  sup- 
 ported and  enabled  them  to  suffer  with  cheerfulness. 
 
 There  are  two  things  of  which  the  apostle  takes 
 notice  in  the  text  concerning  this  joy.  1st,  The  man- 
 ner in  which  it  rises,  and  the  way  in  which  Christ, 
 though  unseen,  is  the  foundation  of  it,  namely,  by 
 faith  ;  which  is  the  evidence  of  things  not  seen  :  "  In 
 whom,  though  now  ye  see  him  not,  yet  believing, 
 ye  rejoice."  2d,  The  nature  of  this  joy;  "unspeak- 
 able, and  full  of  glory."  Unspeakable  in  the  nature 
 of  it;  very  different  from  worldly  joys,  and  carnal 
 delights ;  of  a  vastly  more  pure,  sublime,  and  heavenly 
 nature,  being  something  supernatural,  and  truly  divine ; 
 and  so  ineffably  excellent,  that  there  were  no  words  to 
 set  forth  the  sublimity  and  exquisite  sweetness  of  it. 
 It  was  unspeakable  also  in  degree ;  it  pleasing  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  unspeakable,  and  no  words  were  sufficient  to  de- 
 scribe it,  yet  something  might  be  said  of  it,  and  no 
 words  more  fit  to  represent  its  excellency  than  these, 
 that  it  was  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  de- 
 base the  mind,  as  many  carnal  joys  do ;  but  did  greatly 
 beautify  and  dignify  it :  it  was  a  prelibation  of  the 
 
77 
 
 joy  of  heaven,  that  raised  their  minds  to  a  degree  of 
 heavenly  blessedness  ;  it  filled  their  minds  with  the 
 light  of  God's  glory,  and  made  themselves  to  shine 
 with  some  communication  of  that  glory. 
 
 Hence,  the  proposition  or  doctrine  that  I  would 
 draw  from  these  words  is  this — 
 
 Doctrine — True  religion^  in  a  great  measure, 
 (consists  in  holy  affections. 
 
 We  see  that  the  apostle,  in  observing  the  opera- 
 tions and  exercises  of  rehgion  in  the  Christians  to 
 whom  he  wrote,  and  in  remarking  wherein  their  re- 
 ligion appeared  to  be  true  and  of  the  right  kind, 
 when  it  had  its  greatest  trial,  being  tried  by  perse- 
 cution of  what  sort  it  w^as,  as  gold  is  tried  in  the  fire, 
 and  when  their  religion  not  only  proved  true,  but 
 was  most  pure,  and  cleansed  from  its  mixtures  of 
 that  which  was  not  true,  and  when  rehgion  appeared 
 in  them  most  in  its  genuine  excellency  and  native 
 beauty,  and  was  found  to  praise,  and  honour,  ami 
 glory, — he  singles  out  the  religious  affections  of  love 
 and  joy,  that  were  then  in  exercise  in  them  :  these 
 are  the  exercises  of  religion  of  which  he  takes  no- 
 tice, wherein  their  religion  did  thus  appear  true  and 
 pure,  and  in  its  proper  glory.      Here  I  would, 
 
 I.   Show  what  is  intended  by  the  affections. 
 
 n.  Observe  some  things  which  make  it  evident, 
 that  a  great  part  of  true  religion  lies  in  the  affections. 
 
78 
 
 CHAPTER  I. 
 
 The  Affections  are  nothing  else  than  the  more  vigorous 
 and  sensible  exercises  of  the  Inclination  and  Will 
 of  the  Sold. 
 
 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  understanding. 
 The  other  is  that  by  which  the  soul  does  not  merely  ^ 
 perceive  and  view  things,  but  is  some  way  inclined 
 with  respect  to  the  tilings  it  views  or  considers ;  either 
 is  inclined  to  them,  or  is  disinclined,  and  averse  f?^om 
 them  :  or  it  is  the  faculty  by  which  the  soul  does  not 
 behold  things,  as  an  indifferent,  unaffected  spectator, 
 but  either  as  liking  or  disliking,  pleased  or  displeased, 
 approving  or  rejecting.  This  faculty  is  called  by  va- 
 rious names  :  it  is  sometimes  called  the  inclination  ; 
 and,  as  it  has  respect  to  the  actions  that  are  deter- 
 mined and  governed  by  it,  is  called  the  ivill :  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  : 
 eitlier  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,  being  displeased  with 
 them,  averse  from  them,  and  rejecting  them. 
 
 And  as  the  exercises  of  the  inclination  and  will  of 
 
79 
 
 tlie  soul  are  various  in  their  kinds,  so  they  are  much 
 more  various  in  their  degrees.  There  are  some  ex- 
 ercises of  pleasedness  or  displeasedness,  inclination 
 or  disinclination,  wherein  the  soul  is  carried  hut  a  little 
 beyond  a  state  oi  perfect  indifference.  And  there  are 
 other  degrees  above  this,  wherein  the  approbation  or 
 dislike,  pleasedness  or  aversion,  are  stronger ;  and  we 
 may  rise  higher  and  higher,  till  the  soul  comes  to  act 
 vigorously  and  sensibly,  and  the  actings  of  the  soul 
 come  to  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  he- 
 ,.gin  to  be  sensibly  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,  wdth  re- 
 gard to  the  exercises  of  this  faculty,  perhaps  in  all 
 nations  and  ages,  is  called  the  heart.  They  are, 
 therefore,  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  dis- 
 tinct from  the  will,  nor  do  they  differ  from  the  mere 
 actings  of  the  will,  and  inclinations  of  the  soul,  hut 
 only  in  the  liveliness  and  sensibleness  of  exercise. 
 
 It  must  be  confessed,  that  language  is  here  some- 
 what imperfect,  and  the  meaning  of  words  in  a  con- 
 siderable measure  loose  and  unfixed,  and  not  precisely 
 limited  by  custom,  which  governs  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 
 
80 
 
 otherwise  than  as  it  is  affected  one  way  or  other.  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  ex- 
 ercise of  the  will  and  inclination ;  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  Hfe,  are  not  ordinarily  called  affections.  Yet,  what 
 are  commonly  called  affections  are  not  essentially  dif- 
 ferent from  them,  but  only  in  the  degree  and  manner 
 of  exercise.  In  every  act  of  the  will  whatever,  the 
 soul  either  likes  or  dislikes,  is  either  inclined  or  dis- 
 inclined, 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  degree,  and  be  vigorous  and  lively,  is 
 the  very  same  thing  with  the  affection  of  love:  and  that 
 disliking  and  disinclining,  if  in  a  great  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  considerable  degree,  is  the  very  same  with  the 
 affection  of  desire.  And  in  every  act  of  the  will, 
 wherein  the  soul  approves  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  de- 
 gree displeased;  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  whatever,  any  lively  and  vigorous  exercises 
 
81 
 
 of  the  will  or  inclination  of  the  soul,  without  some 
 effect  upon  the  body,  in  some  alteration  of  the  mo- 
 tion of  its  fluids,  and  especially  of  the  animal  spirits. 
 And,  on  the  other  hand,  from  the  same  laws  of  the 
 union  of  soul  and  body,  the  constitution  of  the  body, 
 and  the  motion  of  its  fluids,  may  promote  the  exer- 
 cise of  the  aflections.  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  a  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  dis- 
 pleased with  its  ideas.  As  it  is  the  soul  only  that 
 thinks,  so  it  is  the  soul  only  that  loves  or  hates,  re- 
 joices 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  concomi- 
 tants of  the  affections,  that  are  entirely  cUstinct  from 
 the  affections  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  word,  that,  in  its  ordinary  signification, 
 seems  to  be  something  more  extensive  than  passion, 
 being  used  for  all  vigorous  lively  actings  of  the  will 
 or  inclination;  but  passion  for  those  that  are  more 
 D  3 
 
8'2 
 
 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  affections  are  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,  gra- 
 titude, complacence.  Of  the  latter  kind  are,  hatred, 
 fear,  anger,  grief,  and  such  like ;  which  it  is  needless 
 now  particularly  to  define. 
 
 And  there  are  some  affections  in  which  there  is  a 
 composition  of  each  of  the  after-mentioned  kinds  of 
 actings  of  the  will;  as  in  the  affection  o^  pity  there 
 is  something  of  the  former  kind,  towards  the  person 
 suffering,  and  something  of  the  latter,  towards  what 
 he  suffers.  And  so  in  zeal^  there  is  in  it  high  appro- 
 bation of  some  person  or  thing,  together  with  vigorous 
 apposition  to  v/hat  is  conceived  to  be  contrary  to  it. 
 
 CHAPTER  11. 
 
 True  lieliffion,  in  a  great  meamre,  consists  in  the 
 Affections, 
 
 L  What  has  been  said  of  the  nature  of  the  af- 
 fections makes  this  evident,  and  may  be  sufficient, 
 without  adding  any  thing  further,  to  put  this  mat- 
 ter beyond  doubt;  for  who  will  deny  that  true  reli- 
 
83 
 
 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  weak,  dull,  and  lifeless  wouldings, 
 raising  us  but  a  httle  above  a  state  of  indifference : 
 God,  in  his  word,  insists  greatly  upon  it,  that  we  he 
 in  good  earnest,  fervent  in  spirit,  and  have  our  hearts 
 vigorously  engaged  in  religion :  "  Be  ye  fervent  in 
 spirit,  serving  the  Lord."  "  And  now,  Israel,  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?"  "  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  with  all  thy  might."  It  is 
 such  a  fervent,  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 :  "  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  ffood  earnest  in  relitfion,  and  our 
 wills  and  inclinations  be  not  strongly  exercised,  we 
 are  nothing.  The  things  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  vigour 
 in  the  actings  of  our  inclinations  so  requisite,  as  in 
 religion ;  and  in  nothing  is  lukewarmness  so  otUous. 
 True  religion  is  evermore  a  powerful  thing ;  and  the 
 
84 
 
 power  of  it  appears,  in  the  first  place,  in  its  inward 
 exercises  in  the  heart,  which  is  the  principal  and 
 original  seat  of  it.  Hence  true  religion  is  called  the 
 "  powder  of  godliness,"  in  distinction  from  the  exter- 
 nal appearances  that  are  the  "  form"  of  it:  "  Hav- 
 ing a  form  of  godliness,  but  denying  the  power  of 
 it."  The  Spirit  of  God,  in  those  that  have  sound 
 and  solid  religion,  is  a  spirit  of  powerful  holy  affec- 
 tion ;  and  therefore,  God  is  said  to  have  given  them 
 "  the  spirit  of  power,  and  of  love,  and  of  a  sound 
 mind."  And  such,  when  they  receive  the  Spirit  of 
 God  in  his  sanctifying  and  saving  influences,  are  said 
 to  be  "  baptized  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  with 
 fire,"  by  reason  of  the  power  and  fervour  of  those 
 exercises  the  Spirit  of  God  excites  in  their  hearts, 
 whereby  their  hearts,  when  grace  is  in  exercise,  may 
 be  said  "  to  burn  within  them ;"  as  it  is  said  of  the 
 disciples. 
 
 The  business  of  religion  is  compared  to  those  ex- 
 ercises, 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  violence  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  comparatively  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  vigour,  that 
 these  holy  exercises  do  prevail  in  him  above  all  car- 
 
85 
 
 nal  or  natural  affections,  and  are  effectual  to  overcome 
 them :  for  every  true  disciple  of  Christ  loves  him 
 above  father  or  mother,  wife  and  children,  brethren 
 and  sisters,  houses  and  lands ;  yea,  than  his  own  life. 
 From  hence  it  follows,  that  wherever  true  religion  is, 
 there  are  vigorous  exercises  of  the  inclination  and  will 
 towards  divine  objects  :  but  from  what  was  said  before, 
 the  vigorous,  lively,  and  sensible  exercises  of  the  will, 
 are  no  other  than  the  affections  of  the  soul. 
 
 2.  The  Author  of  the  human  nature  has  not  only 
 given  affections  to  men,  but  has  made  them  very 
 much  the  spring  of  men's  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  practi- 
 cal nature,  and  God  hath  so  constituted  the  human 
 nature,  that  the  affections  are  very  much  the  spring 
 of  men's  actions,  this  also  shows,  that  true  rehgion 
 must  consist  very  much  in  the  affections. 
 
 Such  is  man's  nature,  that  he  is  very  inactive, 
 unless  when  he  is  influenced  by  love  or  hatred,  de- 
 sire, hope,  fear,  or  some  other  affection.  These  af- 
 fections we  see  to  be  the  springs  that  set  men  agoing 
 in  all  the  affairs  of  life,  and  engage  them  in  all  their 
 pursuits :  these  are  the  things  that  put  men  forward, 
 and  carry  them  along  in  all  their  worldly  business : 
 and  men  are  especially  excited  and  animated  by  these, 
 in  all  affairs  wherein  they  are  earnestly  engaged,  and 
 which  they  pursue  with  vigour.  We  see  mankind 
 to  be  exceedingly  busy  and  active  :  and  the  affections 
 
86 
 
 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  measure,  motionless  and  dead;  there  would  be 
 no  such  thing  as  activity  amongst  mankind,  or  any 
 earnest  pursuit  whatever.  It  is  affection  that  en- 
 gages the  covetous  man,  and  him  that  is  greedy  of 
 worldly  profits,  in  his  pursuits ;  it  is  by  the  affections 
 that  the  ambitious  man  is  urged  forward  in  his  pur- 
 suit of  worldly  glory ;  and  it  is  the  affections  that  ac- 
 tuate 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  of  these  things ;  but  take  away  all  affec- 
 tion, and  the  spring  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  men's  motion  and  action ;  so  in  religious  matters, 
 the  spring  of  their  actions  are  very'much  religious 
 affections  :  he  that  has  doctrinal  knowledge  and  spe- 
 culation only,  without  affection,  never  is  engaged  in 
 the  business  of  religion. 
 
 3.  Nothing  is  more  manifest  in  fact,  than  that 
 the  things  of  religion  take  hold  of  men's  souls  no 
 further  than  they  affect  them.  There  are  multi- 
 tudes that  often  hear  the  word  of  God,  and  therein 
 hear  of  those  things  that  are  infinitely  great  and  im- 
 portant, 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  disposition  or  be- 
 haviour; and  the  reason  is,  they  are  not  affected  with 
 what  they  hear.  There  are  many  that  often  hear  of 
 the  glorious  perfections  of  God,  his  almighty  power 
 
87 
 
 and  boundless  wisdom,  his  infinite  majesty,  and  that 
 holiness  of  God,  by  which  he  is  of  purer  eyes  than 
 to  behold  evil,  and  cannot  look  on  iniquity,  and  the 
 heavens  are  not  pure  in  his  sight,  and  of  God's  infi- 
 nite goodness  and  mercy;  and  hear  of  the  great  works 
 of  God's  wisdom,  power,  and  goodness,  wherein  there 
 appear  the  admirable  manifestations  of  these  perfec- 
 tions ;  they  hear  particularly  of  the  unspeakable  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  end- 
 less blessedness  and  glory  in  the  presence  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  often  hear  these  things,  and 
 yet  remain  as  they  were  before,  with  no  sensible  al- 
 teration on  them,  either  in  heart  or  practice,  because 
 they  are  not  affected  with  what  they  hear;  and  they 
 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  rehgious  nature,  that  ever  he 
 read,  heard,  or  saw,  that  had  not  his  affections 
 moved.  Never  was  a  natural  man  engaged  earnestly 
 to  seek  his  salvation ;  never  were  any  such  brought 
 to  cry  after  wisdom,  and  lift  up  their  voice  for  un- 
 derstanding, and  to  wrestle  with  God  in  prayer  for 
 mercy;  and  never  was  one  humbled,  and  brought  tc 
 the  foot  of  God,  from  any  thing  that  ever  he  heard 
 or  imamned  of  his  own  unworthiness  and  desen'infys 
 of  God's  displeasure ;  nor  was  ever  one  induced  to 
 
88 
 
 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  de- 
 clining state  in  religion,  and  brought  back  from  a 
 lamentable  depai'ture  from  God,  without  having  his 
 heart  affected.  And,  in  a  word,  there  never  was 
 any  thing  considerable  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. 
 
 4.  The  holy  Scriptures  do  every  where  place  reli- 
 gion very  much  in  the  affections  ;  such  as  fear,  hope, 
 love,  hatred,  desire,  joy,  sorrow,  gratitude,  compas- 
 sion, and  zeal. 
 
 The  Scriptures  place  much  of  religion  in  godly 
 fear;  insomuch  that  it  is  often  spoken  of  as  the  charac- 
 ter of  those  that  are  truly  religious,  that  they  trem- 
 ble 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  an 
 appellation  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  god- 
 liness, hence  true  godliness,  in  general,  is  very  com- 
 monly called  the  fear  of  God. 
 
 So  hoi^e  in  God  and  in  the  promises  of  his  word, 
 is  often  spoken  of  in  the  Scripture,  as  a  very  con- 
 siderable part  of  true  religion.  It  is  mentioned  as 
 one  of  the  three  great  things  of  which  religion  con- 
 sists. Hope  in  the  Lord  is  also  frequently  men- 
 tioned as  the  character  of  the  saints  :  "  Happy  is  he 
 that  hath  the  God  of  Jacob  for  his  help,  whose  hope 
 is  in  the  Lord  his  God."     "  Blessed  is  the  man  that 
 
89 
 
 trusteth  in  the  Lord,  and  whose  hope  the  Lord  is." 
 "  Be  of  good  courage,  and  he  shall  strengthen  your 
 heart,  all  ye  that  hope  in  the  Lord."  Religious  fear 
 and  hope  are,  once  and  again,  joined  together,  as 
 jointly  constituting  the  character  of  the  true  saints : 
 **  Behold,  the  eye  of  the  Lord  is  upon  them  that  fear 
 him,  upon  them  that  hope  in  his  mercy."  "  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."  And  this  is  spoken  of  as  the  helmet  of 
 the  Christian  soldier  :  "  And  for  a  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  :  "  Which  hope  we 
 have  as  an  anchor  of  the  soul,  both  sure  and  stead- 
 fast, and  which  enter eth  into  that  within  the  vail." 
 It  is  spoken  of  as  a  great  fruit  and  benefit  which 
 true  saints  receive  by  Christ's  resurrection :  "  Blessed 
 be  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
 which,  according  to  his  abundant  mercy,  hath  begot- 
 ten 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  Je- 
 sus Christ,  and  love  to  the  people  of  God,  and  to 
 mankind.  The  texts  in  which  this  is  manifest,  both 
 in  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  are  innumerable. 
 But  of  this  more  afterwards. 
 
 The  contrary  affection  of  hatred  also,  as  having 
 sin  for  its  object,  is  spoken  of  in  Scripture  as  no  in- 
 considerable part  of  true  religion.  It  is  spoken  of 
 as  that  by  which  true  religion  may  be  known  and  dis- 
 
90 
 
 tinguished  :  "  The  fear  of  the  Lord  is  to  hate  evil." 
 And  accordingly  the  saints  are  called  upon  to  give 
 evidence  of  their  sincerity  by  this :  "  Ye  that  love 
 the  Lord,  hate  evil."  And  the  Psalmist  often  men- 
 tions it  as  an  evidence  of  his  sincerity  :  "  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."  "  I  hate  every  false 
 way."  "  Do  I  not  hate  them,  O  Lord,  that  hate 
 thee  ?" 
 
 So  holy  desire^  exercised  in  longings,  hungerings, 
 and  thirstings  after  God  and  holiness,  is  often  men- 
 tioned in  Scripture  as  an  important  part  of  true  reli- 
 gion :  "  The  desire  of  our  soul  is  to  thy  name,  and 
 to  the  remembrance  of  thee."  "  One  thinff  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."  "  As  the  hart  panteth  after 
 the  water-brooks,  so  panteth  my  soul  after  thee,  O 
 God.  My  soul  thirsteth  for  God,  for  the  living 
 God:  when  shall  I  come  and  appear  before  God?" 
 "  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."  "  How  amiable  are  thy  taber- 
 nacles, O  Lord  of  hosts  !  My  soul  longeth,  yea, 
 even  fainteth  for  the  courts  of  the  Lord;  my  heai't 
 and  my  flesh  crieth  out  for  the  living  God."  "  My 
 soul  breakcth  for  the  longing  that  it  hath  unto  thy 
 judgments  at  all  times."  Such  a  holy  desire  and 
 thirst  of  soul  is  mentioned,  as  one  of  those  great 
 things  which  renders  or  denotes  a  man  truly  blessed, 
 
91 
 
 in  the  beginning  of  Christ's  sermon  on  the  mount : 
 *'  Blessed  are  they  that  do  hunger  and  thirst  after 
 righteousness  ;  for  they  shall  be  filled."  And  this 
 holy  thirst  is  spoken  of,  as  a  great  thing  in  the  con- 
 dition of  a  participation  of  the  blessings  of  eternal 
 life  :  "  I  will  give  to  him  that  is  athirst,  of  the  foun- 
 tian  of  the  water  of  life  freely." 
 
 The  Scriptures  speak  of  holy  jot/  as  a  great  part 
 of  true  religion.  So  it  is  represented  in  the  text. 
 And  as  an  important  part  of  religion,  it  is  often  ex- 
 horted to,  and  pressed  wdth  great  earnestness  :  "  De- 
 light thyself  in  the  Lord ;  and  he  shall  give  thee  the 
 desires  of  thine  heart."  "  Rejoice  in  the  Lord,  ye 
 righteous."  "  Rejoice,  and  be  exceeding  glad." 
 "  Finally,  brethren,  rejoice  in  the  Lord."  "  Rejoice 
 in  the  Lord  alway :  and  again,  I  say,  Rejoice." 
 "  Rejoice  evermore."  "  Let  Israel  rejoice  in  him 
 that  made  him :  let  the  children  of  Zion  be  joyful  in 
 their  King."  This  is  mentioned  among  the  princi- 
 pal fruits  of  the  Spirit  of  grace :  "  The  fruit  of  the 
 Spirit  is  love,  joy,"  &c.  The  Psalmist  mentions 
 his  holy  joy  as  an  evidence  of  his  sincerity :  "  I  have 
 rejoiced  in  the  way  of  thy  testimonies,  as  much  as  in 
 all  riches." 
 
 Religious  sorrow,  raourning,  and  hrokenness  of 
 heart,  are  also  frequently  spoken  of  as  a  great  part 
 of  true  relio-ion.  These  thincrs  are  often  mentioned 
 as  distinguishing  qualities  of  the  true  saints,  and  a 
 great  part  of  their  character  :  "  Blessed  are  they  that 
 mourn ;  for  they  shall  be  comforted."  "  The  Lord 
 is  nigh  unto  them  that  are  of  a  broken  heart,  and 
 saveth  such  as  be  of  a  contrite  spirit."  "  The  Lord 
 hath  anointed  me — to  bind  up  the  broken-hearted — 
 
92 
 
 to  comfort  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  as  that  in  them,  which  is  peculiarly  ac- 
 ceptable and  pleasing  to  God:  "  The  sacrifices  of 
 God  are  a  broken  spirit :  a  broken  and  a  contrite  heart, 
 O  God,  thou  wilt  not  despise."  "  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  revive  the 
 heart  of  the  contrite  ones."  "  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  religiori  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  frequently  speak  o£ com- 
 passion or  mercy,  as  a  very  great  and  essential  thing 
 in  true  religion ;  insomuch  that  good  men  are  in 
 Scripture  denominated  by  this ;  and  a  merciful  man, 
 and  a  good  man,  are  equivalent  terms  in  Scripture : 
 "  The  righteous  man  perisheth,  and  no  man  layeth 
 it  to  heart :  merciful  men  are  taken  away."  And 
 the  Scripture  chooses  out  this  quality,  as  that  by 
 which,  in  a  peculiar  manner,  a  righteous  man  is  de- 
 ciphered :  "  The  righteous  showeth  mercy,  and  giv- 
 eth."  "  He  is  ever  merciful,  and  lendeth."  "  He 
 that  honoureth  the  Lord,  hath  mercy  on  the  poor." 
 *'  Put  ye  on,  as  the  elect  of  God,  holy  and  beloved, 
 bowels  of  mercies,"  &c.      This  is  one  of  those  great 
 
93 
 
 things,  by  which  those  who  are  truly  blessed  are  de- 
 scribed by  our  Saviour :  "  Blessed  are  the  merci- 
 ful, for  they  shall  obtain  mercy."  And  this  Christ 
 also  speaks  of,  as  one  of  the  weightier  matters  of  the 
 law  :  "  Woe  unto  you,  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypo- 
 crites !  for  ye  pay  tithe  of  mint,  and  anise,  and  cum- 
 min, and  have  omitted  the  weightier  matters  of  the 
 law,  judgment,  mercy,  and  faith."  To  the  same 
 purpose  is  that  passage,  "  He  shall  show  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,  "  For  I  de- 
 sired mercy,  and  not  sacrifice  ;"  which  seems  to  have 
 been  a  text  much  delighted  in  by  our  Saviour,  by  his 
 manner  of  citing  it  once  and  again. 
 
 Zeal  is  also  spoken  of,  as  a  very  essential  part  of 
 the  rehgion  of  true  saints.  It  is  spoken  of  as  a  great 
 object  Christ  had  in  view,  in  giving  himself  for  our 
 redemption :  "  Who  gave  himself  for  us,  that  he 
 might  redeem  us  from  all  iniquity,  and  purify  unto 
 himself  a  peculiar  people,  zealous  of  good  works." 
 And  this  is  spoken  of  as  the  great  thing  wanting  in 
 the  lukewarm  Laodiceans. 
 
 1  have  mentioned  but  a  few  texts,  out  of  many  in 
 the  Scripture,  which  place  religion  very  much  in  the 
 affections.  But  what  has  been  observed  may  be 
 sufficient  to  show,  that  they  who  would  deny  that 
 much  of  true  religion  lies  in  the  affections,  must 
 throw  away  what  we  have  been  wont  to  own  for  our 
 Bible,  and  get  some  other  rule  by  which  to  judge 
 of  the  nature  of  religion. 
 
 5.  The  Scriptures  represent  true  rehgion  as  being 
 summarily  comprehended  in  love,  the  chief  of  the 
 affections,  and  fountain  of  all  other  affections. 
 
94 
 
 So  ovir  blessed  Saviour  represents  the  matter,  in 
 answer  to  the  lawyer,  who  asked  him,  which  was  the 
 <rreat  commandment  of  the  law :  "  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  sig- 
 nify, that  these  two  commandments  comprehend  all 
 the  duty  prescribed,  and  the  religion  taught,  in  the 
 law  and  the  prophets.  And  the  apostle  Paul  makes 
 the  same  representation  of  the  matter :  "  He  that 
 loveth  another,  hath  fulfilled  the  law."  "  Love  is 
 the  fulfilling  of  the  law."  "  For  all  the  law  is  ful- 
 filled  in  one  word,  even  in  this.  Thou  shalt  love  thy 
 neighbour  as  thyself."  "  Now,  the  end  of  the  com- 
 mandment is  charity,  out  of  a  pure  heart,"  &c.  The 
 same  apostle  speaks  of  love,  as  the  greatest  thing  in 
 religion,  and  as  the  vitals,  essence,  and  soul  of  it ; 
 without  w^hich,  the  greatest  knowledge  and  gifts,  the 
 most  glaring  profession,  and  every  thing  else  which 
 appertains  to  religion,  are  vain  and  worthless ;  and 
 represents  it  as  the  fountain  from  whence  proceeds 
 all  that  is  good,  in  1  Cor.  xiii.  throughout ;  for  that 
 which  is  there  rendered  charity,  in  the  original  is 
 aya'TTTji  the  proper  English  of  which  is  love. 
 
 Now,  although  it  be  true  that  the  love  thus  spoken 
 of  includes  the  whole  of  a  sincerely  benevolent  pro- 
 pensity of  the  soul  towards  God  and  man,  yet  it  is 
 evident,  from  what  has  been  before  observed,  that 
 this  propensity,  or  inclination  of  the  soul,  when  in 
 sensible  or  vigorous  exercise,  becomes  affection,  and 
 
95 
 
 is  no  other  than  afFectionate  love.  And  surely  it  is 
 such  vigorous  and  fervent  love  which  Christ  speaks 
 of  as  the  sum  of  all  religion,  when  he  speaks  of  lov- 
 ing God  with  all  our  hearts,  with  all  our  souls,  and 
 with  all  our  minds,  and  our  neighbour  as  ourselves, 
 as  the  sum  of  all  that  was  taught  and  prescribed  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 
 tlie  sum  of  all  reHgion,  that  hereby  is  meant  the  act, 
 exclusive  of  the  habit,  or  that  the  exercise  of  the  un- 
 derstanding is  excluded,  which  is  implied  in  all  rea- 
 sonable affection.  But  it  is  evident  from  these  scrip- 
 tures, that  the  essence  of  all  true  religion  lies  in  holy 
 love ;  and  that  in  this  divine  affection,  and  an  habi- 
 tual disposition  to  it,  and  that  light  which  is  the 
 foundation  of  it,  and  those  things  which  are  the  fruits 
 of  it,  consists  the  whole  of  religion. 
 
 From  hence  it  clearly  and  certainly  appears,  that 
 great  part  of  true  religion  consists  in  the  affections. 
 For  love  is  not  only  one  of  the  affections,  but  it  is 
 the  first  and  chief  of  them,  and  the  fountain  of  lall 
 the  affections.  From  love  arises  hatred  of  those 
 things  which  are  contrary  to  what  we  love,  or  which 
 oppose  and  thwart  us  in  those  things  in  which  we 
 delight:  and  from  the  various  exercises  of  love  and 
 hatred,  according  to  the  circumstances  of  the  objects 
 of  these  affections,  as  present  or  absent,  certain  or 
 uncertain,  probable  or  improbable,  arise  all  those  other 
 affections  of  desire,  hope,  fear,  joy,  grief,  gratitude, 
 anger,  Sic.  From  a  vigorous,  affectionate,  and  fer- 
 vent love  to  God,  will  necessarily  arise  other  relio-ious 
 affections ;  hence  vvill  arise  an  intense  hatred  and  ab- 
 
96 
 
 horrence  of  sin,  fear  of  sin,  and  a  dread  of  God's 
 displeasure,  gratitude  to  God  for  his  goodness,  com- 
 placence and  joy  in  God  when  God  is  graciously  and 
 sensibly  present,  and  grief  when  he  is  absent,  and  a 
 joyful  hope  when  a  future  enjoyment  of  God  is  ex- 
 pected, and  fervent  zeal  for  the  glory  of  God.  And, 
 in  like  manner,  from  a  fervent  love  to  men,  will  arise 
 all  other  virtuous  affections  towards  men. 
 
 6.  The  religion  of  the  most  eminent  saints  of 
 which  we  have  an  account  in  Scripture,  consisted 
 much  in  holy  affections. 
 
 I  shall  take  particular  notice   of  three   eminent 
 saints,  who  have  expressed  the  frame  and  sentiments 
 of  their  own  hearts,  and  so  described  their  own  reli- 
 gion, and  the  manner  of  their  intercourse  with  God. 
 The  first  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. 
 These  holy  songs  of  his  are  nothing  else  but  the 
 expressions  and  breathings  of  devout  and  holy  affec- 
 tions :   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;  a 
 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 
 oreat  delight  in  the  word  and  ordinances  of  God ;  his 
 o-rief  for  his  own  and  others'  sins ;  and  his  fervent 
 zeal  for  God,  and  against  the  enemies  of  God  and 
 his   church.      And  these  expressions  of  holy  affec- 
 tion, with  which  the  Psalms  of  David  abound,  are 
 
I 
 
 97 
 
 the  more  to  our  present  purpose,  because  those  psalms 
 are  not  only  the  expressions  of  the  religion  of  so  emi- 
 nent a  saint,  of  whom  God  speaks  as  so  agreeable  to 
 his  mind ;  but  were  also,  by  the  direction  of  the  Holy 
 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  religion  of  the  Psal- 
 mist. And  it  is  moreover  to  be  observed,  that  Da- 
 vid, in  the  book  of  Psalms,  speaks  not  as  a  private 
 person,  but  as  the  Psalmist  of  Israel,  as  the  subor- 
 dinate 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  Testament;  being,  above  all 
 others,  a  chosen  vessel  unto  Christ,  to  bear  his  name 
 before  the  Gentiles,  and  made  the  chief  instrument 
 of  propagating  and  establishing  the  Christian  church 
 in  the  world,  and  of  distinctly  revealing  the  glorious 
 mysteries  of  the  gospel,  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  heavenly  kingdom  of  his  Master.  By  what  is 
 said  of  him  in  the  Scripture,  he  appears  to  have  been 
 a  person  that  was  full  of  affection.  And  it  is  very 
 manifest,  that  the  religion  he  expresses  in  his  epistles 
 consisted  very  much  in  holy  affections.  It  appears 
 by  all  his  expressions  of  himself,  that  he  was,  in  the 
 E  20 
 
98 
 
 course  of  his  life,  inflamed,  actuated,  and  entirely 
 swallowed  up,  by  a  most  ardent  love  to  his  glorious 
 Lord,  esteeming  all  things  as  loss  for  the  excellency 
 of  the  knowledge  of  him,  and  esteeming  them  but 
 dung  that  he  might  win  him.      He  represents  him- 
 self as  overpowered  by  this  holy  affection,  and  as  it 
 were  compelled  by  it  to  go  forward  in  his  service 
 through   all  difficulties   and    sufferings.       And   his 
 epistles  are  full  of  expressions  of  an  overflowing  af- 
 fection towards  the  people  of  Christ :  he  speaks  of 
 his  dear  love  to  them ;  of  his  abundant  love ;  and  of 
 his  affectionate  and  tender  love,  as  of  a  nurse  towards 
 her  children :  *'  But  we  were  gentle  among  you,  even 
 as  a  nurse  cherisheth  her  children :  so,  being  affec- 
 tionately 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,   and  of  his 
 earnest  care  for  others,  and  of  his  bowels  of  pity,  or 
 mercy,  towards  them;  and  of  his  concern  for  others, 
 even  to  anguish  of  heart :   "  For  out  of  much  afflic- 
 tion and  anguish  of  heart  I  wrote  unto  you,  with 
 many  tears ;  not  that  you  should  be  grieved,  but  that 
 ye  might  loiow  the  love  which  I  have  more  abun- 
 dantly unto  you."      He  speaks  of  the  great  conflict  of 
 his  soul  for  them.      He  speaks  of  great  and  continual 
 grief  that  he  had  in  his  heart  from  compassion  to  the 
 Jews.      He  speaks  of  his  mouth  being  opened,  and 
 his  heart  enlarged  towards  Christians  :  "  O  ye  Co- 
 rinthians, our  mouth  is  open  unto  you,  our  heart  is 
 enlarged."      He  often  speaks  of  his  affectionate  and 
 longing  desires.*      The  same  apostle  is  very  often, 
 
 *  1  Thess.  ii.  8.  Rom.  i.  11.  Phil.  i.  8.  and  iv.  1.  2  Tim.  i.  4. 
 
99 
 
 in  his  epistles,  expressing  the  affection  of  joy.*  He 
 speaks  of  his  rejoicing  with  great  joy,f  of  his  joying 
 and  rejoicing,^  and  of  his  rejoicing  exceedingly,} 
 and  of  his  being  filled  with  comfort,  and  being  ex- 
 ceedmg  joyful.  |1  He  speaks  of  himself  as  always 
 rejoicing.f  So  he  speaks  of  the  triumphs  of  his 
 soul,**  and  of  his  glorying  in  tribulation. ff  He  also 
 expresses  the  affection  of  hope  ;f  J  he  speaks  of  his 
 earnest  expectation,  and  his  hope.  He  likewise  ex- 
 presses an  aflPection  of  godly  jealousy.§§  And  it  ap- 
 pears 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  object,  was  mighty 
 in  him,  continually  inflaming  his  heart,  strongly  en- 
 gaging to  those  great  and  constant  labours  he  went 
 through,  in  instructing,  exhorting,  warning,  and  re- 
 proving others,  travailing  in  birth  with  them ;  con- 
 flicting with  those  powerful  and  innumerable  enemies 
 who  continually  opposed  him,  wrestling  with  princi- 
 palities and  powers,  not  fighting  as  one  who  beats 
 the  air ;  running  the  race  set  before  him,  continually 
 pressing  forward  through  all  manner  of  difficulties 
 and  sufferings ;  so  that  others  thought  him  quite  be- 
 side himself.  And  how  full  he  was  of  affection,  ap- 
 pears by  his  being  so  full  of  tears :  H  \\  he  speaks  of  his 
 
 *  2  Cor.  i.  12.  and  vii.  7,  9,  16.  Phil.  i.  4.  and  ii.  12.  and  iii. 
 3.  Col.  i.  24.  1  Thess.  iii.  9.         f  Phil.  iv.  10.  Philem.  i.  7. 
 \  Phil.  ii.  1,  7.     §  2  Cor.  vii.  13.     ||  2  Cor.  vii.  4.     ^2  Cor.  vi.  10. 
 **  2  Cor.  ii.  14.      ff  2  Thess.  i.  4.  and  Rom.  v.  3.     ^  Phil.  i.  20. 
 §§2  Cor.  xi.  2,  3.         ||  [J  2  Cor.  ii.  4.      . 
 E  2 
 
100 
 
 many  tears ;  and  of  his  tears  that  he  shed  continually 
 night  and  day. 
 
 Now,  if  any  one  can  consider  these  accounts  given 
 in  the  Scripture  of  this  great  apostle,  and  which  he 
 gives  of  himself,  and  yet  not  see  that  his  religion 
 consisted  much  in  affection,  must  have  a  strange  fa- 
 culty of  managing  his  eyes,  to  shut  out  the  light 
 which  shines  most  full  in  his  face. 
 
 The  other  instance  I  shall  mention,  is  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  ad- 
 mitted to  be  present  with  him  in  the  mount  at  his 
 transfiguration,  and  at  the  raising  of  Jairus'  daugh- 
 ter, 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 
 upon  his  Master'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  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  divines,)  that  he  was  a  person  remark- 
 ably full  of  affection :  his  addresses  to  those  to  whom 
 he  wrote,  being  inexpressibly  tender  and  pathetical, 
 breathing   nothing   but  the  most  fervent  love ;   as 
 
101 
 
 though  he  were  all  made  up  of  sweet  and  holy  affec- 
 tion. 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  wherever  he  goes,  even  the  Lord 
 Jesus  Christ,  was  a  person  who  was  of  a  remarkably 
 tender  and  affectionate  heart ;  and  his  virtue  was  ex- 
 pressed 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  up  strong  crying  and  tears,"  and  wres- 
 tled in  tears  and  in  blood.  Such  was  the  power  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  ex- 
 ceeding sorrowful,  even  unto  death.  And  he  also 
 appeared  to  be  fuU  of  affection  in  the  course  of  his 
 life.  We  read  of  his  great  zeal:  "  The  zeal  of 
 thine  house  hath  eaten  me  up."  We  read  of  his 
 grief  for  the  sins  of  men  :  "  He  looked  round  about 
 on  them  with  anger,  being  grieved  for  the  hardness 
 of  their  hearts ;"  and  his  breaking  forth  into  tears 
 and  exclamations,  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: 
 
102 
 
 "  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  be- 
 long unto  thy  peace  !  but  now  they  are  hid  from  thine 
 eyes."  "  O  Jerusalem,  Jerusalem,  which  killest  the 
 prophets,  and  stonest  them  that  are  sent  unto  thee  : 
 how  often  would  I  have  gathered  thy  children  to- 
 gether, as  a  hen  doth  gather  her  brood  under  her 
 wings,  and  ye  would  not?"  We  read  of  Christ's 
 earnest  desire,  "  With  desire  have  I  desired  to  eat 
 this  passover  with  you  before  I  suffer."  We  often 
 read  of  the  affection  of  pity  or  compassion  in  Christ,* 
 and  of  his  being  moved  with  compassion.^  And  how 
 tender  did  his  heart  appear  to  be,  on  occasion  of  Mary 
 and  Martha's  mourning  for  their  brother,  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.  And 
 how  ineffably  affectionate  was  the  last  and  dying  dis- 
 course which  Jesus  had  with  his  eleven  disciples,  the 
 evenino;  before  he  was  crucified :  when  he  told  them 
 he  was  going  away,  and  foretold  the  great  difficulties 
 and  sufferings  they  should  meet  with  in  the  world 
 when  lie  was  gone;  and  comforted  and  counselled 
 them,  as  his  little  dear  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  testa- 
 ment ;  and  concluded  the  whole  with  that  affectionate 
 
 *   Mattli.  XV.  32.  and  xviii.  34-.  Luke  vii.  13. 
 f  Matth.  ix.  36.  and  xiv.  M.  and  Mark  vi.  34. 
 
103 
 
 intercessory  prayer  for  them  and  his  whole  church  ? 
 Of  all  the  discourses  ever  penned,  or  uttered  by  the 
 mouth  of  any  man,  this  seems  to  be  the  most  affec- 
 tionate and  affecting. 
 
 8.  The  religion  of  heaven  consists  very  much  in 
 affection. 
 
 There  is  doubtless  true  religion  in  heaven,  and 
 true  rehgion  in  its  utmost  purity  and  perfection. 
 But,  according  to  the  Scripture  representation  of  the 
 heavenly  state,  the  religion  of  heaven  consists  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  things  with  that  religion  of  the  saints  on 
 earth,  which  is  spoken  of  in  our  text,  namely,  "  love 
 and  joy  unspeakable,  and  full  of  glory."  Now,  it 
 would  be  very  foolish  to  pretend,  that  because  the 
 saints  in  heaven  are  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  emo- 
 tions of  their  souls,  that  therefore  their  exceeding 
 love  and  joy  are  no  affections.  We  are  not  speak- 
 ing 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  when  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 
 experimentally  know  what  love  and  joy  are  in  a  soul 
 out  of  a  body,  or  in  a  glorified  body ;  that  is,  we 
 have  not  had  experience  of  love  and  joy  in  a  soul  in 
 
104 
 
 these  circumstances ;  but  the  saints  on  earth  do  know 
 that  divine  love  and  joy  in  the  soul  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, 
 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  in  degree  and  circumstances. 
 This  is  evident  by  many  scriptures.*  It  is  unrea- 
 sonable, 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  are  so  entirely  different  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 
 re-action  they  may  make  some  circumstantial  differ- 
 ence 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  de- 
 pend 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  sensa- 
 tion of  the  mind,  whether  it  be  in  or  out  of  the  body ; 
 and  that  inward  sensation,  or  kind  of  spiritual  sense, 
 or  feeling,  and  motion,  of  the  soul,  is  what  is  called 
 affection  :  the  soul  when  it  thus  feels,  (if  I  may  so 
 
 *  Prov.  iv.  18.  John  iv.  14.  and  vi.  40, 47, 50, 51, 54, 58.  1  John 
 iii.  15.  1  Cor.  xiii.  8-12. 
 
105 
 
 say,)  and  is  thus  moved,  is  said  to  be  afFected,  and 
 especially  when  this  inward  sensation  and  motion 
 are  in  a  very  high  degree,  as  they  can  be  in  the 
 saints  in  heaven.  If  we  can  learn  any  thing  of  the 
 state  of  heaven  from  Scripture,  the  love  and  joy 
 which  the  saints  have  there  is  exceedingly  great  and 
 vigorous;  impressing  the  heart  with  the  strongest 
 and  most  lively  sensation  of  inexpressible  sweetness ; 
 mightily  moving,  animating,  and  engaging  them; 
 making  them  like  to  a  flame  of  fire.  And  if  such 
 love  and  joy  be  not  affections,  then  the  word  affec- 
 tion 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  con- 
 templating his  wonderful  works,  and  particularly  his 
 laying  down  his  life  for  them,  have  their  hearts  no- 
 thing moved  and  affected  by  all  that  they  behold  or 
 consider  ? 
 
 Hence,  therefore,  the  religion  of  heaven,  consist- 
 ing chiefly  in  holy  love  and  joy,  consists  very  much 
 in  affection:  and  therefore,  undoubtedly,  true  reli- 
 gion 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  religion, 
 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  receive  by  this 
 e3 
 
106 
 
 heavenly  birth,  is  a  heavenly  nature,  they  receive  an 
 anointing  from  above :  that  principle  of  true  religion 
 which  is  in  them,  is  communication  of  the  reUgion  of 
 heaven  :  their  grace  is  the  dawn  of  glory  ;  and  God 
 fits  them  for  that  world  by  conforming  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,  depen- 
 dence, and  unworthiness,  and  our  wants  and  desires, 
 to  inform  God  of  these  things,  or  to  incline  his  heart, 
 and  prevail  with  him  to  be  wilhng  to  show  us  mercy  ; 
 but  suitably  to  affect  our  own  hearts  with  the  things 
 we  express,  and  so  to  prepare  us  for  receiving  the 
 blessings  we  ask.  And  such  gestures,  and  external 
 behaviour  in  the  worship  of  God,  which  custom  has 
 made  to  be  significations  of  humility  and  reverence, 
 can  be  of  no  further  use,  than  as  they  have  some  ten- 
 dency 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  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  sacraments  which  God  hath  appointed.  God, 
 considering  oui' frame,  hath  not  only  appointed  that 
 we  should  be  told  of  the  great  things  of  the  gospel. 
 
107 
 
 and  of  the  redemption  of  Christ,  and  instructed  in 
 them  by  his  word ;  but  also,  that  they  should  be, 
 as  it  were,  exhibited  to  our  view,  in  sensible  repre- 
 sentations, in  the  sacraments,  the  more  to  affect  us 
 with  them. 
 
 And  the  impressing  of  divine  things  on  the  hearts 
 and  affections  of  men,  is  evidently  one  great  and  main 
 end  for  which  God  has  ordained,  that  his  word,  de- 
 livered in  theJioly  Scriptures,  should  be  opened,  ap- 
 plied, and  set  home  upon  men,  in  preaching.  And 
 therefore  it  does  not  answer  the  design  which  God 
 had  in  his  institution,  merely  for  men  to  have  good 
 commentaries  and  expositions  on  the  Scripture,  and 
 other  good  books  of  divinity;  because,  although  these 
 may  tend,  as  well  as  preaching,  to  give  men  a  good 
 doctrinal,  or  speculative,  understanding  of  the  things 
 of  the  wc»rd  of  God,  yet  they  have  not  an  equal  ten- 
 dency to  impress  them  on  men's  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  the  re- 
 medy 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  in- 
 structed in  them  already."  And  particularly,  to  pro- 
 mote 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 
 
108 
 
 Christ  might  be  edified  in  love."  The  apostle,  in 
 instructing  and  counselling  Timothy  concerning  the 
 work  of  the  ministry,  informs  him,  that  the  great  end 
 of  that  word  which  a  minister  is  to  preach,  is  love 
 and  charity.  And  another  affection  which  God  has 
 appointed  preaching  as  a  means  to  promote  in  the 
 saints,  is  joy;  and  therefore  ministers  are  called 
 "  helpers  of  their  joy." 
 
 lO.  It  is  an  evidence  that  true  religion,  or  holiness 
 of  heart,  lies  very  much  in  the  affection  of  the  heart, 
 that  the  Scriptures  place  the  sin  of  the  heart  very 
 much  in  hardness  of  heart.  This  the  Scriptures  do 
 every  where.  It  was  hardness  of  heart  which  excited 
 grief  and  displeasure  in  Chirst  towards  the  Jews : 
 "  He  looked  round  about  on  them  with  anger,  being 
 ffrieved  for  the  hardness  of  their  hearts."  It  is  from 
 men's  having  such  a  heart  as  this,  that  they  treasure 
 up  wrath  for  themselves  :  ''  After  thy  hardness  and 
 impenitent  heart,  treasurest  up  unto  thyself  wrath 
 against  the  day  of  wrath,  and  revelation  of  the  right- 
 eous judgment  of  God."  The  reason  given  why  the 
 house  of  Israel  would  not  obey  God,  was,  that  they 
 were  hard-heai'ted  :  "  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  wickedness  of  that  perverse  rebel- 
 lious generation  in  the  wilderness,  is  ascribed  to  the 
 hardness  of  their  hearts  :  "  To-day,  if  ye  will  hear 
 my  voice,  harden  not  your  hearts,  as  in  the  provo- 
 cation, and  as  in  the  day  of  temptation  in  the  wilder- 
 ness ;  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 
 
109 
 
 in  their  heart,"  &c.  This  is  spoken  of  as  what  pre- 
 vented Zedekiah's  turning  to  the  Lord :  "  He  stif- 
 fened 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 :  "  O  Lord,  why 
 hast  thou  made  us  to  err  from  thy  ways ;  and  har- 
 dened our  heart  from  thy  fear  ?"  And  men's  rejecting 
 Christ,  and  opposing  Christianity,  is  laid  to  this  prin- 
 ciple :  "  But  when  divers  were  hardened,  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  often  expressed  by  God's  har- 
 dening their  hearts :  "  Therefore  hath  he  mercy  on 
 whom  he  will  have  mercy,  and  whom  he  will,  he  har- 
 deneth."  "  He  hath  blinded  their  minds,  and  har- 
 dened 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 :  "  Harden  not 
 your  heart,  as  in  the  provocation,"  &c.  "  Take  heed, 
 brethren,  lest  there  be  in  any  of  you  an  evil  heart  of 
 unbelief,  in  departing  from  the  Hving  God :  but  ex- 
 hort one  another  daily,  while  it  is  called  To-day;  lest 
 any  of  you  be  hardened  through  the  deceitfulness  of 
 sin."  And  that  great  work  of  God  in  conversion, 
 which  consists  in  delivering  a  person  from  the  powers 
 of  sin,  and  mortifying  corruption,  is  expressed,  once 
 and  again,  by  God's  taking  away  the  heart  of  stone, 
 and  giving  a  heart  of  flesh. 
 
 Now,  by  a  hard  heart,  is  plainly  meant  an  unaf- 
 fected heart,  or  a  heart  not  easy  to  be  moved  with 
 virtuous  affections,  hke  a  stone,  insensible,  stupid, 
 unmoved,  and  hard  to  be  impressed.      Hence  the 
 
110 
 
 hard  heart  is  called  a  stony  heart,  and  is  opposed  to 
 a  heart  of  flesh,  that  has  feeling,  and  is  sensibly 
 touched  and  moved.  We  read  in  Scripture  of  a 
 hai'd  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  easily  impressed  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  tenderness  of  heart, 
 that  by  his  heart  being  tender,  is  meant,  his  heart 
 being  easily  moved  with  religious  and  pious  affec- 
 tions :  "  Because  thine  heart  was  tender,  and  thou 
 hast  humbled  thyself  before  the  Lord,  when  thou 
 heardest  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  neces- 
 sary 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  affected  and 
 moved  in  spiritual  and  divine  things,  as  httle  children 
 have  in  other  things. 
 
 It  is  very  plain,  in  some  of  the  texts  themselves, 
 that  by  hardness  of  heart,  is  meant  a  heart  void  of 
 affection.  So,  to  signify  the  ostrich's  being  without 
 natural  affection  to  her  young,  it  is  said,  "  She  har- 
 deneth  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  har- 
 dening his  heart — "  Happy  is  the  man  that  feareth 
 alway:  but  he  that  hardeneth  his  heart  shall  fall 
 into  mischief." 
 
Ill 
 
 Now,  since  it  is  so  plain,  that  by  a  hard  heart  in 
 Scripture,  is  meant  a  heart  destitute  of  pious  affec- 
 tions; and  also,  since  the  Scriptures  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  affection.  Divines  are  generally 
 agreed,  that  sin  radically  and  fundamentally  consists 
 in  what  is  negative,  or  privative,  having  its  root  and 
 foundation  in  a  privation  or  want  of  holiness.  And 
 undoubtedly,  if  it  be  so  that  sin  does  very  much  con- 
 sist in  hardness  of  heart,  and  s©  in  the  want  of  pious 
 affections  of  heart,  hoUness  does  consist  very  much 
 ill  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-exalting  affections,  may  greatly  pre- 
 vail in  the  hardest  heart.  But  yet  it  is  evident,  that 
 hardness  of  heart,  and  tenderness  of  heart,  are  ex- 
 pressions that  relate  to  the  affections  of  the  heart, 
 and  denote  the  heart's  being  susceptible  of,  or  shut 
 up  against,  certain  affections ;  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  af- 
 fections. 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  affection  in  the  true  saints  which  is  not  spi- 
 ritual ;  their  religious  affections  are  often  mixed :  all 
 is   not  from  grace,  but  much  from   nature.      And 
 
112 
 
 though  the  affections  have  not  their  seat  in  the  body, 
 yet  the  constitution  of  the  body  may  very  much  con- 
 tribute to  the  present  emotion  of  the  mind.  And 
 the  degree  of  reHgion  is  rather  to  be  judged  of  by 
 the  fixedness  and  strength  of  the  habit  that  is  exer- 
 cised 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  the  hurry  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  affec- 
 tion, as  that  without  holy  affection  there  is  no  true 
 religion ;  and  no  Hght  in  the  understanding  is  good, 
 which  does  not  produce  holy  affection  in  the  heart ; 
 no  habit  or  principle  in  the  heart  is  good,  which  has 
 no  such  exercise ;  and  no  external  fruit  is  good,  which 
 does  not  proceed  from  such  exercises. 
 
 CHAPTER  III. 
 
 Some  inferences  deduced  from  the  proposition  laid 
 doivn, 
 
 1.  We  may  hence  learn  how  great  their  error  is, 
 who  are  for  discarding  all  religious  affections,  as  hav- 
 ing nothing  solid  or  substantial  in  them. 
 
 There  seems  to  be  too  much  of  a  disposition  this 
 way  prevailing  in  this  land  at  this  time.  Because 
 many  who,  in  the  late  extraordinary  season,  appeared 
 to  have  great  religious  affections,  did  not  manifest  a 
 
113 
 
 right  temper  of  mind,  and  ran  into  many  errors,  in 
 the  time  of  their  affection,  and  the  heat  of  their  zeal; 
 and  because  the  high  affections  of  so  many  seem  to 
 be  so  soon  come  to  nothing,  and  some  who  seemed 
 to  be  mightily  raised  and  swallowed  up  with  joy  and 
 2eal  for  a  while,  seemed  to  have  returned  hke  the 
 dog  to  his  vomit :  hence  religious  affections  in  gene- 
 ral 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  those  affections,  and  the  manner  in  which 
 they  arose :  if  persons  did  but  appear  to  be  indeed 
 very  much  moved  and  raised,  so  as  to  be  full  of  reli- 
 gious 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  the  manner, 
 without  further  examination,  to  conclude  such  per- 
 sons were  full  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  had  eminent 
 experience  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  subtlety  of  Sa- 
 tan. While  he  saw  that  affections  were  much  in 
 vogue,  knowing  the  greater  part  of  the  land  were  not 
 versed  in  such  things,  and  had  not  had  much  expe- 
 rience of  great  religious  affections,  to  enable  them  to 
 judge  well  of  them,  and  distinguish  between  true  and 
 
114 
 
 false ;  then  he  knew  he  could  best  play  his  game,  by 
 sowing  tares  amongst  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  to  wound  religion  in  the  saints, 
 and  entangle  them  in  a  dreadful  wilderness,  and  by 
 and  by  to  bring  all  religion  into  disrepute.  But 
 now,  when  the  ill  consequences  of  these  false  affec- 
 tions appear,  and  it  is  become  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  interest  to  go 
 another  way  to  work,  and  to  endeavour  to  his  utmost 
 to  propagate  and  establish  a  persuasion,  that  all  affec- 
 tions and  sensible  emotions  of  the  mind,  in  things  of 
 rehgion,  are  nothing  at  all  to  be  regarded,  but  are 
 rather  to  be  avoided,  and  carefully  guarded  against, 
 as  things  of  a  pernicious  tendency.  This  he  knows 
 is  the  way  to  bring  all  religion  to  a  mere  lifeless  for- 
 mality, and  effectually  shut  out  the  power  of  godli- 
 ness, and  every  thing  which  is  spiritual,  and  to  have 
 all  true  Christianity  turned  out  of  doors.  For  al-s 
 though  to  true  religion  there  must  indeed  be  some- 
 thing else  besides  affection ;  yet  true  religion  consists 
 so  much  in  the  affections,  that  there  can  be  no  true 
 religion  without  them.  He  who  has  no  religious 
 affection,  is  in  a  state  of  spnitual  death,  and  is  wholly 
 destitute  of  the  powerful,  quickening,  saving  influ- 
 ences of  the  Spirit  of  God  upon  his  heart.  As  there 
 is  no  true  religion  where  there  is  nothing  else  but 
 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  af- 
 
115 
 
 fected  fervent  heart ;  where  there  is  heat  without  light, 
 there  can  be  nothing  divine  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  specu- 
 lations, with  a  cold  and  unaffected  heart,  there  can 
 be  nothing  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  impressed, 
 and  greatly  moved  by  such  things. 
 
 This  manner  of  slighting  all  reUgious  affections, 
 is  the  way  exceedingly  to  harden  the  hearts  of  men, 
 to  encourage  them  in  their  stupidity  and  senseless- 
 ness, 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 
 ordinances,  and  hold  us  down  in  a  state  of  dulness 
 and  apathy,  and  undoubtedly  causes  many  persons 
 greatly  to  offend  God,  in  entertaining  mean  and  low 
 thoughts  of  the  extraordinary  work  he  has  lately 
 vv^r ought  in  this  land. 
 
 And  for  persons  to  despise  and  cry  down  all  reli- 
 gious affections,  is  the  vray  to  shut  aU  religion  out 
 
116 
 
 of  their  own  hearts,  and  to  make  thorough  work  in 
 ruining  their  souls. 
 
 They  who  condemn  high  affections  in  others,  are 
 certainly  not  likely  to  have  high  affections  themselves. 
 And  let  it  be  considered,  that  they  who  have  but  little 
 religious  affection,  have  certainly  but  little  religion. 
 And  they  who  condemn  others  for  their  religious  af- 
 fections, 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  rehgion.  The  right  way, 
 is  neither  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 
 aflPections,  hence  we  may  infer,  that  such  means  are 
 to  be  desired  as  have  a  strong  tendency  to  move  the 
 affections.  Such  books,  and  such  a  way  of  preach- 
 ing the  word,  and  administration  of  ordinances,  and 
 such  a  way  of  worshipping  God  in  prayer,  and  sing- 
 ing praises,  is  much  to  be  desired,  as  having  a  ten- 
 dency deeply  to  affect  the  hearts  of  those  who  attend 
 these  means. 
 
 Such  means  would  formerly  have  been  highly  ap- 
 proved of,  and  applauded  by  the  generality  of  the  peo- 
 ple of  the  land,  as  the  most  excellent  and  profitable, 
 and  as  having  the  greatest  tendency  to  promote  the 
 ends  of  the  means  of  grace.  But  the  prevaiUng  taste 
 seems  of  late  to  be  strangely  altered :  that  pathetical 
 manner  of  praying  and  preaching,  which  would  for- 
 
117 
 
 merly  have  been  admired  and  extolled,  and  that  for 
 this  reason,  because  it  had  such  a  tendency  to  move 
 the  affections,  now,  in  great  multitudes,  immediately 
 excites  disgust,  and  moves  no  other  affections  than 
 those  of  displeasure  and  contempt. 
 
 Perhaps,  formerly,  the  generality  (at  least  of  the 
 common  people)  were  in  the  extreme,  of  looking  too 
 much  to  an  affectionate  address  in  public  perform- 
 ances :  but  now,  a  very  great  part  of  the  people  seem 
 to  have  gone  far  into  a  contrary  extreme.  Indeed 
 there  may  be  such  means,  as  may  have  a  great  ten- 
 dency 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 
 are  treated  according  to  their  nature,  and  exhibited 
 truly,  so  as  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,  we 
 may  learn  from  hence,  what  great  cause  we  have  to 
 be  ashamed  and  confounded  before  God,  that  we  are 
 not  more  affected  with  the  great  things  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  for  which  he  has  given  all  the  faculties  and 
 principles  of  the  human  soul ;  namely,  that  they  might 
 be  subservient  to  man's  chief  end,  and  the  great  busi- 
 ness for  which  God  has  created  him,  that  is,  the' 
 business  of  religion.     And  yet,  how  common  is  it  for 
 
118 
 
 mankind,  to  have  their  affections  much  more  exercised 
 and  engaged  in  other  matters,  than  in  religion  !  In 
 things  which  concern  men's  worldly  interest,  their 
 outward  delights,  their  honour  and  reputation,  and 
 their  natural  relations,  they  have  theu'  desires  eager, 
 their  appetites  vehement,  their  love  warm  and  affec- 
 tionate, their  zeal  ardent ;  in  these  things  their  hearts 
 are  tender  and  sensible,  easily  moved,  deeply  im- 
 pressed, much  concerned,  very  sensibly  affected,  and 
 greatly  engaged ;  much  depressed  with  grief  at 
 worldly  losses,  and  highly  raised  with  joy  at  worldly 
 successes  and  prosperity.  But  how  insensible  and 
 unmoved  are  most  men  about  the  great  things  of  an- 
 other world  !  how  dull  are  their  affections  !  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  they  can  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 
 sacrifice  for  the  sins  of  men ;  and  of  the  unparalleled 
 love  of  the  innocent,  holy,  and  tender  Lamb  of  God, 
 manifested  in  his  dying  agonies,  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  them  to  unspeakable 
 and  everlasting  joy  and  glory; — and  yet  be  cold  and 
 heavy,  insensible  and  regardless  !  Where  are  the 
 exercises  of  our  affections  proper,  if  not  here  ?  what 
 is  it  that  more  requires  them  ?  and  what  can  be  a  fit 
 occasion  of  their  lively  and  vigorous  exercise,  if  not 
 such  a  one  as  this  ?  Can  any  thing  be  set  in  our  view 
 greater  and  more  important  ?  any  thing  more  won- 
 
119 
 
 derful  and  surprising  ?  or  more  nearly  concerning  our 
 interest  ?  Can  we  suppose  that  the  wise  Creatoir  im- 
 planted such  principles  in  the  human  nature  as  the 
 affections,  to  be  of  no  use  to  us,  and  to  be  exercised 
 on  certain  proper  occasions,  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  making  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  fer- 
 vent zeal,  as  those  things  that  are  held  forth  to  us  in 
 the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ?  in  which  not  only  are 
 things  declared  most  worthy  to  affect  us,  but  they 
 are  exhibited  in  the  most  affecting  manner.  The 
 glory  and  beauty  of  the  blessed  Jehovah,  which  is 
 most  worthy  in  itself  to  be  the  object  of  our  admira- 
 tion and  love,  is  there  exhibited  in  the  most  affecting 
 manner  that  can  be  conceived  of,  as  it  appears  shin- 
 ing in  all  its  lustre,  in  the  face  of  an  incarnate,  infi- 
 nitely-loving, meek,  compassionate,  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 
 
120 
 
 manifestation,  when  he  was  in  the  most  affecting  cir-^^ 
 cumstances  ;  even  when  he  was  under  his  last  suffer- 
 ings, those  unutterable  and  unparalleled  sufferings  he 
 endured  from  his  tender  love  and  pity  to  us.  There 
 also,  the  hateful  nature  of  our  sins  is  manifested  in 
 the  most  affecting  manner  possible ;  as  we  see  the 
 dreadful  effects  of  them,  in  what  our  Redeemer,  who 
 undertook  to  answer  for  us,  suffered  for  them.  And 
 there  we  have  the  most  affecting  manifestations  of 
 God's  hatred  to  sin,  and  his  wrath  and  justice  in 
 punishing  it ;  as  we  see  his  justice  in  its  strictness 
 and  inflexibleness,  and  his  wra$li  in  its  terribleness, 
 in  so  dreadfully  punishing  our  sins,  in  one  who  was 
 infinitely  dear  to  him,  and  loving  to  us.  So  has 
 God  disposed  things  in  the  work  of  our  redemption, 
 and  in  his  glorious  dispensations,  revealed  to  us  in  the 
 gospel,  as  though  every  thing  were  purposely  con- 
 trived to  have  the  greatest  possible  tendency  to  reach 
 our  hearts  in  the  most  tender  part,  and  move  our  af- 
 fections most  sensibly  and  strongly.  How  great  cause 
 have  we,  therefore,  to  be  humbled  to  the  dust,  that  we 
 are  not  more  affected. 
 
PART  II. 
 
 SHOWING  WHAT  ARE  NO  CERTAIN  SIGNS  THAT 
 RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS  ARE  TRULY  GRA- 
 CIOUS, OR  THAT  THEY  ARE  NOT. 
 
 20 
 
A 
 
 TREATISE 
 
 CONCERNING 
 
 RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS. 
 
 PART  II. 
 
 SHOWING  WHAT  ARE  NO  CERTAIN  SIGNS  THAT  RE- 
 LIGIOUS AFFECTIONS 
 THAT  THEY   ARE   NOT. 
 
 If  any  one,  on  reading  what  has  just  now  been  stated, 
 is  ready  to  acquit  himself,  and  say — "  I  am  not  one  of 
 those  who  have  no  rehgious  affections ;  I  am  often 
 greatly  moved  with  the  consideration  of  the  great 
 things  of  religion," — let  him  not  content  himself  with 
 this,  that  he  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  distin- 
 guish between  one  sort  and  another  of  religious  af- 
 fections. That  we  may  be  guarded  against  judging 
 of  affections  by  false  signs,  I  shall,  in  the  first  place, 
 show  what  are  no  certain  signs  that  affections  are  truly 
 gracious,  or  that  they  are  not. 
 f2 
 
lU 
 
 CHAPTER  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  appear  to  have  their  religious  affections 
 raised  to  an  extraordinary  pitch,  they  are  prejudiced 
 against  them,  and  determine  that  they  are  delusions, 
 without  further  inquiry.  But  if,  as  has  been  proved, 
 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  also  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  de- 
 gree of  gratitude  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  holiness  ? 
 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  not  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 
 
125 
 
 mercies  which  I  have  received  ?"  Who  is  there  that 
 will  go  and  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-begot- 
 ten 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  affec- 
 tions are  improper,  and  very  unlovely  in  Christians, 
 being  enthusiastical  and  ruinous  to  true  religion? 
 
 Our  text  plainly  speaks  of  great  and  high  affec- 
 tions, when  it  speaks  of  "rejoicing  with  joy  unspeak- 
 able, 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  caUed  upon  to  exercise  high 
 degrees  of  joy  :  "  Rejoice,"  says  Christ  to  his  dis- 
 ciples, "  and  be  exceeding  glad."  It  is  said,  "  Let 
 the  righteous  be  glad;  let  them  rejoice  before  God; 
 yea,  let  them  exceedingly  rejoice."  In  the  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  degrees 
 of  gratitude  for  mercies,  to  "  praise  God  with  all 
 their  hearts,  with  hearts  lifted  up  in  the  ways  of  the 
 Lord,  and  their  sovds  magnifying  the  Lord,  singing 
 his  praises,  talking  of  his  wondrous  works,  declaring 
 his  doings,"  &c. 
 
126 
 
 And  we  find  the  most  eminent  saints  in  Scripture 
 often  professing  high  affections.  Thus  the  Psalmist 
 speaks  of  his  love,  as  if  it  were  unspeakable  :  "  O 
 how  love  I  thy  law  !"  So  he  expresses  a  great  de- 
 gree of  hatred  of  sin  :  "  Do  not  I  hate  them,  O  Lord, 
 that  hate  thee  ?  and  am  not  I  grieved  with  those  that 
 rise  up  against  thee?  I  hate  them  with  perfect 
 hatred."  He  also  expresses  a  high  degree  of  sor- 
 row for  sin  :  he  speaks  of  his  sins  "  going  over  his 
 head,  as  a  heavy  burden,  that  was  too  heavy  for  him  ; 
 and  of  his  roaring  all  the  day,  and  his  moisture  being 
 turned  into  the  drought  of  summer,"  and  his  bones 
 beinff  as  it  were  broken  with  sorrow.  So  he  often 
 expresses  great  degrees  of  spiritual  desires,  in  a  mul- 
 titude of  the  strongest  expressions  which  can  be  con- 
 ceived of;  such  as,  "  his  longing,  his  soul's  thirsting 
 as  a  dry  and  thirsty  land  where  no  water  is,  his  pant- 
 ing, his  flesh  and  heart  crying  out,  his  soul  breaking 
 for  the  longing  it  hath,"  &c.  He  expresses  the  ex- 
 ercises of  great  and  extreme  grief  for  the  sins  of 
 others  :  "  Rivers  of  water  run  down  mine  eyes,  be- 
 cause they  keep  not  thy  law."  "  Horror  hath  taken 
 hold  upon  me,  because  of  the  wicked  that  forsake  thy 
 law."  He  expresses  high  exercises  of  joy  :  "  The 
 king  shall  joy  in  thy  strength,  and  in  thy  salvation 
 how  greatly  shall  he  rejoice  !"  *'  My  lips  shall  greatly 
 rejoice,  when  I  sing  unto  thee."  "  Because  thy 
 loving-kindness  is  better  than  life,  my  lips  shall  praise 
 thee.  Thus  will  I  bless  thee  while  I  Hve :  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  hps ;  when  I  remember 
 thee  upon  my  bed,  and  meditate  on  thee  in  the 
 
127 
 
 night-watches.  Because  thou  hast  been  my  help  ; 
 therefore  in  the  shadow  of  thy  wings  will  I  rejoice." 
 
 The  apostle  Paul  expresses  high  exercises  of  af- 
 fection. Thus  he  expresses  the  exercises  of  pity 
 and  concern  for  others'  good,  even  to  anguish  of 
 heart ;  a  great,  fervent,  and  abundant  love,  and  ear- 
 nest and  longing  desires,  and  exceeding  joy  :  and 
 speaks  of  the  exultation  and  triumphs  of  his  soul, 
 and  his  earnest  expectation  and  hope,  and  his  abun- 
 dant 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.  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  :  "  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  :  "  They  shall  walk,  O  Lord,  in 
 the  light  of  thy  countenance.  In  thy  name  shall 
 they  rejoice  all  the  day :  and  in  thy  righteousness 
 shall  they  be  exalted."  "  Rejoice  greatly,  O  daugh- 
 ter of  Zion;  shout,  O  daughter  of  Jerusalem;  behold, 
 thy  King  cometh,"  &c.  The  same  is  represented  in 
 many  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  highest  perfection,  are  exceedingly  affected  with 
 what  they  behold  and  contemplate  of  God's  perfec- 
 
128 
 
 tions  and  works.  They  are  all  as  a  pure  heavenly 
 flame  of  fire,  in  their  love,  and  in  the  greatness  and 
 strength  of  their  joy  and  gratitude :  their  praises  are 
 represented  "  as  the  noise  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  see  the  things  by 
 which  they  are  affected,  more  according  to  their  truth, 
 and  have  their  affections  more  conformed  to  the  na- 
 ture 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  reli- 
 gious affections  being  in  a  very  high  degree,  is  no  evi- 
 dence 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  re- 
 ligious affections  are  of  a  spiritual  and  gracious  nature, 
 because  they  are  great.  It  is  very  manifest  by  the 
 holy  Scripture,  our  sure  and  infallible  rule  to  judge 
 of  things  of  this  nature,  that  tliere  are  religious  affec- 
 tions 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  of  which  yet  he  manifestly  speaks,  as  fearing 
 they  were  vain,  and  had  come  to  nothing — "  Where 
 is  the  blessedness  you  spake  of?  for  I  bear  you  re- 
 cord, that,  if  it   had  been  possible,  you  would  have 
 
129 
 
 plucked  out  your  own   eyes,  and  have  given  them 
 to  me."      And  he  tells  them,    "  he   was  afraid  of 
 them,   lest   he   had  bestowed   upon  them  labour  in 
 vain."      The  children  of  Israel  were  greatly  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  for- 
 gat  his  works.      They  were  greatly  affected  again  at 
 Mount  Sinai,  when  they  saw  the  marvellous  mani- 
 festations God  made  of  himself  there  :  and,  when  God 
 proposed  his  holy  covenant  to  them,  with  great  for- 
 wardness made  answer,  saying,   "  All  that  the  Lord 
 hath  spoken  wiU  we  do,  and  be  obedient."      But  how 
 soon  was  there  an  end  to  all  this  mighty  forwardness 
 and  engagedness  of  affection  !  how  quickly  were  they 
 turned  aside  after  other  gods,  rejoicing  and  shouting 
 around  their  golden  calf!      So  great  multitudes,  who 
 were  affected  with  the  miracle  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  good  enough  for  the  ass  he  rode 
 to  tread  upon;  and  therefore  cut  down  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 : 
 Blessed  is  he  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord : 
 Hosanna  in  the  highest."      We  learn,  by  the  evan- 
 gelist John,  that  the  reason  why  the  people  made 
 this  ado,  was  because  they  were  affected  with  the  mi- 
 racle of  raising  Lazarus.      Here  was  a  vast  multitude 
 crying  Hosanna  on  this  occasion,  so  that  it  gave  oc- 
 casion to  the  Pharisees  to  say,   "  Behold  the  world 
 F  3 
 
130 
 
 is  gone  after  him ;" — but  Christ  had  at  that  time 
 but  few  true  disciples.  And  how  quickly  was  this 
 ado  at  an  end  ! — all  this  is  quelled  and  dead,  when  this 
 same  Jesus  stands  bound,  with  a  mock  robe  and  a 
 crown  of  thorns,  to  be  derided,  spit  upon,  scourged, 
 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,  Hosanna,  but  Crucify, 
 Crucify ! 
 
 And  it  is  the  concurring  voice  of  all  orthodox  di- 
 vines, that  there  may  be  religious  affections,*  which 
 are  raised  to  a  very  high  degree,  and  yet  have  no- 
 thing of  true  religion. 
 
 CHAPTER   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.  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 
 exercises  of  the  mind,  that  there  cannot  be  so  much 
 
 •  Mr.   Stoddard  observes,  "  That  common  affections  are  some- 
 times stronger  than  saving." — Guide  to  Christ,  p.  21. 
 
131 
 
 as  an  intense  thought,  without  an  effect  upon  them. 
 Yea,  it  is  questionable,  whether  an  imbodied  soul  ever 
 so  much  as  thinks  one  thought,  or  has  any  exercise 
 at  all,  but  there  is  some  corresponding  motion,  or 
 alteration  of  motion,  of  the  fluids,  in  some  part  of 
 the  body.  But  universal  experience  shows,  that  the 
 exercise  of  the  affections  have,  in  a  special  manner, 
 a  tendency  to  produce  some  sensible  effect  upon  the 
 body.  And  if  all  affections  have  some  effect  on  the 
 body,  we  may  well  suppose,  the  greater  those  affec- 
 tions are,  and  the  more  vigorous  their  exercise,  (other 
 circumstances  being  equal,)  the  greater  will  be  the 
 effect  on  the  body.  Hence  it  is  not  to  be  wondered 
 at,  that  very  great  and  strong  exercises  of  the  affec- 
 tions should  have  great  effects  on  the  body.  And, 
 therefore,  since  there  are  very  great  affections,  both 
 common  and  spiritual,  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at, 
 that  great  effects  on  the  body  should  arise  from  both 
 these  kinds  of  affections.  And,  consequently,  these 
 effects  are  no  signs  that  the  affections  from  which 
 they  arise  are  of  one  kind  or  the  other. 
 
 Great  effects  on  the  body  are  no  sure  evidences 
 that  affections  are  spii-itual ;  for  we  see  that  such  ef- 
 fects often  arise  from  great  affections  about  temporal 
 things,  in  which  religion  is  no  way  concerned.  And 
 if  great  affections  about  secular  things,  that  are  purely 
 natural,  have  these  effects,  I  know  not  by  what  rule 
 we  should  determine,  that  high  affections  about  re- 
 ligious things,  which  arise  in  Hke  manner  from  nature, 
 cannot  have  the  like  effect. 
 
 Nor,  on  the  other  hand,  do  I  know  of  anv  rule 
 they  have  to  determine,  that  gracious  and  holy  affec- 
 tions, when  raised  as  high  as  any  natural  affections, 
 
132 
 
 and  have  equally  strong  and  vigorous  exercises,  cannot 
 have  a  great  effect  on  the  body.      No  such  rule  can 
 be  drawn  from  reason :  I  know  no  reason  why  being 
 affected  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.      No  such  rule  has  been 
 produced  from  the  Scripture ;  and  none  has  ever  been 
 found,  in  all  the  late  controversies  which  have  been 
 about  things  of  this  nature.      There  is  a  great  power 
 in  spiritual  affections  :  we  read  of  the  power  which 
 worketh  in   Christians,*  and  of  the  Spii'it  of  God 
 being  in  them,   as  the  Spirit  of  power,f  and  of  the 
 effectual  working  of  his  power  in  them,  J  yea,  of  the 
 working  of  God's  mighty   power   in   them.§      But 
 man's  nature  is  weak:  flesh  and  blood  are  represented 
 in  Scripture  as  exceedingly  weak,  and  particularly  with 
 respect  to  its  unfitness  for  great  spiritual  and  heavenly 
 operations  and  exercises.      The  text  speaks  of  "  joy 
 unspeakable,  and  full  of  glory."      And  who  that  con- 
 siders what  man's  nature  is,  and  what  the  nature  of 
 the  affections  are,  can  reasonably  doubt  but  that  such 
 unutterable  and  glorious  joys  may  be  too  great  and 
 mighty  for  weak  dust  and  ashes,   so  as  considerably 
 to  overbear  it  ?      It  is  evident  by  the  Scripture,  that 
 true  divine  discoveries,  or  ideas  of  God's  glory,  when 
 given  in  a  great  degree,  have  a  tendency,  by  affect- 
 ing the  mind,  to  overbear  the  body;  because  the 
 Scripture  often  teaches  us,  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  man- 
 
 *  Eph.  iii.  7.       t2Tim.  i.  7.      f  Eph.  iii.  7,  20.       §  Eph.  i.  19. 
 
133 
 
 ner,  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  which  the  saints  possess  in 
 heaven,  differing  only  in  degree  and  circumstances : 
 what  God  gives  them  here,  is  a  foretaste  of  heavenly 
 happiness,  and  an  earnest  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,  and  no  more,  of  the  future  reward,  as  an  ear- 
 nest of  the  whole  ?  And  seeing  God  has  taught  us 
 in  his  word,  that  the  whole  revvard  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  diminish  the  strength  of  the  body, 
 when  God  has  nowhere  thus  limited  himself? 
 
 The  Psalmist,  speaking  of  vehement  religious  af- 
 fections which  he  had,  speaks  of  an  effect  in  his  flesh 
 or  body,  besides  what  was  in  his  soul,  expressly  dis- 
 tinguishing one  from  the  other :  "  My  soul  longeth, 
 yea,  even  fainteth  for  the  courts  of  the  Lord;  my 
 heart  and  my  flesh  crieth  out  for  the  li\dng  God." 
 Here  is  a  plain  distinction  between  the  heart  and  the 
 flesh,  as  being  each  affected :  "  My  soul  thirsteth 
 for  thee,  my  flesh  longeth  for  thee  in  a  dry  and  thirsty 
 land,  where  no  water  is."  Here  also  is  an  evident 
 distinction  between  the  soul  and  the  flesh. 
 
 The  prophet  Habakkuk  speaks  of  his  body  being 
 overborne  by  a  sense  of  the  majesty  of  God  :  "  When 
 I  heard,  my  belly  trembled;  my  lips  quivered  at 
 the  voice :  rottenness  entered  into  my  bones,  and  I 
 
134 
 
 trembled  in  myself."  So  the  Psalmist  speaks  ex- 
 pressly of  his  flesh  trembling :  "  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  Scripture  gives  us  an 
 account,  that  this  has  sometimes  actually  been  the 
 effect  of  those  external  manifestations  God  has  made 
 of  himself,  to  some  of  the  saints,  which  were  made 
 to  that  end,  namely,  to  give  them  an  idea  of  God's 
 majesty  and  glory.  Such  instances  we  have  in  the 
 prophet  Daniel,  and  the  apostle  John.  Daniel,  giv- 
 ing an  account  of  an  external  representation  of  the 
 glory  of  Christ,  says,  "  And  there  remained  no 
 strength  in  me ;  for  my  comeHness  was  turned  into 
 corruption,  and  I  retained  no  strength."  And  the 
 apostle  John,  giving  an  account  of  a  like  manifesta- 
 tion made  to  him,  says,  "  And  when  I  saw  him,  I 
 fell  at  his  feet  as  dead."  It  is  in  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  repre- 
 sentations of  Christ's  glory,  which  they  beheld  with 
 their  bodily  eyes ;  yet  the  end  and  use  of  these  ex- 
 ternal symbols  or  representations,  was  to  give  to  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  of  only  as 
 significations  of  his  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  re- 
 ceived by  them  a  great  and  lively  apprehension  of  the 
 
135 
 
 real  glory  and  majesty  of  God's  nature,  of  which  they 
 were  signs ;  and  thus  were  greatly  affected,  their  souls 
 swallowed  up,  and  their  bodies  overborne.  And  I 
 think  they  are  very  bold  and  daring,  who  will  say, 
 God  cannot,  or  shall  not,  give  the  like  clear  and  affect- 
 ing ideas  and  apprehensions  of  the  same  real  glory 
 and  majesty  of  his  nature,  to  none  of  his  saints,  with- 
 out 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, J  crying  out,^  panting,  ||  and  fainting.^!  Now, 
 if  it  be  supposed,  that  these  are  only  figurative  ex- 
 pressions, 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 
 ever  so  high  a  degree,  have  no  tendency  to  any  such 
 things ;  but  that,  on  the  contrary,  they  are  the  pro- 
 per effects,  and  sad  tokens  of  false  affections,  and  the 
 delusion  of  the  devil.  I  cannot  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  degree  of 
 holy  and  heavenly  affections. 
 
 •   Psalm  cxix.  120.      Ezra  ix.  4..     Isa.  Ixvi.  2,  5.     Hab,  iii.  16. 
 
 1    iloin.  viii.  26. :|:    Cunt.  ii.  5.    and  v.  8 §    Psalm 
 
 Ixxxiv.  2 II  Psalm  xxxviii.  lO.xlii.  Land  cxix.  131. ^  Psalm 
 
 Ixxxiv.  2.  and  cxix.  81. 
 
136 
 
 CHAPTER  III. 
 
 It  is  no  sign  that  Affections  are  truly  gracious^  or 
 that  they  are  not,  that  they  cause  those  who  have 
 them  to  he  jiuent,  fervent,  and  abundant,  in  talking 
 of  the  things  of  Religion. 
 
 There  are  many  persons,  who,  if  they  see  this  in 
 others,  are  greatly  prejudiced  against  them.  Their 
 being  so  full  of  talk,  is  with  them  a  sufficient  ground 
 to  condemn  them,  as  Pharisees,  and  ostentatious 
 hypocrites.  On  the  other  hand,  there  are  many, 
 who,  if  they  see  this  effect  in  any,  very  ignorantly  and 
 imprudently  determine  that  they  are  the  true  chil- 
 dren 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  a  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  especially  are  they  captivated  into  a  confident 
 and  undoubting  persuasion  that  they  are  savingly 
 wrought  upon,  if  they  are  not  only  free  and  abun- 
 dant, but  very  affectionate  and  earnest  in  their  talk. 
 
 But  this  is  the  fruit  of  little  judgment,  a  scanty 
 and  short  experience ;  as  events  abundantly  show : 
 and  it  is  a  mistake  into  which  persons  often  run, 
 through  their  trustino;  to  their  own  wisdom  and  dis- 
 cerning,  and  making  their  own  notions  their  rule,  in- 
 stead of  the  holy  Scripture.      Though  the  Scripture 
 
137 
 
 be  full  of  rules,  both  how  we  should  judge  of  our 
 own  state,  and  how  we  should  be  conducted  in  our 
 opinion  of  others ;  yet  we  have  nowhere  any  rule,  by 
 which  to  judge  ourselves  or  others  to  be  in  a  good 
 estate,  from  any  such  effect :  for  this  is  but  the  reli- 
 gion 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  nowhere  given  as  an  evidence  of  the  good- 
 ness of  the  tree. 
 
 That  persons  are  disposed  to  be  abundant  in  talk- 
 ing 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  their  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  what- 
 ever kind  they  be,  and  about  whatever  objects  they 
 are  exercised,  if  they  are  strong,  to  dispose  persons 
 to  speak  much  of  that  with  which  they  are  affected. ; 
 and  not  only  to  speak  much,  but  to  speak  very  ear- 
 nestly and  fervently.  And  therefore  persons  talk- 
 ing 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,)  and  there  be  no  grace.  That  with  which 
 men  are  greatly  affected,  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 
 
138 
 
 Judea  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  mani- 
 fested 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  receiving  the  word,  fol- 
 lowing him  sometimes  night  and  day,  leaving  meat, 
 drink,  and  sleep,  to  hear  him  ;  once  following  him 
 into  the  wilderness,  fasting  three  days  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  ex- 
 periences; commonly  falHng  upon  it,  every  where, 
 and  in  all  companies :  and  when  it  is  so,  it  is  rather 
 a  dark  si^n  than  a  ffood  one.  As  a  tree  that  is  over- 
 full  of  leaves  seldom  bears  much  fruit;  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 : 
 "  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  not  sus- 
 
139 
 
 pected :  "  These  are  clouds  without  water,  carried 
 about  of  winds."  And  the  apostle  Peter,  speaking 
 of  the  same,  says,  "  These  are  clouds  without  water, 
 carried  with  a  tempest." 
 
 False  affections,  if  they  are  equally  strong,  are 
 much  more  forward  to  declare  themselves,  than  true  : 
 because  it  is  the  nature  of  false  religion,  to  affect 
 show  and  observation ;  as  it  was  with  the  Pharisees.* 
 
 *  That  famous  experimental  divine,  Mr.  Shepard,  says,  "  A 
 Pharisee's  trumpet  shall  be  heard  to  the  town's  end ;  when  sim- 
 plicity walks  through  the  town  unseen.  Hence  a  man  will  some- 
 times covertly  commend  himself,  (and  myself  e\ ex  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  secret  mean- 
 ing is — I  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  pro- 
 fession, thou  wouldst  have  frequent  business  with  God,  which 
 thou  wouldst  be  loath  thy  dearest  friend,  or  the  wife  of  thy  bosom, 
 should  be  privy  to.  Non  est  reliuio,  %ibi  omnia  patent.  Religion 
 doth  not  lie  open  to  all,  to  the  eyes  of  men.  Observed  duties 
 maintain  our  credit;  but  secret  duties  maintain  our  life.  It  was 
 the  saying  of  a  heathen,  about  his  secret  correspondency  with 
 his  friend,  '  What  lieed  the  world  be  acquainted  with  it?  Thou 
 and  I  are  theatre  enough  to  each  other.'  There  are  inclosed 
 pleasures  in  religion,  which  none  but  renewed  spiritual  souls  do 
 feelingly  understand." — FlaveVs  Touchstone  of  Sincerity,  Chap.  II. 
 Sect.  2. 
 
140 
 
 CHAPTER  IV. 
 
 It  is  no  sign  that  Affections  are  gracious^  or  that 
 they  are  otherwise^  that  persons  did  not  excite  them 
 of  their  oivn  contrivance,  and  hy  their  own  strength. 
 
 There  are  many  in  these  days,  that  condemn  all 
 aiFections  which  are  excited  in  a  way  of  which  the 
 subjects  of  them  can  give  no  account,  as  not  seeming 
 to  be  the  fruit  of  any  of  their  own  endeavours,  or  the 
 natural  consequence  of  the  faculties  and  principles  of 
 human  nature,  in  such  circumstances,  and  under  such 
 means;  but  to  be  from  the  influence  of  some  extrinsic 
 and  supernatural  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 
 ridiculed  by  many  of  late  ?  They  say,  the  manner 
 of  the  Spirit  of  God  is  to  co-operate  in  a  silent,  se- 
 cret, and  undiscernible  way,  with  the  use  of  means, 
 and  our  own  endeavours ;  so  that  there  is  no  distin- 
 guishing by  sense,  between  the  influences  of  the  Spi- 
 rit 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  influences  of  the  Spirit  of  (iod,  while 
 they  neglect  a  diligent  improvement  of  the  appointed 
 means  of  grace,  is  unreasonable  presumption.  And 
 to  expect  that  the  Spirit  of  God  will  savingly  operate 
 upon  their  minds,  without  making  use  of  means,  as 
 subservient  to  the  ettect,  is  enthusiastical.     It  is  also 
 
141 
 
 undoubtedly  true,  that  the  Spirit  of  God  is  very  va- 
 rious in  the  manner  and  circumstances  of  his  opera- 
 tions, 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  beyond  our  power,  or  the  power  of  all  means 
 and  instruments,  and  above  the  power  of  nature,  which 
 is  requisite  in  order  to  the  production  of  saving  grace 
 in  the  heart ;  then,  certainly,  it  is  not  unreasonable  to 
 suppose,  that  this  effect  should  very  frequently  be 
 produced  in  such  a  manner,  as  to  make  it  very  mani- 
 fest, apparent,  and  sensible  that  it  is  so.  If  grace 
 be  indeed  owing  to  the  powerful  and  efficacious  opera- 
 tion of  an  extrinsic  agent,  or  divine  efficient,  out  of 
 ourselves,  why  is  it  unreasonable  to  suppose  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  ?  Wlien  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  Almighty,  is  it  a  strange  and  unac- 
 countable thing,  that  it  should  seem,  to  them  who  are 
 subjects  of  it,  agreeable  to  truth ;  so  that  if  persons 
 tell  of  effects  of  which  they  are  conscious  in  their  own 
 minds,  that  seem  to  them  not  to  be  from  the  natural 
 power  or  operation  of  their  minds,  but  from  the  su- 
 pernatural 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 
 
142 
 
 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,  that  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  entirely  the  ef- 
 fect of  God's  power,  that  it  is  fitly  compared  to  those 
 effects  which  are  farthest  from  being  produced  by  any 
 strength  in  the  subject,  such  as  a  generation,  a  being 
 begotten,  a  resurrection,  a  being  raised  from  the  dead, 
 a  creation,  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  how  can 
 we  account  for  it,  that  the  Almighty,  in  so  great  a 
 work  of  his  power,  should  so  carefully  hide  his  power, 
 that  the  subjects  of  it  should  be  able  to  discern  nothing 
 of  it?  or  what  reason  or  revelation  have  any  to  de- 
 termine that  he  does  so?  If  we  may  judge  by  the 
 Scripture,  this  is  not  agreeable  to  God's  manner,  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  men's  dependence  on  him  most  evi- 
 dent, "  that  no  flesh  should  glory  in  his  presence" 
 — "  that  God  alone  might  be  exalted" — that  "  the 
 
143 
 
 excellency  of  the  power  might  be  of  God,  and  not 
 of  man" — and  "  that  Christ's  power  might  be  mani- 
 fested in  our  weakness,"  and  none  might  say,  "  Mine 
 own  hand  hath  saved  me."      So  it  was  in  most  of 
 those   temporal   salvations  which  God  wrought   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  circum- 
 stances.     So   it   was   in  the    great    redemption   by 
 Gideon :    God  would  have  his  army  diminished  to  a 
 handful,  and  they  without  any  other  arms  than  trum- 
 pets, and  lamps,  and  earthen  pitchers.      So  it  was  in 
 the  deliverance  of  Israel  from  Goliath,  by  a  stripHng 
 with  a  sling  and  a  stone.      So  it  was  in  that  great 
 work  of  God,  his  calling  the  Gentiles,  and  convert- 
 ing the  heathen  world,  after  Christ's  ascension,  after 
 that  the  world  by  wisdom  knew  not  God,  and  all  the 
 endeavours  of  philosophers  had  proved  vain,  for  many 
 ages,  to  reform  the  world,  and  it  was  become  abun- 
 dantly 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  conversions  of  particular 
 persons,  of  which  we  have  an  account  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,  wonderfully  and 
 suddenly  causing  a  great  change,  which  in  these  days 
 are  looked  upon  as  certain  signs  of  delusion  and  en- 
 thusiasm. 
 
144 
 
 The  apostle  speaks  of  God  enlightening  the  minds 
 of  Christians,  and  so  bringing  them  to  beheve  in 
 Christ,  to  the  end  that  they  might  know  the  ex- 
 ceeding 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  ex- 
 ceeding greatness  of  his  power  to  us-ward  who  be- 
 lieve, according  to  the  working  of  his  mighty  power," 
 &c.  Now  when  the  apostle  speaks  of  their  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 
 agreeable  to  a  notion  of  God's  operating  so  secretly 
 and  uiidiscernibly,  that  it  cannot  be  known  that  they 
 are  the  subjects  of  the  influence  of  any  extrinsic  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  Spirit,  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  subjects  of  them,  or  that  they  arise 
 in  their  minds  in  a  manner  they  cannot  account  for. 
 
145 
 
 There  are  some  who  make  this  an  argument  in 
 theii'  own  favour :  when  speaking  of  what  they  have 
 experienced,  they  say,  "  I  am  sure  I  did  not  make 
 it  myself;  it  was  a  fruit  of  no  contrivance  or  endea- 
 vour of  mine  ;  it  came  when  I  thought  nothing  of  it ; 
 if  I  might  have  the  world  for  it,  I  cannot  make  it 
 again  when  I  please."  And  hence  they  determine, 
 very  ignorantly,  and  without  grounds,  that  what  they 
 have  experienced  must  be  from  the  mighty  influence 
 of  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  is  of  a  saving  nature. 
 What  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  follow,  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,  exceedingly  busy  with 
 men,  who  often  transform  themselves  into  angels  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  operations, 
 which  are  very  distinguishable  from  the  voluntary 
 exercises  of  men's  own  minds.  They  are  so,  in  those 
 dreadful  and  horrid  suggestions,  and  blasphemous  in- 
 jections, with  which  he  follows  many  persons ;  and  in 
 vain  and  fruitless  frights  and  terrors,  of  which  he  is 
 the  author.  And  the  power  of  Satan  may  be  as  im- 
 mediate, and  as  evident  in  false  comforts  and  joys, 
 as  in  terrors  and  horrid  suggestions;  and,  in  fact, 
 oftentimes  is  so.  It  is  not  in  men's  power  to  put 
 themselves  into  such  raptures,  as  the  Anabaptists  in 
 G  20 
 
146 
 
 Germany,  and  many  other  raving  enthusiasts  like 
 them,  have  been  the  subjects  of. 
 
 And  besides,  it  is  to  be  considered,  that  persons 
 may  have  those  impressions  on  their  minds,  which 
 may  not  be  of  their  own  producing,  nor  from  an  evil 
 spirit,  but  from  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  yet  not  be 
 from  a  saving,  but  from  a  common  influence  of  the 
 Spirit  of  God :  and  the  subjects  of  such  impressions 
 may  be  of  the  number  of  those  we  read  of,  "  that 
 are  once  enhghtened,  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." 
 
 And  where  neither  a  good  nor  evil  spirit  have  any 
 immediate  hand,  persons,  especially  such  as  are  of  a 
 weak  and  vapoury  habit  of  body,  and  the  brain  weak, 
 and  easily  susceptive  of  impressions,  may  have  strange 
 apprehensions  and  imaginations,  and  strong  affections 
 attending  them,  arising  unaccountably,  which  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  of  which  he  is  not  the  voluntary 
 author ;  so  may  such  persons,  in  like  manner,  be  the 
 subjects  of  involuntary  impressions  when  they  are 
 awake. 
 
147 
 
 CHAPTER  V. 
 
 It  is  no  sign  that  Religious  Affections  are  truly 
 holy  and  spiritual,  or  that  they  are  not,  that  they 
 come  with  texts  of  Scripture,  remarkably  brought 
 to  the  mind. 
 
 It  is  no  sign  that  affections  are  not  gracious,  that 
 they  are  occasioned  by  scriptures  so  coming  to  mind ; 
 provided  it  be  the  scripture  itself,  or  the  truth  which 
 the  scripture  so  brought  contains  and  teaches,  that 
 is  the  foundation  of  the  affection,  and  not  merely, 
 or  mainly,  the  sudden  and  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  suddenly  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  delight- 
 ful. 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  spoken  to  me :  I  had  no  hand  in  bringing  such 
 a  text  to  my  own  mind :  I  was  not  thinking  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  be- 
 fore ;  I  did  not  know  at  first  that  it  was  scripture : 
 G  2 
 
148 
 
 I  did  not  remember  that  ever  I  had  read  it."  And 
 it  may  be,  they  will  add,  "  One  scripture  came  flow- 
 ing in  after  another,  and  texts  all  over  the  Bible,  the 
 most  sweet  and  pleasant,  and  the  most  apt  and  suit- 
 able, 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  afiections  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  affections  or  ex- 
 periences arise  with  promises,  and  comfortable  texts 
 of  Scripture,  unaccountably  brought  to  mind  with- 
 out their  recollection,  or  if  a  great  number  of  sweet 
 texts  follow  one  another  in  a  chain,  that  this  is  a  cer- 
 tain 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  intelligent  and 
 considerate  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  its  genuine  fruit,  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  ex- 
 periences which  are  agreeable  to  the  word  of  God, 
 are  right,  and  cannot  be  otherwise ;  and  not  that  those 
 
149 
 
 affections  must  be  right,  which  arise  on  occasion  of  the 
 word  of  God  coming  to  the  mind. 
 
 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  no- 
 thing 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  nothing  short  of  Omnipotence  can  be  suf- 
 ficient 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  kind  of  power  required  in  men,  to  make 
 the  sounds  which  express  the  words  of  a  text  of  Scrip- 
 ture, 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  re- 
 new the  other :  the  different  signification,  which  de- 
 pends wholly  on  custom,  alters  not  the  case,  as  to 
 ability  to  make  or  revive  the  sounds  or  letters.      Or 
 will  any   suppose,  that  texts  of  scripture  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  him- 
 self, and  carry  him  hither  and  thither,  into  the  wil- 
 derness, and  into  a  high  mountain,  and  to  a  pinnacle 
 of  the  temple,  is  not  afraid  to  touch  the  Scripture, 
 and  abuse  it  for  his  own  purposes ;  as  he  showed  at 
 the  same  time  that  he  was  so  bold  with  Christ.      He 
 then  brought  one  scripture  and  another,  to  deceive 
 and  tempt  him.      And  if  Satan  did  presume,   and 
 was  permitted,  to  put   Christ  hunself  in  mind  of 
 
150 
 
 texts  of  Scripture,  to  tempt  him,  what  reason  have 
 we  to  determine  that  he  dare  not,  or  will  not,  be  per- 
 mitted to  put  wicked  men  in  mind  of  texts  of  Scrip- 
 ture, 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  com- 
 fortable and  precious  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  pro- 
 mises, tending,  according  to  the  perverse  application 
 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  teachers,  can  and  do  pervert  the  Scripture, 
 to  their  own  and  others'  damnation.  We  see  they 
 have  the  free  use  of  Scripture,  in  every  part  of  it  : 
 there  is  no  text  so  precious  and  sacred,  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  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  instru- 
 ments and  servants,  and  through  his  instigation  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  de- 
 ceive and  destroy  men,  so  may  men's  own  folly  and 
 
151 
 
 corruptions  as  well.  The  sin  which  is  in  men,  acts 
 like  its  father.  Men's  own  hearts  are  deceitful  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  promises  of  Scripture, 
 coming  suddenly  and  remarkably  to  their  minds,  as 
 though  they  were  spoken  to  them,  yea,  a  great  mul- 
 titude of  such  texts,  following  one  another  in  a  won- 
 derful manner,  and  yet  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 
 loith  the  word  of  God,  and  not  only  so,  hxxi  from  the 
 word,  and  those  affections  not  be  from  Satan,  nor  yet 
 properly  from  the  corruptions  of  their  owti  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,  it  is  re- 
 presented as  arising  from  the  word,  as  growth  from 
 a  seed;  and  their  affections  had,  in  their  appearance, 
 a  very  great  and  exact  resemblance  with  those  repre- 
 sented by  the  growth  on  the  good  ground,  the  dif- 
 ference not  appearing  until  it  was  discovered  by  the 
 consequences  in  a  time  of  trial, — and  yet  there  was 
 no  saving  religion  in  these  affections.* 
 
 •  Mr.  Stoddard,  in  his  Guide  to  Christ,  speaks  of  it  as  a  com- 
 mon thing,  for  persons,  while  in  a  natural  condition,  and  before 
 they  have  ever  truly  accepted  of  Christ,  to  have  Scripture  pro- 
 mises come  to  them,  with  a  great  deal  of  refreshing;  which  they 
 take  as  tokens  of  God's  love,  and  hope  that  God  has  accepted 
 them  ;  and  so  are  confident  of  their  good  estate.—  Pages  8,  9 — Im- 
 pression, anno  1735. 
 
152 
 
 CHAPTER  VI. 
 
 It  is  no  evidence  that  Religious  Affections  are  saving^ 
 or  that  they  are  otherwise^  that  there  is  an  appear- 
 ance of  love  in  them. 
 
 There  are  no  professing  Christians  who  pretend, 
 that  this  is  an  argument  against  the  truth  and  sav- 
 ing nature  of  religious  affections.  But,  on  the  other 
 hand,  there  are  some  who  suppose,  it  is  a  good  evi- 
 dence that  affections  are  from  the  sanctifying  and 
 saving  influences  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Their  argu-» 
 mentis,  that  Satan  cannot  love;  this  affection  being 
 directly  contrary  to  the  devil,  whose  very  nature  is 
 enmity  and  malice.  And  it  is  true,  that  nothing  is 
 more  excellent,  heavenly,  and  divine,  than  a  spirit  of 
 true  Christian  love  to  God  and  men :  it  is  more  ex- 
 cellent 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 
 which  we  are  most  conformed  to  heaven,  and  most 
 contrary  to  hell  and  the  devil.  But  yet  it  is  ill  ar- 
 guing from  hence,  that  there  are  no  counterfeits  of 
 it.  It  may  be  observed,  that  the  more  excellent  any 
 thing  is,  the  more  M'ill  be  the  counterfeits  of  it.  Thus 
 there  are  many  more  counterfeits  of  silver  and  gold, 
 than  of  iron  and  copper :  there  are  many  false  dia- 
 monds 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 
 
153 
 
 shall  be  like  them,  in  their  essential  nature  and  in- 
 ternal virtue ;  yet  the  more  manifold  will  the  coun- 
 terfeits be,  and  the  more  will  art  and  subtilty  be 
 exercised  and  displayed,  in  an  exact  imitation  of  the 
 outward  appearance.  Thus  there  is  the  greatest  dan- 
 ger of  being  cheated  in  buying  medicines  that  are 
 most  excellent  and  sovereign,  though  it  be  most  dif- 
 ficult to  imitate  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  men's  deceit- 
 ful 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  from  the  Scrip- 
 ture, that  persons  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  salvation :  "  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  Christ, 
 yea,  to  have  very  strong  and  violent  affections  of  this 
 nature,  and  yet  have  no  grace.  For  this  was  evi- 
 dently the  case  with  many  graceless  Jews,  such  as 
 cried  Jesus  up  so  high,  following  him  day  and  night, 
 without  meat,  drink,  or  sleep ;  such  as  said,  "  Lord, 
 g3 
 
154 
 
 I  will  follow  thee  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 :  "  Grace  be  with  all  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  spiritual. 
 
 So  also  Christian  love  to  the  people  of  God  may 
 be  counterfeited.  It  is  evident  from  the  Scripture, 
 that  there  maybe  strong  affections  of  this  kind  with- 
 out saving  grace ;  as  there  were  in  the  Galatians  to- 
 wards 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. 
 
 *  Agreeable  to  this,  Mr.  Stoddard  observes,  in  his  Guide  to 
 Christ,  that  some  sinners  liave  pangs  of  affection,  and  give  an  ac- 
 count, that  they  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 Pages  21,  and  65. 
 
155 
 
 CHAPTER  VII. 
 
 Persons  having  Religious  Affections  of  many  kinds, 
 accompanying  one  another,  is  not  sufficient  to  de- 
 termine 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  sym- 
 metry 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  :*  and  of 
 the  fear  of  God,  as  in  the  Samaritans,  who  feared 
 the  Lord,  and  served  their  own  gods  at  the  same 
 time ;  and  those  enemies  of  God  we  read  of,f  who, 
 "  through  the  greatness  of  God's  power  submit  them- 
 selves to  him,"  or,  as  it  is  in  the  Hebrew,  "  he  unto 
 him ;"  that  is,  yield  a  counterfeit  reverence  and  sub- 
 mission :  so  of  a  gracious  gratitude,  as  in  the  chil- 
 dren of  Israel  who  sang  praises  at  the  Red  Sea,  and 
 Naaman  the  Syrian,  after  his  miraculous  cure  of  his 
 leprosy. 
 
 So  of  spiritual  joy,  as  in  the  stony-ground  hearers, 
 and  particularly  many  of  John  the  Baptist's  hearers. 
 
 *  Exod.  LX.  27.   1  Sara.  xxiv.  16,  17.  andxxvi.  21.  1  Kings  xxi.  27. 
 t  Psalm  Ixvi.  2. 
 
156 
 
 So  of  zeal,  as  in  Jehu;*  and  in  Paul  before  his  con- 
 version,-)- and  the  unbelieving  Jews.J  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.  They  may  also  have  a  strong  hope  of 
 eternal  life,  as  the  Pharisees  had. 
 
 And  as  men,  while  in  a  state  of  nature,  are  capa- 
 ble of  resemblance  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  the  case,  that  when  false  af- 
 fections are  raised  high,  many  false  affections  attend 
 each  other.  The  multitude  that  attended  Christ 
 into  Jerusalem,  after  that  great  miracle  of  raising  La- 
 zarus, seem  to  be  moved  with  many  religious  affec- 
 tions at  once,  and  all  in  a  high  degree.  They  seem 
 to  be  filled  with  admiration,  and  there  was  a  show  of 
 a  high  affection  of  love,  and  also  of  a  great  degree 
 of  reverence,  in  their  laying  their  garments  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  desires  of  the  coming  of  God's 
 kingdom,  which  they  supposed  Jesus  was  now  about 
 to  set  up ;  and  showed  great  hopes  and  raised  expec- 
 tations of  it,  expecting  it  would  immediately  appear; 
 and  hence  were  filled  with  joy,  by  which  they  were 
 
 •  2  Kings  X.  16.  f  Gal.  i.  14.     Phil.  iii.  6. 
 
 I  Acts  xxii.  3.     Horn.  x.  2. 
 
157 
 
 so  animated  in  their  acclamations,  as  to  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  af- 
 fections, to  give  an  account  why,  when  one  affection 
 is  raised  very  high,  that  it  should  excite  others  ;  espe- 
 cially if  the  affection  which  is  raised  high  be  that 
 of  counterfeit  love,  as  it  was  in  the  multitude  who 
 cried  "  Hosanna."  This  will  naturally  draw  many 
 other  affections  after  it.  For,  as  was  observed  be- 
 fore, love  is  the  chief  of  the  affections,  and,  as  it 
 were,  the  fountain  of  them.  Let  us  suppose  a  per- 
 son who  has  been  for  some  time  in  e;reat  exercise 
 and  terror  through  fear  of  hell,  and  his  heart  weak- 
 ened with  distress  and  fearful  apprehensions,  and 
 upon  the  brink  of  despair,  and  is  all  at  once  deliv- 
 ered, 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  pro- 
 mises him  eternal  life;  or  suppose,  through  some 
 vision,  or  strong  idea  or  imagination,  suddenly  excited 
 in  him,  of  a  person  with  a  beautiful  countenance  smil- 
 ing on  him,  and  with  arms  open,  and  with  blood  drop- 
 ping down,  w^hich  the  person  conceives  to  be  Christ, 
 without  any  other  enUghtening  of  the  understanding, 
 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 
 
158 
 
 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  na- 
 turally crowd  at  once,  or  one  after  another,  into  such  a 
 person's  mind  ?  It  is  easy  to  be  accounted  for,  from 
 mere  principles  of  nature,  that  a  person's  heart,  on 
 such  an  occasion,  should  be  raised  up  to  the  skies  with 
 transports  of  joy,  and  be  filled  with  fervent  affection, 
 to  that  imaginary  God  or  Redeemer,  who  he  supposes 
 has  thus  rescued  him  from  the  jaws  of  such  dreadful 
 destruction,  of  which  his  soul  was  so  amazed  with 
 the  fears,  and  has  received  him  with  such  endear- 
 ment, as  a  peculiar  favourite ;  and  that  now  he 
 should  be  filled  with  admiration  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  scarcely  think  and  speak  of  any  thing  else, 
 and  should  seem  to  magnify  that  God  who  has  done 
 so  much  for  him,  and  call  upon  others  to  rejoice  with 
 him,  and  appear  with  a  cheerful  countenance,  and 
 talk  with  a  loud  voice;  and  though,  before  his  dehver- 
 ance,  he  was  full  of  quarrellings  against  the  justice 
 of  God,  it  should  now  be  easy  for  him  to  submit  to 
 God,  and  his  own  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  own  unworthiness,  and  cry 
 out,  "  Why  me?  why  me?"  Like  Saul,  when  Sa- 
 muel told  him  that  God  had  appointed  him  to  be  a 
 king,  makes  answer,  "  Am  not  I  a  Benjamite,  of  the 
 smallest  of  the  tribes  of  Israel,  and  my  family  the 
 
159 
 
 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,  "  Who  am 
 I,  and  what  is  my  father's  house,  that  thou  hast 
 broujrht  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  experienced,  and  have  violent  zeal 
 against  all  such  as  would  make  nothing  of  such  things, 
 and  be  disposed  only  to  separate,  and  as  it  were  to 
 proclaim  war  with  all  who  be  not  of  his  party,  and 
 should  now  glory  in  his  sufferings,  and  be  very  much 
 for  condemning  and  censuring  all  who  seem  to  doubt 
 or  make  any  difficulty  of  these  things ;  and  while  the 
 warmth  of  his  affections  last,  should  be  mighty  for- 
 ward to  take  pains  and  deny  himself,  to  promote  the 
 interest  of  the  party  whom  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  proselyte.*  And  so  I  might  go 
 on,  and  mention  many  other  things  which  will  natu- 
 rally arise  in  such  circumstances.  He  must  have 
 but  sHghtly  considered  human  nature,  who  thinks 
 such  things  as  these  cannot  arise  in  this  manner, 
 without  any  supernatural  interposition  of  divine  power. 
 As  from  true  divine  love  flow  all  Christian  affec- 
 tions; so  from  a  counterfeit  love,  in  like  manner,  natu- 
 
 •  "  Associating  with  godly  men  does  not  prove  that  a  man  has 
 grace :  Ahithophel  was  David's  companion.  Sorrows  for  the  afflic- 
 tions of  the  church,  and  desires  for  the  conversion  of  souls,  do 
 not  prove  it.  These  things  may  be  found  in  carnal  men,  and  so 
 nan  be  no  evidences  of  grace." — Stoddard's  Nature  of  Saving  Con- 
 version, p.  82. 
 
160 
 
 rally  flow  other  false  aflPections.  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  poisonous  streams  will  also  flow 
 into  all  those  channels.  So  that  the  channels  and 
 streams  will  be  alike,  corresponding  one  with  another; 
 but  the  great  difference  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  dis- 
 tributed 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  the  branches,  and  the  fruit  will  be  deadly. 
 Tlie  tree  in  both  cases  may  be  alike :  there  may  be 
 an  exact  resemblance  in  shape ;  but  the  difference  is 
 found  only  in  eating  the  fruit.  It  is  thus  (in  some 
 measure  at  least)  oftentimes  between  saints  and 
 hypocrites.  There  is  sometimes  a  very  great  simili- 
 tude between  true  and  false  experiences,  in  their 
 appearance,  and  in  what  is  expressed  and  related  by 
 the  subjects  of  them :  and  the  difference  between 
 them  is  much  like  the  difference  between  the  dreams 
 of  Pharaoh's  chief  butler  and  baker;  they  seemed  to 
 be  much  alike,  insomuch  that  when  Joseph  interpreted 
 the  chief  butler's  dream,  that  he  should  be  delivered 
 from  his  imprisonment,  and  restored  to  the  king's 
 favour,  and  his  honourable  office  in  the  palace,  the 
 chief  baker  had  raised  hopes  and  expectations,   and 
 
161 
 
 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. 
 
 CHAPTER  VIII. 
 
 Nothing  can  certainly  be  determined  concerning  tlie 
 nature  of  the  Affections  hy  this,  that  comforts  and 
 joys  seem  to  follow  awakenings  and  convictions  of 
 conscience,  in  a  certain  order. 
 
 Many  persons  seem  to  be  prejudiced  against  affec- 
 tions and  experiences  that  come  in  such  a  method, 
 as'  has  been  much  insisted  on  by  many  di\dnes :  first, 
 such  awakenings,  fears,  and  awful  apprehensions, 
 followed  with  such  legal  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  methods  and  steps,  to  be  men's 
 devising :  and  particularly,  if  high  affections  of  jdy 
 follow  great  distress  and  terror,  it  is  made,  by  many, 
 an  argument  against  those  affections.  But  such 
 prejudices  and  objections  are  without  reason  or  Scrip- 
 ture. Surely  it  cannot  be  unreasonable  to  suppose, 
 that  before  God  delivers  persons  from  a  state  of  sin 
 and  exposure  to  eternal  destruction,  he  should  give 
 them  some  considerable  sense  of  the  evil  from  which 
 he  deHvers  them ;  that  they  may  be  dehvered  sensi- 
 bly, and  understand  their  own  salvationy-  and  know 
 something  of  what  God  does  for  them.      As  men 
 
162 
 
 that  are  saved  are  in  two  exceedingly  different  states ; 
 first  a  state  of  condemnation,  and  then  in  a  state  of 
 justification  and  blessedness ;  and  as  God,  in  the  work 
 of  the  salvation  of  mankind,  deals  with  them  suitably 
 to  their  intelligent  rational  nature ;  so  it  seems  rea- 
 sonable, and  agreeable  to  God's  wisdom,  that  men 
 who  are  saved  should  sensibly  be  in  these  two  states  : 
 first,  that  they  should  sensibly  to  themselves  be  in  a 
 state  of  condemnation,  and  so  in  a  state  of  woful  cala- 
 mity and  dreadful  misery;  and  so  afterwards  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. 
 
 That  it  is  God's  manner  of  dealing  with  men,  to 
 lead  them  into  a  wilderness  before  he  speaks  com- 
 fortably 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  de- 
 liverance for  them,  is  abundantly  manifest  by  the 
 Scripture.  Then  is  God  wont  to  "  repent  himself 
 for  his  professing  people,  when  their  strength  is  gone, 
 and  there  is  none  shut  up  or  left,"  and  when  they 
 are  brought  to  see  that  their  false  gods  cannot  help 
 them,  and  that  the  rock  in  whom  they  trusted  is 
 vain.  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.  And 
 before  God  wrought  that  great  deliverance  for  them 
 at  the  Ro4  Sea,  they  were  brought  into  great  dis- 
 tress :  the  wilderness  had  shut  them  in,  they  could 
 
163 
 
 not  turn  to  the  right  hand  nor  the  left,  and  the  Red 
 Sea  was  before  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  should  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  Ca- 
 naan, 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  latter  end."  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.  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  showed  her  mercy,  and  received 
 her  as  a  dear  child.  The  apostle  Paul,  before  a  re- 
 markable deliverance,  was  "  pressed  out  of  measure, 
 above  strength,  insomuch  that  he  despaii'ed  even  of 
 life  ;  but  had  the  sentence  of  death  in  himself,  that 
 he  might  not  trust  in  himself,  but  in  God  that  rais- 
 eth  the  dead."  There  was  first  a  great  tempest,  and 
 the  ship  was  covered  with  the  waves,  and  just  ready 
 to  sink,  and  the  disciples  were  brought  to  cry  to 
 Jesus,  "  Lord,  save  us — we  perish ;"  and  then  the 
 winds  and  seas  were  rebuked,  and  there  was  a  great 
 calm.      The  leper,  before  he  is  cleansed,  must  have 
 
164 
 
 his  mouth  stopped,  by  a  covering  over  his  upper  lip, 
 and  was  to  acknowledge  his  great  misery  and  utter 
 uncleanness,  by  rending  his  clothes,  and  crying, 
 **  Unclean,  unclean  !"  And  backsliding  Israel,  be- 
 fore 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  hiUs,  and  from  the 
 multitude  of  mountains,"  and  that  God  only  can  save 
 them.  Joseph,  who  was  sold  by  his  brethren,  and 
 therein  was  a  type  of  Christ,  brings  his  brethren  into 
 great  perplexity  and  distress,  and  brings  them  to  reflect 
 on  their  sin,  and  to  say,  "  We  are  verily  guilty ;"  and 
 at  last  to  resign  themselves  up  entirely  into  his  hands 
 for  bondmen ;  and  then  reveals  himself  to  them,  as 
 their  brother  and  their  saviour. 
 
 And  if  we  consider  those  extraordinary  manifesta- 
 tions which  God  made  of  himself  to  saints  of  old,  we 
 shall  find  that  he  commonly  first  manifested  himself 
 in  a  way  which  was  terrible,  and  then  by  those  things 
 that  were  comfortable.  So  it  was  with  Abraham  : 
 first,  a  horror  of  great  darkness  feU  upon  him,  and 
 then  God  revealed  himself  to  him  in  sweet  promises. 
 So  it  was  with  Moses  at  Mount  Sinai :  first,  God 
 appeared  to  him  in  aU  the  terrors  of  his  dreadful 
 majesty,  so  that  Moses  said,  *'  I  exceedingly  fear 
 and  quake,"  and  then  he  made  aU  his  goodness  to 
 pass  before  him,  and  proclaimed  his  name,  "  The 
 Lord  God,  gracious  and  merciful,"  &c.  So  it  was 
 with  EHjah  :  first,  there  is  a  stormy  wind,  and  earth- 
 quake, and  devouring  fire,  and  then  a  still,  small, 
 sweet  voice.      So  it  was  with  Daniel :  he  first  saw 
 
16.5 
 
 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,  "O  Daniel,  a  man  greatly  beloved." 
 So  it  was  with  the  apostle  John.  And  there  is  an 
 analogy  observable  in  God's  dispensations  and  de~ 
 liverances  which  he  works  for  his  people,  and  the 
 manifestation  which  he  makes  of  himself  to  them, 
 both  ordinary  and  extraordinary. 
 
 But  there  are  many  things   in  Scripture  which 
 more  directly  show,  that  this  is  God's  ordinary  man- 
 ner in  working  salvation  for  the  souls  of  men,  and  in 
 the  manifestations  God  makes  of  himself,  and  of  his 
 mercy  in  Christ,  in  the  ordinary  works  of  liis  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  condem- 
 nation upon  him,  and  commands  him  to  be  sold,  and 
 his  wife  and  children,  and  payment  to  be  made ;  an4 
 thus  he  humbles  him,  and  brings  him  to  own  the 
 whole  debt  to  be  just,  and  then  forgives  him  all.     The 
 prodigal  son  spends  all  he  has,  and  is  brought  to  see 
 himself  in  extreme  circumstances,  and  to  humble  him- 
 self, and  own  his  unworthiness,  before  he  is  reUeved 
 and  feasted  by  his  father.      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  with- 
 out thus  searching  it,  as  vain  and  deceitful.      Christ, 
 in  the  work  of  his  grace  on  the  hearts  of  men,  is  com- 
 pared to  rain  on  the  mown  grass,  grass  that  is  cut 
 down  with  a  scythe,  representing  his  refreshing,  com- 
 forting influences  on  the  wounded  spirit.      Our  first 
 
166 
 
 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  reUeved  by  the  promise  of  the  seed 
 of  the  woman.  Christians  are  spoken  of  as  those 
 "  that  have  fled  for  refuge,  to  lay  hold  on  the  hope 
 set  before  them  ;"  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."  And  it  seems  to  be  the  natural 
 import  of  the  word  gospel,  glad  tidings,  that  it  is  news 
 of  deliverance  and  salvation,  after  great  fear  and  dis- 
 tress. There  is  also  reason  to  suppose  that  God 
 deals  with  particular  believers,  as  he  dealt  with  his 
 church,  which  he  first  made  to  hear  his  voice  in  the 
 law,  with  terrible  thunders  and  lightnings,  and  kept 
 her  under  that  schoolmaster,  to  prepare  her  fbr  Christ; 
 and  then  comforted  her  with  the  joyful  sound  of  the 
 gospel  from  Mount  Sion.  So,  likewise,  John  the 
 Baptist  came  to  prepare  the  way  for  Christ,  and  pre- 
 pare men's  hearts  for  his  reception,  by  showing  them 
 their  sins,  and  by  bringing  the  self-righteous  Jews 
 off  from  their  own  righteousness,  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  foot  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  consider- 
 
167 
 
 able  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,  oftentimes  while  under  these  views, 
 should  have  great  distresses  and  terrible  apprehen- 
 sions of  mind;  especially  if  it  be  considered  what 
 these  evils  are  of  which  they  have  a  view ;  which  are 
 no  other  than  great  and  manifold  sins,  against  the 
 infinite  majesty  of  the  great  Jehovah,  and  the  suf- 
 fering 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  apos- 
 tles, Men  and  brethren,  what  shall  we  do  ?"  and  the 
 apostle  Paul,  who  trembled  and  was  astonished,  be- 
 fore 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  unreason- 
 able in  professing  Christians,  to  make  this  an  objection 
 against  the  truth  and  spiritual  nature  of  the  com- 
 fortable and  joyful  affections  which  any  have,  that 
 they  foUow  such  awful  apprehensions  and  distresses 
 as  have  been  mentioned. 
 
 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.*     This  seems 
 
 *  Mr.  Shepard  speaks  of  *'  men  being  cast  down  as  low  as  hell 
 by  sorrow,  and  lying  under  chains,  quaking  in  apprehension  of  ter- 
 
168 
 
 to  be  what  some  persons  lay  great  weight  upon ;  es- 
 teeming great  terrors  an  evidence  of  a  great  work  of 
 the  law  wrought  on  the  heart,  well  preparing  the 
 way  for  solid  comfort:  not  considering  that  terror, 
 and  a  conviction  of  conscience,  are  different  things. 
 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  con- 
 science, through  the  influences  of  God's  Spirit,  con- 
 sist 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  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  enlightenings  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  many  external  images 
 and  ideas,  of  a  countenance  frowning,  a  sword  drawn, 
 black  clouds  of  vengeance,  words  of  an  awful  doom 
 pronounced,*  hell  gaping,  devils  coming,  and  the  like, 
 
 ror  to  come,  and  then  raised  up  to  heaven  in  joy,  not  able  to  live ; 
 and  yet  not  rent  from  lust :  and  such  are  objects  of  pity  now,  and 
 are  like  to  be  the  objects  of  terror  at  the  great  day." — Parable  of 
 the  Ten  Virgins,  P.  L  p.  125. 
 
 *  "  The  way  of  the  Spirit's  working,  when  it  does  convince 
 men,  is  by  enlightening  natural  conscience.  The  Spirit  doeM  not 
 work  by  giving  a  testimony,  but  by  assisting  natural  conscience 
 
169 
 
 not  to  convince  persons  of  things  that  are  true,  and 
 revealed  in  the  word  of  God,  but  to  lead  them  to 
 vain  and  groundless  determination ;  as  that  their  day 
 is  past,  that  they  are  reprobated,  that  God  is  im- 
 placable, that  he  has  come  to  a  resolution  imme- 
 diately to  cut  them  off,  &c. 
 
 And  the  terrors  which  some  persons  have,  are  very 
 much  owing  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 
 theu'  imaginations  are  more  strongly  impressed  with 
 every  thing  with  which  they  are  affected,  than  others; 
 and  the  impression  on  the  imagination  reacts  on  the 
 affection,  and  raises  that  still  higher ;  and  so  affection 
 and  imagination  act  reciprocally  on  one  another,  till 
 their  affection  is  raised  to  a  vast  height,  and  the  per- 
 son is  swallowed  up,  and  loses  all  possession  of  him- 
 self.* 
 
 And  some  speak  of  a  great  sight  they  have  of 
 their  wickedness,  who  really,  when  the  matter  comes 
 to  be  well  examined  into  and  thoroughly  weighed, 
 are  found  to  have  little  or  no  convictions  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 
 
 to  do  its  work.  Natural  conscience  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  affected  therewith  :  Prov.  xx.  27.  '  The 
 spirit  of  man  is  the  candle  of  the  Lord,  searching  all  the  inward 
 parts  of  the  belly.'" — Stoddard's  Guide  to  Christ,  p.  44v 
 
 *  The  famous  Mr.  Perkins  distinguishes  between  "  those  sor- 
 rows that  come  through  convictions  of  conscience,  and  melan- 
 cholic passions  arising  only  from  mere  imaginations,  strongly 
 conceived  in  the  brain ;  which,  he  says,  usually  come  on  a  sudden, 
 like  lightning  into  a  house." — Vol.  I.  of  his  Works,  p.  385. 
 
 H  20 
 
170 
 
 hardness  of  men's  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,  they  have  not  in 
 view  any  thing  wherein  the  corruption  of  nature  does 
 truly  consist,  nor  have  they  any  thought  of  any  par- 
 ticular thing  wherein  their  hearts  are  sinfully  defec- 
 tive, 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 
 dreadful  frightful  appearance ;  when  really  they  have 
 not  so  much  as  one  of  the  sins  they  have  been  guilty 
 of  in  the  course  of  their  lives,  coming  into  view,  of 
 which  they  are  affected  with  the  aggravations. 
 
 And  if  persons  have  had  great  terrors  which  really 
 have  been  from  the  awakening  and  convincing  influ- 
 ences 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  who  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  hu- 
 man nature  belonging  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. 
 
171 
 
 But  if  comforts  and  joys  do  not  only  come  after 
 great  terrors  and  awakenings,  but  there  be  an  ap- 
 pearance of  such  preparatory  convictions  and  humiha- 
 tions,  and  brought  about  very  distinctly,  by  such 
 steps,  and  in  such  a  method,  as  has  frequently  been 
 observable  in  true  converts:  this  is  no  certain  sisrn 
 that  the  light  and  comforts  which  follow  are  true  and 
 saving.      And  for  these  following  reasons : — 
 
 First,  As  the  devil  can  counterfeit  all  the  saving 
 operations  and  graces  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  so  he  can 
 counterfeit  those  operations  that  are  preparatory  to 
 grace.  If  Satan  can  counterfeit  those  effects  of  God's 
 Spirit  which  are  special,  divine,  and  sanctifying,  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  of  which  men,  while  they  are  yet  his 
 own  children,  are  the  subjects.  These  works  are  in 
 nowise  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,  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.*      How  far 
 
 *  The  venerable  Stoddard  observes,  "  A  man  may  say,  that 
 now  he  can  justify  God  however  he  deals  with  him,  and  not  be 
 brought  off  from  his  own  righteousness;  and  that  some  men  do 
 justify  God,  from  a  partial  conviction  of  the  righteousness  of  their 
 condemnation:  conscience  takes  notice  of  their  sinfulness,  and 
 H   2 
 
172 
 
 was  Saul  brought,  though  a  very  wicked  man,  and  of 
 a  haughty  spmt,  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  along  time  mor- 
 tally hated,  and  openly  treated  as  an  enemy,)  and 
 condemn  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  exceedingly."  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  de- 
 parted from  him,  and  given  him  up,  and  an  evil  spirit 
 from  the  Lord  troubled  him.  And  if  this  proud  mo- 
 narch, in  a  pang  of  affection,  was  brought  to  humble 
 himself  so  low,  before  a  subject  that  he  hated,  and 
 still  continued  an  enemy  to,  there  doubtless  may  be 
 appearances  of  great  conviction  and  humiliation  in 
 men  before  God,  while  they  yet  remain  enemies  to 
 him,  and  though  they  finally  continue  so.  There  is 
 oftentimes  in  men,  who  are  terrified  through  fears  of 
 hell,  a  great  appearance  of  their  being  brought  off 
 from  their  own  righteousness,  when  they  are  not 
 brought  off  from  it  in  all  ways,  although  they  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  degree  of  discour- 
 
 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,  p.  71. 
 
173 
 
 agement,  as  to  many  things  they  used  to  depend  upon, 
 is  taken  for  humiliation;  and  that  is  called  a  submis- 
 sion to  God,  which  is  no  absolute  submission,  but 
 has  some  secret  bargain  in  it,  that  it  is  hard  to  dis- 
 cover. 
 
 Secondly,  If  the  operations  and  effects  of  the  Spi- 
 rit of  God,  in  the  convictions  and  comforts  of  true 
 converts,  may  be  sophisticated,  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  cannot  ex- 
 actly imitate  di\ine  operations  in  their  nature,  though 
 his  counterfeits  may  be  very  much  hke  them  in  ex- 
 ternal appearance;  but  he  can  exactly  imitate  their 
 order.  When  counterfeits  are  made,  there  is  no  di- 
 vine power  needful  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  divinity.  That  only  is  to  be  trusted  to,  as  a 
 certain  evidence  of  grace,  which  Satan  cannot  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  salvation 
 at  last.  There  is  no  necessary  connection  in  the 
 nature  of  things,  between  any  thing  that  a  natural 
 
174 
 
 man  may  experience,  while  in  a  state  of  nature,  and 
 the  saving  grace  of  God's  Spirit.  And  if  there  be 
 no  connection  in  the  nature  of  things,  then  there 
 can  be  no  known  and  certain  connection  at  all,  unless 
 it  be  by  divine  revelation.  But  there  is  no  revealed 
 certain  connection  between  a  state  of  salvation,  and 
 any  thing  of  which  a  natural  man  can  be  the  subject, 
 before  he  believes  in  Christ.  God  has  revealed  no 
 certain  connection  between  salvation,  and  any  quali- 
 fications in  men,  but  only  grace  and  its  fruits.  And 
 therefore  we  do  not  find  any  legal  convictions,  or 
 comforts  following  these  legal  convictions,  in  any  cer- 
 tain method  or  order,  ever  once  mentioned  in  the 
 Scripture,  as  certain  signs  of  grace,  or  things  peculiar 
 to  the  saints;  although  we  do  find  gracious  opera- 
 tions and  effects  themselves  so  mentioned  thousands 
 of  times :  which  should  be  enough  with  Christians, 
 who  are  willincr  to  have  the  word  of  God,  rather  than 
 their  own  philosophy,  and  experiences,  and  conjec- 
 tures, as  their  sufficient  and  sure  guide  in  things  of 
 this  nature. 
 
 Fourthly^  Experience  proves,  that  persons  seeming 
 to  have  convictions  and  comforts  following  one  another 
 in  such  a  method  and  order,  as  is  frequently  obser- 
 vable in  true  converts,  is  no  certain  sign  of  grace.* 
 I  appeal  to  all  those  ministers  in  this  land,  who  have 
 had  much  occasion  to  deal  with  souls  in  the  late  ex- 
 
 *  Mr.  Stoddard,  who  had  much  experience  of  things  of  this 
 nature,  long  ago  observed,  that  converted  and  unconverted  men 
 cannot  be  certainly  distinguished  by  the  account  tliey  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,  pp.  75,  76. 
 
175 
 
 traordinary  season,  whether  there  has  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,  that  is,  with  convictions  and  affec- 
 tions, succeeding  distinctly  and  exactly,  in  that  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  method,  is  no  certain  sign  that  a  person  is 
 converted;  so,  a  being  without  it,  is  no  evidence  that 
 a  person  is  not  converted.  For  though  it  might  be 
 made  evident  to  a  demonstration,  on  Scripture  prin- 
 ciples, that  a  sinner  cannot  be  brought  heartily  to 
 receive  Christ  as  his  Saviour,  who  is  not  convinced 
 of  his  sin  and  misery,  and  of  his  own  emptiness  and 
 helplessness,  and  his  just  desert  of  eternal  condem- 
 nation; and  that,  therefore,  such  convictions  must 
 be  some  way  implied  by  what  is  wrought  in  his  soul : 
 yet  nothing  proves  it  to  be  necessary,  that  all  those 
 things  which  are  impHed  or  presupposed  in  an  act  of 
 faith  in  Christ,  must  be  plainly  and  distinctly  wrought 
 in  the  soul,  in  so  many  successive  and  separate  works 
 of  the  Spirit,  that  each  of  them  shall  be  plain  and 
 manifest  in  all  w^ho  are  truly  converted.  On  the 
 contrary,  (as  Mr.  Shepard  observes,)  sometimes  the 
 change  made  in  a  saint,  at  first,  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  exceedingly 
 mysterious  and  unsearchable :  we,  as  it  were,  hear 
 the  sound  of  it ;  its  effect  is  discernible ;  but  no  man 
 can   tell  whence  it  came,  or  whither  it  went.      And 
 
^    176 
 
 it  is  oftentimes  as  difficult  to  know  the  way  of  the 
 Spirit  in  the  new  birth,  as  in  the  first  birth  :  "  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  com- 
 pared to  the  conceiving  of  Christ  in  the  womb;*  and 
 therefore  the  church  is  called  Christ's  mother  ;f  and 
 so  is  every  particular  believer.:]:  And  the  conception 
 of  Christ  in  the  womb  of  the  blessed  vu'gin,  by  the 
 power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  seems  to  be  a  designed 
 resemblance  of  the  conception  of  Christ  in  the  soul 
 of  a  beHever,  by  the  power  of  the  same  Holy  Ghost. 
 And  we  know  not  what  is  the  way  of  the  Spirit, 
 nor  how  the  bones  do  grow,  either  in  the  womb,  en: 
 heart,  that  conceives  this  holy  Child.  The  new 
 creature  may  use  that  language :  "  I  am  fearfully 
 and  wonderfully  made;  marvellous  are  thy  works, 
 and  that  my  soul  knoweth  right  well."  "  My  sub- 
 stance was  not  hid  from  thee,  when  I  was  made  in 
 secret."  Concerning  the  generation  of  Christ,  both 
 in  his  person,  and  also  in  the  hearts  of  his  people, 
 it  may  be  said,  "  Who  can  declare  his  generation  ?" 
 We  know  not  the  works  of  God,  that  worketh  all. 
 "  It  is  the  glory  of  God  to  conceal  a  thing,"  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  his  Spirit  on  the  hearts  of  men, 
 which  are  the  highest  and  chief  of  his  works.  And 
 therefore  it  is  said,   "  Who  hath  directed  the  Spirit 
 
 •  Gal.  iv.  19.        t  Cant.  iii.  11.        \  Matth.  xii.  49,  50. 
 
177 
 
 of  the  Lord  ?  or,  being  his  counsellor,  hath  taught 
 him  ?"  It  is  to  be  feared  that  some  have  gone  too 
 far  towards  directing  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord,  and 
 marking  out  his  footsteps  for  him,  and  Hmiting  him 
 to  certain  steps  and  methods.  Experience  plainly 
 shows,  that  God's  Spirit  is  unsearchable  and  untrace- 
 able, in  some  of  the  best  of  Christians,  in  the  method 
 of  his  operations  in  their  conversion.  Nor  does  the 
 Spirit  of  God  proceed  discernibly  in  the  steps  of  a 
 particular  established  scheme,  half  so  often  as  is  ima- 
 gined. A  scheme  of  what  is  necessary,  and  according 
 to  a  rule  already  received  and  estabhshed  by  common 
 opinion,  has  a  vast  (though  to  many  a  very  insensi- 
 ble) 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  observe  it.  Very  often,  at  first,  their 
 experiences  appear  like  a  confused  chaos,  as  Mr.  She- 
 pard  expresses  it:  but  then  those  passages  of  their 
 experiences  are  picked  out,  that  have  most  of  the  ap- 
 pearance 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 
 h3 
 
178 
 
 to  do  with  souls,  and  are  not  blinded  with  a  seven- 
 fold veil  of  prejudice,  must  know  that  the  Spirit  is 
 so  exceedingly  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  in  the  directions  we 
 give  to  others,  is  the  nature  of  the  effect  that  God 
 has  produced  in  the  soul.  As  to  the  steps  which  the 
 Spirit  of  God  took  to  produce  that  effect,  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  nowhere  by  the  Spirit's 
 method  of  producing  them.*  Many  greatly  err  in 
 their  notions  of  a  clear  work  of  conversion ;  calling 
 that  a  clear  work,  where  the  successive  steps  of  in- 
 fluence, and  method  of  experience  is  clear :  whereas 
 that  indeed  is  the  clearest  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. 
 
 •  Mr.  Shepard,  speaking  of  the  soul  closing  with  Christ,  s^ys, 
 "  As  a  child  caiinot  tell  how  his  soul  comes  into  it,  nor  it  may 
 be  when;  but  afterwards  it  sees  and  feels  that  life,  so  tliat  he 
 were  as  bad  as  a  beast,  that  should  deny  an  immortal  soul;  so 
 here." — Parable  of  Ike  Ten  Virgins,  Part  II.  p.  176. 
 
 "  If  the  man  do  not  know  the  time  of  liis  conversion,  or  first 
 closing  with  Christ,  the  minister  may  not  draw  any  peremptory 
 conclusion  from  thence,  that  he  is  not  godly." — Sioddurd's  Guide 
 to  Christ,  p.  83. 
 
 "  Do  not  think  there  is  no  compunction,  or  sense  of  sin, 
 wrought  in  the  soul,  because  you  cannot  so  clearly  discern  and 
 feel  it;  nor  the  time  of  the  working,  and  first  beginning  of  it.  I 
 have  known  many  that  have  come  with  their  complaints,  that 
 they  were  never  humbled,  they  never  felt  it  so;  yet  there  it  hath 
 been,  and  many  times  they  Imve  seen  it,  by  tiie  other  spectacles, 
 and  blessed  God  for  it." — Shepard's  Sound  Believer^  p.  38. 
 
179 
 
 CHAPTER  IX. 
 
 It  is  no  certain  sign  that  the  Religious  Affections  are 
 such  as  have  in  them  the  nature  of  true  Religion, 
 or  that  they  have  not,  that  they  dispose  persons  to 
 spend  much  time  in  Religion,  and  to  be  zealously 
 engaged  in  the  external  duties  of  worship. 
 
 This  has,  very  unreasonably,  been  looked  upon 
 of  late,  as  an  argument  against  the  rehgious  afFections 
 which  some  have  had,  that  they  spend  so  much  time 
 in  reading,  praying,  singing,  hearing  sermons,  and 
 the  like.  It  is  plain  from  the  Scripture,  that  it  is 
 the  tendency  of  true  grace  to  cause  persons  to  delight 
 very  much  in  such  religious  exercises.  True  grace 
 had  this  effect  on  Anna  the  prophetess — ^"  She  de- 
 parted not  from  the  temple,  but  served  God  with  fast- 
 ings and  prayers  night  and  day."  And  grace  had 
 this  effect  upon  the  primitive  Christians  in  Jerusalem 
 — "  And  they,  continuing  daily  with  one  accord  in 
 the  temple,  and  breaking  bread  from  house  to  house, 
 did  eat  their  meat  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 — "  Evening,  morn- 
 ing, and  at  noon  will  I  pray."  Grace  makes  the 
 saints  delight  in  singing  praises  to  God:  "  Sing 
 praises  unto  his  name,  for  it  is  pleasant."  And, 
 "  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  of 
 
180 
 
 God  preached:  it  makes  the  gospel  a  joyful  sound  to 
 them,  and  makes  the  feet  of  those  who  pubHsh  these 
 good  tidings  to  be  beautiful :  "  How  beautiful  upon 
 the  mountains  are  the  feet  of  him  that  bringeth  good 
 tidings  !"  &c.  It  makes  them  love  God's  public  wor- 
 ship: "  Lord,  I  have  loved  the  habitation  of  thy 
 house,  and  the  place  where  thine  honour  dwelleth." 
 "  One  thing  have  I  desired  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  beauty  of  the 
 Lord,  and  to  inquire  in  his  temple."  "  How  amiable 
 are  thy  tabernacles,  O  Lord  of  hosts !  my  soul  long- 
 eth,  yea,  even  fainteth,  for  the  courts  of  the  Lord. 
 — Yea,  the  sparrow  hath  found  an  house,  and  the 
 swallow  a  nest  for  herself,  where  she  may  lay  her 
 young,  even  thine  altars,  O  Lord  of  hosts,  my  King, 
 and  my  God.  Blessed  are  they  that  dwell  in  thy 
 house:  they  will  be  still  praising  thee.  Blessed  is 
 the  man  in  whose  heart  are  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.  A  day  in  thy  comts  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  sab- 
 baths, and  calling  of  assemblies,  and  spread  forth 
 their  hands,   and  made  many  prayers."      So  it  was 
 
181 
 
 with  the  Pharisees;  they  "  made  long  prayers,  and 
 fasted  twice  a-week."  False  religion  may  cause  per- 
 sons to  be  loud  and  earnest  in  prayer:  "  Ye  shall  not 
 fast  as  ye  do  tliis  day,  to  cause  your  voice  to  be  heard 
 on  high."  That  religion  which  is  not  spiiitual  and 
 saving,  may  cause  men  to  delight  in  religious  duties 
 and  ordinances :  "  Yet  they  seek  me  daily,  and  de- 
 light to  know  my  ways,  as  a  nation  that  did  righteous- 
 ness, and  forsook  not  the  ordinance  of  their  God : 
 they  ask  of  me  the  ordinances  of  justice ;  they  take 
 dehght  in  approaching  to  God."  It  may  cause  them 
 to  take  dehght  in  hearing  the  word  of  God  preached  ; 
 as  it  was  with  Ezekiel's  hearers  :  "  And  they  come 
 unto  thee  as  the  people  cometh,  and  thev  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  ait  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.  So  it  was  with  others 
 of  his  hearers;  "  for  a  season  they  rejoiced  in  his 
 light."  So  the  stony-ground  hearers  heard  tne  word 
 with  joy. 
 
 Experience  shows,  that  persons,  from  false  reli- 
 gion, may  be  incHned  to  be  exceedingly  abundant  in 
 the  external  exercises  of  religion ;  yea,  to  give  them- 
 selves up  to  them,  and  devote  almost  their  whole  time 
 to  them.  Formerly,  a  sort  of  people  were  very  nu- 
 merous in  the  Romish  church,  called  Recluses,  who 
 forsook  the  world,  and  utterly  abandoned  the  society 
 of  mankind,  and  shut  themselves  up  in  a  narrow  cell, 
 
182 
 
 with  a  vow  never  to  stir  out  of  it,  nor  to  see  the  face 
 of  any  of  mankind  any  more;  (unless  that  they  might 
 be  visited  in  case  of  sickness;)  to  spend  all  their  days 
 in  the  exercise  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  exercises  of  de- 
 votion ;  some  sorts  of  them  having  no  dwellings,  but 
 the  caves  and  vaults  of  the  mountains,  and  no  food 
 but  the  spontaneous  productions  of  the  earth.  I  once 
 lived,  for  many  months,  next  door  to  a  Jew,  (the 
 houses  adjoining  to  one  another,)  and  had  much  op- 
 portunity daily  to  observe  him;  who  appeared  tome  the 
 most  devout  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. 
 
 CHAPTER  X. 
 
 Nothing  can  he  certainly  known  of  the  nature  of  Reli- 
 gious Affections,  that  they  much  dispose  persons 
 with  their  mouths  to  praise  and  glorify  God. 
 
 This  indeed  is  implied  in  what  has  been  observed, 
 of  abounding  and  spending  much  time  in  the  external 
 exercises  of  religion;  but  because  many  seem  to  look 
 upon  it  as  a  bright  evidence  of  gracious  affection, 
 when  persons  appear  greatly  disposed  to  praise  and 
 
183 
 
 magnify  God,  to  have  their  mouths  full  of  his  praises, 
 and  affectionally  to  be  calling  on  others  to  praise  and 
 extol  him,  I  thought  it  deserved  a  more  particular 
 conside'ration. 
 
 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  ob- 
 served and  proved,  be  duly  considered,  namely,  'that 
 persons,  without  grace,  may  have  high  affections  to- 
 wards 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 
 with  which  they  are  affected,  and  that  there  may  be 
 counterfeits  of  all  kinds  of  gracious  affection.  But 
 it  will  appear  more  evidently,  that  this  is  no  certain 
 sign  of  grace,  if  we  consider  what  instances  the  Scrip- 
 ture gives  us  of  it  in  those  that  were  graceless.  We 
 often  have  an  account  of  this,  in  the  multitude  that 
 were  present  when  Christ  preached  and  wrought  mir- 
 acles: "  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  in  this  fashion."  So  Matth.  ix.  8.  and  Luke 
 v.  26.  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,  and  the 
 bhnd  to  see:  and  thus  glorified  the  God  of  Israel." 
 So  we  are  told,  that  on  occasion  of  Christ's  raising 
 the  son  of  the  widow  of  Nain,  "  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  their  glorifying 
 
184 
 
 Christ,  or  speaking  exceeding  highly  of  him:  "  And 
 he  taught  in  their  synagogues,  being  glorified  of  all." 
 And  how  did  they  praise  him  with  loud  voices,  crying, 
 "  Hosanna  to  the  son  of  David;  Hosanna  in  the  high- 
 est :  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."  When  the  Gentiles 
 in  Antioch  of  Pisidia,  heard  from  Paul  and  Barnabas, 
 that  God  would  reject  the  Jews,  and  take  the  Gen- 
 tiles to  be  his  people  in  their  room,  they  were  affec- 
 ted with  this  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  num- 
 ber of  them ;  as  is  intimated  in  the  account  we  have 
 of  it :  "  And  when  the  Gentiles  heard  this,  they  were 
 glad,  and  glorified  the  word  of  the  Lord :  and  as  many 
 as  were  ordained  to  eternal  life,  believed."  So  of 
 old,  the  children  of  Israel  at  the  Red  Sea,  "  sang 
 God's  praise ;  but  soon  forgat  his  works."  And  the 
 Jews  in  Ezekiel's  time,  "  with  their  mouth  showed 
 much  love,  while  their  heart  went  after  their  covet- 
 ousness."  And  it  is  foretold  of  false  professors,  and 
 real  enemies  of  religion,  that  they  should  show  a  for- 
 wardness to  glorify  God :  "  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  af- 
 fected, 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 
 
185 
 
 and  magnify  free  grace.  Those  that  yet  remain  with 
 unmortified  pride  and  enmity  against  God,  may,  when 
 they  imagine  they  have  received  extraordinary  kind- 
 ness from  God,  cry  out  of  their  unworthiness  and 
 magnify  God's  undeserved  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  unworthiness,  and  cry  out,  "  I  have  played  the 
 fool,  I  have  erred  exceedingly,"  and  with  great  affec- 
 tion and  admiration,  to  magnify  and  extol  David's 
 unmerited  and  unexampled  kindness  to  him :  and  from 
 no  higher  principle  than  that  from  whence  Nebuchad- 
 nezzar was  affected  with  God's  dispensations,  that  he 
 saw  and  was  the  subject  of,  and  praises,  extols,  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. 
 
 CHAPTER  XL 
 
 It  is  no  sign  that  Affections  are  rights  or  that  they 
 are  wrong,  that  they  make  persons  exceedingly  con- 
 Jident  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  deluded  if  they  pretend  to  be  assured  of 
 their  good  estate,  and  to  be  carried  beyond  all  doubt- 
 
186 
 
 ing  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  in 
 some  very  extraordinary  circumstances  ;  as  in  the  case 
 of  martyrdom:  contrary  to  the  doctrine  of  Protes- 
 tants, which  has  been  maintained  by  their  most  cele- 
 brated writers  against  the  Papists;  and  contrary  to 
 the  plainest  Scripture  evidence.  It  is  manifest,  that 
 it  was  a  common  thing  for  the  saints,  of  whom  we 
 have  a  history  or  particular  account  in  Scripture,  to 
 be  assm'ecL  God,  in  the  plainest  and  most  positive 
 manner,  revealed  and  testified  his  special  favour  to 
 Noah,  Abraham,  Isaac,  Jacob,  Moses,  Daniel,  and 
 others.  Job  often  speaks  of  his  sincerity  and  up- 
 rightness with  the  greatest  imaginable  confidence  and 
 assurance,  often  calling  God  to  witness  to  it ;  and 
 says  plainly,  "  I  know  that  my  Redeemer  liveth,  and 
 that  I  shall  see  him  for  myself,  and  not  another." 
 David,  throughout  the  book  of  Psalms,  almost  every 
 where  speaks  without  any  hesitancy,  and  in  the  most 
 positive  manner,  of  God  as  his  God:  glorying  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  perfect 
 heart.  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  special  and  everlasting  love  to  them, 
 in  the  plainest  and  most  positive  terms ;  and  promises 
 them,  in  the  most  absolute  manner,  a  future  participa- 
 tion with  him  in  his  glory  ;  and  tells  them,  at  the  same 
 
187 
 
 time,  that  he  does  so,  to  the  end  that  their  joy  might 
 be  full:  "  These  things  have  I  spoken  unto  you, 
 that  my  joy  might  remain  in  you,  and  that  your  joy 
 might  be  full."  Also,  at  the  conclusion  of  his  whole 
 discourse:  "  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  speak- 
 ing 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  received 
 and  kept  his  word;  that  they  were  not  of  the  world ; 
 that  for  their  sakes  he  sanctified  himself;  that  his  will 
 was,  that  they  should  be  with  him  in  his  giory;  and 
 teUs  his  Father,  that  he  spake  these  things  in  his 
 prayer,  to  the  end  that  his  joy  might  be  fulfilled  in 
 them.  By  these  things  it  is  evident,  that  it  is  agree- 
 able to  Christ's  designs,  and  the  ordering  and  disposi- 
 tion Christ  makes  of  things  in  his  church,  that  there 
 should  be  sufiicient  and  abundant  provision  made,  that 
 his  saints  might  have  fuU  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  Lord,  and  Master,  and 
 Redeemer,  and  his  interest  in,  and  expectation  of,  the 
 future  reward.  It  would  be  endless  to  take  notice 
 of  all  places  that  might  be  enumerated:  I  shall  men- 
 tion but  three  or  four :  "  Christ  Hveth  in  me :  and 
 the  fife  which  I  now  live  in  the  flesh,   I  live  by  the 
 
188 
 
 faith  of  the  Son  of  God,  who  loved  me,  and  gave 
 himself  for  me."  "  For  me  to  live  is  Christ,  and  to 
 die  is  gain."  "  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."  "  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  consti- 
 tution of  things  in  that  covenant,  do  plainly  show  it 
 to  be  God's  design  to  make  ample  provision  for  the 
 saints  while  upon  earth,  having  an  assured  hope  of  eter- 
 nal life.  For  so  are  all  things  ordered  and  contrived 
 in  that  covenant,  that  every  thing  might  be  made 
 sure  on  God's  part. — "  The  covenant  is  ordered  in 
 all  thhigs  and  sure;"  the  promises  are  most  full;  very 
 often  repeated,  and  various  ways  exhibited;  there  are 
 many  witnesses,  and  many  seals;  and  God  has  con- 
 firmed his  promises  with  an  oath.  And  God's  de- 
 clared design  in  all  this  is,  that  the  heirs  of  the 
 promises  might  have  an  undoubting  hope,  and  full 
 joy,  in  an  assurance  of  their  future  glory.  "  Where- 
 in God,  willing  more  abundantly  to  show  unto  the 
 heirs  of  promise  the  immutability  of  his  counsel, 
 confirmed  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  future 
 glory,   if,  in  ordinary  cases,  their  interest  in  those 
 
189 
 
 sure  promises  was  not  attainable.  For  God's  pro- 
 mises and  oaths,  let  them  be  as  sure  as  they  will, 
 cannot  give  strong  hope  and  comfort  to  any  particular 
 person,  any  farther  than  he  can  know  that  those  pro- 
 mises are  made  to  him.  And  in  vain  is  pro\dsion 
 made  in  Jesus  Christ,  that  behevers  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  at- 
 tainable in  some  very  extraordinary  cases,  but  all 
 Christians  are  directed  to  give  all  diligence  to  make 
 theii'  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  argu- 
 ment of  something  very  blameable  in  them,  not  to 
 know  whether  Christ  be  in  them  or  not:  "  Know  ye 
 not  your  own  selves,  how  that  Jesus  Christ  is  in  you, 
 except  ye  be  reprobates?"  And  it  is  implied,  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 :  "  I 
 therefore  so  run,  as  not  uncertainly."  And  to  add 
 no  more,  it  is  manifest,  that  Christians  knowing  their 
 interests  in  the  saving  benefits  of  Christianity  is  a 
 thing  ordinarily  attainable;  because  the  apostles  tell 
 us  by  what  means  Christians  (and  not  only  apostles 
 and  martyrs)  were  wont  to  know  this:  "  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 
 hereby  we  do  know  that  we  know  him,  if  we  keep 
 his  commandments. — Hereby  know  we  that  we  are 
 
190 
 
 in  him. — We  know  that  we  have  passed  from  death 
 unto  Ufe,  because  we  love  the  brethren, — Hereby  we 
 know  that  we  are  of  the  truth,  and  shall  assure  our 
 hearts  before  him. — 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  af- 
 fections wTong,  because  they  seem  to  be  out  of  doubt 
 of  their  ow^n  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  their  affections  are  attended  with 
 an  exceeding  confidence  that  their  state  is  good,  and 
 their  affections  divine.*  Nothing  can  be  certainly 
 argued  from  their  confidence,  how  great  and  strong 
 soever  it  seems  to  be.  If  w^e  see  a  man  that  boldly 
 calls  God  his   Father,  and  commonly  speaks  in  the 
 
 •  "  O  professor,  look  carefully  to  your  foundation :  be  not  high- 
 minded,  but  fear.  You  have,  it  may  be,  done  and  suflfercd  many 
 things  in  and  for  religion ;  you  have  excellent  gifts  and  sweet 
 comforts;  a  warm  zeal  for  God,  and  high  confidence  in  your  in- 
 tegrity :  all  this  may  be  right,  for  ought  that  I,  or  (it  may  be)  you 
 know ;  but  yet  it  is  possible  it  may  be  false  also.  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,  "  Mene,  Tekel,  Thou  art  weighed 
 in  the  balance,  and  art  found  wanting?"  What  a  confounded 
 man  wilt  thou  be,  under  such  a  sentence !  Q^^ce  splendent  in 
 conspectu  hominis,  sordent  in  conspectu  Judicis ;  things  that  are 
 highly  esteemed  of  men,  are  an  abomination  in  the  sight  of  God  : 
 he  secth  not  as  men  seeth.  Thy  heart  may  be  false,  and  thou 
 not  know  it ;  yea,  it  may  be  false,  and  thou  strongly  confident  of 
 its  integrity." — Flavcl's  Touclistone  of  Sincerity,  chap.  ii.  sect.  5. 
 
 "  Some  hypocrites  are  a  great  deal  more  confident  than  many 
 saints." — Stoddard's  Discourses  on  the  Way  to  know  Sincerity  and 
 Hypocrisy,  p.  128. 
 
191 
 
 most  bold,  familiar,  and  appropriating  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  ex- 
 pressions 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  sure 
 as  if  I  were  there;  I  know  that  God  is  now  manifest- 
 ing 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  athing  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  rio'ht, — such  thincps  are  no  signs 
 at  all  that  it  is  indeed  as  he  is  confident  it  is.*  Such 
 an  overbearing,  high-handed,  and  violent  sort  of  con- 
 fidence as  this,  affecting  to  declare  itself  with  a  most 
 glaring  show  in  the  sight  of  men,  which  is  to  be  seen 
 in  many,  has  not  the  countenance  of  a  true  Christian 
 assurance;  it  savours  more  of  the  spirit  of  the  Phari- 
 sees, 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  u  ptheir  eyes, 
 and  thank  him  for  the  great  distinction  he  had  made 
 
 *  "  Doth  the  work  of  faith  in  some  believers  bear  upon  its  top 
 l)ranches  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  false  assurance  be,  that  they  dare  boldly  venture 
 to  go  to  the  judgment-seat  of  God,  and  there  defend  it.  Doth 
 the  Spirit  of  God  fill  the  heart  of  the  assured  believer  with  joy 
 unspeakable,  and  full  of  glory,  giving  them,  through  faith,  a  pre- 
 li!)ation  or  foretaste  of  heaven  itself,  in  those  first-fruits  of  it? 
 How  near  to  this  comes  what  the  apostle  supposes  may  be  found 
 in  apostates  !" — FlaveVs  Husbandry  S^nritualized,  chap.  xii. 
 
192 
 
 between  them  and  other  men;  and  when  Christ  inti- 
 mated that  they  were  bhnd  and  graceless,  despised 
 the  suggestion:  "  And  some  of  the  Pharisees  which 
 were  with  him,  heard  these  words,  and  said  unto  him, 
 Are  we  Wind  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  confessed  himself  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  reigns  there ;  we  need 
 not  at  all  wonder  that  their  high  opinion  of  themselves, 
 and  confidence  of  their  happy  circumstances,  be  as 
 high  and  strong  as  mountains,  and  as  violent  as  a 
 tempest,  when  once  conscience  is  blinded,  and  con- 
 victions killed,  with  false,  high  affections,  and  those 
 forementioned  principles  let  loose,  fed  up  and  prompted 
 by  false  joys  and  comforts,  excited  by  some  pleasing 
 imaginations,  impressed  by  Satan  transforming  him- 
 self 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  oc- 
 casion of  the  doubting  of  true  saints  ;  as,  j^?-5^,  he  has 
 not  that  cautious  spirit,  that  great  sense  of  the  vast 
 importance  of  a  sure  foundation,  and  that  dread  of 
 beino-  deceived.  The  comforts  of  the  true  saints 
 increase  a  wakening  and  caution,  and  a  lively  sense 
 
193 
 
 how  great  a  thing  it  is  to  appear  before  an  infinitely 
 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  know- 
 ledge of  his  own  blindness,  and  the  dcceitfulness  of 
 his  own  heart,  and  that  mean  opinion  of  his  own  un- 
 derstanding, that  the  true  saint  has.  Those  that  are 
 deluded  with  false  discoveries  and  affections,  are 
 evermore  highly  conceited  of  their  Hght  and  under- 
 standing. 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  a  true  Chris- 
 tian hope,  not  only  because  it  tends  greatly  to  the 
 comfort  of  him  that  hath  it,  but  also  because  it  is  of 
 a  holy,  heavenly  nature,  greatly  tending  to  promote 
 and  cherish  grace  in  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.  A 
 hypocrite  may  retain  his  hope  without  opposition,  as 
 long  as  he  lives,  the  devil  never  disturbing,  nor  at- 
 tempting to  disturb  it.  But  there  is  perhaps  no 
 true  Christian  but  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  most  privileged  disciple  in  this 
 world,  to  be  as  his  Master.  Foitrthly,  He  who  has 
 a  false  hope,  has  not  that  sight  of  his  own  corruptions 
 which  the  saint  has.  A  true  Christian  has  ten  times 
 more  to  do  with  his  heart  and  its  corruptions,  than 
 a  hypocrite :  and  the  sins  of  his  heart  and  practice, 
 appear  to  him  in  their  blackness ;  they  look  dreadful ; 
 I  20 
 
194 
 
 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  corrup- 
 tion, 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  which  are  professed  Arminians,  in 
 the  doctrine  of  justification:  and  the  other,  are  those 
 that  are  deceived  with  false  discoveries  and  elevations ; 
 which  often  cry  down  works,  and  men's  own  righteous- 
 ness, 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  hypocrites ;  and  often  speaks  of  the  latter 
 q,s  the  worst.  And  it  is  evident  that  the  latter  are 
 commonly  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  Scripture,  and  sometimes 
 without,)  that  so  many  of  late  have  had  concerning 
 future  events ;  calling  these  impulses  about  their 
 good  estate,  the  witness  of  the  Spirit ;  entirely  mis- 
 understanding the  nature  of  the  witness  of  the  Spirit, 
 as  I  shall  show  hereafter.  Those  that  have  had 
 visions  and  impulses  about  other  things,  it  has  gen- 
 erally been  to  reveal  such  things  as  they  are  desirous 
 
195 
 
 and  fond  of;  and  no  wonder  that  persons  who  give 
 heed  to  such  things,  have  the  same  sort  of  vision  or 
 impressions  about  their  own  eternal  salvation,  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  favour  with  God,  8cc.  and  especially  when 
 they  earnestly  seek,  expect,  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  revela- 
 tion of  their  good  estate,  it  raises  in  them  the  highest 
 degree  of  confidence  of  it.  It  is  found,  by  abun- 
 dant experience,  that  those  who  are  led  away  by 
 impulses  and  imagined  revelations,  are  extremely 
 confident ;  they  suppose  that  the  great  Jehovah  has 
 declared  such  things  to  them ;  and  having  his  imme- 
 diate 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  sui'e  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  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  several  persons  that  have  had  a  fond 
 desire  of  something  of  a  temporal  nature,  through 
 a  violent  passion  that  has  possessed  them ;  and  they 
 have  been  earnestly  pursuing  the  thing  desired,  and 
 I  2 
 
196 
 
 have  met  with  great  difficulty  and  many  discourage- 
 ments 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  reason  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  Hke 
 delusive  impressions,  and  be  made  confident  of  it,  the 
 same  way. 
 
 The  confidence  of  many  hypocrites,  such  as  Mr. 
 Shepard  calls  evangelical  hypocrites,  is  like  the  con- 
 fidence of  some  mad  men,  who  think  they  are  kings  : 
 they  will  maintain  it  against  all  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  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  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  corrupt  frames 
 and  wicked  ways ;  which  is  a  sure  evidence  of  their 
 delusion.* 
 
 *  Mr.  Shepard  speaks  of  it  as  a  "  presumptuous  peace,  that  is 
 not  interrupted  and  broke  by  evil  works."  And  says,  that  "  the 
 Spirit  will  sigh,  and  not  sing  in  that  bosom,  whence  corrupt  dis- 
 positions 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,  under  pretence  of  trusting  the 
 Lord's  mercy;  yet  they  cannot  avoid  tlie  condemnation  of  the 
 world."— ParaWe  of  the  Ten  Virgins,  Part  I.  p.  139. 
 
 Dr.  Ames  speaks  of  it  as  a  thing  by  which  the  peace  of  a  wicked 
 
197 
 
 And  here  I  cannot  but  observe,  that  there  arc 
 certain  doctrines  often  preached  to  the  people,  which 
 need  to  be  dehvered  with  more  caution  and  explana- 
 tion 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,  namely, 
 a  being  governed  by  a  respect  to  eternal  things,  which 
 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  that 
 looks  over  the  scriptures,  which  speak  of  faith  in  op- 
 position to  siglit.^  But  this  doctrine,  as  it  is  under- 
 stood by  many,  is,  that  Christians  ought  firmly  to  be- 
 lieve and  trust  in  Christ,  without  spiritual  sight  or 
 light,  and  although  they  are  in  a  dark  dead  frame, 
 
 man  may  be  distinguished  from  the  peace  of  a  godly  man,  "  That 
 the  peace  of  a  wicked  man  continues,  whether  he  performs  the 
 duties  of  piety  and  rigliteousness  or  not,  provided  those  crimes 
 are  avoided  that  appear  horrid  to  nature  itself." — Cases  of  Con- 
 science^ Book  III.  Chap.  vii. 
 
 •  2  Cor.  iv.  18.  and  v.  7.    Heb.  xi,  1,  8,  13,  17,  27,  29.    Rom. 
 viii.  21.     John  xx.  29. 
 
198 
 
 and  for  the  present  have  no  spiritual  experiences  or 
 discoveries.  And  it  is  truly  the  duty  of  those  who 
 are  thus  in  darkness,  to  come  out  of  darkness  into 
 light,  and  believe.  But  that  they  should  confidently 
 believe  and  trust,  while  they  yet  remain  without  spi- 
 ritual light  or  sight,  is  an  anti-scriptural  and  absurd 
 doctrine. — The  Scripture  is  ignorant  of  any  such  faith 
 in  Christ  of  the  operation  of  God,  that  is  not  founded 
 in  a  spuitual  sight  of  Christ.  That  believing  on 
 Christ  which  accompanies  a  title  to  everlasting  life, 
 is  a  "  seeing  the  Son,  and  believing  on  him."  True 
 faith  in  Christ  is  never  exercised,  any  further  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."  They  into  whose  minds  "  the 
 light  of  the  glorious  gospel  of  Christ,  who  is  the 
 image  of  God,  does  not  shine,  they  believe  not." 
 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,  with- 
 out any  spiritual  light  or  sight,  tends  greatly  to  help 
 forward  the  delusions  of  the  prince  of  darkness.  Men 
 not  only  cannot  exercise  faith  without  some  spiri- 
 tual light,  but  they  can  exercise  faith  only  just  in  such 
 proportion  as  they  have  spiritual  light.  Men  will 
 trust  in  God  no  farther  than  they  know  him :  and 
 they  cannot  exercise  faith  in  him  one  iota  farther 
 than  they  have  a  sight  of  his  fulness  and  faithful- 
 ness in  exercise.  Nor  can  they  have  the  exercise 
 of  trust  in  God,  any  farther  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 
 
199 
 
 be  the  same  thing  as  coming  out  of  their  bad  frame, 
 and  turning  to  God  :  but  to  exhort  men  confidently 
 to  trust  in  God,  and  so  hold  up  their  hope  and  peace, 
 though  they  are  not  in  a  gracious  frame,  is  the  same 
 thing  in  effect,  as  to  exhort  them  confidentially  to  trust 
 in  God,  but  not  with  a  gracious  trust :  and  what  is 
 that  but  a  wicked  presumption  ?  It  is  just  as  im- 
 possible for  men  to  have  a  strong  or  lively  trust  in 
 God,  when  they  have  no  lively  exercise  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  re- 
 main still  in  darkness,  in  that  sense,  they  ought  to 
 trust  in  God  when  the  aspects  of  his  providence  are 
 dark,  and  look  as  though  God  had  forsaken  them, 
 and  did  not  hear  their  prayers,  and  many  clouds  gather, 
 and  many  enemies  surround  them,  with  a  formidable 
 aspect,  threatening  to  swallow  them  up,  and  all  events 
 of  providence  seem  to  be  against  them,  all  circum- 
 stances seem  to  render  the  promises  of  God  difficult 
 to  be  fulfilled,  and  God  must  be  trusted  out  of  sight, 
 that  is,  when  we  cannot  see  which  way  it  is  possible 
 for  him  to  fulfil  his  word,  and  every  thing  but  God's 
 mere  word  makes  it  look  unhkely,  so  that  if  they  be- 
 lieve, they  must  hope  against  hope.  Thus  the  ancient 
 Patriarchs,  and  Job,  and  the  Psalmist,  and  Jeremiah, 
 Daniel,  Shadrach,  Meshech,  Abednego,  and  the  apos- 
 tle Paul,  gave  glory  to  God  by  trusting  in  God  in 
 darkness.  And  we  have  many  instances  of  such  a 
 glorious  victorious  faith  in  the  eleventh  of  the  He- 
 brews.     But  how  different  a  thing  is  this,  from  trust- 
 
200 
 
 ing  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  in  one  way,  when  it  is  not  in  another; 
 and  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  suffi- 
 ciency and  faithfulness,  and  so  confidently  trust  in 
 him,  and  know  that  they  are  his  children;  and  at  the 
 same  time  not  have  such  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  them  quietly  to  submit  to  him, 
 and  exercise  a  sweet  and  most  encouraging  hope  in 
 God's  fulness,  when  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  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,  beheving  that  they  are  in  a 
 good  estate.  Hence  they  count  it  a  dreadful  sin  for 
 them  to  doubt  of  their  state,  whatever  frames  they 
 are  in,  and  whatever  wicked  things  they  do,  because 
 it  is  the  great  and  heinous  sin  of  unbelief;  and  he  is 
 the  best  man,  and  puts  most  honour  upon  God,  that 
 maintains  his  hope  of  his  good  estate  the  most  con- 
 fidently and  immovcably,  when  he  has  the  least  light 
 or  experience;  that  is  to  say,  when  he  is  in  the  worst 
 and  wickedest  frame :  because,  forsooth,  that  is  a  sign 
 
201 
 
 that  he  is  strong  in  faith,  giving  glory  to  God,  and 
 
 against  hope  beheves  in  hope.     But  out  of  what  Bible 
 
 do  they  learn  this  notion  of  faith,   that  it  is  a  man's 
 
 confidently  believing  that  he  is  in  a  good  estate  ?* 
 
 If  this  be  faith,  the  Pharisees  had  faith  in  an  eminent 
 
 degree,  some  of  which,  Christ  teaches,  committed  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  cannot 
 
 be  the  same  thing  as  believing  that  they  are  already 
 
 in  a  good  estate.      To  suppose  that  faith  consists  in 
 
 believing  that  they  are  in  a  good  estate,  is  in  effect 
 
 the  same  thing,  as  to  suppose  thtit  faith  consists  in  a 
 
 person  believing  that  he  has  faith,  or  in  believing 
 
 that  he  believes. 
 
 Indeed,  persons  doubting  of  their  good  estate,  may 
 in  several  respects  arise  from  unbelief.  It  may  be 
 from  unbelief,  or  because  they  have  so  little  faith, 
 that  they  have  so  little  evidence  of  their  good  estate: 
 if  they  had  more  experience  of  the  actings  of  faith, 
 and  so  more  experience  of  the  exercise  of  grace,  they 
 would  have  clearer  evidence  that  their  state  was  good ; 
 and  their  doubts  would  be  removed.  And  then  their 
 doubting  of  their  state  may  be  from  unbelief;  thus, 
 
 •  "  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  understand  that  the  worlds  were  made  by  the  word 
 of  God.  Faith  is  the  evidence  of  things  not  seen,'  Heb.  xi.  1. 
 Thus  men  know  the  Trinity  of  persons  of  the  Godhead;  that 
 Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God;  that  he  that  believes  in  him  will 
 have  eternal  life ;  tlie  resurrection  of  the  dead.  And  if  God 
 should  tell  a  saint  that  he  hath  grace,  he  might  know  it  by  believ- 
 ing 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  Nature  of  Saving  Conversion^  pp.  83,  Si. 
 
 I  3 
 
202 
 
 though  there  be  many  things  that  are  good  evidences 
 of  a  work  of  grace  in  them,  yet  they  doubt  very  much 
 whether  they  are  really  in  a  state  of  favour  with  God, 
 because  they  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  sufficient  sense  of,  and  reliance  on  the  in- 
 finite 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  any  interest  in  the  promises,  because  the  pro- 
 mises, from  the  aspect  of  providence,  appear  so  unlikely 
 to  be  fulfilled, — the  difficulties  that  are  in  the  way 
 are  so  many  and  great.      Such  doubting  arises  from 
 want  of  dependence  upon  God's  almighty  power,  and 
 his  knowledge  and  wisdom,  as  infinitely  above  theirs. 
 But  yet,  their  unbelief,   and  their  doubting  of  their 
 state,  are  not  the  same  thing ;  though  the  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  exercises  and  ex- 
 periences of  it,  to  be  an  evidence  to  them  of  the 
 goodness  of  their  state:  men  are  doubtless  to  blame 
 for  being  in  a  dead  carnal  frame;  but  when  they  are 
 in  such  a  frame,  and  have  no  sensible  experience  of 
 the  exercises  of  grace,  but,  on  the  contrary,  are  much 
 under  the  prevalence  of  their  lusts  and  an  unchristian 
 spirit,  thev  are  not  to  blame  for  doubting  of  their 
 
203 
 
 state.  It  is  as  impossible,  in  the  nature  of  things, 
 that  a  holy  and  Christian  hope  should  be  kept  alive, 
 in  its  clearness  and  strength,  in  such  circumstances, 
 as  it  is  to  keep  the  Hght  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  ex- 
 periences, when  darkened  by  present  prevailing  lust 
 and  corruption,  will  never  keep  alive  a  gracious  confi- 
 dence and  assurance ;  but  that  sickens  and  decays  as 
 necessarily  as  a  little  child  by  repeated  blows  on  the 
 head  with  a  hammer.  Nor  is  it  at  all  to  be  lamented, 
 that  persons  doubt  of  their  state  in  such  circumstances ; 
 on  the  contrary,  it  is  desirable  and  every  way  best 
 that  they  should.  It  is  agreeable  to  that  wise  and 
 merciful  constitution  of  thino-s  which  God  hath  estab- 
 lished,  that  it  should  be  so.  For  so  hath  God  con- 
 trived 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  it  to  restrain  them 
 from  sin,  and  to  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 
 should  vanish,  and  be  driven  away;  for  then  they 
 need  it  not,  ha\ing  a  higher  and  more  excellent  prin- 
 ciple 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  one  of  these 
 two,  fear  or  love;  and  therefore,  if  one  of  these 
 should  not  prevail  as  the  other  decayed,  God's  people, 
 when  fallen  into  dead  and  carnal  frames,  when  love 
 
204. 
 
 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  unavoidably  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  aleep,  and  lust  prevails, 
 the  light  and  joy  of  hope  goes  out,  and  dark  fear  and 
 doubting  arises ;  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  it.  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 
 principle :  and  so  on  the  contrary.  And  if  it  be  so 
 that  love,  or  the  spirit  of  adoption,  be  carried  to  a 
 great  height,  it  quite  drives  away  all  fear,  and  gives- 
 full  assurance.  Agreeable  to  that  of  the  apostle, 
 "  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  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  dis- 
 temper of  melancholy,  doctrhial  ignorance,  prejudices 
 of  education,  wrong  instruction,  false  principles,  pe- 
 culiar temptations,  &c. 
 
 Fear  is  cast  out  by  the  Spirit  of  God  no  other 
 way  than  by  the  prevailing  of  love;  nor  is  it  ever 
 
205 
 
 maintained  by  his  Spirit,  but  when  love  is  asleep. 
 At  such  a  time,  in  vain  is  all  the  saint's  self-examina- 
 tions, and  poring  on  past  experience,  in  order  to  estab- 
 lish 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,  directly  thwart  God's  wise  and 
 gracious  constitution  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  unbehef  And  it  has  a  direct 
 tendency  to  establish  the  most  presumptuous  hypo- 
 crites, and  to  prevent  their  ever  calling  their  state  in 
 question,  how  much  soever  wickedness  rages,  and 
 reigns  in  their  hearts,  and  prevails  in  their  Hves; 
 under  a  notion  of  honouring  God,  by  hoping  against 
 hope,  and  confidently  trusting  in  God,  when  things 
 look  very  dark.  And,  doubtless,  vast  has  been  the 
 mischief  that  has  been  done  this  way. 
 
 Persons  cannot  be  said  to  forsake  Christ,  and  live 
 on  their  experiences  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  hve  upon  their  experiences,  when  they  make 
 a  righteousness  of  them;  and,  instead  of  keeping  their 
 eye  on  God's  glory  and  Christ's  excellency,  they  turn 
 their  eyes  off  these  objects  without  them,  on  to  them- 
 selves, to   entertain  their  minds,  by    viewing  their 
 
206 
 
 own  attainments,  and  high  experiences,  and  the  great 
 things  they  have  met  with;  and  are  bright  and  beau- 
 tiful in  their  own  eyes,  and  are  rich  and  increased 
 with  goods  in  their  own  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  re- 
 ligion. But  this  is  a  far  different  thing  from  a  mere 
 improving  experiences,  as  evidences  of  an  interest  in 
 a  glorious  Redeemer. 
 
 But  to  return  from  this  digression,  I  would  men- 
 tion one  thing  more  under  the  general  head  that  1 
 am  upon. 
 
 CHAPTER  XII. 
 
 Nothing  can  he  certainly  concluded  concerning  the 
 nature  of  Religious  Affections  from  this,  that  the 
 outward  manifestations  of  them,  and  the  relation 
 persons  give  of  them,  are  very  affecting  and  plea- 
 sing to  the  truly  godly,  and  such  as  greatly  gain 
 their  charity,  and  win  their  hearts. 
 
 The  true  saints  have  not  such  a  spirit  of  discern- 
 ing, that  they  can  certainly  determine  who  are  godly, 
 and  who  are  not.  For  though  they  know  experi- 
 mentally what  true  religion  is,  in  the  internal  exer- 
 cises of  it;  yet  these  are  what  they  can  neither  feel 
 
207 
 
 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:   "  The  Lord  seeth  not  as  man  seeth; 
 
 for  man  looketh  on  the  outward  appearance,  but  the 
 
 Lord  looketh  on  the  heart."      "  He  shall  not  judge 
 
 after  the  sight  of  his  eyes,  neither  reprove  after  the 
 
 hearing  of  his  ears."f      They  commonly  are  but  poor 
 
 judges,  and  dangerous  counsellors  in  soul  cases,  who 
 
 are  quick  and  peremptory  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. 
 
 They  betray  one  of  these  three  things :  either  that 
 
 they  have  had  but  little  experience ;  or  are  persons  of 
 
 a  weak  judgment ;  or  that  they  have  a  great  degree 
 
 of  pride  and  self-confidence,  and  so  ignorant  of  them- 
 
 •  "  Men  may  have  the  knowledge  of  their  own  conversion  :  the 
 knowledge  that  other  men  have  of  it  is  uncertain,  because  no  man 
 can  look  into  the  heart  of  another,  and  see  the  workings  of  grace 
 there." — Stoddard's  Nature  of  Saving  Conversion,  Chap,  xv,  at  the 
 beginning. 
 
 f  *'  Mr.  Stoddard  observes,  that  "  all  visible  signs  are  common 
 to  converted  and  unconverted  men  ;  and  a  relation  of  experiences 
 among  the  rest." — Appeal  to  the  Learned,  p.  75. 
 
 "  O  how  hard  is  it  for  the  eye  of  man  to  discern  betwixt  chaff 
 and  wheat,  and  how  many  upright  hearts  are  now  censured  whom 
 God  will  clear  I  how  many  false  hearts  are  now  approved  whom 
 God  will  condemn !  Men  ordinarily  have  no  convictive  proofs, 
 but  only  probable  symptoms ;  which  at  most  beget  but  a  conjec- 
 tural knowledge  of  another's  state.  And  they  that  shall  peremp- 
 torily judge  either  way,  may  possibly  wrong  the  generation  of  the 
 upright,  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  so  frequently  made  in  this  matter." — 
 Flavel's  Husbandry  Spiritualized,  Chap.  xii. 
 
208 
 
 selves.     Wise  and  experienced  men  will  proceed  with 
 great  caution  in  such  an  afFair. 
 
 Wlien  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  the  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  nothing.*  And  this  we  need  not 
 wonder  at,  if  we  consider  what  things  it  has  been 
 shown,  may  appear  in  men  who  are  altogether  grace- 
 less. 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 
 
 *  "  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  think  that  the  elect  shall  fall.  Truly  some  are 
 such,  that  when  they  fall,  one  might  think  a  man  truly  sanctified 
 might  fall  away,  as  the  Arminians  think:  1  John  ii.  19.  '  They 
 were  not  of  us.'  I  speak  this,  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  thought  it?  The  Lord,  who  delights 
 to  manifest  that  openly  which  was  hid  secretly,  sends  a  sword, 
 and  they  {nW'—S/icpard's  Parab.  Part  I.  p.  118. 
 
 "  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  Nathanael,  and  God  may  say,  There  is 
 a  self-cozening  Pharisee.  Reader,  thou  hast  heard  of  Judas  and 
 Demas,  of  Ananias  and  Sapphira,  of  Hymeneus  and  Philetus,  • 
 once  renowned  and  famous  professors,  and  thou  hast  heard  how  they 
 proved  at  last." — FlaveVs  Touchstone  of  Sinceriii/,  Chap.  ii.  sect.  5. 
 
209 
 
 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  the  in- 
 terest of  religion  and  the  good  of  souls.  And  these 
 aflPections  may  come  after  great  awakenings  and  con- 
 victions of  conscience ;  and  there  may  be  great  ap- 
 pearances 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  order  that 
 is  commonly  observable  in  the  holy  affections  of  true 
 converts.  And  these  religious  afiPections  may  be  car- 
 ried to  a  great  height,  and  may  cause  abundance  of 
 tears,  yea,  may  overcome  the  nature  of  those  who  are 
 the  subjects  of  them,  and  may  make  them  affection- 
 ate, 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  extolhng 
 free  grace.  And  may,  moreover,  dispose  them  to 
 abound  in  the  external  duties  of  religion,  such  as 
 prayer,  hearing  the  word  preached,  singing,  and  re- 
 ligious conference ;  and  these  things,  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  com- 
 
no 
 
 mon  influences  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,  and  a  good 
 doctrinal  knowledge  of  religion,  and  a  long  acquain- 
 tance with  the  saints'  way  of  talking,  and  of  express- 
 ing their  affections  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  out- 
 ward expressions  and  appearances  between  a  hypo- 
 crite 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-ex- 
 altation and  arrogance  is  it,  in  poor,  fallible,  dark 
 mortals,  to  pretend  that  they  can  determine  and  know, 
 who  are  really  sincere  and  upright  before  God,  and 
 who  are  not ! 
 
 Many  seem  to  lay  great  weight  on  that,  and  to 
 suppose  it  to  be  what  may  determine  them  with  re- 
 spect 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  a  manner,  that  they  feel  their 
 talk ;  that  is  to  say,  when  their  talk  seems  to  harmo- 
 nize with  their  own  experience,  and  their  hearts  are 
 touched,  and  affected,  and  delighted,  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 
 
211 
 
 many  imagine.  A  true  saint  greatly  delights  in  ho- 
 liness :  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,  appears 
 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  plea- 
 sing appearances  have  any  thing  real  to  answer  them 
 or  not.  And  if  he  uses  the  same  words  which  are 
 commonly  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  hears  him,  and  also  speaks 
 freely  and  boldly,  and  with  an  air  of  assurance ;  no 
 wonder  that  the  other  thinks  his  experiences  harmo- 
 nize 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 
 naturally  have  a  powerful  influence  to  affect  and  draw 
 his  hearer's  heart,  and  open  wide  the  doors  of  his 
 charity  towards  him.  David  speaks  as  one  who  had 
 felt  Ahithophel's  talk,  and  had  once  a  sweet  savour 
 and  relish  of  it ;  and  therefore,  exceedingly  great  was 
 his  surprise  and  disappointment  when  he  fell;  it  was 
 almost  too  much  for  him  :  "  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  together,  and  walked  unto  the 
 house  of  God  in  company." 
 
212 
 
 It  is  with  professors  of  religion,  especially  such 
 as  become  so  in  a  time  of  out-pouring  of  the  Spirit 
 of  God,  as  it  is  with  the  blossoms  in  the  spring:* 
 there  are  vast  numbers  of  them  upon  the  trees,  which 
 all  look  fair  and  promising;  but  yet  very  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  a  while  look  as  beautiful 
 and  gay  as  others  :  and  not  only  so,  but  smell  sweet, 
 and  send  forth  a  pleasant  odour ;  so  that  we  cannot, 
 by  any  of  our  senses,  certainly  distinguish  those  blos- 
 soms which  have  in  them  that  secret  virtue  which 
 will  afterwards  appear  in  the  fruit,  and  that  inward 
 soHdity  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  afterwards,  and  not  the  beautiful 
 colours  and  smell  of  the  blossom,  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  their  talk,  and  imagine  they  per- 
 ceive a  divine  savour  in  it;  and  yet  all  may  come  to 
 nothing. 
 
 It  is  strange  how  hardly  men  arc  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 
 
 ♦  A  time  of  out-pouring  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  reviving  religion, 
 and  producing  the  pleasant  appearances  of  it  in  new  converts, 
 is  in  Scripture  compared  to  this  very  thing,  namely,  the  spring 
 season,  when  the  benign  influences  of  the  heavens  cause  the  blos- 
 soms to  put  forth.      Cant.  ii.  11,  1"^. 
 
213 
 
 Christ  ever  delivered  more  plainly,  than  the  rules 
 he  has  given  us  to  guide  us  in  our  judging  of  others' 
 sincerity;  namely,  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  distinguishing  and  certain.  And  woful  have 
 been  the  mischievous  consequences  of  this  arroorant 
 setting  up  men's  wisdom  above  the  wisdom  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  appeared,  and  do  now  appear, 
 may  con\ince  that  ordinarily  those  who  have  been 
 most  highly  conceited  of  their  faculty  of  discerning, 
 and  have  appeared  most  forward,  peremptorily  and 
 suddenly  to  determine  the  state  of  men's  souls,  have 
 been  hypocrites,  who  have  known  nothing  of  true 
 religion. 
 
 In  the  parable  of  the  wheat  and  tares,  it  is  said, 
 "  Wlien  the  blade  was  sprung  up,  and  brought  forth 
 fruit,  then  appeared  the  tares  also ;"  as  though  the 
 tares  were  not  discerned,  nor  distinguishable  from 
 the  wheat,  until  then,  as  Mr.  Flavel  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  distinguish  them."  And  then,  Mr. 
 Flavel  adds,  "  How  difficult  soever  it  be  to  discern 
 the  difference  between  wheat  and  tares;  yet,  doubt- 
 less, the  eye  of  sense  can  much  easier  discriminate 
 them,  than  the  most  quick  and  piercing  eye  of  man 
 can  discern  the  difference  between  special  and  com- 
 
214 
 
 mon  grace.  For  all  saving  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  of  the  fruit  which  distinguishes 
 the  wheat  from  the  tares,  so  this  is  the  true  Shib- 
 boleth, 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  Shibboleth,  signifies  an  ear  of  corn. 
 And  perhaps  the  more  full  pronunciation  of  Jeph- 
 thah's  friends,  Shibboleth,  may  represent  a  fuU  ear, 
 with  fruit  in  it,  typifying  the  fruits  of  the  friends  of 
 Christ,  the  antitype  of  Jephthah ;  and  the  more  lean 
 pronunciation  of  the  Ephramites,  his  enemies,  may 
 represent  their  empty  ears,  typifying  the  show  of  re- 
 ligion in  hypocrites,  without  substance  and  fruit. 
 This  is  agreeable  to  the  doctrine  we  are  abundantly 
 taught  in  Scripture ;  namely,  that  he  who  is  set  to 
 judge  those  who  pass  through  death,  whether  they 
 have  a  right  to  enter  into  the  heavenly  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  impossible  for  the  priest  to  de- 
 termine 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  persons  who  showed  himself  to  him,  one 
 
215 
 
 seven  days  after  another;  and  when  he  judged,  he 
 was  to  determine  by  the  hah*  which  grew  out  of  the 
 spot  which  was  shown  him;  which  was,  as  it  were, 
 the  fruit  that  it  brought  forth. 
 
 And  here,  before  I  finish  what  I  have  to  say  un- 
 der this  head,  I  would  say  something  to  a  strange 
 notion  some  have  of  late  been  led  away  with,  of  cer- 
 tainly 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  ex- 
 traordinary manner.  They  argue  thus  :  That  their 
 love  being  very  sensible  and  great,  it  may  be  cer- 
 tainly known  by  them  who  feel  it,  to  be  a  true  Chris- 
 tian love ;  and  if  it  be  a  true  Christian  love,  the 
 Spirit  of  God  must  be  the  author  of  it :  and  inas- 
 much as  the  Spirit  of  God,  who  knows  certainly  whe- 
 ther 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  ex- 
 traordinary manner,  towards  such  a  person,  as  a  child 
 of  God ;  it  must  needs  be,  that  this  infallible  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  con- 
 sider whether  or  not  it  be  their  duty,  and  what  God 
 requires  of  them,  to  love  those  as  the  children  of 
 God,  who  think  they  are  the  children  of  God,  and 
 whom  they  have  no  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  chil- 
 dren. 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, 
 
216 
 
 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  ob- 
 ject to  be  a  child  of  God.      But  then  I  would  ask 
 them,  whether  or  not  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  their  sight,  knows  them  not 
 to  be  so.      It  is  men's  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  ut- 
 most capacity  of  our  nature,  so  it  is  our  duty  to  love 
 those  who  we  think  are  so  near  and  dear  to  him  as 
 his  members,  with  an  exceedingly  dear  affection,  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  frayers,  and  enable  us  to  do  our  duty,  in 
 a  particular  instance,  without  lying  ?      If  he  cannot, 
 then  the  Spirit  of  God  is  bound  not  to  help  his  peo- 
 ple to  do  their  duty  in  some  instances,  because  he 
 cannot   do  it  without  being  a  Spirit  of  falsehood. 
 But  surely  God  is  so  sovereign,  that  he  may  enable 
 us  to  do  our  duty  when  he  pleases,  and  on  what  oc- 
 casion 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, 
 
217 
 
 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  do  their  duty,  and  to  keep 
 them  from  that  dreadful  infinite  evil,  sin.  And  will 
 they  say  God  shall  not  show  them  that  mercy  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  extraorchnary  manner,  all  escaped  the 
 flames ;  and  every  thing  in  the  circumstances  of  the 
 story,  as  I  hear  it,  makes  it  appear  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 
 indeed  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  exceedingly  manifest,  that  error  or  mistake 
 may  be  the  occasion  of  a  gracious  exercise,  and  con- 
 sequently a  gracious  influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God. 
 *'  He  that  eateth,  eateth  to  the  Lord,  for  he  giveth 
 God  thanks ;  and  he  that  eateth  not,  to  the  Lord 
 he  eateth  not,  and  giveth  God  thanks  !"  The  apos- 
 tle 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 
 occasioned,  both  by  an  erroneous  judgment  and  prac- 
 tice. And  consequently,  an  error  may  be  the  occa- 
 sion of  those  truly  holy  exercises  that  are  from  the 
 infallible  Spiiit  of  God.  And  if  so,  it  is  certainly 
 K  20 
 
218 
 
 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 
 hy  love  flowing  out,  is  not  only  not  founded  on  rea- 
 son or  Scripture,  but  it  is  anti-scriptural,  it  is  against 
 the  rules  of  Scripture,  which  say  not  a  word  of  any 
 such  way  of  judging  the  state  of  others  as  this,  but 
 direct  us  to  judge  chiefly  by  the  fruits  that  are  seen 
 in  them.      And  it  is  against  the  doctrines  of  Scrip- 
 ture, which  do  plainly  teach  us,   that  the  state  of 
 others'  souls  towards  God  cannot  be  known  by  us  : 
 "  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 
 knoweth  saving  he  that  receiveth  it."      "  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  insuffi- 
 ciency 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, 
 "  Therefore  judge  nothing  before  the   time,   until 
 the  Lord  come,  who  both  will  bring  to  light  the  hid- 
 den things  of  darkness,  and  will  make  manifest  the 
 counsels  of  the  hearts ;   and  then  shall  every  man 
 have  praise  of  God."      The  apostle,  in  the  two  fore- 
 going verses,   (1  Cor.  iv.  3,   4.)   says,   "  But  with 
 
219 
 
 mc  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  judgeth  me 
 is  the  Lord."  And  again,  it  is  further  confirmed, 
 because  the  apostle,  in  his  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  dis- 
 cerning, and  that  they  knew  God's  will,  and  ap- 
 proved the  things  which  were  excellent,  (or,  tried 
 the  things  that  differ,  as  it  is  in  the  margin)  ;  and 
 were  confident  that  they  were  guides  of  the  blind, 
 and  a  light  to  them  which  are  in  darkness,  instruc- 
 tors of  the  foolish,  teachers  of  babes ;  and  so  took 
 upon  them  to  judge  others. 
 
 And  how  arrogant  must  the  notion  be,  which  they 
 have,  who  imagine  they  can  certainly  know  others' 
 godliness,  when  that  great  apostle  Peter  pretends 
 not  to  say  any  more  concerning  Silvanus,  than  that 
 he  was  a  faithful  brother,  as  he  supposed?  though 
 this  Silvanus  appears  to  have  been  a  very  eminent 
 minister  of  Christ,  and  an  evangelist,  and  a  famous 
 light  in  God's  church  at  that  day,  and  an  intimate 
 companion  of  the  apostles. — See  2  Cor.i.  19.  1  Thess. 
 i.  1.  and  2  Thess.  i.  1. 
 
 k2 
 
PART  III. 
 
 SHOWING  WHAT  ARE  DISTINGUISHING  SIGNS  OF 
 TRULY  GRACIOUS  AND  HOLY  AFFECTIONS. 
 
TREATISE 
 
 CONCERNLVG 
 
 RELIGIOUS  AFFECTIONS, 
 
 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  reHgious  affections,  which  was  proposed, — 
 namely.  To  take  notice  of  some  things,  wherein  those 
 affections  that  are  spiritual  and  gracious  do  differ  from 
 those  that  are  not  so. 
 
 But  before  I  proceed  directly  to  the  distinguishing 
 characters,  I  would  previously  mention  some  things 
 which  I  desire  may  be  observed,  concerning  the  marks 
 I  shall  lay  down. 
 
 1.  I  am  far  from  undertaking  to  give  such  signs 
 of  gracious  affections,  as  shall  be  sufficient  to  enable 
 any  certainly  to  distinguish  true  affections  from  false 
 in  others ;  or  to  determine  positively  which  of  their 
 neighbours  are  true  professors,  and  which  are  hypo- 
 crites. In  so  doing,  I  should  be  guilty  of  that  arro- 
 gance 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,  witli 
 
Q24f 
 
 whom  they  are  concerned,  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  re- 
 ligion ;  and  though  it  be  also  beyond  doubt,  that  the 
 Scriptures  do  abound  with  rules,  which  may  be  very 
 serviceable  to  ministers,  in  counselling  and  conduct- 
 ing souls  committed  to  their  care,  in  things  apper- 
 taining 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  reserve 
 this  to  himself,  as  his  prerogative.  And  therefore 
 no  such  distinguishing  signs  as  shall  enable  Chris- 
 tians or  ministers  to  do  this,  are  ever  to  be  expected 
 to  the  world's  end :  for  no  more  is  ever  to  be  expected 
 from  any  signs  that  are  to  be  found  in  the  word  of 
 God,  than  Christ  designed  them  for. 
 
 2.  No  such  things  are  to  be  expected,  as  shall  be 
 sufficient  to  enable  those  saints  certainly  to  discern 
 their  own  good  estate,  who  are  very  low  in  grace,  or 
 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  already  ob- 
 served,) that  such  should  know  their  good  estate  : 
 nor  is  it  desirable  that  they  should ;  but,  on  the  con- 
 trary, every  way  best  that  they  should  not ;  and  we 
 have  reason  to  bless  God,  that  he  has  made  no  pro- 
 vision that  such  should  certainly  know  the  state  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 
 
^25 
 
 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,  cannot  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. 
 
 1st,  A  defect  in  the  object,  or  the  qualification  to 
 be  viewed  and  examined.  I  do  not  mean  an  essen- 
 tial defect,  because  I  suppose  the  person  to  be  a  real 
 saint ;  but  a  defect  in  degree  :  grace  being  very  small, 
 cannot  be  clearly  and  certainly  discerned  and  distin- 
 guished. 
 
 Things  that  are  very  small,  we  cannot  clearly  dis- 
 cern their  form,  or  distinguish  them  one  from  an- 
 other ;  though  in  themselves  their  form  may  be  very 
 different.  There  is  doubtless  a  great  difference  be- 
 tween the  body  of  man  and  the  bodies  of  other  ani- 
 mals, 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  difference  becomes  very 
 plain.  The  difference  between  creatures  of  very 
 contrary  qualities,  is  not  so  plainly  to  be  seen  while 
 they  are  very  young,  as  in  their  more  perfect  state. 
 The  difference  between  doves  and  ravens,  or  doves 
 k3 
 
/ 
 
 226 
 
 and  vultures,  when  they  first  come  out  of  the  egg, 
 is  not  so  evident ;  but  as  they  grow  to  their  perfec- 
 tion, it  is  exceedingly  great  and  manifest.  Another 
 defect  attending  the  grace  of  those  I  am  speaking  of, 
 is  its  being  mingled  with  so  much  corruption,  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  an- 
 other ;  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  difference.  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. 
 
 2d,  There  is  in  such  a  case  a  defect  in  the  eye. 
 As  the  feebleness  of  grace  and  prevalence  of  corrup- 
 tion obscures  the  object,  so  it  enfeebles  the  sight : 
 it  darkens  the  sight  as  to  spiritual  objects,  of  which 
 grace  is  one.  Sin  is  like  some  distempers  of  the 
 eyes,  that  make  things  to  appear  of  different  colours 
 from  those  which  properly  belong  to  them,  and  like 
 many  other  distempers,  that  put  the  mouth  out  of 
 taste,  so  as  to  disenable  from  distinguishing  good  and 
 wholesome  food  from  bad,  and  makes  every  thing 
 taste  bitter.  Men  in  a  corrupt  and  carnal  frame, 
 have  their  spiritual  senses  in  but  poor  plight  for 
 judging  and  distinguishing  spiritual  things. 
 
 For  these  reasons,  no  signs  that  can  be  given,  will 
 actually  satisfy  persons  in  such  a  case :  let  the  signs 
 that  arc  given  be  ever  so  good  and  infallible,  and 
 
2^7 
 
 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  distinguish  them,  because  he  is  in 
 the  dark.  And  therefore,  many  persons  in  such  a 
 case  spend  time  in  a  fruitless  labour,  in  poring  on 
 past  experiences,  and  examining  themselves  by  signs 
 they  hear  laid  down  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 ;  which  while 
 they  neglect,  all  their  self-examinations  are  in  vain. 
 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-examination  be  a  duty  of  great  use  and  impor- 
 tance, and  by  no  means  to  be  neglected;  yet  it  is  not 
 the  principal  means  by  which  the  saints  get  satisfac- 
 tion of  their  good  estate.  Assurance  is  not  to  be 
 obtained  so  much  by  self-examination,  as  by  actioju 
 The  apostle  Paul  sought  assurance  chiefly  this  way, 
 even  by  "  forgetting  the  things  that  were  behind^ 
 and  reaching  forth  unto  those  things  that  were  be- 
 fore, 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 :  "  I  therefore  so  run  as  not  uncertainly." 
 He  obtained  assurance  of  winning  the  prize,  more  by 
 
228 
 
 running  than  by  considering.  The  swiftness  of  his 
 pace,  did  more  towards  his  assurance  of  a  conquest, 
 than  the  strictness  of  his  examination.  Giving  all 
 diligence  to  grow  in  grace,  by  adding  to  faith  virtue, 
 &c.  is  the  direction  that  the  apostle  Peter  gives  us, 
 for  "  making  our  calhng  and  election  sure,  and  hav- 
 ing an  entrance  ministered  unto  us  abundantly,  into 
 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  cannot  plainly  see  things 
 past  or  to  come,  either  the  forgiveness  of  our  sins 
 past,  or  our  heavenly  inheritance  that  is  future  and 
 far  off.* 
 
 Therefore,  though  good  rules  to  distinguish  true 
 grace  from  counterfeit,  may  tend  to  convince  hypo- 
 crites, and,  in  many  respects,  be  of  great  use  to  the 
 saints ;  and  may  be  very  useful  to  them  to  remove 
 many  needless  scruples,  and  establish  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  from  supposing  they  should  be  the  principal 
 means  of  their  satisfaction. 
 
 3.  Nor  is  there  much  encouragement,  in  the  ex- 
 perience of  present  or  past  times,  to  lay  down  rules 
 or  marks  to  distinguish  between  true  and  false  affec- 
 
 *  "  The  vvay  to  know  your  godliness,  is  to  renew  the  visible 
 exercises  of  grace. — The  more  the  visible  exercises  of  grace  are 
 renewed,  the  more  certain  you  will  be.  The  more  frequently 
 these  actings  are  renewed,  the  more  abiding  and  confirmed  your 
 assurance  will  be.  The  more  men's  grace  is  multiplied,  the 
 more  their  peace  is  multiplied:  '  Grace  and  peace  l)e  multiplied 
 unto  you  through  the  knowledge  of  God,  and  of  Jesus  Christ  our 
 Lord.'" — Stoddard's  Way  to  know  Sincerity  and  Hypocrisy,  pp. 
 139,  U2. 
 
229 
 
 tions,  in  hopes  of  convincing  any  considerable  number 
 of  such  hypocrites,  as  have  been  deceived  with  great 
 false  discoveries  and  affections,  and  are  once  settled 
 in  a  false  confidence,  and  high  conceit  of  their  own 
 supposed  great  experiences  and  privileges.  Such 
 hypocrites  are  so  conceited  of  their  own  wisdom,  and 
 so  blinded  and  hardened  with  a  very  great  self-righ- 
 teousness, (but  very  subtle  and  secret,  under  the  dis- 
 guise of  great  humility,)  and  so  invincible  a  fondness 
 of  their  pleasing  conceit,  of  their  great  exaltation, 
 that  it  usually  signifies  nothing  at  all  to  lay  before 
 them  the  most  convincing  evidences  of  their  hypo- 
 crisy. Their  state  is  indeed  deplorable,  and  next  to 
 those  that  have  committed  the  unpardonable  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  of  good  rules  may  be  a 
 means  of  preventing  such  hypocrites,  and  of  convinc- 
 ing other  kinds  of  hypocrites :  and  God  is  able  to 
 convince  even  this  kind,  and  his  grace  is  not  to  be 
 limited,  nor  means  to  be  neglected.  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  rehgion  becoming  more  pure, 
 and  like  gold  tried  in  the  fire. 
 
 Having  premised  these  things,  I  now  proceed  di- 
 rectly to  take  notice  of  those  things  in  which  true 
 rehgious  affections  are  distinguished  from  false. 
 
230 
 
 CHAPTER  I. 
 
 Affections  that  are  truly  Sjnritual  and  Gracious,  arise 
 from  those  Irifluences  and  Operations  on  the  Heart, 
 lohich  are  Spiritual,  Supernatural,  and  Divine. 
 
 I  WILL  explain  what  I  mean  by  these  terms, 
 whence  will  appear  their  use  to  distinguish  between 
 those  affections  which  are  spiritual,  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  to  one  another : 
 "  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  spiri- 
 tually discerned.  But  he  that  is  spiritual  judgeth  all 
 things."  The  scripture  explains  itself  to  mean  an 
 ungodly  man,  or  one  that  has  no  grace,  by  a  "  natural 
 man  :"  thus  the  apostle  Jude,  speaking  of  certain  un- 
 godly men,  that  had  crept  in  unawares  among  the 
 saints,  says,  "  These  are  sensual,  having  not  the 
 Spirit."  This  the  apostle  gives  as  a  reason  why 
 they  behaved  themselves  in  such  a  wicked  manner  as 
 
231 
 
 he  had  described.  Here  the  word  translated  sensual, 
 in  the  original  is  -ipvy^i/cot ;  which  is  the  very  same, 
 which,  in  those  verses  in  1  Cor.  ii.,  is  translated  na- 
 tural. 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  connection 
 plainly  shows  mean  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;"  that  is,  as  in  a  great  measure 
 unsanctified.  That  by  carnal  the  apostle  means  cor- 
 rupt and  unsanctified,  is  abundantly  evident,  by 
 Rom.  vii.  25.  and  viii.  1,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8,  9,  12,  13. 
 Gal.  V.  16.  to  the  end.  Col.  ii.  18.  Now,  there- 
 fore, if  by  natural  and  carnal,  in  these  texts,  he  in- 
 tended unsanctified,  then  doubtless  by  spiritual,  which 
 is  opposed  thereto,  is  meant  sanctified  and  gracious. 
 
 And  as  the  saints  are  called  spiritual  in  Scripture, 
 so  we  also  find  that  there  are  certain  properties, 
 quahties,  and  principles,  that  have  the  same  epithet 
 given  them.  So  we  read  of  a  "  spiritual  mind,"  and 
 of  "  spiritual  wisdom,"  and  of  "  spiritual  blessings." 
 
 Now  it  may  be  observed,  that  the  epithet  "  spi- 
 ritual," in  these  and  other  parallel  texts  of  the  New 
 Testament,  is  not  used  to  signify  any  relation  of  per- 
 sons or  things  to  the  spirit  or  soul  of  man,  as  the  spi- 
 ritual part  of  man  in  opposition  to  the  body,  which  is 
 the  material  part.  Quahties  are  not  said  to  be  spi- 
 ritual, because  they  have  their  seat  in  the  soul,  and 
 not  in  the  body ;  for  there  are  some  properties  that 
 the  Scripture  calls  carnal,  or  fleshly,  which  have  their 
 seat  as  much  in  the  soul,  as  those  properties  that  are 
 called  spiritual      Thus  it  is  with  pride   and   self- 
 
232 
 
 righteousness,  and  a  man  trusting  to  his  own  wisdom, 
 which  the  apostle  calls  fleshly.  Nor  are  things 
 called  spiritual,  because  they  are  conversant  about 
 those  things  that  are  immaterial,  and  not  corporeal. 
 For  so  was  the  wisdom  of  the  wise  men,  and  princes 
 of  this  world,  conversant  about  spirits,  and  immaterial 
 beings;  which  yet  the  apostle  speaks  of  as  natural 
 men,  totally  ignorant  of  those  things  that  are  spirit- 
 ual. But  it  is  with  relation  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  or 
 Spirit  of  God,  that  persons  or  things  are  termed  spi- 
 ritual in  the  New  Testament. — Spirit,  as  the  word 
 is  used  to  signify  the  third  person  in  the  Trinity,  is 
 the  substantive,  of  which  is  formed  the  adjective 
 spiritual,  in  the  holy  Scriptures.  Thus  Christians 
 are  called  spiritual  persons,  because  they  are  born  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:  "  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  the  Spirit  of  God."  Here  the  apostle 
 himself  expressly  signifies,  that  by  spiritual  things, 
 he  means  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  things 
 which  the  Holy  Ghost  teacheth.  The  same  is  yet 
 more  abundantly  apparent  by  viewing  the  whole  con- 
 texts. Again,  "  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,  and  shows 
 that  by  being  spiritually  minded,  he  means  a  having 
 the  indwelling  and  holy  influences  of  the  Spirit  of 
 
^33 
 
 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  evidence  there  is  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  khid  of  in- 
 fluence of  the  Spii-it  of  God,  are  ordinarily  called 
 spiritual  in  the  New  Testament.  They  who  have 
 only  the  common  influences  of  God's  Spirit,  are  not 
 so  called  in  the  places  cited  above,  but  only  those  who 
 have  special,  gracious,  and  saving  influences  of  God's 
 Spirit;  as  is  evident,  because  it  has  been  aheady 
 proved,  that  by  spiritual  men  is  meant  godly  men, 
 in  opposition  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  extraorcUnary  gifts  of  the  Spirit,  which 
 natural  men  might  have,  are  sometimes  called  spirit- 
 ual, because  they  are  from  the  Spirit;  yet  natural 
 men,  whatever  gifts  of  the  Spirit  they  had,  were  not, 
 in  the  usual  language  of  the  New  Testament,  oalled 
 spiritual  persons.  For  it  was  not  by  men's  having 
 the  gifts  of  the  Spirit,  but  by  their  having  the  vir- 
 tues of  the  Spirit,  that  they  were  called  spiritual ;  as 
 is  apparent :  "  Brethren,  if  any  man  be  overtaken  in 
 a  fault,  ye  which  are  spiritual  restore  such  a  one  in 
 the  spirit  of  meekness."  Meekness  is  one  of  those 
 virtues  which  the  apostle  had  just  spoken  of,  in  the 
 verses  next  preceding,  showing  what  are  the  fruits 
 
234 
 
 of  the  Spirit.  Those  quaHfications  are  said  to  be 
 spiritual  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  un- 
 derstanding— "  We  desire  that  ye  may  be  filled  with 
 the  knowledge  of  his  wiU,  in  all  wisdom  and  spirit- 
 ual understanding;"  hereby  is  intended  that  wisdom 
 which  is  gracious,  and  from  the  sanctifying  influences 
 of  the  Spirit  of  God.  For  doubtless,  by  spiritual 
 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  spi- 
 ritual wisdom  is  doubtless  the  same  with  that  wis- 
 dom which  is  from  above,  that  the  apostle  James 
 speaks  of:  "  The  wisdom  that  is  from  above,  is  first 
 pure,  then  peaceable,  gentle,"  &c.  for  this  the  apostle 
 opposes  to  natural  wisdom  :  "  This  wisdom  descend- 
 eth  not  from  above,  but  is  earthly,  sensual."  The 
 last  word  in  the  original  is  the  same  that  is  translated 
 natural^  in  1  Cor.  ii.  14. 
 
 So  that  although  natural  men  may  be  the  subjects 
 of  many  influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  as  is  evident 
 by  many  Scriptures,*  yet  they  are  not,  in  the  sense 
 of  the  Scripture,  spiritual  persons :  neither  are  any 
 of  those  effects  common  gifts,  qualities,  or  affections, 
 that  are  from  the  influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God  upon 
 them,  called  spiritual  things.  The  great  difference 
 lies  in  these  two  thin";s : — 
 
 1.  The  Spirit  of  God  is  given  to  the  true  saints 
 
 *  Numb.  xxiv.  2.     1  Sam.  x.  10.  and  xi.  6.  and  xvi.  1-i.     1  Cor. 
 xiii.  1—3.     Heb.  vi.  4—6. 
 
^55 
 
 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 
 his  dwelling  in  them  as  his  temple,  his  proper  abode, 
 and  everlasting  dwelling-place.*  And  he  is  repre- 
 sented as  being  there  so  united  to  the  faculties  of 
 the  soul,  that  he  becomes  there  a  principle  or  spring 
 of  new  nature  and  life. 
 
 The  saints  are  said  to  live  by  Christ  living  in 
 them.  Christ  by  his  Spirit  not  only  is  in  them,  but 
 lives  in  them;  and  as  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  w^ell  or  fountain  of  water"  in  the 
 soul,  "  springing  up  into  spiritual  and  everlasting 
 life,"  and  thus  becomes  a  principle  of  life  in  them. 
 This  living  water,  this  evangelist  himself  explains  to 
 intend  the  Spirit  of  God.  The  light  of  the  Sun  of 
 Righteousness  not  only  shines  upon  them,  but  is  so 
 communicated  to  them  that  they  shine  also,  and  be- 
 come little  images  of  that  Sun  which  shines  upon 
 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  conveyed  as  sap  is  from  a  tree  into 
 one  of  its  living  branches,  where  it  becomes  a  prin- 
 ciple of  life.  The  Spirit  of  God  being  thus  com- 
 municated and  united  to  the  saints,  they  are  from 
 thence  properly  denominated  from  it,  and  are  called 
 spiritual, 
 
 •  1  Cor.  iii.  16.     2  Cor.  vi.  16.     John  xiv.  16,  17. 
 
236 
 
 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  indweUing  prin- 
 ciple, they  do  not  derive  any  denomination  or  char- 
 acter 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,  because  the  light  becomes  no  prin- 
 ciple of  light  in  it,  so  as  to  cause  the  body  to  shine, 
 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 
 communicating  itself  to  be  an  active  principle  in  it, 
 cannot  denominate  it  spiritual.  A  body  that  con- 
 tinues 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  vir- 
 tues are  called  spiritual,  (which  is  the  principal  thing,) 
 is,  that  the  Spirit  of  God,  dwelHng  as  a  vital  princi- 
 ple in  their  souls,  there  produces  those  effects  wherein 
 he  exerts  and  communicates  himself  in  his  own  pro- 
 per nature.  Holiness  is  the  nature  of  the  Spirit  of 
 God,  therefore  he  is  called  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  na- 
 ture of  fire,  or  sweetness  was  the  nature  of  that  holy 
 anointing  oil,  which  vvas  the  principal  type  of  the 
 Holy  Ghost  in  the  Mosaic  dispensation ;  yea,  I  may 
 rather  say,  that  holiness  is  as  much  the  proper  nature 
 
237 
 
 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  com- 
 municates himself,  in  this  his  sweet  and  divine  na- 
 ture, making  the  soul  a  partaker  of  God's  beauty 
 and  Christ's  joy,  so  that  the  saint  has  truly  fellow- 
 ship with  the  Father,  and  with  his  Son  Jesus  Christ, 
 in  thus  having  the  communion  or  participation  of  the 
 Holy  Ghost.  The  grace  w^hich  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  bright- 
 ness that  is  in  a  diamond  upon  which  the  sun  shines, 
 is  of  the  same  nature  with  the  brightness  of  the  sun, 
 but  only  that  it  is  as  nothing  to  it  in  degree.  There- 
 fore Christ  says,  "  That  which  is  born  of  the  Spirit, 
 is  spirit ;"  that  is,  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  himself  to  them  in  his 
 own  proper  nature.  Indeed,  he  never  acts  disagree- 
 ably to  his  nature,  either  on  the  minds  of  saints  or 
 sinners :  but  the  Spirit  of  God  may  act  upon  men 
 agreeably  to  his  own  nature,  and  not  exert  his  proper 
 nature  in  the  acts  and  exercises  of  their  minds :  the 
 Spirit  of  God  may  act  so,  that  his  actions  may  be 
 
238 
 
 agreeable  to  his  nature,  and  yet  may  not  at  all  com- 
 municate himself  in  his  proper  nature,  in  the  effect 
 of  that  action.  Thus,  for  instance,  the  Spirit  of 
 God  moved  upon  the  face  of  the  waters,  and  there 
 was  nothincr  disafyreeable  to  his  nature  in  that  ac- 
 tion ;  but  yet  he  did  not  at  all  communicate  himself 
 in  that  action,  there  was  nothing  of  the  proper  na- 
 ture of  the  Holy  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  opera- 
 tions, is  different, — as  the  Spirit  operates  in  the  saints, 
 as  dwelling  in  them,  as  an  abiding  principle  of  ac- 
 tion, 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  qualifica- 
 tions, affections,  and  experiences  that  are  wrought  in 
 them  by  the  Spirit,  are  also  spiritual,  and  therein 
 differ  vastly  in  their  nature  and  kind  from  all  that  a 
 natural  man  is  or  can  be  the  subject  of,  while  he  re- 
 mains 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  aU 
 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  him- 
 self, and  wherein  the  mere  creature  hath,  in  so  high 
 a  sense,  a  participation  of  God;  so  that  it  is  ex- 
 pressed in   Scripture  by  the   saints    "  being  made 
 
239 
 
 partakers  of  the  divine  nature,"  and  "having  God 
 dweUing  in  them,  and  they  in  God,"  and  "  having 
 Christ  in  them,"  "being  the  temples  of  the  living 
 God,"  "  living  by  Christ's  life,"  "  being  made  par- 
 takers of  God's  holiness,"  "having  Christ's  love 
 dwelling  in  them,"  "  seeing  light  in  God's  hght,  and 
 being  made  to  drink  of  the  rivers  of  God's  plea- 
 sures," "  having  fellowship  with  God,"  or  communi- 
 cating and  partaking  with  him,  (as  the  word  signifies.) 
 Not  that  the  saints  are  made  partakers  of  the  essence 
 of  God,  and  so  are  godded  with  God,  and  christed 
 with  Christ,  according  to  the  abominable  and  blas- 
 phemous language  and  notions  of  some  heretics ; 
 but  to  use  the  Scripture  phrase,  they  are  made  par- 
 takers of  God's  fulness,  that  is,  of  God's  spii-itual 
 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 
 glorious  work  of  God,  wherein  he  communicates  of 
 the  goodness  of  his  nature,  it  is  doubtless  his  pecu- 
 liar 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  par- 
 taker of  the  divine  nature,  (the  Spirit  of  God  com- 
 municating 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 
 
^40 
 
 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  tell  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.  They  have  not  the 
 Spirit  of  God  dweUing  in  them  in  any  degree ;  for 
 the  apostle  teaches,  that  all  who  have  the  Spirit  of 
 God  dwelling  in  them  are  some  of  his.*  And  a 
 having  the  Spirit  of  God,  is  spoken  of  as  a  certain 
 sign  that  persons  shall  have  the  eternal  inheritance ; 
 for  it  is  spoken  of  as  the  earnest  of  it  ;f  and  a  hav- 
 ing any  thing  of  the  Spirit  is  mentioned  as  a  sure 
 sign  of  being  in  Christ :  "  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 
 partakers  of  it ;  which  implies  that  they  have  nothing 
 of  it ;  for  a  being  "  partaker  of  the  divine  nature," 
 is  spoken  of  as  the  peculiar  privilege  of  the  true 
 saints.  Ungodly  men  are  not  partakers  of  God's 
 hohness.  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  non- 
 sense to  him,  he  knows  not  what  it  means :  "  The 
 natural  man  receiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of 
 God :  for  they  are  foolishness  to  him ;  neither  can 
 
 *  Rom.  viii.  9—11.  f  2  Cor.  i.  22.  and  v.  5.  Eph.  i.  14.. 
 
241 
 
 he  know  them,  because  they  are  spiritually  dis- 
 cerned." And  to  the  like  purpose  Christ  teaches 
 us  that  the  world  is  wholly  unacquainted  with  the 
 Spirit  of  God:  "Even  the  Spirit  of  truth,  whom 
 the  world  cannot  receive,  because  it  seeth  him  not, 
 neither  knoweth  him."  And  it  is  farther  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  not  charity,"  or  true  Christian 
 love.  So  Christ  elsewhere  reproves  the  Pharisees, 
 those  high  pretenders  to  religion,  that  they  "  had 
 not  the  love  of  God  in  them."  Hence  natural  men 
 have  no  communion  or  fellowship  with  Christ,  or 
 participation  with  him,  (as  these  words  signify,)  for 
 this  is  spoken  of  as  the  peculiar  privilege  of  the 
 saints.*  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  incon- 
 sistent with  a  man's  being  a  sinner.f  And  natural 
 men  are  represented  in  Scripture,  as  having  no  spiri- 
 tual light,  no  spiritual  life,  and  no  spiritual  being ; 
 and  therefore  conversion  is  often  compared  to  open- 
 ing the  eyes  of  the  blind,  raising  the  dead,  and  a 
 work  of  creation,  (wherein  creatures  are  made  en- 
 tirely new,)  and  becoming  new-born  children. 
 
 From  these  things  it  is  evident,  that  those  gra- 
 cious influences  of  which  the  saints  are  the  subjects, 
 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 
 
 •  1  John  i.  3,  6,  7.   1  Cor.  i.  8,  9.  f  1  John  iii.  9. 
 
 L  20 
 
242 
 
 by  nature,  or  only  in  the  exercise  of  natural  princi- 
 ples ;  and  are  things  which  no  improvement  of  those 
 qualifications,  or  principles  that  are  natural,  no  ad- 
 vancing or  exalting  them  to  higher  degrees,  and  no 
 kind  of  composition  of  them,  will  ever  bring  men  to ; 
 because  they  not  only  differ  from  what  is  natural,  and 
 from  every  thing  that  natural  men  experience,  in  de- 
 gree and  circumstances,  but  also  in  kind;  and  are  of 
 a  nature  vastly  more  excellent.  And  this  is  what  I 
 mean  by  supernatural,  when  I  say  that  gracious  affec- 
 tions are  from  those  influences  that  are  supernatural. 
 From  hence  it  follows,  that  in  those  gracious  ex- 
 ercises and  affections  which  are  wrought  in  the  minds 
 of  the  saints  through  the  saving  influences  of  the 
 Spirit  of  God,  there  is  a  new  inward  perception  or 
 sensation  of  their  minds,  entirely  different  in  its  na- 
 ture and  kind,  from  any  thing  that  ever  their  minds 
 were  the  subjects  of  before  they  were  sanctified. 
 For  doubtless  if  God  by  his  mighty  power  produces 
 something  that  is  new,  not  only  in  degree  and  cir- 
 cumstances, but  in  its  whole  nature,  and  which  could 
 be  produced  by  no  exalting,  varying,  or  compounding 
 of  what  was  there  before ;  I  say,  if  God  produces 
 something  thus  new  in  a  mind,  that  is  a  perceiving, 
 thinking,  conscious  thing;  then  doubtless  something 
 entirely  new  is  felt,  or  perceived,  or  thought;  or, 
 which  is  the  same  thing,  there  is  some  new  sensa- 
 tion or  perception  of  the  mind,  which  is  entirely  of 
 a  new  sort,  and  which  could  be  produced  by  no  ex- 
 alting, varying,  or  compounding  of  that  kind  of  per- 
 ceptions or  sensations  which  the  mind  had  before ; 
 or  there  is  v/hat  some  metaphysicians  call  a  new  sim- 
 ple idea.      If  grace  be,  in  the  sense  above  described, 
 
243 
 
 an  entirely  new  kind  of  principle,  then  the  exercises 
 of  it  are  also  entii'ely  a  new  kind  of  exercises.  And 
 if  there  be  in  the  soul  a  new  sort  of  exercises,  of 
 which  it  is  conscious,  which  the  soul  knew  nothing  of 
 before,  and  which  no  improvement,  composition,  or 
 management,  of  what  it  was  before  conscious  or  sen- 
 sible of,  could  produce;  then  it  follows,  that  the 
 mind  has  an  entirely  new  kind  of  perception  or  sen- 
 sation :  and  here  is,  as  it  were,  a  new  spiritual  sense 
 that  the  mind  has,  or  a  new  principle,  perception,  or 
 spiritual  sensation,  which  is  in  its  whole  nature  dif- 
 ferent from  any  former  kinds  of  sensation  of  the  mind, 
 as  tasting  is  diverse  from  any  of  the  other  senses  ; 
 and  something  is  perceived  by  a  true  saint,  in  the  ex- 
 ercise of  this  new  sense  of  mind,  in  spiritual  and 
 divine  things,  as  entirely  diverse  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  only  looking  on  it,  and  feeling  it.  So  that 
 the  spiritual  perceptions  which  a  sanctified  and  spiri- 
 tual 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  differ  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  compared  to 
 the  giving  a  new  sense ;  giving  eyes  to  see,  and  ears 
 to  hear ;  unstopping  the  ears  of  the  deaf;  and  open- 
 ing the  eyes  of  them  that  were  born  blind ;  and  turn- 
 ing from  darkness  unto  light.  And  because  this 
 spiritual  sense  is  immensely  the  most  noble  and  ex- 
 cellent, and  that  without  which  all  other  principles 
 of  perception,  and  all  our  faculties,  are  useless  and 
 l2 
 
244 
 
 vain  ;  therefore  the  givmg  this  new  sense,  with  the 
 blessed  fruits  and  effects  of  it  in  the  soul,  is  com- 
 pared 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  prin- 
 ciples of  nature.  I  use  the  word  principles,  for 
 want  of  a  word  of  more  determinate  si o;nifi cation. 
 By  a  principle  of  nature  in  this  place,  I  mean  that 
 foundation  which  is  laid  in  nature,  either  old  or  new, 
 for  any  particular  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  of  such  a  certain  kind ;  so  that,  to  exert  the 
 faculties  in  that  kind  of  exercises,  may  be  said  to  be 
 liis  nature.  So  this  new  spiritual  sense  is  not  a 
 new  faculty  of  understanding,  but  it  is  a  new  founda- 
 tion laid  in  the  nature  of  the  soul,  for  a  new  kind  of 
 exercises  of  the  same  faculty  of  understanding.  So 
 that  new  holy  disposition  of  heart  that  attends  this 
 new  sense,  is  not  a  new  faculty  of  will,  but  a  founda- 
 tion laid  in  the  nature  of  the  soul,  for  a  new  kind  of 
 exercises  of  the  same  faculty  of  will. 
 
 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  natural  principle.  Thus,  when  the 
 Spirit  of  God  gives  a  natural  man  visions,  as  he  did 
 Balaam,  he  only  impresses  a  natural  principle,  namely, 
 the  sense  of  seeing,  immediately  exciting  ideas  of  that 
 sense ;  but  he  gives  no  new  sense ;  neither  is  there 
 any  thing  supernatural,  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 
 
245 
 
 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  spi- 
 ritual principle,  or  giving  the  ideas  of  any  new  spiri- 
 tual 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  influ- 
 ences of  the  Spirit  of  God  on  the  hearts  of  siimers, 
 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  in- 
 fluences, may  assist  men's  natural  ingenuity,  as  he 
 assisted  Bezaleel  and  Aholiab,  in  the  curious  w^orks 
 of  the  tabernacle :  so  he  may  assist  men's  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  men's  reason,  in  their  reasoning  about 
 secular  things,  or  about  the  doctrines  of  religion,  and 
 may  greatly  advance  the  clearness  of  their  apprehen- 
 sions and  notions  of  things  of  religion  in  many  re- 
 spects, without  giving  any  spiritual  sense.  So,  in 
 those  awakenings  and  convictions  that  natural  men 
 may  have,  God  only  assists  conscience,  which  is  a  na- 
 tural principle,  to  do  that  work  in  a  further  degree, 
 which  it  naturally  does.  Conscience  naturally  gives 
 men  an  apprehension  of  right  and  wrong,  and  sug- 
 gests the  relation  there  is  between  right  and  wrong, 
 and  a  retribution ;  the  Spirit  of  God  assists  men's 
 
246 
 
 consciences  to  do  this  in  a  greater  degree,  helps  con- 
 science against  the  stupifying  influence  of  worldly  ob- 
 jects, and  their  lusts.  And  many  other  ways  might 
 be  mentioned,  wherein  the  Spirit  acts  upon,  assists, 
 and  moves  natural  principles;  but,  after  all,  it  is  no 
 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  exercising  new,  divine, 
 and  supernatural  principles  ;  principles  which  are  in- 
 deed a  new  and  spiritual  nature,  and  principles  vastly 
 more  noble  and  excellent  than  all  that  is  in  natural 
 men. 
 
 From  what  has  been  said,  it  follows,  that  all  spiri- 
 tual and  gracious  affections  are  attended  with,  and 
 do  arise  from  some  apprehension,  idea,  or  sensation 
 of  mind,  which  is  in  its  whole  nature  different,  yea 
 exceeding  different,  from  all  that  is  or  can  be  in  the 
 mind  of  a  natural  man ;  and  of  which  the  natural  man 
 discerns  nothing,  and  has  no  manner  of  idea ;  and  no 
 more  conceives  of,  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  bhnd  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  spiri- 
 tual affections  is  new  and  entirely  different  from  what 
 natural  men  can  conceive  of,  and  do  experience ;  some 
 things  are  common  to  gracious  affections  with  other 
 affections ;  many  circumstances,  appendages,  and  ef- 
 
247 
 
 fects  arc  common.  Thus  a  saint's  love  to  God  has 
 a  great  many  things  appertaining  to  it  which  are  com- 
 mon with  a  man's  natural  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  delio-ht  in  the  thoughts  of  God,  and  to  delitrht  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 :  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,  jand  kind  of  dehght  he  has,  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  something  peculiar :  both  spiritual  and  natural  love 
 cause  desires  after  the  object  beloved:  but  they  are 
 not  the  same  sort  of  desires ;  there  is  a  sensation  of 
 soul  in  the  spiritual  desires  of  one  that  loves  God, 
 which  is  entirely  different  from  all  natural  desires. 
 Both  spiritual  love  and  natural  love  are  attendednvith 
 dehght  in  the  object  beloved ;  but  the  sensations  of 
 delight  are  not  the  same,  but  entirely  and  exceedingly 
 diverse.  Natural  men  may  have  conceptions  of  many 
 things  about  spiritual  affections;  but  there  is  some- 
 thing 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  sup- 
 pose two  men;  one  is  born  without  the  sense  of  tast- 
 
248 
 
 ing,  the  other  has  it :  the  latter  loves  honey,  and  is 
 greatly  delighted  with  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  de- 
 light in  the  object  beloved,  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  excellency 
 ■^nd  sweetness,  as  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  the  other  can  conceive 
 of,  though  they  both  delight  in  their  beloved  objects. 
 So  both  these  persons  may  in  some  respects  love  the 
 same  object :  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  co- 
 lours, 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 ;  but  the  love,  and  desire,  and  delight  of  the 
 one,  is  altogether  diverse  from  that  of  the  other. 
 The  difference  between  the  love  of  a  natural  and  spi- 
 ritual man  is  like  to  this ;  but  only  it  must  be  ob- 
 served, that  in  one  respect  it  is  vastly  greater,  namely, 
 that  the  kinds  of  excellency  which  are  perceived  in 
 spiritual  objects,  by  these  different  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,  namely,  as  the  spiritual  man  may 
 have  a  spiritual  sense  or  taste  to  perceive  that  divine 
 
249 
 
 and  most  peculiar  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  what  he  experiences  be  no- 
 thing like  the  exercises  of  a  principle  of  a  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  composition  of  ideas. 
 This  may  be  from  some  extraordinary  powerful  influ- 
 ence of  Satan,  and  some  great  delusion ;  but  there  is 
 nothing  but  nature  extraordinarily  exerted.  As  if  a 
 poor  man,  that  had  always  dwelt  in  a  cottage,  and  had 
 never  looked  beyond  the  obscure  village  where  he  was 
 born,  should  in  a  jest  be  taken  to  a  magnificent  city, 
 and  prince's  court,  and  there  arrayed  in  princely  robes, 
 and  set  in  the  throne,  with  the  crown  royal  on  his 
 head,  peers  and  nobles  bowing  before  him;  and  should 
 be  made  to  beheve  that  he  was  now  a  glorious  mo- 
 narch; 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  is  no  more,  than  only  extraordinarily  raising 
 and  exciting  natural  principles,  and  newly  exalting, 
 vaiying,  and  compounding  such  sort  of  ideas  as  he 
 has  by  nature ;  here  is  nothing  like  giving  him  a  new 
 sense. 
 
 Upon  the  whole,  I  think  it  is  clearly  manifest, 
 that  all  truly  gracious  affections  do  arise  from  special 
 L  3 
 
250 
 
 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  cannot  expe- 
 rience that  which  is  individually  the  same,  but  cannot 
 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  great  importance  and  use  evidently  to  discover 
 and  demonstrate  the  delusions  of  Satan,  in  many  kmds 
 of  false  religious  affections,  by  which  multitudes  are 
 deluded,  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  pur- 
 pose of  this  discourse. 
 
 From  hence  it  appears,  that  impressions  which 
 some  have  made  on  their  imagination,  or  the  imagi- 
 nary 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  spiritual,  nor  are  they  any 
 part  of  gracious  experience. 
 
 Here,  for  the  sake  of  common  people,  I  will  ex- 
 plain what  is  intended  by  impressions  on  the  imagi- 
 nation, and  imaginary  ideas.     The  imagination  is  that 
 
251 
 
 power  of  the  mind  whereby  it  can  have  a  conception, 
 or  idea  of  things  of  an  external  nature,   (that  is,  of 
 such  sort  of  things  as  are  the  objects  of  the  outward 
 senses,)  when  those  things  are  not  present,  and  are 
 not  perceived  by  the  senses.      It  is  called  ima(jmation 
 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  it.      All  such  kind  of  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  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  kind  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  countenance  are  outward  things; 
 because  they  are  that  sort  oi'  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  imagination  of  those  things.      So  if  he  has 
 an  idea  of  such  sort  of  light  or  darkness  as  he  per- 
 ceives 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  words  written  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 
 
25^ 
 
 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,  namely,  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  livehly  impressed,  almost  as  if  they 
 were  really  heard  with  the  ears,  this  is  to  have  an 
 impression  on  the  imagination.  And  so  I  miglit  go 
 on,  and  instance  in  the  ideas  of  things  appertaining 
 to  the  other  three  senses  of  smelling,  tasting,  and 
 feelinff. 
 
 Many  who  have  had  such  things  have  very  igno- 
 rantly  supposed  them  to  be  of  the  nature  of  spiritual 
 discoveries.  They  have  had  lively  ideas  of  some  ex- 
 ternal shape,  and  beautiful  form  of  countenance ;  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's 
 hanging  on  the  cross,  and  his  blood  running  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  shin- 
 ing ranks  of  saints  and  angels ;  and  this  they  call  see- 
 ing heaven  opened  to  them.  Some  have  had  a  lively 
 idea  of  a  person  of  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  evi- 
 
253 
 
 dence  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  hke  manner,  the  imaginations  of 
 some  have  been  impressed  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  speaking  comfortable  words  to 
 them.  These  things  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  considerate  and  understand- 
 ing sort  of  people,  are  the  more  easily  led  into  ap- 
 prehensions 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  sensi- 
 ble objects  to  signify  them  by.  Thus  we  call  a  clear 
 apprehension  of  things  spii'itual  by  the  name  of  light ; 
 and  having  such  an  apprehension  of  such  or  such 
 things,  by  the  name  of  seeing  such  things.  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  Scrip- 
 ture itself  abounds  with  such  like  figurative  expres- 
 sions. Persons,  hearing  these  often  used,  and  hav- 
 ing pressed  upon  them  the  necessity  of  having  their 
 eves    opened,    and   having   a  discovery   of   spiritual 
 
254 
 
 things,  and  seeing  Christ  in  his  glory,  and  having 
 the  inward  call,  and  the  like,  they  ignorantly  look 
 and  wait  for  some  such  external  discoveries  and  ima- 
 ginary views  as  have  been  spoken  of;  and  when  they 
 have  them,  are  confident  that  now  their  eyes  are 
 opened,  now  Christ  has  discovered  himself  to  them, 
 and  they  are  his  children ;  and  hence  are  exceedingly 
 affected  and  elevated  with  their  deliverance  and  hap- 
 piness, 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  that  is  spiritual  and  divine,  in  the 
 sense  wherein  it  has  been  demonstrated  that  all  gra- 
 cious experiences  are  spiiitual  and  divine.  These 
 external  ideas  are  not  of  such  a  sort,  that  they  are 
 entirely,  and  in  their  whole  nature,  diverse  from  all 
 that  men  have  by  natiu*e,  perfectly  different  from,  and 
 vastly  above,  any  sensation  which  it  is  possible  a  man 
 should  have  by  any  natural  sense  or  principle,  so  that 
 to  have  them,  a  man  must  have  a  new  spiritual  and 
 divine  sense  given  him,  in  order  to  have  any  sensa- 
 tions of  that  sort :  so  far  from  this,  that  they  are  ideas 
 of  the  same  sort  with  some  of  the  inferior  powers  of 
 the  human  nature  which  we  have  by  the  external 
 senses ;  they  are  merely  ideas  of  external  objects,  or 
 ideas  of  the  same  outward  sensitive  kind;  the  same 
 sort  of  sensations  of  mind  (differhig  not  in  degree, 
 but  only  in  circumstances)  that  we  have  by  those  na- 
 tural principles,  which  are  common  to  us  with  the 
 beast,  namely,  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 
 
255 
 
 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  as 
 capable  of  having  an  idea,  and  a  lively  idea,  of  shapes, 
 and  colours,  and  sounds,  when  they  are  absent,  as  a 
 regenerate  man  is :  so  there  is  nothing  supernatural 
 in  them.  And  it  is  known  by  abundant  experience, 
 that  it  is  not  the  advancing  or  perfecting  human  na- 
 ture which  makes  persons  more  capable  of  having  such 
 lively  and  strong  imaginary  ideas ;  but  that,  on  the 
 contraiy,  the  weakness  of  body  and  mind,  and  dis- 
 tempers of  body,  make  persons  abundantly  more  sus- 
 ceptive of  such  impressions.* 
 
 As  to  a  truly  spiritual  sensation,  not  only  is  the 
 manner  of  its  coming  into  the  mind  extraordinary,  but 
 the  sensation  itself  is  totally  diverse  from  all  that  men 
 have,  or  can  have,  in  a  state  of  nature,  as  has  been 
 sho\\Ti.  But  as  to  these  external  ideas,  though  the 
 way  of  their  coming  into  the  mind  is  sometmies  un- 
 usual, 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.      P^or  instance,  the  external  idea  a 
 
 ♦  "  Conceits  and  whimsies  abound  most  in  men  of  weak  reason; 
 children,  and  such  as  aie  cracked  in  their  understanding,  have 
 most  of  them  ;  strength  of  reason  banishes  them,  as  the  sun  does 
 mists  and  vapours.  But  now  the  more  rational  any  gracious  per- 
 son is,  by  so  much  more  is  he  fixed  and  settled,  and  satisfied  in 
 the  grounds  of  religion  :  yea,  there  is  the  liighest  and  purest  rea- 
 son in  religion  :  and,  when  this  change  is  wrought  upon  men,  it 
 is  carried  on  in  a  rational  way:  Isa.  i.  18.  John  xix.  9."— i-Vai'^/'a 
 P repar alio n  for  Sufferings,  chap.  vi. 
 
Q56 
 
 man  has  now  of  Christ  hanging  on  the  cross,  and 
 shedding  his  blood,  is  no  better  in  itself  than  the  ex- 
 ternal idea  that  the  Jews  his  enemies  had,  who  stood 
 round  his  cross,  and  saw  this  with  their  bodily  eyes. 
 The  imaginary  idea  which  men  have  now  of  an  ex- 
 ternal brightness  and  glory  of  God,  is  no  better  than 
 the  idea  the  wicked  congregation  in  the  wilderness 
 had  of  the  external  glory  of  the  Lord  at  Mount 
 Sinai,  when  th^  saw  it  with  their  bodily  eyes ;  or  any 
 better  than  that  idea  which  millions  of  cursed  repro- 
 bates 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  greater  external  glory  of 
 Christ  than  ever  yet  was  conceived  in  any  man's  ima- 
 gination:* yea,  the  image  of  Christ,  which  men  con- 
 ceive in  their  imaginations,  is  not,  in  its  own  nature, 
 of  any  superior  kind  to  the  idea  the  Papists  conceive 
 of  Christ,  by  the  beautiful  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  imaginations,  any  better  than  the  affections 
 raised  in  ignorant  people,  by  the  sight  of  those  images 
 
 •  "  If  any  man  should  see,  and  behold  Christ  really,  immedi- 
 ately, this  is  not  the  saving  knowledge  of  him.  1  know  the  saints 
 do  know  Christ  as  if  immediately  present ;  they  are  not  strangers 
 by  their  distance :  if  others  have  seen  him  more  immediately,  I 
 will  not  dispute  it.  But  if  they  have  seen  the  Lord  Jesus  as  im- 
 mediately as  if  here  on  earth,  yet  Capernaum  saw  him  so;  nay, 
 gome  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  them  ;  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,  Part  L  pp.  197,  198. 
 
257 
 
 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  Uke.* 
 Merely  the  way  of  persons  receiving  these  imaginary 
 ideas,  does  not  alter  the  nature  of  the  ideas  themselves 
 that  are  received :  let  them  be  received  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  should 
 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,  w^hen  he 
 heard  the  words  of  God,  and  knew  the  knowledge  of 
 the  Most  High,  and  saw  the  vision  of  the  Almighty, 
 falling  into  a  trance,"  but  yet  had  no  manner  of  spi- 
 ritual discovery  of  Christ ;  that  Day-star  never  spiri- 
 tually rose  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  na- 
 tural men,  without  any  new  principles,  are  capable  of. 
 
 •  "  Satan  is  transformed  into  an  angel  of  light :  and  hence  we 
 have  heard  that  some  have  heard  voices  ;  some  have  seen  tlie  very 
 blood  of  Christ  dropping  on  them,  and  his  wounds  in  his  side  ; 
 some  have  seen  a  great  light  shining  in  the  chamber;  some  won- 
 derfully 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." — SheparU's 
 Parable  of  the  Ten  Virgins,  Part  I.  p.  198. 
 
258 
 
 so  there  is  nothing  in  their  nature  which  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  devil.  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,  doubtless  imaginary  ones,  or  ideas  of  things  ex- 
 ternal, 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  often,  in  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  ap- 
 pearances, from  whence  we  can  infer  that  they  are 
 above  the  power  of  the  devil ;  but  it  is  certain  also 
 that  the  devil  can  excite,  and  often  has  excited  such 
 ideas.  They  were  external  ideas  which  he  excited 
 in  the  dreams  and  visions  of  the  false  prophets  of  old, 
 
 •  "  Consider  how  difficult,  yea,  and  impossible,  it  is  to  determine 
 that  such  a  voice,  vision,  or  revelation  is  of  God,  and  that  Satan 
 cannot  feign  or  counterfeit  it;  seeing  lie  hatii  left  no  certain  marks 
 by  which  we  may  distinguish  one  spirit  from  another." — Flavel's 
 Causes  and  Cures  of  Mental  Terrors,  Cause  14. 
 
259 
 
 who  were  under  the  influence  of  lying  spirits,  that 
 we  often  read  of  in  Scripture.*  And  they  were  ex- 
 ternal ideas  that  he  often  excited  in  the  minds  of  the 
 heathen  priests,  magicians,  and  sorcerers,  in  their 
 visions  and  ecstacies ;  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  no  more  glorious  power  to  represent  the  form 
 of  the  body  of  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  hands,  feet  and  side :  that  sort  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  straw,  or  a  stick  of  wood,  on  a  piece 
 of  paper  or  canvass ;  the  same  in  kind,  only  perhaps 
 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, 
 
 •  Deut.  xiii.  1.     1  Kings  xxii.  22.     Isaiah  xxviii.  7.     Ezek. 
 xiii.  7.     Zech.  xiii.  4. 
 
260 
 
 and  a  glorious  throne,  &c.  So  it  is  no  more  than 
 the  same  sort  of  power  that  is  requisite  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 
 gold-leaf.  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  questioned 
 it  who  believed  there  was  a  devil,  that  had  any  agency 
 with  mankind,) — I  say,  if  so,  it  is  demonstrably  evi- 
 dent, 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  that  all  truly  gracious  experiences  have. 
 And  though  external  ideas,  through  man's  make  and 
 frame,  do  ordinarily  in  some  degree  attend  spiritual 
 experience,  yet  these  ideas  are  no  part  of  their  spiri- 
 tual experience,  any  more  than  the  motion  of  the 
 blood,  and  beating  of  the  pulse,  that  attends  expe- 
 riences, are  a  part  of  spiritual  experience.  And 
 though  undoubtedly,  through  men's  infirmity,  in  the 
 present  state,  and  especially  through  the  weak  con- 
 stitution of  some  persons,  gracious  affections  which 
 are  very  strong,  do  excite  lively  ideas  in  the  ima- 
 gination ;  yet  it  is  also  undoubted,  that  when  persons' 
 affections  are  founded  on  imaginations,  which  is  often 
 the  case,  those  affections  are  merely  natural  and  com- 
 mon, because  they  are  built  on  a  foundation  that  is 
 not  spiritual;  and  so  are  entirely  different  from  gra- 
 cious affections,  which,  as  has  been  proved,  do  ever- 
 more arise  from  those  operations  that  are  spiritual 
 and  divine. 
 
^61 
 
 These  imaginations  do  oftentimes  raise  the  carnal 
 affections  of  men  to  an  exceeding  great  height  :*  and 
 
 •  Tliere  is  a  remarkable  passage  of  Mr.  John  Smith,  in  his 
 Discourse  on  the  Shortness  of  a  Pharisaic  Righteousness,  p.  370, 
 371,  of  his  select  Discourses,  describing  that  sort  of  religion  which 
 is  built  on  such  a  foundation  as  I  am  here  speaking  of.  I  cannot 
 forbear  transcribing  the  whole  of  it.  Speaking  of  a  sort  of  Chris- 
 tians, w- hose  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  Chris- 
 tian religion,  when  a  carnal  unhallowed  mind  takes  the  chair,  and 
 gets  the  expounding  of  them,  as  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,  overflowing  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  bespangled  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  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  and  distracted  persons  seem  to  be  sometimes, 
 when  their  fancies  play  with  those  quick  and  nimble  spirits  which 
 a  distempered  frame  of  body,  and  unnatural  heat  in  their  heads, 
 beget  within  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  their  own,  and  are  of  a  base 
 and  earthiy  alloy,  will  soon  vanish  and  fall  down  again,  being 
 only  borne  up  by  an  external  force.  They  may  seem  to  them- 
 selves to  have  attained  higher  than  those  noble  Christians,  that 
 are  gently  moved  by  the  natural  force  of  true  goodness;  they 
 seem  to  be  pleneores  Deo,  (that  is,  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 
 
262 
 
 no  wonder,  when  the  subjects  of  them  have  an  igno- 
 rant but  undoubting  persuasion,  that  they  are  divine 
 manifestations,  which  the  great  Jehovah  immediately 
 makes  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  opera- 
 tions and  effects  in  the  heart  are  spiritual,  super- 
 natural and  divine,  that  the  immediate  suggestion  of 
 the  words  of  Scripture  to  the  mind,  has  nothing  in 
 it  which  is  spiritual. 
 
 deeply  into  the  body,  are  many  times  more  vigorous,  and  make 
 stronger  impressions  upon  us,  tlian  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 
 understanding,  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  indeed  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  extinguished,  because  it  is  of  an  immortal 
 nature:  and  being  once  seated  vitally  in  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  reli- 
 gion is  no  piece  of  artifice  ;  it  is  no  boiling  up  of  our  imaginative 
 powers,  nor  the  glowing  heats  of  passion ;  though  these  are  too 
 often  mistaken  for  it,  when  in  our  jugglings  in  religion  we  cast  a 
 mist  before  our  own  eyes-,  but  it  is  a  new  nature,  informing  the 
 souls  of  men;  it  is  a  Godlike  frame  of  Spirit,  discovering  itself 
 most  of  all  in  serene  and  clear  minds,  in  deep  humility,  meekness, 
 self-denial,  universal  love  to  God  and  all  true  goodness,  without 
 partiality,  and  without  hypocrisy;  whereby  we  are  taught  to  know 
 God,  and  knowing  him,  to  love  him,  and  conform  ourselves  as 
 much  as  may  be  to  all  tiiat  perfection  which  shines  in  him." 
 
^63 
 
 I  have  had  occasion  to  say  something  of  this  al- 
 ready; 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  influ- 
 ences and  effects,  it  will  be  more  abundantly  manifest 
 that  this  is  no  spiritual  effect.  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  na- 
 tural man,  while  he  remains  in  a  state  of  nature, 
 should  be  the  subject  of,  or  any  thing  like  it ;  or 
 tliat  it  requires  any  new  cUvine  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  seeino-  and  hearinnf.  Ideas  of  certain  marks 
 upon  paper,  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  gra- 
 cious influence  of  that  Spirit.  And,  therefore,  it 
 follows  from  what  has  been  already  proved,  that  those 
 
264 
 
 affections  which  have  this  effect  for  their  foundation, 
 are  no  spiritual  or  gracious  affections. — But  let  it  be 
 observed  what  it  is  that  I  say,  namely,  when  this 
 effect,  even  the  immediate  and  extraordinary  manner 
 of  words  of  Scripture  coming  to  the  mind,  is  that 
 which  excites  the  affections,  and  is  properly  the  foun- 
 dation of  them,  then  these  affections  are  not  spiritual. 
 It  may  be  so,  that  persons  may  have  gracious  affec- 
 tions 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  contained  in  these  Scriptures,  that 
 is  the  thinff  which  excites  their  affections,  and  not 
 the  extraordinary  and  sudden  manner  of  words  being 
 brought  to  their  minds.  They  are  affected  with  the 
 instruction  they  receive  from  the  words,  and  the  view 
 of  the  glorious  things  of  God  or  Christ,  and  things 
 appertaining  to  them,  that  they  contain  and  teach ; 
 and  not  because  the  words  came  suddenly,  as  though 
 some  person  had  spoke  them  to  them,  thence  con- 
 eluding  that  God  did  as  it  were  immediately  speak 
 to  them.  Persons  oftentimes  are  exceedingly  af- 
 fected on  this  foundation ;  the  words  of  some  great 
 and  high  promises  of  Scripture  come  suddenly  to 
 their  minds,  and  they  look  upon  the  words  as  directed 
 immediately  by  God  to  them,  as  though  the  words 
 that  moment  proceeded  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  cir- 
 cumstances, and  promising  such  and  such  great  things 
 to  them:  and  this  it  is  that  affects  and  elevates  them. 
 There  is  no  new  spiritual  understanding  of  the  divine 
 
^65 
 
 things  contained  in  the  Scripture,  or  new  spiritual 
 sense  of  the  glorious  things  taught  in  tliat  part  of 
 the  Bible,  going  before  their  affection,  and  being  the 
 foundation  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  spoken  to 
 them,  because  they  come  so  suddenly  and  extraor- 
 dinarily. 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,  is 
 no  evidence  that  the  bringing  them  to  their  minds 
 in  that  manner,  was  from  God.  And  if  it  was  true 
 that  God  brought  the  words  to  their  minds,  and  they 
 certainly  knew  it,  that  would  not  be  spiritual  know- 
 ledge ;  it  may  be  w^ithout  any  spiritual  sense.  Ba- 
 laam might  know  that  the  words  which  God  sug- 
 gested to  him,  were  indeed  suggested  to  him  by  God, 
 and  yet  have  no  spiritual  knowledge.  So  that  these 
 affections  which  are  built  on  that  notion,  that  texts 
 of  Scripture  are  sent  immediately  from  God,  are  built 
 on  no  spiritual  foundation,  and  are  vain  and  delusive. 
 Persons  who  have  their  affections  thus  raised,  if  they 
 should  be  inquired  of,  whether  they  have  any  new 
 sense  of  the  excellency  of  things  contained  in  those 
 Scriptures,  would  probably  say.  Yes,  without  hesita- 
 tion :  but  it  is  true  no  otherwise  than  thus,  that  when 
 they  have  taken  up  that  notion,  that  the  words  are 
 spoken  immediately  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  words  which  were  suddenly  brought  to  their 
 M  20 
 
Q66 
 
 minds,  "  Fear  not, it  is  your  Father's  good  plea- 
 sure to  give  you  the  kingdom;"  they  have  confidently 
 taken  up  a  notion  that  the  words  were,  as  it  were, 
 immediately  spoken  from  heaven  to  them,  as  an  im- 
 mediate revelation,  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  O,  they  say,  they  are  excellent  things  that  are 
 oontained  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 
 glorious  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  pleasure,  pre- 
 ceding their  imagined  interest  in  these  things,  and 
 their  being  affected  by  them,  and  being  the  founda- 
 tion of  their  affection,  and  hope  of  an  interest  in  them. 
 On  the  contrary,  they  first  imagine  they  are  inter- 
 ested, and  then  are  highly  affected  with  that,  and 
 then  can  own  these  things  to  be  excellent.  So  that 
 the  sudden  and  extraordinary  way  of  the  Scripture 
 coming  to  their  mind,  is  plainly  the  first  foundation  o-f 
 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  terrors,  some  comfortable  sweet  pro- 
 mise comes  suddenly  and  wonderfully  to  their  minds ; 
 and  the  manner  of  its  coming  makes  them  conclude 
 
267 
 
 it  comes  from  God  to  them ;  and  tliis  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  man- 
 ner to  reveal  his  love  to  men,  and  their  interest  in 
 the  promises,  after  they  have  believed,  and  not  be- 
 fore ;  because  they  must  first  believe  before  they  have 
 any  interest  in  the  promises  to  be  revealed.  The 
 Spirit  of  God  is  a  Spiiit  of  truth,  and  not  of  lies  :  he 
 does  not  bring  scriptures  to  men's  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  vrould  be  the  case,  if  God's  bringing 
 texts  of  Scripture  to  men's  minds,  to  reveal  to  them 
 that  their  sins  were  fori^iven,  or  that  it  v/as  God's 
 pleasure  to  give  them  the  kingdom,  or  any  thing  of 
 that  nature,  went  before,  and  was  the  foundation  of 
 theu'  first  faith.  There  is  no  promise  of  the  cove- 
 nant 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,  what- 
 ever 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  apphcation  of  promises,  is  built 
 upon  a  lie.  God's  manner  is  not  to  bring  comfort- 
 able texts  of  scripture  to  give  men  assurance  of  his 
 M  2 
 
268 
 
 love,  aiid  that  they  shall  be  happy,  before  they  have 
 had  a  faith  of  dependence.*      And  if  the  Scripture 
 
 *  Mr.  Stoddard,  in  his  "  Guide  to  Christ,"  p.  8.  says,  that 
 "  Sometimes  men,  after  they  have  been  in  trouble  a  wliile,  have 
 8orae  promises  come  to  them,  with  a  great  deal  of  refreshing;  and 
 they  ))ope  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  recon- 
 ciliation, which  is  by  faith  of  dependence.  When  men  have  com- 
 fortable scriptures  come  to  them,  they  are  apt  to  take  them  as 
 tokens  of  God's  love;  but  men  must  be  brought  into  Christ,  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.  7G.  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  ac- 
 ceptance goes  before  pardon,  and,  therefore,  much  more,  before 
 the  knowledge  of  it." 
 
 Mr.  Shepard,  in  his  "  Parable  of  the  Ten  Virgins,"  Part  II. 
 p.  15.  says,  that  "  Grace  and  the  love  of  Christ  (the  fairest  co- 
 lours under  the  sun)  may  be  pretended;  but  if  you  shall  receive, 
 under  this  appearance,  that  God  witnesseth  his  love,  first  by  an 
 absolute  promise,  take  heed  there;  for  under  this  appearance  you 
 may  as  W'ell  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  themselves  with  the  revelation 
 of  the  Lord's  love,  without  the  sight  of  any  work,  or  not  look- 
 ing 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  differ- 
 ence between  them  and  hypocrites,  he  says,  "  The  witness  of  the 
 Sjjirit  makes  not  the  first  difference:  for  first  a  man  is  a  believer, 
 and  in  Clirist,  and  justified,  called,  and  sanctified,  before  the  Spirit 
 does  witness  it,  else  the  Spirit  should  witness  to  an  untruth,  and 
 lie." 
 
269 
 
 which  comes  to  a  person's  mmd,  be  not  so  properly 
 a  promise,  as  an  invitation ;  yet  if  he  makes  the  sud- 
 den or  unusual  manner  of  the  invitation  coming  to 
 his  mind,  the  ground  on  which  he  beUeves  that  he  is 
 invited,  it  is  not  true  faith ;  because  it  is  built  on 
 that  which  is  not  the  true  ground  of  faith.  True 
 faith  is  built  on  no  precarious  foundation :  but  a  de- 
 termination 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  pre- 
 carious determination ;  and  therefore  is  a  false  and 
 sandy  foundation  for  faith ;  and  accordingly  that  faith 
 which  is  built  upon  it  is  false.  The  only  certain 
 foundation  w^hich  any  person  has  to  believe  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  cannot  lie.  If  a  sinner  be  once  con- 
 vinced of  the  veracity  of  God,  and  that  the  Scrip- 
 tures are  his  w^ord,  he  will  need  no  more  to  convince 
 and  satisfy  him,  that  he  is  invited ;  for  the  Scriptures 
 are  full  of  invitations  to  sinners,  to  the  chief  of  sin- 
 ners, to  come  and  partake  of  the  benefits  of  the  gos- 
 pel :  he  will  not  want  any  new  speaking  of  God  to 
 him,  what  he  hath  spoken  already  will  be  enough 
 with  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 
 
^70 
 
 often  particular  words  of  Scripture,  sweet  declarations 
 and  promises  suggested  to  them,  which  by  reason  of 
 the  manner  of  their  coming,  they  think  are  imme- 
 diately 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  conver- 
 sation is  carried  on  between  God  and  them ;  and  that 
 God,  from  time  to  time,  does  as  it  were  immediately 
 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  their  interest  in  eternal  bless- 
 ings. And  thus  they  are  often  elevated,  and  have 
 a  course  of  a  sudden  and  tumultuous  kind  of  joys, 
 mingled  with  a  strong  confidence,  and  high  opinion 
 of  themselves ;  when  indeed  the  main  ground  of  these 
 joys,  and  this  confidence,  is  not  any  thing  contained 
 in,  or  taught  by  these  scriptures,  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  promises  of  the  covenant  of  grace 
 are  his,  and  are  made  to  him,  and  spoken  to  him  :* 
 
 *  Mr.  Sliepard,  in  his  "  Sound  believer,"  p.  159.  of  the  late  im- 
 pression at  Boston,  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  without  presumption, 
 as  spoken  to  him  ?"  He  answers,  "  The  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  promise  boldly.  My 
 meaning  is,  when  a  Christian  takes  hold,  and  wrestles  with  God 
 
271 
 
 though  it  be  true  that  some  of  these  promises  may 
 be  more  pecuHarly  adapted  to  his  case  than  others, 
 and  God,  by  his  Spirit,  may  enable  him  better  to  un- 
 derstand 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  ap- 
 plication 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  mis- 
 understood by  many,  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  thoughts  by  some  ex- 
 trinsic 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  no  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  apphcation  of  Scripture  ;  there  is 
 nothing  in  the  nature  of  it  at  all  beyond  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, 
 
 for  the  accomplishment  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  applies  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  tlie 
 Lord  speaks  in  particular  unto  them." 
 
27^ 
 
 implying  any  vital  communication  of  God.      A  truly 
 spiritual  application  of  the  word  of  God  is  of  a  vastly 
 higlier  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  en- 
 lightening,  sanctifying  influences.      A  spiritual  ap- 
 plication 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  wonderful  grace  of  the  offerer,  in  making  so  gra- 
 cious an  offer,   and  of  his  holy  excellency  and  faith- 
 fulness to  fulfil  what  he  offers,  and  his  glorious  suffi- 
 ciency 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  com- 
 fort of  the  saints,  consists  in  enlightening  their  minds 
 to  see  the  holy  excellency  and  sweetness  of  the  bless- 
 ings promised,  and  also  the  holy  excellency  of  the 
 Promiser,   and  his  faithfulness  and  sufHcioncy ;   thus 
 di'awing  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  applica- 
 tion not  consisting  in  this  divine  sense  and  enlitrhten- 
 ing  of  the  mind,  but  consisting  only  in  the  word 
 being  borne  into  the  thoughts,  as  if  immediately  then 
 spoken,  so  making  persons  believe,  on  no  other  foun- 
 dation, that  the  promise  is  theirs,  is  a  blind  application, 
 and   belongs   to  the  spirit  of  darkness,   and  not  of  ^ 
 light. 
 
273 
 
 When  persons  have  their  affections  raised  after 
 this  manner,  those  affections  are  really  not  raised  by 
 the  word  of  God;  the  Scripture  is  not  the  foundation 
 of  them ;  it  is  not  any  thing  contained  in  those  Scrip- 
 tures which  come  to  their  minds,  that  raise  their 
 affections ;  but  truly  that  effect,  namely,  the  strange 
 manner  of  the  word'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  par- 
 ticular the  kingdom,  or  the  like.  There  are  propo- 
 sitions to  be  found  in  the  Bible,  declaiing  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 
 persons,  independent  of  any  previous  knowledge  of 
 any  qualifications,  are  forgiven  and  beloved  of  God : 
 and  therefore,  when  any  person  is  comforted  and  af- 
 fected by  any  such  proposition,  it  is  by  another  word, 
 a  word  newly  coined,  and  not  any  word  of  God  con- 
 tained in  the  Bible.*  And  thus  many  persons  are 
 vainly  affected  and  deluded. 
 
 •  "  Some  Cliristians  have  rested  with  a  work  without  Christ, 
 which  is  abominable  :  but  after  a  man  is  in  Clirist,  not  to  judge 
 by  the  work,  is  first  not  to  judge  from  a  word.  For  though  there 
 is  a  word,  yvliich  may  give  a  man  a  dependence  on  Cfirist,  with- 
 out feeling  any  work,  nay,  when  he  feels  none,  as  absolute  pro- 
 raises;  yet  no  word  giving  assurance,  but  that  which  is  made  to 
 some  work,  '  He  that  believeth,  or  is  poor  in  spirit,'  <kc.  titttil 
 that  work  is  seen,  has  no  assurance  from  that  promise." — Shtp- 
 ard's  Parable  (f  the  Ten  Virgins,  Part  I.  p.  86. 
 
 "  If  God  should  tell  a  saint  that  he  has  grace,  he  might  know 
 it  by  believing  the  word  of  God;  but  it  is  not  in  this  way  thai 
 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  partiiuhir 
 persons." — Stoddard's  Nature  nf  Saving  Conversion,  p.  8i,  8j. 
 
 u  3 
 
Again,  it  plainly  appears,  from  what  has  been  de- 
 monstrated, that  no  revelation  of  secret  facts  by  imme- 
 diate 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  argu- 
 mentation,  or  any  evidence  to  reason,   nor  any  other 
 way,  but  only  a  revelation  by  immediate   suggestion 
 of  the  ideas  of  them  to  the  mind.      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  converted,  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  ex- 
 traordinary 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  ar- 
 mies  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  for- 
 merly, or  that  one  of  my  neighbours  is  converted,  or 
 that  1  myself  am  converted ;  not  by  having  any  other 
 evidence  of  any  of  these  facts,  from  whence  I  argue 
 them,  but  an  immediate  extraordinary  suggestion  or 
 excitation  of  tliesc  ideas,   and  a  strong  impression  of 
 them  upon  my  mind — this  is  a  revelation  of  secret 
 facts  by  immediate  suggestion,  as  much  as  if  the  facts 
 
TJ5 
 
 were  future ;  for  the  facts  being  past,  present,  or  fu- 
 ture, 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.  Jf  1  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  twelve- 
 month ;  because,  though  one  is  present  and  the  other 
 future,  yet  both  are  equally  hidden  from  me,  any 
 other  way  than  by  immediate  revelation.  When 
 Samuel  told  Saul  that  the  asses  which  he  went  to 
 seek  were  found,  and  that  his  father  had  left  cariuii 
 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,  though  one 
 of  these  things  was  future  and  the  •  other  was  not. 
 So  when  Elisha  told  the  king  of  Israel  the  words  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  sucpcrestion  has  nothing  of  the  nature  of  a 
 
 no  o 
 
 spiritual  and  divine  operation,  in  the  sense  foremen- 
 tioued.  There  is  nothing  at  all  in  the  nature  of  the 
 perceptions  or  ideas  themselves  which  are  excited  in 
 the  mind  that  is  divinely  excellent,  and  so,  far  above 
 aU  the  ideas  of  natural  men ;  though  the  manner  of 
 exciting  the  ideas  be  extraordinary.  In  those  things 
 which  are  spiritual,  not  only  the  manner  of  producing 
 the  eflPect,   but  the  effect  wrought  is  divine,  and  so 
 
276 
 
 Vcistly  above  all  that  can  be  in  an  unsanctificd  mind. 
 Now  simply  tlie  having  an  idea  of  facts,  setting  aside 
 the  manner  of  producing  those  ideas,  is  nothing  be- 
 yond what  the  minds  of  wicked  men  are  susceptible 
 of,  without  any  goodness  in  tliem ;  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  extraordinary  manner  of  producing 
 the  ideas  or  perceptions  of  facts,  even  by  immediate 
 suggestion,  there  is  nothing  in  it  but  what  the  minds 
 of  natural  men,  while  they  are  yet  natural  men,  are 
 capable  of,  as  is  manifest  in  Balaam,  and  others  spoken 
 of  in  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  themselves  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  by  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  there  is  nothing 
 hinders  but  that  an  unsanctified  mind  may  receive 
 that  idea  :  so  God,  if  he  pleases,  and  when  he  pleases, 
 immediately,  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  unsancti- 
 fied minds  may  have,  and  will  have,  concerning  many 
 at  the  day  of  judgment ;  so  God  can,  if  he  pleases, 
 extraordinarily  and  immediately  suggest  this  to,  and 
 
277 
 
 impress  it  upon,  an  unsanctificd  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  them  to  exclude,  or  neces- 
 sarily to  prevent  such  a  suggestion. 
 
 And  if  these  suggestions  of  secret  facts  be  attended 
 with  texts  of  Scripture  immediately  and  extraordi- 
 narily 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  di- 
 vine than  the  suggestion  of  the  facts  themselves ;  as 
 has  been  just  now  demonstrated  :  and  two  effects  to- 
 gether, which  are  neither  of  them  spiritual,  cannot 
 make  up  one  complex  effect  that  is  spiidtual. 
 
 Hence  it  follows,  from  what  has  been  often  re- 
 peated, that  those  affections  which  are  properly  founded 
 on  such  immediate  suggestions,  or  supposed  sugges- 
 tions, 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 
 properly  the  foundation  of  gracious  affections;  for 
 gracious  affections  are  all  the  effects  of  an  influence 
 and  operation  which  is  spiritual,  supernatural,  and 
 divine.  But  there  are  many  affections,  and  liigh 
 affections,  that  have  such  kind  of  suggestions  or  reve- 
 lations for  their  very  foundation:  they  look  upon 
 these  as  spiritual  discoveries,  which  is  a  gross  delu- 
 sion, and  this  delusion  is  truly  the  spring  wiienctt 
 their  affections  flow\ 
 
 Here  it  may  be  proper  to  observe,  that  it  is  ex- 
 ceedingly manifest  from  what  has  been  said,  that  what 
 
278 
 
 many  persons  call  the  witness  of  the  Spirit  that  they 
 are  the  children  of  God,  has  nothing  in  it  spiritual 
 and  divine  :  and  consequently,  that  the  affections  built 
 upon  it  are  vain  and  delusive.  That  which  many 
 call  the  witness  of  the  Spirit,  is  no  other  than  an  im- 
 mediate suggestion  and  impression  of  that  fact,  other- 
 wise secret,  that  they  are  converted,  or  made  the  chil- 
 dren of  God,  and  that  their  sins  are  pardoned,  and 
 that  God  has  given  them  a  title  to  heaven.  This 
 kind  of  knowledge,  namely,  knowing  that  a  certain 
 person  is  converted,  and  delivered  from  hell,  and  en- 
 titled to  heaven,  is  no  divine  knowledge  in  itself. 
 This  sort  of  fact  does  not  require  any  higher  or  more 
 divine  kind  of  suggestion  to  impress  it  on  the  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  ap- 
 prehension of  his  neighbour's  conversion  impressed : 
 but  God,  if  he  pleased,  might  impress  the  knowledge 
 of  this  fact,  that  he  had  forgiven  his  neighbour's  sins, 
 and  given  him  a  title  to  heaven,  as  well  as  any  other 
 fact,  without  any  communication  of  his  holiness.  The 
 excellency  and  importance  of  the  fact  does  not  at  all 
 hinder  a  natural  man's  mind  being  susceptible  of  an 
 immediate  suggestion  and  impression  of  it.  Balaam 
 had  as  excellent,  and  important,  and  glorious  facts  as 
 this  immediately  impressed  on  his  mind,  without  any 
 gracious  influence ;  particularly,  the  coming  of  Christ, 
 and  his  setting  up  his  glorious  kingdom,  and  the 
 blessedness  of  the  spiritual  Israel  in  his  peculiar  fa- 
 vour, and  their  happiness  living  and  dying.  Yea, 
 Abimelech,  king  of  the  Philistines,  had  God's  special 
 
279 
 
 favour  to  a  particular  person,  even  Abraham,'  revealed 
 to  him.  So  it  seems  that  he  revealed  to  Laban  his 
 special  favour  to  Jacob.*  And  if,  in  like  manner,  a 
 truly  good  man  should  have  an  immediate  revelation 
 or  suggestion  from  God,  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  as  all  revelation  by  immediate  suggestion  is.f 
 And  though  it  be  true,  that  it  is  not  possible  that  a 
 natural  man  should  have  that  individual  su^ffestion 
 from  the  Sph'it  of  God,  that  he  is  converted,  because 
 it  is  not  true ;  yet  that  does  not  arise  from  the  nature 
 of  the  influence,  because  that  kind  of  influence  which 
 suggests  such  excellent  facts,  is  too  high  for  him  to 
 be  the  subject  of;  but  purely  from  the  defect  of  a 
 fact  to  be  revealed.  The  influence  which  immedi- 
 ately suggests  this  fact,  when  it  is  true,  is  of  no  dif- 
 ferent kind  from  that  which  immediately  suggests 
 other  true  facts :  and  so  the  kind  and  nature  of  the 
 influence  is  not  above  what  is  common  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  meantime  altogether  unsanctified,  and  the 
 children  of  hell;  and  that  therefore  the  benefit  or 
 gift  itself  has  nothing  of  the  holy  nature  of  the  Spirit 
 
 *   Gen.  xxxi.  24..   Psalm  cv.  la.  f   1  Cor.  xiii.  2. 
 
280 
 
 of  God  in  it,  nothing  of  a  vital  communication  of  that 
 Spirit,  This  notion  greatly  debases  that  high  and 
 most  exalted  kind  of  influence  and  operation  of  the 
 Spirit,  which  there  is  in  the  true  witness  of  the  Spirit.* 
 That  which  is  called  the  witness  of  the  Spirit,  Rom. 
 viii.  is  elsewhere  in  the  New  Testament  called  the 
 seal  of  the  Spirit,  2  Cor.  i.  22.  Eph.  i.  13.  and  iv.  13. 
 alluding  to  the  seal  of  princes,  annexed  to  the  in- 
 strument, by  which  they  advanced  any  of  their  sub- 
 jects to  some  high  honour  and  dignity,  or  peculiar 
 privilege  in  the  kingdom,  as  a  token  of  then*  special 
 favour.  Which  is  an  evidence  that  the  influence  of 
 the  Spirit  of  the  Prince  of  princes,  in  sealing  his  fa- 
 vourites, is  far  from  being  of  a  common  kind;  and 
 that  there  is  no  effect  of  God's  Spirit  whatsoever 
 which  is  in  its  nature  more  divine;  nothing  more  holy, 
 pecuHar,    inimitable,  and  distinguishing  of  divinity. 
 
 •  The  late  venerable  Stoddard,  in  liis  younger  time,  falling  in 
 with  the  opinion  of  some  others,  received  this  notion  of  the  wit- 
 ness of  the  Spirit,  by  way  of  immediate  suggestion  ;  but,  in  the 
 latter  part  of  his  life,  when  he  had  more  thoroughly  weighed 
 tilings,  and  had  more  experience,  lie  entirely  rejected  it ;  as  ap- 
 pears by  his  Treatise  of  the  Nature  of  Saving  Conversion,  p.  84. 
 *•  The  Spirit  of  God  doth  not  testify  to  particular  persons  that 
 tliey  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  experience  of  it; 
 but  they  may  easily  mistake;  when  the  Spirit  of  God  doih  emi- 
 nently stir  up  a  spirit  of  faith,  and  sheds  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 
 thereby  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  revelations." 
 
281 
 
 Nothing  is  more  royal  than  the  royal  seal;  nothing 
 more  sacred  that  belongs  to  a  prince,  and  more  pecu- 
 liarly denoting  what  belongs  to  him ;  it  being  the  very 
 end  and  design  of  it,  to  be  the  most  pecuHar  stamp 
 and  confirmation  of  the  royal  authority,  and  great  not« 
 of  distinction,  whereby  that  which  proceeds  from  th« 
 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  na- 
 ture, some  excellent  communication  from  the  infinite 
 fountain  of  divine  beauty  and  glory ;  and  not  merely 
 a  making  known  a  secret  fact  by  revelation  or  sug- 
 gestion; 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 
 efiect  of  the  Spirit  of  God  on  the  heart,  which  natural 
 men,  while  such,  are  so  far  from  a  capacity  of  being 
 the  subjects  of,  that  they  can  have  no  manner  of  no- 
 tion or  idea  of  it :  "  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  knoweth,  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  elsewhere  called  the  seal  of 
 the  Spirit. 
 
 What  has  misled  many  in  their  notion  of  that  in- 
 fluence of  the  Spirit  of  God  we  are  speaking  of,  is 
 the  word  witness^  its  being  called  the  witness  of  the 
 Spirit.  Hence  they  have  taken  it,  not  to  be  any 
 effect  or  work  of  the  Spirit  upon  the  heart,  giving 
 evidence  from  whence  men  may  argue  that  they  are 
 
282 
 
 the  children  of  God,  but  an  inward,  immediate  sug- 
 gestion, as  though  God  inwardly  spoke  to  the  man, 
 and  testified  to  him  that  he  was  his  child,  by  a  kind 
 of  a  secret  voice,  or  impression :  not  observing  the 
 manner  in  which  the  word  witness,  or  testimony,  is 
 often  used  in  the  New  Testament,  where  such  terms 
 often  signify,  not  only  a  mere  declaring  and  asserting 
 a  thing  to  be  true,  but  holding  forth  evidence  from 
 whence  a  thing  may  be  argued,  and  proved  to  be  true. 
 God  is  said  to  "  bear  witness,  with  signs  and  won- 
 ders, 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  na- 
 ture of  assertions,  but  evidences  and  proofs :  "  Long 
 time,  therefore,  abode  they,  speaking  boldly  in  the 
 Lord,  which  gave  testimony  unto  the  word  of  his 
 grace,  and  granted  signs  and  wonders  to  be  done  by 
 their  hands."  And,  "  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,  "  The  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,  not  that  they  spoke  or 
 asserted  any  thing,  but  they  were  proofs  and  evi- 
 dences. So  God's  works  of  providence,  in  the  rain 
 and  fruitful  seasons,  are  spoken  of  as  witnesses  of 
 God's  being  and  goodness,  that  is,  they  were  evi- 
 dences 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  divhie  mark  upon  the  soul,  to  be  an 
 
283 
 
 evidence,  by  which  God's  chikhcn  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 :  "  Hurt  not  the  earth,  neither  the  sea,  nor 
 the  trees,  till  we  have  sealed  the  servants  of  our  God 
 in  then-  foreheads.  "  Set  a  mark  upon  the  fore- 
 heads of  the  men  that  sigh,  and  that  cry  for  all  the 
 abomination  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  im- 
 pressed and  left  upon  the  heart  by  the  Spirit,  as  by 
 the  seal  upon  the  wax.  And  this  holy  stamp  or  im- 
 pressed image,  exhibiting  clear  evidence  to  the  con- 
 science, 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  by  the  Spirit  on 
 God's  chilchen'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  engraved  on  them  two  things, 
 namely,  the  image,  and  the  name  of  the  person  whose 
 seal  it  was.  Therefore,  when  Christ  says  to  his 
 spouse,  "  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  remain  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  imase  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 
 
^284 
 
 of  the  Roman  emperors,  in  Christ's  and  the  apostles* 
 times.*  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  undoubtedly 
 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,  supernatural,  and 
 divine.  This  is  in  itself  of  a  holy  nature,  being  a 
 communication  of  the  divine  nature  and  beauty. 
 That  kind  of  influence  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  wit- 
 ness 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  immediate  suggestion  or  re- 
 velation, this  would  be  vastly  more  noble  and  excel- 
 lent, 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,  hy  a  kind  of 
 secret  voice  speaking,  and  immediately  asserting  and 
 revealing  a  fact,  he  can  do  that  which  is  a  thousand 
 times  so  like  to  this,  as  he  can  do  that  holy  and  di- 
 vine effect,  or  work  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  which  has 
 been  now  spoken  of.f 
 
 •  See  Chamber's  Dictionary,  under  the  word  Engraving. 
 
 f  Mr.  Shepard  is  abundant  in  militating  against  the  notion  of 
 men's  knowing  their  good  estate  by  an  immediate  witness  of  the 
 Spirit,  witiiout  judging  by  any  effect  or  work  of  the  Sjiirit,  wrought 
 on  the  heart,  as  an  evidence  and  proof  that  persons  are  the  chil- 
 
285 
 
 Another  thing  which  is  a  full  proof  that  the  seal 
 of  the  Spirit  is  no  revelation  of  any  fact  by  immediate 
 
 dreii  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  tha 
 angels,  How  they  know  they  are  not  devils  ?  they  would  answer, 
 The  Lord's  will  is  ours.     So  here,  how  do  you  know  you  have 
 not  the  nature  of  devils,  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?     This  you  may 
 be  mistaken;   for  many  have  been  deceived  thus.     Grant  that; 
 and  shall  a  child  not  take  bread  when  it  is  given  him,  though 
 dogs  snatch  at  it?"     And  p.  137.   *'  If  you  look  to  a  spirit  with- 
 out a  work,  whilst  you  do  seek  consolation,  you  cannot  avoid  tlw 
 condemnation  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 
 Ikj   Anathema.'     So  is  the  league  between  your  sins  and  your 
 souls  broken  !     Ans.  I  look  not  to  that.     Why,  John  saith,  '  He 
 tliat  commirteth  sin  is  of  the  devil.'     Are  you  new  creatures  ? 
 I  look  not  to  that.     Why,  the  word  saith,  '  unless  you  be  born 
 again  you  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God.'" — Pag.  176, 
 177.     "  A  man  saith,  I  have  Christ;  and  so  have  not  they?     I 
 ask,  where  is  the  Spirit?    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  life  of  the  Spirit  of  Jesus  in 
 you?    where  is  the  oil  in  your  vessel?     Truly  I  look  for  the 
 Bridegroom  ;  but  I  regard  not  that;  neither  are  others  to  regard 
 it  in  the  way  of  evidence.     Then  I  say,  the  chief  evidence  is  de- 
 stroyed in  the  churches.     I  have  known  many  that  have  had  as- 
 surances;  yet  never  saw  them  prove  right,  until  it  witnessed  this 
 was  here.     What  should  be  the  causes  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  to  fall  from  one  extreme 
 
 to  another 2.   The  apostacy  of  eminent  professors,  who  have 
 
 been  deceived  in  their  evidencing  thus. — 3.  Corrupt  experiences. 
 
286 
 
 suggestion,  but  is  grace  itself  in  the  soul,  is,  that 
 the  seal  of  the  Spirit  is  called  "  the  earnest  of  the 
 
 — 4.  A  heart  that  never  felt  the  bitterness  and  bondage  of  sin, 
 as  the  greatest  evil." — Pag.  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  glory ;  not  only  because  that 
 God  is  their  God,  but  because  they  are  liis  people.  It  is,  I  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  breathings ;  but  from  the  Spirit  of  God :  he  brings  tid- 
 ings of  it;  and  from  such  a  spirit  (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  the  Lord's  people,  because  he 
 hath  changed  your  heart;  now  the  peace  is  sound,  and  joy  is 
 right;  and  here  I  would  try  the  peace  of  any  man." — Part  11. 
 p.  108,  1C9.  "  All  the  heirs  of  the  promises,  as  heirs  that  have 
 legacies  left  them,  they  go  to  the  will  of  the  deceased  father; 
 and  that  comforts,  that  they  hold  to,  that  is  sure ;  such  a  one 
 shall  have  it,  if  his  name  be  there.  But  if  one  shall  say,  such  a 
 one  hath  promised  me  much  lands;  Is  it  in  his  will?  No;  but 
 since  he  died,  as  I  was  taking  a  pipe,  he  came  to  me.  Oh  be 
 not  deceived  !" 
 
 Again,  in  his  "  Sound  Believer,"  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  cannot  the 
 same  Spirit  shine  upon  your  graces,  and  witness  that  you  are 
 sanctified,  as  well?  1  John  iv.  1.3,  24.  1  Cor.  ii.  12.  Can  the 
 Spirit  make  the  one  clear  to  you,  and  not  the  other?  Oh,  be- 
 loved, it  is  a  sad  thing  to  hear  such  questions,  and  such  cold  an- 
 swers also,  that  sanctification  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  true  evidences 
 thereof,  and  consequently  that  they  are  lies  and  untruths." 
 
 Mr.  Flavel  also  much  opposes  this  notion  of  the  witness  of  the 
 Spirit  by  immediate  revelation.  Sacramental  Meditations,  Med. 
 4.  speaking  of  the  sealing  of  the  Spirit,  he  says,  "  In  sealing  the 
 believer,  lie  doth  not  make  use  of  an  audible  voice,  nor  the  min- 
 istry of  angels,  nor  immediate  and  extraordinary  revelations;  but 
 he  makes  use  of  his  own  graces,  implanted  in  our  hearts,  and 
 his  own  promises,  written  in  the  Scripture;  and  in  this  method, 
 he  usually  brings  the  doubting  trembling  heart  of  a  believer  to 
 rest  and  comfort."  Again,  ihid.  "  Assurance  is  produced  in  our 
 souls  by  the  reflective  acts  of  faith;  the  Spirit  helps  us  to  reflect 
 
287 
 
 Spirit,"  in  the  Scripture.  It  is  very  plain,  that  the 
 seal  of  the  Spirit  is  the  same  thing  with  the  earnest 
 of  the  Spirit :  "  Who  hath  also  sealed  us,  and  given 
 the  earnest  of  the  Spirit  in  our  hearts."  "  In  whom, 
 after  that  ye  believe,  ye  were  sealed  with  that  Holy 
 Spirit  of  promise,  which  is  the  earnest  of  our  inheri- 
 tance, until  the  redemption  of  the  purchased  posses- 
 sion, 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  tmie ;  a  part  of 
 the  promised  inheritance,  granted  now,  in  token  of 
 full  possession  of  tlie  whole  hereafter. — But  surely 
 that  kind  of  communication   of  the  Spirit  of  God, 
 
 upon  what  hath  been  done  by  him  formerly  upon  our  hearts; 
 
 hereby  we  know  that  we  know  him,  1  John  ii.  3 To  know  that 
 
 we  know,  is  a  reflex  act.  Now  it  is  impossible  there  should  be 
 a  reflex,  before  tliere  hath  been  a  direct  act.  No  man  can  have 
 the  evidence  of  his  faith,  before  the  liabit  is  infused,  and  the  vital 
 act  performed.  The  object  matter,  to  which  the  Spirit  seals,  is 
 his  own  sanctifying  operation."  Afterwards,  ibid,  he  says,  "Ira- 
 raediate  ways  of  the  Spirit's  sealing  are  ceased.  No  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  method, 
 searcliing  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  settled.  lie  answered,  Non  ex  nova 
 aliqua  revdcUione ;  not  by  any  new  revelation,  but  by  subjecting 
 my  understanding  to,  and  comparing  my  iieart  with  the  written 
 word.  And  Mr.  Roberts,  in  his  Treatise  of  the  Covenants,  speaks 
 of  another  that  so  vehemently  panted  after  the  sealings  and  as- 
 surances of  the  love  of  God  to  his  soul,  that  for  a  long  time  ho 
 earnestly  desired  some  voice  from  heaven;  and  sometimes,  walk- 
 ing in  the  solitary  fields,  earnestly  desired  some  miraculous  voice 
 from  the  trees  or  stones  tliere.  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  methocis  in  the 
 world.  For  in  miraculous  voices  and  inspirations,  it  is  possible 
 there  may  subesse  falsum,  be  found  some  clieat,  or  impostures 
 of  the  devil :  but  the  Spirit's  witness  in  the  heart,  suitable  to  tha 
 revelation  in  the  Scripture,  cannot  deceive  us." 
 
288 
 
 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  there- 
 fore high  above  any  thing  of  the  nature  of  inspira- 
 tion, or  revelation  of  hidden  facts  by  suggestion  of 
 the  Spirit  of  God,  which  many  natural  men  have 
 had.  What  is  the  earnest  and  beginning  of  glory, 
 but  grace  itself,  especially  in  the  more  lively  and 
 dear  exercises  of  it?  It  is  not  prophecy,  nor 
 tongues,  nor  knowledge,  but  that  more  excellent 
 divine  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  the  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  pur-\ 
 chased  for  the  elect,  is  the  Spirit  of  God :  not  in  any 
 extraordinary  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 
 plan  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  inheri- 
 tance purchased,  as  is  intimated.  Gal.  iii.  13,  14.  and 
 hence  the  Spirit  is  often  spoken  of  as  the  sum  of  the 
 
289 
 
 blessings  promised  in  the  gospel.*  This  inheri- 
 tance was  the  grand  legacy  which  Christ  left  his 
 disciples  and  church,  in  his  last  will  and  testament. f 
 This  is  the  sum  of  the  blessings  of  eternal  life,  which 
 shall  be  given  in  heaven.:}:  It  is  through  the  vital 
 communications  and  indwelling  of  the  Spirit,  that  the 
 saints  have  all  their  Hght,  life,  holiness,  beauty,  and 
 joy  in  heaven :  and  it  is  through  the  vital  communi- 
 cations and  indwelling  of  the  same  Spirit,  that  the 
 saints  have  all  light,  life,  holiness,  beauty,  and  com- 
 fort on  earth ;  but  only  communicated  in  less  measure. 
 And  this  vital  indwelling  of  the  Spirit  in  the  saints, 
 in  this  less  measure,  and  small  beginning,  is,  "  the 
 earnest  of  the  Spirit,  the  earnest  of  the  future  in- 
 heritance, and  the  first-fruits  of  the  Spirit,"  as  the 
 apostle  calls  it,  Rom.  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  flesh  or  corruption. 
 Therefore  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  sanc- 
 tifying communication  and  influence  of  the  Spirit, 
 and  not  any  immediate  suggestion  or  revelation  of 
 facts  by  the  Spirit. § 
 
 *   Luke  xxiv.  49.     Acts.  i.  4.     Gal.  iii.  14.     Eph.  i.  13. 
 
 f  John  xiv.  XV.  xvi. 
 
 \  Compare  John  vii.  37 — 39.  and  iv.  14.  with  Rev.  xxi.  6, 
 and  xxii.  1,  17. 
 
 §  "  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  ])art  of  the  money  bar- 
 gained for;  the  beginning  of  lieaven,  of  tlie  light  and  life  of  it. 
 He  that  sees  not  the  Lord  is  his  by  that,  sees  no  God  his  at  all. 
 N  20 
 
290 
 
 And  indeed  the  apostle,  when  in  Rom.  viii.  16. 
 he  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  expressed  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  are  thus,  "  For  as  many  as  are  led 
 by  the  Spirit  of  God,  they  are  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  we  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,  when  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  spirit  of  adoption, 
 or  spirit  of  a  child,  disposing  us  to  behave  towards 
 God  as  to  a  Father.  This  is  the  witness  or  evidence 
 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,  the  spirit  of  a 
 slave,  or  the  spirit  of  bondage,  that  is  fear;  and  the 
 spirit  of  a  child,  or  spirit  of  adoption,  and  that  is  love. 
 The  apostle  says,  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 
 
 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.  I  thank  the  Lord,  I  do  but  pity  those  that  think  other- 
 wise. If  a  sheep  of  Christ,  oh,  wonder  not!" — ShepardCs  Par. 
 P.  I.  p.  26. 
 
€91 
 
 children,  a  spirit  of  love,  which  naturally  disposes  us 
 to  go  to  God  as  children  to  a  father,  and  behave  to- 
 wards God  as  children.  And  this  is  the  evidence 
 or  witness  which  the  Spirit  of  God  gives  us  that  we 
 are  children.  This  is  the  plain  sense  of  the  apostle ; 
 and  so  undoubtedly  the  apostle  here  is  speaking  of 
 the  very  same  way  of  casting  out  doubting  and  fear, 
 and  the  spirit  of  bondage  which  the  apostle  John 
 speaks  of,  1  John  iv.  1 8.  namely,  by  the  prevailing 
 of  love,  that  is  the  spirit  of  a  child.  The  spirit  of 
 bondage  works  by  fear,  the  slave  fears  the  rod :  but 
 love  cries,  Abba,  Father;  it  disposes  us  to  go  to  God, 
 and  behave  ourselves  towards  God  as  children ;  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  witness  of  the  Spirit  the  apostle  speaks  of, 
 is  far  from  being  any  whisper,  or  immediate  sugges- 
 tion or  revelation;  but  that  gracious  holy  eflPect  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  the 
 spirit  of  a  slave. 
 
 And  the  same  thing  is  evident  from  all  the  con- 
 text :  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  opposition  to  the  flesh 
 or  corruption :  and  so  he  does  in  the  words  that  im- 
 mediately introduce  this  passage  we  are  upon,  "  For 
 if  ye  live  after  the  flesh  ye  shall  cUe  :  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 
 N  2 
 
292 
 
 tlie  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  are 
 children,  as  to  cast  out  fear  and  wholly  deliver  from 
 the  spirit  of  bondage.  Tlie  stroiig  and  lively  exer- 
 cises of  a  spirit  of  childUke,  evangelical,  humble  love, 
 to  God,  give  clear  evidence  of  the  soul's  relation  to 
 God  as  his  child ;  which  does  very  greatly  and  di- 
 rectly 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  me- 
 dium, namely,  his  love  ;  yet  his  sight  of  the  union  of 
 his  heart  to  God  is  immediate :  love,  the  bond  of 
 vniion,  is  seen  intuitively;  the  saint  sees  and  feels 
 plainly  the  union  between  his  soul  and  God;  it  is  so 
 strong  and  lively,  that  he  cannot  doubt  of  it.  And 
 hence  he  is  assured  that  he  is  a  child.  How  can  he 
 doubt  whether  he  stands  in  a  childlike  relation  to 
 God,  when  he  plainly  sees  a  childlike  union  between 
 God  and  his  soul,  and  hence  does  boldly,  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  : 
 "  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 : 
 
293 
 
 "  For  our  rejoicing  is  this,  the  testimony  of  our  con- 
 science." "  And  hereby  do  we  know  that  we  arc 
 of  the  truth,  and  shall  assure  our  hearts  before  him. 
 For  if  our  hearts  condemn  us,  God  is  greater  than 
 our  heart,  and  knoweth  all  things.  Beloved,  if  our 
 hearts  condemn  us  not,  then  have  we  confidence  to- 
 wards 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  se- 
 parate, 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,  re- 
 ceives 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  is  a  kind  of  inward  voice,  suggestion, 
 or  declaration  from  God  to  man,  that  he  is  beloved 
 of  him,  and  pardoned,  elected,  or  the  like,  sometimes 
 with,  and  sometimes  without  a  text  of  scripture  :  and 
 many  have  been  the  false  and  vain  (though  very 
 hio-h)  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  insisted 
 the  longer  on  this  head. 
 
294 
 
 CHAPTER  II. 
 
 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, 
 
 I  SAY,  that  the  supremely  excellent  nature  of  di- 
 vine things,  is  the  first,  or  primary  and  original  ob- 
 jective foundation  of  the  spiritual  affections  of  true 
 saints ;  for  I  do  not  suppose  that  all  relation  which 
 divine  things  bear  to  themselves,  and  their  own  par- 
 ticular interest,  are  wholly  excluded  from  all  influence 
 in  their  gracious  affections. — For  this  may  have,  and 
 indeed  has,  a  secondary  and  consequential  influence 
 in  those  affections  that  are  truly  holy  and  spiritual, 
 as  I  shall  show  how  by  and  by. 
 
 It  was  before  observed,  that  tlio  affection  of  love 
 is  as  it  were  the  fountain  of  all  aii'ection ;  and  par- 
 ticularly, that  Christian  love  is  the  fountain  of  all 
 gracious  affections :  now  the  divine  excellency  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  supposed  interest  that  he  has  in  them, 
 or  any  conceived  benefit  that  he  has  received  from 
 them,  or  shall  receive  from  them,  or  any  such  ima- 
 gined relation  which  they  bear  to  his  interest,  that 
 self-love  can  properly  be  said  to  be  the  first  founda- 
 tion of  his  love  to  these  things. 
 
29.5 
 
 Some  say  that  all  love  arises  from  self-love ;  and 
 that  it  is  impossible  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  consid- 
 eration that  they  say  so.  They  argue,  that  wlio- 
 ever  loves  God,  and  so  desires  his  Horv,  or  the  en- 
 joyment  of  him,  he  desires  these  things  as  his  own 
 happiness ;  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  beholding  and 
 enjopng  his  perfections,  are  considered  as  things 
 agreeable  to  him,  tending  to  make  him  happy :  he 
 places  his  happiness  in  them,  and  desii'es  them  as 
 things,  which  (if  they  were  obtained)  would  be  de- 
 lightful 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  perfections.  But 
 tlien  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  en- 
 joying God's  perfections.  There  is  no  doubt,  but 
 that  after  God's  glory,  and  the  beholding  his  perfec- 
 tions, are  become  so  agreeable  to  him,  that  he  places 
 his  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,  be- 
 fore he  will  esteem  God's  good  his  own,  and  before 
 he  will  desire  the  glorifying  and  enjoying  of  God  as 
 his  happiness.      It  is  no  strong  arguing,  that  because 
 
296 
 
 after  a  man  has  his  heart  united  to  God  in  love,  as  a 
 fruit  of  this,  he  desires  his  glory  and  enjoyment  as 
 his  own  happiness,  that  therefore  a  desire  of  this  hap- 
 piness of  his  own  must  needs  be  the  cause  and  foun- 
 dation of  his  love ;  unless  it  be  strong  arguing,  that 
 because  a  father  begat  a  son,  that  therefore  his  son 
 certainly  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 
 desu'e  the  glorifying  and  enjoying  of  God ;  it  will  not 
 thence  follow,  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.  Some- 
 thing else,  entirely  distinct  from  self-love,  might  be 
 the  cause  of  this,  namely,  a  change  made  in  the  views 
 of  his  mind,  and  relish  of  his  heart;  whereby  he  ap- 
 prehends a  beauty,  glory,  and  supreme  good,  in  God's 
 nature,  as  it  is  in  itself.  This  may  be  the  thing 
 that  first  draws  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  affec- 
 tion that  a  man  may  have  towards  persons  or  things, 
 which  does  properly  arise  from  self-love ;  a  precon- 
 ceived relation  to  himself,  or  some  respect  already 
 manifested  by  another  to  him,  or  some  benefit  already 
 received  or  depended  on,  is  truly  the  first  founda- 
 tion of  his  love,  and  what  his  affection  does  wholly 
 arise  from ;  and  is  what  precedes  any  relish  of,   or 
 
297 
 
 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  be- 
 stowed 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,  cannot 
 be  a  truly  gracious  and  spiritual  love,  as  appears  from 
 what  has  been  said  already  :  for  self-love  is  a  princi- 
 ple entirely  natural,  and  as  much  in  the  hearts  of 
 de\ils  as  angels;  and  therefore,  surely  nothing  that  is 
 the  mere  result  of  it  can  be  supernatural  and  divine, 
 in  the  manner  before  described.*  Christ  plainly 
 speaks  of  this  kind  of  love,  as  what  is  nothing  be- 
 yond the  love  of  wicked  men  :  "  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  mer- 
 cenary, as  to  be  only  for  benefits  received  or  depended 
 on,   (which  is  all  one)   is  worthless  in  the  sight  of 
 
 *  "  There  is  a  natural  love  to  Christ,  as  to  one  that  doth  thee 
 good,  and  for  thine  own  ends;  and  spiritual  for  himself,  whereby 
 the  Lord  only  is  exalted." — Shepard's  Parable  of  the  Ten  Viry^ins, 
 Part  I.  p.  25. 
 
 N  3 
 
298 
 
 God ;  otherwise  he  never  would  have  made  use  of 
 such  a  slander  before  God,  against  Job  :  "  Doth  Job 
 serve  God  for  nought  ?  hast  not  thou  made  an  hedge 
 about  him,   and  about  his  house  ?"  &c. — Nor  would 
 God    ever  have  implicitly  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  goodness  of  his  respect  upon  that  issue. 
 It  is  unreasonable  to  think  otherwise,   than  that 
 the  first  foundation  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  cer- 
 tainly  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  divinity, 
 is  infinitely  excellent;  yea,  it  is  infinite  beauty,  bright- 
 ness, and  glory  itself.       But  how  can  that  be  true 
 love  of  this  excellent  and  lovely  nature,  which  is  not 
 Ijuilt  on  the  foundation  of  its  true  loveliness  ? — how 
 can  that  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 
 worthy  and  precious,  which  is  not  for  the  sake  of  its 
 worthiness  and  preciousness?      This  infinite  excel- 
 lency of  the  divhie  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 
 
299 
 
 foundation  of  all  that  is  in  any  respect  good  or  de- 
 sirable in  him?  they  whose  affection  to  good"  is 
 founded  first  on  his  profitableness  to  them,  their 
 afiection  begins  at  the  wrong  end ;  they  regard  God 
 only  for  the  utmost  limit  of  the  stream  of  divine 
 good,  wliere  it  touches  them,  and  reaches  their  in- 
 terest ;  and  have  no  respect  to  that  infinite  glory  of 
 God's  nature,  which  is  the  original  good,  and  the 
 true  fountain  of  all  good,  the  first  fountain  of  all 
 loveliness  of  every  kind,  and  so  the  first  foundation 
 of  all  true  love. 
 
 A  natural  principle  of  self-love  may  be  the  foun- 
 dation 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  that  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  to 
 another,  for  loving,  or  gratifying  him,  or  for  some- 
 thing hi  him  that  suits  self-love.  And  there  may  be 
 a  kind  of  gratitude,  without  any  true  or  proper  love ; 
 as  there  may  be  anger  without  any  proper  hatred,  as 
 in  parents  towards  their  chilch-en,  that  they  may  be 
 angry  with,  and  yet  at  the  same  time  have  a  stroiig 
 habitual  love  to  them.  This  gratitude  is  the  prin- 
 ciple which  is  in  exercise  in  wicked  men,  in  that 
 which  Christ  declares  concerning  them,  in  the  6th  of 
 Luke,  where  he  says,  sinners  love  those  that  love 
 them;  and  which  he  declares  concerning  even  the 
 
300 
 
 publicans,  who  were  some  of  the  most  carnal  and 
 profligate  sort  of  men,  Matth.  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  in- 
 stances, that  mere  nature  is  sufficient  to  excite  grati- 
 tude in  men,  or  to  affect  their  hearts  with  thankful- 
 ness to  others  for  kindnesses  received;  and  sometimes 
 towards  them,  against  whom  at  the  same  time  they 
 have  an  habitual  enmity.  Thus  Saul  was  once  and 
 again  greatly  affected,  and  even  dissolved  with  grati- 
 tude towards  David,  for  sparing  his  life,  and  yet  re- 
 mained an  habitual  enemy  to  him.  And  as  men,  from 
 mere  nature,  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  forgat  God's  works ;  and  in  Naa- 
 man  the  Syrian,  who  was  greatly  affected  with  the 
 miraculous  cure  of  his  leprosy,  so  as  to  have  his  heart 
 engaged  thenceforward  to  worship  the  God  that  had 
 healed  him,  and  him  only,  excepting  when  it  would 
 expose  him  to  be  ruined  in  his  temporal  interest. 
 So  was  Nebuchadnezzar  greatly  affected  with  God's 
 goodness  to  him  in  restorino;  him  to  his  reason  and 
 kingdom,  after  his  dweUing  with  the  beasts. 
 
 Gratitude  being  thus  a  natural  principle,  it  ren- 
 ders ingratitude  so  much  the  more  vile  and  heinous; 
 because  it  shows  a  dreadful  prevalence  of  wickedness, 
 when   it  even  overbears  and  suppresses   the  better 
 
301 
 
 principles  of  human  nature  :  as  it  is  mentioned  as  an 
 evidence  of  the  high  degree  of  the  wickedness  of 
 many  of  the  heathen,  that  they  were  without  natural 
 affection,  Rom,  ii.  31.  But  that  the  want  of  grati- 
 tude, or  natural  affection,  are  evidences  of  a  hio;h  de- 
 gree  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  a  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  sovereign ;  or  as  though 
 his  goodness  were  dependant  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  form- 
 ing in  their  imaginations,  when  they  are  far  from 
 lovinff  such  a  God  as  reimis  in  heaven. 
 
 Again,  self-love  may  be  the  foundation  of  an  affec- 
 tion in  men  towards  God,  through  a  great  insensi- 
 biHty  of  their  state  with  regard  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  think- 
 ing God  to  be  such  a  one  as  themselves,  who  favours 
 and  agrees  with  them,  they  may  like  him  very  well, 
 and  feel  a  sort  of  love  to  him,  when  they  are  far  from 
 
302 
 
 loving  the  true  God.  And  men's  affections  may  be 
 much  moved  towards  God,  from  self-love,  by  some 
 remarkable  outward  benefits  received  from  God ;  as 
 it  was  with  Naaman,  Nebuchadnezzar,  and  tlie  chil- 
 dren 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  founda- 
 tion of  their  love  to  him.  After  awakenings  and 
 distress  through  fears  of  hell,  they  may  suddenly  get 
 a  notion,  through  some  impression  on  their  imagina- 
 tion, or  immediate  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  appear  lovely  to  them,  and  Christ 
 may  seem  excellent.  And  if  such  persons  are  asked, 
 whether  God  appears  lovely  and  amiable  in  himself? 
 they  would  perhaps  readily  answer.  Yes;  when  in- 
 deed, if  the  matter  be  strictly  examined,  this  good 
 opinion  of  God  was  purchased  and  paid  for  before 
 ever  they  afforded  it,  in  the  distinguishing  and  in- 
 finite benefits  they  imagined  they  received  from  God  : 
 and  they  allow  God  to  be  lovely  in  himself,  no  other- 
 wise 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  power  and  wis- 
 dom in  preferring,  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. 
 
303 
 
 and  to  admire  and  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  heart  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  hira 
 in  heaven.  When  this  is  the  case  with  carnal  men, 
 their  very  lusts  will  make  him  seem  lovely;  pride  it- 
 self will  prejudice  them  in  favour  of  that  which  they 
 call  Christ.  Selfish  proud  man  naturally  calls  that 
 lovely  that  greatly  contributes  to  his  interest,  and 
 gratifies  his  ambition. 
 
 And  as  such  persons  begin,  so  they  go  on.  Their 
 affections  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  com- 
 munion with  God,  as  though  it  were  carried  on  by 
 impulses,  and  whispers,  and  external  representations, 
 immediately  made  to  their  imagination.  Tiiese 
 things  they  often  have;  which  they  take  to  be  mani- 
 festations 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  captivated  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, 
 
304 
 
 consequentially,  they  see  God's  love,  and  great  fa- 
 vour to  them.*  The  saint's  affections  begin  with 
 God;  and  self-love  has  a  hand  in  these  affections 
 consequentially,  and  secondarily  only.  On  the  con- 
 trary, those  false  affections  begin  with  self,  and  an 
 acknowledgment  of  an  excellency  in  God,  and  an 
 affectedness  with  it,  is  only  consequential  and  depen- 
 dant. In  the  love  of  the  true  saint  God  is  the 
 lowest  foundation ;  the  love  of  the  excellency  of  his 
 nature  is  the  foundation  of  all  the  affections  which 
 come  afterwards,  wherein  self-love  is  concerned  as 
 an  handmaid:  on  the  contrary,  the  hypocrite  lays 
 himseli*  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  on  his 
 regard  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  with  God's  kindness  to 
 them,  as  parts  of  a  community :  as  a  natural  princi- 
 ple of  self-love,  without  any  other  principle,  may  be 
 sufficient  to  make  a  man  concerned  for  the  interest 
 of  the  nation  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  affected  with  the  benefits  the  inhabitants 
 
 •  "  There  is  a  seeing  of  Christ  after  a  man  believes,  which  is 
 Christ  in  his  Jove,  &c.  But  I  speak  of  that  first  sight  of  him 
 that  precedes  the  second  act  of  faith ;  and  it  is  an  intuitive,  or 
 real  sight  of  him,  as  he  is  in  his  glory." — Shepard's  Parable  of  the 
 Ten  Virgins,  P.  I.  p.  74. 
 
305 
 
 of  the  earth  have,  beyond  those  of  the  inhabitants 
 of  other  planets,  if  we  knew  that  such  there  were, 
 and  knew  how  it  was  with  them.  So  this  principle 
 may  cause  men  to  be  affected  with  the  benefits  that 
 mankind  have  received  beyond  the  fallen  angels. 
 And  hence  men,  from  this  principle,  may  be  much 
 affected  with  the  w^onderful  goodness  of  God  to  man- 
 kind, his  great  goodness  in  giving  his  Son  to  die  for 
 fallen  man,  and  the  marvellous  love  of  Christ  in  suf- 
 fering such  great  things  for  us,  and  with  the  great 
 glory  they  hear  God  has  provided  in  heaven  for  us ; 
 looking  on  themselves  as  persons  concerned  and  in- 
 terested, as  being  some  of  this  species  of  creatures 
 so  highly  favoured :  the  same  principle  of  natural 
 gratitude  may  influence  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  which 
 is  merely  natural,  and  that  when  persons  have  their 
 affections  towards  God  only  or  primarily  for  benefits 
 received,  their  affection  is  only  the  exercise  of  a  na- 
 tural gratitude.  There  is,  doubtless,  such  a  thing 
 as  a  gracious  gratitude,  which  does  greatly  difter  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, 
 
306 
 
 for  kindness  received,  always  are  from  a  stock  of  love 
 already  in  the  heart,  established  in  the  first  place  on 
 other  grounds,  namely,  God's  own  excellency ;  and 
 hence  the  affections  are  disposed  to  flow  out  on  oc- 
 casions of  God's  kindness.  The  saint  havino;  seen 
 the  glory  of  God,  and  his  heart  overcome  by  it,  and 
 captivated  into  a  supreme  love  to  him  on  that  ac- 
 count, 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 
 extraordinary  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 :  "  I  love  the  Lord,  because  he 
 hath  heard  the  voice  of  my  supplication."  But  some- 
 thing else  is  included ;  and  another  love  prepares  the 
 way,  and  lays  the  foundation  for  these  grateful  affec- 
 tions. 
 
 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  perfec- 
 tion and  beauty  of  God's  nature.      This  would  be 
 
307 
 
 glorious,   whether  it  were  exercised   towards  us  or 
 not :   and  the  saint  who  exercises  a  gracious  thank- 
 fuhiess  for  it,  sees  it  to  be  so,  and  delights  in  it  as 
 such;  though  his  concern  in  it  serves  the  more  to 
 engaffe  his  mind,   and  raise  the  attention  and  affec- 
 lion  :  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  be- 
 fore them,  wherein  to  behold  the  beauty  of  the  attri- 
 bute 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;   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  ; 
 althouixh  the  manifestations  of  that  lovely  attribute, 
 set  immediately  before  our  eyes,  in  the  exercises  oi 
 it  for  us,  be  the  special  occasion  of  the  mind's  atten- 
 tion 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,  "  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. 
 
308 
 
 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  verses  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  fruit 
 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  his  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  exer- 
 cises and  discoveries  that  God  has  made  of  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  per- 
 fection, 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  gratitude, 
 agreeable  to  what  was  before  said.  And  that  the 
 saints  do  in  these  respects  love  God,  because  he  first 
 loved  them,  fully  answers  the  design  of  the  apostle's 
 argument  in  tliat  place.  So  that  no  good  argument 
 can  be  drawn  from  hence,  against  a  spiritual  and 
 gracious  love  in  the  sahits,  arising  primarily  from  the 
 
309 
 
 excellency  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  holv  beauty  of  these  things  as  they  are  in  them- 
 selves. And  this  is  indeed  the  very  main  difference 
 between  the  joy  of  the  hypocrite,  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  hypocrite  has  his  mind  pleased  and  de- 
 lighted, in  the  first  place,  with  his  own  privilege, 
 and  the  happiness  to  which  he  supposes  he  has 
 attained,  or  shall  attain.  True  saints  have  their 
 minds,  in  the  first  place,  inexpressibly  pleased  and 
 deUfj'hted  with  the  sweet  ideas  of  the  crlorious  and 
 amiable  nature  of  the  things  of  God.  And  this  is 
 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  they  are  made  so  much  of  by  God ;  and 
 then,  on  that  ground,  he  seems  lovely  to  them. 
 
 The  first  foundation  of  the  delight  a  true  saint 
 has   in  God,    is  his  own  perfection ;    and  the  first 
 
310 
 
 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  way  of  sal- 
 vation by  Christ  is  a  delightful  way  to  him,  for  the 
 sweet  and  admirable  manifestations  of  the  divine  per- 
 fections in  it :  the  holy  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  by 
 which  God  is  exalted  and  man  abased,  holiness  hon- 
 oured 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  conception  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  ex- 
 cellent 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  is  theirs.*      But 
 
 •  Dr.  Owen  on  the  Spirit,  p.  199.  speaking  of  a  common 
 work  of  the  Spirit,  says,  "The  effects  of  this  work  on  tlie  mind, 
 which  is  the  first  suhject  affected  witli  it,  proceeds  not  so  far  as 
 to  give  it  delight,  complacency,  and  satisfaction,  in  the  lovely 
 spiritual  nature  and  excellencies  of  the  thii)gs  revealed  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;  Rom.  vi.  17.  and  xii.  2. 
 2  Cor.  iii.  18.  and  iv.  6.  This,  the  work  we  have  insisted  on, 
 reacheth  not  unto.  For  notwithstanding  any  discovery  that  is 
 made  therein  of  spiritual  things  unto  the  mind,  it  finds  not  in 
 immediate,  direct,  spiritual  excellency  in  them  ;  but  only  with 
 
311 
 
 that  whicli  is  the  true  samt'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  pro- 
 mised to  the  saints,  and  hear  these  things  lively  and 
 eloquently  set  forth ;  they  may  hear  with  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  affect  great  distinction 
 from  others.  No  wonder,  in  this  confident  opinion 
 of  their  own  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  theii'  joy  is  really  a  joy  in  themselves,  and 
 not  in  God. 
 
 And  because  the  joy  of  hypocrites  is  in  them- 
 selves, hence  it  comes  to  pass,  that  in  their  rejoic- 
 ings 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; 
 
 respe(;t  ur.to  some  benefit  or  advantage,  wliich  is  to  he  attained  by 
 means  tliereof.  It  will  not  give  such  a  spiritual  insight  into  the 
 mystery  of  God's  grace  by  Jesus  Christ,  called  his  glori/  shining 
 in  the  face  of  Christ,  2  Cor.  iv.  6.  as  that  the  soul,  in  its  first 
 direct  view  of  it,  should,  for  what  is  in  itst-lt,  admire  it,  delight 
 in  it,  approve  ir,  and  find  spiiitual  solace,  with  a  rehvshment, 
 in  it.  But  such  a  light,  such  a  knowledge,  it  communicates, 
 as  that  a  man  may  like  it  well  in  its  effects,  as  a  way  of  mercy 
 and  salvation." 
 
312 
 
 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  thing 
 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;  instead  of  feeding 
 and  feasting;  their  souls  in  the  view  of  what  is  with- 
 out  them,  namely,  the  innate,  sweet,  refreshing, 
 amiableness  of  the  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  sel- 
 fish principle  with  a  view  of  their  discoveries :  they 
 take  more  comfort  in  their  discoveries  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  observable,  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  imagination,  or  some  impulse, 
 which  they  take  to  be  an  immediate  suggestion,  or 
 testimony  from  God,  of  his  love  and  their  happiness, 
 and  high  privilege  in  some  respect,  either  with  or 
 without  a  text  of  Scripture  :  they  are  mightily  taken 
 with  this,  as  a  great  discovery ;  and  hence  arise  high 
 
313 
 
 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  affec- 
 tions ;  and  this  affects  them  more ;  and  so  they  are 
 affected  with  their  affections.  And  thus  their  affec- 
 tions rise  higher  and  higher  until  they  sometimes 
 are  perfectly  swallowed  up :  and  self-conceit,  and  a 
 fierce  zeal  rises ;  and  all  is  built  like  a  castle  in  the 
 air,  on  no  other  foundation  but  imagination,  self-love, 
 and  pride. 
 
 And  as  the  thoughts  of  such  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  expe- 
 riences, and  greatness  of  their  attainments,  so  they 
 are  great  talkers  about  themselves.  The  true  saint, 
 when  under  great  spiritual  affections,  from  the  ful- 
 ness of  his  heart,  is  ready  to  be  speaking  much  of 
 God,  and  his  glorious  perfections  and  works,  and  of 
 the  beauty  and  amiableness  of  Christ,  and  the  glo- 
 rious 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  dis- 
 coveries 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 
 O  20 
 
314 
 
 a  diversion  and  loss  which  he  could  not  bear,  to  take 
 off  his  eye  from  the  ravishing  object  of  his  contem- 
 plation, to  survey  his  own  experience,  and  to  spend 
 time  in  thinking  with  himself,  what  a  high  attain- 
 ment 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  con- 
 sideration 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,  with- 
 out 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  affec- 
 tions, their  sorrow  for  sin,  their  humiliation  and  sub- 
 mission, their  religious  desires  and  zeal :  every  thing 
 is  as  it  were  paid  for  before-hand,  in  God's  highly 
 gratifying  their  self-love,  and  their  lusts,  by  making 
 so  much  of  them,  and  exalting  them  so  highly,  as 
 things  that  are  in  their  imagination.  It  is  easy 
 for  nature,  corrupt  as  it  is,  under  a  notion  of  being 
 already  some  of  the  highest  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  supposi- 
 tion of  their  being  eminent  saints.  If  that  opinion 
 which  they  have  of  themselves  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 
 
315 
 
 the  ground.  If  they  only  saw  a  little  of  the  sinful- 
 ness and  vileness  of  their  own  hearts,  and  their  de- 
 formity 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-knowledge  would  destroy  them.  But 
 as  to  truly  gracious  affections,  they  are  built  else- 
 where ;  they  have  there  foundation  out  of  self  in  God 
 and  Jesus  Christ ;  and  therefore  a  discovery  of  them- 
 selves, 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  respect 
 sweeten  and  heighten  them. 
 
 CHAPTER  HI. 
 
 Those  Affections  that  are  truly  holy,  are  primarily 
 founded  on  the  loveliness  of  the  moral  excellency  of 
 divine  things.  Or  a  love  to  divine  things  for  the 
 beauty  and  sweetness  of  their  moral  excellency,  is 
 the  first  beginning  and  spring  of  all  holy  Affec- 
 tions, 
 
 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  understood  here,  according  to  the  common 
 and  vulgar  acceptation  of  the  word,  when  men  speak 
 of  moraUty,  and  a  moral  behaviour ;  meaning  an  out- 
 ward conformity  to  the  duties  of  the  moral  law,  and 
 o2 
 
316 
 
 especially  the  duties  of  the  second  table ;  or  intend- 
 ing no  more  at  farthest,  than  such  seeming  virtues, 
 as  proceed  from  natural  principles,  in  opposition  to 
 those  virtues  that  are  more  inward,  spiritual,  and  di- 
 vine; as  the  honesty,  justice,  generosity,  good  nature, 
 and  public  spirit  of  many  of  the  heathen,  are  called 
 moral  virtues,  in  distinction  from  the  holy  faith,  love, 
 humility,  and  heavenly-mindedness  of  true  Chris- 
 tians. I  say,  the  word  iiwral  is  not  to  be  understood 
 thus  in  this  place. 
 
 But  in  order  to  a  right  understanding  of  what  is 
 meant,  it  must  be  observed,  that  divines  commonly 
 make  a  distinction  between  moral  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  contrary  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,  hateful  to  wicked  men  and 
 dexils,  as  well  as  good  men  and  angels.  So  Hkewise 
 natural  defects  are  called  natural  evils,  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 
 
317 
 
 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,  namely,  that  which  perfects 
 or  suits  nature,  considering  nature  abstractly  from 
 any  holy  or  unholy  qualifications,  and  without  any  re- 
 lation 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  capacity  of  their  understandhigs,  and  their 
 great  strength,   and  the  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  of  which 
 they  are  possessed;  but  their  perfect  and  glorious 
 holiness  and  goodness,  their  pure  and  flaming  love 
 to  God,  and  to  the  saints,  and  one  another,  is  their 
 moral  good.      So  divines  make  a  distinction  between 
 the  natural  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,  right,  and  in- 
 finitely becoming,  and  lovely ;  such  as  his  righteous- 
 ness, truth,  faithfulness,  and  goodness;   or  in  one 
 word,  his  holiness.      By  God's  natural  attributes  or 
 perfections,  they  mean  those  attributes,  wherein,  ac- 
 cording to  our  way  of  conceiving  of  God,  consists, 
 not  in  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. 
 
S18 
 
 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  whose 
 will  is  truly  right  and  lovely,  he  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  counterfeit,  is  holiness.  There- 
 fore hoHness  comprehends  all  the  true  moral  excel- 
 lency of  intelligent  beings :  there  is  no  other  true 
 virtue  but  real  holiness.  Holiness  comprehends  all 
 the  true  virtue  of  a  good  man,  his  love  to  God,  his 
 gracious  love  to  men,  his  justice,  his  charity,  and 
 bowels  of  mercies,  his  gracious  meekness  and  gentle- 
 ness, and  all  other  true  Christian  virtues  that  he  has, 
 belong  to  his  holiness.  So  the  holiness  of  God  in 
 the  more  extensive  sense  of  the  word,  and  the  sense 
 in  which  the  word  is  commonly,  if  not  universally 
 used  concerning  God  in  Scripture,  is  the  same  with 
 the  moral  excellency  of  the  divine  nature,  or  his 
 purity  and  beauty  as  a  moral  agent,  comprehending 
 all  his  moral  perfections,  his  righteousness,  faithful- 
 ness, and  goodness.  As  in  holy  men,  their  charity. 
 Christian  kindness,  and  mercy,  belong  to  their  holi- 
 ness, so  the  kindness  and  mercy  of  God  belongs  to 
 his  holiness.  Holiness  in  man,  is  but  the  image  of 
 God's  holiness  :  there  are  not  more  virtues  belonging 
 to  the  image  than  are  in  the  original :  derived  holi- 
 ness 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. 
 
319 
 
 As  there  are  two  kinds  of  attributes  in  God,  ac- 
 cording to  our  way  of  conceiving  of  him,  his  moral 
 attributes,  which  are  summed  up  in  his  hoHness,  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  in 
 man's  reason  and  understanding,  his  natural  abihty, 
 and  dominion  over  the  creatures,  which  is  the  image 
 of  God's  natural  attributes. 
 
 From  what  has  been  said,  it  may  easily  be  un- 
 derstood what  I  intend,  when  I  say  that  a  love  to 
 divine  things  for  the  beauty  of  their  moral  excel- 
 lency, is  the  beginning  and  spring  of  all  holy  affec- 
 tions. It  has  been  already  shown,  under  the  former 
 head,  that  the  first  objective  ground  of  all  holy  affec- 
 tions is  the  supreme  excellency  of  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  affec- 
 tions, is  their  moral  excellency,  or  their  hoUness. 
 Holy  persons,  in  the  exercise  of  holy  affections,  do 
 love  divine  things  primarily  for  theii'  holiness ;  they 
 love  God,  in  the  first  place,  for  the  beauty  of  his  hoh- 
 ness  or  moral  perfection,  as  being  supremely  amiable  in 
 itself.  Not  that  the  saints,  in  the  exercise  of  gra- 
 cious affections,  do  love  God  only  for  his  holiness ; 
 all  his  attributes  are  amiable  and  glorious  in  their  eyes ; 
 they  deHght  in  every  divine  perfection  ;  the  contem- 
 plation of  the  infinite  greatness,  power  and  knowledge, 
 
320 
 
 and  terrible  majesty  of  God,  is  pleasant  to  them. 
 But  their  love  to  God  for  his  holiness  is  what  is  most 
 fundamental  and  essential  in  their  love.  Here  it  is 
 that  true  love  to  God  begins ;  aU  other  holy  love  to 
 divine  things  flow  from  hence  :  this  is  the  most  essen- 
 tial  and  distinguishing  thing  that  belongs  to  a  holy 
 love  to  God,  with  regard  to  the  foundation  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  attributes ;  for  his  moral  attributes  cannot  be 
 without  his  natural  attributes :  for  infinite  holiness 
 supposes  infinite  wisdom,  and  an  infinite  capacity  and 
 greatness ;  and  all  the  attributes  of  God  do  as  it  were 
 imply  one  another. 
 
 The  true  beauty  and  loveliness  of  all  intelligent 
 beings  does  primarily  and  most  essentially  consist  in 
 their  moral  excellency  or  holiness.  Herein  consists 
 the  loveliness  of  the  angels,  without  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  it  is  in 
 itself,  and  on  its  own  account,  the  excellency  of  in- 
 telligent 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  excellencies.  Natural  qualifications  are 
 either  excellent  or  otherwise,  according  as  they  are 
 joined  with  moral  excellency  or  not. — Strength  and 
 knowledge  does  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  the  more  glorious  for  their  strength 
 and  knowledge,  because  these  natural  perfections  of 
 
321 
 
 theirs  are  sanctified  by  their  moral  perfection.  But 
 though  the  devils  are  very  strong,  and  of  great  natu- 
 ral understanding,  they  are  not  the  more  lovely :  they 
 are  more  terrible  indeed,  but  not  the  more  amiable ; 
 and,  on  the  contrary,  the  more  hateful.  The  holi- 
 ness of  an  intelligent  creature,  is  the  beauty  of  all 
 his  natural  perfections.  And  so  it  is  in  God,  accord- 
 ing to  our  way  of  conceiving  of  the  Divine  being : 
 holiness  is  in  a  pecuHar  manner  the  beauty  of  the  di- 
 vine nature.  Hence  we  often  read  of  the  beauty  of 
 holiness,  Psal.  xxix.  2.  and  xcvi.  9.  and  ex.  3.  This 
 renders  all  his  other  attributes  glorious  and  lovely- 
 It  is  the  glory  of  God's  wisdom,  that  it  is  a  holy  wis- 
 dom, and  not  a  wicked  subtlety  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. 
 
 And  therefore  it  must  needs  be,  that  a  sight  of 
 God's  loveUness  must  begin  here.  A  true  love  to 
 God  must  begin  with  a  deHght  in  his  holiness,  and 
 not  with  a  delight  in  any  other  attribute :  for  no 
 other  attribute  is  truly  lovely  without  this,  and  no 
 otherwise  than  as  (according  to  our  way  of  conceiv- 
 ing of  God)  it  derives  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  perfec- 
 tions arises  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 
 o3 
 
322 
 
 God's  holiness,  cannot  see  any  thing  of  the  trae  glory 
 of  his  mercy  and  grace  :  they  see  nothing  of  the  glory 
 of  those  attributes,  as  any  excellency  of  God's  nature, 
 as  it  is  in  itself;  though  they  may  be  affected  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  other- 
 wise than  as  they  are  included  in  his  holiness,  more 
 largely  taken  :  or  as  they  are  a  part  of  his  moral  per- 
 fection. 
 
 As  the  beauty  of  the  divine  nature  does  primarily 
 consist  in  God's  hoHness,  so  does  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  consists  the  beauty 
 and  brightness  of  the  angels  of  heaven,  that  they  are 
 holy  angels,  and  so  not  devils.*      Herein  consists  the 
 beauty  of  the  Christian  religion,  above  all  other  re- 
 ligions, that  it  is  so  holy  a  religion.      Herein  consists 
 the  excellency  of  the  word  of  God,  that  it  is  so  holy : 
 "  Thy  word  is  very  pure,  therefore  thy  servant  lov- 
 eth  it. — I  esteem  all  thy  precepts  concerning  all  things 
 to  be  right ;  and  I  hate  every  false  way. — Thy  testi- 
 monies that  thou  hast  commanded  are  righteous,  and 
 very  faithful. — My  tongue  shall  speak  of  thy  word : 
 for  a11  thy  commandments  are  righteousness. — 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  commandment  of  the  Lord  is  pure,  enlightening 
 
 •  Daniel  iv.  13,  17,  23.  Matt.  xxv.  31.  Mark  viii.  38.  Acts  x. 
 22.  Rev.  xiv.  10. 
 
3^3 
 
 the  eyes ;  the  fear  of  the  Lord  is  clean,  enduring  for 
 ever ;  the  judgments  of  the  Lord  are  true,  and  right- 
 eous 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  thousand,  and 
 altogether  lovely,  even  in  that  he  is  "  the  holy  one 
 of  God,"  and  "  God's  holy  child,"  and  "  he  that  is 
 holy,  and  he  that  is  true."  All  the  spiritual  beauty 
 of  his  human  nature,  consisting  in  his  meekness,  low- 
 liness, patience,  heavenliness,  love  to  God,  love  to 
 men,  condescension  to  the  mean  and  vile,  and  com- 
 passion 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  reflection,  does  also  primarily  consist  in  his  holi- 
 ness. Herein  primarily  consists  the  glory  of  the  gos- 
 pel, that  it  is  a  holy  gospel,  and  so  bright  an  emana- 
 tion 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.  All  the  beauties  of  the  new  Jerusalem, 
 as  it  is  described  in  the  two  last  chapters  of  Revela- 
 tions, are  but  various  representations  of  this. 
 
 And  therefore  it  is  primarily  on  account  of  this 
 kind  of  excellency,  that  the  saints  do  love  all  these 
 things.      Thus  they  love  the  word  of  God,  because 
 
324. 
 
 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  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.* 
 
 Under  the  head  of  the  first  distinguishing  charac- 
 teristic of  gracious  affections,  I  observed,  that  there 
 is  given  to  those  that  are  regenerated,  a  new  super- 
 natural sense,  that  is  as  it  were  a  certain  divine  spiri- 
 tual 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  spiritual  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  the  beauty  of 
 holiness,  is  that  in  spiritual  and  divine  things,  which 
 
 *  "  To  the  right  closing  with  Christ's  person,  this  is  also  re- 
 quired, to  taste  the  bitterness  of  sin,  as  the  greatest  evil :  else  a 
 man  will  never  close  with  Christ,  for  his  holiness  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  holi- 
 ness. 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 
 righteousness,  all  his  works,  see  a  beauty  in  them,  because  they 
 do  serve  his  turn  to  comfort  him  only.  Ask  a  virgin,  he  will  see 
 his  happiness  in  all ;  but  that  which  makes  the  Lord  amiable  is 
 liis  holiness,  which  is  in  him  to  make  him  holy  too.  As  in  mar- 
 riage, it  is  the  personal  beauty  draws  the  heart.  And  hence  I 
 have  thought  it  reason,  that  he  that  loves  the  brethren  for  a 
 little  grace,  will  love  Christ  much  more." — SheixircCa  Par,  P.  I. 
 p.  84. 
 
325 
 
 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  Scrip- 
 ture often  represents  the  beauty  and  sweetness  of 
 hoHness  as  the  grand  object  of  a  spiritual  taste  and 
 spiritual  appetite.  This  was  the  sweet  food  of  the 
 holy  soul  of  Jesus  Christ :  "  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  no 
 part  of  the  holy  Scriptures,  where  the  nature  and 
 evidences  of  true  and  sincere  godliness  are  so  fully 
 and  largely  insisted  on  and  delineated,  as  the  11 9th 
 Psalm.  The  Psalmist  declares  his  desio-n  in  the 
 first  verse  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  hoHness  is  represented 
 as  the  immediate  object  of  a  spiritual  taste,  relish, 
 appetite,  and  delight  in  God's  law;  that  grand  ex- 
 pression and  emanation  of  the  holiness  of  God's  na- 
 ture, and  prescription  of  holiness  to  the  creature,  is 
 all  along  represented  as  the  food  and  entertainment, 
 and  as  the  great  object  of  the  love,  the  appetite,  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.  The  same  Psalmist  declares,  that 
 this  is  the  sweetness  that  a  spiritual  taste  relishes  in 
 God's  law  :  "  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, 
 
326 
 
 rejoicing  the  heart ; — 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  honeycomb." 
 
 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  on  which  it  fixes  and  terminates.  A  holy 
 nature  must  needs  love  that  in  holy  things  chiefly 
 which  is  most  agreeable  to  itself;  but  surely  that  in 
 divine  things,  which  above  all  others  is  agreeable  to 
 holy  nature,  is  holiness,  because  holiness  must  be 
 above  all  other  things  agreeable  to  holiness ;  for  no- 
 thing can  be  more  agreeable  to  any  nature  than  it- 
 self; holy  nature  must  be  above  all  things  agreeable 
 to  holy  nature :  and  so  the  holy  nature  of  God  and 
 Christ,  and  the  word  of  God,  and  other  divine  things, 
 must  be  above  all  other  things  agreeable  to  the  holy 
 nature  that  is  in  the  saints. 
 
 And  again,  a  holy  nature  doubtless  loves  holy 
 things,  especially  on  the  account  of  that  for  which 
 sinful  nature  has  enmity  against  them ;  but  that  for 
 which  sinful  nature  chiefly  is  at  enmity  with  holy 
 things,  is  their  holiness ;  it  is  for  this  that  the  carnal 
 mind  is  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  opposite  tendencies. 
 We  know  that  holiness  is  of  a  directly  contrary  nature 
 to  wickedness ;  as  therefore  it  is  the  nature  of  wicked- 
 ness chiefly  to  oppose  and  hate  holiness,  so  it  must 
 be  the  nature  of  holiness  chiefly  to  tend  to,  and  de- 
 light in  holiness. 
 
327 
 
 The  holy  nature  in  the  saints  and  angels  in  hea« 
 ven  (where  the  true  tendency  of  it  best  appears)  i$ 
 principally  engaged  by  the  holiness  of  divine  things. 
 This  is  the  divine  beauty  which  chiefly  engages  the 
 attention,  admiration,  and  praise  of  the  bright  and 
 burning  seraphim  :  "  One  cried  unto  another,  and 
 said,  Holy,  holy,  holy,  is  the  Lord  of  hosts;  the 
 whole  earth  is  full  of  his  glory."  And,  "  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 — "  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  ad- 
 miring and  extolling  all  God's  attributes,  either  as 
 deriving  loveliness  from  his  holiness,  or  as  being  a 
 part  of  it.  Thus  when  they  praise  God  for  his 
 power,  his  holiness  is  the  beauty  that  engages  them  : 
 "  O  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 — 
 "  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."  "  Exalt  ye  the  Lord  our 
 God,  and  worship  at  his  footstool ;  for  he  is  holy." 
 "  Thou  wast  a  God  that  forgavest  them,  though 
 thou  tookest  venoreance  of  their  inventions.  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 :  "  Light  is  sown 
 for  the  righteous,   and  gladness  for  the  upright  in 
 
328 
 
 heart.  Rejoice  in  the  Lord,  ye  righteous ;  and  give 
 thanks  at  the  remembrance  of  his  hoUness."  "  There 
 is  none  holy  as  the  Lord :  for  there  is  none  beside 
 thee ;  neither  is  there  any  rock  Hke  our  God." 
 
 By  this  therefore  all  may  try  their  affections,  and 
 particularly  their  love  and  joy.  Various  kinds  of 
 creatures  show  the  difference  of  their  nature,  very 
 much  in  the  different  things  they  relish  as  their  pro- 
 per good,  one  delighting  in  that  which  another  ab- 
 hors. Such  a  difference  is  there  between  true  saints, 
 and  natural  men :  natural  men  have  no  sense  of  the 
 goodness  and  excellency  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  rests  upon  for  solace  and  enter- 
 tainment to  his  mind,  in  this  world,  and  full  satisfac- 
 tion 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  expectations 
 
329 
 
 from  them.  There  are  many  high  affections,  great 
 seeming  love  and  rapturous  joys,  which  have  nothing 
 of  this  holy  relish  belonging  to  them. 
 
 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  a  profitable 
 good  to  me,  that  which  greatly  serves  my  interest, 
 and  so  suits  my  self-love ;  or  as  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 
 captivated,  by  the  free  grace  of  God,  in  the  first  place. 
 
 From  what  has  been  said,  it  appears,  that  if  per- 
 sons have  a  great  sense  of  the  natural  perfections  of 
 God,  and  are  greatly  affected  with  them,  or  have  any 
 other  sight  or  sense  of  God  than  that  which  consists 
 in,  or  impHes  a  sense  of,  the  beauty  of  his  moral 
 perfections,  it  is  no  certain  sign  of  grace :  as,  parti- 
 cularly, men's  having  a  great  sense  of  the  a^^iul  great- 
 ness 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  reUshes  this  divine  sweetness. 
 
 It  has  been  shown  already,  in  what  was  said  upon 
 the  first  distinguishing  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  graceless. 
 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, 
 
3S0 
 
 and  awful  majesty;  for  this  is  what  the  devils  have, 
 though  they  have  lost  the  spiritual  knowledge  of 
 God,  consisting  in  a  sense  of  the  amiableness  of  his 
 moral  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  greatness  and  ma- 
 jesty; 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  be- 
 hold it  to  a  great  degree  indeed,  angels  and  devils, 
 saints  and  sinners :  Christ  will  manifest  his  infinite 
 greatness  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  represented  *as  seeing  the 
 glory  of  God's  majesty.  God  will  make  all  his  ene- 
 mies 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  enemies  to  know  him  in  this  respect,  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 — "  As  truly 
 as  I  live,  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 
 
331 
 
 world:  Exod.  ix.  16.  and  xiv.  18.  and  xv.  16.  Psalm 
 Ixvi.  3.  and  xlvi.  10.  and  in  many  other  places.     This 
 was  a  manifestation  which  God  made  of  himself  in 
 the  sight  of  that  wicked  congregation  at  Mount  Si- 
 nai ;  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,   excepting  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  appertaining  to  his  moral  attributes 
 themselves,  excepting  the  beauty  and  amiableness  of 
 them :  they  will  see  and  know  that  he  is  perfectly 
 just,  and  righteous,  and  true :  that  he  is  a  holy  God, 
 of  purer  eyes  than  to  behold  evil,  who  cannot  look 
 on  iniquity;  and  they  will  see  the  wonderful  mani- 
 festations 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  ca- 
 pable of  having  a  very  affecting  sense  of  every  thing 
 else  that  appertains  to  God,  but  this  only.      Nebu- 
 chadnezzar had  a  great  and  very  affecting  sense  of 
 the  infinite  greatness  and  awful  majesty  of  God,  of 
 his  supreme  and  absolute  dominion,  and  mighty  and 
 irresistible  power,  and  of  his  sovereignty,  and  that  he, 
 and  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  were  nothing  be- 
 fore him ;  and  also  had  a  great  conviction  in  his  con- 
 science of  his  justice,  and  an  affecting  sense  of  his 
 great  goodness.      And  the  sense  that  Darius  had  of 
 
33^^ 
 
 God's  perfections,  seems  to  be  very  much  like  his. 
 But  the  saints  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  effectually  change  them.  A  sight  of 
 the  awful  greatness  of  God  may  overpower  men's 
 strength,  and  be  more  than  they  can  endure ;  but  if 
 the  moral  beauty  of  God  be  hid,  the  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  shin- 
 ing into  the  heart,  produces  all  these  effects  as  it  were 
 with  an  omnipotent  power,  which  nothing  can  with- 
 stand. 
 
 The  sense  that  natural  men  may  have  of  the  aw- 
 ful 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,  under 
 the  real  or  supposed  receipt  of  some  extraordinary 
 mercy  from  God,  by  the  influence  of  mere  principles 
 of  nature.  It  has  been  shown  already,  that  the  re- 
 ceipt of  kindness  may,  by  the  influence  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  re- 
 
333 
 
 ceipt  of  that  extraordinary  favour  of  his  restoration, 
 after  he  had  been  driven  from  men,  and  had  his  dwel- 
 ling with  the  beasts:  a  sense  of  God's  exceeding 
 greatness  raises  his  gratitude  very  high ;  so  that  he 
 does  in  the  most  lofty  terms,  extol  and  magnify  God, 
 and  calls  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,  entertains  a  strong  conceit  that  this 
 great  God  has  made  him  his  child  and  special  fa- 
 vourite, and  promised  him  eternal  glory  in  his  high- 
 est love,  vnll  this  have  a  tendency,  according  to  the 
 course  of  nature,  to  raise  his  joy  and  praise  to  a  great 
 height. 
 
 Therefore,  it  is  beyond  doubt,  that  too  much  weight 
 has  been  laid,  by  many  persons  of  late,  on  discoveries 
 of  God's  greatness,  awful  majesty,  and  natural  per- 
 fection, operating  after  this  manner,  without  any  real 
 view  of  the  holy,  lovely  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  over- 
 powered with  the  greatness  and  majesty  of  God,  and 
 consequently  elevated  in  the  manner  that  has  been 
 spoken  of,  who  have  been  very  far  from  having  ap- 
 pearances 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  discoveries. 
 
 Not  that  a  -jense  of  God's  greatness  and  natural 
 attributes  is  not  exceedingly  useful  and  necessary. 
 For,  as  I  observed  before,  this  is  implied  in  a  mani- 
 festation of  the  beauty  of  God's  holiness.      Though 
 
3S4< 
 
 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  frequent  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  natural  attributes,  but  that  beauty 
 of  those  attributes,  which  (according  to  our  way  of 
 conceiving  of  God)  is  derived  from  his  holiness. 
 
 CHAPTER  IV. 
 
 Gracious  Affections  arise  from  the  mind^s  being  en- 
 lightened^ richly  and  spiritually  to  understand  or 
 apprehend  divine  things. 
 
 Holy  affections  are  not  heat  without  light;  but 
 evermore  arise  from  the  information  of  the  under- 
 standing, some  spiritual  instruction  that  the  mind  re- 
 ceives, some  light  or  actual  knowledge.  The  child 
 of  God  is  graciously  affected,  because  he  sees  and 
 understands  something  more  of  divine  things  than  he 
 did  before ;  more  of  God  or  Christ,  and  of  the  glo- 
 rious things  exhibited  in  the  gospel ;  he  has  some 
 clearer  and  better  view  than  he  had  before,  when  he 
 was  not  affected :  either  he  receives  some  understand- 
 ing of  divine  things  that  is  new  to  him,  or  has  his 
 former  knowledge  renewed  after  the  view  was  de- 
 cayed :  "  Every  one  that  loveth,  knoweth  God."  "  I 
 pray  that  your  love  may  abound  more  and  more  in 
 
335 
 
 knowledge,  and  in  all  judgment."  "  They  have  a 
 zeal  of  God,  but  not  according  to  knowledge."  "  The 
 new  man,  which  is  renewed  in  knowledge."  "  O 
 send  out  thy  light  and  thy  truth ;  let  them  lead  me, 
 let  them  bring  me  unto  thy  holy  hill."  "  It  is  written 
 in  the  prophets,  and  they  shall  be  all  taught  of  God. 
 Every  man  therefore  that  hath  heard,  and  learned  of 
 the  Father,  cometh  unto  me."  Knowledge  is  the 
 key  that  first  opens  the  hard  heart  and  enlarges  the 
 affections,  and  so  opens  the  way  for  men  into  the 
 kingdom  of  heaven  :  "  Ye  have  taken  away  the  key 
 of  knowledcre." 
 
 Now  there  are  many  affections  which  do  not  arise 
 from  any  light  in  the  understanding.  And  when  it 
 is  thus  it  is  a  sure  evidence  that  these  affections  are 
 not  spiritual,  let  them  be  ever  so  high.*      Indeed 
 
 *  •'  Many  that  have  had  mighty  strong  affections  at  first  con- 
 version, afterwards  become  dry,  and  wither,  and  consume,  and 
 pine,  and  die  away:  and  now  their  hypocrisy  is  manifest;  if  not 
 to  all  the  world  by  open  profaneness,  yet  to  the  discerning  eye  of 
 living  Christians,  by  a  formal,  barren,  unsavoury,  unfruitful  heart 
 and  course ;  because  they  never  had  light  to  conviction  enough 
 as  yet — It  is  strange  to  see  some  people  carried  with  mighty  af- 
 fection 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.  Oh,  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 
 V.  35.  John  was  a  burning  and  shining  light,  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  therefore  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.  You  shall  be  hardened  in  your  hy- 
 pocrisy by  them.  I  never  liked  violent  affections  and  pangs,  but 
 only  such  as  were  dropped  in  by  light ;  because  those  come  from 
 
336 
 
 they  have  some  new  apprehensions  which  they  had 
 not  before.  Such  is  the  nature  of  man,  that  it  is 
 impossible  his  mind  should  be  affected,  unless  it  be 
 by  something  that  he  apprehends,  or  of  which  his 
 mind  conceives.  But  in  many  persons  those  appre- 
 hensions or  conceptions  that  they  have,  wherewith 
 they  are  affected,  have  nothing  of  the  nature  of  know- 
 ledge or  instruction  in  them.  As,  for  instance,  when 
 a  person  is  affected  with  a  lively  idea,  suddenly  ex- 
 cited in  his  mind  of  some  shape,  or  very  beautiful 
 pleasant  form  of  countenance,  or  some  shining  light, 
 or  other  glorious  outward  appearance :  here  is  some- 
 thing apprehended  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  understanding  of  his  word,  or  any  of  his 
 ways  or  works.  Truly  spiritual  and  gracious  affec- 
 tions are  not  raised  after  this  manner;  these  arise 
 from  the  enlightening  of  the  understanding  to  under- 
 stand the  things  that  are  taught  of  God  and  Christ, 
 in  a  new  manner,  the  coming  to  a  new  understand- 
 ing of  the  excellent  nature  of  God,  and  his  wonder- 
 ful perfections,  some  new  view  of  Christ  in  his  spiri- 
 tual excellencies  and  fulness,  or  things  opened  to  him 
 
 an  external  principle,  and  last  not,  but  these  do.  Men  are  not 
 affrighted  by  the  light  of  the  sun,  though  clearer  than  the  light- 
 ning."— SheparcVs  Parable,  Part  I.  p.  146. 
 
337 
 
 in  a  new  manner,  that  appertain  to  the  way  of  salva- 
 tion by  Christ,  whereby  he  now  sees  how  it  is,  and 
 understands  those  divine  and  spiritual  doctrines  which 
 once  were  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  enlightening  of  the 
 understanding,  is  therefore  a  further  proof,  that  affec- 
 tions which  arise  from  such  impressions  on  the  imagi- 
 nation, are  not  gracious  affections. 
 
 Hence  also  it  appears,  that  affections  arising  from 
 texts  of  Scripture  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 
 coming  to  the  mind.  When  Christ  makes  the 
 Scripture  a  means  of  the  heart's  burning  with  gra- 
 cious affection,  it  is  by  opening  the  Scriptures  to 
 their  understandings  :  "  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  sup- 
 posed to  be  taught  by  it,  which  really  is  not  con- 
 tained 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  are  in  particular  beloved  of  God, 
 P  20 
 
338 
 
 or  that  their  sins  are  forgiven,  that  God  is  their 
 Father,  and  the  Hke,  this  is  a  mistake  or  misappre- 
 hension ;  for  the  Scripture  no  where  reveals  the  in- 
 dividual persons  who  are  beloved  expressly  ;  but  only 
 by  consequence,  by  revealing  the  qualifications  of 
 persons  that  are  beloved  of  God :  and  therefore,  this 
 matter  is  not  to  be  learned  from  Scripture  by  any 
 other  way  than  by  consequence,  and  from  these  qua- 
 lifications ;  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  those  instances  which  have  been  men- 
 tioned ;  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  af- 
 fections are  set  agoing  and  increased ;  when  they  look 
 not  into  the  cause  of  this  freedom  of  speech,  which 
 may  arise  many  other  ways  besides  God's  spiritual 
 j)resence.  So  some  are  much  affected  with  some  apt 
 thoughts  that  come  into  then*  minds  about  the  Scrip- 
 ture, and  call  it  the  Spirit  of  God  teaching  them. 
 So  they  ascribe  many  of  the  workings  of  their  own 
 minds,  of  which  they  have  a  high  opinion,  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  probably  some- 
 times by  the  devil,)  are  suddenly  and  unaccountably 
 ))ut  into  a  very  agreeable  motion,  causing  persons  to 
 
339 
 
 feel  pleasantly  in  their  bodies  ;  the  animal  spirits  arc 
 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 
 pleasure.  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  fek 
 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  men's  religious  affections  do  truly  arise 
 from  some  instruction  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 
 improvement  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 
 mathematics  and  natural  philosophy.  So  men  may 
 be  much  affected  from  common  illuminations  of  the 
 Spirit  of  God,  in  which  God  assists  men's  faculties 
 p2 
 
340 
 
 to  a  oTcater  degree  in  the  understanding  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  use 
 to  teach  us  any  thing,  as  a  spiritual,  supernatural  un- 
 derstanding of  divine  things,  that  is  peculiar  to  the 
 saints,  and  of  which  those  who  are  not  saints  have 
 nothing.  It  is  certainly  a  kind  of  understanding, 
 apprehending,  or  discerning  of  divine  things,  that 
 natural  men  have  nothing  of,  of  which  the  apostle 
 speaks :  "  But  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  discerned."  It  is  certainly  a  kind  of 
 seeing  or  discerning  spiritual  things  peculiar  to  the 
 saints,  which  is  spoken  of:  "  Wliosoever  sinneth, 
 hath  not  seen  him,  neither  known  him."  "  He  that 
 doth  evil  hath  not  seen  God."  "  This  is  the  will 
 of  him  that  sent  me,  that  every  one  that  seeth  the 
 Son,  and  bclieveth  on  him,  may  have  everlasting  life." 
 "  The  world  seeth  me  no  more ;  but  ye  see  me." 
 "  This  is  eternal  life,  that  they  might  know  thee 
 the  only  true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ,  whom  thou  hast 
 sent."  "  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." 
 "  He  that  seeth  me,  seeth  him  that  sent  me."  "  They 
 that  know  thy  name,  will  put  their  trust  in  thee." 
 *'  I  count  all  things  but  loss,  for  the  excellency  of 
 the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord."     "  That 
 
541 
 
 I  may  know  him."  And  innumerable  other  places 
 there  are  in  the  Bible,  which  show  the  same.  And 
 that  there  is  such  a  thing  as  an  understanding  of 
 divine  things,  which,  in  its  nature  and  kind,  is  wholly 
 different  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  :  "  We  do  not  cease  to  pray  for  you, 
 and  to  desire  that  you  may  be  filled  with  the  know- 
 ledge of  his  will,  in  all  wisdom  and  spiritual  under- 
 standing." 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  understanding  consists.  For  if  there  be 
 in  the  saints  a  kind  of  apprehension  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  diverse  from  all  that  is  or 
 can  be  in  the  minds  of  natural  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.  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  ob- 
 ject of  it  is  the  supreme  beauty  and  excellency  of 
 the  nature  of  divine  things,  as  they  are  in  them- 
 selves.     And  this  is  agreeable  to  the  Scripture :  the 
 
342 
 
 apostle  very  plainly  teaches,  that  the  great  thing 
 discovered  by  spiritual  light,  and  understood  by  spi- 
 ritual knowledge,  is  the  glory  of  divine  things : 
 "  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  him."  "  For  God,  who 
 commanded  the  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness,  hath 
 shined  into  our  hearts,  to  give  the  light  of  the  know- 
 ledge of  the  glory  of  God,  in  the  face  of  Jesus 
 Christ."  "  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."  And  it  must  needs  be  so,  for, 
 as  has  been  before  observed,  the  Scripture  often 
 teaches,  that  all  true  religion  summarily  consists  in 
 the  love  of  divine  things.  And  therefore,  that  kind 
 of  understanding  or  knowledge,  which  is  the  proper 
 foundation  of  true  religion,  must  be  the  knowledge 
 of  the  loveliness  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 
 immediate  object  of  a  spiritual  sense  of  mind,  was 
 shown  under  the  last  head  insisted  on,  namely,  that 
 it  is  the  beauty  of  their  moral  perfection.  There- 
 fore it  is  in  the  view  or  sense  of  this,  that  spiritual 
 understanding  more  immediately  and  primarily  con- 
 sists. 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   qualities   of 
 
343 
 
 divine  things,  of  which  this  beauty  is  the  foundation, 
 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 ;  namely,  that  it  con- 
 sists in  "  a  sense  of  the  heart,  of  the  supreme  heautv 
 and  sweetness  of  the  holiness  or  moral  perfection  of 
 divine  things,  together  w^ith  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  understanding ;  nor  can 
 there  be  a  clear  distinction  made  between  the  two 
 faculties  of  understanding  and  will,  as  acting  dis- 
 tinctly and  separately  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  deliirhtfulness  of 
 beauty,  carries,  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  possessed  of  taste,  in- 
 clination, and  will. 
 
 There  is  a  distinction  to  be  made  between  a  mere 
 notional  understanding,  wherein  the  mind  only  be- 
 holds things  in  the  exercise  of  a  speculative  faculty ; 
 and  the  sense  of  the  heart,  wherein  the  mind  does 
 not  only  speculate  and  behold,  but  relishes  and  feels. 
 That  sort  of  knowledge,  by  which  a  man  has  a  sen- 
 sible perception  of  amiableness  and  loathsomeness,  or 
 
344 
 
 of  sweetness  and  nauseousness,  is  not  just  the  same 
 sort  of  knowledge  with  that  by  which  he  knows  what 
 a  triangle,  and  what  a  square  is.  The  one  is  mere 
 speculative  knowledge,  the  other  sensible  knowledge, 
 in  which  more  than  the  mere  intellect  is  concerned; 
 the  heart  is  the  proper  subject  of  it,  or  the  soul  as  a  \ 
 being  that  not  only  beholds,  but  has  inclination,  and  j 
 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  that  has  only  looked  upon  and  felt  of  it. 
 
 The  apostle  seems  to  make  a  distinction  between 
 mere  speculative  knowledge  of  the  things  of  religion, 
 and  spiritual  knowledge,  in  calling  that  the  form  of 
 knowledge  and  of  the  truth — "  Which  hath  the  form 
 of  knowledge,  and  of  the  truth  in  the  law."  The 
 latter  is  often  represented  by  relishing,  smeUing,  or 
 tasting :  "  Now  thanks  be  to  God,  which  always 
 causeth  us  to  triumph  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  maketh 
 manifest  the  savour  of  his  knowledge  in  every  place." 
 "  Thou  savourest  not  the  things  that  be  of  God,  but 
 those  things  that  be  of  men."  "  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."  "  Because  of  the  savour  of  thy  good 
 ointments,  thy  name  is  as  ointment  poured  forth ; 
 therefore  do  the  virgins  love  thee."  "  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  tliat  no  knowledge  can  be  called  spiritual,  any 
 fartlier  tlian  it  arises  from  this,  and  has  this  in  it. 
 i>ut  secondarily,  it  includes  all  that  discerning  and 
 
345 
 
 knowledge  of  things  of  religion,  which  depends  upon 
 and  flows  from  such  a  sense. 
 
 When  the  true  beauty  and  amiableness  of  the 
 holiness,  or  true  moral  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  special  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  moral  perfections, 
 is  tlie  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  discovery  of  the  beauty  of  tlie 
 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  preciousness  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 
 p  3 
 
346 
 
 prevalence  of  his  intercession.  By  this  sight  of  tha 
 moral  ])eauty  of  divine  things,  is  seen  the  beauty  of 
 the  way  of  salvation  by  Christ ;  for  that  consists  in 
 the  beauty  of  the  moral  perfections  of  God,  which 
 wonderfully  shines  forth  in  every  step  of  this  method 
 of  salvation,  from  beginning  to  end.  By  this  is 
 seen  the  fitness  and  suitableness  of  this  way;  for 
 this  wholly  consists  in  its  tendency  to  deliver  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  being  contrived 
 so  as  to  attain  these  ends,  consists  the  excellent  wis- 
 dom of  that  way.  By  this  is  seen  the  excellency  of 
 the  word  of  God.  Take  away  all  the  moral  beauty 
 and  sweetness  in  the  word,  and  the  Bible  is  left 
 wholly  a  dead  letter,  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  amiablenesss  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  con- 
 trary. By  this,  men  understand  the  true  glory  of 
 heaven,  which  consists  in  the  beauty  and  happiness 
 tliat  is  in  holiness.  By  this  is  seen  the  amiableness 
 and  hapjiincss  of  l)oth  saints  and  angels.  He  that 
 sees  tlie  beauty  of  hoUness,  or  true  moral  good,  sees 
 the  greatest  and  most  important  thing  in  the  world, 
 which  is  the  fulness  of  all  things,  without  which  all 
 the  world  is  empty,  no  better  than  nothing,  yea, 
 worse  than  nothing.      Unless  this  is  seen,  nothing  is 
 
347 
 
 seen  that  is  worth  the  seeing;  for  there  is  no  other 
 true  excellency  or  beauty.  Unless  this  be  under- 
 stood, nothing  is  understood  that  is  worthy  of  the 
 exercise  of  the  noble  faculty  of  understanding.  This 
 is  the  beauty  of  the  Godhead,  and  the  divinity  of 
 divinity,  (if  I  may  so  speak,)  the  good  of  the  infinite 
 fountain  of  good ;  without  which  God  himself  (if  that 
 were  possible  to  be)  would  be  an  infinite  evil;  with- 
 out which,  we  ourselves  had  better  never  had  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 
 knowledge,  or  the  form  of  knowledge,  as  the  apostle 
 calls  it.  Well  therefore  may  the  Scriptures  repre- 
 sent those  who  are  destitute  of  that  spiritual  sense, 
 by  which  is  perceived  the  beauty  of  holiness,  as  to- 
 tally 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  per- 
 son has  this  sense  and  knowledge  given  him,  he  will 
 view  nothing  as  he  did  before;  though  before  he 
 knew  all  things  "  after  the  flesh,  yet  henceforth  he 
 will  know  them  so  no  more ;  and  he  is  become  a  new 
 creature,  old  things  are  passed  away,  behold,  all  things 
 are  become  new." 
 
 And  besides  the  things  that  have  been  already 
 mentioned,  there  arises  from  the  sense  of  spiritual 
 beauty,  a  true  experimental  knowledge  of  religion, 
 which  is  of  itself,  as  it  were,  a  new  world  of  know- 
 ledge.     He  that  sees  not  the  beauty  of  holiness, 
 
348 
 
 knows  not  what  one  of  the  graces  of  God's  Spirit  is, 
 lie  is  destitute  of  any  idea  or  conception  of  all  gra- 
 cious exercises  of  soul,  and  all  holy  comforts  and  de- 
 lights, and  all  effects  of  the  saving  influences  of  the 
 Spirit  of  God  on  the  heart ;  and  so  is  ignorant  of  the 
 greatest  works  of  God,  the  most  important  and  glo- 
 rious 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  heing  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  conversion,  would  be  much 
 greater,  and  more  remarkable  every  way,  than  if  a 
 man,  who  had  been  born  blhid,  and  with  only  the 
 other  four  senses,  should  continue  so  long  a  time, 
 and  then  at  once  should  have  the  sense  of  seeing  im- 
 parted to  him,  in  the  midst  of  the  clear  light  of  the 
 sun,  discovering  a  world  of  visible  objects.  For 
 though  sight  be  more  noble  than  any  of  the  other 
 external  senses,  yet  this  spiritual  sense  which  has 
 been  spoken  of,  is  infinitely  more  noble  than  that 
 or  any  other  principle  of  discerning  that  a  man  na- 
 turally has,  and  the  object  of  this  sense  infinitely 
 greater  and  more  important. 
 
 This  sort  of  understanding  or  knowledge,  is  that 
 knowledge  of  divine  tilings  from  whence  all  truly 
 gracious  affections  do  proceed;   by  which  therefore 
 
349 
 
 all  affections  are  to  be  tried.  Those  affections  that 
 arise  wholly  from  any  other  kind  of  knowledge,  or 
 do  result  from  any  other  kind  of  apprehensions  of 
 mind,  are  vain.* 
 
 From  what  has  been  said,  may  be  learned  wherein 
 the  most  essential  difference  hes,  between  that  light 
 or  understanding  which  is  given  by  the  common  in- 
 fluences of  the  Spirit  of  God,  on  the  hearts  of  natu- 
 ral men,  and  that  saving  instruction  which  is  given 
 to  the  saints.  The  latter,  primarily  and  most  essen- 
 tially, Hes  in  beholding  the  holy  beauty  that  is  in 
 divine  things ;  which  is  the  only  true  moral  good, 
 and  to  which  the  soul  of  fallen  man  is  by  nature  to- 
 
 •  "  Take  heed  of  contenting  yourself  with  every  kind  of  know- 
 ledge. Do  not  worship  every  image  of  your  own  heads ;  espe- 
 cially you  that  fall  short  of  truth,  or  the  knowledge  of  it.  tor 
 when  you  have  some,  there  may  he  yet  that  wanting  winch  may 
 make  you  sincere.  There  are  many  men  of  great  knowledge, 
 ahle  to  teach  themselves,  and  others  too;  and  yet  their  nearts 
 are  unsound.  How  comes  this  to  pass  ?  Is  it  hccause  they  have 
 80  much  light?  No;  hut  because  they  want  much.  And  there- 
 fore content  not  yourselves  with  every  knowledge.  Tiiere  is 
 8ome  knowledge  which  men  have  by  the  light  of  nature,  (whioti 
 leaves  them  without  excuse,)  from  the  book  of  creation ;  some 
 by  power  of  education  ;  some  by  the  light  of  the  law,  whereby 
 men  know  their  sins  and  evils;  some  by  the  letter  of  the  gospel: 
 and  so  men  may  know  much,  and  speak  well;  and  so  in  seemg, 
 gee  not;  some  by  the  Spirit,  and  may  see  much,  so  as  to  pro- 
 phecy in  Christ's  name,  and  yet  bid  depart.  Matth.  vii — Now 
 there  is  a  light  of  glory,  whereby  the  elect  see  things  m  another 
 manner  :  to  tell  you  how,  they  cannot ;  it  is  the  beginning  ot  light 
 in  heaven ;  and  the  same  Spirit  that  fills  Christ,  filhng  their  mind-s 
 that  they  know,  by  this  anointing,  all  things;  which  it  ever  you 
 have,  you  must  become  babes  and  fools  in  your  own  eyes.  God 
 will  never  write  his  law  in  your  minds,  until  all  tiie  scnbbhngs  of 
 it  are  blotted  out.  Account  all  your  knowledge  loss  tor  the 
 gaining  of  this.  It  is  a  sad  thing  to  see  many  a  man  pleasmg 
 hunself  in  iiis  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  de^oUter'—S.'wparU's 
 Far.  Part  I.  p.  U7. 
 
350 
 
 tally  blind.  The  former  consists  only  in  a  further 
 understanding,  through  the  assistance  of  natural 
 principles,  of  those  things  which  men  may  know,  in 
 some  measure,  by  the  alone  ordinary  exercise  of 
 their  faculties.  And  this  knowledge  consists  only 
 in  the  knowledge  of  those  things  pertaining  to  reli- 
 gion, which  are  natural.  Thus,  for  instance,  in  those 
 awakenings  and  convictions  of  conscience  that  na- 
 tural men  are  often  subject  to,  the  Spirit  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  a 
 punishment,  and  connection  with  the  evil  of  suffering, 
 (without  any  sight  of  its  true  moral  evil,  or  odious- 
 ness  as  sin,)  and  a  clearer  idea  of  the  natural  perfec- 
 tions of  God,  wherein  consists,  not  his  holy  beauty 
 and  glory,  but  his  awful  and  terrible  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  lesser  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  sin- 
 ners at  the  day  of  judgment.  The  same  kind  of 
 sight  or  apprehension  of  God,  in  a  lesser  degree, 
 makes  awakened  sinners  in  this  world  sensible  of 
 the  dreadful  guilt  of  sin  against  so  great  and  terrible 
 a  God,  and  sensible  of  its  amazing  punishment,  and 
 fills  them  with  fearful  apprehensions  of  Divine  wrath ; 
 that  will  thoroughly  convince  all  wicked  men,  of  the 
 infinitely  dreadful  nature  and  guilt  of  sin,  and  asto- 
 
351 
 
 nish  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  rehgious 
 desire,  love  and  joy,  the  mind  is  only  assisted  to  a 
 clearer  apprehension  of  the  natural  good  that  is  in 
 divine  things.  Thus,  sometimes,  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  objects  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  beau- 
 ty, which  is  seen  only  by  the  regenerate.  There- 
 fore there  are  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 
 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  men's  hatred  of  sin,  is  as  much 
 from  principles  of  nature,  as  men's  hatred  of  a  tiger 
 for  his  rapaciousness,  or  their  aversion  to  a  serpent 
 
352 
 
 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  sil- 
 ver and  gold  appears  amiable  in  the  eyes  of  a  mer- 
 chant, or  than  the  blackness  of  the  soil  is  beautiful 
 in  the  eyes  of  the  farmer. 
 
 From  what  has  been  said  of  the  nature  of  spiri- 
 tual understanding,  it  appears  that  spiritual  under- 
 standing does  not  consist  in  any  new  doctrinal  know- 
 ledge, or  in  having  suggested  to  the  mind  any  new 
 proposition,  not  before  read  or  heard  of;  for  it  is 
 plain  that  this  suggesting  of  new  propositions,  is  a 
 tiling  entirely  diverse  from  giving  the  mind  a  new 
 taste  or  rehsh  of  beauty  and  sweetness.*  It  is  also 
 evident,  that  spiritual  knowledge  does  not  consist  in 
 any  new  doctrinal  explanation  of  any  part  of  the 
 Scripture ;  for  still,  this  is  but  doctrinal  knowledge, 
 or  the  knowledge  of  propositions :  the  doctrinal  ex- 
 plaining 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  Scripture,  does  not  consist  in  opening  to  the 
 mind  the  mystical  meaning  of  the  Scripture,  in  its 
 
 *  Calvin,  in  his  Institutions,  Book  I.  Chap,  ix,  §.  1.  says, 
 "  It  is  not  tlie  office  of  the  Spirit  that  is  promised  us,  to  make 
 new  and  bcforc-unheard-of  revelations,  or  to  coin  some  new  kind 
 of  doctrine,  which  tends  to  draw  us  away  from  the  received  doc- 
 trine of  the  gospel ;  but  to  seal  and  confirm  to  us  that  very  doc- 
 trine which  is  by  the  gospel."  And  in  the  same  place  he  speaks 
 of  some  that  in  those  days  maintained  the  contrary  notion,  "  pre- 
 tending 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  uj)on  as  only  labouring  under  a  mistake,  as  driven  by 
 a  bort  of  raving  madness." 
 
353 
 
 parables,  types,  and  allegories ;  for  this  is  only  a  doc- 
 trinal explication  of  the  Scripture.  He  that  ex- 
 plains what  is  meant  by  the  stony  ground,  and  the 
 seeds  springing  up  suddenly,  and  quickly  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  ascending 
 and  descending  on  it,  or  what  was  typified  by  Jo- 
 shua's leading  Israel  through  Jordan,  only  shows 
 what  propositions  are  hid  in  these  passages.  And 
 many  men  can  explain  these  types,  who  have  no  spi- 
 ritual knowledge.  It  is  possible  that  a  man  might 
 know  how  to  interpret  aU  the  types,  parables,  enig- 
 mas, and  allegories  in  the  Bible,  and  not  have  one 
 beam  of  spiritual  light  in  his  mind ;  because  he  may 
 not  have  the  least  degree  of  that  spiritual  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  Scripture.  It  is  plain,  by  what 
 the  apostle  says,  that  a  man  might  understand  all 
 such  mysteries,  and  have  no  saving  grace :  "  And 
 though  I  have  the  gift  of  prophecy,  and  understand 
 all  mysteries,  and  all  knowledge,  and  have  not  cha- 
 rity, it  profiteth  me  nothing."  They  therefore  tu-e 
 very  foolish,  who  are  exalted  in  an  opinion  of  their 
 own  spiritual  attainments,  from  notions  that  come 
 from  their  minds,  of  the  mystical  meaning  of  these 
 and  those  passages  of  Scripture,  as  though  it  was 
 a  spiritual  understanding  of  these  passages,  imme- 
 diately 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. 
 
354 
 
 From  what  has  been  said,  it  is  also  evident,  that 
 it  is  not  spiritual  knowledge  for  persons  to  be  in- 
 formed of  their  duty,  by  having  it  immediately  sug- 
 gested to  their  minds,  that   such  and  such  outward 
 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  reli- 
 gion, as  a  proposition  concerning  the  nature  of  God, 
 or  a  work  of  God :   and  a  having  either  of  these  - 
 kinds  of  propositions,  or  any  other  proposition,  de- 
 clared to  a  man,  either  by  speech  or  inward  sug- 
 gestion, differs  vastly  from  a  having  the  holy  beauty 
 of  divine  things   manifested  to   the   soul,    wherein 
 spiritual  knowledge    does   most   essentially  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  di- 
 rected in  this  manner,  is  not  that  holy  and  spiritual 
 leading  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  which  is  pecuhar  to 
 the  saints,  and  a  distinguishing  mark  of  the  sons  of 
 God :  "  For  as  many  as  are  led  by  the  Spirit  of 
 God,  tlicy  are  the  sons  of  God."  "  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  extraordinarily  brought  to 
 
355 
 
 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  some- 
 thing 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  of 
 Scripture,  it  alters  not  the  case.  The  suggestion 
 being  accompanied  with  an  apt  text  of  Scripture,  does 
 not  make  the  suggestion  to  be  of  the  nature  of  spiri- 
 tual instruction.  As,  for  instance,  if  a  person  in  New 
 England,  on  some  occasion,  were  at  a  loss  w^hether 
 it  was  his  duty  to  go  into  some  popish  or  heathenish 
 land,  where  he  was  like  to  be  exposed  to  many  diffi- 
 culties 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,  suddenly  and  extraordinarily  brought  to  his 
 mind,  as  if  they  were  spoken  to  him  :  "  Fear  not  to 
 go  down  into  Egypt ;  and  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  are  to  be  understood  in  a  new  sense,  that 
 by  Egypt  is  to  be  understood  this  particular  country 
 he  has  in  his  mind,  and  that  the  action  intended  is  his 
 going  thither,  and  that  the  meaning  of  the  promise 
 is,  that  God  would  bring  him  back  into  New  Engkmd 
 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. 
 
356 
 
 Thus  to  understand  texts  of  Scripture,  is  not  to  have 
 a  spiritual  understanding  of  them.  Spiritually  to  un- 
 derstand 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 
 a  new  meanino;.  When  the  mind  is  enlio-htened, 
 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  bhndness,  that  is  an  evidence  that  the 
 same  meaning  was  in  it  before,  otherwise  it  would  have 
 been  no  bhndness  not  to  see  it :  it  is  no  blindness  not 
 to  see  a  meaning  which  is  not  there.  Spiritually 
 enlightening  the  eyes  to  understand  the  Scripture, 
 is  to  open  the  eyes,  "  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  understood  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  understand  the  Scripture,  is  to  have  the 
 eyes  of  the  mhid  opened,  to  behold  the  wonderful 
 spiritual  excellency  of  the  glorious  things  contained  in 
 the  true  meaning  of  it,  and  that  always  were  contained 
 in  it,  ever  since  it  was  written ;  to  behold  the  amiable 
 and  bright  manifestations  of  the  divine  perfections, 
 and  of  the  excellency  and  sufficiency  of  Christ,  and 
 
357 
 
 the  excellency  and  suitableness  of  the  way  of  salvation 
 by  Christ,  and  the  spiritual  glory  of  the  precepts 
 and  promises  of  the  Scripture,  &c.  which  things  are, 
 and  always  were  in  the  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  con- 
 sists in  two  things  :  partly  in  instructing  a  person  in 
 his  duty  by  the  Spirit,  and  partly  in  powerfully  in- 
 ducing him  to  comply  with  that  instruction.  But 
 so  far  as  the  gracious  leading  of  the  Spirit  lies  in  in- 
 struction, 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  dis- 
 cerns and  distinguishes  between  good  and  evil,  be- 
 tween holy  and  unholy,  without  being  at  the  trouble 
 of  a  train  of  reasoning.  As  he  who  has  a  true  re- 
 lish  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  nothing,  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 
 it.  There  is  a  holy  beauty  and  sweetness  [in  words 
 and  actions,  as  well  as  a  natural  beauty  in  counte- 
 
358 
 
 nances  and  sounds,  and  sweetness  in  food :  "  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  ex- 
 ercise 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  action  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  nau- 
 seous to  it.  Yea,  its  holy  taste  and  appetite  leads 
 it  to  think  of  that  which  is  truly  lovely ;  naturally 
 suggests  it  as  a  healthy  taste  and  appetite,  and  natu- 
 rally 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  disposition  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  were  spontaneously,  and  of  him- 
 self, without  a  particular  deduction,  by  any  other 
 arguments  than  the  beauty  that  is  seen,  and  the  good- 
 ness that  is  tasted.  Thus  Christ  blames  the  Pha- 
 risees, that  they  "  did  not  even  of  their  own  selves 
 judge  what  was  right,"  without  needing  miracles  to 
 prove  it.  The  apostle  seems  plainly  to  have  re- 
 spect to  this  way  of  judging  of  spiritual  beauty:  "  Be 
 ye  transformed  by  the  renewing  of  your  mind,  that 
 ye  may  prove  what  is  that  good,  and  perfect,  and  ac- 
 ceptable will  of  God." 
 
 There  is  such  a  thing  as  good  taste  of  natural 
 beauty,  (which  learned  men  often  speak  of,)  that  is 
 
359 
 
 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  na- 
 tion writes  this  upon  it:*  "  To  have  a  taste,  is  to 
 give  things  their  real  value,  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  differ- 
 ence. The  judgment  forms  its  opinion  from  reflec- 
 tion :  the  reason,  on  this  occasion,  fetches  a  kind  of 
 circuit,  to  arrive  at  its  end;  it  supposes  principles, 
 it  draws  consequences,  and  it  judges ;  but  not  with- 
 out a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  case :  so  that,  after 
 it  has  pronounced,  it  is  ready  to  render  a  reason  of 
 its  decrees.  Good  taste  observes  none  of  these  for- 
 malities :  ere  it  has  time  to  consult,  it  has  taken  its 
 side ;  as  soon  as  ever  the  object  is  presented  it,  the 
 impression  is  made,  the  sentiment  formed,  ask  no 
 more  of  it.  As  the  ear  is  wounded  with  a  harsh 
 sound,  as  the  smell  is  soothed  with  an  acrreeable 
 <xiour,  before  ever  the  reason  have  meddled  with 
 those  objects  to  judge  of  them,  so  the  taste  opens 
 itself  at  once,  and  prevents  all  reflection.  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  what  pains  soever  it  uses,  cannot 
 discover  what  it  was  determined  it  to  think  as  it  did. 
 
 •  Chamber's  Dictionary,  under  the  word  Taste. 
 
360 
 
 This  conduct  is  very  different  from  what  the  judg- 
 ment 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  reasonino;s  she  could  make :  it  is  a  first  jj-lance  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  per- 
 sons are  guided  in  their  judgment,  of  the  natural 
 beauty,  gracefulness,  propriety,  nobleness,  and  sub- 
 limity of  speeches  and  actions,  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  exactly,  than  the 
 greatest  abihties  without  it.  This  may  be  illustrated 
 by  the  manner  in  which  some  habits  of  mind,  and 
 dispositions  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  very  good-natured  man,  his 
 
361 
 
 good-nature  will  teach  him  better  how  to  act  bene- 
 volently amongst  mankind,  and  will  direct  him,  on 
 every  occasion,  to  those  speeches  and  actions  which 
 are  agreeable  to  rules  of  goodness,  than  the  strong- 
 est reason  will  a  man  of  a  morose  temper.  So,  if  a 
 man's  heart  be  under  the  influence  of  an  entire  friend- 
 ship, and  most  endeared  affection  to  another  >  though 
 he  be  a  man  of  an  indifferent  capacity,  yet  this  ha- 
 bit of  his  mind  will  direct  him,  far  more  readily  and 
 exactly,  to  a  speech  and  deportment,  or  manner  of 
 behaviour,  which  shall  in  all  respects  be  sweet  and 
 kind,  and  agreeable  to  a  benevolent  disposition  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  rea- 
 sonings can  find  out  in  many  hours.  As  the  nature 
 and  inward  tendency  of  a  stone,  or  other  heavy  body, 
 that  is  let  fall  from  a  loft,  shows  the  way  to  the  cen- 
 tre 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  disposi- 
 tion, will  direct  a  person  of  mean  capacity  to  such  a 
 behaviour,  as  is  agreeable  to  Christian  rules  of  hu- 
 mility, meekness,  and  charity,  far  more  readily  and 
 precisely  than  the  most  diligent  study  and  elaborate 
 reasonings,  of  a  man  of  the  strongest  faculties,  who 
 Q  20 
 
362 
 
 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  an 
 heavenly  disposition,  teach  and  guide  a  man  in  his 
 behaviour. 
 
 It  is  an  exceedingly  difficult  thing  for  a  wicked 
 man,  destitute  of  Christian  principles  in  his  heart  to 
 o-uide  him,  to  know  how  to  demean  himself  like  a 
 Christian,  with  the  life,  and  beauty,  and  heavenly 
 sweetness  of  a  truly  holy,  humble,  Christ-like,  be- 
 haviour. He  knows  not  how  to  put  on  these  gar- 
 ments; neither  do  they  fit  him:  "  A  wise  man's 
 heart  is  at  his  right  hand ;  but  a  fools  heart  is  at  his 
 left.  Yea,  also,  when  he  that  is  a  fool  walketh  by 
 the  way,  his  wisdom  faileth  him,  and  he  saith  to  every 
 one  that  he  is  a  fool."  "  The  labour  of  the  foolish 
 wearieth  every  one  of  them,  because  he  knoweth  not 
 how  to  go  to  the  city."  "  The  lips  of  the  righteous 
 know  what  is  acceptable."  "  The  tongue  of  the 
 wise  uscth  knowledge  aright :  but  the  mouth  of  fools 
 poureth  out  foolishness."  "  The  heart  of  the  right- 
 eous teacheth  his  mouth,  and  addeth  learning  to  his 
 lips." 
 
 The  saints,  in  thus  judging  of  actions  by  a  spi- 
 ritual taste,  have  not  a  particular  recourse  to  the  ex- 
 press rules  of  God's  word,  with  respect  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  cer- 
 
36s 
 
 tain  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  ap- 
 petite, 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  disposi- 
 tion and  relish  of  a  sanctified  soul,  and  the  true  mean- 
 ing of  the  rules  of  God's  word.  Yea,  this  harmony 
 tends  to  bring  the  texts  themselves  to  mind,  on  pro- 
 per 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  themselves,  and  in  their  medi- 
 tations 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  exceed- 
 ingly diverse  from  that  which  some  call  so;  which 
 consists  not  in  teaching  them  God's  statutes  and  pre- 
 cepts, that  he  has  already  given;  but  in  giving  them 
 new  precepts,  by  immediate  inward  speech  or  sugges- 
 tion ;  and  has  in  it  no  tasting  the  true  excellency  of 
 things,  or  judging  or  discerning  the  nature  of  things 
 at  all.  They  do  not  determine  what  is  the  will  of 
 God  by  any  taste  or  rehsh,  or  any  manner  of  judg- 
 ment of  the  nature  of  things,  but  by  an  immediate 
 dictate  concerning  the  thing  to  be  done ;  there  is  no 
 such  thing  as  any  judgment  or  wisdom  in  the  case. 
 Whereas  in  that  leading  of  the  Spirit,  which  is  pecu- 
 Q2 
 
364^ 
 
 liar  to  God's  children,  is  imparted  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  natural  man  can 
 have,  without  a  change  of  nature. 
 
 What  has  been  said  of  the  nature  of  spiritual  un- 
 derstanding, as  essentially  consisting  in  a  divine  su- 
 pernatural sense  and  rehsh  of  the  heart,  not  only 
 shows  that  there  is  nothing  of  it  in  this  falsely  sup- 
 posed leading  of  the  Spirit,  which  has  now  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  testunonies  of  the  love  of  God  by  immediate  in- 
 ward suggestion ;  and  all  impressions  of  future  events, 
 and  immediate  revelations  of  any  secret  facts  what- 
 soever ;  all  enthusiastical  impressions  and  applications 
 of  words  of  Scripture,  as  though  they  were  words 
 now  immediately  spoken  by  God  to  a  particular  per- 
 son, in  a  new  meaning,  and  carrying  something  more 
 in  them,  than  the  words  contain  as  they  are  in  the 
 Bible ;  and  all  interpretations  of  the  mystical  mean- 
 ing of  the  Scripture,  by  supposed  immediate  revela- 
 tion. None  of  these  things  consist  in  a  divine  sense 
 and  relish  of  the  heart,  of  the  holy  beauty  and  ex- 
 cellency of  divine  things :  nor  have  they  any  connec- 
 tion with  such  a  sense ;  but  all  consist  in  impressions 
 in  the  head ;  all  impressions  on  the  imagination  are 
 to  be  referred  to  the  head,  and  consist  in  the  excit- 
 ing of  external  ideas  in  the  mind,  cither  in  ideas  of 
 
3^5 
 
 outward  shapes  and  colours,  or  words  spoken,  or 
 letters  written,  or  ideas  of  things  external  and  sen- 
 sible, belonging  to  actions  done,  or  events  accom- 
 plished, or  to  be  accomplished.  An  enthusiastical 
 supposed  manifestation  of  the  love  of  God,  is  made 
 by  the  exciting  of  an  idea  of  a  smihng  countenance, 
 or  some  other  pleasant  outward  appearance,  or  by  the 
 idea  of  pleasant  w^ords  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  in  their  minds  the  idea  of  words,  (which  are 
 outward  things,)  either  of  Scripture,  or  other  words, 
 which  they  look  upon  as  an  immediate  command  of 
 God;  or  else  by  exciting  and  impressing  strongly 
 the  ideas  of  the  outward  actions  themselves.  So 
 when  an  interpretation  of  a  Scripture  type  or  allegory, 
 is  immediately,  in  an  extraordinary  manner,  strongly 
 suggested,  it  is  by  suggesting  words,  as  though  one 
 secretly  whispered  and  told  the  meaning,  or  by  excit- 
 ing other  ideas  in  the  imao^ination. 
 
 Experiences  and  discoveries  of  this  kind  commonly 
 raise  the  affections  of  such  as  are  deluded  by  them 
 to  a  great  height,  and  make  a  mighty  uproar  both  in 
 soul  and  body.  And  a  very  great  part  of  the  false 
 rehgion  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  Pythago- 
 
366 
 
 reans,  and  many  others  among  the  heathen,  who  had 
 strange  ecstacies  and  raptures,  and  pretended  to  a 
 divine  afflatus,  and  immediate  revelations  from  heaven. 
 In  such  things  seem  to  have  consisted  the  experi- 
 ences of  the  Essenes,  an  ancient  sect  among  the  Jews, 
 at  and  after  the  times  of  the  apostles.  In  such  things 
 consisted  the  experiences  of  many  of  the  ancient  Gnos- 
 tics, and  the  Montanists,  and  other  sects  of  ancient 
 heretics,  in  the  primitive  ages  of  the  Christian  church. 
 And  in  such  things  consisted  the  pretended  immediate 
 converse  with  God  and  Christ,  and  saints  and  angels, 
 of  the  Monks,  Anchorites,  and  Recluses,  that  formerly 
 abounded  in  the  church  of  Rome.  In  such  things 
 consisted  the  pretended  high  experiences,  and  great 
 spirituaHty  of  many  sects  of  enthusiasts,  that  swarmed 
 in  the  world  after  the  reformation ;  such  as  the  Ana- 
 baptists, Antinominians,  and  Familists,  the  followers 
 of  N.  Stork,  Th.  Muncer,  Jo.  Becold,  Henry  Pfesier, 
 David  George,  Casper  Swenckfield,  Henry  Nicolas, 
 Johannes  Agricola  Eislebius;  and  the  many  wild 
 enthusiasts  that  were  in  England  in  the  days  of 
 Oliver  Cromwell;  and  the  followers  of  Mrs.  Hutchi- 
 son, in  New-England ;  as  appears  by  the  particular 
 accounts  given  of  these  sects  by  that  eminently  holy 
 man,  Mr.  Samuel  Rutherford,  in  his  "  Display  of 
 the  Spiritual  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  the  many  kinds  of  en-r 
 thusiasts  of  the  present  day.  It  is  chiefly  by  such 
 sort  of  reUgion  as  this  that  Satan  transforms  himself 
 into  an  angel  of  light :  and  it  is  that  which  he  has 
 ever  most  successfully  made  use  of  to  confound  hoper* 
 
S67 
 
 ful  and  happy  revivals  of  religion,  from  the  beginning 
 of  the  Christian  church  to  this  day.  ^\^len  the 
 Spirit  of  God  is  poured  out,  to  begin  a  glorious  work, 
 then  the  old  serpent,  as  fast  as  possible,  and  by  every 
 means,  introduces  this  bastard  religion,  and  mingles 
 it  with  the  true ;  which  has  soon  brought  all  things 
 into  confusion.  The  pernicious  consequences  of  it 
 is  not  easily  imagined,  until  we  see  and  are  amazed 
 with  its  awful  effects,  and  the  dismal  desolation  it 
 has  made.  If  the  revival  of  true  religion  be  very 
 great  in  its  beginning,  yet  if  this  bastard  comes  in, 
 there  is  danger  of  its  doing  as  Gideon's  bastard, 
 Abimelech,  did,  who  never  left  until  he  had  slain  all 
 his  threescore  and  ten  true-born  sons,  excepting  one, 
 that  was  forced  to  fly.  Great  and  strict,  therefore, 
 should  be  the  watchfulness  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;  the  devil  hiding  his  own  shame,  and  ap- 
 pearing as  an  angel  of  light,  that  men  may  not  be 
 afraid  of  him,  but  may  adore  him. 
 
 The  imagination  or  fantasy  seems  to  be  that 
 wherein  all  those  delusions  of  Satan  are  formed,  with 
 which  those  are  carried  away  who  are  under  the  in- 
 fluence of  false  rehgion,  and  counterfeit  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  to  affect  it  at  all,  or  to  excite  any 
 thought  or  motion,  or  produce  any  effect  whatsoever 
 in  it,  any  other  way  than  by  the  fantasy ;  which  is 
 
368 
 
 that  power  of  the  soul  by  which  it  receives,  and  is 
 the  subject  of  the  ideas  of  outward  and  sensible 
 things.  As  to  the  laws  and  means  which  the  Crea- 
 tor has  established,  for  the  intercourse  and  commu- 
 nication of  unbodied  spirits,  we  know  nothing;  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  are  their  medium  of  communication. 
 They  have  no  other  medium  of  acting  on  other  crea- 
 tures, or  being  acted  on  by  them,  than  the  body: 
 therefore,  it  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  Satan  can  ex- 
 cite any  thought,  or  produce  any  effect  in  the  soul 
 of  man,  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  cannot  produce 
 thoughts  in  the  soul  immediately,  or  any  other  way 
 than  by  the  medium  of  the  body,  namely,  that  he 
 cannot  immediately  see  or  know  the  thoughts  of  the 
 soul :  to  do  that  is  abundantly  declared  in  the  Scrip- 
 ture, to  be  peculiar  to  the  omniscient  God.  But  it 
 is  not  likely  that  the  devil  can  immediately  produce 
 an  effect,  which  is  out  of  the  reach  of  his  immediate 
 view.  It  seems  unreasonable  to  suppose,  that  his 
 immediate  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 
 understanding,  or  agreeable  to  his  own  thoughts, 
 and  that  immediately,  and  yet  the  effects  produced 
 be  beyond  the  reach  of  his  understanding,  or  where 
 
369 
 
 he  can  have  no  immediate  perception  or  discerning 
 at  all  ?  But  if  this  be  so,  that  the  devil  cannot  pro- 
 duce 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  fantasy,  or  by 
 excitincr  external  ideas.  For  we  know  that  altera- 
 tions  in  the  body  do  immediately  excite  no  other 
 sort  of  ideas  in  the  mind  than  external  ideas,  or  ideas 
 of  the  outward  senses,  or  ideas  which  are  of  the  same 
 outward  nature.  As  to  reflection,  abstraction,  rea- 
 soning, &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  imagination  that  Satan 
 has  access  to  the  soul,  to  tempt  and  delude  it,  or  sug- 
 gest any  thing  to  it.*      And  this  seems  to  be  the 
 
 *  "  The  imagination  is  tliat  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  cannot  change 
 the  \\H11,  he  cannot  alter  the  heart  of  a  man.  So  that  the  utmost 
 he  can  do,  in  tempting  a  man  to  sin,  is  by  suasion  and  sugges- 
 tion only.  But  then,  how  doth  the  devil  do  this?  Even  by 
 working  upon  the  imagination.  He  observeth  the  temper  and 
 bodily  constitution  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  impe- 
 rious efficacy  over  thy  will,  yet,  because  he  can  thus  stir  and 
 move  thy  imagination,  and  thou  being  naturally  destitute  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  operation  of  God's  Spirit! — It  is  from  hence 
 that  many  have  pretended  to  enthusiasms ;— they  leave  the  Scrip- 
 
 S3 
 
370 
 
 reason  why  persons  that  are  under  the  disease  of 
 melanclioly  are  commonly  so  visibly  and  remarkably 
 subject  to  the  suggestions  and  temptations  of  Satan : 
 that  being  a  disease  which  peculiarly  affects  the  ani- 
 mal 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 
 fantasy.  It  is  by  impressions  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  imagination.  And  thus  Satan,  when  he  casts 
 in  those  horrid  suggestions  into  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  present- 
 
 tures,  and  wholly  attend  to  what  they  perceive  and  feel  within 
 them." — B urges  on  Original  Sin,  p.  369. 
 
 The  great  Turretine,  speaking  on  that  question,  IF/iat  is  the 
 power  of  angels?  says,  "  As  to  bodies,  there  is  no  doubt  but 
 they  fan  do  a  great  deal  upon  all  sorts  of  elementary  and  sublu- 
 nary bodies,  to  move  them  locally,  and  variously  to  agitate  them. 
 It  is  also  certain  that  they  can  act  upon  the  external  and  internal 
 senses,  to  excite  them  or  to  blind  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  vrho  has 
 them  in  his  hands,  docs  it  also  appertain  to  bow  and  move  them 
 whithersoever  he  will.  But  angels  can  act  upon  the  rational  soul 
 only  immediately,  by  imaginations." — Theolog.  Elench.  Loc.  VII. 
 Quest.  7. 
 
371 
 
 ing  to  the  imagination,  in  a  lively  and  alluring  man- 
 ner, the  objects  of  their  lusts,  or  by  exciting  ideas 
 of  words,  and  so  by  them  exciting  thoughts;  or  by 
 promoting  an  imagination  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  imagina- 
 tion. 
 
 If  persons  keep  no  guard  at  these  avenues  of  Satan, 
 by  which  he  has  access  to  the  soul,  to  tempt  and  de- 
 lude it,  they  will  be  hkely  to  have  enough  of  him. 
 And  especiallyif,  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  counter- 
 feits the  illuminations  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  con- 
 tinued 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  laying  themselves  open  to 
 the  devil,  he  is  always  at  hand  to  give  them  the  de- 
 sired impression. 
 
 Before  I  finish  what  I  would  say  on  this  head  of 
 imaginations,  counterfeiting  spiritual  light,  and  affec- 
 tions arising  from  them,  I  would  renewedly  (to  prevent 
 misunderstanding  of  what  has  been  said)  desire  it  may 
 
372 
 
 be  observed,  that  I  am  far  from  determining,  that  no 
 affections  are  spiritual  which  are  attended  with  ima- 
 ginary 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  difference  between  these 
 two  things,  namely,  lively  imaginations  arising  from 
 strong  affections,  and  strong  affections  arising  from 
 lively  imaginations.      The  former  may  be,  and  doubt- 
 less 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  consequent 
 of  the  affection,  through  the  infirmity  of  human  na- 
 ture.    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  a  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  ima- 
 gination.    Having  observed  this,  I  proceed  to  another 
 mark  of  gracious  affections. 
 
373 
 
 CHAPTER  V. 
 
 Truly  gracious  Affections  are  attended  with  a  reason- 
 able and  spiritual  conviction  of  the  judgment^  of  the 
 reality  and  certainty  of  divine  things. 
 
 This  seems  to  be  implied  in  the  text  that  was  laid 
 as  the  foundation  of  this  discourse,  "  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." 
 
 All  truly  gracious  persons  have  a  solid,  full,  tho- 
 rough, 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  determined  as  undoubted  and  indisputable;  so 
 that  they  are  not  afraid  to  venture  theu'  all  upon  their 
 truth.  Their  conviction  is  an  effectual  conviction ; 
 so  that  the  great,  spiritual,  mysterious,  and  invisable 
 things  of  the  gospel,  have  the  influence  of  real  and 
 certain  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  tl.e 
 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 
 liis  Father,  and  another  world,  they  have  not  only  a 
 predominating  opinion  that  these  things  are  true,  and 
 
374 
 
 so  yield  their  assent,  as  they  do  in  many  other  mat- 
 ters 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  purposes  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  mea- 
 sure answerable  to  their  infinite  importance. 
 
 That  all  true  Christians  have  such  a  conviction  of 
 the  truth  of  the  things  of  the  gospel,  is  abundantly 
 manifest  from  the  holy  Scripture.  I  will  mention  a 
 few  places  of  many : — "  But  whom  say  ye  that  1  am  ? 
 Simon  Peter  answered  and  said.  Thou  art  the  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." 
 "  Thou  hast  the  words  of  eternal  life.  And  we  be- 
 lieve, and  are  sure,  that  thou  art  that  Christ,  the  Son 
 of  the  living  God."  "  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."  "  If  thou  believcst  with  all  thy  beart,  thou 
 mayest."  "  We  which  live  are  alway  delivered  unto 
 death  for  Jesus'  sake. — Death  worketh  in  us. —  We 
 having  the  spirit  of  faith,  according  as  it  is  written, 
 
375 
 
 I  believed,  and  therefore  have  I  spoken ;  we  also  be- 
 lieve, and  therefore  speak ;  knowing  that  he  which 
 raised  up  the  Lord  Jesus,   shall  raise  up  us  also  by 
 Jesus,  and  shall  present  us  with  you."     "  For  which 
 cause  we  faint  not."      "  While  we  look  not  at  the 
 things  which  are  seen,"  &c.      "  For  we  know,  that  if 
 our  earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle  were  dissolved,  we 
 have  a  building  of  God."     "  Therefore  we  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."      "  For  the  which  cause  I  also  suf- 
 fer 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."      "  Whose  house  are 
 we,  if  we  hokl  fast  the  confidence  and  the  rejoicing  of 
 the  hope  firm  unto  the  end."      "  Now  faith  is  the  sub- 
 stance of  things  hoped  for,  the  evidence  of  things  not 
 seen;"  together  with  that  whole  chapter,  (Heb.  xi.) 
 "  Hereby  know  we  that  we  dwell  in  hun,  and  he  in  us, 
 because  he  hath  given  us  of  his  Spirit.      And  we 
 have  seen,  and  do  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.'" 
 "  For  whatsoever  is  born  of  God  overcometh  the 
 world :  and  this  is  the  victory  that  overcometh  the 
 world,  even  our  faith.      Who  is  he  that  overcometh 
 the  world,  but  he  that  believeth  that  Jesus  is  the 
 Son  of  God?" 
 
376 
 
 Therefore  truly  gracious  aiFections  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  judg- 
 ment. There  are  many  apprehensions  and  ideas 
 which  some  have,  that  they  call  divine  discoveries, 
 which  are  affecting,  but  not  convincing.  Though 
 for  a  little  while  they  may  seem  to  be  more  per- 
 suaded of  the  truth  of  the  things  of  religion  than 
 they  used  to  be,  and  may  yield  a  forward  assent,  like 
 many  of  Christ's  hearers,  who  believed  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  per- 
 sons who  have  been  exceedingly  raised  with  reUgious 
 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  attended  with  a  thorough 
 conviction  of  the  mind,  they  are  not  at  all  to  be  de- 
 pended on:  however  great  a  show  and  noise  they 
 
377 
 
 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  con- 
 fident persuasion  of  their  good   estate,  have  that, 
 which  they  very  ignorantly  call  a  seeing  of  the  truth 
 of  the  word  of  God,  and  which  is  very  far  from  it, 
 after  this  manner :  they  have  some  texts  of  Scrip- 
 ture cominof  to  their  minds,  in  a  sudden  and  extra- 
 ordinary  manner,  immediately  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  purpose;  and  they  are  con- 
 vinced that  it  is  truth;  that  is,  they  are  confident 
 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  sug- 
 gested  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  certairJy  so  ! 
 the  word  of  God  is  true  !      And  this  they  call  a  see- 
 ing 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 
 confidence  that  these  words  are  true  which  they  sup- 
 pose tell  them  they  are  in  a  good  estate ;  when  in- 
 deed   (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 
 
378 
 
 a  phantom,  and  is  all  over  a  delusion.  Truly  to 
 see  the  truth  of  the  word  of  God,  is  to  see  the  truth 
 of  the  gospel;  which  is  the  glorious  doctrine  the 
 word  of  God  contains,  concerning  God  and  Jesus 
 Christ,  and  the  way  of  salvation  by  him,  and  the 
 world  of  glory  that  he  is  entered  into,  and  purchased 
 for  all  them  who  believe ;  and  not  a  revelation  that 
 such  and  such  particular  persons  are  true  Christians, 
 and  shall  go  to  heaven.  Therefore  those  affec- 
 tions which  arise  from  no  other  persuasion  of  the 
 truth  of  the  word  of  God  than  this,  arise  from  de- 
 lusion, and  not  true  conviction;  and  consequently 
 are  themselves  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  reasonable 
 persuasion  or  conviction.  By  a  reasonable  convic- 
 tion, 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  rehgion  is  true,  when  their  per- 
 suasion is  not  at  all  built  on  evidence,  but  altogether 
 on  education,  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.  That  belief  of 
 the  truth  of  the  Christian  rehgion,  which  is  built  on 
 the  very  same  grounds  with  the  Mahometan's  belief 
 of  the  Mahometan  religion,  is  the  same  sort  of  belief. 
 And  though  tlie  thing  believed  happens  to  be  better, 
 yet  that  does  not  make  the  belief  itself  to  be  of  a 
 better  sort ;  for  though  the  thhig  believed  happens 
 
379 
 
 to  be  true,  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  conviction ;  so  the 
 affections  that  flow  from  it  are  no  better,  in  them- 
 selves, than  the  rehgious  affections  of  the  Mahome- 
 tans. 
 
 But  if  that  belief  of  Christian  doctrines,  from 
 which  persons'  affections  arise,  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  behef 
 from  which  their  affections  arise,  should  be  a  reason- 
 able, but  also  a  spiritual  belief  or  conviction.  1  sup- 
 pose none  will  doubt  but  that  some  natural  men  do 
 yield  a  kind  of  assent  of  their  judgments  to  the  truth 
 of  the  Christian  rehgion,  from  the  rational  proofs  or 
 arguments  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 — 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  sorcerer  believed,  when  he  beheld 
 the  miracles  and  signs  which  were  done,  but^yet  re- 
 mained in  the  gall  of  bitterness  and  bond  of  iniquity. 
 And  if  there  is  such  a  belief  or  assent  of  the  judg- 
 ment in  some  natural  men,  none  can  doubt  but  that 
 religious  affections  may  arise  from  that  assent  or  be- 
 lief; as  we  read  of  some  who  beheved  for  a  vv^hiJe, 
 that  were  greatly  affected,  and  anon  with  joy  received 
 the  word. 
 
380 
 
 It  is  evident  that  there  is  such  a  thing  as  a  spiri- 
 tual belief  or  conviction  of  the  truth  of  the  things  of 
 the  gospel,  or  a  belief  that  is  peculiar  to  those  who 
 are  spiritual,  or  who  are  regenerated,  and  have  the 
 Spirit  of  God,  in  his  holy  communications,  and  dwell- 
 ing in  them  as  a  vital  principle.  So  that  the  con- 
 viction 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  it- 
 self is  diverse,  the  assent  and  conviction  of  the  judg- 
 ment is  of  a  kind  peculiar  to  those  who  are  spiritual, 
 and  that  of  which  natural  men  are  wholly  destitute. 
 This  is  evident  by  the  Scriptures,  if  any  thing  at  all 
 is  so : — "  They  have  believed  that  thou  didst  send 
 me."  "  According  to  the  faith  of  God's  elect,  and 
 the  acknowledging  of  the  truth  which  is  after  godli- 
 ness." "  The  Father  himself  loveth  you,  because 
 ye  have  loved  me,  and  have  believed  that  I  came  out 
 from  God."  "  Whosoever  shall  confess  that  Jesus 
 is  the  Son  of  God,  God  dwelleth  in  him,  and  he  in 
 God."  "  Whosoever  believeth  that  Jesus  is  the 
 Christ,  is  born  of  God."  "  He  that  believeth  on  the 
 Son  of  God  hath  the  witness  in  himself." 
 
 What  a  spiritual  conviction  of  the  judgment  is, 
 we  are  naturally  led  to  determine,  from  what  has 
 been  said  already,  under  the  former  head,  of  a  spi- 
 ritual understanding.  The  conviction  of  the  judg- 
 ment arises  from  tlie  illumination  of  the  understand- 
 ing; 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,  or  arises  from  having  a 
 
381 
 
 spiritual  view  or  apprehension  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  ex- 
 hibited to  us  in  the  gospel,  is  from  the  Spirit  of  God 
 enlightening  the  mind,  to  have  right  apprehensions 
 of  the  nature  of  those  things,  and,  as  it  were,  unveil- 
 ing or  revealing  them,  and  enabling  the  mind  to 
 view  them,  and  see  them  as  they  are : — "  I  thank 
 thee,  O  Father,  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  that  thou 
 hast  hid  these  things  from  the  wise  and  prudent,  and 
 hast  revealed  them  unto  babes :  even  so.  Father ;  for 
 so  it  seemed  good  in  thy  sight.  All  things  are  de- 
 livered 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."  "  And  this  is  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me, 
 that  every  one  which  seeth  the  Son,  and  believeth  on 
 him,  may  have  everlasting  life."  Where  it  is  plain, 
 that  true  faith  arises  from  a  spiritual  sight  of  Christ : 
 "  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  beheved  that  thou  didst  send  me."  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 
 doctrine  was  of  God,  and  that  Christ  himself  was  of 
 him,  and  was  sent  by  him:  "  Simon  Peter  said, 
 Thou  art  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  Hving  God.      And 
 
882 
 
 Jesus  answered  and  said  unto  him,  Blessed  art  thou, 
 Simon  Bar-jona:  for  flesh  and  blood  hath  not  re- 
 vealed it  unto  thee,  but  my  Father  which  is  in  hea- 
 ven." "  He  that  believeth  on  the  Son  of  God 
 hath  the  witness  in  himself."  "  Being  more  exceed- 
 ingly zealous  of  the  traditions  of  my  fathers.  But 
 when  it  pleased  God,  who  separated  me  from  my  mo- 
 ther'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  understand- 
 ing of  those  things,  I  have  shown  already  what  that 
 is,  namely,  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  re- 
 motely, from  such  a  sense  or  view  of  their  divine 
 excellency  and  glory  as  is  there  exhibited.  This 
 clearly  follows  from  what  has  been  already  said ;  and 
 for  this  the  Scripture  is  very  plain  and  express : 
 "  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  com- 
 manded the  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness,  hath 
 shined  in  our  hearts,  to  give  the  light  of  the  know- 
 
383 
 
 ledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus 
 Christ."  Together  with  the  following  passage  in 
 2d  Corinthians,  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  be- 
 lief 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  un- 
 paralleled beauty  of  the  things  exhibited  to  us  in  the 
 gospel,  has  a  tendency  to  convince  the  mind  of  their 
 divinity,  two  ways — directly,  and  more  indirectly. 
 
 L  A  view  of  this  divine  glory  directly,  convinces 
 the  mind  of  the  divinity  of  these  things,  as  this 
 glory  is  itself  a  direct,  clear,  and  all- conquering  evi- 
 dence of  it;  especially  when  clearly  discovered,  or 
 when  this  supernatural  sense  is  given  in  a  good  de- 
 gree. 
 
 He  that  has  his  judgment  thus  directly  convinced, 
 and  assured  of  the  divinity  of  the  things  of  the  gos- 
 pel, 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  in- 
 tuitively :  he  not  only  argues  that  they  are  divine, 
 but  he  sees  that  they  are  divine;  he  sees  that  in 
 them  wherein  divinity  chiefly  consists ;  for  in  this 
 glory,  which  is   so  vastly  and  inexpressibly  distin- 
 
384 
 
 guished  from  the  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,  see  divinity  in  them, 
 they  see  God  in  them,  and  so  see  them  to  be  di- 
 vine; because  they  see  that  in  them  wherein  the 
 truest  idea  of  divinity  consists.  Thus  a  soul  may 
 have  a  kind  of  intuitive  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  evidence  direct:  the  mind  as- 
 cends to  the  truth  of  the  gospel  but  by  one  step,  and 
 that  is  its  divine  glory. 
 
 It  would  be  very  strange,  if  any  professing  Chris- 
 tian should  deny  it  to  be  possible,  that  there  should 
 be  an  excellency  in  divine  things,  which  is  so  tran- 
 scendent, and  exceedingly  different  from  what  is  in 
 other  things,  that  if  it  were  seen  would  evidently  dis- 
 tinguish them.  We  cannot  rationally  doubt,  but 
 that  things  that  are  divine,  and  appertain  to  the  Su- 
 preme Being,  are  vastly  different  from  things  that  are 
 human :  that  there  is  a  God-like,  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,  namely,  divine.  Doubt- 
 less there  is  that  glory  and  exceUency  in  the  Divine 
 Being,  by  which  he  is  so  infinitely  distinguished  from 
 
385 
 
 all  other  beings,  that,  if  it  were  seen,  he  might  be 
 known  by  it.  It  would  therefore  be  very  unreason- 
 able to  deny,  that  it  is  possible  for  God  to  give 
 manifestations  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  excellencies,  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  great  genius,  as  Homer, 
 Cicero,  Milton,  Locke,  Addison,  and  others,  from 
 that  of  many  other  understanding  men  !  There  are 
 no  hmits  to  be  set  to  the  degrees  of  manifestation  of 
 mental  excellency,  that  there  may  be  in  speech.  But 
 the  appearances  of  the  natural  perfections  of  God,  in 
 the  manifestations  he  makes  of  himself,  may  doubt- 
 less 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  weU  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  appear- 
 ances of  divinity,  as  will  leave  no  doubt  to  the  in- 
 habitants of  the  world,  even  tlie  most  obstinate  in- 
 fidels, 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  evi- 
 dence, and  tend  to  assure  the  heart.  Thus  the  dis- 
 R  20 
 
386 
 
 ciples  were  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." 
 When  Christ  appeared  in  the  glory  of  his  transfigu- 
 ration to  his  disciples,  with  that  outward   glory  to 
 their  bodily  eyes,  which  was  a  sweet  and  admirable 
 symbol  and  semblance  of  his  spiritual  glory,  together 
 with   his    spiritual   glory  itself,   manifested  to   then- 
 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,  namely,  the 
 apostle  Peter,  says   concerning  it :   "  For  we  have 
 not  followed  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  especially  impressed  and  ravished  with, 
 was  the  glory  of  his  holiness,  or  the  beauty  of  his 
 moral  excellency;  or,  as  another  of  these  disciples, 
 who  saw  it,  expresses  it,  "  his  glory,  as  full  of  grace 
 and  truth." 
 
 Now  this  distinguishing  glory  of  the  Divine  Being 
 has  its  brightest  appearance  and  manifestation,  in  the 
 things  proposed  and  exhibited  to  us  in  the  gospel, 
 the  doctrines  there  taught,  the  word  there  spoken, 
 and  the  divine  counsels,  acts  and  works  there  re- 
 
387 
 
 vealed.  These  things  have  the  clearest,  most  ad- 
 mirable, and  distinguishing  representations  and  ex- 
 hibitions 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 
 gloiy  in  the  gospel,  it  is  reasonable  to  suppose  that 
 there  may  be  such  a  thing  as  seeing  it :  what  should 
 hinder  but  that  it  may  be  seen?  It  is  no  argument 
 that  it  cannot  be  seen,  that  some  do  not  see  it; 
 though  they  may  be  discerning  men  in  temporal 
 matters.  If  there  be  such  ineffable,  distinguishing 
 evidential  excellencies  in  the  gospel,  it  is  reasonable 
 to  suppose,  that  they  are  such  as  are  not  to  be  dis- 
 cerned, but  by  the  special  influence  and  enhghtenings 
 of  the  Spirit  of  God.  There  is  need  of  uncommon 
 force  of  mind  to  discern  the  distinguishing  excellen- 
 cies of  the  works  of  authors  of  great  genius ;  those 
 things  in  Milton,  which  to  mean  judges  appear  taste- 
 less 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,  of  which 
 God  is  the  author,  it  is  most  reasonable  to  suppose, 
 that  the  distinguishing  glories  of  his  word  are  of  such 
 a  kind,  as  that  the  sin  and  corruption  of  men's  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  wherein  the  moral  glory  of  the 
 divine  perfections  consist ;  I  say  it  is  but  reasonable 
 to  suppose,  that  this  would  bhnd  men  from  discerning 
 the  beauties  of  such  a  book ;  and  that  therefore  they 
 will  not  see  them,  but  as  God  is  pleased  to  enhghten 
 them,  and  restore  an  holy  taste,  to  discern  and  rehsh 
 divine  beauties. 
 
 b2 
 
388 
 
 This  sense  of  the  spiritual  excellency  and  beauty 
 of  divine  things,  does  also  tend  directly  to  convince 
 the  mind  of  the  truth  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  ex- 
 cellency, or  does  so  immediately  depend  upon  it,  and 
 result  from  it,  that  in  this  excellency  being  seen,  the 
 truth  of  those  things  is  seen.  As  soon  as  ever  the 
 eyes  are  opened  to  behold  the  holy  beauty  and 
 amiableness  that  is  in  divine  things,  a  multitude  of 
 most  important  doctrines  of  the  gospel  that  depend 
 upon  it,  (which  all  appear  strange  and  dark  to  na- 
 tural men,)  are  at  once  seen  to  be  true.  As  for  in- 
 stance, 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  declares  concerning 
 the  exceeding  sinfulness  of  mankind,  which  before 
 he  did  not  see. — He  now  sees  the  dreadful  pollution 
 of  his  heart,  and  the  desperate  depravity  of  his  na- 
 ture, in  a  new  manner ;  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  reveals 
 concerning  the  corruption  of  man's  nature,  his  original 
 sin,  and  the  ruinous  undone  condition  man  is  in,  and 
 his  need  of  a  Saviour,  liis  need  of  the  mighty  power 
 
389 
 
 of  God  to  renew  his  heart,  and  change  his  nature. 
 Men  by  seeing  the  true  excellency  of  hoHness,  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  excel- 
 lency and  majesty,  liis  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  con- 
 cerning sin's  just  desert  of  that  dreadful  punishment 
 which  it  reveals:  and  also  concerning  the  impossibility 
 of  our  offering  any  satisfaction  or  sufficient  atonement 
 for  that  which  is  so  infinitely  evil  and  heinous.  And 
 this  again  shows  the  truth  of  what  the  Scripture  re- 
 veals concerning  the  necessity  of  a  Saviour,  to  offer 
 an  atonement  of  infinite  value  for  sin.  And  this 
 sense  of  spiritual  beauty  enables  the  soul  to  see  the 
 glory  of  those  things  which  the  gospel  reveals  con- 
 cerning the  person  of  Christ ;  and  so  enables  it  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 
 superlative  dignity  of  his  person,  shows  the  truth  of 
 what  the  gospel  declares  concerning  the  value  of  his 
 blood  and  righteousness,  and  the  infinite  excellency 
 of  that  offering  he  has  made  to  God  for  us,  and  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 
 
390 
 
 admirable  wisdom  of  the  contrivance,  and -the  perfect 
 suitableness  of  the  provision  that  the  gospel  exhibits 
 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  writ- 
 ings 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,  appear  to  the  soul,  only  by  im- 
 parting that  spiritual  taste  of  divine  beauty,  which 
 has  been  spoken  of;  they  being  hidden  things  to  the 
 soul  before. 
 
 And  besides  all  mis,  the  truth  of  all  those  things 
 which  the  Scriptures  say  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  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  wonder- 
 ful and  glorious  truth  in  the  gospel,  that  was  before 
 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  per- 
 suade of  the  divinity  of  the  gospel. 
 
391 
 
 Unless  men  may  come  to  a  reasonable  solid  per- 
 suasion and  conviction  of  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  by 
 the  internal  evidences  of  it,  by  a  sight  of  its  glory, 
 it  is  impossible  that  those  who  are  illiterate,  and  un- 
 acquainted with  history,  should  have  any  thorough 
 and  effectual  conviction  of  it  at  all.  They  may  with- 
 out this,  see  a  great  deal  of  probability  of  it :  it  may 
 be  reasonable  for  them  to  give  much  credit  to  wliat 
 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  unrea- 
 sonable 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  fearlessly  to  venture  the  loss  of 
 all  things ;  to  endure  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  cannot  be  suf- 
 ficient. It  is  impossible  that  men,  who  have  not 
 something  of  a  general  view  of  the  series  of  history 
 from  age  to  age,  should  come  at  the  force  of  argu- 
 ments for  the  truth  of  Christianity,  drawn  from  his- 
 tory, 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  their 
 day ;  but  how  do  I  know  that  there  were  such  attes- 
 
392 
 
 tations  then  ?  They  tell  me  there  is  equal  reason 
 to  believe  these  facts,  as  any  whatsoever  that  are  re- 
 lated 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,  cannot  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 
 ninty-nine  in  a  hundred,  of  those  for  whom  the 
 Scriptures  were  written,  that  are  not  capable  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  convic- 
 tion 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  cumbersome,  and  will  render  the 
 propagation  of  the  gospel  among  them  infinitely  dif- 
 ficult. Miserable  is  the  condition  of  the  Houssa- 
 tannuck  Indians,  and  others,  who  have  lately  mani- 
 fested a  desire  to  be  instructed  in  Christianity,  if  they 
 can  come  at  no  evidence  of  the  truth  of  Christianity, 
 sufficient  to  induce  them  to  sell  all  for  Christ,  in  any 
 other  way  but  tliis. 
 
 It  is  unreasonable  to  suppose,  that  God  has  pro- 
 vided for  his  people  no  more  than  probable  evidences 
 of  the  truth  of  the  gospel.      He  has  with  great  care 
 
393 
 
 abundantly  provided,  and  given  them,  the  most  con- 
 vincing, 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.  Otherwise  in  vain  are 
 those  great  assurances  he  has  given  of  his  faithfulness 
 in  his  covenant,  by  confirming  it  with  his  oath,  and 
 so  variously  estabhshing  it  by  seals  and  pledges. 
 For  the  evidence  that  it  is  his  covenant,  is  properly 
 the  fountlation  on  which  all  the  force  and  effect  of 
 those  other  assurances  stand.  We  may  therefore 
 undoubtedly  suppose  and  conclude,  that  there  is  some 
 sort  of  evidence  which  God  has  given,  that  this  cove- 
 nant and  these  promises  are  his,  beyond  all  mere 
 probability ;  that  there  are  some  grounds  of  assurance 
 of  it  held  forth,  which,  if  we  are  not  bhnd  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  mankind  have  in  any  case 
 whatsoever,  agreeable  to  those  high  expressions  which 
 the  apostle  uses,  "  Let  us  draw  near  in  full  assurance 
 of  faith."  And  "  that  their  hearts  might  be  com- 
 forted, being  knit  together  in  love,  and  unto  all  riches 
 of  the  full  assurance  of  understanding]:,  to  the  acknow- 
 ledgment  of  the  mystery  of  God,  and  of  the  Father, 
 r3 
 
394^ 
 
 and  of  Christ."  It  is  reasonable  to  suppose,  that 
 God  would  give  the  greatest  evidence  of  those  things 
 which  are  greatest,  and  the  truth  of  which  is  of 
 greatest  importance  to  us :  and  therefore,  if  we  are 
 wise,  and  act  rationally,  we  shall  have  the  greatest 
 desire  of  having  full,  undoubting,  and  perfect  assur- 
 ance. But  it  is  certain,  that  such  an  assurance  is  not 
 to  be  attained  by  the  greater  part  of  those  who  live 
 under  the  gospel,  by  arguments  fetched  from  ancient 
 traditions,  histories,  and  monuments. 
 
 And  if  we  come  to  fact  and  experience,  there  is 
 not  the  least  reason  to  suppose,  that  one  in  a  hun- 
 dred 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  martyrs  for  Christ,  since  the  beginning  of 
 the  Reformation,  and  have  cheerfully  undergone  ex- 
 treme tortures  in  a  confidence  of  the  truth  of  the 
 gospel,  and  consider  their  circumstances  and  advan- 
 tages ;  how  few  of  them  we  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  ! 
 Many  of  them  were  weak  women  and  children,  and 
 the  greater  part  of  them  illiterate  persons,  many  of 
 whom  had  been  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,  in- 
 deed, it  is  but  very  lately  that  these  arguments  have 
 been  set  in  a  clear  and  convincing  light,  even  by 
 
395 
 
 learned  men  themselves :  and  since  it  has  been  done, 
 there  never  were  fewer  thorough  behevers  among 
 those  who  have  been  educated  in  the  true  reUgion ; 
 infidehty  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  testify  that  they 
 have  seen  the  truth  of  the  thing  they  assert :  "  We 
 speak  that  we  do  know,  and  testify  that  we  have 
 seen."  "  And  I  saw,  and  bare  record,  that  this  is 
 the  Son  of  God."  "  And  we  have  seen  and  do 
 testify,  that  the  Father  sent  the  Son  to  be  the  Sa- 
 viour of  the  world."  "  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,  because  by  their  profes- 
 sion 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 
 
396 
 
 gospel,  or  to  behold  that  unparalleled,  ineffably  ex- 
 cellent, and  truly  divine  glory  shining  in  it,  which  is 
 altogether  distinguishing,  evidential,  and  convincing: 
 so  that  they  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  witnesses;  and  not  only 
 say,  that  they  think  the  gospel  is  divine,  but  say 
 that  it  is  divine,  giving  their  testimony,  because  they 
 have  seen  it  to  be  so.     Doubtless  Peter,  James,  and 
 Jehn,  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  wit- 
 nesses, and  to  say  positively  that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of 
 God ;  as  Peter  says,  they  were  eye-witnesses.     And 
 so   all  nations  will  be  ready  positively  to  say  this, 
 when  they  shall  behold  his  glory  at  the  day  of  judg- 
 ment ;  though  what  will  be  universally  seen,  will  be 
 only  his  natural  glory,  and  not  his  moral  and  spiri- 
 tual 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. 
 Great  use  may  be  made  of  external  arguments,  and 
 they  are  not  to  be  neglected  but  highly  prized  and 
 valued ;  for  they  may  be  greatly  serviceable  to  awaken 
 
397 
 
 unbelievers,  and  bring  them  to  serious  consideratlorti 
 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  tendency  to  convince  the  mind  of  the  truth  of 
 the  gospel,  two  ways,  either  dkectly  or  indirectly. 
 Having,  therefore,  already  observed  hov/  it  does  this 
 directly,  I  proceed  now, 
 
 II.  To  observe  how  a  view  of  this  divine  glory 
 convinces  the  mind  of  the  truth  of  Christianity  more 
 indirectly. 
 
 1.  It  doth  so,  as  the  prejudices  of  the  heart 
 against  the  truth  of  divine  things  are  hereby  removed, 
 so  that  the  mind  thereby  hes  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  argu- 
 ments that  prove  their  truth,  and  causes  them  to  lose 
 their  force  upon  the  mind;  but  when  a  person  has 
 discovered  to  him  the  divine  excellency  of  Christian 
 doctrines,  this  destroys  that  enmity,  and  removes  the 
 prejudices,  and  sanctifies  the  reason,  and  causes  it  to 
 be  open  and  free.  Hence  there  is  a  vast  difference 
 as  to  the  force  which  arguments  have  to  convince  the 
 mind.  Hence  was  the  very  different  effect  which 
 Christ's  miracles  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  sancti- 
 
398 
 
 fiedj  and  those  blinding  prejudices,  which  the  Scribes 
 and  Pharisees  were  under,  were  removed  by  the  sense 
 they  had  of  the  excellency  of  Christ  and  his  doctrine. 
 
 2.  It  not  only  removes  the  hinderances  of  rea- 
 son, but  positively  helps  reason.  It  makes  even  the 
 speculative  notions  more  lively.  It  assists  and  en- 
 gages the  attention  of  the  mind  to  that  kind  of  ob- 
 jects which  causes  it  to  have  a  clearer  view  of  them, 
 and  more  clearly  to  see  their  mutual  relations.  The 
 ideas  themselves,  which  otherwise  are  dim  and  ob- 
 scure, 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  that  beholds 
 objects  on  the  face  of  the  earth,  when  the  light  of  the 
 sun  is  cast  upon  them,  is  under  greater  advantage  to 
 discern  them,  in  their  true  forms,  and  mutual  rela- 
 tions, and  to  see  the  evidences  of  divine  wisdom  and 
 skill  in  their  contrivance,  than  he  that  sees  them  in 
 a  dim  starlight,  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  affections  from 
 others ;  for  gracious  affections  are  evermore  attended 
 with  such  a  conviction  of  the  judgment. 
 
 But  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  spiritual  and 
 saving  belief  of  the  truth  of  the  things  of  religion, 
 which  are  indeed  very  different  from  it. 
 
 Fii'st^  There  is  a  degree  of  conviction  of  the  truth 
 of  the  great  things  of  religion,  that  arises  from  the 
 
399 
 
 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  illuminations,  will  give  some  degree  of 
 conviction  of  the  truth  of  divine  things,  beyond  what 
 they  had  before  they  were  thus  enlightened.  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  a^vful  ma- 
 jesty; 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,  of  which  they  have  a  great  sense, 
 from  the  common  influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God, 
 they  may  have  a  much  greater  conviction  that  these 
 are  indeed  the  word  and  works  of  a  very  great  and 
 invisible  Being.  And  the  lively  apprehension  of  the 
 greatness  of  God,  which  natural  men  may  have,  tends 
 to  make  them  sensible  of  the  great  guilt  which  sin 
 against  such  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  threatens  there  to  be  inflicted  on  sinners. 
 And  so  from  that  sense  of  the  great  natural  good 
 there  is  in  the  thinjjs  of  relimon,  which  is  sometimes 
 given  in  common  illuminations,  men  may  be  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 
 excellency  that  is  in  the  things   of  religion;    and 
 
400 
 
 therefore,  no  spiritual  conviction  of  their  truth.  But 
 yet  such  convictions  are  sometimes  mistaken  for  sav- 
 ing convictions,  and  the  aflPections  flowing  from  them, 
 for  saving  affections. 
 
 Second,  The  extraordinary  impressions  which  are 
 made  on  the  imaginations  of  some  persons,  in  the 
 visions  and  immediate  strong  impulses  and  sugges- 
 tions 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  estab- 
 lish 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  Scrip- 
 tures: thouo-h  their  confidence  is  founded  in  delu- 
 sion,  and  so  worth  nothing.  As  for  instance,  if  a 
 person  has  by  some  invisible  agent,  immediately  and 
 strongly  impressed  on  his  imagination,  the  appear- 
 ance of  a  bright  light,  and  glorious  form  of  a  person 
 seated  on  a  throne,  with  great  external  majesty  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  ex- 
 perienced ;  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 
 
401 
 
 heard  him  speak  are  true,  &c.  In  the  same  manner 
 as  the  lying  miracles  of  the  papists,  may,  for  the  pre- 
 sent, beget  in  the  minds  of  the  ignorant  deluded 
 people  a  strong  persuasion  of  the  truth  of  many 
 things  declared  in  the  New  Testament.  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  resur- 
 rection, and  ascension,  and  present  government  of 
 the  world  is  true ;  for  they  may  look  upon  this  miracle 
 as  a  certain  evidence  of  all  these  thincys,  and  a  kind 
 of  ocular  demonstration  of  them.  This  may  be  the 
 influence  of  these  lying  wonders  for  the  present; 
 though  the  general  tendency  of  them  is  not  to  con- 
 vince that  Jesus  Christ  is  come  in  the  flesh,  but 
 finally  to  promote  atheism. 
 
 There  are  multitudes  that  are  deluded  with  a 
 counterfeit  faith,  from  impressions  on  their  imagina- 
 tion, in  the  manner  which  has  now  been  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  external  representations,  strongly  im- 
 
402 
 
 pressed  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. 
 
 Third,  Persons  may  seem  to  have  their  belief  of 
 the  truth  of  the  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  in  heaven,  these  things  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  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 
 influence  men's  interests  and  inclinations  have  on 
 their  judgments.  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. 
 
403 
 
 CHAPTER  VI. 
 
 Gracious  Affections  are  attended  with  Evangelical 
 Humiliation, 
 
 Evangelical  humiliation  is  a  sense  that  a  Chris- 
 tian has  of  his  own  utter  insufficiency,  despicable- 
 ness,  and  odiousness,  with  an  answerable  frame  of 
 heart. 
 
 There  is  a  distinction  to  be  made  between  a  legal 
 and  evangelical  humiliation.  The  former  is  what 
 men  may  be  the  subjects  of,  while  they  are  yet  in  a 
 state  of  nature,  and  have  no  gracious  aflPection ;  the 
 latter  is  peculiar  to  true  saints :  the  former  is  from 
 the  common  influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  assisting 
 natural  principles,  and  especially  natural  conscience ; 
 the  latter  is  from  the  special  influences  of  the  Spirit 
 of  God,  implanting  and  exercising  supernatural  and 
 divine  principles :  the  former  is  from  the  mind's  hav- 
 ing a  greater  sense  of  the  things  of  religion,  as  to 
 their  natural  properties  and  quahties,  and  particularly 
 of  the  natural  perfections  of  God,  such  as  his  great- 
 ness, terrible  majesty,  &c.  which  were  manifested  to 
 the  contjreffation  of  Israel,  in  mvino;  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  na- 
 tural 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 , 
 
404^ 
 
 but  they  do  not  see  their  own  odiousness  on  account 
 of  sin ;  they  do  not  see  the  hateful  nature  of  sin ;  a 
 sense  of  this  is  given  in  evangehcal  humiliation,  by  a 
 discovery  of  the  beauty  of  God's  hohness  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  themselves ;  as  wicked 
 men  will  be  at  the  day  of  judgment ;  but  they  have 
 not  an  answerable  frame  of  heart,  consisting  in  a  dis- 
 position to  abase  themselves,  and  exalt  God  alone : 
 this  disposition  is  given  only  in  evangelical  humilia- 
 tion, by  overcoming  the  heart,  and  changing  its  in- 
 clination, by  a  discovery  of  God's  holy  beauty.  In  a 
 legal  humiliation,  the  conscience  is  convinced ;  as  the 
 consciences  of  all  will  be  most  perfectly  at  the  day  of 
 judgment ;  but  because  there  is  no  spiritual  under- 
 standing, the  will  is  not  bowed,  nor  the  inclination 
 altered ;  this  is  done  only  in  evangelical  humiliation. 
 In  legal  humiliation,  men  are  brought  to  despair  of 
 helping  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  nature  of  true  virtue ;  whereas  evan- 
 gelical 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  requisite  means  in  order  to  spiritual 
 
405 
 
 knowledge.  Men  may  be  legally  humbled,  and  have 
 no  humility;  as  the  wicked  at  the  day  of  judgment 
 will  be  thoroughly  convinced  that  they  have  no 
 righteousness,  but  are  altogether  sinful,  and  exceed- 
 ingly guilty,  and  justly  exposed  to  eternal  damnation, 
 and  be  fully  sensible  of  their  own  helplessness,  with- 
 out the  least  mortification  of  the  pride  of  their  hearts  : 
 but  the  essence  of  evancreUcal  humiliation  consists  in 
 such  humihty  as  becomes  a  creature,  in  itself  ex- 
 ceeding sinful,  under  a  dispensation  of  grace ;  consist- 
 ing in  a  mean  esteem  of  himself,  as  in  himself  nothing, 
 and  altogether  contemptible  and  odious:  attended 
 with  the  mortification  of  all  disposition  to  exalt  him- 
 self, 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  higli 
 soever  their  rehgious  affections  may  be:  "  Behold, 
 his  soul  which  is  lifted  up  is  not  upright  in  him ; 
 but  the  just  shall  live  by  his  faith ;"  that  is,  he  shall 
 live  by  his  faith  on  God's  righteousness  and  grace, 
 and  not  his  own  goodness  and  excellency.  God  has 
 abundantly  manifested  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:  "  The 
 Lord  is  nigh  unto  them  that  are  of  a  broken  heart, 
 and  saveth  such  as  be  of  a  contrite  spirit."  "  The 
 sacrifices  of  God  are  a  broken  spirit :  a  broken  and 
 a  contrite  heart,   O   God,   thou  wilt  not  despise." 
 
406 
 
 "  Though  the  Lord  be  high,  yet  he  hath  respect 
 unto  the  lowly."  "  He  giveth  grace  unto  the  low- 
 ly." "  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." 
 "  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."  "  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  to  walk  humbly  with  thy 
 God?"  "  Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit:  for  theirs 
 is  the  kingdom  of  God."  "  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  himself  as  this 
 little  child,  the  same  is  greatest  in  the  kingdom  of 
 heaven."  "  Verily  I  say  unto  you.  Whosoever  shall 
 not  receive  the  kingdom  of  God  as  a  little  child,  he 
 shall  not  enter  therein."  The  centurion,  that  we 
 have  an  account  of,  Luke  vii.  acknowledged  thrj^^  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  sinner :  "  And,  behold,  a  woman  in  the 
 city,  which  was  a  sinner,  when  she  knew  that  Jesus 
 sat  at  meat  in  the  Pharisee's  house,  brought  an  ala- 
 baster-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 
 
407 
 
 did  not  think  the  hair  of  her  head,  which  is  the  na- 
 tural crown  and  glory  of  a  woman,  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  submit- 
 ted to  Christ,  in  his  saying,  "  It  is  not  meet  to  take 
 the  children's  bread,  and  cast  it  to  the  dogs,"  and 
 did  as  it  were  own  that  she  was  worthy  to  be  called 
 a  dog ;  whereupon  Christ  says  unto  her,  "  O  wo- 
 man, great  is  thy  faith :  be  it  unto  thee,  even  as 
 thou  wilt."  The  prodigal  son  said,  "  I  will  arise, 
 and  go  to  my  father,  and  will  say  unto  him,  Father, 
 I  have  shmed  against  Heaven,  and  before  thee,  and 
 am  no  more  worthy  to  be  called  thy  son :  make  me 
 as  one  of  thy  hired  servants."  "  And  he  spake  this 
 parable  unto  certain  which  trusted  in  themselves  that 
 they  v^ere  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  merciful  to  me  a  sinner.  I  tell  you, 
 this  man  went  down  to  his  house  justified  rather  than 
 the  other:  for  every  one  that  exalteth  himself  shall 
 be  abased;  and  he  that  humbleth  himself  shall  be 
 exalted."  "  And  they  came  and  held  him  by  the 
 feet,  and  w^orshipped  him."  ''  Put  ye  on  as  the  elect 
 of  God,  humbleness  of  mind."  "  I  will  accept  you 
 with  your  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  yourselves  in  your  own 
 sight  for  all  your  evils  that  ye  have  committed."  "  A 
 new  heart  also  will  I  give  you, — and  I  will  put 
 my  Spirit  within  you,  and  cause  you  to  walk  in  my 
 
408 
 
 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."  "  That  thou 
 may  est  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."  "  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  religious  qualifications  and 
 state,  it  concerns  us  greatly  to  look  at  this  humiha- 
 tion,  as  one  of  the  most  essential  things  pertaining 
 to  true  Christianity.*  This  is  the  principal  part  of 
 the  great  Christian  duty  of  self-denial.  That  duty 
 consists  in  two  things,  firsts  in  a  man's  denying  his 
 worldly  inclinations,  and  in  forsakhig  and  renouncing 
 all  worldly  objects  and  enjoyments;  and,  secondly, 
 in  denying  his  natural  self-exaltation,  and  renouncing 
 his  own  dignity  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 
 humiliation.    And  this  latter  is  the  greatest  and  most 
 
 *  Calvin,  in  his  Institutions,  Book  II.  chap.  2.  sect.  11.  says, 
 "  I  was  always  exceedingly  pleased  with  that  saying  of  Chrysos- 
 tom,  '  The  foundation  of  our  philosophy  is  humility;'  and  yet 
 more  pleased  with  that  of  Augustine.  '  As,'  says  he, '  the  rhetori- 
 cian being  asked,  what  was  the  first  thing  in  the  rules  of  elo- 
 quence, he  answered  pronunciation  ;  what  was  the  second,  pro- 
 nunciation ;  wliat  was  the  third,  still  he  answered,  pronunciation.' 
 So  if  you  shall  ask  me  concerning  the  precepts  of  the  Christian 
 religion,  I  would  answer,  firstly,  secondly,  and  thirdly,  and  for 
 ever,  humility." 
 
409 
 
 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)  the  wealth,  and  pleasures,  and  com- 
 mon enjoyments  of  the  world,  who  were  far  from 
 renouncing  their  own  dignity  and  righteousness ;  they 
 never  denied  themselves  for  Christ,  but  only  sold 
 one  lust  to  feed  another,  sold  a  beastly  lust  to  pamper 
 a  devilish  one ;  and  so  were  never  the  better,  but 
 their  latter  end  was  worse  than  their  beginning :  they 
 turned  out  one  evil  spirit  to  let  in  seven  others,  that 
 were  worse  than  the  first,  though  of  a  fairer  coun- 
 tenance. It  is  inexpressible,  and  almost  inconceiv- 
 able, how  strong  a  self-righteous,  self-exalting,  dis- 
 position 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  enthu- 
 siasts 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-crea- 
 tures. 
 
 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  reHgious  affection,  do  grossly  fail  in.  Were 
 it  not  that  this  is  so  much  insisted  on  in  Scripture, 
 S  20 
 
410 
 
 as  a  most  essential  thing  in  true  grace,  one  would  be 
 tempted  to  think  that  many  of  the  heathen  philoso- 
 phers were  truly  gracious,  in  whom  was  so  bright  an 
 appearance  of  many  virtues,  and  also  great  illumina- 
 tions, 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  great  pretences  to  humility, 
 as  well  as  other  graces;  and  very  often  there  is 
 nothing  whatever  of  which  they  make  a  higher  pro- 
 fession. They  endeavour  to  make  a  great  show  of 
 humility  in  speech  and  behaviour ;   but  they  com- 
 
 •  "  Albeit  the  Pythagoreans  were  thus  famous  for  Judaic  mya- 
 terious  wisdom,  and  many  moral,  as  well  as  natural  accomplish- 
 ments, yet  were  they  not  exempted  from  boasting  and  pride; 
 which  was  indeed  a  vice  most  epidemic,  and  as  it  were  congenial, 
 among  all  the  philosophers  ;  but  in  a  more  particular  manner, 
 among  the  Pythagoreans.     So  Hornius  Hist.   Philosoph.  L.  3. 
 cap.  11.     The  maimers  of  the  Pythfigoreans  were  not  free  from 
 boasting.     They  were  all  such  as  abounded  in  the  sense  and  com- 
 mendation of  their  own  excellencies,  and  boasting  even  almost  to 
 the  degree  of  immodesty  and  impudence,  as  great  Heinsius  ad 
 Horat.  has  rightly  observed — Thus  indeed  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  rai- 
 siires  of  spirit,  (peradventure  from  a  more  than  ordinary,  though 
 not  special  and  saving  assistance  of  the  Sj)i)'if,)  abandon  many 
 grosser  vices  ;  yet  they  were  all  deeply  immersed  in  that  miserable 
 cursed  abyss  of  spiritual  pride;  so  that  all  their  natural,  and  mora!, 
 and  philosophic  attainments,  did  feed,  nouri.':h,  strengthen,  and 
 render  most  inveterate,  this  hell-bred  pest  of  their  hearts — Yea, 
 those  of  them  that  seemed  most  modest,  as  the  Academics,  who 
 professed  they  knew  nothing,  and  the  Cynics,  who  greatly  de- 
 cried, both  in  words  and  habits,  the  pride  of  others,  yet  even 
 they  abounded  in  the  most  notorious  and  visible  pride.     So  con- 
 natural and  morally  essential  to  corrupt  nature,  is  this  envenomed 
 root,  fountain,  and  plague  of  spiritual  pride ;   especially  where 
 there  is  any  natural,  moral,  or  philosophic  excellence  to  feed  the 
 same.     Whence,  Austin  rightly  judged  all  these  philosophic  vir- 
 tues to  be  but  splendid  sins." — Gules  Court  of  the  Gentiles,  Part 
 TI,  Book  ii.  chap.  10.  sect.  17. 
 
411 
 
 monly  make  bungling  work  of  it,  though  glorious 
 work  in  their  own  eyes.  They  cannot  find  out  what 
 a  humble  speech  and  behaviour  is,  or  how  to  speak 
 and  act  so  that  there  may  indeed  be  a  savour  of  Chris- 
 tian humility  in  what  they  say  and  do :  that  sweet 
 humble  air  and  mien  is  beyond  their  art,  not  being 
 led  by  the  Spirit,  or  naturally  guided  to  a  behaviour 
 becoming  holy  humility,  by  the  vigour  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  teUing  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  with  her  tears,  not  as  "  remembering  and 
 being  confounded,  and  never  opening  their  mouth 
 more  because  of  their  shame,  when  God  is  pacified," 
 but  with  a  hght  air,  with  smiles  in  the  countenance, 
 or  with  a  Pharisaical  affectation :  and  we  must  be- 
 lieve that  they  are  thus  humble,  and  see  themselves 
 so  vile,  upon  the  credit  of  their  saying  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, 
 s  2 
 
412 
 
 as  their  due ;  and  it  is  dangerous  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  unprofitableness, 
 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  though  they  had  rea- 
 son solemnly  to  consider  of  their  great  barrenness 
 and  unprofitableness,  and  falling  so  much  short  of 
 many  others,  it  would  be  more  than  they  could  di- 
 gest ;  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  understand  the  thing  they 
 talk  against.  A  legal  spirit  is  a  more  subtile  thing 
 than  they  imagine,  it  is  too  subtile  for  them.  It 
 lurks,  and  operates,  and  prevails  in  their  hearts,  and 
 they  are  most  notoriously  guilty  of  it,  at  the  same 
 time  when  they  are  inveighing  against  it. — So  far 
 as  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  a  man's  own  righteousness,  morality,  holi- 
 ness, 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  circumstances,  he  might  seek  accep- 
 
413 
 
 tance  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  a  legal  spirit.  There  is  no  man  living  that 
 is  lifted  up  with  a  conceit  of  his  own  experiences  and 
 discoveries,  and  upon  the  account  of  them  glisters  in 
 his  own  eyes,  but  what  trusts  in  his  experiences,  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,  arrogates  something 
 to  himself,  as  though  his  experiences  were  some  dig- 
 nity of  his.  And  if  he  looks  on  them  as  his  own 
 dignity,  he  necessarily  thinks  that  God  looks  on  them 
 so  too ;  for  he  necessarily  thinks  his  own  opinion  of 
 them  to  be  true ;  and  consequently  judges  that  God 
 looks  on  them  as  he  does ;  and  so  unavoidably  ima- 
 gines 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  inherent  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  degree  of  living  on  his  own  righteousness ; 
 and  such  persons  are  in  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  nose, 
 
414 
 
 and  are  many  of  them  more  odious  to  him,  than  the 
 most  impure  beast  in  Sodom,  that  makes  no  pretence 
 to  reHgion  !  To  do  as  these  do,  is  to  live  upon  ex- 
 periences, according  to  the  true  notion  of  it ;  and  not 
 to  do  as  those,  who  only  make  use  of  spiritual  expe- 
 riences, 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  themselves  very  much  as  evange- 
 lical 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  indeed 
 some  of  the  greatest  enemies  to  the  gospel  way  of 
 free  grace,  and  the  most  dangerous  opposers  of  pure 
 humble  Christianity.* 
 
 *  "  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  others  too:  Matt.  vii.  15.  '  Beware  of 
 them  that  come  in  sheep's  clothing;'  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  ye  shall  know  them.'  Do  not  think,  beloved, 
 that  Satan  will  not  seek  to  send  delusions  among  us.  And  do 
 you  think  these  delusions  will  come  out  of  the  popish  pack,  whose 
 inventions  smell  above  ground  here  ?  No,  he  must  come,  and 
 will  come  with  more  evangelical,  fine-spun  devices.  It  is  a  rule 
 observed  amongst  Jesuits,  at  this  day,  if  they  would  conquer  re- 
 ligion 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  de- 
 vised 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  men's  faith  needs  confirming  or  trying.  But  I  speak 
 to  prevent  danger  on  that  hand." — SheparcCs  Parable^  Part  I. 
 p.  122. 
 
415 
 
 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  mtide  great  profession  of 
 experience  of  a  thorough  work  of  the  law  on  their 
 own  hearts,  and  of  being  brought  fully  off  from  works; 
 whose  conversation  has  savoured  most  of  a  self-righ- 
 teous 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  hea- 
 ven with  a  high  opinion  of  their  abasement.  Their 
 humility  is  a  swelling,  self-conceited,  confident,  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 
 *v'orshipped :  he  styles  himself  Servant  of  servants ; 
 and,  to  make  a  show  of  humihty,  washes  the  feet  of 
 a  number  of  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  ima- 
 gine. It  is  astonishing  how  greatly  many  are  de- 
 ceived 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  spiritual  pride,  and  self- 
 righteousness.      The  subtlety  of  Satan  appears  in  its 
 
416 
 
 height,  in  his  managing  of  persons  with  respect  to 
 this  sin.  And  perhaps  one  reason  may  be,  that  here 
 he  has  most  experience;  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  ad- 
 vantage 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  humihty ;  yet  there  are  two  things  by  which 
 it  may  (perhaps  universally  and  surely)  be  discovered 
 and  distinguished. 
 
 First,  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 
 among  the  saints,  and  has  distinguishingly  good  and 
 great  experiences.  That  is  the  secret  language  of 
 his  heart :  ''  God  I  thank  thee  that  I  am  not  as  other 
 men ;"  and,  "  I  am  holier  than  thou."  Hence  such 
 are  apt  to  put  themselves  forward  among  God's  peo- 
 ple, and  as  it  were  to  take  a  high  seat  among  them, 
 as  if  there  was  no  doubt  but  it  belonged  to  them. 
 They,  as  it  were,  naturally  do  that  which  Christ 
 condemns, — take  the  highest  room.  This  they  do, 
 by  being  forward  to  take  upon  them  the  place  and 
 the  business  of  the  chief;  to  guide,  teach,  direct,  and 
 manage ;  they  are  confident  that  they  are  guides  to 
 the  blind,  a  light  of  them  whicli  are  in  darkness,  in- 
 structors of  the  foolish,  teachers  of  babes.  It  is 
 natural  for  them  to  take  it  for  granted,  that  it  belongs 
 to  them  to  do  the  part  of  dictators  and  masters  in 
 matters  of  religion ;  and  so  they  implicitly  affect  to  be 
 
417 
 
 called  of  men  Rabbi,  which  is  by  interpretation  Mas- 
 ter, as  the  Pharisees  did ;  that  is,  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  Chris- 
 tian 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  com- 
 paratively 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 :    "In  lowliness   of 
 mind,  let  each  esteem  others  better  than  themselves." 
 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 :    "  But 
 when  thou  art  bidden,  go  and  sit  down  in  the  lowest 
 room;  that  when  he  that  bade  thee  cometh,  he  may 
 say  unto  thee.  Friend,  go  up  higher :  then  shalt  thou 
 have  worship  in  the  presence  of  them  that  sit  at 
 meat  with  thee."    .  It  is  not  natural  to  them  to  take 
 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  fitter  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 
 
 *  "  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  Corin- 
 thian knowledge  did,  and  many  a  private  man  thinks  himself  fit  to 
 be  a  minister." — SheparcCs  Parable,  Part  I.  pp.  181,  182. 
 
 s3 
 
418 
 
 taught ;  they  are  much  more  eager  to  hear,  and  to 
 reeeive  instructions  from  others,  than  to  dictate  to 
 others  :  "  Be  ye  swift  to  hear,  slow  to  speak."  And 
 when  they  do  speak,  it  is  not  natural  to  them  to 
 speak  with  a  bokl,  masterly  air ;  but  humility  disposes 
 them  rather  to  speak  trembling :  "  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  be  sub- 
 ject to  others :  "  Be  not  many  masters."  "  All  of 
 you  be  subject  one  to  another,  and  be  clothed  with 
 humility."  "  Submitting  yourselves  one  to  another, 
 in  the  fear  of  God." 
 
 There  are  some  whose  experiences  naturally  work 
 that  way,  to  make  them  think  highly  of  their  ex- 
 periences ;  and  they  often  themselves  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  great  thing,  yea,  infinitely  great, 
 for  God  to  bestow  the  least  crumb  of  children's  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  experiences, 
 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 
 
419 
 
 eminent  saint,  and  have  more  grace  than  ordinary : 
 for  to  have  great  experiences,  if  the  experiences  be 
 true,  and  worth  the  teUing  of,  is  the  same  thing  as 
 to  have  great  grace :  there  is  no  true  experience,  but 
 the  exercise  of  grace ;   and  exactly  according  to  the 
 degree  of  true  experience,  is  the  degree  of  grace  and 
 hohness.      Those  who  talk  thus  about  their  experi- 
 ences, 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 
 the  great  things  that  God  has  done  for  them ;   they 
 would  acknowledge  the  great  mercy  God  has  shown 
 them,  and  not  make  light  of  it."      But  so  it  was  with 
 the  Pharisee  of  whom  Christ  tells  us.      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  men."*      Their  verbally  ascribing  it 
 to  the  grace  of  God,  that  they  are  hoher  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  an  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 
 
 •  Calvin,  in  his  Institutions,  B.  III.  chap.  xii.  §  7.  speaking 
 of  this  Pharisee,  observes,  "  that,  in  his  outward  confession,  he 
 acknowledges  that  the  righteousness  that  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." 
 
420 
 
 eminent  saints,  and  therefore  have  the  most  excellent 
 experiences,  and  are  the  greatest  in  the  kingdom  of 
 heaven,  humble  themselves  as  a  little  child,  "  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  thankful- 
 ness, 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  his  face  shone.  There 
 are  some  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  their  is  an  eminent  saint  in  the  world,  that  is 
 a  high  professor.  Such  will  be  much  more  likely  to 
 profess  themselves  to  be  the  least  of  all  saints,  and  to 
 think  that  every  saint's  attainments  and  experiences 
 are  higher  than  his.* 
 
 *  Luther,  as  his  words  are  cited  by  Rutherford,  in  his  Dis- 
 play of  the  Spiritual  Antichrist,  pp.  143,  H-l,  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  ap- 
 prehend:  whence  Paul  says,  '  I  count  not  myself  to  have  appre- 
 hended.' For  indeed  nothing  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  s])iritUHl  security  and  slothfulness."  So  Bernard 
 says,  "  To  stand  still  in  God's  way,  is  to  go  hack."  Wherefore 
 this  remains  to  him,  that  he  has  beguji  to  be  a  Christian,  to 
 think  that  he  is  not  yet  a  Christian,  hut  to  seek  that  he  may  be 
 a  Christian,  that  he  may  glory  with  Paul,  "  I  am  not,  hut  I  de- 
 sire to  be:"  a  Christian  not  yet  finished,  but  only  in  his  begin- 
 nings  Therefore   he  is  not  a   Christian,   that  is  a   Christian  i. 
 
 that  is,  he  that  thinks  himself  a  finished  Christian,  and  is  not 
 sensible  how  he  falls  short.     We  reach  alter  heaven,  but  are  not 
 
421 
 
 Such  is  the  nature  of  grace,  and  of  true  spiritual 
 Ught,  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  hght  of  any  in  this 
 world,  have  most  of  this  disposition ;  as  will  appear 
 most  clear  and  evident  to  any  one  that  soberly  and 
 thoroughly  weighs  the  nature  and  reasons  of  things, 
 and  considers  the  things  following. 
 
 That  grace  and  holiness  are  worthy  to  be  called 
 little,  that  is,  Httle  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  this  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  holiness  appears  little, 
 which  is  Httle  of  what  it  should  be ;  little  of  what  he 
 sees  infinite  reason  for,  and  obligation  to.  If  his 
 hohness  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  amiable- 
 ness  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  tJiie 
 honour  of  his  father,  and  beholds  the  respect  which 
 
 in  heaven.  Woe  to  him  that  is  wholly  renewed !  that  is,  that 
 thinks  himself  to  he  so.  That  man,  without  douht,  has  never  so 
 much  as  begun  to  be  renewed,  nor  did  he  ever  taste  what  it  is  to 
 be  a  Christian. 
 
4>n 
 
 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  such  is  the  nature  of  true  grace  and  spiritual 
 light,  that  it  opens  to  the  view  the  infinite  reason 
 there  is  that  he  should  he  holy  in  a  high  degree. 
 And  the  more  grace  he  has,  the  more  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  in- 
 creases, the  field  opens  more  and  more  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  glo- 
 rious 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  be- 
 lieve that  so  strange  a  thing  happens  to  other  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  unspeakable  love  of  Christ,  should  love  no 
 more :  and  he  is  apt  to  look  upon  it  as  a  thing  pecu- 
 liar to  himself,  a  strange  and  exempt  instance ;  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  know- 
 
423 
 
 ledjre  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  ansv/er,  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  propor- 
 tion to  the  objects  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 
 siglit  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 
 ignorance,  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  infinitely  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  enjoyment  of  a  spiritual  view,  to  complain 
 greatly  of  spiritual  ignorance,  and  want  of  love,  and 
 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, 
 to  which  ever  any  attain  in  this  life,   is  poor,  cold, 
 exceeding  low,  and  not  worthy  to  be  named  in  com- 
 parison of  what  our  obligations  appear  to  be,  from 
 the  joint  consideration  of  these  two  things:    I.   The 
 reason  God  has  given  us  to  love  him,  in  the  mani- 
 festations he  has  made  of  his  infinite  glory,  in  his 
 word,  and  in  his  works ;  and  particularly  in  the  gos- 
 pel of  his  Son,  and  what  he  has  done  for  sinful  man 
 
by  him.  And,  2.  The  capacity  there  is  in  the  soul 
 of  man,  by  those  intellectual  faculties  which  God 
 has  given  it,  of  seeing  and  understanding  these  rea- 
 sons, 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  con- 
 sidered require  !  And  of  this  grace  tends  to  con- 
 vince men,  and  especially  eminent  grace ;  for  grace  is 
 of  the  nature  of  light,  and  brings  truth  to  view. 
 And,  therefore,  he  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,  it  appears  astonishingly 
 little  and  low  in  his  eyes. 
 
 And  the  eminent  saint,  having  such  a  conviction 
 of  the  high  degree  in  which  he  ought  to  love  God, 
 shows  him,  not  only  the  littleness  of  his  grace,  but 
 the  greatness  of  his  remaining  corruption.  In  order 
 to  judge  how  much  corruption  or  sin  we  have  remain- 
 ing 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  there- 
 fore 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  defect  or  excess.  —  Therefore,  if 
 men,   in  their  love  to  God,    do  not  come  up  half 
 
425 
 
 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  abomi- 
 nable defect ;  and  appears  so  to  the  saints,  especially 
 those  that  are  eminent ;  it  appears  exceeding  abomi- 
 nable to  them,  that  Christ  should  be  loved  so  httle, 
 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  de- 
 formity vastly  more  than  their  goodness ;  it  not  only 
 tends  to  convince  them  their  corruption  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  cor- 
 rup'tion,  to  appear  so  great  as  vastly  to  outweigh  all 
 the  beauty  there  is  in  the  greatest  hoHness  ;  for  this 
 also  is  indeed  the  case.  For  the  least  sin  against 
 an  infinite  God  has  an  infinite  hatefulness  or  de- 
 formity in  it ;  but  the  highest  degree  of  holiness  in 
 a  creature  has  not  an  infinite  lovehness  in  it :  and 
 therefore  the  loveliness  of  it  is  as  nothing,  in  com- 
 parison 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 
 violating  of  an  obligation,  or  the  being  or  doing  con- 
 trary to  what  we  should  be  or  do,  or  are  obliged  to. 
 And  therefore  by  how  much  the  greater  the  obhga- 
 tion  is  that  is  violated,  so  much  the  greater  is  the 
 iniquity  and  hatefulness  of  the  violation.  But  cer- 
 tainly our  obligation  to  love  and  honour  any  being, 
 
4^6 
 
 is  in  some  proportion  to  his  loveliness  and  honour- 
 ableness,  or  to  his  worthiness  to  be  loved  and  ho- 
 noured 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  obliga- 
 tions to  love  him  are  infinitely  great :  and  therefore, 
 whatever  is  contrary  to  this  love,  has  in  it  infinite 
 iniquity,  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-deserving  and 
 hateful  in  proportion  to  the  distance  there  is  between 
 God  and  the  creature :  the  greatness  of  the  object, 
 and  the  meanness  and  inferiority  of  the  subject,  ag- 
 gravates 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  in- 
 creases the  obligation  on  the  inferior  to  regard  the 
 superior ;  and  so  makes  the  want  of  regard  more 
 hateful :  but  the  great  degree  of  inferiority  dimi- 
 nishes the  worth  of  the  regard  of  the  inferior;  be- 
 cause 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  of- 
 fering his  best  respect ;  and  therefore,  as  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 
 
427 
 
 will  he  appear  to  himself  infinitely  deformed  by  rea- 
 son of  sin,  and  the  less  will  the  goodness  that  is  in 
 his  grace,  or  good  experience,  appear  in  proportion 
 to  it.  For  indeed  it  is  nothino;  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  appear  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  remain- 
 ing 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  unworthiness;)  a  sure  and  certain 
 evidence  that  their  discoveries,  as  they  call  them,  are 
 darkness  and  not  lio-ht.  It  is  darkness  that  hides 
 men's  pollution  and  deformity;  but  light  let  into  the 
 heart  discovers  it,  searches  it  out  in  its  secret  corners, 
 and  makes  it  plahdy  to  appear ;  especially  that  pene- 
 trating, 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  re- 
 Btrain  the  positive  exercises  of  it,    such  as  malice, 
 
4^8 
 
 envy,  covetousness,  lasciviousness,  murmuring,  &c. 
 but  they  bring  corruption  to  light,  in  that  which  is 
 privitive,  namely,  that  there  is  no  more  love,  no  more 
 humility,  no  more  thankfulness.  Which  defects 
 appear  most  hateful  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 
 whatever  positive  exercises  of  corruption  at  any  time 
 arise,  and  mingle  themselves  with  eminent  actings  of 
 grace,  grace  wiU  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  themselves,  as  the  most  eminent 
 saints  in  this  world  do  to  the  saints  and  angels  in  hea- 
 ven. How  can  we  rationally  suppose  the  most  emi- 
 nent saints  on  earth  appear  to  them,  if  beheld  any 
 otherwise  than  covered  over  with  the  righteousness  of 
 Christ,  and  their  deformities  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  beauty 
 and  glory  of  God  without  a  vail?  how  does  our  highest 
 thankfulness  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 
 
4^9 
 
 as  worthy  of  the  name  of  reverence  and  humiHty,  in 
 those  that  they  see  to  be  at  such  an  infinite  distance 
 from  that  great  and  holy  God,  in  whose  glorious  pre- 
 sence they  are?  The  reason  why  the  highest  at- 
 tainments of  the  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 
 heaven,  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  ex- 
 ercise, and  worst  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  af- 
 terwards they  sink  again  in  the  frame  of  their  minds, 
 they  may  know  that  they  sink,  and  have  a  new  ar- 
 gument of  their  great  remaining  corruption,  and  a 
 rational  conviction  of  a  greater  vileness  than  they  saw 
 before  ;  and  may  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  con- 
 siderations, 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 
 
430 
 
 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  disposed  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  amons^  them  :  agreeable  to  that  oreat 
 saying  of  Christ,  "  Whosoever,  therefore,  shall  humble 
 himself  as  this  little  child,  the  same  is  greatest  in  the 
 kingdom  of  heaven." 
 
 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  observed  and  proved  before.  But  yet 
 it  does  not  follow  that  an  eminent  saint  is  easily  sen- 
 sible 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  is  an  eminent  saint,  may 
 know  it.  But  he  will  not  be  apt  to  know  it;  it  will 
 not  be  a  thing  obvious  to  him  ;  that  lie  is  better  than 
 others,  and  has  higher  experiences  and  attainm.ents, 
 is  not  a  foremost  thought;  nor  is  it  that  which,  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  strict- 
 ness and  care  in  arguing,  to  convince  himself.  And 
 if  he  be  rationally  convinced,  by  a  very  strict  consi- 
 deration of  his  own  experiences,  compared  with  the 
 great  appearances  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  obtained;  nor  will 
 it  seem  at  all  natural  to  him  to  act  upon  that  suppo- 
 
431 
 
 sition.  And  this  may  be  laid  down  as  an  infallible 
 tiling,  "  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  first  thought,  that  rises  of  itself,  and  naturally 
 ofters  itself,  he  is  certainly  mistaken ;  he  is  no  emi- 
 nent saint,  but  under  the  great  prevaihngs  of  a  proud 
 and  self-righteous  spirit."  And  if  this  be  habitual 
 with  the  man,  and  is  statedly  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  tendency,  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  de- 
 lusive. Those  supposed  discoveries  that  naturally 
 blow  up  the  person  with  an  admiration  of  the  emi- 
 nency  of  his  discoveries,  and  fill  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  knowledge 
 is  of  that  nature,  that  the  more  a  person  has  of  it,  the 
 more  is  he  sensible  of  his  own  ignorance :  "  He  that 
 thinketh  he  knoweth  any  thing,  he  knoweth  nothing 
 yet  as  he  ought  to  know."  Augur,  when  he  had  a 
 great  discovery  of  God,  and  sense  of  the  wonderful 
 height  of  his  glory,  and  of  his  marvellous  works,  and 
 cries  out  of  his  greatness  and  incomprehensibleness, 
 at  the  same  time  had  the  deepest  sense  of  his  brutish 
 ignorance,  and  looked  upon  himself  the  most  ignorant 
 of  all  the  saints :  "  Surely  I  am  more  brutish  than 
 any  man,  and  have  not  the  understanding  of  a  man. 
 
432 
 
 I  neither  learned  wisdom,  nor  have  the  knowledge  of 
 the  holy.  Who  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  owii 
 eyes,  if  any  thing  is.  And  therefore  it  comes  under 
 those  prohibitions — "  Be  not  wise  in  thine  own  eyes  '* 
 — "  Be  not  wise  in  your  own  conceits :"  and  brings 
 men  under  that  woe — "  Woe  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.  Experience  shows  the  truth  of  that :  "  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  :  "  I  have  more  understand- 
 ing 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  de- 
 clare to  others,  secret  things,  that  otherwise  would 
 be  hard,  yea,  impossible  for  him  to  find  out.      As  he 
 
433 
 
 may  reveal  to  him  mysteries,  that  otherwise  would  be 
 above  the  reach  of  his  reason ;  or  things  in  a  distant 
 place,  that  he  cannot  see ;  or  future  events,  that  it 
 would  be  impossible  for  him  to  know  and  declare,  if 
 they  were  not  extraordinarily  revealed  to  him ;  so  the 
 Spirit  of  God  might  reveal  to  David  this  distinguish- 
 ing 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  gracious  influences  of 
 the  Spirit  of  God,  from  that,  that  David  declares  of 
 his  distinguishing  knowledge,  under  the  extraordinary 
 influences  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  reason- 
 ably argue,  that  it  is  the  natural  tendency  of  grace  to 
 incline  men  to  curse  others,  and  wish  the  most  dread- 
 ful 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  holi- 
 ness does  fundamentally  consist.  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  knowledire  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. 
 T  20 
 
434 
 
 Second,  Another  thing  that  is  an  infalHble  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  humi- 
 lity 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  contrary  effect  in  those  that 
 have  them.  They,  indeed,  make  them  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 
 to  which  they  have  already  attained  to  appear  smaU; 
 and  their  remaining  pride  great,  and  exceedingly 
 abominable. 
 
 The  reason  why  a  proud  person  should  be  apt  to 
 think  his  humility  great,  and  why  a  very  humble 
 person  should  think  his  humility  small,  may  be  easily 
 seen,  if  it  be  considered,  that  it  is  natural  for  persons, 
 in  judging  of  the  degree  of  their  own  humiliation,  to 
 take  their  measure  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  considerableness,  wherein  each 
 properly  stands,  is  very  different.  For  some  great 
 man  to  stoop  to  loose  the  latchet  of  the  shoes  of  an- 
 other great  man,  his  equal,  or  to  wash  his  feet,  would 
 
435 
 
 be  taken  notice  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  stoop- 
 ing to  unloose  the  shoes  of  a  great  prince,  nobody 
 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  conceited  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  be- 
 ing very  humble,  would  not  every  body  cry  out  upon 
 him — "  Who  do  you  think  yourself  to  be,  that  you 
 should  think  this  that  you  have  done  such  a  deep 
 humiUation  ?"  This  would  make  it  plain,  to  a  de- 
 monstration, 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  humihty  in  them,  that  they,  under  their 
 affections,  can  find  themselves  so  willing  to  acknow- 
 ledge themselves  to  be  so  and  so  mean  and  unworthy, 
 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  hi^h  conceit  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  des- 
 T  2 
 
436 
 
 picable  and  vile  is  brought  no  lower  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  humility  for  me,  for  such  a  one  as 
 I,  that  am  so  considerable  and  worthy."  He  con- 
 siders how  low  he  is  now  brought,  and  compares  this 
 ^^dth  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  appears  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  distance  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  detestable,  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  hardly  count  it  worthy  of  the  name  of 
 humility,  in  a  contemptible  slave,  that  formerly  af- 
 fected 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 
 
437 
 
 act  of  theirs,  consider  two  things ;  namely,  the  real 
 degree  of  dignity  they  stand  in,  and  the  degree  of 
 abasement,  and  the  relation  it  bears  to  that  real  dig- 
 nity. Thus  the  complying  with  the  same  low  place, 
 or  low  act,  may  be  an  evidence  of  great  humility  in 
 one,  that  evidences  but  little  or  no  humility  in  an- 
 other. 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,  appears  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  abasement,  and  the  degree  of  the  cause  for 
 abasement:  but  he  that  is  truly  and  eminently  humble 
 never  thinks  his  humihty  great,  considering  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  match  more  notice  of  his 
 pride  than  his  humility. 
 
 Every  one  that  has  been  conversant  with  souls 
 under  convictions  of  sin,  knows  that  those  who  are 
 greatly  convinced  of  sin  are  not  apt  to  think  them- 
 selves greatly  convinced.  And  the  reason  is  this : 
 men  judge  of  the  degree  of  their  own  convictions  of 
 sin  by  two  things  jointly  considered;  namely,  the 
 degree  of  sense  which  they  have  of  guilt  and  pollu- 
 tion, 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,  be- 
 yond most  others  in  the  world,  because  they  are  so 
 
438 
 
 indeed,  very  plainly  and  notoriously.  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  great- 
 ness of  his  sensibility.  It  is  natural  for  one  under 
 great  convictions  to  think  himself  one  of  the  greatest 
 of  sinners  in  reaHty,  and  also  that  it  is  so  very  plainly 
 and  evidently ;  for  the  greater  his  convictions  are,  the 
 more  plain  and  evident  it  seems  to  be  to  him.  And, 
 therefore,  it  necessarily  seems  to  him  so  plain,  and  so 
 easy  to  him  to  see  it,  that  it  may  be  seen  without 
 much  conviction.  That  man  is  under  great  convic- 
 tions, 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  under  a  work  of  humiliation,  are  not  sensible 
 of  it  in  the  time  of  it. 
 
 And  as  it  is  with  conviction  of  sin,  just  so  it  is, 
 by  parity  of  reason,  with  respect  to  persons'  convic- 
 tion or  sensibleness  of  their  own  meanness  and  vile- 
 ness,  their  own  blindness,  their  own  impotence,  and 
 all  that  low  sense  that  a  Christian  has  of  himself,  in 
 the  exercise  of  evangelical  humiliation.  So  that  in 
 a  high  degree  of  this,  the  saints  are  never  disposed 
 
439 
 
 to  think  their  sensibleness  of  their  own  meanness, 
 lilthiness,  impotence,  &c.  to  be  great ;  because  it  never 
 appears  great  to  them,  considering  the  cause. 
 
 An  eminent  saint  is  not  apt  to  think  himself  emi- 
 nent 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  quick-sighted  to  dis- 
 cern his  pride  than  his  humility :  that  he  easily  dis- 
 cerns, and  is  apt  to  take  much  notice  of,  but  hardly 
 discerns  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  quick- 
 sighted  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  men's.  He  is 
 apt  to  put  the  best  construction  on  others'  words  and 
 behaviour,  and  to  think  that  none  are  so  proud  as 
 himself.  But  the  proud  hypocrite  is  quick  to  dis- 
 cern the  mote  in  his  brother's  eye  in  this  respect; 
 while  he  sees  nothing  of  the  beam  in  his  own.  He 
 is  often  crying  out  of  other's  pride,  finding  fault 
 with  others'  apparel  and  way  of  living ;  and  is  affected 
 ten  times  as  much  with  his  neighbour's  ring  or  riband, 
 as  with  all  the  filthiness  of  his  own  heart. 
 
 From  the  disposition  there  is  in  hypocrites  to 
 think  highly  of  their  humility,  it  comes  to  pass  that 
 counterfeit  humility  is  forward  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 
 
440 
 
 ill  high  terms,  and  to  make  a  great  outward  show  of 
 humility,  in  ajBPected  looks,  gestures,  or  manner  of 
 speech,  or  meanness  of  apparel,  or  some  affected 
 singularity.  So  it  was  of  old  with  the  false  prophets ; 
 so  it  was  with  the  hypocritical  Jews;  and  so  Christ 
 tells  us  it  was  with  the  Pharisees.*  But  it  is  con- 
 trariwise 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:  "  But  thou,  when  thou  fastest,  anoint 
 thine  head,  and  wash  thy  face.'*  "  Which  things 
 have  indeed  a  show  of  wisdom  in  will-worship  and 
 humihty,  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.  A  penitent,  in  the 
 exercise  of  true  humiliation,  is  represented  as  still 
 and  silent :  "  He  sitteth  alone  and  keepeth  silence, 
 because  he  hath  borne  it  upon  him."  And  silence 
 is  mentioned  as  what  attends  humility:  "  If  thou 
 hast  done  foohshly  in  lifting  up  thyself,  or  if  thou 
 hast  thought  evil,  lay  thine  hand  upon  thy  mouth." 
 
 •  Zech.  xiii.  4..         Isa.  Ivii.  5.         Matth.  vi.  16. 
 
 f  It  is  an  observation  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  Master,  does  not  use 
 Buch  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,"  Matth.  xxvi.  75.  Luke.  xxii.  62. 
 
441 
 
 Thus  I  have  particularly  and  largely  shown  the 
 nature  of  that  true  humility  that  attends  holy  affec- 
 tions, as  it  appears  in  its  tendency  to  cause  persons 
 to  think  meanly  of  their  attainments  in  religion,  as 
 compared  with  the  attainments  of  others,  and  par- 
 ticularly of  their  attainments  in  humility;  and  have 
 shown  the  contrary  tendency  of  spiritual  pride,  to 
 dispose  persons  to  think  their  attainments  in  these 
 respects  to  be  great.  I  have  insisted  the  longer  on 
 this  matter,  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  his  nose,  and  a 
 fire  that  burneth  all  the  day."  It  is  mentioned  as 
 an  instance  of  the  pride  of  the  inhabitants  of  that 
 holy  city  (as  it  was  called)  Jerusalem,  that  they 
 esteemed  themselves  far  better  than  the  people  of 
 Sodom,  and  so  looked  upon  them  worthy  to  be  over- 
 looked and  disregarded  by  them :  "  For  thy  sister 
 Sodom  was  not  mentioned  by  thy  mouth  in  the  day 
 of  thy  pride." 
 
 Let  not  the  reader  lightly  pass  over  these  things 
 in  appUcation  to  himself.  If  you  once  have  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  oflP  so ;  but  examine 
 t3 
 
442 
 
 again,  whether  or  not  you  do  not  thmk  yourself  better 
 than  others  on  this  very  account,  because  you  imagine 
 you  think  so  meanly  of  yourself.  Have  you  not  a 
 high  opinion  of  this  humility?  and  if  you  answer 
 again,  "  No;  I  have  not  a  high  opinion  of  my  hu- 
 mility; it  seems  to  me  I  am  as  proud  as  the  devil;" 
 yet  examine  again,  whether  self-conceit  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  them- 
 selves, arises  a  manifold  contrariety  of  temper  and 
 behaviour. 
 
 A  truly  humble  person,  having  such  a  mean 
 opinion  of  his  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  humble,  naturally  behaves  himself  in  many 
 respects  as  a  poor  man  :  "  The  poor  useth  entreaties, 
 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  low 
 place ;  he  readily  honours  his  superiors ;  he  takes 
 reproofs  quietly ;  he  readily  honours  others  as  above 
 
443 
 
 him;  he  easily  yields  to  be  taught,  and  does  not 
 claim  much  to  his  understanding  and  judgmemt ;  he 
 is  not  over  nice  or  humorsome,  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 
 Christian.  Humility  is  (as  the  great  Mastricht  ex- 
 presses 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  person  continues 
 still  a  poor  beggar  at  God's  gates,  exceeding  empty 
 and  needy ;  but  the  latter  make  men  appear  to  them- 
 selves rich,  and  increased  with  goods,  and  not  very 
 necessitous ;  they  have  a  great  stock  in  their  own 
 imagination  for  their  subsistence.* 
 
 •  "  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  prayerj,  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  woeful  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  he  lives.  So  that 
 though  others  think  he  needs  not  much  grace,  yet  he  accounts 
 himself  the  poorest." — Shepard's  Parable  of  the  Ten  Virgins,  Part 
 11.  p.  132. 
 
 "  After  all  fillings,  be  ever  empty,  hungry,  and  feeling  need,  and 
 praying  for  more." — Ibid.  p.  151. 
 
 "  Truly  brethren,  when  I  see  the  curse  of  God  upon  many 
 Christians,  that  are  now  grown  full  of  their  parts,  gifts,  peace, 
 comforts,  abilities,  duties,  1  stand  adoring  the  riches  of  the  Lord's 
 mercy,  to  a  little  handful  of  poor  believers;  not  only  in  making 
 them  empty,  but  in  keeping  them  so  all  their  days." — SheparU'i 
 Sound  Believer,  the  late  edition  in  Boston,  pp.  158,  159. 
 
444 
 
 A  poor  man  is  modest  in  his  speech  and  behaviour; 
 so,  and  much  more,  and  more  certainly  and  univer- 
 sally, 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,  assum- 
 ing, and  impudent  in  their  behaviour  amongst  men. 
 The  apostle  informs  us,  that  the  design  of  the  gospel 
 is  to  cut  off  all  glorying,  not  only  before  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  be- 
 haviour :  but  they  ought  to  consider  those  scriptures, 
 — "  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."  "  These  six  things 
 doth  the  Lord  hate ;  yea,  seven  are  an  abomination 
 unto  him :  a  proud  look,"  &c.  "  A  high  look  and 
 a  proud  heart  are  sin."  "  Thou  wilt  bring  down 
 high  looks."  "  Him  that  hath  a  high  look  and  a 
 proud  heart  I  will  not  suffer."  "  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  hu- 
 mility, that  the  Scripture  often  speaks  of:  "  Be 
 ready  to  give  an  answer  to  every  man  that  asketh 
 you,  with  meekness  and  fear."  "  Fear,  to  whom 
 fear."  "  Whilst  he  remembereth  the  obedience  of 
 you  all,  how  with  fear  and  trembling  you  received 
 him."  "  Servants,  be  obedient  to  them  that  are 
 your  masters  according  to  the  flesh,  with  fear  and 
 trembling."  "  Servants,  be  subject  to  your  masters 
 with  all  fear."   "  While  they  behold  your  chaste  con- 
 
445 
 
 versation  coupled  with  fear."  "  That  women  adorn 
 themselves  with  modest  apparel,  with  shamefacedness 
 and  sobriety."  In  this  respect,  a  Christian  is  like 
 a  little  child ;  a  little  child  is  modest  before  men, 
 and  his  heart  is  apt  to  be  possessed  with  fear  and 
 awe  amongst  them. 
 
 The  same  spirit  will  dispose  a  Christian  to  "  hon- 
 our all  men."  An  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  Abra- 
 ham, the  great  pattern  of  believers,  honoured  the 
 children  of  Heth  :  "  Abraham  stood  up,  and  bowed 
 himself  to  the  people  of  the  land."  This  was 
 a  remarkable  instance  of  humble  behaviour  towards 
 them  that  were  out  of  Christ,  and  that  Abraham 
 knew  to  be  accursed  ;  and  therefore  would  by  no 
 means  suflPer  his  servant  to  take  a  wife  to  his  son 
 from  amonfy  them  :  and  Esau's  wives  bein^  of  these 
 children  of  Heth,  were  a  grief  of  mind  to  Isaac  and 
 Rebekah.  So  Paul  honoured  Festus :  "  I  am  not 
 mad,  most  noble  Festus."  Not  only  will  Chris- 
 tian humility  dispose  us  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  persecuting  brother :  "  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  Uke  manner. 
 
 Thus  I  have  endeavoured  to  describe  the  heart 
 
446 
 
 and  behaviour  of  one  that  is  governed  by  a  truly 
 gracious  humility,  as  exactly  agreeable  to  the  Scrip- 
 tures as  I  am  able. 
 
 Now,  it  is  out  of  such  a  heart  as  this  that  all 
 truly  holy  affections  flow.  Christian  affections  are 
 like  Mary's  precious  ointment,  which  she  poured  on 
 Christ's  head,  that  filled  the  whole  house  with  a 
 sweet  odour.  That  was  poured  out  of  an  alabaster 
 box :  so  gracious  affections  flow  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  affections 
 flow  out  of  a  broken  heart.  Gracious  affections  are 
 also  like  those  of  Mary  Magdalene,  who  also  pours 
 precious  ointment  on  Christ,  out  of  an  alabaster 
 broken  box,  anointing  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  a  heavenly  sweetness  and  fra- 
 grancy,  are  broken-hearted  affections.  A  truly  Chris- 
 tian love,  either  to  God  or  men,  is  an  humble  broken- 
 hearted love.  The  desires  of  the  saints,  however 
 earnest,  are  humble  desires:  their  hope  is  an  humble 
 hope ;  and  their  joy,  even  when  it  is  unspeakable  and 
 full  of  glory,  is  an  humbled,  broken-hearted  joy,  and 
 leaves  the  Christian  more  poor  in  spirit,  and  more 
 like  a  little  child,  and  more  disposed  to  a  universal 
 lowliness  of  behaviour. 
 
447 
 
 CHAPTER  VIL 
 
 Another  thing  wherein  gracious  Affections  are  dis- 
 tinguished from  others,  is  that  they  are  attended 
 with  a  change  of  nature. 
 
 All  gracious  affections,  as  was  shown  before, 
 arise  from  a  spiritual  understanding,  in  which  the 
 soul  has  the  excellency  and  glory  of  divine  things 
 discovered  to  it.  But  all  spiritual  discoveries  are 
 transforming ;  and  not  only  make  an  alteration  of  the 
 present  exercise,  sensation,  and  frame  of  the  soul  ; 
 but  have  such  power  and  efficacy,  that  they  make  an 
 alteration  in  the  very  nature  of  the  soul :  "  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 
 peculiar  to  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord :  other  powers  may 
 make  a  great -alteration  in  men's  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  truly  divine.  The  soul  is  deeply  aflected  by 
 these  discoveries,  and  so  affected  as  to  be  trans- 
 formed. 
 
 Thus  it  is  with  those  affections  of  which  the  soul 
 is  the  subject  in  its  conversion.  The  Scripture  re- 
 presentations of  conversion  strongly  imply  and  sig- 
 
448 
 
 nify  a  change  of  nature:  such  as,  "  heing  born 
 again — ^becoming  new  creatures — rising  from  the 
 dead — ^being  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  the  mind — dy- 
 ing to  sin,  and  Kving  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  nature,"  &c. 
 
 Therefore,  if  there  be  no  great  and  remarkable 
 abiding  change  in  persons,  that  think  they  have  ex- 
 perienced a  work  of  conversion,  vain  are  all  their 
 imaginations  and  pretences,  however  they  have  been 
 afiPected.*  Conversion  (if  we  may  give  any  credit 
 to  the  Scripture)  is  a  great  and  universal  change  of 
 the  man,  turning  him  from  sin  to  God.  A  man 
 may  be  restrained  from  sin,  before  he  is  converted; 
 but,  when  he  is  converted,  he  is  not  only  restrained 
 from  sin,  his  very  heart  and  nature  is  turned  from  it 
 unto  holiness  :  so  that  thenceforward  he  becomes  a 
 holy  person,  and  an  enemy  to  sin.  If  therefore,  af- 
 ter a  person's  high  affections,  at  his  supposed  first 
 conversion,  it  comes  in  a  little  time,  that  there  is  no 
 very  sensible  or  remarkable  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  stu- 
 
 •  "  I  would  not  judge  of  the  whole  soul's  coming  to  Christ,  so 
 much  by  sudden  pangs,  as  by  inward  bent.  For  the  whole  soul, 
 in  affectionate  expressions,  and  actions,  may  be  carried  to  Christ ; 
 but  being  without  this  bent  and  change  of  affections,  is  unsound." 
 —Shepard's  Parable,  P.  I.  p.  203. 
 
4.49 
 
 pid  and  perverse,  as  unchristian  and  unsavoury  as 
 ever, — it  is  greater  evidence  against  him,  than  the 
 brightest  story  of  experience  that  ever  was  told,  is  for 
 him.  For  in  Christ  Jesus  neither  circumcision,  nor 
 uncircumcision,  neither  high  profession,  nor  low  pro- 
 fession, neither  a  fair  story,  nor  a  broken  one,  avails 
 any  thing ;  but  a  new  creature. 
 
 If  there  be  a  very  great  alteration  visible  in  a  per- 
 son for  a  while ;  if  it  be  not  abiding,  but  he  after- 
 wards 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  re- 
 mains ;  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;  conversion  does  not  entirely  root  out  the 
 natural  temper ;  those  sins  to  which  a  man  by  his 
 natural  constitution  was  most  inclined  before  his  con- 
 version, he  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  imper- 
 fect, does  not  root  out  an  evil  natural  temper,  yet  it 
 is  of  great  power  and  efficacy  to  correct  it.  The 
 chansre  that  is  wroufjht  in  conversion,  is  a  universal 
 change ;  grace  changes  a  man  with  respect  to  what- 
 
 •  "  It  is  with  the  soul,  as  with  water ;  all  the  cold  may  be 
 gone,  but  the  native  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  conscience  from  security  to  ter- 
 ror, change  of  life  from  profaneness  to  civility,  and  fashions  of  the 
 world,  to  escape  the  pollutions  thereof,  change  of  lusts,  nay, 
 quenching  them  for  a  time;  but  the  nature  is  never  changed  in 
 the  best  hypocrite  that  ever  was." — S/iepanCs  Parable,  Part  I, 
 p.  19*. 
 
450 
 
 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,  constitutional  sins,  as  well  as  others.  If 
 a  man,  before  his  conversion,  was  by  his  natural  con- 
 stitution especially  inclined  to  lasciviousness  or  drunk- 
 enness, or  maliciousness,  converting  grace  will  make 
 a  great  alteration  in  him,  with  respect  to  these  evil  dis- 
 positions ;  so  that  however  he  may  be  still  most  in  dan- 
 ger of  these  sins,  yet  they  shall  no  longer  have  domin- 
 ion over  him ;  nor  will  they  any  more  be  properly  his 
 character.  Yea,  true  repentance  does,  in  some  re- 
 spects, especially  turn  a  man  against  his  own  iniquity, 
 wherein  he  has  been  most  guilty,  and  has  chiefly  dis- 
 honoured God.  He  that  forsakes  other  sins,  but 
 saves  his  leading  sin,  the  iniquity  to  which  he  is 
 chiefly  incHned,  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  peo- 
 ple, 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  without  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 
 
451 
 
 are  universally  and  immediately  dependant  on  him 
 for  it.  But  yet  these  persons  are  mistaken,  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 
 pruiciple  of  nature ;  so  that  the  soul,  in  being  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  yet  remains 
 without  life ;  but  as  having  hfe  communicated  to  it ; 
 so  as  through  Christ's  power  to  have  inherent  in  it- 
 self a  vital  nature.  In  the  soul  where  Christ  sav- 
 ingly is  there  he  lives.  He  does  not  only  live  with- 
 out 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  Christ,  as  the  Hght  in  a  glass,  held  out  in 
 the  sun-beams,  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 
 without  any  lightsomeness  in  its  nature  as  ever.  But 
 the  soul  of  a  saint  receives  light  from  the  Sun  of 
 righteousness,  in  such  a  manner,  that  its  nature  is 
 changed,  and  it  becomes  properly  a  luminous  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  hght.  In  this  respect,  the  manner 
 of  their  derivation  of  hght,  is  like  that  of  the  lamps 
 in  the  tabernacle,  rather  than  that  of  a  reflecting 
 glass ;  which  though  they  were  lit  up  by  fire  from 
 
452 
 
 heaven,  yet  thereby  became  themselves  burning  shin- 
 ing things.  The  saints  do  not  only  drink  of  the 
 water  of  Hfe,  that  flows  from  the  original  fountain ; 
 but  this  water  becomes  a  fountain  of  water  in  them, 
 springing  up  there,  and  flowing  out  of  them.  Grace 
 is  compared  to  a  seed  implanted,  that  not  only  is  in 
 the  ground,  but  has  hold  of  it,  has  root  there,  grows 
 there,  and  is  an  abiding  principle  of  life  and  nature 
 there. 
 
 As  it  is  with  spiritual  discoveries  and  affections 
 OTven  at  first  conversion,  so  it  is  in  all  illuminations 
 and  affections  of  that  kind,  that  persons  are  the  sub- 
 jects of  afterwards ;  they  are  all  transforming.  There 
 is  a  like  divine  power  and  energy  in  them,  as  in  the 
 first  discoveries :  and  they  still  reach  the  bottom  of 
 the  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  the  subjects  of  God's  re- 
 deeming mercies,  "  to  be  transformed  by  the  renew- 
 ing of  their  mind."  "  I  beseech  you  therefore,  by 
 the  mercies  of  God,  that  ye  present  your  bodies  a 
 living  sacrifice ; — and  be  not  conformed  to  this  world ; 
 but  be  transformed  by  the  renewing  of  your  mind." 
 So  the  apostle,  writing  to  the  saints  and  faithful  in 
 Christ  Jesus,  that  were  at  Ephesus ;  and  those  who 
 (  Eph.  ii.)  "  were  once  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,  but 
 
453 
 
 were  now  quickened,  and  raised  up,  and  made  to  sit 
 too-ether  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ,  and  created  in 
 Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works,  that  were  once  far  off, 
 but  were  now  made  nigh  by  the  blood  of  Christ,  and 
 that  were  no  more  strangers  and  foreigners,  but  fel- 
 low-citizens with  the  saints,  and  of  the  household  of 
 God,  and  that  were  built  together  for  a  habitation  of 
 God,  through  the  Spirit  :'*  I  say,  the  apostle,  writ- 
 ing to  these,  tells  them,  "  that  he  ceased  not  to  pray 
 for  them,  that  God  would  give  them  the  Spirit  of 
 wisdom  and  revelation,  in  the  knowledge  of  Christ ; 
 the  eyes  of  their  understanding  being  enlightened, 
 that  they  might  know,  or  experience,  what  was  the 
 exceeding  greatness  of  God's  power  towards  them 
 that  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."  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  put  on  the  new  man,  which  after 
 God  is  created  in  righteousness  and  true  holiness." 
 
 There  is  a  sort  of  high  affections  that  some  have 
 from  time  to  time,  that  leave  them  without  any  man- 
 ner 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  affec- 
 
454 
 
 tions  ;*  they  leave  a  sweet  savour  and  relish  of  divine 
 things  on  the  heart,  and  a  stronger  bent  of  soul  to- 
 wards God  and  holiness.  As  Moses'  face  not  only 
 shone  while  he  was  in  the  mount,  extraordinarily  con- 
 versing 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  remains  upon  them ; 
 there  is  something  remarkable  in  their  disposition  and 
 frame,  which,  if  we  take  knowledge  of,  and  trace  to  its 
 cause,  we  shall  find  it  is  because  they  have  been  with 
 Jesus. 
 
 CHAPTER  VIII. 
 
 Truly  gracious  Affections  differ  from  those  that  are 
 
 false  and  delusive,  in  that  they  are  attended  with 
 
 the  lamb-like,  dove-like  spirit  and  temper  of  Jesus 
 
 Christ ;  or,  in  other  words,  they  naturally  heget  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  eminency,  be 
 called  the  Christian  spirit;  and  may  be  looked  upon 
 as  the  true   and   distinguishing   disposition   of  the 
 
 *  "  Do  you  think  the  Holy  Ghost  comes  on  a  man  as  on  Ba- 
 laam, by  immediate  acting,  and  then  leaves  him,  and  then  he  has 
 nothing?" — SheparcCs  Parable,  Part  I.  p.  126. 
 
455 
 
 hearts  of  Christians,  as  Christians. — When  some  of 
 the  disciples  of  Christ  said  something,  through  in- 
 consideration  and  infinnity,  that  was  not  agreeable  to 
 such  a  spirit,  Christ  told  them,  that  "they  knew  not 
 what  manner  of  spirit  they  were  of;"  implying  that 
 this  spirit  that  I  am  speaking  of,  is  the  proper  spirit 
 of  his  religion  and  kingdom.  All  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  what  the  wise  man  says,  (having  respect 
 plainly  to  such  a  spirit  as  this) :  "  A  man  of  under- 
 standing is  of  an  excellent  spirit :"  and  by  the  parti- 
 cular description  Christ  gives  of  the  qualities  and 
 temper  of  such  as  are  truly  blessed,  that  shall  obtain 
 mercy,  and  are  God's  children  and  heii's :  "  Blessed 
 are  the  meek:  for  they  shall  inherit  the  earth. 
 Blessed  are  the  merciful :  for  they  shall  obtain  mercy. 
 Blessed  are  the  peace-makers :  for  they  shall  be 
 called  the  children  of  God."  And  that  this  spirit 
 is  the  special  character  of  the  elect  of  God,  is  mani- 
 fested by  this  scripture :  "  Put  on,  therefore,  as  the 
 elect  of  God,  holy  and  beloved,  bowels  of  mercies, 
 kindness,  humbleness  of  mind,  meekness,  long-suf- 
 fering; forbearing  one  another,  and  forgiving  one 
 another."  And  the  apostle,  speaking  of  that  temper 
 and  disposition,  which  he  speaks  of  as  the  most  ex- 
 cellent and  essential  thing  in  Christianity,  and  that 
 without  which  none  are  true  Christians,  and  the  most 
 glorious  profession  and  gifts  are  nothing,  (calling  this 
 spirit  by  the  name  of  charity,)  he  describes  it  thus: 
 "  Charity  suffereth  long,  and  is  kind;  charity  envieth 
 
456 
 
 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,  designedly  declaring  the  distinguishing 
 marks  and  fruits  of  true  Christian  grace,  chiefly  in- 
 sists on  the  things  that  appertain  to  such  a  temper 
 and  spirit :  "  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  design,  that  others 
 who  are  of  a  contrary  spirit  may  not  deceive  them- 
 selves, and  lie  against  the  truth,  in  professing  to  be 
 Christians  when  they  are  not :  "  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." 
 
 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  holi- 
 ness, as  appearing  in  some  particular  graces,  may 
 more  especially  be  called  the  Christian  spirit  or  tem- 
 per. There  are  some  amiable  qualities  and  virtues, 
 that  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  remarkably 
 manifested  and  glorified,  in  the  work  of  redemption 
 by  Jesus  Christ,  that  is  the  grand  subject  of  the 
 
457 
 
 Christian  revelation ;  and  also  a  special  agreeableness 
 with  those  vii-tues  that  were  so  wonderfully  exercised 
 by  Jesus  Christ  towards  us  in  that  scheme,  and  the 
 blessed  example  he  hath  therein  set  us ;  and  Hkewise 
 because  they  are  pecuharly  agreeable  to  the  special 
 drift  and  design  of  the  work  of  redemption,  and  the 
 benefits  we  thereby  receive,  and  the  relation  into 
 wliich  it  brings  us  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. 
 
 These  things  are  spoken  of,  as  especially  the 
 character  of  Jesus  Christ  himself,  the  great  head  of 
 the  Christian  church.  They  are  so  spoken  of  in 
 the  prophecies  of  the  Old  Testament:  "  Tell  ye  the 
 daughter  of  Sion,  Behold,  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 : 
 "  Learn  of  me,  for  I  am  meek  and  lowly  in  heart." 
 The  same  appears  by  the  name  by  which  Christ  is  so 
 often  called  in  Scripture,  namely,  "  the  Lamb."  And 
 as  these  things  are  especially  the  character  of  Christ, 
 so  they  are  also  especially  the  character  of  Christians. 
 Christians  are  Christ-Hke ;  none  deserve  the  name  of 
 Christians  that  are  not  so  in  their  prevaihng  char- 
 acter. "  The  new  man  is  renewed,  after  the  image 
 of  him  that  created  him."  AU  true  Christians  "  be- 
 hold as  in  a  glass  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  and  are 
 changed  into  the  same  image,  by  his  Spirit."  The 
 elect  are  all  "  predestinated  to  be  conformed  to  the 
 image  of  the  Son  of  God,  that  he  might  be  the  first- 
 born among  many  brethren." — "  As  we  have  borne 
 the  image  of  the  first  man,  that  is  earthly,  so  we  must 
 U  20 
 
458 
 
 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.)  Christ  is  full  of  grace;  and  Christians  all  re- 
 ceive of  his  fulness,  and  grace  for  grace ;  that  is,  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.  That  disposition,  wherein  Christ's  character 
 in  a  special  manner  consists,  therein  does  his  image 
 in  a  special  manner  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  spiritual  temple,  that  are  enkindled  by  fire  from 
 heaven,  burn  with  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  temper  and  spirit  that  Christ  is  of; 
 when  they  are  his  flesh  and  his  bone,  yea,  are  one 
 spirit ;  and  live  so,  that  it  is  not  they  that  hve,  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.  Christians  are  the  followers  of 
 Christ ;  and  they  are  so,  as  they  are  obedient  to  that 
 call  of  Christ:  "  Come  to  me,  and  learn  of  me;  for 
 I  am  meek  and  lowly  of  heart."  They  follow  him 
 as  the  Lamb :  "  These  are  they  which  follow  the 
 
459 
 
 Lamb  whithersoever  he  goeth."  True  Christians 
 are  as  it  were  clothed  with  the  meek,  quiet,  and  lov- 
 ing 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.  Christ,  the  great  Shepherd, 
 is  himself  a  Lamb,  and  believers  are  also  lambs ;  all 
 the  flock  are  lambs :  "  Feed  ray  lambs."  "  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  deliver- 
 ing the  lamb  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  lion  and  the 
 bear. 
 
 That  such  is  the  very  nature  of  the  Christian 
 spirit,  or  the  spirit  that  worketh  in  Christ,  and  in 
 his  members,  is  evident  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  distin- 
 guishing in  their  nature.  The  Spirit  that  descended 
 on  Christ,  when  he  was  anointed  of  the  Father,  de- 
 scended 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  church,  descends  to  the  members.  "  God  hath 
 sent  forth  the  Spirit  of  his  Son  into  their  hearts." 
 "  And  if  any  man  hath  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is 
 none  of  his."  There  is  but  one  Spirit  to  the  whole 
 mystical  body,  head  and  members.  Christ  breathes 
 his  own  Spirit  on  his  disciples.  As  Christ  was 
 anointed  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  descending  on  him 
 like  a  dove,  so  Christians  also  "  have  an  anointing 
 u  2 
 
460 
 
 from  the  Holy  One."      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  gar- 
 ments.     And  on  both  it  is  a  spirit  of  peace  and  love : 
 "  Behold,  how  good  and  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  went  down  to  the 
 skirts  of  his  garments."      The  oil  on  Aaron's  gar- 
 ments had  the  same  sweet  and  inimitable  odour  with 
 that  on  his  head ;  the  smell  of  the  same  sweet  spices, 
 Christian  affections,  and  a  Christian  behaviour,  is 
 but  the  flowing  out  of  the  savour  of  Christ's  sweet 
 ointments.      Because  the  church  has  a  dovelike  tem- 
 per and  disposition,  therefore  it  is  said  of  her  that  she 
 has  doves'  eyes;  "  Behold,  thou  art  fair,  my  love ;  be- 
 hold, thou  art  fair ;  thou  hast  doves'  eyes  within  thy 
 locks ;" — the  same  that  is  said  of  Christ,  "  His  eyes 
 are  as  the  eyes  of  doves."      And  the  church  is  fre- 
 quently compared  to  a  dove  in  Scripture :    "  O  my 
 dove,  that  art  in  the  clefts  of  the  rock."     "  Open  to 
 me,  my  love,  my  dove."      And,  "  My  dove,  my  un- 
 defiled,  is  but  one."      "  Ye  shall  be  as  the  wings  of 
 a  dove  covered  with  silver,  and  her  feathers  with 
 yellow  gold."     "  O  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  until  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 :  the  wicked  and  the  meek  are  set 
 in  opposition  one  to  another,  as  wicked  and  godly : 
 
461 
 
 "  Yet  a  little  while  and  the  wicked  shall  not  be ;  but 
 the  meek  shall  inherit  the  earth."  "  The  Lord 
 lifteth  up  the  meek :  he  casteth  the  wicked  down  to 
 the  ground.'* 
 
 It  is  doubtless  very  much  on  this  account  that 
 Christ  represents  all  his  disciples,  all  the  heirs  of 
 heaven,  as  little  children :  "  Suffer  little  children  to 
 come  unto  me,  and  forbid  them  not;  for  of  such  is 
 the  kingdom  of  heaven."  "  Whosoever  shall  give 
 to  drink  unto  one  of  these  httle  ones  a  cup  of  cold 
 water,  in  the  name  of  a  disciple,  verily  I  say  unto 
 you,  he  shall  in  nowise  lose  his  reward."  "  Whoso 
 shall  offend  one  of  these  httle  ones,"  &c.  "  Take 
 heed  that  ye  despise  not  one  of  these  little  ones." 
 "  It  is  not  the  will  of  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven, 
 that  one  of  these  little  ones  should  perish."  "  Little 
 children,  yet  a  Httle  while  I  am  with  you." — Little 
 children  are  innocent  and  harmless ;  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  per- 
 sons ;  their  anger  does  not  last  long,  they  do  not  lay 
 up  injuries  in  high  resentment,  entertaining  deep  and 
 rooted  malice.  So  Christians  in  maUce  are  children, 
 1  Cor.  xiv..  20.  Little  children  are  not  guilefid  and 
 deceitful,  but  plain  and  simple ;  they  are  not  versed  in 
 the  arts  of  fiction  and  deceit;  and  are  strangers  to 
 artful  disguises.  They  are  yieldable  and  flexable, 
 and  not  wilful  and  obstinate ;  do  not  trust  to  their 
 own  understancUng,  but  rely  on  the  instructions  of 
 parents,  and  others  of  superior  understanding.  Here 
 is  therefore  a  fit  and  lively  emblem  of  the  followers  of 
 the  Lamb.  Persons  being  thus  like  little  children, 
 is  not  only  a  thing  highly  commendable,  and  of  what 
 
462 
 
 Christians  approve,  and  aim  at,  and  to  which  some 
 of  extraordinary  proficiency  do  attain ;  but  it  is  their 
 universal  character,  and  absolutely  necessary  in  order 
 to  entering  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven;  unless  Christ 
 was  mistaken :  "  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  Except  ye 
 be  converted,  and  become  as  little  children,  ye  shall 
 not  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven."  "  Verily 
 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  bold  against  the  enemies  of  Christ 
 and  his  people  ? 
 
 To  which  I  answer.  There  doubtless  is  such  a 
 thing.  The  whole  Christian  life  is  compared,  and 
 fitly  so,  to  a  warfare.  And  the  most  eminent  Chris- 
 tians 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 
 Christian  fortitude.  It  is  an  exceedingly  diverse 
 thing  from  a  brutal  fierceness,  or  the  boldness  of 
 beasts  of  prey.  True  Christian  fortitude  consists 
 in  strength  of  mind,  through  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  hindered  by  sinful  fear^ 
 
463 
 
 or  the  opposition  of  enemies.  But  the  passions  that 
 are  restrained  and  kept  under,  in  the  exercise  of  this 
 Christian  strength  and  fortitude,  are  those  very  pas- 
 sions that  are  vigorously  and  violently  exerted  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 ;  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  maintaining  the  holy  calm,  meek- 
 ness, sweetness,  and  benevolence  of  his  mind,  amidst 
 all  the  storms,  injuries,  strange  behaviour,  and  sur- 
 prising acts  and  events  of  this  evil  and  unreasonable 
 world.  The  Scripture  seems  to  intimate  that  true 
 fortitude  consists  chiefly  in  this :  "  He  that  is  slow 
 to  anger,  is  better  than  the  mighty;  and  he  that 
 ruleth  his  spirit,  than  he  that  taketh  a  city." 
 
 The  surest  and  most  direct  way  in  the  world,  to 
 make  a  right  judgment  what  a  holy  fortitude  is,  hi 
 fighting  with  God's  enemies,  is  to  look  to  the  Cap- 
 tain of  all  God's  hosts,  and  our  great  leader  and  ex- 
 ample, and  see  wherein  his  fortitude  and  valour  ap- 
 peared 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  with  them  all 
 alone,  and  of  the  people  there  was  none  with  him, 
 and  exercised  his  fortitude  in  the  hijyhest  des^ree  that 
 e  ver  he  did,  and  got  that  glorious  victory  that  will  be 
 
464 
 
 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  at- 
 tack upon  him,  compassing  him  round  on  every  side, 
 like  rending  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 
 greatest  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  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,  be- 
 cause 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  forwai'd  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  such 
 glorious  manifestation  as  at  that  time.  Never  did 
 he  appear  so  much  a  lamb,  and  never  did  he  show 
 so  much  of  the  dove-like  spirit,  as  at  that  time.  If 
 therefore  we  see  any  of  the  followers  of  Christ,  in 
 the  midst  of  the  most  violent,  unreasonable,  and 
 
465 
 
 wicked  opposition  of  God*s  and  his  own  enemies, 
 maintaining,  under  all  this  temptation,  the  humility, 
 quietness,  and  gentleness  of  a  lamb,  and  the  harm- 
 lessness,  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  fortitude :  "  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  envy- 
 ing, 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  displeasure  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  ex- 
 alted 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  wiQing  to  be  despised  by  those  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 
 avoided  seeking  glory,  not  only  of  Heathens  and 
 u3 
 
466 
 
 Jews,  but  of  Christians ;  as  he  declares :  "  Nor  of 
 men  sought  we  glory,  neither  of  you,  nor  yet  of 
 others,  when  we  might  have  been  burdensome,  as 
 the  apostles  of  Christ."  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  are  a  vastly  greater 
 evidence  of  holy  boldness,  than  resolutely  and  fiercely 
 confronting  opposers.* 
 
 As  some  are  much  mistaken  concerning  the  nature 
 of  true  boldness  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 
 sweetest  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  to- 
 wards the  good  that  is  its  object,  in  desires,  and  pur- 
 suit after  it ;  and  so  consequently  in  opposition  to  the 
 evil  that  is  contrary  to,  and  impedes  it.  There  is 
 indeed  opposition,  and  vigorous  opposition,  that  is  a 
 part  of  it,  or  rather  is  an  attendant  of  it  ,*  but  it  is 
 against  things,  and  not  persons.  Bitterness  against 
 the  persons  of  men  is  no  part  of,  but  is  very  contrary 
 to  it ;  insomuch  that  the  warmer  true  zeal  is,  and  the 
 higher  it  is  raised,  so  much  the  farther  are  persons 
 
 *  Mr.  Shepard,  speaking  of  hypocrites  affecting  applause,  says, 
 "  Hence  men  forsake  their  friends,  and  trample  under  foot  the 
 scorns  of  the  world ;  they  have  credit  elsewhere.  To  maintain 
 their  interest;  in  the  love  of  godly  men,  they  will  suffer  much." — 
 J>arable  of  the  Ten  Virgins,  Part  I.  p.  180. 
 
467 
 
 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,  it  is  no  other,  in  its  very- 
 nature  and  essence,  than  the  fervour  of  a  spirit  of 
 Christian  love.  And  as  to  the  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  hoHness,  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  Iamb  and  dove,  that  has  been 
 spoken  of;  but  it  is  entirely  agreeable  to,  and  tends 
 to  promote  it. 
 
 But  to  say  something  particularly  concerning  this 
 Christian  spirit,  as  exercised  in  these  three  things, 
 forgiveness,  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  Christian. 
 
 It  is  so  as  to  a  forgiving  spirit,  or  a  disposition  to 
 overlook  and  forgive  injuries.  Christ  gives  it  both 
 as  a  negative  and  positive  e\idence ;  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  on  our  minds  :  "  Forgive  us  our  debts,  as  we 
 forgive  our  debtors. — For  if  ye  forgive  men  their 
 trespasses,  your  heavenly  Father  will  also  forgive  you: 
 
468 
 
 but  if  ye  forgive  not  men  their  trespasses,  neither 
 will  your  Father  forgive  your  trespasses."  Christ 
 expresses  the  same  again  at  another  time,  in  the 
 parable  of  the  servant  that  owed  his  Lord  ten  thou- 
 sand talents,  that  would  not  forgive  his  fellow-servant 
 an  hundred  pence,  and  therefore  was  delivered  to  the 
 tormentors.  In  the  appHcation  of  the  parable  Christ 
 says,  "  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,  benevo- 
 lent, and  beneficent  temper,  the  Scripture  is  very 
 plain  and  abundant.  Without  it,  the  apostle  tells 
 us,  though  we  should  speak  with  the  tongues  of  men 
 and  angels,  we  are  as  a  sounding  brass,  or  a  tinlding 
 cymbal;  and  that  though  we  have  the  gift  of  pro- 
 phecy, and  understand  all  mysteries,  and  all  know- 
 ledge, 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  positive  evidence.  Christ  calls  the  law  of  love, 
 by  way  of  eminency,  his  commandment :  "  A  new 
 commandment  give  I  unto  you.  That  ye  love  one  an- 
 other; as  I  have  loved  you.  That  ye  also  love  one 
 another."  "  This  is  my  commandment.  That  ye 
 love  one  another,  as  I  have  loved  you."  "  These 
 things  I  command  you,  that  ye  love  one  another." 
 "  By  this  shall  all  men  know  that  ye  are  my  disciples, 
 
469 
 
 if  ye  have  love  one  to  another."  And,  (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  be- 
 loved disciple,  who  had  so  much  of  this  sweet  temper 
 himself,  abundantly  insists  on  it  in  his  epistles. 
 None  of  the  apostles  are  so  frequent  in  laying  down 
 express  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 :  "  He  that  saith  he  is  in  the  hght, 
 and  hateth  his  brother,  is  in  darkness  even  until  now. 
 He  that  loveth  his  brother  abideth  in  the  Hcrht,  and 
 there  is  none  occasion  of  stumbling  in  him."  "  We 
 know  that  we  are  passed  from  death  unto  life,  because 
 we  love  the  brethren :  he  that  loveth  not  his  brother 
 abideth  in  death."  "  My  Httle  children,  let  us  not 
 love  in  word,  and  in  tongue;  but  in  deed,  and  in  truth. 
 And  hereby  we  know  that  we  are  of  the  truth,  and 
 shall  assure  our  hearts  before  him."  "  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." 
 "  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."  "  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,  because  he  hath  given  us 
 of  his  Spirit."  "  God  is  love;  and  he  that  dwelleth 
 in  love,  dwelleth  in  God,  and  God  in  him."     "  If  a 
 
470 
 
 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,  that  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  poor, 
 indigent,  and  afflicted:  "  The  righteous  showeth 
 mercy,  and  giveth."  "  He  is  ever  merciful,  and 
 lendeth."  "  A  good  man  showeth  favour,  and  lend- 
 eth. — He  hath  dispersed,  he  hath  given  to  the  poor." 
 "  He  that  honoureth  God,  hath  mercy  on  the  poor." 
 "  The  righteous  giveth,  and  spareth  not."  "  He 
 judged  the  cause  of  the  poor  and  needy;  then  it 
 was  well  with  him :  was  not  this  to  know  me  ?  saith 
 the  Lord."  "  Pure  religion,  and  undefiled,  before 
 God  and  the  Father,  is  this.  To  visit  the  fatherless 
 and  widows  in  their  affliction,"  &c.  "  For  I  have 
 desired  mercy,  and  not  sacrifice ;  and  the  knowledge 
 of  God  more  than  burnt-offerings."  "  Blessed  are 
 the  merciful;  for  they  shall  obtain  mercy."  "  I 
 speak  not  by  commandment,  but  by  occasion  of  the 
 forwardness  of  others,  and  to  prove  the  sincerity  of 
 your  love."  "  For  he  shall  have  judgment  without 
 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  destitute  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  ?"  "  Whoso  hath  this  world's  good, 
 and  seeth  his  brother  have  need,  and  shutteth  up  his 
 
471 
 
 bowels  of  compassion  from  him,  how  dwelleth  the  love 
 of  God  in  him  ?" — Christ,  in  that  description  he 
 gives  of  the  day  of  judgment,  Matth.  xxv.  (which  is 
 the  most  particular  that  we  have  in  all  the  Bible,) 
 represents  that  judgment  will  be  passed  that  day 
 according  as  men  have  been  found  to  have  been  of  a 
 merciful  spiiit  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  with  which  we  ought  to  be  possessed. 
 We  find  in  Scripture,  that  a  righteous  man  and  a 
 merciful  man  are  synonymous  expressions :  "  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." 
 
 Thus  we  see  how  full,  clear,  and  abundant,  the 
 evidence  from  Scripture  is,  that  those  who  are  truly 
 gracious  are  under  the  government  of  that  lamb-like, 
 dove-like  Spmt  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  that  this  is  es- 
 sentially and  eminently  the  natui'e  of  the  saving  grace 
 of  the  gospel,  and  the  proper  spirit  of  true  Christi- 
 anity. We  may,  therefore,  undoubtedly  determine, 
 that  all  truly  Christian  affections  are  attended  with 
 such  a  spirit,  and  that  this  is  the  natural  tendency  of 
 the  fear  and  hope,  the  sorrow  and  the  joy,  the  con- 
 fidence and  the  zeal  of  true  Christians. 
 
 I  do  not  say  that  true  Christians  have  no  remains 
 of  a  contrary  spirit,  and  can  never,  in  any  instances, 
 be  guilty  of  a  behaviour  contrary  to  such  a  spirit. 
 
472 
 
 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  prevail- 
 ing power  of  such  a  spirit,  that  he  is  properly  deno- 
 minated 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,  because  they  tell  a  fair  story  of  illumina- 
 tions and  discoveries.  In  so  doing,  they  would  set 
 up  their  own  wisdom  against  Christ^s,  and  judge  with- 
 out, and  against  that  rule  by  which  Christ  has  de- 
 clared aU  men  should  know  his  disciples.  Some 
 persons  place  religion  so  much  in  certain  transient 
 illuminations  and  impressions,  (especially  if  they  are 
 in  such  a  particular  method  and  order,)  and  so  little 
 in  the  spirit  and  temper  are  persons  of,  that  they 
 greatly  deform  religion,  and  form  notions  of  Chris- 
 tianity quite  different  from  what  it  is,  as  delineated 
 in  the  Scriptures.  The  Scripture  knows  of  no  such 
 true  Christians  as  are  of  a  sordid,  selfish,  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  neigh- 
 bours, until  we  make  them  wholly  of  none  effect. 
 
 It  is  true,  that  allowances  must  be  made  for  men's 
 natural  temper,  with  regard  to  these  thuigs,  as  well 
 others;  but  not  such  allowances  as  to  allow  men, 
 
473 
 
 that  once  were  wolves  and  serpents,  to  be  now  con- 
 verted, without  any  remarkable  change  in  the  spirit 
 of  their  mind.  The  change  made  by  true  conversion 
 is  wont  to  be  most  remarkable  and  sensible,  with  re- 
 spect to  what  before  was  the  wickedness  of  which  the 
 person  was  most  notoriously  guilty.  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  has  to  mortify  drunkenness  and  lasciviousness.  Yea, 
 the  Scripture  represents  the  change  wrought  by  gos- 
 pel-grace, as  especially  appearing  in  an  alteration  of 
 the  former  sort:  "  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  fathng  together; 
 and  a  Httle  child  shall  lead  them.  And  the  cow  and 
 the  bear  shall  feed ;  then-  young  ones  shall  lie  down 
 together :  and  the  lion  shall  eat  straw  like  the  ox. 
 And  the  sucking  child  shaU  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.  "  For  we  ourselves  also 
 were  sometimes  fooHsh,  disobedient,  deceived,  serv- 
 ing divers  lusts  and  pleasures,  living  in  mahce  and 
 envy,  hateful,  and  hating  one  another.  But  after 
 that  the  kindness  and  love  of  God  our  Saviour  to- 
 ward man  appeared, — he  saved  us  by  the  washing  of 
 regeneration,  and  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost." 
 And  Col.  iii.  7.  "  In  the  which  ye  also  walked  some 
 
474 
 
 time,  when  ye  lived  in  them.  But  now  ye  also  put 
 off  all  these ;  anger,  wrath,  maUce,  blasphemy,  filthy 
 communication  out  of  your  mouth." 
 
 CHAPTER  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  by  them  while  they  are  new,  yet  have  a  ten- 
 dency in  the  end  to  harden  the  heart.  A  disposi- 
 tion 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  attends  them,  finally  tend  to  stupify 
 the  mind,  and  shut  it  up  against  those  affections 
 wherein  tenderness  of  heart  consists :  and  the  effect 
 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  cau- 
 tions of  God's  words,  or  God*s  chastisements  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  appearance  of  evil,  than  they  were  under  legal 
 awakenings  and  fears  of  hell.  Now  that  they  have 
 been  the  subjects  of  such  and  such  impressions  and 
 affections,  and  have  a  high  opinion  of  themselves,  and 
 look  on  their  state  to  be  safe,  they  can  be  much 
 
475 
 
 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 
 difficuh  commands ;  are  in  no  measure  so  alarmed  at 
 the  appearance  of  their  own  defects  and  transgres- 
 sions; are  emboldened  to  favour  themselves  more, 
 with  respect  to  the  labour,  and  painful  care  and  ex- 
 actness in  their  walk,  and  more  easily  yield  to  tempta- 
 tions, and  the  sohcitations  of  their  lust ;  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  con- 
 victions, they  took  much  pains  in  religion,  and  denied 
 themselves  in  many  things  ;  but  now  that  they  think 
 themselves  out  of  danger  of  hell,  they  very  much  put 
 oflp  the  burden  of  the  cross,  and  save  themselves  the 
 trouble  of  difficult  duties,  and  allow  themselves  more 
 of  the  comfort  of  the  enjoyment  of  their  ease  and 
 their  lusts. 
 
 Such  persons  as  these,  instead  of  embracing  Christ 
 as  their  Saviour  from  sin,  they  trust  in  him  as  the 
 Saviour  of  their  sins ;  instead  of  flying  to  him  as  their 
 refuge  from  their  spiritual  enemies,  they  make  use 
 of  him  as  the  defence  of  their  spiritual  enemies,  from 
 God,  and  to  strengthen  them  against  him.  They 
 make  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  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. 
 
476 
 
 and  to  be  their  shield  to  defend  them  from  God's  dis- 
 pleasure ;  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.* 
 
 •  "  These  are  hypocrites  that  believe,  but  fail  in  regard  of  the 
 use  of  the  gospel,  and  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  And  these  we  read  of, 
 Jude  3.  namely,  of  some  men  that  did  turn  grace  into  wantonness. 
 For  therein  appears  the  exceeding  evil  of  a  man's  heart,  that  not 
 (Mily  tlie  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  the  first  work  of  conversion,  then  to  cry,  Oh,  for  grace 
 and  Christ,  and  afterwards  grow  licentious,  live  and  die  in  the 
 breach  of  the  law,  and  take  their  warrant  for  their  course  from  the 
 gospel." — Shepard's  Parable,  Part.  I.  p.  120. 
 
 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  wordj  but 
 when  their  wings  are  grown,  and  they  have  got  some  affections, 
 some  knowledge,  some  hope  of  mercy,  are  hardened  thereby  to 
 fly  from  God."  And  adds,  "  Can  that  man  be  good,  whom  God'a 
 grace  makes  worse?" 
 
 Again,  Part  II.  p.  167.  "  When  men  fly  to  Christ  in  times  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  mis- 
 ^y,  not  that  they  may  destroy  and  abolish  sin,  but  that  they  may 
 be  preserved  in  their  sins  witli  peace ;  then  men  may  be  said  to 
 apprehend  Christ  only  by  a  seemingifaith. — 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  afterwards ;  hence 
 he  dotli  rely  (as  he  saith)  only  on  the  mercy  of  God  in  Christ  : 
 mid  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  that  keeps  them  up.  And 
 now  they  think,  if  they  have  any  trouble  of  mind,  the  devil  trou- 
 bles them ;  and  so  make  Christ  and  faith  protectors  of  sin,  not 
 purifiers  from  sin ;  which  is  most  dreadful ;  turning  grace  to 
 wantonness,  as  they  did  sacrifice.  So  these  would  sin  under  the 
 shadow  of  Christ,  because  the  shadow  is  good  and  sweet,  Micah 
 iii.  1 1.  They  had  subtle  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  searchers,  and  hue-and-cries ;  so 
 
477 
 
 However,  some  of  these,  at  the  same  time,  make  a 
 great  profession  of  love  to  God,  and  assurance  of  his 
 favour,  and  great  joy  in  tasting  the  sweetness  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.  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  com- 
 mit iniquity,  whom  God  threatens,  Ezek.  xxxiii.  13. 
 "  When  I  shall  say  to  the  righteous,  that  he  shall 
 surely  live ;  if  he  trust  to  his  o\vn  righteousness,  and 
 commit  iniquity,  all  his  righteousness  shall  not  be 
 remembered ;  but  for  his  iniquity  that  he  hath  com- 
 mitted, he  shall  die  for  it." 
 
 Gracious  affections  are  of  a  quite  contrary  ten- 
 dency ;  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  strict- 
 ness, 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 
 broken  with  godly  sorrow;  which  makes  the  heart 
 
 here.  But  Christ  whipped  them  out.  So  when  men  are  pursued 
 with  cries  and  fears  of  conscience,  away  to  Christ  they  go  as  to 
 their  den,  not  as  saints  to  pray  and  lament  out  the  life  of  their 
 sin  there,  but  to  preserve  their  sin.  This  is  vile ;  will  the  Lord 
 receive  such?" 
 
478 
 
 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  compar- 
 ing such  a  one  to  a  little  child.  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,  at  the  direction  of  the  prophet;  which  was 
 undoubtedly  a  type  of  the  renewing  of  the  soul,  by 
 washing  in  the  laver  of  regeneration.  We  are  told, 
 "  that  he  went  down,  and  dipped  himself  seven  times 
 in  Jordan,  according  to  the  saying  of  the  man  of  God; 
 and  his  flesh  came  again  like  unto  the  flesh  of  a  little 
 child."  Not  only  is  the  flesh  of  a  little  child  tender, 
 but  his  mind  is  tender.  A  little  child  has  his  heart 
 easily  moved,  wrought  upon  and  bowed:  so  is  a  Chris- 
 tian in  spiritual  things.  A  little  child  is  apt  to  be 
 affected  with  sympathy,  to  weep  with  them  that  weep, 
 and  cannot  well  bear  to  see  others  in  distress  :  so  it 
 is  with  a  Christian.*  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  appearance  of 
 moral  evil,  and  any  thing  that  threatens  the  hurt  of 
 
 *  John  zi.  35.     Rom.  xii.  15.     1  Cor.  xii.  26. 
 
479 
 
 the  soul.  A  little  child,  when  it  meets  enemies,  or 
 fierce  beasts,  is  not  apt  to  trust  to  its  own  strength, 
 but  flies  to  its  parents  for  refuge :  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  dangers,  jealous  of  him- 
 self, full  of  fear  when  he  cannot  see  his  way  plainly 
 before  him,  afraid  to  be  left  alone,  and  to  be  at  a 
 distance  from  God :  "  Happy  is  the  man  that  fear- 
 eth  alway :  but  he  that  hardeneth  his  heart  shall  fall 
 into  mischief."  A  Httle  child  is  apt  to  be  afraid  of 
 superiors,  and  to  dread  their  anger,  and  tremble  at 
 then-  frowns  and  threatenings  ;  so  is  a  true  saint  with 
 respect  to  God :  "  My  flesh  trembleth  for  fear  of  thee, 
 and  I  am  afraid  of  thy  judgments."  "  To  this  man 
 will  I  look,  even  to  him  that  is  poor,  and  trembleth 
 at  my  word."  "  Hear  ye  the  word  of  the  Lord,  ye 
 that  tremble  at  his  word."  "  Then  were  assembled 
 unto  me  every  one  that  trembled  at  the  words  of  the 
 God  of  Israel."  "  According  to  the  counsel  of  my 
 lord,  and  of  those  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  :  "  Shall  not  his  excellency  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  fiar  of  God. 
 
 Hence  gracious  affections  do  not  tend  to  make  men 
 bold,  forward,  noisy,  and  boisterous ;  but  rather  to 
 speak  trembling — "  When  Ephraim  spake  trembling, 
 
480 
 
 he  exalted  himself  in  Israel ;  hut  when  he  ofFended  in 
 Baal,  he  died," — and  to  clothe  with  a  kind  of  holy 
 fear  in  all  their  behaviour  towards  God  and  man; 
 agreeable  to  Psal.  ii.  11.  1  Pet.  iii.  15.  2  Cor.  vii.  15. 
 Eph.  vL  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  answer,  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  ser\dlity.  It  abolishes 
 or  lessens  that  disposition  which  arises  from  moral  dis- 
 tance 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  God  with  less  fear  and  reverence, 
 than  spotless  and  glorious  angels  in  heaven,  who  cover 
 their  faces  before  his  throne.  Rebecca,  (who,  in  her 
 marriage  with  Isaac,  in  almost  aU  its  circumstances, 
 was  manifestly  a  great  type  of  the  church,  the  spouse 
 of  Christ,)  when  she  meets  Isaac,  hghts  off  from  her 
 camel,  and  takes  a  vail,  and  covers  herself;  although 
 she  was  brought  to  him  as  his  bride,  to  be  with  him,  in 
 the  nearest  relation,  and  most  intimate  union,  in  which 
 mankind  are  ever  united  to  one  another.*  Elijah, 
 that  great  prophet,  who  had  so  much  holy  familiarity 
 with  God,  at  a  time  of  special  nearness  to  God,  even 
 
 •  Dr.  Ames,  in  his  Cases  of  Conscience,  Book  III,  chap.  iv. 
 speaks  of  a  holjr  modesty  in  the  worship  of  God,  as  one  sign  of 
 true  humility.  ; ; 
 
^^81 
 
 when  he  conversed  \vith  him  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  Kinffs  xix.  12.  "  And  after  the  fire  a  still 
 small  voice.  And  it  was  so,  when  Elijah  heard  it, 
 that  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  to  which 
 he  was  admitted ;  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." — There  is  in  some  persons 
 a  most  unsuitable  and  unsufierable  boldness,  in  their 
 addresses  to  the  great  Jehovah,  in  an  affectation  of  a 
 holy  boldness,  and  ostentation  of  eminent  nearness  and 
 famiharity ;  the  very  thoughts  of  which  would  make 
 them  shrink  into  nothing,  with  horror  and  confusion, 
 if  they  saw  the  distance  that  is  between  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  off',  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  with- 
 out 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 
 X  20 
 
482 
 
 highest  privileges  on  earth,  in  her  latter  day  of  glory, 
 when  God  should  remarkably  comfort  her,  by  reveal- 
 ing his  covenant-mercy  to  her :  "  I  will  establish  unto 
 thee  an  everlasting  covenant.  Then  thou  shalt  re- 
 member thy  ways,  and  be  ashamed. — And  I  will  es- 
 tablish my  covenant  with  thee ;  and  thou  shalt  know 
 that  I  am  the  Lord:  that  thou  mayest  remember, 
 and  be  confounded,  and  never  open  thy  mouth  any 
 more  because  of  thy  shame,  when  I  am  pacified  to- 
 ward thee  for  all  that  thou  hast  done,  saith  the  Lord 
 God."  The  woman  that  we  read  of  in  the  seventh 
 chapter  of  Luke,  that  was  an  eminent  saint,  and  had 
 much  of  that  true  love  which  casts  out  fear,  by  Christ's 
 own  testimony,  approached  Christ  in  an  amiable  and 
 acceptable  manner,  when  she  came  with  that  humble 
 modesty,  reverence,  and  shame,  when  she  stood  at 
 his  feet,  weeping  behind  him,  as  not  being  fit  to  ap- 
 pear before  his  face,  and  washed  his  feet  with  her 
 tears. 
 
 One  reason  why  gracious  affections  are  attended 
 with  this  tenderness  of  spirit,  is,  that  true  grace  tends 
 to  pxomote  convictions  of  conscience.  Persons  are 
 wont  to  have  convictions  of  conscience  before  they 
 have  any  grace ;  and  if  afterwards  they  are  truly  con- 
 verted, 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  convic- 
 tions of  sin,  but  to  increase  them.  It  does  not 
 stupify  a  man's  conscience,  but  makes  it  more  sensi- 
 ble, more  easily  and  thoroughly  discerning  the  sin- 
 fulness of  that  which  is  sinful,  and  receiving  a  greater 
 conviction  of  the  heinous  and  dreadful  nature  of  sin, 
 susceptive  of  a  quicker  and  deeper  sense  of  it,  and 
 
483 
 
 more  convinced  of  his  own  sinfulness,  and  wickedness 
 of  his  heart ;  and  consequently,  it  has  a  tendency  to 
 make  him  more  jeolous  of  his  heart.  Grace  tends 
 to  give  the  soul  a  further  and  better  conviction  of  the 
 same  things  concerning  sin,  than  it  was  convinced  of 
 under  a  legal  work  of  the  Spirit  of  God;  namely,  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 
 contrary,  he  that  has  had  a  counterfeit  repentance, 
 and  false  comforts  and  joys,  is  like  u'on  that  has  been 
 suddenly  heated  and  quenched;  it  becomes  much 
 harder  than  before.  A  false  conversion  puts  an  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  Christian  tenderness  of  heart,  not  only  a  godly 
 sorrow,  but  also  a  gracious  joy :  "  Serve  the  Lord 
 with  fear,  and  rejoice  with  trembling."  As  also  a 
 gracious  hope  :  "  Behold,  the  eye  of  the  Lord  is  upon 
 them  that  fear  him,  upon  them  that  hope  in  his 
 mercy."  "  The  Lord  taketh  pleasure  in  them  that 
 fear  him,  in  those  that  hope  in  his  me^'cy." — Yea, 
 X  2 
 
484 
 
 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  tender- 
 ness. The  banishing  of  a  servile  fear,  by  a  holy  as- 
 surance, is  attended  with  a  proportionable  increase 
 of  a  reverential  fear.  The  diminishing  of  the  fear 
 of  the  fruits  of  God's  displeasure  in  future  punish- 
 ment, 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  proportionable  increase  of  jealousy  of  heart,  in 
 a  distrust  of  its  strength,  wisdom,  stabiHty,  faithful- 
 ness, &c.  The  less  apt  he  is  to  be  afraid  of  natural 
 evil, 'having  his  heart  fixed  in  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-confidence,  and  a  forward  assuming  bold- 
 ness, 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. 
 
485 
 
 CHAPTER  X. 
 
 Another  thing  wherein  Affections  that  are  truly  gra- 
 cious and  holy  differ  from  those  that  are  false^  is 
 beautiful  symmetry  and  proportion. 
 
 Not  that  the  symmetry  of  the  virtues  and  gracious 
 affections  of  the  saints  in  this  life  is  perfect;  it  often- 
 times is  in  many  things  defective,  through  the  im- 
 perfection 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  men- 
 tioned. But  yet  there  is,  in  nowise,  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  coun- 
 terfeit graces  of  hypocrites. 
 
 In  the  truly  holy  affections  of  the  saints  is  found 
 that  proportion,  which  is  the  natural  consequences  of 
 the  universaUty  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,  entire 
 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 ;"  that  is,  there  is  every  grace  in  them 
 which  is  in  Christ :  grace  for  grace ;  that  is,  grace 
 answerable  to  grace.  There  is  no  grace  in  Christ 
 but  there  is  its  image  in  behevers  to  answer  it.      The 
 
486 
 
 image  is  a  true  image ;  and  there  is  something  of  the 
 same  beautiful  proportion  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,  consist- 
 ing 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  hke  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:  "  Ephraim  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  several  kinds  of  religious  affections  i 
 great  affections  in  some  things,  and  no  manner  of 
 proportion  in  others. — A  holy  hope  and  holy  fear  go 
 together  in  the  saints.  Psalm  xxxiii.  ]8.  and  cxlvii. 
 1 1.  But  in  some  of  these  is  the  most  confident  hope, 
 while  they  are  void  of  reverence,  self-jealousy,  and 
 caution,  and  have  to  a  great  degree  cast  off  fear.  In 
 the  saints,  joy  and  holy  fear  go  together,  though  the 
 joy  be  ever  so  great ;  as  it  was  with  the  disciples,  in 
 that  joyful  morning  of  Christ's  resurrection :  "  And 
 they  departed  quickly  from  the  sepulchre,  with  fear 
 and  great  joy."*      But  many  of  these  rejoice  without 
 
 «  "  Renewed  care  and  diligence  follows  the  sealings  of  the 
 Spirit.     Now  is  the  soul  at  the  foot  of  Christ,  as  Mary  was  at  the 
 
487 
 
 trembling :  their  joy  is  of  that  sort,  that  it  is  truly 
 opposite  to  godly  fear. 
 
 But,  particularly,  one  great  difference  between 
 saints  and  hypocrites  is  this,  that  the  joy  and  comfort 
 of  the  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  re- 
 turned from  the  captivity,  and  were  settled  in  the 
 land  of  Canaan,  the  land  of  rest,  and  the  land  that 
 flowed  with  milk  and  honey :  "  And  ye  shall  know 
 that  I  am  the  Lord,  when  1  shall  bring  you  into  the 
 land  of  Israel,  into  the  country  for  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  loathe 
 yourselves  in  your  own  sight  for  all  your  evils  that 
 ye  have  committed."  A  true  saint  is  hke  a  little 
 child  in  this  respect ;  he  never  had  any  godly  sorrow 
 before  he  was  born  again,  but  since  he  has  it  often 
 in  exercise :  as  a  Httle  child,  before  it  is  born,  and 
 while  it  remains  in  darkness,  never  cries ;  but  as  soon 
 as  ever  it  sees  the  light  it  begins  to  cry ;  and  thence- 
 forward is  often  crying.  Although  Christ  hath  borne 
 our  griefs  and  carried  our  sorrows,  so  that  we  are 
 freed  from  the  sorrow  of  punishment,  and  may  now 
 sweetly  feed  upon  the  comforts  Christ  hath  purchased 
 for  us ;  yet  that  does  not  hinder  our  feeding  on  these 
 
 sepulchre,  with  fear  and  great  joy.  He  that  travels  the  road  with 
 a  rich  treasure  about  him  is  afraid  of  a  thief  in  every  bush." — 
 FlaveVs  Sacramental  Meditations,  Med.  4. 
 
488 
 
 comforts  from  being  attended  with  the  sorrow  of  re- 
 pentance. As  of  old,  the  children  of  Israel  were 
 commanded  evermore  to  feed  upon  the  paschal  lamb, 
 with  bitter  herbs.*      True  saints  are  spoken  of,  in 
 
 *  "  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  do  it; 
 and  there  is  an  end  of  the  business.  Verily,  this  hedge  faith,  this 
 bramble  faith,  that  catches  hold  on  Christ,  and  pricks  and  scratches 
 Christ,  by  more  impenitency,  more  contempt  of  him,  is  mere  pre- 
 sumption ;  which  shall  one  day  be  burned  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  this 
 love  makes  thee  love  much,  and  love  him  the  more  ;  as  thy  sin 
 increaseth,  so  thou  desirest  thy  love's  increase;  and  now  the 
 stream  of  thy  thoughts  run,  how  thou  mayest  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,  because 
 much  was  forgiven." — Shepard's  Sound  Believer,  pp.  128,  129. 
 
 "  You  shall  know  godly  sorrow  (says  Dr.  Preston,  in  his  Dis- 
 course on  Paul's  Conversion)  by  the  continuance  of  it:  it  is  con- 
 stant ;  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  sor- 
 row stands  like  the  centre  of  the  earth,  which  removes  not,  but 
 still  remains." 
 
 "  I  am  persuaded,  many  a  man's  heart  is  kept  from  breaking 
 and  mourning,  because  of  this.  He  saith,  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  cannot  help  it,  and  Christ  must  do  all.  Whereas  faith 
 makes  the  soul  mourn  after  the  Lord  the  more," — Shepard's  Pa- 
 rable of  the  Ten  Virgins,  Part  II.  p.  168. 
 
489 
 
 Scripture,  not  only  as  those  that  have  mourned  for 
 sin,  but  as  those  that  do  mourn,  whose  manner  it  is 
 still  to  mourn :  "  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  affec- 
 tions, 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  God  and  Christ, 
 and,  it  may  be,  have  been  greatly  affected  with  what 
 they  have  heard  or  thought  concerning  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  suffer  an  old  grudge  to 
 rest  in  their  bosoms  towards  a  neighbour,  for  seven 
 years  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  neighbours,  are 
 not  very  strict  and  conscientious  in  observing  the  rule 
 of  "  doing  to  others  as  they  would  that  they  should 
 do  to  them."  "  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,  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  universal  a  nature  as  a  truly 
 Christian  love  is.  They  are  full  of  dear  affections  to 
 some,  and  full  of  bitterness  towards  others.  They 
 x3 
 
490 
 
 are  knit  to  their  own  party;  those  that  approve  of  them 
 they  love  and  admire,  but  are  fierce  against  those  that 
 oppose  and  dislike  them.  "  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  company  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  as  to  the 
 great  love  to  sinners  and  opposers  of  religion,  and  the 
 great  concern  for  their  souls,  of  which  there  is  an 
 appearance  in  some,  even  to  extreme  distress  and 
 agony,  singling  out  a  particular  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  a  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  answerable ;  or  that  a  truly  gracious  com- 
 passion 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  respect  to  a  particular  person,  at  such  a 
 juncture ;  and,  without  doubt,  some  saints  have  been 
 in  great  distress  for  the  souls  of  particular  persons,  sa 
 as  to  be,  as  it  were,  in  travail  for  them ;  but  when 
 persons  appear,  at  particular  times,  in  racking  agonies 
 
491 
 
 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 ;  namely,  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  exercise  towards  different  persons, 
 so  there  is  in  their  seeming  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  or  concern  for  the  souls  of  men.  Others 
 pretend  a  great  love  to  men's  souls,  that  are  not  com- 
 passionate 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  men's  bodies,  they  must  part  with  money  out  of 
 their  pockets.  But  a  true  Christian  love  to  our 
 brethren  extends  both  to  their  souls  and  bodies ;  and 
 is  herein  like  the  love  and  compassion  of  Jesus  Christ. 
 He  showed  mercy  to  men's  souls,  by  labouring  for 
 them  in  preaching  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  men's  souls  and 
 bodies,  and  showing  compassion  by  feedingboth :  Mark 
 vi.  34.  "  And  Jesus,  when  he  came  out,  saw  much 
 people,  and  was  moved  with  compassion  toward  them, 
 
492 
 
 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 
 way,  it  is  a  sign  that  it  is  no  true  Christian  compas- 
 sion. 
 
 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  Chris- 
 tians, as  the  coldness  and  lifelessness  of  other  saints, 
 but  are  in  no  proportion  affected  with  their  own  de- 
 fects and  corruptions.  A  true  Christian  may  be  af- 
 fected with  the  coldness  and  unsavouriness  of  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  person's  heart  as  his  own ;  this  is  most 
 in  his  view ;  this  he  is  most  quick-sighted  to  discern ; 
 of  this  he  sees  most  the  aggravations,  and  is  most 
 ready  to  cry  out.  And  a  lesser  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  I  would  observe,  that  it  may  be  laid  down 
 as  a  general  rule,  that  if  persons  pretend  that  they 
 come  to  high  attainments  in  religion,  but  have  never 
 yet  arrived  to  the  lesser  attainments,  it  is  a  sign  of  a 
 vain  pretence.  As  if  persons  pretend  that  they  have 
 got  beyond  mere  morality,  to  live  a  spiritual  and  di- 
 
493 
 
 vine  life,  but  really  have  not  come  to  be  sa  much  as 
 moral  persons :  or  pretend  to  be  greatly  affected  with 
 the  wickedness  of  their  hearts,  and  are  not  affected 
 with  the  palpable  violation  of  God's  commands  in  their 
 practice,  which  is  a  lesser  attainment :  or  if  they  pre- 
 tend 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  welfare ;  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  chari- 
 table uses :  I  say,  when  it  is  thus  with  persons,  their 
 pretences  are  manifestly  vain.  He  that  is  in  a  jour- 
 ney, and  imagines  he  has  got  far  beyond  such  a  place 
 in  his  road,  and  never  yet  come  to  it,  must  be  mis- 
 taken ;  and  he  is  not  yet  arrived  to  the  top  of  the  hill, 
 that  never  yet  got  half  way  thither. 
 
 The  same  that  has  been  observed  of  the  affection 
 of  love,  is  also  to  be  observed  of  other  religious  affec- 
 tions. Those  that  are  true,  extend,  in  some  propor- 
 tion, 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  con- 
 cern in  them ;  but  in  false  longings  it  is  often  far 
 otherwise.      They  will  strangely  run,  with  an  impa- 
 
494^ 
 
 tient  vehemence,  after  something  of  less  importance, 
 when  other  thmgs  of  greater  importance  are  neglected. 
 Thus,  for  instance,  some  persons,  from  time  to  time, 
 are  attended  with  a  vehement  inclination,  and  unac- 
 countably 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,  to  which  true  Christianity 
 has  as  great,  yea,  a  greater  tendency ;  as  the  pouring 
 out  the  soul  before  God  in  secret  prayer  and  praise 
 to  him,  and  more  conformity  to  him,  and  living  more 
 to  his  glory,  &c.  We  read  in  Scripture  of  groaniiigs 
 that  cannot  be  uttered,  and  soul-breakings  for  the 
 longing  it  hath,  and  longings,  thirstings,  and  pant- 
 ings,  much  more  frequently  to  these  latter  things 
 than  the  former. 
 
 And  so  as  to  hatred  and  zeal ;  when  these  are  from 
 right  principles,  they  are  against  sin  in  general,  in 
 some  proportion  to  the  degree  of  sinfulness  :  "  I  hate 
 every  false  way.'*  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  covetous- 
 ness,  closeness,  and  it  may  be  backbiting,  envy  to- 
 wards superiors,  turbulency  of  spirit  towards  rulers, 
 and  rooted  ill-will  to  them  that  have  injured  them. 
 False  zeal  is  against  the  shis  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  dangerous  iniquity  in  others.  And  some  pre- 
 tend to  have  a  great  abhorrence  of  their  own  sins  of 
 heart,  and  cry  out  much  of  their  inward  corruption ; 
 
495 
 
 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  of  false  affections  than  of  true,  as  to  dif- 
 ferent objects,  so  there  is  also  as  to  different  times. 
 For  although  true  Christians  are  not  always  alike; 
 yea,  there  is  very  great  difference,  at  different  times, 
 and  the  best  have  reason  to  be  greatly  ashamed  of 
 their  unsteadiness ;  yet  there  is  not  that  instability 
 and  inconstancy  in  the  hearts  of  those  who  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;"  and  to  have  "  his  heart  es- 
 tablished with  grace  ;"  and  to  hold  on  his  way  :  "  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,  travers- 
 ing 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  affections,  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  remarkable  out-pouring  of  the  Spirit,  or  other  un- 
 common dispensations  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  lately 
 
496 
 
 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  to- 
 wards 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  flesh-pots  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  engaged  again,  and  mightily  for- 
 ward to  enter  into  covenant  with  God,  saying,  "  All 
 that  the  Lord  hath  spoken  will  we  do,  and  be  obe- 
 dient," but  then  quickly  made  them  a  golden  calf, — 
 I  say,  when  it  is  thus  with  persons,  it  is  a  sign  of 
 the  unsoundness   of  affections.*      They  are  like  the 
 
 *  Dr.  Owen  (on  the  Spirit,  Book  iii.  Chap.  ii.  sect.  18.)  speak- 
 ing of  a  common  work  of  the  Spirit,  says,  "  This  work  operates 
 greatly  on  the  aifections :  we  have  given  instances,  in  fear,  sor- 
 row, joy,  and  delight,  about  spiritual  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  fill  them.  1.  It  is  required 
 that  our  affections  be  fixed  on  heavenly  and  spiritual  things;  and 
 true  grace  will  effect  it:  'If  ye  then  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, 
 the  fears,  the  hopes,  the  sorrows,  with  reference  unto  spiritual 
 and  eternal  things,  which  the  work  before  mentioned  doth  pro- 
 duce, 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 ;  men  cannot  but  be  pouring  them 
 out  on  all  occasions;  and  sometimes,  as  waters  that  fail,  no  drop 
 comes  from  them.  Sometimes  they  are  hot,  and  sometimes  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  de- 
 crees of  their  exercise,  there  may  be,  and  is  in  them,  a  great  variety, 
 
497 
 
 waters  in  the  time  of  a  shower  of  rain,  which,  during 
 the  shower,  and  a  Httle  after,  run  Hke  a  brook,  and 
 flow  abundantly ;  but  are  presently  quite  dry ;  and 
 when  another  shower  comes,  then  they  will  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  constantly  runs :  ("  The  water  that  I  shall  give 
 him  shall  be  in  him  a  well  of  water  springing  up," 
 &c.)  or  like  a  tree  planted  by  such  a  stream,  that  has 
 a  constant  supply  at  the  root,  and  is  always  green, 
 even  in  time  of  the  greatest  drought :  "  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  coraeth,  but  her  leaf  shall 
 be  green;  and  shall  not  be  careful  in  the  year  of 
 
 according  as  they  may  be  excited,  aided,  assisted  by  grace  and  the 
 means  of  it;  or  obstructed  and  impeded  by  the  interposition  of 
 temptations  and  diversions.  But  the  constant  bent  and  incHna- 
 tion  of  renewed  attections  is  unto  spiritual  things;  as  the  Scrip- 
 ture 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  :  Oh,  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 
 Bhould  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  \ove." ^-Dis- 
 course on  the  Divine  Love  of  Christ. 
 
 Mr.  Flavel,  speaking  of  these  changeable  professors,  says, 
 *♦  These  professors  have  more  of  the  moon  than  of  the  sun  ;  little 
 light,  less  heat,  and  many  changes.  They  deceive  many,  yea, 
 tliey  deceive  themselves;  but  cannot  deceive  God.  They  want 
 that  ballast  and  establishment  in  themselves,  that  would  have  kept 
 them  tight  and  sie^fiy,'' ^Touchstone  of  Sincerity,  Chap.  ii.  sect.  2. 
 
498 
 
 drought,  neither  shall  cease  from  yielding  fruit." 
 Many  hypocrites  are  like  comets,  that  appear  for  a 
 while  mth  a  mighty  blaze,  but  are  very  unsteady  and 
 irregular  in  their  motion,  (and  are  therefore  called 
 wandering  stars,)  and  their  blaze  soon  disappears,  and 
 they  appear  but  once  in  a  great  while.  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  vio- 
 lent motion ;  like  that  oF  the  air  that  is  moved  with 
 winds.  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  run  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  dispro- 
 portion in  false  affections,  at  different  times ;  so  there 
 often  is  in  different  places.  Some  are  greatly  af- 
 fected, from  time  to  time,  when  in  company;  but 
 have  nothing  that  bears  any  manner  of  proportion  to 
 it,  in  secret,  in  close  meditation,  secret  prayer,  and 
 conversing  with  God,  when  alone,  and  separated  from 
 all  the  world.*      A  true  Christian  doubtless  delights 
 
 •  "  The  Lord  is  neglected  secretly,  yet  honoured  openly,  be- 
 cause there  is  no  wind  in  their  chamhers  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  commend  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." 
 ^Sliepard's  Parable,  Part.  I.  p.  180. 
 
499 
 
 in  religious  fellowship,  and  Christian  conversation, 
 and  finds  much  to  affect  his  heart  in  it ;  but  he  also 
 deUghts  at  times  to  retire  from  all  mankind,  to  con- 
 verse with  God  in  solitary  places.  And  this  also 
 has  its  peculiar  advantages  for  fixing  his  heart,  and 
 engaging  his  affections.  True  religion  disposes  per- 
 sons to  be  much  alone,  in  solitary  places,  for  holy 
 meditation  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  re- 
 tiring into  mountains  and  solitary  places,  for  holy  con- 
 verse with  this  Father  !  It  is  difficult  to  conceal 
 great  affections;  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.*  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  hid- 
 den from  the  companions  of  their  bosom :  "  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, 
 
 •  "  The  hypocrite,"  says  Mr.  Flavel,  "  is  not  for  the  closet,  but 
 the  synagogue,  Matth.  vi.  5,  6.  It  is  not  his  meat  and  drink  to 
 retire  from  the  clamour  of  the  world,  to  enjoy  God  in  secret." — 
 Touchstone  of  Sinceritij,  Chap.  vii.  sect.  2. 
 
 Dr.  Ames,  in  his  Cases  of  Conscience,  Lib.  III.  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;"  alleging  Phil, 
 ii.  1-^.  and  Matth.  vi.  6. 
 
500 
 
 and  their  wives  apart."  So  it  is  with  their  sorrow 
 for  the  sins  of  others.  The  saints'  pains  and  travail- 
 ing for  the  souls  of  sinners,  is  chiefly  in  secret  places: 
 ''  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 
 carried  away  captive."  So  it  is  with  gracious  joys  ; 
 they  are  hidden  manna,  in  this  respect,  as  well  as 
 others.  The  Psalmist  seems  to  speak  of  his  sweet- 
 est comforts,  as  those  that  were  to  be  had  in  secret : 
 "  My  soul  shall  be  satisfied  as  with  marrow  and  fat- 
 ness ;  and  my  mouth  shall  praise  thee  with  joyful  lips; 
 when  I  remember  thee  upon  my  bed,  and  meditate 
 on  thee  in  the  night-watches."  Christ  calls  forth 
 his  spouse,  away  from  the  world,  into  retired  places, 
 that  he  may  give  her  his  sweetest  love  :  "  Come,  my 
 beloved,  let  us  go  forth  into  the  field;  let  us  lodge  in 
 the  villages ; — there  will  I  give  thee  my  loves."  The 
 most  eminent  divine  favours  that  the  saints  obtained, 
 that  we  read  of  in  Scripture,  were  in  their  retire- 
 ment. 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,  Re- 
 bekah,  who  was  so  great  a  comfort  to  him,  and  by 
 whom  he  obtained  the  promised  seed,  walking  alone, 
 meditating  in  the  field.  Jacob  was  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  soli- 
 tary place  in  the  desert,  in  Mount  Horeb.  And 
 afterwards,  when  God  showed  him  his  glory,  and  he 
 
501 
 
 was  admitted  to  the  highest  degree  of  communion 
 with  God  that  ever  he  enjoyed,  he  was  alone  in  the 
 same  mountain,  and  confinued  there  forty  days  and 
 forty  nights,  and  then  came  dowTi  with  his  face  shin- 
 ing. God  came  to  those  great  prophets  EHjah  and 
 EUsha,  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  was  transfigured,  it  was  not  when  he  was 
 with  the  multitude,  or  wdth  the  twelve  disciples,  but 
 retired  into  a  soHtary  place  in  a  mountain,  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  manner  hid  from  the 
 world :  her  nearest  and  dearest  earthly  friend,  Jo- 
 seph, that  had  betrothed  her,  (though  a  just  man,) 
 knew  nothing  of  the  matter.  And  she  that  first 
 partook  of  the  joy  of  Christ's  resurrection,  was  alone 
 with  Christ  at  the  sepulchre.  And  when  the  be- 
 loved disciple  was  favoured  with  those  wonderful  vi- 
 sions of  Christ,  and  his  future  dispensations  towards 
 tlie  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  have  received  when 
 with  others;  or  that  there  is  not  much  in  Christian 
 conversation,  and  social  and  pubHc  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  however  true  grace  loves  Christian  so- 
 
502 
 
 ciety  in  its  place,  yet  it  in  a  peculiar  manner  delights 
 in  retirement,  and  secret  converse  with  God.  So 
 that  if  persons  appear  greatly  engaged  in  social  reli- 
 gion, and  but  little  with  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  with,  it  looks  very  darkly  upon 
 their  religion. 
 
 CHAPTER  XL 
 
 Another  great  and  very  distinguishing  difference  be- 
 tween gracious  Affections  and  others,  is,  that  the 
 higher  gracious  Affections  are  raised,  the  more  is 
 a  spiritual  appetite,  and  longing  of  soul  after  spi- 
 ritual attainments,  increased.  On  the  contrary, 
 false  Affections  rest  satisfied  in  themselves* 
 
 The  more  a  true  saint  loves  God  with  a  gracious 
 love,  the  more  he  desires  to  love  him,  and  the  more 
 
 *  "  Truly  there  is  no  work  of  Christ  that  is  right,"  says  Mr. 
 Shepard,  "  but  it  carries  the  soul  to  long  for  more  of  it." — Para- 
 ble of  the  Ten  Virgins,  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  poured  out  abundantly  on  churches ;  because  men 
 shut  it  out,  by  shutting  in,  and  contenting  themselves  with  their 
 common  graces  and  gifts;  Matth.  vii.  29.  Examine  if  it  be  not 
 uo."—Ibid.  p.  182. 
 
 And  in  p.  210,  he  says,  "  This  I  say,  True  grace,  as  it  com- 
 forts, 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  Chron.  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  mea- 
 sure of  it.  And  this  cuts  the  thread  of  difference,  between  a  su- 
 perficial lighter  stroke  of  the  Spirit,  and  that  which  is  sound." 
 
503 
 
 uneasy  is  he  at  his  want  of  love  to  him;  the  more 
 he  hates  sin,  the  more  he  desires  to  hate  it,  and  la- 
 ments that  he  has  so  much  remaining  love  to  it ;  the 
 more  he  mourns  for  sin,  the  more  he  lono-s  to  mourn 
 for  it ;  the  more  his  heart  is  broken,  the  more  he 
 desires  it  should  be  broken;  the  more  he  thirsts  and 
 longs  after  God  and  holiness,  the  more  he  longs  to 
 long,  and  breathe  out  his  very  soul  in  longings  after 
 God.  The  kindling  and  raising  of  gracious  affec- 
 tions, 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  in- 
 crease 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  : 
 "  As  new-born  babes,  desire  the  sincere  milk  of  the 
 word,  that  ye  may  grow  thereby ;  if  so  be  that  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  their  proper 
 fulness ;  it  is  only  an  earnest  of  their  future  inheri- 
 tance in  their  hearts.  The  most  eminent  saints  in 
 this  state,  are  but  children  compared  with  their  future, 
 which  is  their  proper  state  of  maturity  and  perfection  ; 
 as  the  apostle  observes,  1  Cor.  xii.  10,  11.  The 
 greatest  eminency  and  perfection,  to  which  the  saints 
 arrive  in  this  world,  has  no  tendency  to  satiety,  or 
 
504 
 
 to  abate  their  desires  after  more ;  but,  on  the  contrary, 
 makes  them  more  eager  to  press  forwards,  as  is  evi- 
 dent by  the  apostle's  words  :  "  Forgetting  those 
 things  which  are  behind,  and  reaching  forth  unto 
 those  things  which  are  before,  I  press  toward  the 
 mark. — Let  us,  therefore,  as  many  as  be  perfect,  be 
 thus  minded." 
 
 The  reasons  of  it  are,  that  the  more  persons  have 
 of  holy  affections,  the  more  they  have  of  that  spiri- 
 tual taste  which  I  have  spoken  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  imperfection  and  emptiness,  and  dis- 
 tance 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  im- 
 perfect, is  of  a  growing  nature,  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  :  "Lord,  I  believe ;  help 
 thou  my  unbelief."  And  the  greater  spiritual  dis- 
 coveries 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  pro- 
 per 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 
 
505 
 
 consistent  with  what  all  allow,  that  spiritual  enjoy- 
 ments 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  con- 
 sidered in  what  manner  spiritual  enjoyments  are  said 
 to  be  of  a  soul-satisfying  nature.  Certainly  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,  desire  no  other  kind  of  enjoyments ; 
 they  sit  down  fully  contented  with  that  kind  of  hap- 
 piness which  they  have,  desiring  no  change,  nor  in- 
 clining to  wander  about  any  more,  saying,  "  Who 
 will  show  us  any  good  ?"  the  soul  is  never  cloyed, 
 never  weary ;  but  perpetually  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  re- 
 spect, that  they  answ^er  the  expectation  of  the  appetite. 
 When  the  appetite  is  high  to  any  thing,  the  expectation 
 is  consequently  so.  Appetite  to  a  particular  object,  im- 
 plies 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  answer  and  satisfy  the  expectation.  3. 
 The  gratification  and  pleasure  of  spiritual  enjoyments 
 is  permanent.  It  is  not  so  with  w^orldly  enjoyments. 
 They  in  a  sense  satisfy  particular  appetites :  but  the 
 Y  20 
 
506 
 
 appetite,  in  being  satisfied,  is  glutted,  and  then  the 
 pleasure  is  over :  and  as  soon  as  that  is  over,  the 
 general  appetite  of  human  nature  after  happiness  re- 
 turns; but  is  empty,  and  without  anything  to  satisfy  it. 
 So  that  the  glutting  of  a  particular  appetite  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  ob- 
 stacles 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  excited  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  enjoy- 
 ment :  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  a  fulness  of  it,  that  it  may 
 be  satisfied.  And  the  more  he  experiences,  and  the 
 more  he  knows  this  excellent,  unparalleled,  exquisite, 
 and  satisfying  sweetness,  the  more  earnestly  will  he 
 hunger  and  thirst  for  more,  until  he  comes  to  per- 
 fection. And  therefore  this  is  the  nature  of  spiri- 
 tual affection,  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 
 
507 
 
 before,  there  was  a  great  desire,  of  some  sort,  after 
 grace,  as  these  affections  rise,  that  desire  ceases,  or 
 is  abated.  It  may  be  before,  while  the  man  was  un- 
 der 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  these  false  affections  are  risen, 
 that  deceive  him,  and  make  him  confident  that  he  is 
 converted,  and  his  state  good,  there  are  no  more 
 earnest  longings  after  light  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,  do  they  put  an  end  to  longings 
 after  grace  and  holiness.  The  man  now  is  far  from 
 appearing  to  himself  a  poor  empty  creature  ;  on  the 
 contrary,  he  is  rich  and  increased  with  goods,  and 
 hardly  conceives  of  any  thing  more  excellent  than 
 that  to  which  he  has  already  attained. 
 
 Hence  there  is  an  end  to  many  persons'  earnest- 
 ness in  seeking,  after  they  have  once  obtained  what 
 they  call  their  conversion;  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  experi- 
 ences that  are  past;  and  there  is  an  end  to  their 
 crying  and  striving  after  God  and  grace.*     Whereas 
 
 *  It  is  usual  to  see  a  false  heart  most  diligent  in  seeking  the 
 Lord,  when  he  has  been  worst,  and  most  careless  when  it  is  best. 
 
 y2 
 
508 
 
 the  holy  principles  that  actuate  a  true  saint  have  a 
 far  more  powerful  influence  to  stir  him  up  to  earnest- 
 
 Hence  many  at  first  conversion  sought  the  Lord  earnestly :  af- 
 terwards aifections  and  endeavours  die;  that  now  they  are  as 
 good  as  the  word  can  make  them.  A  hypocrite's  last  end  is  to 
 satisfy  himself:  hence  he  has  enough.  A  saint's  is  to  satisfy  Christ: 
 hence  he  never  has  enough." — Shepard's  Par.  Part  I.  p.  157. 
 
 "  Many  a  man,  it  may  be,  may  say,  I  have  nothing  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 
 Christ  of  clouts  would  serve  your  turn  as  well." — Ibid.  p.  72. 
 
 "  A  hypocrite's  light  goes  out,  and  grows  not.  Hence  many 
 ancient  standers  take  all  their  comforts  from  their  first  work,  and 
 droop  when  in  old  age." — Ibid.  p.  77. 
 
 And  p.  93,  94.  Mr.  Shepard,  mentioning  the  characters  of  those 
 that  have  a  dead  hope,  says,  "  They  that  content  themselves  with 
 any  measure  of  holiness  and  grace,  they  look  not  for  Christ's 
 coming  and  company.  For  saints  that  look  for  him,  though 
 they  have  not  that  holiness  and  grace  they  would  have,  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  content 
 not  themselves  with  any  dressings,  until  made  glorious  ;  and  so 
 fit  for  fellowship  with  that  spouse — When  a  man  leaves  not,  un- 
 til 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  had  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  cannot  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,     ^ppetitusjiids  est  infinitus.^' 
 
 "Woe  to  thee  that  thou  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  con- 
 veys both  righteousness  and  strength." — Ibid.  p.  158. 
 ♦♦  When  the  Lord  hath  given  some  light  and  affection,  and' 
 
509 
 
 ness  in  seekiiifj  God  and  holiness,  than  servile  fear. 
 Hence  seeking  God  is  spoken  of  as  one  of  the  dis- 
 tinfjuishinjj  characters  of  the  saints ;  and  those  that 
 seek  God,  is  one  of  the  names  by  which  the  godly 
 are  called  in  Scripture  :  "  This  is  the  generation  of 
 them  that  seek  him,  that  seek  thy  face,  O  Jacob." 
 "  Let  not  those  that  seek  thee  be  confounded  for 
 my  sake."  "  The  humble  shall  see  this,  and  be  glad ; 
 and  your  hearts  shall  live  that  seek  God."  "  Let 
 all  those  that  seek  thee  rejoice  and  be  glad  in  thee: 
 and  let  such  as  love  thy  salvation  say  continually, 
 The  Lord  be  magnified."  And  the  Scriptures  every 
 where  represent  the  seeking,  striving,  and  labour  of 
 a  Christian,  as  being  chiefly  after  his  conversion,  and 
 his  conversion  as  being  but  the  beginning  of  his  work. 
 And  almost  all  that  is  said  in  the  New  Testament, 
 of  men's  watching,  giving  earnest  head  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,  crying  to  God  day  and  night ;  I 
 say,  almost  all  that  is  said  in  the  New  Testament  of 
 
 some  comfort  and  some  reformation,  now  a  man  grows  full  here. 
 Saints  do  for  God ;  and  carnal  hearts  do  something  too ;  but  i» 
 little  fills  them  and  quiets  them,  and  so  damns  them.  And 
 hence  men  at  the  first  work  upon  them,  are  very  dilit^Gnt  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, 
 this  night  thy  soul  shall  be  taken  away  to  hell." — Ibid.  p.  227. 
 
510 
 
 these  things,  is  spoken  of,  and  directed  to  the  saints. 
 Where  these  things  are  appHed  to  sinners  seeking 
 conversion  once,  they  are  spoken  of  the  saints'  pro- 
 secution of  the  great  business  of  their  high  calHng, 
 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  time  of  it  afterwards,  to  sit  down  and 
 enjoy  their  sloth  and  indolence;  as  those  that  now  have 
 a  supply  of  their  wants,  and  are  become  rich  and  full. 
 But  when  the  Lord  "fills  the  hungry  with  good 
 things,  these  rich  are  like  to  be  sent  away  empty." 
 
 But  doubtless  there  are  some  hypocrites,  that  have 
 only  false  afiPections,  who  will  think  they  are  able  to 
 stand  this  trial;  and  will  readily  say,  that  they  desire 
 not  to  rest  satisfied  with  past  attainments,  but  to  be 
 pressing  forward,  they  do  desire  more,  they  long  after 
 God  in  Christ,  and  desire  more  holiness,  and  do  seek 
 it.  But  the  truth  is,  their  desires  are  not  properly 
 the  desires  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  may  be  better  satisfied 
 about  the  state  of  their  souls ;  or  because  in  great 
 discoveries  self  is  gratified,  in  being  made  so  much 
 of  by  God,  and  so  exalted  above  others ;  they  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 
 
511 
 
 the  new  man  after  God  and  holiness.  There  is  an 
 inward  burning  desire  that  a  saint  has  after  hoHness, 
 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  sanctification  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:  "  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  mentioned,  as  the  object 
 of  them,  than  any  thing  else.  The  saints  desire  the 
 sincere  milk  of  the  word,  not  so  much  to  testify  God's 
 love  to  them,  as  that  they  may  grow  thereby  in  holi- 
 ness. 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  trea- 
 sure :  "  The  fear  of  the  Lord  is  liis  treasure."  God- 
 liness is  the  gain  that  he  is  covetous  and  greedy  of. 
 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  mea- 
 sure so  distinguishing  marks  of  true  saints,  as  long- 
 ing after  a  more  holy  heart,  and  living  a  more  holy 
 life. 
 
512 
 
 CHAPTER  XII. 
 
 Gracious  and  holy  Affections  have  their  exercise  and 
 fruit  in  Christian  practice.  I  mean,  they  have 
 that  influemce  and  poioer  upon  him  who  is  the  sub- 
 ject of  them,  that  they  cause  that  a  practice,  ivhich 
 is  universally  conformed  to,  and  directed  by  Chris^ 
 tian  rules,  should  be  the  practice  and  business  of  his 
 
 This  implies  three  things: — 1.  That  his  behaviour 
 or  practice  in  the  world,  be  universally  conformed  to, 
 and  directed  by  Christian  rules.  2.  That  he  makes 
 a  business  of  such  a  holy  practice  above  all  things ; 
 that  it  be  a  business  in  which  he  is  chiefly  engaged, 
 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  persists  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,  or  the  business  of  a 
 month,  or  a  year,  or  of  seven  years,  or  his  business 
 under  certain  circumstances  ;  but  the  business  of  his 
 life ;  it  being  that  business  which  he  perseveres  in 
 through  all  changes,  and  under  all  trials,  as  long  as 
 he  lives. 
 
 The  necessity  of  each  of  these,  in  all  true  Chris- 
 tians, is  most  clearly  and  fully  taught  in  the  word  of 
 God. 
 
 1.  It  is  necessary  that  men  should  be  universally 
 
513 
 
 obedient  :*  "  Every  man  that  hath  this  hope  in  him 
 purifieth  himself,  even  as  he  is  pure. — And  ye  know 
 
 *  "  He  that  pretends  to  godliness,  and  turns  aside  to  crooked 
 ways,  is  a  hypocrite :  for  those  that  are  really  godly,  do  live  in  a 
 way  of  obedience ;  Ps.  cxix.  1 — 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  blameless.'  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 ;  tor 
 love  will  make  men  keep  God's  commandments:  1  John  v.  3. 
 *  Herein  is  love,  that  we  keep  his  commandments;  and  his  com- 
 mandments are  not  grievous.'  If  men  live  in  a  way  of  disobe- 
 dience, 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  disobedience,  they  are  not  Christ's  sheep ;  for  his 
 sheep  hear  his  voice :  John  x.  27.  Men  that  live  in  a  way  of  dis- 
 obedience are  not  born  of  God:  1  John  iii.  9.  He  that  is  born 
 of  God,  sinneth  not.  Men  that  live  in  a  way  of  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 
 hypocrisy;  whether  it  be  a  sin  of  omission  or  commission.  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,  uncleanness,  lying  or  injustice.  If 
 men  allow  themselves  in  malice,  envy,  wanton  thoughts,  profane 
 thoughts,  that  will  condemn  them;  though  these  corruptions  do 
 not  break  out  in  any  scandalous  way.  These  thoughts  are  an 
 evidence  of  a  rotten  heart:  Tit.  iii.  3.  '  We  ourselves  were  some- 
 times foolish,  disobedient,  deceived,  serving  divers  lusts  and  plea- 
 sures, living  in  malice  and  envy,  hateful,  and  hating  one  another.* 
 If  a  man  allows  himself,  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  will  con- 
 demn them,  that  they  live  in  a  course  of  sin,  and  so  must  go  with 
 ungodly  men  :  Ps.  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  particulars,  yet  if  there  be  one  evil  way, 
 the  man  is  an  ungodly  man:  where  there  is  piety  there  is  uni- 
 versal obedience.  A  man  may  have  great  infirmities,  yet  be  a 
 godly  man.    So  it  was  with  Lot,  David,  and  Peter ;  but  if  he  lives 
 
 y3 
 
514 
 
 that  he  was  manifested  to  take  away  our  sins ;  and 
 in  him  is  no  sin.  Whosoever  abideth  in  him  sin- 
 neth  not;  whosoever  sinneth  hath  not  seen  him, 
 neither  known  him. — He  that  doth  righteousness 
 is  righteous,  even  as  he  is  righteous.  He  that  com- 
 mitteth  sin  is  of  the  devil."  "  We  know  that  who- 
 soever is  born  of  God  sinneth  not ;  but  he  that  is 
 begotten  of  God  keepeth  himself,  and  that  wicked 
 one  toucheth  him  not."     "  Ye  are  my  friends,  if  ye 
 
 in  a  way  of  sin,  he  does  not  render  his  godliness  only  suspicious, 
 
 but  it  is  full  evidences  against  him Men  that  are  godly  have 
 
 respect  to  all  God's  commandments:  Ps.  cxix.  6.  There  be  a 
 great  many  commands,  and  if  there  be  one  of  them  that  a  man 
 has  no  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  he  lives  in  be  but 
 small,  such  persons  will  not  be  guilty  of  perjury,  stealing,  drun- 
 kenness, 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  a  Sabbath  unprofitably,  if  they  neglect  secret  prayer, 
 if  they  talk  rudely  and  reproach  others ;  they  think  these  are  but 
 small  things.  If  they  can  keep  clear  of  great  transgressions,  they 
 hope  that  God  will  not  insist  on  small  things.  But  indeed  all 
 the  commands  of  God  are  established  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  pliease  and  honour  God.  Little 
 sins  are  of  a  damning  nature,  as  well  as  great ;  if  they  do  not  de- 
 serve so  much  punishment  as  greater,  yet  they  do  deserve  damna- 
 tion. 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  ways  shall  die.'  If  a  man 
 says,  This  is  a  great  command,  and  so  lays  weight  on  it;  and  an- 
 other 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  Way  to  know  Sincerity  and  Hypocrisy. 
 
515 
 
 do  whatsoever  I  command  you.'*  "  Whosoever 
 shall  keep  the  whole  law,  and  yet  offend  in  one  point, 
 he  is  guilty  of  all."  "  Know  ye  not  that  the  un- 
 righteous shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God  ?  Be 
 not  deceived :  neither  fornicators,  nor  idolaters,  &c. 
 shall  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God."  "  Now  the 
 works  of  the  flesh  are  manifest,  which  are  these; 
 Adultery,  fornication,  uncleanness,  lasciviousness, 
 idolatry,  witchcraft,  hatred,  variance,  emulations, 
 wrath,  strife,  envyings,  murders,  drunkenness,  revel- 
 lings,  and  such  like :  of  the  which  I  tell  you  before, 
 as  I  have  also  told  you  in  time  past,  that  they  which 
 do  such  thincps  shall  not  inherit  the  kinofdom  of  God." 
 Which  is  as  much  as  to  say,  they  that  do  any  sort 
 of  wickedness.  "  Is  not  destruction  to  the  wicked  ? 
 and  a  strange  punishment  to  the  workers  of  iniquity  ? 
 Doth  not  he  see  my  ways,  and  count  all  my  steps  ? 
 Let  me  be  weighed  in  an  even  balance,  that  God 
 may  know  mine  integrity.  If  my  step  hath  turned 
 out  of  the  way,  and  mine  heart  walked  after  mine 
 eyes,  and  if  any  blot  hath  cleaved  to  my  hands,"  &c. 
 "  If  he  walk  in  the  statutes  of  life,  without  com- 
 mitting iniquity,  he  shall  surely  live." 
 
 If  one  member  only  be  corrupt,  and  we  do  not 
 cut  it  of,  it  will  carry  the  whole  body  to  hell.  Saul 
 was  commanded  to  slay  all  God's  enemies,  the  Ama- 
 lekites ;  and  he  slew  all  but  Agag,  and  the  saving 
 him  alive  proved,  his  ruin,  Caleb  and  Joshua  en- 
 tered into  God's  promised  rest  because  they  wholly 
 followed  the  Lord.  Naaman's  hypocrisy  appeared 
 in  that,  however  he  seemed  to  be  greatly  affected 
 wdth  gratitude  to  God  for  healing  his  leprosy,  and 
 engaged  to  serve  him ;  yet  in  one  thing  he  desired 
 
516 
 
 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  iniquities, 
 which  are  as  their  right  hand  and  right  eyes,  sins 
 that  most  easily  beset  them,  and  to  which  they  are 
 most  exposed,  by  their  natural  inclination,  evil  cus- 
 toms, or  particular  circumstances,  as  well  as  others. 
 As  Joseph  would  not  make  known  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  to  which  we  have  the  great- 
 est aversion. 
 
 And  it  is  of  importance  to  be  observed,  that  in 
 order  to  a  man's  being  truly  said  to  be  universally 
 obedient,  his  obedience  must  not  only  consist  in  ne- 
 gatives, or  in  universally  avoiding  wicked  practices, 
 consisting  in  sins  of  commission ;  but  he  must  also  be 
 universal  in  the  positives  of  religion.  Sins  of  omis- 
 sion are  as  much  breaches  of  God's  commands,  as 
 sins  of  commission.  Christ,  in  Matt.  xxv.  repre- 
 sents 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  obe- 
 dient, and  of  a  Christian  conversation,  only  because 
 he  is  no  thief,  nor  oppressor,  nor  fraudulent  person, 
 nor  drunkard,  nor  tavern-haunter,  nor  whoremaster. 
 
517 
 
 nor  rioter,  nor  night-walker,  nor  unclean,  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,  reli- 
 gious, devout,  humble,  meek,  forgiving,  peaceful, 
 respectful,  condescending,  benevolent,  merciful,  chari- 
 table and  beneficent  walk  and  conversation.  With- 
 out 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  greatest  importance  and 
 necessity. 
 
 2.  In  order  to  men's  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  to  which  they  devote  them- 
 selves, and  make  the  main  business  of  their  hves. 
 All  Christ's  peculiar  people,  not  only  do  good  works, 
 but  are  "  zealous  of  good  works."  No  man  can  do 
 the  service  of  two  masters  at  once.  They  that  are 
 God's  true  servants,  do  give  up  themselves  to  his 
 service,  and  make  it,  as  it  were,  their  whole  work, 
 therein  employing  their  whole  hearts,  and  the  chief 
 of  their  strength  :  "  This  one  thing  I  do."  Chris- 
 tians in  their  effectual  calling,  are  not  called  to  idle- 
 ness, but  to  labour  in  God's  vineyard,  and  spend  their 
 day  in  doing  a  great  and  laborious  service.  All  true 
 Christians  comply  with  this  call,  (as  is  implied  in  its 
 being  an  effectual  call,)  and  do  the  work  of  Chris- 
 tians ;  which  is  every  where  in  the  New  Testament 
 compared  to  those  exercises,  wherein  men  are  wont 
 to  exert  their  strength,  with  the  greatest  earnestness. 
 
518 
 
 as  running,  wrestling,  fighting.      All  true  Christians 
 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  negligent  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  earnestness 
 there  is  no  getting  along,  in  that  narrow  way  that 
 leads  to  life ;  and  so  not  arriving  at  that  state  of  glori- 
 ous life  and  happiness  to  which  it  leads.      Without 
 earnest  labour,  there  is  no  ascending  the  steep  and 
 high  hill  of  Zion :  and  so  no  arriving  at  the  heavenly 
 city  on  the  top  of  it.     Without  a  constant  laborious- 
 ness,  there  is  no  stemming  tlie  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 
 Christ  Jesus  our  Lord,"  in  order  to  our  obtaining 
 that  prize.     Slothfulness  hi  the  service  of  God,  in  his 
 professed  servants,  is  as  damning  as  open  rebeUion : 
 
519 
 
 for  the  slothful  servant,  is  a  wicked  servant,  and  shall 
 be  cast  into  outer  darkness,  among  God's  open  ene- 
 mies. They  that  are  slothful,  are  not  "  followers  of 
 them  who  through  faith  and  patience  inherit  the  pro- 
 mises." "  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  besets 
 them,  and  do  run  with  patience  the  race  that  is  set 
 before  them."  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  accompanied  with  such  a  spirit 
 of  earnestness  in  the  Christian  work  and  course. 
 Which  was  typified  of  old,  by  the  manner  of  the 
 children  of  Israel's  feedhig  on  the  paschal  lamb ;  who 
 were  directed  to  eat  it,  as  those  that  were  in  haste, 
 with  their  loins  girded,  their  shoes  on  their  feet,  and 
 staff  in  their  hand:  "  And  thus  shall  ye  eat  it,  with 
 your  loins  girded,  your  shoes  on  your  feet,  and  your 
 staff  in  your  hand :  and  ye  shall  eat  it  in  haste ;  it  is 
 the  Lord's  passover." 
 
 3.  Every  true  Christian  perseveres  in  this  way  of 
 universal  obedience,  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 
 persevere  in  the  practice  of  religion,  and  the  service 
 of  God,  is  a  doctrine  so  abundantly  taught  in  the 
 Scripture,  that  particularly  to  rehearse  all  the  texts 
 
5^0 
 
 whicli  imply  it  would  be  endless.  I  shall  content 
 myself  with  referring  to  some  of  them.* 
 
 But  that  in  perseverance  in  obedience,  which  is 
 chiefly  insisted  on  in  the  Scripture,  as  a  special  work 
 of  the  truth  of  grace,  is  the  continuance  of  professors 
 in  the  practice  of  their  duty,  and  being  steadfast  in 
 holy  walk,  through  the  various  trials  that  they  meet 
 with. 
 
 By  trials  here,  I  mean  those  things  that  occur,  and 
 that  a  professor  meets  with  in  his  course,  that  do  es- 
 pecially render  his  continuance  in  his  duty,  and  faith- 
 fulness 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  signification.  These  are  of  various  kinds : 
 there  are  many  things  that  render  persons'  continu- 
 ance in  the  way  of  their  duty  difficult,  by  their  ten- 
 dency 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  have  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  ap- 
 
 •  Deut.  V.  29.  and  xxxii.  18—20.  1  Cliron.  xxviii.  9.  Psal. 
 Ixxviii.  7,  8,  10,  11,  35,  36,  37,  41,  42,  56,  &c.  and  cvi.  3,  12— 
 15.  and  cxxv.  4,  5.  Prov.  xxvi.  1 1.  Ish.  Ixiv.  5.  Jer.  xvii.  13. 
 Ezek.  iii.  20.  and  xviii.  24.  and  xxxiii.  12,  13.  Matth.  x.  22.  and 
 xiii.  4 — 8.  with  verses  19 — 23.  and  xxv.  8.  and  xxiv.  12,  13. 
 Luke  ix.  62.  and  xii.  35,  ike.  and  xxii.  28.  and  xvii.  32.  John 
 viii.  30,  31.  and  xv.  6,  7,  8,  10,  16.  Rom.  ii.  7.  and  xi.  22.  Col. 
 i.  22,  2.3.  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.  ii.  15.  2  Tim.  iv. 
 4—8. 
 
521 
 
 pear  terrible  to  them,  and  so  to  affright  and  drive 
 them  from  it ;  such  as  the  sufferings  to  which  their 
 duty  will  expose  them ;  pain,  ill-will,  contempt  and 
 reproach,  or  loss  of  outward  possessions  and  comforts. 
 If  persons,  after  they  have  made  a  profession  of  reli- 
 gion, live  any  considerable  time  in  this  world,  which 
 is  so  fidl  of  changes,  and  so  full  of  evil,  it  cannot  be 
 otherwise,  than  that  they  should  meet  with  many 
 trials  of  their  sincerity  and  steadfastness.  And  be- 
 sides, it  is  God's  manner,  in  his  providence,  to  bring 
 trials  on  his  professing  friends  and  servants  design- 
 edly, 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  de- 
 grees of  backsHding,  and  may  be  foiled  by  particular 
 temptations,  and  may  fall  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 
 dishke  and  neglect  it,  either  on  its  own  account,  or 
 on  account  of  the  difficulties  that  attend  it ;  as  is  evi- 
 dent by  Gal.  vi.  9.  Rom.  ii.  7.  Heb.  x.  36.  Isa.  xliii. 
 22.  Mai.  i.  13.  They  can  never  backshde,  so  as  to 
 continue  no  longer  in  a  way  of  universal  obedience ; 
 or  so,  that  it  shall  cease  to  be  their  manner  to  ob- 
 serve all  the  rules  of  Christianity,  and  do  all  duties 
 required,  even  in  the  most  difficult  circumstances.f 
 
 •  Gen.  xxii.  1.  Exod.  xv.  25.  and  xvi.  4  Deut.  iii.  2,  15,  16. 
 and  xiii.  3.  Judges  ii.  22.  and  iii.  1,  4-.  Job  xxiii.  10.  Psal.  Jxvi. 
 10,  II.  Ezek.  iii.  20.  Dan.  xii.  10.  Zech.  xiii.  9.  Matth.  viii.  19, 
 20.  and  xviii.  21,  22.  Luke  i.  35.  1  Cor.  xi.  19.  2  Cor.  viii.  8. 
 James  i.  12.  I  Pet.  iv.  12.  1  John  ii.  19.  Heb.  xi.  17.  Rev.  iii.  10. 
 
 t  "  One  way  of  sin  is  exception  enough  against  men's  salvation, 
 though  their  temptations  be  great.     Some  persons  delight  in  ini- 
 
522 
 
 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  rehgion ;  unless  those  words  of  Christ  can  fall  to 
 the  ground,  "  Ye  cannot  serve  two  masters;"  and 
 
 quity;  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  he  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 
 diflaculties  and  cannot  tell  how  well  to  avoid  sin ;  it  is  a  dangerous 
 thing  not  to  do  it.  If  Naaman  do  not  bow  himself  in  the  house 
 of  Rimmon,  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  ;  there- 
 fore he  must  think  of  some  expedient  to  deliver  himself  in  this 
 strait:  1  Kings  xii.  27,  28.  He  was  driven  by  appearing  neces- 
 sity to  take  this  wicked  course. — So  the  stony-ground  hearers 
 were  willing  to  retam  the  profession  of  the  true  religion  :  but 
 the  case  was  such,  that  they  thought  they  could  not  well  do  it : 
 Matth.  xiii.  21.  '  When  tribulation  or  persecution  ariseth  because 
 of  the  word,  by  and  by  he  is  offended.' — So  Achan  and  Gehazi 
 had  singular  opportunities  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  the  law  of  God.  They 
 lay  a  necessity  on  estate,  and  liberty,  and  life,  but  not  upon  obe- 
 dience. If  a  man  be  willing  to  serve  God  in  ordinary  cases,  but 
 excuse  himself  wlien  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  establish  the  heart  in  a  day  of  temptation.  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 
 know  Sincerity  and  Hypocrisy. 
 
523 
 
 those  of  the  apostle,  "  He  that  will  be  a  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  con- 
 version, from  what  was  before.  They  that  are  truly 
 converted,  are  new  men,  new  creatures;  new,  not 
 only  within,  but  without ;  they  are  sanctified  through- 
 out, 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;  that  is,  a  new  conversation  and 
 practice ;  and  they  walk  in  newness  of  life,  and  con- 
 tinue to  do  so  to  the  end  of  life.  And  they  that  fall 
 away,  and  cease  visibly  to  do  so,  it  is  a  sign  they  never 
 were  risen  with  Christ.*  And,  especially,  when  men's 
 opinion  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.f     And  that, 
 
 *  "  Hence  we  learn  what  verdict  to  pass  and  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.  'If  they  had  been  of  us,  they  would  no  doubt 
 have  continued  with  us.'  It  seems  they  were  such  men,  who 
 were  so  eminent  and  excellent,  as  that  there  were  no  brands  and 
 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." — Sheji- 
 ard's  Parable,  Part  I.  p.  226. 
 
 f  "  When  a  man's  rising  is  the  cause  of  his  fall,  or  seals  a  man 
 up  in  his  fall,  or  at  least  the  cause  through  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  woeful 
 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 
 
524 
 
 whether  their  faUing  away  be  into  their  former  sins, 
 or  into  some  new  kind  of  wickedness,  having  the 
 corruption  of  nature  only  turned  into  a  new  channel, 
 instead  of  its  being  mortified.  As  when  persons  that 
 think  themselves  converted,  though  they  do  not  re- 
 turn 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  and  con- 
 versation as  naturally  arise  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, 
 Matth.  xii.  43  —  45.  who  being  awakened  by  John 
 the  Baptist's  preaching,  and  brought  to  a  reformation 
 of  their  former  licentious  courses,  whereby  the  un- 
 clean spirit  was,  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  ex- 
 alted in  an  exceeding  high  opinion  of  their  own  right- 
 eousness and  eminent  holiness,  and  became  habitu- 
 ated to  an   answerably  self-exalting  behaviour ;   so 
 
 and  mercy,  and  hope  of  life :  and  when  it  is  thus  with  him,  now 
 he  falls;  he  grows  full  and  falls;  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  sorrows  for  his  falls 
 harden  his  heart  in  his  falls,  and  all  the  means  of  recovering  him 
 
 harden  him Look  as  it  is  in  diseases ;  if  the  physic  and  meat 
 
 turns  to  he  poison,  then  there  is  no  hope  of  a  recovery :  a  man  is 
 sick  to  death  now.  The  saint's  little  measure  makes  him  forget 
 what  is  behind." — Shejmrd's  Parable,  Part  I.  p.  226. 
 
5-25 
 
 changing  the  sins  of  publicans  and  harlots  for  those 
 of  the  Pharisees ;  and  in  the  issue,  had  seven  devils, 
 worse  than  the  first. 
 
 Thus  I  have  explained  what  exercise  and  fruit  I 
 mean,  when  I  say,  that  gracious  affections  have  their 
 exercise  and  fruit  in  Christian  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  arise  from  those  operations  and  influences 
 which  are  spiritual,  and  that  the  inward  principle 
 from  whence  they  flow,  is  something  divine,  a  com- 
 munication of  God,  a  participation  of  the  divine  na- 
 ture, Christ  Hving  in  the  heart,  the  Holy  Spii'it 
 dweUing  there,  in  union  with  the  faculties  of  the  soul, 
 as  an  internal  vital  principle,  exerting  his  own  proper 
 nature,  in  the  exercise  of  those  faculties.  This  is 
 sufficient  to  show  us  why  true  grace  should  have  such 
 activity,  power,  and  efficacy.  No  wonder  that  which 
 is  di\ine  is  powerful  and  effectual ;  for  it  has  omni- 
 potence 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  hfe  that  he 
 received  at  his  resurrection.  Thus  every  saint  that 
 is  the  subject  of  the  benefit  of  Christ's  sufferings,  is 
 made  to  know  and  experience  the  power  of  his  resur- 
 
526 
 
 rection.  The  spirit  of  Christ,  which  is  the  immediate 
 spring  of  grace  in  the  heart,  is  all  life,  all  power,  all 
 act : — "  In  demonstration  of  the  Spirit  and  of  power.'* 
 "  Our  gospel  came  not  unto  you  in  word  only,  but 
 also  in  power,  and  in  the  Holy  Ghost."  "  The 
 kingdom  of  God  is  not  in  word,  but  in  power." 
 Hence  saving  affections,  though  oftentimes  they  do 
 not  make  so  great  a  noise  and  show  as  others ;  yet 
 have  in  them  a  secret  solidity,  life,  and  strength, 
 whereby  they  take  hold  of,  and  carry  away  the  heart, 
 leading  it  into  a  kind  of  captivity,  gaining  a  full  and 
 steadfast  determination  of  the  will  for  God  and  holi- 
 ness :  "  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 
 statute  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  action  or  opera- 
 tion to  answer  the  show.  False  discoveries  and  affec- 
 tions do  not  go  deep  enough  to  reach  and  govern  the 
 spring  of  men's  actions  and  practice.  The  seed  in 
 stony  ground  had  not  the  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.  Herein  chiefly  appears  the  power  of 
 true  godliness,  namely,  in  its  being  effectual  in  prac- 
 tice. And  the  efficacy  of  godliness  in  this  respect, 
 is  what  the  apostle  has  respect  to,  when  he  speaks  of 
 the  power  of  godliness,  2  Tim.  iii.  5.  as  is  very  plain ; 
 
527 
 
 for  there  lie  is  particularly  declaring,  how  some  pro- 
 fessors of  religion  would  notoriously  fail  in  the  prac- 
 tice of  it ;  and  then,  in  the  5th  verse,  observes,  that  in 
 being  thus  of  an  unholy  practice,  they  deny  the  power 
 of  godliness,  though  they  have  the  form  of  it.  In- 
 deed the  power  of  godhness  is  exerted  in  the  first 
 place  within  the  soul,  in  the  sensible,  lively  exercise 
 of  gracious  affections  there.  Yet  the  principle  evi- 
 dence of  this  power  of  godliness,  is  in  those  exercises 
 of  holy  affections  that  are  practical,  and  in  their  be- 
 ing 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  con- 
 ceived relation  they  bear  to  self,  or  self-interest." 
 This  shows  why  holy  affections  will  cause  men  to  be 
 holy  in  their  practice  universally.  What  makes  men 
 partial  in  religion  is,  that  they  seek  themselves,  and 
 not  God,  in  their  religion,  and  close  with  religion, 
 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  reUgion.  This 
 also  shows  why  gracious  affections  will  cause  men  to 
 
6^8 
 
 practise  religion  perse veringly,  and  at  all  times. 
 Religion  may  alter  greatly  in  process  of  time,  as  to 
 its  consistence  with  men's  private  interest,  in  many 
 respects ;  and  therefore  he  that  complies  with  it  only 
 for  selfish  views,  is  liable,  in  change  of  times,  to  for- 
 sake it ;  but  the  excellent  nature  of  religion,  as  it  is 
 in  itself,  is  invariable ;  it  is  always  the  same  at  all 
 times,  and  through  all  changes;  it  never  alters  in 
 any  respect. 
 
 The  reason  why  gracious  affections  issue  in  holy 
 practice,  also  further  appears  from  the  kind  of  ex- 
 cellency of  divine  things,  that,  it  has  been  observed, 
 is  the  foundation  of  all  holy  affections,  namely,  "  their 
 moral  excellency,  or  the  beauty  of  their  hoHness." 
 No  wonder  that  a  love  to  holiness,  for  holiness'  sake, 
 inclines  persons  to  practise  hohness,  and  to  practise 
 every  thing  that  is  holy.  Seeing  holiness  is  the 
 main  thing  that  excites,  draws,  and  governs  all  gra- 
 cious affections,  no  wonder  that  all  such  affections 
 tend  to  holiness.  That  which  men  love,  they  de- 
 sire 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  that  divine  teach- 
 ing and  leading  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  which  there  is 
 in  gracious  affections,  shows  the  reason  of  this  ten- 
 dency of  such  affections  to  a  universally  holy  prac- 
 tice. For,  as  has  been  observed,  the  Spirit  of  God 
 in  this  his  divine  teaching  and  leading,  gives  the  soul 
 a  natural  relish  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. 
 
529 
 
 The  same  also  appears  from  what  has  been  ob- 
 served of  the  nature  of  that  spmtual  knowledge, 
 which  is  the  foundation  of  all  holy  affection,  as  con- 
 sisting in  a  sense  and  view  of  that  excellency  in  di- 
 vine 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  powerfully  drawn 
 after  him ;  they  see  him  worthy  that  they  should 
 forsake  all  for  him :  by  the  sight  of  that  superlative 
 amiableness,  they  are  thoroughly  disposed  to  be  sub- 
 ject to  him,  and  engaged  to  labour  with  earnestness 
 and  activity  in  his  service,  and  made  willing  to  go 
 through  all  difficulties  for  his  sake.  And  it  is  the 
 discovery  of  this  divine  excellency  of  Christ  that 
 makes  them  constant  to  him ;  for  it  makes  such  a  deep 
 impression  upon  their  minds,  that  they  cannot  forget 
 him ;  and  they  will  follow  him  whithersoever  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  affections,  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  wonder 
 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  depen- 
 dence on  that,  of  which  they  are  not  convinced.  But, 
 on  the  other  hand,  they  who  are  thoroughly  convinced 
 Z  20 
 
530 
 
 of  the  certain  truth  of  those  thmgs,  must  needs  be 
 governed  by  them  in  their  practice ;  for  the  things 
 revealed  in  the  word  of  God  are  so  great,  and  so  in- 
 finitely more  important  than  all  other  things,  that  it 
 is  inconsistent  with  the  human  nature,  that  a  man 
 should  fully  believe  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,  men's 
 practice  will  not  be  thoroughly  changed.  Until  the 
 tree  be  made  good,  the  fruit  will  not  be  good.  Men 
 do  not  gather  grapes  of  thorns,  nor  figs  of  thistles. 
 The  swine  may  be  washed,  and  appear  clean  for  a 
 little  while,  but  yet,  without  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  a 
 while,  it  will  finally  overcome  that  which  restrains  it : 
 it  is  like  the  stream  of  a  river,  it  may  be  stopped  a 
 while  with  a  dam,  but,  if  nothing  be  done  to  dry  the 
 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 
 men's  reformation  and  righteousness. — When  a  na- 
 tural man  denies  his  lust,  and  lives  a  strict,  religious 
 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 
 
531 
 
 the  stone  returns  downwards.  As  long  as  corrupt 
 nature  is  not  mortified,  but  the  principle  left  whole 
 in  a  man,  it  is  a  vain  thing  to  expect  that  it  should 
 not  o;overn.  But  if  the  old  nature  be  indeed  morti- 
 fied,  and  a  new  and  heavenly  nature  infused,  then 
 may  it  well  be  expected,  that  men  will  walk  in  new- 
 ness of  life,  and  continue  to  do  so  to  the  end  of  their 
 days. 
 
 The  reason  of  this  practical  exercise  and  effect  of 
 holy  affections,  may  also  be  partly  seen,  from  what 
 has  been  said  of  that  sph'it  of  humihty  which  attends 
 them.  Humility  is  that  wherein  a  spirit  of  obedience 
 does  much  consist.  A  proud  spirit  is  a  rebellious 
 spirit,  but  a  humble  spirit  is  a  yieldable,  subject,  obe- 
 diential spirit.  We  see  among  men,  that  the  ser- 
 vant who  is  of  a  haughty  spirit,  is  not  apt  in  every 
 thinof  to  be  submissive  and  obedient  to  the  will  of  his 
 master ;  but  it  is  otherwise  with  that  servant  who  is 
 of  a  lowly  spirit. 
 
 And  that  lamb-like,  dove-Uke  spirit,  that  has  been 
 spoken  of,  which  accompanies  all  gracious  affections, 
 fulfils  (as  the  apostle  observes,  Rom.  xiii.  8 — 10. 
 and  Gal.  v.  14.)  all  the  duties  of  the  second  table  of 
 the  law ;  wherein  Christian  practice  does  very  much 
 consist,  wherein  the  external  practice  of  Christianity 
 chiefly  consists. 
 
 And  the  reason  why  gracious  affections  are  at- 
 tended with  that  strict,  universal,  and  constant  obe- 
 dience which  has  been  spoken  of,  further  appears, 
 from  what  has  been  observed  of  that  tenderness  of 
 spirit  which  accompanies  the  affections  of  true  saints, 
 causing  in  them  so  quick  and  lively  a  sense  of  pain, 
 z  2 
 
532 
 
 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  persevering,  appears  from  what  has 
 been  observed  of  those  affections  themselves,  from 
 whence  this  practice  flows,  being  universal  and  con- 
 stant, in  all  kinds  of  holy  exercises,  and  towards  all 
 objects,  and  in  aU  circumstances,  and  at  all  seasons, 
 in  a  beautiful  symmetry  and  proportion. 
 
 And  much  of  the  reason  why  holy  affections  are 
 expressed  and  manifested  in  such  an  earnertness,  ac- 
 tivity, and  engagedness  and  perseverance  in  holy  prac- 
 tice, as  has  been  spoken  of,  appears  from  what  has 
 been  observed,  of  the  spiritual  appetite  and  longing 
 after  further  attainments  in  religion,  which  evermore 
 attends  true  affection,  and  does  not  decay,  but  in- 
 creases as  those  affections  increase. 
 
 Thus  we  see  how  the  tendency  of  holy  affections 
 to  such  a  Christian  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  con- 
 firmed, if  it  be  considered,  that  the  holy  Scriptures  do 
 abundantly  place  sincerity  and  soundness  in  religon, 
 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  hearts  closing  and  complying  with 
 the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ,  with  all  that  belongs  to 
 it,  embracing  it  with  all  its  difficulties,  as  it  were, 
 hating  our  dearest  earthly  enjoyments,  and  even  our 
 own  lives,  for  Christ;  giving  up  ourselves,  with  all 
 
5SS 
 
 that  we  have,  wholly  and  for  ever,  unto  Christ,  with- 
 out keeping  back  any  thing,  or  making  any  reserve  ; 
 or,  in  one  word,  in  the  great  duty  of  self-denial  for 
 Christ ;  or  in  denying,  that  is,  as  it  were,  disowning 
 and  renouncing  ourselves  for  him,  making  ourselves 
 nothing  that  he  may  be  all.  Now  surely  having  a 
 heart  to  forsake  all  for  Christ,  tends  to  actually  for- 
 saking all  for  him,  as  far  as  there  is  occasion,  and  we 
 have  the  trial.  A  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  ourselves,  with  all  that  we  have,  in  our 
 hearts,  without  making  any  reserve  there,  tends  to 
 our  behaving  ourselves  universally  as  his,  as  subject 
 to  his  will,  and  devoted  to  his  ends.  Our  hearts 
 entirely  closing  with  the  religion  of  Jesus,  with  all 
 that  belongs  to  it,  and  as  attended  with  all  its  diffi- 
 culties, upon  a  deHberate  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  prac- 
 tice is  very  direct,  and  the  connection  most  naturally 
 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  Hfe  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.  God- 
 liness in  the  heart  has  a  direct  relation  to  practice,  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 
 
534 
 
 breathing,  or  the  beatmg  of  the  pulse,  or  any  other 
 vital  act ;  or  as  a  habit  or  principle  of  action  has  to 
 action ;  for  it  is  the  very  nature  and  notion  of  grace 
 that  is  a  principle  of  holy  action  or  practice.  Re- 
 generation, which  is  that  work  of  God  in  which  grace 
 is  infused,  has  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 :  "  For  we  are  his 
 workmanship,  created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good 
 works."  Yea,  it  is  the  very  end  of  the  redemption 
 of  Christ,  "  who  gave  himself  for  us,  that  he  might 
 redeem  us  from  all  iniquity,  and  purify  unto  himself 
 a  peculiar  people,  zealous  of  good  works."  "  He 
 died  for  all,  that  they  which  live  should  not  hence- 
 forth live  unto  themselves,  but  unto  him  who  died 
 for  them,  and  rose  again."  "  How  much  more  shall 
 the  blood  of  Christ,  who,  through  the  eternal  Spirit, 
 offered  himself  without  spot  to  God,  purge  your  con- 
 science from  dead  works,  to  serve  the  living  God?" 
 "  And  you,  that  were  sometime  alienated,  and  ene- 
 mies in  your  mind  by  wicked  works,  yet  now  hath 
 he  reconciled  in  the  body  of  his  flesh  through  death, 
 to  present  you  holy,  and  unblameable,  and  unreprove- 
 able  in  his  sight."  "  For  as  much  as  ye  know 
 that  ye  were  not  redeemed  with  corruptible  things, 
 as  silver  and  gold,  from  your  vain  conversation." 
 "  That  he  would  grant  unto  us,  that  we,  being  de- 
 livered out  of  the  hands  of  our  enemies,  might  serve 
 him  without  fear,  in  holiness  and  righteousness  be- 
 fore him,  all  the  days  of  our  life."  God  often  speaks 
 of  holy  practice,  as  the  end  of  that  great  typical  re- 
 
535 
 
 demption,  the  redemption  from  Egyptain  bondage; 
 as  Exod.  iv.  23.  "  Let  my  son  go,  that  he  may 
 serve  me." — So  chap.  iv.  23.  vii.  16.  viii.  1,  20.  ix. 
 1,  13.  and  x.  3.  And  this  is  also  declared  to  the 
 end  of  election :  "  Ye  have  not  chosen  me,  but  I 
 have  chosen  you,  and  ordained  you,  that  ye  should  go 
 and  bring  forth  fruit,  and  that  your  fruit  should  re- 
 main." "  According  as  he  hath  chosen  us  in  him  before 
 the  foundation  of  the  world,  that  we  should  be  holy 
 and  without  blame  before  him  in  love."  "  Created 
 unto  good  works,  wdiich  God  hath  fore-ordained  that 
 we  should  walk  in  them."  Holy  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  grow^th 
 of  his  field  or  vineyard :  as  the  matter  is  often  repre- 
 sented in  Scripture.*  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,  to  which  be- 
 longs Christian  experience,  has  a  direct  tendency.f 
 
 •  Matth.  iii.  10.  xiii.  a  23—30,  38.  xxi.  19,  33,  34.  Luke 
 xiii.  6.  John  xv.  I,  2,  4,  5,  6,  8.  1  Cor.  iii.  9.  Heb.  vi.  7,  8. 
 Isaiah  V.  1—8.  Cant.  viii.  11,  12.  Isaiah  xxvii.  2,  3.  "To 
 profess  to  know  how  much  is  easy;  but  to  bring  your  aifections 
 into  subjection,  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  serviceable  to  him,  and  useful  to 
 men.  That  which  is  within,  the  Lord  and  our  brethren  are  never 
 the  better  for  it:  but  the  outward  obedience  flowing  thence,  glo- 
 rifieth  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?" — Dr.  Preston  on 
 the  Churclis  Carriage. 
 
 f  "  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 
 
536 
 
 The  constant  and  indissoluble  connection  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  candle- 
 stick 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  chap- 
 ter of  the  Revelation.  That  golden  candlestick  in 
 the  temple  was  every  where,  throughout  its  whole 
 frame,  made  with  knops  and  flowers,  Exodus  xxv. 
 
 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  in  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  us  from  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  together  but  to  frame  and  fashion  the  soul  to  obedience ; 
 then  so  much  obedience  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  Fran- 
 cis 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  have  been  not  from  the  inward  acts  of  their  minds, 
 which,  apart  considered,  might  be  subject  to  misapprehensions, 
 but  from  the  course  of  obedience  in  their  lives,  issuing  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." — Dr.  Preston's  ChurcWi 
 Carriage. 
 
537 
 
 31.  to  the  end,  and  chap,  xxvii.  17 — 24.      The  word 
 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  ap- 
 ple or  pomegranate  with  it ;   the  flower  and  the  fruit 
 were  constantly  connected,  without  fail.      The  flower 
 contained  the  principles  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  princi- 
 ple of  fruit  in  grace  in  the  heart;   and  there  is  an 
 amiable  profession,  signified  by  the  open  flowers  of  the 
 candlestick;   and  there  is  answerable  fruit,   in  holy 
 practice,   constantly  attending  this  principle  and  pro- 
 fession.    Every  branch  of  the  golden  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  fab  and  good  profession  of  re- 
 ligion,  and  having  their  profession  evermore  joined 
 with  answerable  fruit  in  practice  :  agreeable  to  that  of 
 our  Saviour :  "  Neither  do  men  light  a  candle,  and  put 
 it  under  a  bushel,  but  on  a  candlestick,  and  it  giveth 
 light  unto  all  that  are  in  the  house.      Let  your  light 
 so  shine  before  men,   that  they  may  see  your  good 
 works,  and  glorify  your  P'ather  which  is  in  heaven." 
 A  fair  and  beautiful  profession,  and  golden  fruits  ac- 
 companying one  another,   are  the  amiable  ornaments 
 of  the  true  church  of  Christ.     Therefore  we  find  that 
 apples  and  flowers  were  not  only  the  ornaments  of  the 
 candlestick  in  the  temple,  but  of  the  temple  itselfj 
 which  is  a  type  of  the  church ;  which  the  apostle  tells 
 z3 
 
538 
 
 us,  "  is  the  temple  of  the  Hving  God."  See  1  Kmgs 
 vi.  18.  "And  the  cedar  of  the  house  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  pome- 
 granates, or  flowers  and  fruits  mixed  together,  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 : 
 "  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  skirt  of  the  ephod,  the  garment  of 
 Aaron  the  high-priest,  which  were  golden  bells  and 
 pomegranates.  That  these  skirts  of  Aaron's  gar- 
 ment represent  the  church,  or  the  saints,  (that  are, 
 as  it  were,  the  garment  of  Christ,)  is  manifest;  for 
 they  are  evidently  so  spoken  of — "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  went  down  to  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  providence  that  Christ's 
 coat  should  not  be  rent ;  so  God  took  special  care  that 
 the  ephod  should  not  be  rent.  Exod.  xxviii.  32. 
 and  xxxix.  23.  The  golden  bells  on  this  ephod,  by 
 their  precious  matter  and  pleasant  sound,  do  well  re- 
 present the  good  profession  tluit  the  saints  make ;  and 
 the  pomegranates  the  fruit  they  bring  forth.      And 
 
569 
 
 as  in  the  hem  of  the  ephod,  bells  and  pomegranates 
 were  constantly  connected,  as  is  once  and  again  ob- 
 served, there  was  a  golden  bell  and  a  pomegranate,  a 
 golden  bell  and  a  pomegranate,  Exod.  xxviii.  34.  and 
 xxxix.  26.  so  it  is  in  the  true  saints;  their  good  pro- 
 fession and  their  good  fruit,  do  constantly  accompany 
 one  another :  the  fruit  they  bring  forth  in  life  ever- 
 more answers  the  pleasant  sound  of  their  profession. 
 
 Again,  the  very  same  thing  is  represented  by 
 Christ,  in  his  description  of  his  spouse — *'  Thy  belly 
 is  like  an  heap  of  wheat  set  about  with  lilies."  Here 
 again  are  beautiful  flowers,  and  good  fruit,  accom- 
 panpng  one  another.  The  lilies  were  fair  and  beau- 
 tiful flowers,  and  the  wheat  was  good  fruit. 
 
 As  this  fruit  of  Christian  practice  is  evermore 
 found  in  true  saints,  according  as  they  have  oppor- 
 tunity 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  business  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  wont  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  whithersoever  he  goes. 
 Whatever  lengths  they  may  go  in  religion  in  some 
 instances,  and  though  they  may  appear  exceedingly 
 strict,  and  mightily  engaged  in  the  service  of  God 
 for  a  season,  yet  they  are  servants  to  sin ;  the  chains 
 
540 
 
 of  their  old  task-masters  are  not  broken ;  their  lusts 
 yet  have  a  reigning  power  in  their  hearts ;  and  there- 
 fore to  these  masters  they  will  bow  down  again.* 
 
 *  "  No  unregenerate  man,  though  he  go  ever  so  far,  let  him 
 do  ever  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  Herodias.  Every  dog  hath  his 
 kennel;  every  swine  hath  his  swill;  and  every  wicked  man  his 
 lust." — SheparcTs  Sincere  Convert,  first  edition,  p.  96. 
 
 "  There  is  never  an  unsound  heart  in  the  world,  but  as  they 
 say  of  witches,  they  have  some  familiar  that  sucks  them,  so  they 
 have  some  lust  that  is  beloved  of  them,  some  beloved  there  is 
 they  have  given  a  promise  to,  never  to  forsake." — Shepurd's  Pa- 
 rable, Part  I.  p.  15. 
 
 "  No  man  that  is  married  to  the  law,  but  his  fig-leaves  cover 
 some  nakedness.  All  his  duties  ever  brood  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  cannot  see  all  his  life-time.  Read  through  the 
 strictest  of  all,  and  see  this.  Matt,  xxiii.  Painted  sepulchres. 
 Paul,  that  was  blameless,  yet  (Eph.  ii.  3.  Titus  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  otf 
 from  every  sin.  There  is  no  law  that  can  give  life,  Gal.  iii.  21. 
 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  tiiyself:  is  there  any  living  lust 
 with  thy  righteousness?  It  is  sure,  it  is  a  righteousness  thou  art 
 married  to,  and  never  were  yet  matched  to  Christ."— /6iV/.  Part 
 I.  pp.  19,  20. 
 
 "  No  hypocrite,  though  he  closeth  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  meditates  a 
 league  between  Christ  and  his  lusts,  and  seeks  to  reconcile  them 
 together."— /6/f/.  Part  I.  p.  lOa 
 
 "  Their  faith  is  in  such  a  party,  as  never  was  yet  thoroughly 
 rent  from  sin.      And  here  is  the  great  wound  of  the  most  cunning 
 
 hypocrites  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  able 
 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 
 
541 
 
 "  Many  shall  be  purified,  and  made  white,  and  tried : 
 but  the  wicked  will  do  wickedly :  and  none  of  the 
 wicked  shall  understand."      "  Let  favour  be  showed 
 
 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." — Ibid.  Part  T.  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  to  prepare  the  ship,  to  put  themselves  upon 
 the  hazards  and  dangers  of  the  ship,  to  go  and  fetch  the  treasure 
 that  they  prize,  tliis  they  will  never  do.  So,  many  prize  and  de- 
 sire 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  Baca,  tears,  temptations,  the  powers  of  darkness,  the  breaches, 
 opposition,  and  contradictions  of  a  sitdul  unbelieving  heart,  good 
 and  evil  report,  to  pass  from  one  depth  and  wave  to  another,  this 
 and  the  best  hypocrites  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  hypocrites  and  saints. — Look,  as  it 
 is  with  men  that  have  two  trades,  or  two  shops;  one  is  as  much 
 as  ever  tliey  can  follow  or  tend :  they  are  forced  at  last  to  put  otf 
 one,  and  they  must  neglect  one:  so  here.  That  spirit  of  sloth 
 and  slumber,  which  the  Lord  ever  leaves  the  best  hypocrite  to, 
 so  mightily  oppresseth  all  their  senses,  that  they  cannot  use 
 effectually  all  means  to  accomplish  their  ends.  And  henc-e  a  man 
 desires  the  end,  but  has  it  not :  Prov.  xiii.  4." — Ibid.  Part  I.  pp. 
 150,  151. 
 
 "  Read  through  all  the  Scripture ;  constantly,  never  any  hypo- 
 crites but  they  had  this  brand.  Matt.  vii.  23.  '  You  workers  of 
 iniquity.'" — Ibid.  Part  I.  p.  105. 
 
 "  A  carnal  man  may  hit  upon  some  good  duty  that  God  com- 
 mands, and  refrain  from  some  sin  that  God  forbids  ;  but  to  go 
 through  he  cannot:  to  take  up  reproach  and  disgrace,  to  lose  his 
 credit,  to  forsake  his  friends,  to  lose  honour  and  riches,  and  plea- 
 sures ;  this  he  will  not  do,  until  he  be  humbled." — Br.  Presion  on 
 PauCs  Conversion. 
 
 "  So  it  is  with  men,  because  they  want  humiliation.  There- 
 fore  their  profession  and  they  do  not  contiime,  but  part  willingly 
 one  from  another. — They  will  do  some  things,  but  not  all  things: 
 and  they  will  forego  some  things,  but  not  all  things.  And  there- 
 fore our  Saviour  saith,  Luke  xiv.  '  He  that  will  not  forsake  all 
 for  my  sake,  is  not  worthy  of  me.'  He  is  not  worth  the  saving, 
 that  prizes  not  me  above  all  things  whatsoever.  And  a  man  will 
 not  prize  Christ,  nor  forsake  all  things  for  Christ,  until  he  be 
 humbled." — Ibid. 
 
542 
 
 to  the  wicked,  yet  will  he  not  learn  righteousness ; 
 in  the  land  of  uprightness  will  he  deal  unjustly." 
 ''  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."  ''  The  ways  of  the  Lord  are  right, 
 and  the  just  shall  walk  in  them ;  but  the  transgressors 
 shall  fall  therein."  ''  What  is  the  hope  of  the  hy- 
 pocrite ?  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."  Herein  chiefly  consists  the  straitness  of 
 the  gate,  and  the  narrowness  of  the  way  that  leads  to 
 life ;  upon  the  account  of  which  carnal  men  will  not 
 go  in  thereat ;  namely,  that  it  is  a  way  of  utterly  deny- 
 ing, 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 
 
543 
 
 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  :  "  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  thunderings  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  humiliation,  and  to  appearance  to  part  with  their 
 sins ;  but  are  no  more  thoroughly  brought  to  a  dis- 
 position 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  con- 
 triving that  God  might  be  served,  and  he  enjoy  his 
 lusts  that  were  gratified  by  the  slavery  of  the  people, 
 too.      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,"  says  he,  "  sacrifice 
 to  your  God  in  the  land."     So,  many  sinners  are  for 
 contriving  to  serve  God,  and  enjoy  their  lusts  too. — 
 Moses   objected  against   complying  with   Pharaoh's 
 proposal,  that  serving   God,  and  yet  continuing  in 
 Egypt  under  their  task-masters,  did  not  agree  toge- 
 ther, and  were  inconsistent  one  with  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 
 
544 
 
 part  with  them  finally,  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.  Exodus  x.  8 — 10.  And  then  after 
 that,  when  God's  hand  was  yet  harder  upon  him,  he 
 consented  that  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  indulgences  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  all  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  a  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  cove- 
 tousness,  that  were  gratified  by  Pharaoh's  dominion 
 over  the  people,  and  the  gains  of  their  service,  were 
 never  really  mortified  in  him,  but  only  violently  re- 
 strained. And  thus,  he  being  guilty  of  backsliding, 
 after  his  seeming  compliance  with  God's  commands, 
 was  destroyed  without  remedy.  Thus  there  may  be 
 a  forced  parting  with  ways  of  disobedience  to  the 
 
545 
 
 commands  of  God,  that  may  seem  to  be  universal,  as 
 to  what  appears  for  a  Httle  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 
 return  as  the  dog  to  his  vomit,  and  so  bring  on  them- 
 selves dreadful  and  remediless  destruction.  There 
 were  many  false  disciples  in  Christ's  time,  that  fol- 
 lowed him  for  a  while ;  but  none  of  them  followed  him 
 to  the  end;  but  some  on  one  occasion,  and  some  on 
 another,  went  back  and  walked  no  more  with  him.* 
 
 *  "  The  counterfeit  and  common  grace  of  foolish  virgins,  after 
 some  time  of  glorious  perfection,  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",  after  some  time  of  profession;  for,  at  first,  it 
 rather  grows  than  decays  and  withers ;  but  afterward  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  them  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." — SheparcTs 
 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 
 ministry,  word,  God,  and  gospel  is  this!  and  there  rests.  This 
 was  the  frame  of  the  stony  ground;  which  heard  the  word,  and 
 received  it  with  joy,  and  for  a  time  believed.  And  this  is  the 
 case  of  thousands,  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  tempta- 
 tion, lust,  and  world,  and  sloth,  is  more  sweet  than  Christ  and 
 all  his  gospel  is." — Ibid.  Part  II.  p.  1G8. 
 
 "  We  shall  see  in  experience:  take  the  best  professors  living; 
 though  thay  may  come,  as  they  and  others  judged,  to  the  Lord, 
 
546 
 
 From  what  has  been  said,  it  is  manifest,  that 
 Christian  practice,  or  a  holy  life,  is  a  great  and  dis- 
 tinguishing sign  of  true  and  saving  grace.  But  I 
 may  go  further,  and  assert,  that  it  is  the  chief  of  all 
 the  signs  of  grace,  both  as  an  evidence  of  the  sin- 
 cerity of  professors  unto  others,  and  also  to  their  own 
 consciences. 
 
 But  then  it  is  necessary  that  this  be  rightly  taken, 
 and  that  it  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  distinctly 
 to  prove,  that  Christian  practice  is  the  principal  sign 
 by  which  Christians  are  to  judge,  both  of  their  own 
 and  others'  sincerity  of  godliness;  withal  observing 
 some  things  that  are  needful  to  be  particularly  noted, 
 in  order  to  a  right  understanding  of  this  matter. 
 
 I.  I  shall  consider  Christian  practice  and  a  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 
 o£  others,  has  repeated  it,  and  inculcated  it,  that  we 
 should  know  them  by  their  fruits:  Matt.  vii.  16. 
 And  then,  after  arguing  the  point,  and  giving  clear 
 reasons  why  it  must  needs  be,  that  men's  fruits  must 
 
 and  follow  the  Lord,  yet  they  will  in  time  depart — The  Spirit 
 never  was  given  etfectually  to  draw  them,  nor  yet  to  keep  them." 
 ^Ibid.  Part  I.  p.  205. 
 
 "Never  any  carnal  heart,  but  some  root  of  bitterness  did  grow 
 up  at  last  in  this  soW-^Ibid.  I'art  I.  p.  195. 
 
547 
 
 be  the  chief  evidence  of  what  sort  they  are,  in  the 
 following  verses  he  closes,  by  repeating  the  assertion, 
 ver.  20.  "  Wherefore  by  their  fruits  ye  shall  know 
 them."  Again,  xii.  33.  "  Either  make  the  tree 
 good,  and  his  fruit  good;  or  else  make  the  tree  cor- 
 rupt, 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.  No- 
 thing 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  w^hich 
 one  tree  is  distinguished  from  another.  "  Every  tree 
 is  known  by  his  own  fruit."  Christ  nowhere  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  feelingly,  or  by  making  a  very 
 great  show  by  abundance  of  talk,  or  by  many  tears 
 and  affectionate  expressions,  or  by  the  affections  ye 
 feel  in  your  hearts  towards  them;  but  by  then-  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  them,  so  it  is  the 
 evidence  that  Christ  has  mainly  directed  us  to  give 
 to  others,  whereby  they  may  judge  of  us  :  "  Let  your 
 light  so  shine  before  men,  that  others  seeing  your 
 good  works,  may  glorify  your  Father  which  is  in 
 
548 
 
 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  would  shine  out 
 before  men,  that  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  pathetical  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  oar  light  shine, 
 that  others  may  have  evidence  of  it,  his  rule  is  the 
 best  that  is  to  be  found.  And  the  apostles  do  men- 
 tion a  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  hea- 
 venly 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  barren  ground,  that  is  nigh  unto 
 cursing,  whose  end  is  to  be  burned;"  and  then  im- 
 mediately adds  in  the  9th  verse,  (expressing  his 
 charity  for  the  Christian  Hebrews,  as  having  that 
 saving  grace,  which  is  better  than  all  these  common 
 illuminations,)  "  But,  beloved,  we  are  persuaded  bet- 
 ter things  of  you,  and  things  that  accompany  salva- 
 tion, 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 
 
549 
 
 a  work  of  God  upon  their  souls,  and  talked  very  ex- 
 perimentally ;  but  it  was  their  work,  and  labour  of 
 love :  "  For  God  is  not  unrighteous,  to  forget  your 
 work  and  labour  of  love,  which  ye  have  showed  to- 
 wards his  name,  in  that  ye  have  ministered  to  the 
 saints,  and  do  minister."  And  the  same  apostle 
 speaks  of  a  faithful  serving  God  in  practice,  as  the 
 proper  proof  to  others  of  men's  loving  Christ  above 
 all,  and  preferring  his  honour  to  their  private  in- 
 terest :  "  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  expresses 
 the  same,  as  the  ground  of  his  good  opinion  of  Gains : 
 "  For  I  rejoiced  greatly  when  the  brethren  came  and 
 testified  of  the  truth  that  is  in  thee."  But  how  did 
 the  brethren  testify  of  the  truth  that  was  in  Gains? 
 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  expe- 
 riences, and  talked  like  one  that  felt  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 
 l)orne  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  Gains  how  he 
 should  judge  of  others.      In  verse  10.  he  mentions 
 
550 
 
 one  Diotrephes,  that  did  not  carry  himself  well,  and 
 led  away  others  after  him ;  and  then,  in  the  1 1th  verse, 
 he  directs  Gains  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  practice  or  works,  with 
 other  ways  of  showing  our  faith  without  works,  or 
 not  by  works,  does  plainly  and  abundantly  prefer  the 
 former :  "  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 
 divers  from  works,  is  a  manifestation  of  it  in  words, 
 whereby  a  man  professes  faith.  As  the  apostle  says : 
 ''  What  doth  it  profit,  my  brethren,  though  a  man 
 say  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  abundantly  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  see ;  it  is  but  showing  our  faith  by  our 
 words,  which  the  apostle  speaks  of  as  falling  vastly 
 
5.51 
 
 short  of  manifesting  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  teaches  the  same  thing.  Rea- 
 son shows,  that  men's  deeds  are  better  and  more 
 faithful  interpreters  of  their  minds,  than  their  words. 
 The  common  sense  of  all  mankind,  through  all  ages 
 and  nations,  teaches  them  to  judge  of  men's  hearts 
 chiefly  by  their  practice,  in  other  matters :  as,  whe- 
 ther a  man  be  a  loyal  subject,  a  true  lover,  a  dutiful 
 child,  or  a  faithful  servant.  If  a  man  professes  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  con- 
 stant 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  friend- 
 ship, farther  than  a  thousand  earnest  professions  and 
 solemn  declarations,  and  most  affectionate  expressions 
 of  friendship  in  words.  And  there  is  equal  reason, 
 why  practice  should  also  be  looked  upon  as  the  best 
 evidence  of  friendship  towards  Christ.  Reason  says 
 the  same  that  Christ  said :  "  He  that  hath  my  com- 
 mandments, 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  exert  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 
 
55'2 
 
 says  he  has  love  to  Christ,  and  tells  of  the  inward 
 experiences  he  has  had  of  love  to  him,  vi^hat  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  Httle  imitation  of  Christ  in  his  behaviour,  and  he 
 seems  backward  to  do  any  great  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  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  professing  Christian,  that  says 
 not  a  great  deal,  yet  in  his  behaviour  appears  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  manifestations  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,  appear- 
 ing 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 
 
553 
 
 emptied  of  himself,  and  see  himself  nothing,  and  all 
 over  filthy  and  ahominable,  &c.  but  yet  acts  as  if 
 he  looked  upon  himself  as  one  of  the  first  and  best 
 of  saints,  and  by  just  right  the  head  of  all  the  Chris- 
 tians in  the  town,  and  is  assuming,  self-willed,  and 
 impatient  of  the  least  contradiction  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  pro- 
 fession. So,  (to  mention  no  more  instances,)  if  a 
 professor  of  Christianity  manifests  in  his  behaviour  a 
 pitiful  tender  spirit  towards  others  in  calamity,  ready 
 to  bear  their  burdens  mth  them,  willing  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  mani- 
 festation of  a  spirit  of  love  to  men,  than  only  a  man's 
 tellino;  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  hearty  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  en- 
 vious 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  w^ords  than  in 
 actions.  Christian  practice  is  a  costly  laborious  thing. 
 The  self-denial  that  is  required  of  Christians,  and  the 
 2  A  20 
 
554 
 
 narrowness  of  the  way  that  leads  to  hfe,  does  not 
 coiisist  in  words,  but  m  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  of  a  manifestation  of  the  true  godliness  of  a  pro- 
 fessing Christian  to  the  eye  of  his  neighbours. 
 
 But  then  the  following  things  should  be  well  ob- 
 served, that  this  matter  may  be  rightly  understood. 
 
 1.  It  must  be  observed,  that  when  the  Scripture 
 speaks  of  Christian  practice,  as  the  best  evidence  to 
 others,  of  sincerity  and  truth  of  grace,  a  profession 
 of  Christianity  is  not  excluded,  but  supposed.      The 
 rules  mentioned,  were  rules  given  to  the  followers  of 
 Christ,  to  guide  them  in  their  thoughts  of  professing 
 Christians,  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  pro- 
 fession they  made;  and  not  for  the  trial  of  heathens, 
 or  those  that  made  no  pretence  to  Christianity,  and 
 with  which  Christians  -had  nothing  to  do.      This  is 
 as  plain  as  is  possible  in  that  great  rule  which  Christ 
 gives  in  the  7th  chapter  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  came  in  sheep's  clothing."      So  it  is  also  with 
 that  of  the  apostle  James :     "  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  up  these  diverse  evidences 
 of  their  faith,  are  professors  of  faith :  this  is  implied 
 in  their  offering  each  of  them  to  give  evidences  of 
 
555 
 
 tlie  faith  they  professed.      And  it  is  evident  by  the 
 preceding  verses,  that  the  apostle  is  speaking  of  pro- 
 fessors of  the  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 
 greatest  and  most  distinguishing  sign  of  their  sincerity 
 in  their  profession,  much  more  evidential  than  their 
 profession  itself;  yet  a  profession  of  Christianity  is 
 plainly  presupposed :  it  is  not  the  main  thing  in  the 
 evidence,  nor  any  thing  distinguishing  iji  it ;  yet  it 
 is  a  thing  requisite   and  necessary  in  it.      As  the 
 having  an  animal  body,  is  not  any  thing  distinguish- 
 ing of  a  man  from  other  creatures,  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  not  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  prac- 
 tice and  virtues  be  what  they  will.      And  not  only 
 do  these  rules  take  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  pro- 
 fession of  Christianity ;  because  these  rules  were  given 
 us  only  to  judge  of  professing  Christians ;  fruits  must 
 be  joined  with  open  flowers ;  bells  and  pomegranates 
 go  together. 
 
 But  heur  will  naturally  arise  this  inquiry,  namely, 
 When  a  man  may  be  said  to  profess  Christianity,  or 
 2a2 
 
556 
 
 what  profession  may  properly  be  called  a  profession 
 of  Christianity  ? 
 
 I  answer  in  two  things. 
 
 (1.)  In  order  to  a  man's  being  properly  said  to 
 make  a  profession  of  Christianity,  there  must  undoubt- 
 edly be  a  profession  of  all  that  is  necessary  to  his  be- 
 ing a  Christian,  or  of  so  much  as  belongs  to  the  es- 
 sence of  Christianity. — Whatsoever  is  essential  in 
 Christianity  itself,  the  profession  of  that  is  essential 
 in  the  profession  of  Christianity.  The  profession 
 must  be  of  the  thing  professed.  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  essential  to 
 it,  what  w^e  take  is  not  Christianity :  because  some- 
 thing 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  ex- 
 pressly or  implicitly,  that  Jesus  satisfied  for  our  sins, 
 and  other  essential  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  because  a^ 
 belief  of  these  things  also  is  essential  to  Christianity. 
 But  there  are  other  things  as  essential  to  religion  as 
 an  orthodox  belief;  which  it  is  therefore  as  necessary 
 that  we  should  profess,  in  order  to  our  being  truly 
 said  to  profess  Chiistianity, — Thus  it  is  essential  to 
 
557 
 
 Christianity  that  we  repent  of  our  sins,  that  we  be 
 convinced  of  our  own  sinfuhiess,  and  that  we  are  sen- 
 sible we  have  justly  exposed  ourselves  to  God's  wrath, 
 and  that  our  hearts  do  renounce  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  will- 
 ing for  his  sake  to  forsake  all,  and  that  we  do  give 
 up  ourselves  to  be  entirely  and  for  ever  his,  &c.  Such 
 things  as  these  do  as  much  belong  to  the  essence  of 
 Christianity,  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  exphcit  profession 
 of  every  individual  thing  that  belongs  to  Christian 
 grace  or  virtue  :  but  certainly  there  must  be  a  profes- 
 sion, either  express  or  implicit,  of  what  is  of  the  es- 
 sence of  religion.  And  as  to  those  things  that  Chris- 
 tians should  express  in  their  profession,  we  ought  to 
 be  guided  by  the  precepts  of  God's  words,  or  by  the 
 Scripture  examples  of  public  professions  of  religion 
 God's  people  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  humilia- 
 tion for  sin.  And  the  baptism  they  were  baptized 
 with,  was  called  "  the  baptism  of  repentance."  And 
 John,  when  he  had  baptized  them,  exhorted  them  to 
 "  bring  forth  fruits  meet  for  repentance,"  that  is, 
 agreeable  to  that  repentance  which  they  had  professed; 
 encouraging  them,  that  if  they  do  so,  they  should 
 escape  the  wrath  to  come,  and  be  gathered  as  wheat 
 into  God's  garner.      So  the  apostle  Peter  says  to  the 
 
558 
 
 Jews,  "  Repent,  and  be  baptized;"  which  shows,  that 
 repentance  is  a  quahfication  that  must  be  visible  in 
 order  to  baptism ;  and  therefore  ought  to  be  publicly 
 professed. — So  when  the  Jews  that  returned  from 
 captivity,  entered  publicly  into  covenant,  it  was  with 
 confession,  or  public  confession  of  repentance  of  their 
 sins.  This  profession  of  repentance  should  include 
 or  imply  a  profession  of  conviction,  that  God  would 
 be  just  in  our  damnation ;  see  Neh,  ix.  33.  together 
 with  ver.  35.  and  the  beginning  of  the  next  chapter. 
 They  should  profess  their  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  and 
 that  they  embrace  Christ,  and  rely  upon  him  as  their 
 Saviour,  with  their  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  out-pouring  of  the  Spirit,  which  began  at  the 
 day  of  Pentecost,  appeared  gladly  to  receive  the  gos- 
 pel :  "  Then  they  that  gladly  received  the  word  were 
 baptized;  and  the  same  day  there  were  added  unto  them 
 about  three  thousand  souls."  They  should  profess 
 that  they  rely  on  Christ's  rightousness  and  strength 
 only,  and  that  they  are  devoted  to  him,  as  their  only 
 Lord  and  Saviour,  and  that  they  rejoice  in  him  as 
 their  only  righteousness  and  portion.  It  is  foretold, 
 that  all  nations  shall  be  brought  publicly  to  make  this 
 profession  :  "  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 
 
559 
 
 I  ricrhteousness  and  strencpth  :  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  should  profess  to 
 give  up  themselves  entirely  to  Christ,  and  to  God 
 through  him;  as  the  children  of  Israel,  when  they 
 publicly  recognized  their  covenant  with  God :  "  Thou 
 hast  avouched  the  Lord  this  day  to  be  thy  God,  and 
 to  walk  in  his  ways,  and  to  keep  his  commandments, 
 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.* 
 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.f  God's  people  swearing  to  God, 
 and  swearing  by  his  name,  or  to  his  name,  as  it  might 
 be  rendered,  (by  which  seems  to  be  signified  their 
 solemnly  giving  up  themselves  to  him  in  covenant,  and 
 vowing  to  receive  him  as  their  God,  and  to  be  en- 
 tirely his,  to  obey  and  serve  him,)  is  spoken  of  as  a 
 duty  to  be  performed  by  all  God's  visible  Israel.^ 
 Therefore,  in  order  to  persons  being  entitled  to  ^uU 
 esteem  and  charity  with  their  neighbours,  as  being 
 sincere  professors  of  Christianity,  by  those  foremen- 
 tioned  rules  of  Christ  and  his  apostles,  there  must  be 
 a  visibly  holy  life,  with  a  profession,  either  express- 
 ing, or  plainly  implying  such  things  as  those  which 
 
 •  Exod.  xix.  8.  xxiv.  3,  7.  Deut.  xxvi.  16—18.  2  Kings 
 xxiii.  3.     Neh.  x.  28,  29.     Psal.  cxLx.  51,  106. 
 
 t  2  Chron.  xv.  12—14^ 
 
 \  Deut.  vi.  13.  X.  20.  Psal.  Ixiii.  11.  Isa.  xix.  18.  xlv.  23,24. 
 compared  with  Rom.  xiv.  11.  and  Phil.  ii.  10,  1 1.  Isa.  xlviii.  1,  2. 
 Ixv.  15, 16.  Jer.  iv.  2.  and  v.  7.  xii.  16.  Hosea  iv.  15.  andx.  4. 
 
560 
 
 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  profess  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. 
 
 (2.)  That  profession  of  these  things,  which  is  pro- 
 perly 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  profession.  For  sounds 
 are  no  significations  or  declarations  of  any  thing,  any 
 further  than  men  understand  the  meanincp  of  their 
 
 o 
 
 own  sounds. 
 
 But  in  order  to  persons  making  a  proper  profes- 
 sion of  Christianity,  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,  by  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  apos- 
 tles, or  primitive  ministers  and  Christians,  requiring 
 any  such  relation,  in  order  to  their  receiving  and 
 treating  others,  as  their  Christian  brethren,  to  all  in- 
 tents and  purposes,  or  of  their  first  examining  them 
 concerning  the  particular  method  and  order  of  their 
 experiences.      They  require  of  them  a  profession  of 
 
561 
 
 the  things  wrought ;  but  no  account  of  the  manner 
 of  workmg  was  required  of  them.  Nor  is  there  the 
 least  shadow  in  the  Scripture  of  any  such  custom  in 
 the  church  of  God,  from  Adam  to  the  death  of  the 
 apostle  John. 
 
 1  am  far  from  saying,  that  it  is  not  requisite  that 
 persons  should  give  any  sort  of  account  of  their  ex- 
 periences to  their  brethren.  For  persons  to  profess 
 those  things  wherein  the  essence  of  Christianity  lies, 
 is  the  same  thing  as  to  profess  that  they  experience 
 those  things.  Thus,  for  persons  solemnly  to  profess, 
 that,  in  a  sense  and  full  conviction  of  their  own  utter 
 sinfulness,  misery,  and  impotence,  and  totally  undone 
 state  in  themselves,  and  their  just  desert  of  God's  ut- 
 ter rejection  and  eternal  wrath,  without  mercy,  and 
 the  utter  insufficiency  of  their  own  righteousness,  or 
 any  thing  in  them,  to  satisfy  divine  justice,  or  re- 
 commend them  to  God's  favour,  they  do  only  and 
 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  and  sense  of  his  suffi- 
 ciency and  perfect  excellency  as  a  Saviour,  as  ex- 
 hibited in  the  gospel,  they  do  with  their  whole  souls 
 cleave  to  him,  and  acquiesce  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, 
 wilhngly  subjecting  themselves  to  him  as  their  King ; 
 that  they  give  him  their  hearts,  and  their  v\rhole  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  and  eternal  enjoyment  of 
 2  A  3 
 
562 
 
 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  who  have  injured  them,  and 
 a  general  benevolence  to  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  fellowship  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  profess  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  ad- 
 vantage to  others  in  forming  a  judgment  of  their 
 state ;  or  that  persons  may  not  fitly  be  inquired  of 
 concerning  these  in  some  cases,  especially  cases  of 
 great  importance,  where  all  possible  satisfaction  con- 
 cerning persons'  piety  is  especially  to  be  desired  and 
 sought  after,  as  in  the  case  of  ordination  or  appro- 
 bation of  a  minister.  It  may  give  advantage  in 
 forming  a  judgment,  in  several  respects  ;  and  among 
 others,  in  this,  that  hereby  we  may  be  better  satisfied, 
 that  the  professor  speaks  honestly  and  understand- 
 ingly,  in  what  he  professes;  and  that  he  does  not 
 make  the  profession  in  mere  formaHty.      In  order  to 
 
563 
 
 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  customary  comphance  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  con- 
 scious of  in  his  own  heart ;  otherwise  the  profession 
 can  be  of  no  significance,  and  no  more  to  be  regarded 
 than  the  sound  of  things  without  life.  But  indeed, 
 (whatever  advantage  an  account  of  particular  exer- 
 cises may  give  in  judging  of  this,)  it  must  be  owi>2d, 
 that  the  professor  having  been  previously  thoroughly 
 instructed  by  his  teachers,  and  giving  good  proof  of 
 his  sufficient  knowledge,  together  with  a  practice 
 agreeable  to  his  profession,  is  the  best  evidence  of 
 this. 
 
 Nor  do  I  suppose,  but  that,  if  a  person  that  is  in- 
 quired of  about  particular  passages,  times,  and  cir- 
 cumstances, of  his  Christian  experience,  among  other 
 things,  seems  to  be  able  to  give  a  distinct  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  circumstance,  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  cUd  sen- 
 
564 
 
 sibly  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  neigh- 
 bours of  their  Christianity,  that  are  vastly  more  im- 
 portant and  essential. 
 
 2.  That  we  may  rightly  understand  how  Christian 
 practice  is  the  greatest  evidence  that  others  can  have 
 of  the  sincerity  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  visible  to  others. 
 Merely  that  a  professor  of  Christianity  is  what  is 
 commonly  called  an  honest  man,  and  a  moral  man, 
 (that  is,  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 
 shown  towards  Christ's  name,"  which  gave  the  apostle 
 such  persuasion  of  the  sincerity  of  the  professing 
 Hebrews.  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  inconsis- 
 tent with  his  being  godly,  and  yet  neither  may  there 
 be  any  great  positive  evidence  that  he  is  so.  But 
 there  may  be  great  positive  appearances  of  holiness 
 in  men's  visible  behaviour :  their  life  may  appear  to 
 be  a  life  of  the  service  of  God ;  they  may  appear  to 
 follow  the  example  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  come  up  in 
 a  great  measure  to  those  excellent  rules  in  the  fifth, 
 sixth,  and  seventh  chapters  of  Matthew,  and  twelfth 
 
565 
 
 of  Romans,  and  many  other  parts  of  the  New  Testa- 
 ment ;  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  performance  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 
 forgiveness,  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  men's  souls  and  bodies, 
 to  particular  persons,  and  to  the  pubhc ;  rules  of  tem- 
 perance and  mortification,  and  of  an  humble  conver- 
 sation; rules  of  bridling  the  tongue,  and  improving  it 
 to  glorify  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 
 business  and  in  conversation,  towards  friends  and  ene- 
 mies, towards  superiors,  inferiors,  and  equals.  Per- 
 sons, in  their  visible  walk,  may  appear  to  be  very 
 earnestly  engaged  in  the  service  of  God  and  mankind, 
 much  to  labour  and  lay  out  themselves  in  this  work 
 of  a  Christian,  and  to  be  very  constant  and  steadfast 
 in  it,  under  all  circumstances  and  temptations.  There 
 may  be  great  manifestations  of  a  spirit  to  deny  them- 
 selves, 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  dis- 
 position to  forsake  any  thing  rather  than  to  forsake 
 Christ,  and  to  make  every  thing  give  place  to  his 
 honour.      There  m  aybe  great  manifestations,  in  a 
 
566 
 
 man's  behaviour,  of  such  rehgion  as  this  being  his 
 diement,  and  of  his  placing  the  dehght  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  exhibit  of  their  sincerity, 
 in  their  life  and  practice ;  as  there  is  a  variety  in  the 
 fairness  and  clearness  of  accounts  persons  give  of  the 
 manner  and  method  of  their  experiences :  but,  un- 
 doubtedly, such  a  manifestation  as  has  been  described, 
 of  a  Christian  spirit  in  practice,  is  vastly  beyond  the 
 fairest  and  brightest  story  of  particular  steps  and  pas- 
 sages of  experience  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, 
 
 3.  It  must  be  noted,  agreeably  to  what  was  for- 
 merly observed,  that  no  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  as 
 great  satisfaction  concerning  them,  as  ever  is  needful 
 to  guide  them  in  their  conduct,  or  for  any  intent  and 
 purpose  that  needs  to  be  answered  in  this  world. 
 
567 
 
 But  nothing  that  appears  to  them  in  their  neighbour, 
 can  be  sufficient  to  beget  an  absolute  certainty  con- 
 cerning 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, 
 undoubtedly,  if  others  could  see  so  much  of  what  be- 
 longs to  men's  practice,  as  their  own  consciences  may 
 see  of  it,  it  might  be  an  infallible  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, 
 
 II.  To  observe,  that  the  Scripture  also  speaks  of 
 Christian  practice  as  a  distinguishing  and  sure  evi- 
 dence of  grace  of  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  godliness :  "  My  little  children,  let  us  not 
 love  in  word,^  neither  in  tongue ;  but  in  deed,  and  in 
 truth.  And  hereby  we  know  that  we  are  of  the  truth, 
 and  shall  assure  our  hearts  before  him."  And  the 
 apostle  Paul  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 :  "  But,  beloved,  we  are  per- 
 suaded better  things  of  you,  and  things  that  accom- 
 
568 
 
 pany  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  ministered  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 :  "  Let  every 
 man  prove  his  own  work,  so  shall  he  have  rejoicing 
 in  himself,  and  not  in  another."  And  the  Psalmist 
 says,  "  Then  shall  I  not  be  ashamed,  when  I  have 
 respect  unto  all  thy  commandments :"  that  is,  then  I 
 shall  be  bold,  and  assured,  and  steadfast  in  my  hope. 
 And  in  that  of  our  Saviour — "  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,  first,  as  a 
 rule  by  which  we  should  judge  of  otliers,  yet,  in  the 
 words  that  next  follow,  he  plainly  shows,  that  he  in- 
 tends it  also  as  a  rule  by  which  we  should  judge  our- 
 selves :  "  Not  every  one  who  saith  unto  me.  Lord, 
 Lord,  shall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven;  but 
 he  that  doeth  the  will  of  my  Father  which  is  in  hea- 
 ven. Many  will  say  unto  me  in  that  day.  Lord, 
 Lord,  &c.  And  then  will  I  profess  unto  them,  I 
 never  knew  you :  depart  from  me,  ye  that  work  ini- 
 quity. Therefore,  whosoever  heareth  these  sayings 
 of  mine,  and  doeth  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  doeth 
 them  not,  shall  be  likened  unto  a  foolish  man,  which 
 built  his  house  upon  the  sand."      I  shall  have  occa- 
 
569 
 
 sion  to  mention  other  texts,  that  show  the  same  thing, 
 hereafter. 
 
 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  evi- 
 dences that  men  can  have  of  their  own  sincere  godli- 
 ness. 
 
 ].  I  would  show  how  Christian  practice,  or  keep- 
 ing 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  cannot  rea- 
 sonably suppose,  that  when  the  Scripture,  in  this 
 case,  speaks  of  good  works,  good  fruit,  and  keeping 
 Christ's  commandments,  that  it  has  respect  merely 
 to  what  is  external,  or  the  motion  and  action  of  the 
 body,  without  including  any  thing  else;  having  no  re- 
 spect to  any  aim  or  intention  of  the  agent,  or  any  act 
 of  his  understanding  or  will.  For,  consider  men's 
 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  men,  or  any 
 human  actions  at  all.  The  actions  of  the  body, 
 taken  thus,  are  neither  acts  of  obedience  nor  disobe- 
 dience, 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  prac- 
 tice of  the  soul.      Not  that  I  suppose,  that  when  the 
 
570 
 
 Scripture  speaks,  in  this  case,  of  gracious  works,  and 
 fruit,  and  practice,  that  in  these  expressions  is  in- 
 cluded all  inward  piety  and  holiness  of  heart,  both 
 principle  and  exercise,  both  spirit  and  practice :  be- 
 cause 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 
 estate.  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  exertion  of  the 
 mind,  and  act  of  grace,  which  issues  and  terminates 
 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  exercise  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  out- 
 wardly, 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  other  exercises  of 
 grace  do)  more  remotely.  2.  There  is  another  kind 
 of  acts  of  grace,  that  are  more  strictly  cbUq^l  j)racticaly 
 or  effective  exercises,  because  they  immediately  re- 
 
571 
 
 spect  something  to  be  done.  They  are  the  exertions 
 of  grace  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  perse- 
 cution in  the  way  of  his  duty,  immediately  from  the 
 exercise  of  a  supreme  love  to  Christ.  Here  is  the 
 exertion  of  grace  producing  its  effect  in  outward  ac- 
 tions. 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  exer- 
 cises 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  prac- 
 tice but  this :  the  motions  of  the  body  follow  from 
 the  laws  of  union  between  the  soul  and  body,  which 
 God,  and  not  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  sot#s  good  work.  The  deter- 
 minations of  the  will  are  indeed  our  very  actions,  so 
 far  as  they  are  properly  ours,  as  Dr.  Doddridge  ob- 
 serves.* In  this  practice  of  the  soul  is  included  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  justice  or  distributing  alms  by  clock-work, 
 as  any  acts  of  obedience  to  Christ  in  that  statue,  but 
 neither  would  any  body  call  the  voluntary  actions  of 
 a  man,  externally  and  materially  agreeable  to  a  com- 
 
 •  Scripture  Doctrine  of  Salvation,  Sermon  I.  p.  11. 
 
572 
 
 mand  of  Christ,  by  the  name  of  obedience  to  Christ, 
 if  he  had  never  heard  of  Christ,  or  any  of  his  com- 
 mands, or  had  no  thought  of  his  commands  in  what 
 he  did.  If  the  acts  of  obedience  and  good  fruits, 
 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  de- 
 gree. And  all  true  saints  live  a  life  of  such  acts  of 
 grace  as  these;  as  they  all  live  a  life  of  gracious 
 works,  of  which  these  operative  exertions  of  grace 
 are  the  life  and  soul.  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  practiotfof  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  prin- 
 ciple 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  of  our  true  Christi- 
 anity to  others,  then  is  meant  that  in  our  practice 
 which  is  visible  to  them,  even  our  outward  actions ; 
 
573 
 
 but  when  practice  is  given  as  a  sure  evidence  of  our 
 real  Christianity  to  our  own  consciences,  then  is 
 meant  that  in  our  practice  which  is  visible  to  our  own 
 consciences;  which  is  not  only  the  motion  of  our 
 bodies,  but  the  exertion  and  exercise  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  is  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  conclusion  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  re- 
 spec^,  not  only  to  the  outward  behaviour,  but  to  the 
 inward  exercise  of  the  mind  in  that  behaviour :  as  is 
 evident,  by  observing  what  those  preceding  sayings 
 of  his  are  that  he  refers  to,  when  he  speaks  of  our 
 doing  or  practising  them ;  and  we  shall  find  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  right- 
 eousness— 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,  &c. — 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.  21.  "  He  that  hath  my  commandments,  and 
 keepeth  them,  he  it  is  that  loveth  me,"  hehas|evidently 
 
574 
 
 a  special  respect  to  that  command  several  times  re- 
 peated in  the  same  discourse,  (which  he  calls,  by  way 
 of  eminence,  his  commandment,)  that  they  should  love 
 one  another,  as  he  had  loved  them ;  see  John  xiii. 
 34,  35.  and  xv.  10,  12,  13,  14.  But  this  command 
 respects  chiefly  an  exercise  of  the  mind  or  heart, 
 though  exerted  in  practice.  So  when  the  apostle 
 John  says,  I.John  ii.  3.  "  Hereby  we  do  know  that 
 we  know  him,  if  we  keep  his  commandments,"  he  has 
 plainly  a  principal  respect  to  the  same  command,  as 
 appears  by  what  follows,  verses  T — 11.  and  2  John 
 5,  6. ;  and  when  we  are  told,  in  Scripture,  that  men 
 shall  at  the  last  day  be  judged  according  to  their 
 works,  and  all  shall  receive  according  to  the  things 
 done  in  the  body,  it  is  not  to  be  understood  only  of 
 outward  acts ;  for  if  so,  why  is  God  so  often  spoken 
 of  as  searching  the  hearts  and  trying  the  reins,  that 
 he  may  render  to  every  one  according  to  his  works? 
 "  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."  "  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,  by  his  wai/s,  and  the  Jruit 
 of  his  doings,  is  meant  only  the  actions  of  his  body, 
 what  need  of  searchino;  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  fa- 
 vour, as  including,  not  only  his  outward  actions,  but 
 what  was  in  his  heart — "  Remember  now,  O  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 
 
575 
 
 the  Scripture  gives  us,  what  is  inward  is  of  greatest 
 importance,  yet  what  is  outward  is  included  and  in- 
 tended, as  connected  with  the  practical  exertion  of 
 grace  in  the  will,  directing  and  commanding  the  ac- 
 tions of  the  body.  And  hereby  are  effectually  cut 
 off  all  pretensions  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  act  of  the 
 vrill  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 
 ridiculous  for  a  man  to  plead,  that  the  commai^ding 
 act  of  his  will  was  to  go  to  the  pubhc  worship,  while 
 his  feet  carry  him  to  a  tavern  or  a  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. 
 
 2.  I  proceed  to  show,  that  Christian  practice, 
 taken  in  the  sense  that  has  been  explained,  is  the 
 chief  of  all  the  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  con- 
 victions, enlightenings,  and  comforts  in  conversion, 
 or  any  immanent  discoveries  or  exercises  of  grace 
 whatever,   that  begin   and   end   in   contemplation.* 
 
 *  "  Look  upon  John,  Christ's  ])eIoved  disciple  and  bosom  com- 
 panion; lie  had  received  the  anointing  to  know  him  that  is  true, 
 
576 
 
 The  evidence  of  this  appears  by  the  following  argu- 
 ments. 
 
 Argument  I.  Reason  plainly  shows,  that  those 
 things  which  put  it  to  the  proof  what  men  will  actu- 
 ally cleave  to  and  prefer  in  their  practice,  when  left 
 to  follow  their  own  choice  and  inclinations,  are  the 
 proper  trial  what  they  really  prefer  in  their  hearts. 
 Sincerity  in  religion,  as  has  been  already  observed, 
 consists  in  setting  God  highest  in  the  heart,  in  choos- 
 ing him  before  other  things,  in  having  a  heart  to  sell 
 all  for  Christ,  &c. — But  a  man's  actions  are  the  proper 
 
 and  he  knew  that  he  knew  him,  1  John  ii.  3.  But  how  did  he 
 know  that  ?  He  might  be  deceived  ;  (as  it  is  strange  to  see  what  a 
 melancholy  fancy  will  do,  and  the  effects  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.'" — Shepard's  Parable,  Part  T.  p.  131. 
 
 "  A  man  may  know  his  present  union  to  the  Lord  Jesus,  by  a 
 work  :  1  John  ii.  't.  'He  that  saith,  I  know  him,  and  keepeth  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?  Answer,  verse  5.  Many  said  they  did  know  and  love 
 the  Lord ;  but  lie  that  keeps  his  words — O  they  are  sweet !  It  is 
 lieaven  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  angels  how  they  know  they  are  not  devils, 
 they  would  answer.  The  Lord's  will  is  ours.". — Ibid.  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  command- 
 ments."— Ibid.  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  par- 
 don in  the  blood  of  Christ,  and  never  look  for  the  virtue  and  end 
 of  tliiit  blood  to  wash  you,  and  make  you  without  spot,  &c.  You 
 despise  his  priesthood  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." — Ibid. 
 p.  UO. 
 
577 
 
 trial  what  a  man's  heart  prefers.  As,  for  instance,  when 
 it  is  so  that  God  and  other  things  come  to  stand  in  com- 
 petition, God  is,  as  it  were,  set  before  a  man  on  one  hand, 
 and  his  worldly  interest  or  pleasure  on  the  other,  (as 
 it  often  is  so  in  the  course  of  a  man's  hfe,)  his  beha- 
 viour in  such  case,  in  actually  cleaving  to  the  one  and 
 forsaking  the  other,  is  the  proper  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 
 certainly  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  com- 
 petition, that  he  must  actually  or  practically  cleave  to 
 one  and  forsake  the  other.  To  forsake  all  for  Christ 
 in  heart,  is  the  same  thing  as  to  have  a  heart  to  for- 
 sake all  for  Christ  when  called  to  it :  but  the  highest 
 proof  to  ourselves  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  Christ,  is  the  same  thing 
 as  to  have  a  heart  to  deny  ourselves  for  him  in  fact. 
 The  main  and  most  proper  proof  of  a  man's  having  a 
 heart  to  any  thing,  concerning  which  he  is  at  liberty 
 to  follow  his  own  inclinations,  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  heart  to  intend  to  do  the  will  of  God,  but  in  a  heart 
 2B  20 
 
578 
 
 to  do  it.  The  children  of  Israel  in  the  wilderness  had 
 the  former,  of  whom  we  read,  "  Go  thou  near,  and 
 hear  aU  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,  which  they  have 
 spoken  unto  thee :  they  have  well  said  all  that  they 
 have  spoken.  Oh  that  there  were  such  an  heart  in 
 them,  that  they  would  fear  me,  and  keep  all  my  com- 
 mandments always,  that  it  might  he  well  with  them, 
 and  with  their  children  for  ever  !"  The  people  mani- 
 fested that  they  had  a  heart  to  intend  to  keep  God*s 
 commandments,  and  to  be  very  forward  in  those  in- 
 tentions ;  but  God  manifests  that  this  was  far  from 
 being  the  thing  that  he  desired,  wherein  true  godli- 
 ness consists,  even  a  heart  actually  to  keep  them. 
 
 It  is  therefore  exceedingly  absurd,  and  even  ridi- 
 culous, 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  their  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  experience.  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,  with- 
 out a  holy  life  and  practice,  act  as  though  they  ex- 
 pected to  make  a  fool  of  their  Judge.  Which  is 
 implied  in  what  the  apostle  says,  (speaking  of  men*s 
 doing  good  works,  and  living  a  holy  life,  thereby  ex- 
 hibiting evidence  of  their  title  to  everlasting  life) — 
 "  Be  not  deceived ;  God  is  not  mocked :  for  whatso- 
 
 / 
 
« 
 
 579 
 
 ever  a  man  soweth,  that  shall  he  also  reap.'*    As  much 
 as  to  say,  "  Do  not  deceive  yourselves  with  an  expec- 
 tation 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  pre- 
 tend appears  plainly  in  your  life,  before  his  face."     In 
 this  manner  the  word  mock  is  sometimes  used  in  Scrip- 
 ture.      Thus   Delilah   says   to   Samson,    "  Behold, 
 thou  hast  mocked  me,  and  told  me  lies ;"  that  is, 
 **  Thou  hast  baffled  me,  as  though  you  would  make 
 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,   "  he  seemed  as  one  that 
 mocked  to  his  sons-in-law ;"  that  is,  he  seemed  as 
 one  that  would  make  a  game  of  them,   as  though 
 they  were  such  credulous  fools   as  to  regard   such 
 bugbears.      But  the  great  Judge,  whose  eyes  are  as 
 a  flame  of  fire,  will  not  be  mocked  or  baffled  by  any 
 pretences,  without  a  holy  life.      If  in  his  name  men 
 have  prophesied  and  wrought  miracles,  and  have  had 
 faith,  so  that  they  could  remove  mountains,  and  cast 
 out  devils,  and  however  high  their  religious  affec- 
 tions may  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  practiscrs  of  iniquity,  they  cannot  hide  their  hypo- 
 crisy from  their  Judge  :   "  There  is  no  darkness,  nor 
 diadow  of  death,  where  the  workers  of  iniquity  may 
 2b  2 
 
580 
 
 hide  themselves.'*  Would  a  wise  prince  suffer  him- 
 self to  be  fooled  and  baffled  by  a  subject,  who  should 
 pretend  he  was  a  loyal  subject,  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  ac- 
 count, though  he  lived  in  rebellion  against  him,  fol- 
 lowing 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  pretend  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  prefer  God  to  other  things 
 in  practice,  are  the  proper  trial  of  the  uprightness 
 and  sincerity  of  their  hearts;  so  the  same  are  repre- 
 sented as  the  proper  trial  of  the  sincerity  of  professors 
 in  the  Scripture.  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  prac- 
 tice, are  the  difficulties  of  religion,  or  those  things 
 which  occur  that  make  the  practice  of  duty  difficult 
 and  cross  to  other  principles  besides  the  love  of  God ; 
 because  in  them,  God  and  other  things  are  both  set 
 before  men  together,  for  their  actual  and  practical 
 
581 
 
 choice ;  and  it  comes  to  this,  that  we  cannot  hold  to 
 both,  but  one  or  the  other  must  be  forsaken.  And 
 these  things  are  all  over  the  Scripture  called  by  the 
 name  of  trials  or  proofs.*  And  they  are  called  by 
 this  name,  because  hereby  professors  are  tried  and 
 proved  of  what  sort  they  are,  whether  they  be  really 
 what  they  profess  and  appear  to  be ;  and  because  in 
 them,  the  reahty  of  a  supreme  love  to  God  is  brought 
 to  the  test  of  experiment  and  fact :  they  are  the  pro- 
 per proofs  in  which  it  is  truly  determined  by  expe- 
 rience, whether  men  have  a  thorough  disposition  of 
 heart  to  cleave  to  God  or  not :  "  And  thou  shalt  re- 
 member 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  wouldst  keep  his  com- 
 mandments, or  not."  "  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  Is- 
 rael, whether  they  will  keep  the  way  of  the  Lord." 
 
 The  Scripture,  when  it  calls  these  difficulties  of 
 rehgion  by  the  name  of  temptations  or  trials,  explains 
 itself  to  mean  thereby  the  trial  and  experiment  of 
 their  faith :  "  My  brethren,  count  it  all  joy  when  ye 
 fall  into  divers  temptations ;  knowing  this,  that  the 
 trying  of  your  faith  worketh  patience."  "  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 
 
 •  2  Cor.  viii.  2.  Heb.  xi.  S6.  1  Pet.  i.  7.  and  iv.  12.  Gen. 
 xxii.  I.  Dent.  viii.  2,  16.  and  xiii.  3.  Exod.  xv.  25.  and  xvi.  4-. 
 Judges  ii.  22.  and  iii.  1,  4.  Psalm  Ixvi.  10,  12.  Dan.  xii.  10. 
 Rev.  iii.  10.  Job.  xxiii.  10.  Zech.  xiii.  9.  James  i.  12.  Rev.  iu  10. 
 Luke  viii.  13.    Acts  xx.  19.   James  i.  2,  3.    1  Peter  i.  6. 
 
582 
 
 substance  to  the  poor,  as  the  proof  of  the  sincerity 
 of  the  love  of  Christians,  2  Cor.  viii.  8.  And  the 
 difficulties  of  religion  are  often  represented  in  Scrip- 
 ture, as  being  the  trial  of  professors,  in  the  same 
 manner  that  the  furnace  is  the  proper  trial  of  gold 
 and  silver :  "  Thou,  O  God,  hast  proved  us :  thou 
 hast  tried  us  as  silver  is  tried.  Thou  broughtest  us 
 into  the  net,  thou  laidst  affliction  upon  our  loins." 
 "  And  I  will  bring  the  third  part  of  them  through 
 the  fire,  and  I  will  refine  them  as  silver  is  refined, 
 and  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  try  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 :  "  That  the  trial  of 
 your  faith,  being  much  more  precious  than  of  gold 
 that  perish eth,  might  be  found  unto  praise,  and  hon- 
 our, and  glory."  True  and  pure  gold  will  come  out 
 of  the  furnace  in  full  weight :  so  true  saints  when 
 tried,  come  forth  as  gold.  Christ  distinguishes  true 
 grace  from  counterfeit  by  this,  that  it  is  "  gold  tried 
 in  the  fire."  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 ;  in- 
 asmuch as  the  very  meaning  of  the  word  trial,  as  it 
 
583 
 
 is  ordinarily  used  in  Scripture,  is  the  difficulty  occur- 
 ring 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  difficulties  of  rehgion,  then, 
 doubtless,  these  difficulties  of  religion  are  properly 
 and  eminently  the  trial  of  sincerity;  for  they  are 
 doubtless  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  ex- 
 periment of  the  sincerity  of  professors ;  then  certainly 
 the  result  of  the  trial  or  experiment,  (that  is,  person's 
 beha\'iour  or  practice  under  such  trials,)  is  the  proper 
 and  eminent  evidence  of  their  sincerity;  for  they  are 
 called  trials  or  proofs,  only  with  regard  to  the  result, 
 and  because  the  effect  is  eminently  the  proof  or  evi- 
 dence.     And  this  is  the  most  proper  proof  and  evi- 
 dence to  the  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  wiU  keep  his  com- 
 mandments 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  con- 
 viction, and  to  exhibit  evidence  to  their  consciences.* 
 Thus  when  God  is  said  to  prove  Israel  by  the  dif- 
 ficulties they  met  with  in  the  wilderness,  and  by  the 
 
 •  "  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  kiiov\  u  to  themselves  the 
 
 better Rom.  v.  5.    Tribulation  works  trial,  ai:d  that  hope.    Prov. 
 
 xvii.  3.     If  you  will  know  whether  it  will  hold  weight,  the  trial 
 will  tell  you." — Shepard's  Parable,  Part  I.  p.  191. 
 
584, 
 
 difficulties  they  met  with  from  their  enemies  in  Ca- 
 naan, 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  offering  up  his  son,  it  was  not 
 for  his  satisfaction,  whether  he  feared  God  or  not, 
 but  for  Abraham's  own  greater  satisfaction  and  com- 
 fort, and  the  more  clear  manifestation  of  the  favour 
 of  God  to  him.  When  Abraham  had  proved  faith- 
 ful under  this  trial,  God  says  to  him,  "  Now  I  know 
 that  thou  fearest  God,  seeing  thou  hast  not  withheld 
 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  e\idence  of  the 
 truth  of  his  grace,  than  ever  was  before;  and  the 
 greatest  evidence  to  Abraham's  conscience;  because 
 God  himself  gives  it  to  Abraham  as  such,  for  his 
 comfort  and  rejoicing;  and  speaks  of  it  to  him  as  what 
 might  be  the  greatest  evidence  to  his  conscience  of  his 
 being  upright  in  the  sight  of  his  Judge.  Which 
 proves  what  1  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  thom  what  they  were.  This  was 
 the  method  he  took  with  the  rich  young  man,  Matth. 
 xix.  16,  &c.  He  seemed  to  show  great  respect  to 
 Christ;  he  came  kneeling  to  him,  and  called  him 
 Good  Master,  and  made  a  great  profession  of  obe- 
 dience to  the  commandments ;  but  Christ  tried  him, 
 
585 
 
 by  bidding  him  go  and  sell  all  that  he  had,  and  give 
 to  the  poor,  and  come  and  take  up  his  cross  and  fol- 
 low him ;  telhng  him,  that  then  he  should  have  trea- 
 sure in  heaven.  So  he  tried  another  that  we  read  of, 
 Matth.  viii.  20.  He  made  a  great  profession  of  re- 
 spect to  Christ :  says  he,  "  Lord  I  will  follow  thee 
 whithersoever  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  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  our- 
 selves, 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  hiformation  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  when  the  wind 
 blows.  If  we  would  know  whether  that  which  ap- 
 pears in  the  fonn  of  wheat,  has  the  real  substance  of 
 wheat,  or  be  only  chaff,  we  must  observe  it  when  it 
 is  winnowed.  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. 
 2  B  3 
 
586 
 
 If  we  would  weigh  ourselves  justly,  we  must  weigh 
 ourselves  in  God's  scales,  that  he  makes  use  of  to 
 weigh  us.*      These  trials,  in  the  course  of  our  prac- 
 
 •  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  trial  of  the  power  of  grace,  is  in  such  par- 
 ticular cases  as  touch  us  nearest ;  for  there  our  corruption  maketh 
 the  greatest  head.  When  Christ  came  home  to  the  young  man  in 
 the  gospel,  he  lost  a  disciple  of  him." 
 
 Mr.  Flavel  speaks  of  a  holy  practice  under  trials,  as  the  great- 
 est evidence  of  grace.  "  No  man  (says  he)  can  say  what  he  is, 
 whether  his  graces  be  true  or  false,  until  they  be  tried  and  ex- 
 amined by  those  things,  which  are  to  them  as  fire  is  to  gold." 
 Touchstone  of  Sincerity,  chap.  4.  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  dis- 
 cover the  falseness  and  rottenness  of  men's  hearts  cannot  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 ;'  that  is.  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.  1.  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  command  the  same  thing,  or  things  sub- 
 ordinate to  each  other;  but  he  cannot  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  pa- 
 tience and  wait  a  little,  and  you  will  discern  which  is  predominant. 
 A  dog  follows  two  men,  wliile  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  in  this  case."  And,  in  another  chapter,  he  says,  "  Great  num- 
 bers of  persons  are  deceived  and  destroyed  by  trusting  to  seeming 
 untried  grace.  This  was  the  miserable  condition  of  the  Laodicean 
 professors;  they  reckoned  themselves  rich,  but  were  really  poor: 
 all  is  not  gold  that  glisters  :  their  gold  (as  they  accounted  it)  was 
 never  tried  in  the  fire.     If  a  man's  whole  estate  lay  in  some  pre- 
 
587 
 
 tice,  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  re- 
 gard they  have  in  our  hearts,  are  weighed,  or  are  put 
 into  opposite  scales,  by  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  objects  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  which  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  opposite  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,  are  as  much  the  proper  experi- 
 ment and  evidence  of  the  superior  inclination  of  his 
 heart,  as  the  motion  of  the  balance,  with  different 
 
 cious  stone,  suppose  a  rich  diamond,  how  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  !" — Ibid.  chap.  x.  sect. 
 3.  Again,  in  the  same  place,  "  The  promises  of  salvation  are  made 
 over  to  tried  grace,  and  that  only  as  will  endure  the  trial." 
 
 «  The  Lord  will  try  you.  God  hath  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  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  question 
 God  makes,  Is  it  thorough  or  no?  Ay,  saith  the  carnal  heart; 
 Yes,  saith  a  gracious  heart.  Hence  it  is  strange  to  see  what  men 
 will  do  when  a  trial  comes." — SheparcCs  Parable,  Part  I.  p.  219. 
 
 "  There  is  an  hour  of  temptation  which  tries  men,  which  will 
 discover  men  indeed." — Ibid.  Part  II.  p.  60. 
 
588 
 
 weiglits  in  opposite  scales,  is  the  proper  experiment 
 of  the  superior  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,  "  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  him  verily  is  the  love  of  God  perfected." 
 The  commandment  of  Christ,  to  which  the  apostle  has 
 especial  respect,  when  he  here  speaks  of  our  keeping 
 his  commandments,  is,  as  I  observed  before,  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  :  "  If  we  love  one  another,  God  dwelleth 
 in  us,  and  his  love  is  perfected  in  us."  Here,  doubt- 
 less, the  apostle  has  still  respect  to  loving  one  another, 
 in  the  same  manner  that  he  had  explained  in  the  pre- 
 ceding chapter,  speaking  of  loving  one  another  as  a 
 siffn  of  the  love  of  God :  "  Whoso  hath  this  world's 
 good,  and  shuttcth  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 
 
589 
 
 lis."  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 
 perfected  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  per- 
 fect, or  finished  in  its  work  or  fruit,  in  the  same  man- 
 ner as  it  is  said  of  sin  :  "  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,  con- 
 sisting in  the  immanent  exercises  of  it  in  the  mind; 
 and  lastly,  here  is  the  fruit  that  was  conceived,  ac- 
 tually brought  forth  in  the  wicked  work  and  practice. 
 And  this  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  man- 
 ner made  perfect  in  its  fruit,  if  these  practical  exer- 
 cises of  grace  are  those  exercises  wherein  grace  is 
 brought  to  its  proper  effect  and  end,  and  the  exer- 
 
590 
 
 cises  wlierein  whatsoever  belongs  to  its  design,  ten- 
 dency, and  operation,  is  completed  and  crowned;  then 
 these  exercises  must  be  the  highest  evidences  of 
 grace,  above  all  other  exercises.  Certainly  the  pro- 
 per nature  and  tendency  of  every  principle  must  ap- 
 pear best  and  most  fully  in  its  most  perfect  exer- 
 cises, 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- 
 ever, 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.  And 
 the  apostle  John,  after  he  had  once  and  again  told  us 
 that  love  was  made  perfect  in  keeping  Christ's  com- 
 mandments, 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." 
 
 Argument  IV.  Another  thing  which  makes  it  evi- 
 dent, 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 
 aU  others  insisted  on  in  Scripture.  A  common  ac- 
 quaintance 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 
 
591 
 
 beginning  of  Genesis  to  the  end  of  Revelations,  than 
 any  thing  else.      And,  in  the  New  Testament,  where 
 Christ  and  his  apostles  do  expressly,  and  of  declared 
 purpose,  lay  down  signs  of  true  godliness,  this  is  al- 
 most wholly  insisted  on.      It  may  be  observed,  that 
 Christ,  and  his  apostles,  do  not  only  often  say  tho^e 
 things,  in  their  discoursing  on  the  great  doctrines  of 
 religion,  which  do  show  what  the  nature  of  true  god- 
 liness must  be,  or  from  whence  the  nature  and  si<rns 
 of  it  may  be  inferred  by  just  consequence,  and  often 
 occasionally  mention  many  things  which  do  appertain 
 to  godliness :    but  they  also  often,   of  set  purpose, 
 give  signs  and  marks  for  the  trial  of  professors,  put- 
 ting them  upon  trying  themselves  by  the  signs  they 
 give,  introducing  what  they  say  with  such-like  ex- 
 pressions 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  tliat  hath 
 this  builds  on  a  good  foundation ;  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  affection, 
 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  this  love  as  exercised  and  expressed  in  prac- 
 tice, or  in  deeds  of  love.      So  does  the  apostle  John, 
 
59^ 
 
 who  above  all  others  msists  on  love  to  the  brethren 
 as  a  sign  of  godliness,  most  expressly  explain  him- 
 self: *'  We  know  that  we  have  passed  from  death 
 unto  life,  because  we  love  the  brethren :  he  that  lov- 
 eth  not  his  brother  abideth  in  death. — 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  ?  My  little 
 children,  let  us  love  not  in  word,  neither  in  tongue ; 
 but  in  deed,  (that  is,  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  an- 
 other, as  a  great  sign  of  godliness,  we  are  not  thereby 
 to  understand  the  immanent  workings  of  affection 
 which  men  feel  one  to  another,  so  much  as  the  soul's 
 practising  all  the  duties  of  the  second  table  of  the 
 law;  all  which  the  New  Testament  tells  us,  again 
 and  again,  a-true  love  one  to  another  comprehends ; 
 Rom.  xiii.  8,  10.  Gal.  v.  14.  Matth.  xxii.  39,  40. 
 So  that,  really  there  is  no  place  in  the  New  Testa- 
 ment where  the  declared  design  is  to  give  signs  of 
 godhness;  but  that  holypractice,  and  keeping  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  busi- 
 ness 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  coiild 
 have  chosen  for  them.  But,  if  we  make  the  word  of 
 Christ  our  rule,  then  undoubtedly  those  marks  which 
 
593 
 
 Christ  and  his  apostles  did  chiefly  lay  down,  and 
 give  to  us,  that  we  might  try  ourselves  by  themj 
 those  same  marks  we  ought  especially  to  receive, 
 and  chiefly  to  make  use  of,  in  the  trial  of  our- 
 selves.* 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  very  Uttle  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  needfid  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  aU  things,  in  our  thoughts  of  re- 
 ligion, and  of  ourselves.  And  for  us  to  make  that 
 crreat  which  the  Scripture  makes  Httle,  and  that  little 
 which  the  Scripture  makes  great,  tends  to  give  us  a 
 monstrous  idea  of  religion,  and  (at  least  indirectly  and 
 gradually)  to  lead  us  wholly  away  from  the  right 
 rule,  and  from  a  right  opinion  of  ourselves,  and  to 
 estabhsh  delusion  and  hypocrisy. 
 
 •  «  It  is  a  sure  rule,"  says  Dr.  Preston,  "  that  what  the  Scrip- 
 tures bestow  much  words  on,  we  should  have  much  thoughts  on  ; 
 and  what  the  Holy  Ghost  urgeth  most,  we  should  prize  most." — 
 Church's  Carriage. 
 
594 
 
 Argument  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  men's  own 
 consciences.  It  is  not  only  more  spoken  of  and  in- 
 sisted on  than  other  signs,  but  in  many  places  where 
 it  is  spoken  of,  it  is  represented  as  the  chief  of  all 
 evidences.  This  is  plain  in  the  manner  of  expres- 
 aon  from  time  to  time.  If  God  were  now  to  speak 
 from  heaven  to  resolve  our  doubts  concerning  signs  of 
 godliness,  and  should  give  some  particular  sign,  that 
 by  it  all  might  know  whether  they  were  sincerely 
 godly  or  not,  with  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  know,  this  is  the  thing  by 
 which  it  is  manifest  who  are  saints  and  who  are  sin- 
 ners, 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  distinguish- 
 ing note  of  true  godliness?  But  this  is  the  very 
 case  with  respect  to  the  sign  of  grace  of  which  I  am 
 speaking :  God  has  again  and  again  uttered  himself 
 in  his  word  in  this  very  manner,  concerning  Chris- 
 tian practice,  as  John  xiv.  "  He  that  hath  my  com- 
 mandments, and  keepeth  them,  he  it  is  that  loveth 
 me."  This  Christ  gives  to  the  disciples,  not  so 
 much  to  guide  them  in  judging  of  others,  but  to  ap- 
 ply to  themselves  for  their  own  comfort  after  his  de- 
 parture, as  appears  by  every  word  of  the  context. 
 And  by  the  way  I  would  observe,  that  not  only  the 
 emphasis  with  which  Christ  utters  himself  is  remark- 
 able, but  also  his  so  much  insisting  on,  and  repeating 
 the  matter,  as  he  does  in  the  context:  ver.  15.  "If 
 
595 
 
 ye  love  me,  keep  my  commandments."  Ver.  23. 
 **  If  a  man  love  me,  he  will  keep  my  words."  And 
 ver.  24>,  "  He  that  loveth  me  not  keepeth  not  my 
 sayings."  And  in  the  next  chapter  over  and  over : 
 Ver.  2.  "  Every  branch  in  me  that  beareth  not  fruit, 
 he  taketh  away ;  and  every  branch  that  beareth  fruit, 
 he  purgeth  it."  Ver.  8.  "  Herein  is  my  Father 
 glorified,  that  ye  bear  much  fruit ;  so  shall  ye  be  my 
 disciples."  Ver.  14.  "  Ye  are  my  friends,  if  ye  do 
 whatsoever  I  command  you."  We  have  this  mark 
 laid  down  with  the  same  emphasis  again,  John  viii. 
 31.  "  If  ye  continue  in  my  word,  then  are  ye  my  dis- 
 ciples indeed."  And  again,  1  John  ii.  3.  "  Hereby 
 do  we  know  that  we  know  him,  if  we  keep  his  com- 
 mandments." And,  ver.  5.  "  Whoso  keepeth  his 
 word,  in  him  verily  is  the  love  of  God  perfected : 
 hereby  know  we  that  we  are  in  him."  And  chap, 
 iii.  18,  19.  "Let  us  love  in  deed,  and  in  truth; 
 hereby  we  know  that  we  are  of  the  truth."  What 
 is  translated  hereby,  would  have  been  a  little  more 
 emphatical,  if  it  had  been  rendered  more  Hterally 
 from  the  original.  By  this  we  do  know. — And  how 
 evidently  is  holy  practice  spoken  of  as  the  grand  note 
 of  distinction  between  the  children  of  God  and  the 
 children  of  the  devil,  in  ver.  10.  of  the  same  chapter? 
 "  In  this  the  children  of  God  are  manifest,  and  the 
 children  of  the  devil."  Speaking  of  a  holy,  and  a 
 wicked  practice,  as  may  be  seen  in  all  the  context ; 
 as  ver.  3.  "  Every  man  that  hath  this  hope  in  him 
 purifieth  himself,  even  as  he  is  pure."  Ver.  6 — 10. 
 "  Whosoever  abideth  in  him  sinneth  not;  whoso- 
 ever sinneth  hath  not  seen  him,  neither  known  him. 
 Little  children,  let  no  man  deceive  you :  he  that  doth 
 
596 
 
 righteousness  is  righteous,  even  as  he  is  righteous. 
 He  that  committeth  sin  is  of  the  devil. — Whosoever 
 is  born  of  God  sinneth  not. — Whosoever  doth  not 
 righteousness  is  not  of  God." — So  we  have  the  Hke 
 emphasis,  2  John  6.  "  This  is  love,  that  we  walk 
 after  his  commandments :"  that  is,  '  This  is  the  pro- 
 per evidence  of  love.'  So  1  John  v.  3.  "  This  is 
 the  love  of  God,  that  we  keep  his  commandments.'* 
 So  the  apostle  James,  speaking  of  the  proper  evi- 
 dences of  true  and  pure  religion,  says,  "  Pure  reli- 
 gion, and  undefiled,  before  God  and  the  Father,  is 
 this,  To  visit  the  fatherless  and  widows  in  their  afflic- 
 tion, and  to  keep  himself  unspotted  from  tbe  world." 
 We  have  the  like  emphatical  expressions  used  about 
 the  same  thing  in  the  Old  Testament :  "  And  unto 
 man  he  said.  Behold,  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  that  is  wis- 
 dom ;  and  to  depart  from  evil  is  understanding."  "  Did 
 not  thy  father  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."  "  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."  "  Who  shall  abide  in  thy 
 tabernacle  ?  who  shall  dwell  in  thy  holy  hill  ?  He 
 that  walketh  uprightly,"  &c.  "  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.  "  Blessed  are  the  undefiled  in  the  way, 
 who  walk  in  the  law  of  the  Lord."  "  Then  shall  I 
 not  be  ashamed,  when  I  have  respect  unto  all  thy 
 commandments."  "  The  fear  of  the  Lord  is  to 
 hate  evil." 
 
597 
 
 So  the  Scripture  never  uses  such  emphatical  ex- 
 pressions concerning  any  other  signs  of  hypocrisy, 
 and  unsoundness  of  heart,  as  concerning  an  unholy 
 practice  :  "  Be  not  deceived  ;  God  is  not  mocked  ; 
 for  whatsoever  a  man  soweth,  that  shall  he  also 
 reap."  "  Be  not  deceived ;  neither  fornicators,  nor 
 idolaters,  S:c.  shall  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God." 
 "  For  this  ye  know,  that  no  whoremonger,  nor  un- 
 clean person,  &c.  hath  any  inheritance  in  the  king- 
 dom of  Christ  and  of  God.  Let  no  man  deceive 
 you  with  vain  words."  "  Little  children,  let  no 
 man  deceive  you;  he  that  doth  righteousness  is 
 righteous,  even  as  he  is  righteous.  He  that  commit- 
 teth  sin  is  of  the  devil."  "  He  that  saith,  I  know 
 him,  and  keepeth  not  his  commandments,  is  a  liar, 
 and  the  truth  is  not  in  him."  "  If  we  say  that  we 
 have  fellowship  with  him,  and  walk  in  darkness,  we 
 lie,  and  do  not  the  truth."  "  If  any  man  among 
 you  seem  to  he  religious,  andbridleth  not  his  tongue, 
 but  deceiveth  his  own  heart,  this  man's  reliirion  is 
 vain."  "  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."  "  As  for  such  as  turn 
 aside  unto  their  crooked  ways,  the  Lord  shall  lead 
 them  forth  with  the  workers  of  iniquity."  "  An 
 highway  shall  be  there,  and  it  shall  be  called,  The 
 way  of  holiness;  the  unclean  shall  not  pass  over  it." 
 ''  And  there  shall  in  nowise  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  VL  Another  thing  which  makes  it  evi- 
 
598 
 
 dent  that  holy  practice  is  the  chief  of  all  the  signs  of 
 the  sincerity  of  professors,  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  unalterably  determined.  In  the 
 future  judgment  there  will  be  an  open  trial  of  profes- 
 sors ;  and  evidences  will  be  made  use  of  in  the  judg- 
 ment. 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  men's  hearts,  in  his  own  mind :  but  it  wUl  be 
 a  declarative  judgment ;  and  the  end  of  it  will  be,  not 
 God's  forming  a  judgment  within  himself,  but  the 
 manifestation  of  his  judgment,  and  the  righteousness 
 of  it,  to  men's  own  consciences,  and  to  the  world. 
 And  therefore  the  day  of  judgment  is  called,  "  The 
 day  of  the  revelation  of  the  righteous  judgment  of 
 God."  And  the  end  of  God's  future  trial  and  judg- 
 ment 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  re- 
 spect to  him,  to  his  conscience;  as  is  manifest  by 
 Matthew  xviii.  31,  to  the  end,  xx.  8,  15.  xxii.  11 
 — 13.  XXV.  19 — 30,  35,  to  the  end.  Luke  xix. 
 15 — 23.  And  therefore,  though  God  needs  no  me- 
 dium, whereby  to  make  the  truth  evident  to  himself, 
 y€t  evidences  will  be  made  use  of  in  his  future  judg- 
 ing of  men.  And,  doubtless,  the  evidences  that  will 
 be  made  use  of,  in  their  trial,  will  be  such  as  wiU  be 
 best  fitted  to  serve  the  ends  of  the  judgment;  namely, 
 the  manifestation  of  the  righteous  judgment  of  God, 
 
599 
 
 not  only  to  the  world,  but  to  men^s  own  consciences. 
 But  the  Scriptures  abundantly  teach  us,  that  the 
 grand  evidences  which  the  Judge  will  make  use  of  in 
 the  trial,  for  these  ends,  according  to  which  the  judg- 
 ment of  every  one  shall  be  regulated,  and  the  irre- 
 versible sentence  passed,  will  be  men's  works,  or 
 practice,  here  in  this  world :  "  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,  ac- 
 cording to  their  works.  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."  "  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  men's  practice  is 
 the  only  evidence  that  Christ  represents  the  future 
 judgment  as  regulated  by,  in  that  most  particular 
 description  of  the  day  of  judgment  which  we  have  in 
 the  Holy  Bible.*  The  judge,  at  the  day  of  judg- 
 ment, will  not  (for  the  conviction  of  men's  own  con- 
 sciences, and  to  manifest  them  to  the  world)  go  about 
 to  examine  men,  as  to  the  method  of  their  experi- 
 ences, or  set  every  man  to  tell  his  story  of  the  man- 
 ner of  his  conversion ;  but  his  works  will  be  brought 
 forth,  as  evidences  of  what  he  has,  what  he  has  done 
 in  darkness  and  in  light :  "  For  God  will  bring  every 
 work  into  judgment,  with  every  secret  thing,  whether 
 
 •  Matthew  xxv.  at  the  latter  end.  See  also  Rom.  ii.  a— 13. 
 Jer.  xvii.  10.  Job  xxxiv.  11.  Prov.  xxiv.  12.  Jer.  xxxii.  19. 
 Rev.  xxii.  12.  Matth.  xvi.  27.  Rev.  ii.  23.  Ezek.  xxxiii.  20. 
 1  Peter  i.  17. 
 
600 
 
 it  be  good,  or  whether  it  be  evil."  In  the  trial  of 
 which  professors  shall  be  the  subjects  in  the  future 
 judgment,  God  will  make  use  of  the  same  evidences, 
 to  manifest  them  to  themselves  and  to  the  world, 
 which  he  makes  use  of  to  manifest  them  in  the 
 temptations  or  trials  of  his  providence  here,  namely, 
 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  professors  in  a  balance 
 that  is  visible.  And  the  balance  will  be  the  same 
 that  he  weighs  men  in  now,  which  has  been  already 
 described. 
 
 Hence  we  may  undoubtedly  infer,  that  men's 
 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.*  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  produce,  who  would  then  be  ac- 
 cepted of  him,  and  according  to  which  sentence  shall 
 
 •  "  That  wliicli  God  maketli  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  pre- 
 sent. Now,  by  our  obedience  and  works  he  judgeth  us.  *  He 
 will  give  to  every  man  according  to  his  works.'" — Dr.  Preston  s 
 Church's  Carriage. 
 
601 
 
 be  passed;  that  I  might  know  what  token  or  evidence 
 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  abun- 
 dantly 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. 
 — I  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  com- 
 mandments, and  keepeth  them,  he  it  is  that  loveth 
 me,"  than  the  judgment  and  fullest  approbation  of  all 
 wise,  sound,  and  experienced  divines,  that  have  lived 
 this  thousand  years,  on  the  most  exact  and  critical  ex- 
 amination of  my  experiences,  as  to  the  manner  of  my 
 conversion.  Not  that  there  are  no  other  good  evi- 
 dences of  a  state  of  grace  but  this.  There  maybe  other 
 exercises  of  grace,  besides  these  efficient  exercises, 
 which  the  saints  may  have  in  contemplation,  that  may 
 be  very  satisfying  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  highest  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  opportunity  to  gain  assurance,  by 
 this  great  evidence  of  which  I  am  speaking.  If  a 
 man  hears  that  a  great  treasure  is  oflPered  him,  in  a 
 2C  20 
 
602 
 
 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  a  willing- 
 ness to  go  for  the  treasure,  within  him,  beyond  all 
 doubt ;  but  yet,  this  does  not  hinder  but  that  his  ac- 
 tual going  for  it  is  the  highest  and  proper  evidence, 
 not  only  to  others,  but  to  himself,  of  his  being  wil- 
 ling. But  then,  as  an  evidence  to  himself,  his  out- 
 ward actions,  and  the  motions  of  his  body  in  his 
 journey,  are  not  considered  alone,  exclusive  of  the 
 action  of  his  mind,  and  a  consciousness  within  him- 
 self 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  other  signs  of  godliness.  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  them,  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 
 
603 
 
 serviceable  to  us,  and  so  have  their  serviceableness 
 proved,  in  some  pressure,  straining,  agitation,  or 
 collision.  So  it  is  with  a  bow,  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  no- 
 thing. So  it  is  with  all  the  virtues  of  the  mind. 
 The  proper  trial  and  proof  of  them  is,  in  being  ex- 
 ercised under  those  temptations  and  trials  under 
 which  God  brings  us,  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  commandments.'^  It  is 
 in  vain  for  us  to  profess  that  we  know  God,  if  in 
 works  we  deny  him.  Titus  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 :  "  If  ye  know 
 these  things,  happy  are  ye  if  ye  do  them."  "  To 
 depart  from  evil  is  understanding." 
 
 Holy  practice  is  the  proper  evidence  of  repen- 
 tance. When  the  Jews  professed  repentance,  when 
 they  came  confessing  their  sins  to  John,  preaching 
 the  baptism  of  repentance  for  the  remission  of  sins ; 
 he  directed  them  to  the  right  way  of  getting  and  ex- 
 hibiting proper  evidences  of  the  truth  of  their  repen- 
 tance, when  he  said  to  them,  "  Bring  forth  fruits 
 meet  for  repentance."  Which  was  agreeable  to  the 
 practice  of  the  apostle  Paul:  see  Acts  xxvi.  20. 
 2c  2 
 
604 
 
 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  does  eminently  justify  faith,  or 
 (which  is  the  same  thing)  justify  the  professors  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  instances  he  gives 
 of  Abraham,  James  ii.  2 1 — 24.  And  in  ver.  20 — 26. 
 he  speaks  of  the  practical  and  working  nature  of  faith, 
 as  the  very  life  and  soul  of  it :  in  the  same  manner 
 that  the  active  nature  and  substance,  which  is  in  the 
 l)ody  of  a  man,  is  the  life  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  opera- 
 tion 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  :  "  I  rejoiced  greatly  when  the 
 brethren  came  and  testified  of  the  truth  that  is  in 
 thee,  even  as  thou  walkest  in  the  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  actually  to  forsake  all ;  but  the  proper  evi- 
 
605 
 
 dence  of  having  a  heart  actually  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  country, 
 that  she  would  forsake  her  own  people,  and  father's 
 house,  and  come  to  him  to  be  his  bride,  the  proper 
 evidence  of  the  compHance  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  perfect."*  Christ  promises  us 
 eternal  Hfe,  on  condition  of  our  coming  to  him  :  but 
 it  is  such  a  coming  as  he  directed  the  young  man  to, 
 who  came  to  inquire  what  he  shall  do  that  he  might 
 have  eternal  life :  Christ  bid  him  go  and  sell  all  that 
 he  had,  and  come  to  him,  and  follow  him.  If  he 
 had  consented  in  his  heart  to  the  proposal,  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  coming  to  Christ  would  have  been  madQ 
 perfect.  When  Christ  called  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 
 
 •  "  Our  real  taking  of  Christ  appears  in  our  actions  and  works. 
 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  enough  ;  but  if  ye  also  obey.  The  consent  that  stand- 
 eth  in  the  inward  act  of  the  mind,  the  truth  of  it  will  be  seen  ia 
 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.  Freslons  Churclis  Carriage. 
 
606 
 
 up,  leaving  all,  and  following  him.  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  ac- 
 ceptance 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  some- 
 thing that  he  does  on  the  credit  of  another's  suffi- 
 ciency and  faithfulness.  And,  therefore,  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  no- 
 thing 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  dependence.  And,  there- 
 fore, it  is  in  complying  with  the  difficulties,  and  seem- 
 ing 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  happiness  and  life.  They 
 depend  on  such  promises  as  that,  "  He  that  loseth 
 his  life  for  my  sake  shall  find  it."  And  so  they 
 part  with  all,  and  venture  their  all  in  a  dependence 
 
607 
 
 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  Abraham,  the  father 
 of  believers,  trusted  in  Christ,  and  by  faith  forsook 
 his  own  country,  in  a  rehance  on  the  covenant  of  grace 
 God  estabhshed  with  him.  Thus,  also,  "  Moses, 
 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."  So,  by  faith,  others  exposed  themselves 
 to  be  stoned  and  sawn  in  sunder,  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  him- 
 self to  him,  venturing  himself,  and  his  whole  interest, 
 in  a  dependence  on  the  ability  and  faithfulness  of  his 
 Redeemer,  under  great  persecutions,  and  in  suffer- 
 ings, the  loss  of  all  things :  "  For  the  which  cause 
 I  also  suffer  these  things ;  nevertheless  I  am  not 
 ashamed;  for  I  know  whom  I  have  beheved,  and  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  receiving  the  tidings,  he  im- 
 mediately 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.  But,  if  he  only  sits  still,  and  hopes  for  the 
 promised  benefit,  inwardly  pleasing  himself  with  the 
 thoughts  of  it ;  he  cannot  properly  be  said  to  venture 
 
608 
 
 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,  hy  which  he  would  be  ex- 
 posed 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,  con- 
 cerning life  and  immortality,  forsakes  all,  or  does  so 
 at  least,  so  far  as  there  is  occasion,  making  every 
 thing  entirely  give  place  to  his  eternal  interest ;  he, 
 and  he  only,  may  properly  be  said  to  venture  himself 
 on  the  report  of  the  gospel.  And  this  is  the  proper 
 evidence  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,  of 
 which  God  speaks,  as  the  great  expression  of  it,  on 
 which  he  insists ;  that  we  should  look  upon  as  the 
 proper  expression  and  manifestation  of  it :  but  this  is 
 walking  humbly :  "He  hath  showed  thee,  O  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 :  "  The  fear  of  the  Lord  is  to  hate  evil." 
 "  Come,  ye  children,  hearken  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." 
 "  Fear  the  Lord,  and  depart  from  evil."  "  By  the 
 fear  of  the  Lord  men  depart  from  evil."  "  Hast 
 thou  considered  my  servant  Job, — a  perfect  and  aii 
 
609 
 
 upright  man,  one  that  feareth  God,  and  escheweth 
 evil  ?  and  still  he  holdeth  fast  his  integrity,  although 
 thou  movedst  me  against  him."  "  The  transgres- 
 sion of  the  wicked  saith  within  my  heart,  that  there 
 is  no  fear  of  God  before  his  eyes." 
 
 So,  practice,  in  rendering  again  according  to  bene- 
 fits received,  is  the  proper  evidence  of  true  thankful- 
 ness. "  What  shall  I  render  to  the  Lord  for  all  his 
 benefits  towards  me  ?"  "  But  Hezekiah  rendered 
 not  aofain  accordincf  to  the  benefit  done  unto  him." 
 Paying  our  vows  unto  God,  and  ordering  our  con- 
 versation aright,  seem  to  be  spoken  of  as  the  proper 
 expression  and  evidence  of  true  thankfulness,  in  the 
 50th  Psalm :  "  Offer  unto  God  thanksgiving,  and 
 pay  vows  to  the  Most  High."  "  Whoso  offereth 
 praise  glorifieth  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,  but  effec- 
 tual in  practice  to  stir  up  persons  earnestly  and 
 tlioroughly  to  seek  the  things  they  long  for.  "  One 
 thing  have  I  desired  of  the  Lord,  that  will  I  seek 
 after."  "  O  God,  thou  art  my  God,  early  will  I 
 seek  thee  :  my  soul  thirsteth  for  thee,  my  flesh  long- 
 eth  for  thee  in  a  dry  and  thirsty  land,  where  no  water 
 is,  to  see  thy  power  and  thy  glory. — My  soul  fol- 
 loweth  hard  after  thee."  *'  Draw  me,  we  will  ran 
 after  thee." 
 
 Practice  is  the  proper  evidence  of  a  gracious  hope, 
 "  Every  man  that  hath  this  hope  in  him  purifieth 
 himself,  even  as  he  is  pure."      Patient  continuance 
 2  c3 
 
610 
 
 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  :  "  Remem- 
 bering without  ceasing  your  work  of  faith,  and  labour 
 of  love."  "  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  chilchen,"  &c.  "  Lord,  I 
 have  hoped  in  thy  salvation,  and  done  thy  command- 
 ments." "  That  they  miglit  set  their  hope  in  God, 
 and  not  forget  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. 
 "  Thou  meetest  him  that  rejoiceth,  and  worketh 
 righteousness."  "  Thy  testimonies  have  I  taken  for 
 my  heritage  for  ever:  for  they  are  the  rejoicing  of 
 my  heart.  I  have  inclined  mine  heart  to  perform  thy 
 statutes  alway,  even  to  the  end."  "  I  have  rejoiced 
 in  the  way  of  thy  testimonies,  as  much  as  in  all 
 riches."  "  Charity  rejoiceth  not  in  iniquity,  but  re- 
 joiceth in  the  truth."  *'  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—5. 
 
 And,  as  tlie  fruit  of  holy  practice  is  the  chief  evi- 
 dence 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 
 pretences  persons  may  make  to  great  discoveries, 
 great  love  and  joys,  they  are  no  farther  to  be  regarded 
 
611 
 
 tlian  they  have  influence  on  their  practice.  Not  but 
 that  allowances  must  be  made  for  the  natural  temper. 
 That,  however,  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  remarkable,  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  lie 
 was  before  conversion  may  be  as  great :  because  a 
 person  of  a  good  natural  temper  did  not  behave  him- 
 self so  ill  before  conversion. 
 
 Thus  I  have  endeavoured  to  represent  the  evi- 
 dence there  is,  that  Christian  practice  is  the  chief  of 
 all  the  signs  of  saving  grace.  And,  before  I  con- 
 clude 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  ready  to  say,  this  seems 
 to  be  contrary  to  that  opinion,  so  much  received 
 among  good  people ;  tliat  professors  should  judge  of 
 their  state,  chiefly  by  their  inward  experience,  and 
 that  spiritual  experiences  are  the  main  evidences  of 
 true  grace. 
 
 I  answer.  It  is,  doubtless,  a  true  opinion,  and 
 justly  much  received  among  good  people,  that  pro- 
 fessors 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  what  has  been  shown  to 
 be  the  true  notion  of  Christian  practice,  is  not  at  all 
 
612 
 
 inconsistent  with  Christian  experience  being  the  chief 
 evidence  of  grace.       Christian  or  holy  practice  is 
 spiritual  practice ;  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  acts  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  exercises  of  grace  that  Christians 
 find,  or  are  conscious  of  within  themselves,  are  what 
 they  experience  within  themselves ;  and  herein  there- 
 fore lies   Christian  experience :    and  this  Christian 
 experience  consists  as  much  in  those  operative  exer- 
 cises of  grace  in  the  will,  that  are  immediately  con- 
 cerned in  the  management  of  the  behaviour  of  the 
 body,  as  in  other  exercises.     These  inward  exercises 
 are  not  the  less  a  part  of  Christian  experience  be- 
 cause they  have  outward  behaviour  immediately  con- 
 nected with  them.      A  stroncp  act  of  love  to  God,  is 
 not  the  less  a  part  of  spiritual  experience,  because  it 
 is  the  act  that  immediately  produces  and  effects  some 
 self-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  rea- 
 son. Indeed,  all  Christian  experience  is  not  properly 
 called  practice,  but  all  Christian  practice  is  properly 
 
613 
 
 experience. — And  the  distinction  that  is  made  be- 
 tween them,  is  not  only  an  unreasonable,  but  an  un- 
 scriptural  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  repre- 
 sented :  "  Did  not  thy  father  eat  and  drink,  and  do 
 justice  in  judgment  ? — He  judged  the  cause  of  the 
 poor  and  needy : — was  not  this  to  know  me  ?  saith  the 
 Lord.  Our  inward  acquaintance  with  God  surely 
 belongs  to  the  head  of  experimental  reUgion;  but  this 
 God  represents  as  consisting  chiefly  in  that  experi- 
 ence which  there  is  in  holy  practice.  So  the  ex- 
 ercises of  those  graces  of  the  love  of  God,  and  the 
 fear  of  God,  are  a  part  of  experimental  reHgion;  but 
 these  the  Scripture  represents  as  consisting  chiefly  in 
 practice,  in  those  forementioned  texts :  "  This  is  the 
 love  of  God,  that  we  keep  his  commandments." 
 *'  This  is  love,  that  we  walk  after  his  commandments." 
 "  Come,  ye  children,  and  I  will  teach  you  the  fear  of 
 the  Lord. — Depart  from  evil,  and  do  good."  In  such 
 experiences  as  these  Hezekiah  chiefly  took  comfort 
 on  his  sick-bed,  when  he  said,  "  Remember,  O  Lord, 
 I  beseech  thee,  how  I  have  walked  before  thee  in 
 truth,  and  with  a  perfect  heart."  And  such  experi- 
 ences as  these  the  Psalmist  chiefly  insists  on,  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:  "  God  is  my  witness,  whom  I  serve  with 
 my  spirit  in  the  gospel  of  his  Son."  "  For  our  re- 
 joicing is  this,  the  testimony  of  our  conscience,  that 
 by  the  grace  of  God,  we  have  had  our  conversation 
 in  the  world."    "  We  having  the  same  spirit  of  faith, 
 
614 
 
 according  as  it  is  written,  I  have  believed,  and  there- 
 fore have  I  spoken :  we  also  believe,  and  therefore 
 speak."  "  We  walk  by  faith,  not  by  sight."  "  The 
 love  of  Christ  constraineth  us."  "  In  all  things  ap- 
 proving 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."  "  I  am  crucified 
 with  Christ:  nevertheless  I  live;  yet  not  I,  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."  "  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  win  Christ."  "  Whereunto  I  also  labour,  striv- 
 ing according  to  his  working,  which  worketh  in  me 
 mightily."  "  We  were  bold  in  our  God  to  speak 
 unto  you  the  gospel  of  God  with  much  contention." 
 "  Being  affectionately  desirous  of  you,  we  were  wil- 
 ling 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  la- 
 bour 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  chiefly  comforted  himself  in  the  con- 
 sideration of,  when  he  was  going  to  martyrdom :  "  For 
 I  am  now  ready  to  be  offered,  and  the  time  of  my  de- 
 parture 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  dis- 
 
516 
 
 tinguislniig  part  of  Christian  experience  lie  in  spiri- 
 tual 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  ex- 
 perimental religion.  For  that  experience,  which  is 
 ill  these  exercises  of  grace,  that  are  found  and  prove 
 effectual  at  the  very  point  of  trial,  wherein  God  proves 
 to  which  we  will  actually  cleave,  whether  to  Christ 
 or  our  lusts — are  the  proper  experiment  of  the  truth 
 and  power  of  our  godliness;  wherein  its  victorious 
 power  and  efficacy,  in  producing  its  proper  effect,  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  opin- 
 ions and  notions  to  the  test  of  fact,  so  is  tjiat  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  inward  exj)erience,  of  which  no  ac- 
 count is  made  in  tlie  sioht  of  God,  and  is  esteemed 
 ffood  for  nothiniJ-.  And  there  is  what  is  called  ex- 
 perience,  that  is  without  practice,  being  neither  ac- 
 companied 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  per- 
 son finds  within  him  a  heart  to  treat  God  as  God,  at 
 the  time  that  he  has  .the  trial,  and  finds  his  disposi- 
 tion effectual  in  the  experiment  that  is  the  most  pro- 
 per, and  most  distinguishing  experience.  And  to 
 have,  at  such  a  time,  that  sense  of  divine  things,  that 
 
616 
 
 apprehension  of  the  truth,  importance,  and  excellency 
 of  the  things  of  religion,  which  then  sways  and  pre- 
 vails, 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  effectual  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  an- 
 other 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  presence;  but  by  seeing 
 him  from  day  to  day,  and  conversing  with  him,  in 
 various  circumstances,  the  evidence  is  established. 
 The  disciples,  whei>^they  first  saw  Christ,  after  his 
 resurrection,  had  good  evidence  that  he  was  alive ; 
 but,  by  conversing  with  him  for  forty  days,  and  his 
 showing  himself  to  them  alive,  by  many  infallible 
 proofs,  they  had  yet  higher  evidence.* 
 
 ♦  "  The  more  these  visible  exercises  of  grace  are  renewed,  the 
 more  certain  you  will  be.    The  more  frequently  these  actings  are 
 
617 
 
 The  witness  or  seal  of  the  Spirit  of  which  we 
 read,  doubtless  consists  in  the  effect  of  the  Spirit  of 
 God  in  the  heart,  in  the  implantation  and  exercises 
 of  grace  there,  and  so  consists  in  experience.  And 
 it  is  also  beyond  doubt,  that  this  seal  of  the  Spirit 
 is  the  highest  kind  of  evidence  of  the  saints'  adop- 
 tion 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  con- 
 spicuous, 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  un- 
 speakable joys  of  many  of  the  martyrs — "  If  ye  are 
 reproached  for  the  name  of  Christ,  happy  are  ye ;  for 
 the  Spirit  of  glory  and  of  God  resteth  upon  you." 
 "  We  rejoice  in  the  hope  of  the  glory  of  God,  and 
 glory  in  tribulations."  And  agreeable  to  what  the 
 apostle  Paul  often  declares  of  what  he  experienced 
 in  his  trials.      And  when  the  Apostle  Peter,  in  my 
 
 renewed,  the  more  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  fears  be 
 was  deceived,  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  men's  grace  is  multiplied,  the  more  their  peace  is  mul- 
 tiplied.    2  Pet.  i.  2.  '  Grace  and  peace  be  multiplied  unto  you 
 
 through  the  knowledge  of  God,  and  Jesus  our  Lord. ' " Stoddard's 
 
 Way  lo  know  Sincerity  and  Hypocrisy* 
 
618 
 
 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,  cleav- 
 ing to  him  under  trials,  seems  to  have  been  repre- 
 sented of  old,  by  his  coming  and  manifesting  himself, 
 to  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abednego,  in  the  fur- 
 nace. And  when  the  apostle  speaks  of  the  witness 
 of  the  Spirit,  in  Rom.  viii.  15 — IT.  he  has  a  more 
 immediate  respect  to  what  the  Christians  experienced, 
 in  their  exercises  of  love  to  God,  in  suffering  perse- 
 cution ;  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,  ver.  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  ail  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.  1 7.  it  is  evident 
 Christ  has  a  special  respect  to  a  benefit  that  Chris- 
 tians should  obtain,  by  overcoming,  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  may  be  ready  to  object 
 
619 
 
 against  what  has  been  said  of  Christian  practice  be- 
 ing 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  doings,  to  the  diminution  of  the  glory  of  free 
 grace,  and  does  not  seem  well  to  consist  with  that 
 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  beggar's  looking  on  the 
 money  he  has  in  his  hands,  as  a  sign  of  the  kindness 
 of  him  who  gave  it  to  him,  is  in  no  respect  inconsis- 
 tent with  the  freeness  of  that  kindness.  It  is  his 
 having  money  in  his  hands  as  the  price  of  a  benefit, 
 that  is  the  thing  which  is  inconsistent  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  quaUfication  or  action 
 of  ours  which  recommends  us  to  that  grace;  that 
 kindness  is  shown  to  the  unworthy  and  unlovely; 
 that  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  with- 
 
620 
 
 out  works,  (as  this  doctrine  is  taught  in  the  Scrip- 
 ture,) that  it  is  not  the  worthiness  or  loveliness  of  our 
 works,  or  any  thing  in  us,  which  is  in  any  wise  ac- 
 cepted with  God,  as  a  balance  for  the  guilt  of  sin,  or 
 a  recommendation  of  sinners  to  his  acceptance  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  justified  by  faith  and  not  by  works ; 
 thereby  is  meant  that  it  is  not  the  worthiness  or  ami- 
 ableness  of  our  works,  or  any  thing  in  us,  which  re- 
 commends us  to  an  interest  in  Christ  and  his  benefits ; 
 but  that  we  have  this  interest  only  by  faith,  or  by 
 our  souls  receiving  Christ,  or  adhering  to,  and  clos- 
 ing with  him.  But  that  the  worthiness  or  amiable- 
 ness  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  by  which  we  are  justified, 
 as  that  holy  practice  should  be  so.  It  is  with  holy 
 works  as  it  is  with  holy  qualifications ;  it  is  inconsis- 
 sent  with  the  freeness  of  gospel  grace,  that  a  title  to 
 salvation  should  be  given  to  men  for  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  doctiine  of  free  grace, 
 
621 
 
 that  an  interest  in  Christ  and  his  benefits  should 
 be  given  for  the  loveUness  of  a  man's  true  hoUness, 
 for  the  aimableness  of  his  renewed,  sanctified,  hea- 
 venly heart,  his  love  to  God,  and  being  like  God,  or 
 his  experience  of  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  self-empti- 
 ness, 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  loveHness  of  any  of  these, 
 or  that  any  of  these  should  be  our  righteousness  in 
 the  affair  of  justification.  And  yet  this  does  not 
 hinder  the  importance  of  these  things  as  evidences 
 of  an  interest  in  Christ.  Just  so  it  is  with  respect 
 to  holy  actions  and  works.  To  make  Ught  of  works, 
 because  we  be  not  justified  by  works,  is  the  same 
 thing  in  effect  as  to  make  light  of  all  religion,  aU 
 grace  and  holiness,  yea,  true  evangelical  hoHness, 
 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  right- 
 eousness, religion,  or  holiness,  and  every  thing  that 
 is  in  us ;  all  the  good  we  do,  and  all  the  good  of 
 which  we  are  conscious ;  all  external  acts,  and  all 
 internal  acts  and  exercises  of  grace,  and  aU  experi- 
 ences, and  all  those  holy  and  heavenly  things  where- 
 in the  life  and  power,  and  the  very  essence  of  reh- 
 gion  consist ;  all  those  great  things  which  Christ  and 
 his  apostles  mainly  insisted  on  in  their  preaching, 
 and  endeavoured  to  promote,  as  of  the  greatest  con- 
 sequence 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 
 
622 
 
 of  these  things;  and  if  we  were,  we  should,  in  a 
 Scripture  sense,  be  justified  by  works. — And  there- 
 fore, if  it  be  not  legal,  and  contrary  to  the  evangelical 
 doctrine  of  justification  without  works,  to  insist  on 
 any  of  these,  as  of  great  importance,  as  evidence  of 
 an  interest  in  Christ;  then  no  more  is  it  thus,  to 
 insist  on  the  importance  of  holy  practice.  It  would 
 be  legal  to  suppose,  that  holy  practice  justifies  by 
 bringing  us  to  a  title  to  Christ's  benefits,  as  the  price 
 of  it,  or  as  recommending  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  impor- 
 tance 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.  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  over- 
 cometh  shall  inherit  all  things." —  As  though  behaving 
 well  in  the  Christian  race  and  warfare  were  the  condi- 
 tion of  the  promise.  So  in  next  chapter,  Christ  says, 
 "  Blessed  are  they  that  do  his  commandments,  that 
 they  may  have  a  right  to  the  tree  of  life,  and  enter 
 in  through  the  gates  into  the  city ;"  and  then  de- 
 clares in  the  15th  verse,  how  they  that  are  of  a  wicked 
 practice  shall  be  excluded ;  and  yet,  in  the  verses 
 next  following,  docs  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 
 
623 
 
 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."  "  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  on  my  throne."  And  in  that  great 
 invitation  of  Christ,  "  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  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  sinners 
 to  accept  of  free  grace  :  "  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  w^ithout  money,  and  without  price ;"  even 
 there  in  the  continuation  of  the  same  invitation,  the 
 sinner's  forsaking  his  wicked  practice  is  spoken  of  as 
 necessary  to  the  obtaining  mercy — "  Let  the  wicked 
 forsake  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  abun- 
 dantly pardon."  So  the  riches  of  divine  grace,  in 
 the  justification  of  sinners,  is  set  forth  with  the  ne- 
 cessity of  holy  practice — "  Wash  you,  make  you  clean; 
 put  away  the  evil  of  your  doings  from  before  mine 
 eyes,  cease  to  do  evil,  learn  to  do  well,  seek  judg- 
 ment, relieve  the  oppressed,  judge  the  fatherless, 
 
6U 
 
 plead  for  the  widow.  Come  now,  let  us  reason  to- 
 gether, saith  the  Lord :  Though  your  sins  be  as 
 scarlet,  they  shall  be  white  as  snow ;  though  they  be 
 red  like  crimson,  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  how  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 :  "  Who- 
 so is  simple,  let  him  turn  in  hither;  as  for  him  that 
 wanteth  understanding,"  (that  is,  has  no  righteous- 
 ness,) "  she  saith  to  him.  Come,  eat  of  my  bread,  and 
 drink  of  the  wine  which  I  have  mingled."  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  hoH- 
 ness,  were  necessary  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 
 Scripture,  are  not  inconsistent  one  with  another. 
 Nor  does  it  at  all  diminish  the  honour  and  importance 
 of  faith,  that  the  exercises  and  effects  of  faith  in  prac- 
 tice should  be  esteemed  the  chief  signs  of  it;  any 
 more  than  it  lessens  the  importance  of  life,  that  ac- 
 tion and  motion  are  esteemed  the  chief  signs  of  it. 
 
 So  that  in  what  has  been  said  of  the  importance 
 of  holy  practice,  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  tending  to  lessen  the  glory  of  the  Media- 
 tor, and  our  dependence  on  his  righteousness;  nothing 
 
625 
 
 infringing  on  the  special  prerogatives  of  faith  in  the 
 work  of  our  salvation ;  nothing  in  any  wise  detracting 
 from  the  glory  of  God  and  his  mercy,  or  exalting 
 man,  or  diminishing  his  dependence  and  obligation. 
 So  that  if  any  are  against  such  an  importance  being 
 given  to  holy  practice  as  has  been  spoken  of,  it  must 
 be  only  from  a  senseless  aversion  to  the  letters  and 
 sound  of  the  word  ivorks;  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  words,  holiness,  godliness,  grace,  religion,  experi- 
 ence, and  Q\eYi  faith  itself;  for  to  make  a  righteous- 
 ness of  any  of  these,  is  as  legal,  and  as  inconsistent 
 with  the  way  of  the  new  covenant,  as  to  make  a  right- 
 eousness of  holy  practice. 
 
 It  is  greatly  to  the  hurt  of  religion,  for  persons  to  j 
 
 make  light  of,  and  insist  little  on,  those  things  which  I 
 
 the  Scripture  insist  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  ex- 
 ercises, and  effectual  operations  of  grace  in  practice,  I 
 and  insist  almost  wholly  on  discoveries,  and  the  me-  ' 
 thod  and  manner  of  the  immanent  exercises  of  con- 
 science and  grace  in  contemplation  ;  depending  on  an 
 ability  to  make  nice  distinctions  in  these  matters,  and           | 
 a  faculty  of  accurate  discerning  in  them,  from  philo- 
 sophy or  experience.      It  is  in  vain  to  seek  for  any  | 
 better,  or  any  farther  signs  than  those  that  the  Scrip- 
 tures 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  experience  or  insight  into  the    ju 
 
 2D  20  '-^^ 
 
626 
 
 nature  of  things,  to  give  more  distinguishing  marks, 
 which  shall  more  thoroughly  search  out,  and  detect 
 the  hypocrite,  are  hut  subtle  to  darken  their  own 
 minds,  and  the  minds  of  others ;  their  refinings  and 
 nice  discerning  are  in  God's  sight  but  refined  foolish- 
 ness and  a  sagacious  delusion.  Here  are  applicable 
 those  words  of  Agur,  "  Every  word  of  God  is  pure; 
 he  is  a  shield  to  them  that  put  their  trust  in  him. 
 Add  thou  not  unto  his  words,  lest  he  reprove  thee, 
 and  thou  be  found  a  liar."  Our  wisdom  and  dis- 
 cerning, 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  depths  of  man's 
 heart.  The  ways  are  so  many  whereby  a  person's 
 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  innumerable  and  unsearchable,) 
 natural  temper,  education,  the  common  influences  of 
 the  Spirit  of  God,  a  surprising  concourse  of  affecting 
 circumstances,  an  extraordinary  coincidence  of  things 
 in  the  course  of  men's  thoughts,  together  with  the 
 subtle  management  of  invisible  malicious  spirits  ;  that 
 no  philosophy  or  experience  will  ever  be  sufficient  to 
 guide  us  safely  through  this  labyrinth  and  maze, 
 without  our  closely  following  the  clue  which  God  has 
 mven  us  in  his  word.  God  knows  his  own  reasons 
 why  he  insists  on  some  things,  and  plainly  sets  them 
 forth  as  the  things  by  which  we  should  try  ourselves, 
 rather  than  others.  It  may  be  it  is  because  he  knows 
 that  these  things  are  attended  with  less  perplexity, 
 and  that  we  are  less  liable  to  be  deceived  by  them 
 
6^7 
 
 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  safety ;  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  resemble  grace,  and  how  far  na- 
 ture may  be  mixed  with  grace,  what  affections  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  bewil- 
 dered, confounded,  and  fatally  deluded.  But  if  we 
 had  got  into  the  way  of  looking  chiefly  at  those  things 
 which  Christ,  and  his  apostles,  and  prophets,  chiefly 
 insisted  on,  and  in  judging  of  ourselves  and  others, 
 chiefly  regarding  practical  exercises  and  effects  of 
 grace,  not  neglecting  other  things,  it  would  be  of 
 manifold  happy  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  strait  and  narrow  way  which  leads  to  life;  it 
 would  tend  to  deliver  us  from  innumerable  perplexi- 
 ties, arising  from  the  various  inconsistent  schemes 
 there  are  about  methods  and  steps  of  experience; 
 it  would  greatly  tend  to  prevent  professors  neglecting 
 strictness  of  life,  and  tend  to  promote  their  engaged- 
 ness  and  earnestness  in  their  Christian  walk ;  and  it 
 would  become  fashionable  for  men  to  show  their 
 Christianity,  more  by  an  amiable,  distinguished  be- 
 2  D  2 
 
628 
 
 haviour,  than  by  an  abundant  and  excessive  declaring 
 their  experiences ;  and  we  should  get  into  the  way  of 
 appearing  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-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  better  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  ex- 
 ample of  the  blessed  apostle — "  For  though  I  would 
 desire  to  glory,  I  shall  not  be  a  fool ;  for  I  will  say 
 the  truth :  but  now  I  forbear,  lest  any  man  should 
 think  of  me  above  that  which  he  seeth  me  to  be,  or 
 that  he  heareth  of  me :"  and  many  occasions  of  spi- 
 ritual pride  would  be  cut  off;  and  so  a  great  door  shut 
 against  the  devil ;    and  a  great  many  of  the  main 
 stumbling-blocks  against  experimental  and  powerful 
 relifxion  would  be  declared  and  manifested  in  such  a 
 way,  that  instead  of  hardening  spectators,  and  ex- 
 ceedingly 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  im- 
 portance and  excellency  of  religion.      Thus  the  light 
 of  professors  would  so  shine  before  men,  that  others, 
 seeing  their  good  works,  would"  glorify  their  Father 
 who  is  in  heaven. 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 TWO  LETTERS  TO  MR.  GILLESPIE, 
 
 IN  REPLY  TO  HIS  OBJECTIONS  TO  SOME  THINGS  IN  THE  PRECEDING 
 TREATISE. 
 
 LETTER  L 
 
 Northmnplon,  Sept.  4,  1747. 
 Rev.  &  Dear  Sir, 
 
 I  RECEIVED  your  letter  of  Nov,  24,  1746,  though  very  long  after 
 it  was  written.  I  thank  you  for  it,  and  for  your  offering  me  a 
 correspondence  with  you.  .Such  an  offer  I  shall  gladly  embrace, 
 and  esteem  it  a  great  privilege,  more  especially  from  the  charac- 
 ter I  have  received  of  you  from  Mr.  Abercrombie,  who  I  perceive 
 was  intimately  acquainted  with  you. 
 
 As  to  the  objections  you  make  against  some  things  contained 
 in  my  late  book  on  Religious  Affections,  I  am  sorry  you  did  not 
 read  the  book  through  before  you  made  them  :  if  you  had,  per- 
 haps the  difficulties  would  not  have  appeared  quite  so  great.  As 
 to  what  is  contained  in  the  197th  and  198th  pages,  I  suppose  there 
 is  not  the  least  difference  of  opinion  between  you  and  me,  unless 
 it  be  concerning  the  signification  and  propriety  of  expression.  I 
 am  fully  of  your  mind,  and  always  was  without  the  least  doubt 
 of  it,  "  That  every  one,  both  saint  and  sinner,  is  indispensably 
 bound,  at  all  seasons,  by  the  divine  authority,  to  believe  instantly 
 on  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  that  the  command  of  the  Lord,  1  John 
 iii.  23.  that  we  should  believe  on  the  name  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ, 
 as  it  is  a  prescription  of  the  moral  law,  no  less  binds  the  sinner 
 to  immediate  performance,  than  the  commandment  not  to  kill,  to 
 keep  the  Sabbath-day,  or  any  other  duty,  as  to  the  present  per- 
 formance of  which,  in  way  of  duty,  all  agree  the  sinner  is  bound; 
 and  that  men  are  bound  to  trust  the  divine  faithfulness,  be  their 
 case,  with  res])ect  to  light  and  darkness,  sight,  &c.  what  it  will; 
 and  that  no  situation  they  can  be  in  looses  them  from  obligation 
 to  glorify  the  Loid  at  all  seasons,  and  ex|)ecting  the  fulfilment  of 
 his  words  ;  and  that  the  sinner  that  is  without  spiritual  light  or 
 sight  is  bound  to  believe,  and  that  it  is  a  duty  at  tlint  very  time 
 incumbent  on  him  to  believe."  But  I  conceive  that  there  is  a 
 great  deal  of  difference  between  these  two  things,  namely,  it  being 
 a  man's  duty  that  is  without  spiritual  light  or  sight,  to  believe, 
 and  its  being  his  duty  to  believe  without  spiritual  light  or  sight, 
 
630 
 
 or  to  believe  while  he  yet  remains  without  light  or  sight.     Just 
 tlie  same  ditference  that  is  between  these  two  things,  namely,  its 
 being  his  duty  that  has  no  faith  to  believe,  and  its  being  his  duty 
 to  believe  witliout  faith,  or  to  believe  without  believing.     I  trust 
 there  is  none  will  assert  the  latter,  because  of  the  contradiction  that 
 it  implies.     As  it  is  not  proper  to  say,  It  is  a  man's  duty  to  believe 
 without  faith,  because  it  implies  a  contradiction,  so  I  think  it 
 equally  improper  to  say.  It  is  a  man's  duty  to  believe  without 
 these  things  that  are  essentially  implied  in  faith,  because  tliat  also 
 implies  a  contradiction.    But  a  spiritual  sight  of  Christ,  or  know- 
 ledge of  Christ,  is  essentially  implied  in  the  very  nature  and  notion 
 of  faith  ;  and,  therefore,  it  is  absurd  to  talk  of  believing  on  Christ 
 without  spiritual  light  or  sight.     It  is  the  duty  of  a  man  that  is 
 without  these  things,  that  essentially  belong  to  faith,  to  believe ; 
 and  it  is  the  duty  of  a  man  that  is  without  these  things,  that  es- 
 sentially belong  to  love,  to  love  God ;  because  it  is  an  indispen- 
 sable obligation  that  lies  on  all  men,  at  all  times,  and  in  all  cir- 
 cumstances, to  love  God:  but  yet  it  is  not  a  duty  to  love  God 
 w^ithout  loving  him,  or  continuing   without  those  things   that 
 essentially  belong  to  his  love.     It  is  the  duty  of  those  that  have 
 no  sense  of  the  loveliness  of  God,  and  have  no  esteem  of  him,  to 
 love  him,  and  they  be  not  in  the  least  excused  by  the  want  of  this 
 sense  and  esteem,  in  not  loving  l)im  one  moment;  but  yet  it 
 would  be  properly  nonsense  to  say  it  is  their  duty  to  love  him 
 without  any  sense  of  his  loveliness,  or  any  esteem  of  him.     It  is 
 indeed  their  duty  this  moment  to  come  out  of  their  disesteem  and 
 stupid,  wicked  insensibility  of  his  loveliness,  and  to  love  him.     I 
 made  the  distinction  (I  thought)  very  plainly,  in  the  midst  of 
 those  sentences  you  quote  as  exceptionable.      I  say  expressly, 
 page  198,  "  It  is  truly  the  duty  of  those  who  are  in  darkness,  to 
 come  out  of  darkness  into  light,  and  believe;  but,  that  tliey  should 
 confidently  believe  and  trust,  while  they  yetremain  without  spiritual 
 light  or  siglit,  is  anantiscriptural  and  absurd  doctrine."   The  misun- 
 derstanding between  us,  dear  Sir,  I  suppose  to  be  in  the  different  ap- 
 plication of  the  particle  wiih<mt,mmyuse  of  it,  and  your  understand- 
 ing of  it,  orwhat  we  understand  as  spoken  of  and  supposed  in  the  ex- 
 pression ;  u'iLhout  spiritual  light  or  sight.      As  I  use  it,  I  apply  it  to 
 the  act  of  believing;  and  I  suppose  it  to  be  very  absurd  to  talk  of  an 
 act  of  faith  without  sphitun]  light  and  sight,  wdierein  I  suppose  you 
 will  allow  me  to  be  in  the  right.     As  you  understand  it,  it  is  applied 
 to  duty  or  obligation,  and  you  suppose  it  to  be  not  at  all  absurd  to 
 talk  of  an  obligation  to  believe  without  spiritual  light  or  sight, 
 but  that  the  obligation  remains  full  where  there  is  no  spiritual 
 light  or  sight,  wherein  I  allow  you  are  in  the  right.     I  think.  Sir, 
 if  you  read  what  I  have  said  in  my  book  on  this  head  again,  it 
 will  be  exceedingly  aj)parent  to  you,  that  it  is  thus  that  I  apply  the 
 preposition   tvithout,  and  not  as   you  before  understood   it.      I 
 thought  I  had  very  plainly  manifested  that  what  I  meant  by  be- 
 ing in  darkness  was  a  being  in  spiritual  blindness,  and  so  in  a  dead, 
 Stupid,  carnal,  and  unchristian  frame  and  way,  and  not  what  is 
 commonly  called  a  being  without  the  light  of  God's  countenance, 
 
631 
 
 under  the  hidings  of  his  face.  We  have  a  great  number  of  peo- 
 ple in  these  parts  that  go  on  that  supposition  in  their  notions  and 
 practice,  that  there  really  is  such  a  thing  as  such  a  manner  of  be- 
 lieving, such  a  kind  of  faith  as  this,  namely,  a  confident  believing 
 and  firm  trusting  in  God  in  the  dark,  in  the  sense  mentioned, 
 that  is  to  be  sought  after,  and  is  the  subject  matter  of  divine  pre- 
 scription, and  which  many  actually  have;  and  indeed  there  are 
 innumerable  instances  of  such  as  are  apparently  in  a  most  sense- 
 less, careless,  negligent,  apostate,  and  every  way  unchristian  and 
 wicked  frame,  that  yet,  encouraged  by  this  principle,  do  retain  an 
 exceeding  strong  confidence  of  their  good  state,  and  count  that 
 herein  they  do  their  duty  and  give  much  glory  to  God,  under  the 
 notion  of  trusting  God  in  the  dark,  and  hoping  against  hope,  and 
 not  trusting  on  their  own  righteousness ;  and  they  suppose  it  would 
 show  a  legal  spirit  to  do  otherwise.  I  thought  it  would  be  manifest 
 to  every  reader  that  I  was  arguing  against  such  a  sort  of  people. 
 You  say,  "  It  merits  consideration  whether  the  believer  should 
 ever  doubt  of  his  state,  on  any  account  whatever,  because  doubt- 
 ing, as  opposed  to  believing,  is  absolutely  sinful."  Here,  Sir, 
 you  seem  to  suppose  that  a  person's  doubting  of  his  own  good 
 estate  is  the  proper  opposite  of  faith,  and  these  and  some  other 
 expi-essions  in  your  letter,  seem  to  suppose  that  doubting  of  one's 
 good  estate  and  unbelief  is  the  same  thing,  and  so,  that  being  con- 
 fident of  one's  good  estate  and  faith  are  the  same  thing.  This  I 
 acknowledge  I  do  not  understand;  I  do  not  take  faith,  and  a  per- 
 sons believing  that  they  have  faith,  to  be  the  same  thing.  Nor 
 do  I  take  unbelief,  or  being  without  faith,  and  doubting  whether 
 they  have  it,  to  be  the  same  thing,  but  entirely  different.  I  should 
 have  been  glad  either  that  you  had  taken  a  little  more  notice  of 
 what  I  say  on  this  head,  pages  199,  200.  or  that  you  had  said 
 something  to  convince  me  that  I  am  wrong  in  this  point.  The 
 exercise  of  fail  h  is  doubtless  the  xmy  to  be  delivered  from  darkness, 
 deadness,  backsliding,  ^-c.  or  rather  is  the  deliverance  ;  as  forsak- 
 ing sin  is  the  way  to  deliverance  from  sin,  and  is  the  deliverance 
 itself.  The  exercise  of  grace  is  doubtless  the  way  to  deliverance 
 from  a  graceless  frame,  that  consists  in  the  want  of  the  exercise 
 of  grace.  But  as  to  what  you  say,  or  seem  to  intimate,  of  a  per- 
 son's being  confident  of  his  own  good  estate,  as  being  the  way  to  be 
 delivered  from  darkness,  deadness,  backsliding,  and  prevailing  ini- 
 quity, I  think,  whoever  supposes  this  to  be  God's  method  of  de- 
 livering his  saints,  when  sunk  into  an  evil,  careless,  carnal,  and 
 unchristian  frame,  first  to  assure  them  of  their  good  estate  and 
 his  favour,  while  they  yet  remain  in  such  a  frame,  and  to  make 
 that  the  means  of  their  deliverance,  does  surely  mistake  God's 
 method  of  dealing  with  such  persons.  Among  all  the  multitudes 
 I  have  had  opportunity  to  observe,  I  never  knew  one  dealt  with 
 after  this  manner.  I  have  known  many  brought  back  from  great 
 declension,  that  appeared  to  me  to  be  true  saints  ;  but  it  was  in  a 
 way  very  diverse  from  this.  In  the  first  place,  conscience  has  been 
 awakened,  and  they  have  been  brought  into  great  fear  of  the 
 wrath  of  God,  having  his  favour  hid,  and  they  have  been  the  sub- 
 
632 
 
 jects  of  a  kind  of  new  work  of  humiliation,  brought  to  a  great 
 sense  of  their  deserving  of  God's  wrath,  even  while  tliey  have  yet 
 feared  it,  before  God  has  delivered  them  from  the  apprehension 
 of  it,  and  comforted  them  with  a  renewed  sense  of  his  favour. 
 
 As  to  what  I  say  of  the  necessity  of  universal  obedience,  or  of 
 one  way  of  known  sin  (that  is,  so  as  properly  to  be  said  to  be  the 
 way  and  manner  of  the  man)  being  exception  enough  against  a 
 man's  salvation ;  I  should  have  known  better  what  to  have  said 
 further  about  it,  if  you  had  briefly  shown  how  the  Scriptures  that 
 I  mention,  and  the  arguments  I  deduce  from  them,  are  insuffi- 
 cient for  the  proof  of  this  point.  I  confess  they  appear  to  me  to 
 prove  it  as  fully  as  any  thing  concerning  the  necessary  qualifica- 
 tions of  a 'true  saint  can  be  proved  from  Scripture. 
 
 You  object  against  my  saying,  p.  523,  "  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."  This,  I  think,  implies  no 
 more  than  that  his  walk  over  the  same  ground,  in  like  circum- 
 stances, and  under  like  trials,  will  have  a  remaikable  difference. 
 As  to  the  instance  you  mention  of  David  and  Solomon,  I  do  not 
 know  that  the  Scriptures  give  us  any  where  so  much  of  a  history 
 of  their  walk  and  behaviour  before  their  conversion,  as  to  put  us 
 into  any  proper  capacity  of  comparing  their  after  walk  with  their 
 former.  These  examples  are  uncertain.  But  I  think  those  doc- 
 trines of  the  Scripture  are  not  uncertain,  which  I  mention  in  the 
 place  you  cite,  to  confirm  the  point,  which  teach  that  converts  are 
 new  men,  new  creatures,  that  they  are  renewed  not  only  within 
 but  without,  that  old  things  are  passed  away,  and  all  things  be- 
 come new^,  that  they  walk  in  newness  of  life,  that  the  members 
 of  their  bodies  are  new,  that  whereas  they  before  were  the  ser- 
 vants of  sin,  and  yielded  their  members  servants  of  iniquity,  now 
 they  yield  them  servants  of  righteousness  unto  holiness. 
 
 As  to  those  doubts  and  cases  of  difficulty  you  mention,  I  should 
 think  it  very  needless  for  a  divine  of  your  character  to  apply  to 
 me  for  a  solution  of  difficulties,  which  it  would  be  more  proper 
 for  me  to  learn  of  you.  However,  since  you  are  pleased  to  insist 
 on  my  giving  my  mind  upon  them,  I  would  observe,  as  to  the 
 first  case  you  mention,  of  a  person  incessantly  harassed  by  Satan, 
 &c.  you  do  not  say  of  what  nature  the  temptations  are  tliat  he  is 
 harassed  with.  But  I  think  it  impossible  to  give  proper  advice 
 and  direction  without  knowing  this.  Satan  is  to  be  resisted  in 
 a  very  different  m.anner,  in  different  kinds  of  onsets.  When  per- 
 sons are  harassed  with  those  strange,  horrid  injections,  that 
 melancholic  persons  are  often  subject  to,  he  is  to  be  resisted  in  a 
 very  different  manner,  from  what  is  proper  in  case  of  violent 
 temptation  to  gratify  some  worldly  lust.  In  the  former  case,  I 
 siiould  by  no  means  advise  a  person  to  resist  the  devil  by  enter- 
 ing the  lists  with  him,  and  vehemently  engaging  their  mind  in  an 
 earnest  dispute  and  violent  struggle  with  the  grand  adversary,  but 
 rather  by  diverting  the  mind  from  his  frightful  suggcslions,  by 
 going  on  steadfastly  and  diligently  in  the  ordinary  course  of  duty. 
 
633 
 
 without  allowing  themselves  time  and  leisure  to  attend  to  the 
 devil's  sophistry,  or  viewing  his  frightful  representations,  com- 
 mitting  themselves  to  God  by  prayer  in  this  way, 'without  anxiety 
 about  what  had  been  suggested.     Tiiat  is  the  best  way  of  resisting 
 the  devil,  that  crosses  his  design  most;  and  he  more  effectually 
 disappoints  him  in  such  cases,  that  treats  him  with  neglect,  thaa 
 he  that  attends  so  much  to  him,  as  to  engage  in  a  direct  con- 
 flict,  and  goes  about  to  try  his  strength  and  skill  with  him,  in  a 
 violent  dispute  or  combat.    The  latter  course  rather  gives  him  ad- 
 vantage than  any  thing  else.     It  is  what  he  would ;  if  he  can 
 get  persons  thus  engaged  in  a  violent  struggle,  he  gains  a  great 
 point,      lie  knows  that  melancholic  persons  are  not  fit  for  it.     By 
 this  he  gains  that  point  of  diverting  and  taking  otf  the  person  from 
 the  ordinary  course  of  duty,  v/hich  is  one  great  thing  he  aims  at; 
 and  by  this,  having  gained  the  person's  attention  to  what  he  says, 
 he  has  opportunity  to  use  all  his  craft  and  subtlety,  and  by  this 
 struggle  he  raises  melancholic  vapours  to  a  greater  degree,  and 
 further  weakens  the  person's  mind,  and  gets  him  faster  and  faster 
 in  his  snares,  deeper  and  deeper  in  the  mire.     He  increases  the 
 ,  person's  anxiety  of  mind,  which  is  the  very  thing  by  which  mainly 
 he  fulfils  all  his  purposes  with  such  persons. 
 
 Concerning  the  other  diihculty  you  mention  relating  to  the 
 verifying  of  Rom.  viii.  20.  "  All  things  shall  work  together  for 
 good,"  &c.  in  a  saint  that  falls  under  backsliding  and  spiritual 
 decays,  &c.  it  seems  to  be  a  matter  of  some  difficulty  to  under- 
 stand exactly  how  this  is  to  be  taken,  and  how  far  it  may  from 
 hence  be  inferred,  that  the  temptations  the  saints  meet  with  from 
 Satan  and  an  evil  world,  and  their  own  declensions  and  sins, 
 shall  surely  work  for  their  good.  However,  since  you  ^esire  my 
 thoughts,  I  would  express  them,  such  as  they  are,  as  follows  : — 
 In  order  riglitly  to  state  this  matter,  there  are  two  tilings  may 
 be  laid  down,  as  positions  of  certain  and  indubitable  truth  con- 
 cerning this  doctrine  of  the  apostle. 
 
 First,  The  meaning  cannot  be  that  God's  dispensations  and  dis- 
 posals towards  each  saint  are  the  best  for  him,  most  tending  to 
 his  happiness  of  all  that  are  possible :  or  that  all  things  that  are 
 ordered  for  him,  or  done  by  God  with  respect  to  him,  are  in  all 
 respects  better  for  him  than  any  thing  else  tliat  God  could  have 
 ordered  or  done,  issuing  in  the  highest  good  and  happiness  that 
 it  is  possible  he  should  be  brought  to ;  for  that  would  be  as  much 
 as  to  say,  that  God  will  bestow  on  every  one  of  his  elect,  as  much 
 happiness  as  he  can  [confer,]  in  the  utmost  exercise  of  his  om- 
 nipotence, and  this  sets  aside  all  those  different  degrees  of  grace 
 anrl  holiness  here,  and  glory  hereafter,  which  he  bestows  accord- 
 ing to  his  sovereign  pleasure. 
 
 All  things  may  work  together  for  good  to  the  saints.  All  may 
 be  of  benefit  to  them,  and  may  have  a  concurring  tendency  to 
 their  happiness,  and  may  all  finally  issue  in  it,  and  yet  not  tend 
 to,  or  issue  in  the  highest  degree  of  good  and  happiness  possible. 
 There  is  a  certain  measure  of  holiness  and  happiness,  that  each 
 2  D  8 
 
634^ 
 
 one  of  the  elect  is  eternally  appointed  to,  and  all  things  that  re- 
 
 sZof  :V"'n  ^"^^^^/'^'-.^^  ''""^  to  pass  ,/..  appointed  nel 
 sure  of  good.  i  he  text  and  context  speak  of  God's  e/.;««/  pur- 
 hisVnn^^''  'r  '^'"  '''f:  P'-^destinating  them  to  a  conformity  to 
 h.s  Son  u.  holiness  and  l.appu.ess ;  and  the  implicit  reasor.ing  of 
 the  apostle  leads  ns  to  su])pose  that  all  things  will  purely  corfcur 
 to  bxMng  to  effect  God's  eternal  purpose.  And  tlferefore!  om 
 his  reasoning  it  may  be  mferred,  that  all  things  sviU  tend  to  and 
 
 ZnoZtr  1  ''"'"^  ^"  'f "'  '''■'■'  ^^^^-^^  «'^-d  that  Goi  has 
 puiposed  to  bestow  upon  them,  and  not  any  more.     And  indeed 
 
 1  tu'ould  be  in  Itself  unreasonable  to  suppose  any  thing  else  but 
 h  s  ;    nasmuch  as  God  .s  the  supreme  orderer  of  all  thin|s,  doubt- 
 less all    hings  shall  be  so  ordered,  that  with  one  consent,  they 
 ,  "  P    ;^?!'J^^''  ^'«  -^1^'  --^'  -d  purposes;  bt^ 
 
 \    ^      .     .      '^  ' ••■"    ^"w.,,    ,111113,    aim    uui  puses  :    UUC 
 
 surely  not  to  bring  to  pass  what  he  does  not  aim  at,  and  never 
 intended  God,  in  his  govern.nent  of  the  world,  is  carryin-  on 
 whi°;r"  ^^  •!  i"r!'-^i^r"?l^"^  ^-  '^  -^  carrying  L^ihat 
 
 Tnl  tvV'u  r  ''"^"'  "^'  ''''''''''''  ''''''  •«  "«  "^ed  o'-  suppos- 
 ing, that  a  1  the  circumstances,  means,  and  advantages  of  every 
 saint,  are  the  best,  in  every  respect,  that  God  could  have  ordered 
 for  h,m,  or  hat  there  could  have  been  no  circumstances  or  means 
 that  he  could  have  been  the  subject  of,  that  would,  with  God's 
 usual  blessu.g,  have  issued  in  his  greater  good.     Every  saint,  is, 
 
 r.  fin?"'';  '  r^"^;  ''"""'  '^'^^^  ■''  ^'^'^  P^^^^^"^  ^^^^^  of  preparation 
 IS  h  ting  tor  the  place  a|)pointed  for  him  in  the  heavenly  temple. 
 And  in  this  sense  all  things  undoubtedly  work  together  for  good 
 to  every  one  that  is  called  according  to  God's  ptirpose.  He  is, 
 all  the  while  he  lives  in  this  world,  by  all  the  dispensations  of 
 piovidence  toaards  h.m,  fittnig  for  the  particular  mansion  in  glory, 
 that  IS  appointed  and  prepared  for  him,  or  hewing  for  his  a^ 
 pomted  place  ni  tlie  heavenly  building. 
 
 Secondly/,  Another  thing  which  is  no  less  certain  and  demon- 
 strable than  the  position  that  has  been  already  laid  down,  and  in- 
 deed  follows  from  ir,  is  this,  When  it  is  said,  "  all  things  work 
 together  tor  good,"  i^c.  hereby  cannot  be  intended  that  all  things 
 both  positive  and  negatioe,  are  best  for  tlieni,  or  that  it  is  so  uni- 
 versally, that  not  only  every  positive  thing,  that  the  saints  are 
 the  subjects  of,  or  are  concerned  in,  will  work  for  their  good,  but 
 also  that  when  any  thing  is  absent  or  withheld  from' them  by 
 God  in  his  providence,  that  absence  or  withholding  is  also  for 
 their  good  in  that  sense,  or  to  be  better  for  them  than  the  pre- 
 sence  or  bestowment  would  have  been;  for  this  would  have  the 
 ^ime  absurd  consecpience  that  was  mentioned  before,  namely, 
 Ihat  God  makes  every  saint  as  happy  as  he  possibly  can.  And 
 besides.  It  so,  it  would  follow  that  God's  withholding  greater  de- 
 grees of  the  sanctifying  influences  of  his  S])irit  is  for  the  saints' 
 gootJ,  and  that  it  is  bej,t  for  them  to  live  and  die  so  low  in  grace 
 as  they  do,  which  would  be  as  much  as  to  say,  that  it  is  for  their 
 good  to  have  no  more  good,  or  that  it  is  for  their  happiness  to 
 iiave  no  more  haj.piness  here  and  hereafter.  If  we  take  good 
 notice  of  the  apostle's  discourse  in  Rom.  viii.  it  will  be  apparent 
 
6S5 
 
 that  his  words  imply  no  such  thing.  All  God's  creatures,  and 
 all  that  God  does  in  disposing  of  them,  is  for  the  good  of  the 
 saint.  But  it  will  not  hence  follow,  that  all  God's  forbearing  to 
 do  is  also  for  his  good,  or  that  it  is  best  for  him,  that  God  does  no 
 more  for  him. 
 
 Therefore,  the  following  things  I  humbly  conceive  to  be  the 
 truth,  concerning  the  sins  and  temptations  of  the  saints  being  for 
 their  good. 
 
 1.  That  all  things,  whatsoever,  are  for  the  good  of  the  saints, 
 things  negative  as  well  as  positive,  in  this  sense,  that  God  intends 
 that  some  benefit  to  them  shall  arise  from  every  thing,  so  that  some- 
 thing of  the  grace  and  love  of  God  will  hereafter  be  seen  to  have 
 been  exercised  towards  them  in  every  thing.  At  the  same  time, 
 the  sovereignty  of  God  will  also  be  seen,  with  regard  to  the  mea- 
 sure of  the  good  or  benefit  aimed  at,  in  that  some  other  things, 
 if  God  had  seen  cause  to  order  them,  would  have  produced  a 
 higher  benefit.  And  with  regard  to  negative  disposals,  consist- 
 ing not  in  God's  doing,  but  forbearing  to  do,  not  in  giving,  but 
 withholding,  some  benefit  in  some  respect  or  other,  will  ever  ac- 
 crue to  the  saints,  even  from  these  ;  though  sometimes  the  bene- 
 fit will  not  be  equal  to  the  benefit  withheld,  if  it  had  been  be- 
 stowed. As,  for  instance,  when  a  saint  lives  and  dies  compa- 
 ratively low  in  grace.  There  is  some  good  improvement  shall  be 
 made,  even  of  this,  in  the  eternal  state  of  the  saint,  whereby  he 
 shall  receive  a  real  benefit,  though  the  benefit  shall  not  be  equal 
 to  the  benefit  of  a  higher  degree  of  holiness,  if  God  had  bestowed 
 it. 
 
 2.  God  carries  on  a  design  of  love  to  his  people,  and  to  each 
 individual  saint,  not  only  in  all  things  that  they  are  the  subjects 
 of  while  they  live,  but  also  in  all  his  works  and  disposals,  and  in 
 all  his  acts  from  eternity  to  eternity. 
 
 3.  That  the  sin,  in  general,  of  the  saints,  is  for  their  good,  and 
 for  the  best  in  this  respect,  namely,  that  it  is  a  thing  that,  through 
 the  sovereign  grace  of  God,  and  his  infinite  wisdom,  will  issue  in 
 a  high  advancement  of  their  eternal  happiness,  that  they  have  been 
 sinful,  fallen  creatures,  and  not  from  the  beginning  perfectly  in- 
 nocent and  holy,  as  the  elect  angels;  and  that  they  shall  obtain 
 some  additional  good  on  occasion  of  all  the  sin  they  have  been 
 the  subjects  of,  or  have  committed,  beyond  what  they  would  have 
 had,  if  they  never  had  been  fallen  creatures. 
 
 4.  The  sin  of  the  saints  in  this  sense  cannot  be  for  their  good, 
 that  it  would  finally  be  best  for  them,  that  while  they  lived  in 
 this  world,  their  restoration  and  recovery  from  the  corruption 
 they  became  subject  to  by  the  fall,  was  no  greater,  the  mortifica- 
 tion of  sin,  and  spiritual  vivification  of  their  soul  carried  on  to  no 
 greater  degree,  that  they  remained  so  deficient,  as  to  love  to  God, 
 Christian  love  to  men,  humility,  heavenly-mindedness,  and  that 
 they  were  so  barren,  and  did  so  few  good  works,  and,  conse- 
 quently, that,  in  general,  they  had  so  much  sin,  and  of  the  exer- 
 cises of  it,  and  not  more  holiness,  and  of  the  exercises  and  fruits 
 of  that,  for  in  proportion  as  one  of  these  is  more,  the  other  will 
 
636 
 
 be  less,  as  infallibly,  as  darkness  is  more  or  less,  in  proportion  to 
 the  diminution  or  increase  of  light.  It  cannot  finally  be  better 
 for  tlie  saints,  that,  in  general,  while  they  live,  they  had  so  much 
 sin  of  heart  and  life,  rather  than  more  holiness  of  heart  and  life. 
 Because  the  reward  of  all  at  last  will  be  according  to  their  works, 
 and  he  that  sowed  sparingly  shall  reap  sparingly,  and  he  that 
 sowed  bountifully  shall  reap  also  bountifully,  and  he  that  builds 
 wood,  hay,  and  stubble,  shall  finally  suff"er  loss,  and  have  a  less 
 reward,  than  if  he  had  built  gold,  silver,  and  precious  stones, 
 though  he  himself  shall  be  saved.     But  notwithstanding  this, 
 
 5.  The  sins  and  falls  of  the  saints  may  be  for  their  good,  and 
 for  the  better,  in  this  respect,  tiiat  the  issue  may  be  better  than 
 if  the  temptation  had  not  happened,  and  so  the  occasion  not 
 given  either  for  the  sin  of  yielding  to  the  temptation,  or  the  vir- 
 tue of  overcoming  it:  and  yet  not  in  the  respect  (with  regard  to 
 their  sins  or  falls  in  general)  that  it  should  be  better  for  them  in 
 the  issue,  that  they  have  yielded  to  the  temptation  offered,  than 
 if  they  had  overcome.  For  the  fewer  victories  they  obtain  over 
 temptation,  the  fewer  are  their  good  works,  and  particularly  of 
 that  kind  of  good  works  to  which  a  distinguished  reward  is  pro- 
 mised in  Rev.  ii.  and  iii.  and  in  many  other  parts  of  Scripture. 
 The  word  of  God  represents  the  work  of  a  Christian  in  this  world 
 as  a  warfare,  and  it  is  evident  in  the  Scripture  that  he  who  ac- 
 quits himself  as  the  best  soldier  shall  win  the  greatest  prize. 
 Therefore,  when  the  saints  are  brought  into  backslidings  and  de- 
 cays, by  being  overcome  by  tem})tation,  the  issue  of  their  back- 
 slidings may  be  some  good  to  them.  They  may  receive  some 
 benefit  by  occasion  of  it,  beyond  what  they  would  have  received 
 if  that  temptation  had  never  prevailed,  and  yet  their  backslidings 
 in  general  may  be  a  great  loss  to  them  in  the  following  respect, 
 namely,  That  they  shall  have  much  less  reward,  than  if  the  temp- 
 tations had  been  overcome,  and  they  notwithstanding  had  perse- 
 vered in  spiritual  vigour  and  diligence.  But  yet  this  does  not  hin- 
 der, but  that, 
 
 6.  It  may  be  so  ordered  by  a  sovereign  and  all-wise  God,  that 
 the  saints'  falls  and  backslidings,  through  their  being  overcome 
 by  temptations  in  some  particular  instances,  may  prove  best  for 
 them,  not  only  in  that  the  issue  may  be  greater  good  to  them, 
 than  they  would  have  received  if  the  tem])tation  had  not  hap- 
 pened, l)Ut  even  greater  in  that  instance,  than  if  tlie  temptation 
 had  been  overcome.  It  nuiy  be  so  ordered  that  their  being  over- 
 come by  that  temptation,  shall  be  the  occasion  of  their  having 
 greater  strength,  and  on  the  whole,  obtaining  more  and  greater 
 victories,  than  if  they  had  not  fcillen  in  tluit  instance.  But  this 
 is  no  where  jjromised,  nor  can  it  be  so,  that,  in  the  general,  it 
 should  prove  l)etter  for  them  that  they  weie  foiled  so  much,  and 
 did  overcome  so  litrle,  in  tiie  coiirse  of  their  lives,  and  that  finally 
 their  decay  is  so  great,  or  their  progress  so  small.  From  these 
 things  it  apjiears, 
 
 7.  That  the  sa)ing  of  the  a))ostle,  "  All  tilings  work  together 
 for  good  to  them  that  love  God,"  though  it  be  fulfilled  in  some 
 
637 
 
 respects  to  all  saints,  and  at  all  times,  and  in  all  circumstances, 
 yet  it  is  fulfilled  more  especially  and  eminently  to  the  saints  con- 
 tiauhvj.  ill  the  exercise  of  love  to  God,  not  fulling  from  the  exercises, 
 or  failing  in  the  fruits  of  divine  love  in  times  of  trial.  Then  it 
 is,  that  temptations,  enemies  and  suflfering,  will  be  best  for  them, 
 working  that  which  is  most  for  their  good  every  way,  and  they 
 shall  be  more  than  conquerors  over  tribulation,  distress,  persecu- 
 tion, famine,  nakedness,  peril  and  sword,  liora.  viii.  35-37. 
 
 8.  As  God  is  carrying  on  a  design  of  love  to  each  individual 
 saint,  in  all  his  works  and  disposals  whatsoever,  as  was  observed 
 before,  so  the  particular  design  of  love  to  them  that  he  is  carry- 
 ing on,  is  to  fit  them  for,  and  bring  them  to  their  appointed  place 
 in  the  heavenly  temple,  or  to  that  individual,  precise  happiness 
 and  glury  in  heaven,  that  his  eternal  love  designed  for  them,  and 
 no  other,  (for  God's  design  of  love  or  of  happiness  to  them,  is 
 only  just  what  it  is,  and  is  not  different  from  itself.)  And  to  ful- 
 fil this  particular  design  of  love,  every  thing  that  God  does,  or 
 in  any  respect  disposes,  whether  it  be  positive,  privative  or  nega- 
 tive, contributes,  because  doubtless  every  thing  that  God  does, 
 or  in  any  respect  offers,  tends  to  fulfil  his  aims  and  designs. 
 Therefore  undoubtedly, 
 
 9.  All  the  while  the  saint  lives  in  the  world,  he  is  fitting  for 
 his  appointed  mansion  in  glory,  and  hewing  for  his  place  in  the 
 heavenly  building.  And  all  his  temptations,  though  they  may 
 occasion,  for  the  present,  great  spiritual  wounds,  yet  at  last,  they 
 shall  be  an  occasion  of  his  being  more  fitted  for  his  place  in 
 glory.  And,  therefore,  we  may  determine,  that  however  the 
 true  saint  may  die  in  some  respects,  under  decays,  under  the  de- 
 cay of  comfort,  and  of  the  exercise  of  some  religious  affections,  yet 
 every  saint  died  at  that  time  when  his  habitual  fitness  for  his 
 place  in  the  heavenly  temple  is  mo-t  complete,  because  otherwise, 
 all  things  that  happen  to  him  while  he  lives,  would  not  work  to- 
 gether to  fit  him  for  that  place. 
 
 10.  God  brings  his  saints  at  the  end  of  their  lives  to  this  great- 
 est fitness  for  their  place  in  heaven,  not  by  diminishing  grace  in 
 their  hearts,  but  by  increasing  it,  and  carrying  on  the  work  of 
 grace  in  their  souls.  If  it  be  not  so,  that  cannot  be  true,  that 
 where  God  lias  begun  a  good  work,  he  will  perform  it,  or  carry  it  on, 
 to  the  day  of  Christ,  for  if  they  die  with  a  less  degree  of  grace  than 
 they  had  before,  then  it  ceases  to  be  carried  on  before  the  day 
 of  Christ  comes.  If  grace  is  finally  diminished,  then  Satan  so 
 far  finally  obtains  the  victory.  He  finally  prevails  to  diminish 
 the  fire  in  the  smoking  flax,  and  then  how  is  that  promise  veri- 
 fied, that  God  "  will  not  queneh  the  smoking  flax,  till  he  bring 
 forth  judgment  unto  victory?"  So  that  it  must  needs  be,  that 
 although  saints  may  die  under  decay  in  some  respects,  yet  they 
 never  die  under  a  real  habitual  decay  of  the  work  of  grace  in 
 general.  If  they  tall,  they  shall  rise  again,  before  they  die,  and 
 rise  higher  than  before,  if  not  in  joy,  and  some  other  affections, 
 yet  in  greater  degrees  of  spiritual  knowledge,  self-emptiness,  trust 
 in  God,  and  solidity  and  ripeness  of  grace. 
 
638 
 
 If  these  things  that  have  been  observed  are  true,  then  we  may 
 infer  from  them  these  corollaries:  — 
 
 1st,  That  notwithstanding  the  truth  of  that  saying  of  the  apostle, 
 Rom.  viii.  28.  the  saints  have  cause  to  lament  their  leanness  and 
 barrenness,  and  that  they  are  guilty  of  so  much  sin,  not  only  as 
 it  is  to  the  dishonour  of  God,  but  also  as  that  which  is  like  to  be 
 to  their  own  eternal  loss  and  damage. 
 
 2dly,  That  nothing  can  be  inferred  from  the  forementioned  pro- 
 mise tending  to  set  aside,  or  make  void  the  influence  of  motives 
 to  earnest  endeavours  to  avoid  all  sin,  to  increase  in  holiness, 
 and  abound  in  good  in  works,  from  an  aim  at  a  high  and  eminent 
 degree  of  glory  and  happiness  in  the  future  world. 
 
 3dly,  That  though  it  is  to  the  eternal  damage  of  the  saints,  or- 
 dinarily, when  they  yield  to,  and  are  overcome  by  temptations, 
 yet  Satan  and  other  enemies  of  the  saints  by  whom  these  temp- 
 tations come,  are  always  wholly  disappointed  in  their  temptation, 
 and  baffled  in  their  design  to  hurt  the  saints,  inasmuch  as  the 
 temptation  and  the  sin  that  comes  by  it,  is  for  the  saints'  good, 
 and  they  receive  a  greater  benefit  in  the  issue,  than  if  the  temp- 
 tation had  not  been,  and  yet  less  than  if  the  temptation  had  been 
 overcome. 
 
 As  to  Mr.  Boston's  "  View  of  the  Covenant  of  Grace,"  I  have 
 had  some  opportunity  with  it,  and  I  confess  I  did  not  understand 
 his  scheme  delivered  in  that  book.  I  have  read  his  "  Fourfold 
 State  of  Man,"  and  liked  it  exceeding  well.  I  think  he  herein 
 shows  himself  to  be  a  truly  great  divine. 
 
 Hoping  that  you  will  accept  my  letter  with  candour,  and  re- 
 member me  in  your  prayers,  I  subscribe  myself 
 
 Your  affectionate  and  obliged  Brother  and  Servant, 
 JONATHAN  EDWARDS. 
 
 LETTER  II. 
 
 Northampton,  April  2,  1750, 
 Rev.  &  Dear  Sir, 
 
 I  RECEIVED  your  favour  of  September  19,  1748,  the  last  sum- 
 mer,  and  would  now  heartily  thank  you  for  it.  I  suppose  it  might 
 come  in  the  same  ship  with  letters  I  had  from  my  other  corres- 
 pondents in  Scotland,  which  I  answered  the  last  summer ;  but  it 
 did  not  come  to  hand  till  a  long  time  after  most  of  the  others, 
 and  after  I  had  finished  and  sent  away  my  answers  to  them,  and 
 that  opportunity  for  answering  was  past.  I  have  had  no  leisure 
 or  opportunity  to  write  any  letters  to  Scotland  from  that  time  till 
 now,  by  reason  of  my  peculiar  and  very  extraordinary  circum- 
 stances on  account  of  the  controversy  that  has  arisen  Iietween 
 me  and  my  people,  concerning  the  profession  that  ought  to  be 
 
639 
 
 made  by  persons  that  come  to  Christian  sacraments,  which  is 
 likely  speedily  to  issue  in  a  separation  between  me  and  my  con- 
 gregation. This  controversy,  in  the  progress  of  it,  has  proved 
 not  only  a  controversy  between  me  and  my  people,  but  between 
 me  and  a  great  part  of  New  England;  tliere  being  many  far  and 
 near  that  are  warmly  engaged  in  it.  Tliis  affair  has  unavoidably 
 engaged  my  mind,  and  filled  up  my  time,  and  taken  me  off  from 
 other  things.  I  need  the  prayers  of  my  friends,  that  God  would 
 be  with  me,  and  direct  and  assist  me  in  such  a  time  of  trial,  and 
 mercifully  order  the  issue. 
 
 As  to  the  epistolary  controversy,  dear  Sir,  between  you  and 
 me,  about  faith  and  doubting,  I  am  sorry  it  should  se-w  to  be 
 greater  than  it  is,  through  misunderstanding  of  one  another's 
 meaning,  and  that  the  real  difference  between  us  is  so  great  as 
 it  is,  m  some  part  of  the  controversy. 
 
 _  As  to  the  dispute  about  believing  without  spiritual  light  or 
 sight,  I  thought  I  expressed  my  meaning  in  my  last  letter  very 
 plainly,  but  1  kept  no  copy,  and  it  might,  perhaps,  be  owin^  to 
 my  dulness  that  I  thought  so.  However,  1  perceive  I  was^not 
 understood.  I  cannot  find  out  by  any  thing  you  say  to  me  on 
 this  head,  that  we  really  differ  in  sentiments,  but  only  in  words. 
 I  acknowledge  with  you  that  "all  are  bound  to  believe  the  divine 
 testimony,  and  trust  in  Christ,  and  that  want  of  spiritual  light  or 
 sight  does  not  loose  from  the  obligation  one  is  laid  under  by  the 
 divine  command,  to  believe  instantly  on  Christ,  and  at  all  sea- 
 sons, nor  excuse  him,  in  any  degree,  for  not  believing.  Even 
 when  one  wants  the  influence  and  grace  of  the  Spirit,  still  he  is 
 bound  to  believe.  Ability  is  not  the  rule  of  duty."  I  think  the 
 obligation  to  believe,  lies  on  a  person  who  is  remaining  tvithout 
 spiritual  light  or  sight,  or  even  in  darkness.  No  darkness,  no 
 blindness,  no  carnality  or  stupidity,  excuses  him  a  moment  from 
 having  as  strong  and  lively  faith  and  love  as  ever  was  exercised 
 by  the  apostle  Paul,  or  rather  renders  it  not  shiful  in  him  that  be 
 is  at  that  same  moment  without  such  a  faith  and  love;— and  yet 
 I  believe  it  is  absurd,  and  of  very  hurtful  consequences,  to  urge 
 persons  to  believe  in  the  dark,  in  the  manner  and  in  the  sense  in 
 which  many  hundreds  have  done  in  America,  who  plainly  i'ltend 
 a  believing  strongly  with  such  a  sort  of  strong  faith  or  great  con- 
 fidence  as  is  consistent  with  continuing  still,  even  in  the  time  of 
 these  strong  acts  of  faith,  without  spiritual  light;  carnal,  stupid, 
 careless,  and  senseless.  Their  doctrine  evidently  comes  to  this] 
 both  in  sense  and  effect,  that  it  is  a  mere  duty  strongly  to  be- 
 lieve with  a  lightless  and  sightless  faith,  or  to  have  a  confident, 
 althoui,'h  a  bhnd,  dark,  and  stupid  faith.  And  such  a  faith  has 
 indeed  been  promoted  exceedingly,  by  their  doctrme,  and  has  pre- 
 vailed wall  Its  dreadful  effects,  answerable  to  the  nature  of  the 
 cause.  We  have  had,  and  have  to  this  day,  multitudes  of  sucb 
 strong  believers,  whose  bold,  proud,  and  stupid  confidence,  at- 
 tended  with  a  very  wicked  behaviour,  has  given  the  greatest 
 wound  to  the  cause  of  truth  and  vital  religion  that  ever  it  suf- 
 fered in  America. 
 
640 
 
 As  to  what  follows  in  your  letter,  concerning  a  person's  be- 
 lieving himself  to  be  in  a  good  state,  and  its  being  properly  of 
 the  nature  of  faith;  in  this  there  seems  to  be  some  real  difference 
 between  us.  But,  perhaps,  there  woifld  be  none,  if  distinctness 
 were  well  observed  in  the  use  of  words.  If  by  a  man's  believ- 
 ing that  he  is  in  a  good  estate,  be  meant  no  more  than  his  believ- 
 ing that  he  does  believe  in  Christ,  does  love  God,  8fc.  I  think 
 there  is  nothing  of  the  nature  of  faith  in  it;  because  knowing  it, 
 or  believing  it,  depends  on  our  own  immediate  sensation  or  con- 
 sciousness, and  not  on  divine  testimony.  True  believers,  in  the 
 hope  they  entertain  of  salvation,  make  use  of  the  following  syllo- 
 gism. Whosoever  believes  shall  be  saved  :  I  believe,  therefore,  &c. 
 Assenting  to  the  major  proposition  is  properly  of  the  nature  of 
 faith,  because  the  ground  of  my  assent  to  that  is  divine  testi- 
 mony ;  but  my  assent  to  the  minor  proposition,  I  humbly  con- 
 ceive, is  not  of  the  nature  of  faith,  because  that  is  not  grounded 
 on  divine  testimony,  but  my  own  consciousness.  The  testimony 
 that  is  the  proper  ground  of  faith,  is  in  the  word  of  God,  Rom. 
 X.  17.  "  Faith  cometh  by  hearing,  and  hearing  by  the  word  of 
 God."  There  is  such  a  testimony  given  us  in  the  word  of  God, 
 that  "  He  that  believeth  shall  be  saved."  But  there  is  no  such 
 testimony  in  the  word  of  God,  as  that  such  an  individual  person, 
 in  such  a  town  in  Scotland  or  New  England,  believes.  There  is 
 such  a  proposition  in  the  Scripture,  as  that  "  Christ  loves  those 
 that  love  him,"  and  therefore,  this  every  one  is  bound  to  believe 
 and  affirm  :  believing  this  on  divine  testimony  is  properly  of  the 
 nature  of  faith,  and  for  any  one  to  doubt  of  it,  is  properly  the 
 heinous  sin  of  unbelief.  But  there  is  no  such  proposition  in  the 
 Scripture,  nor  is  it  any  part  of  the  gospel  of  Christ,  that  such  an 
 individual  person  in  Northampton  loves  Christ.  If  I  know  that 
 I  have  complacence  in  Christ,  I  know  it  the  same  way  that  I 
 know  I  have  complacence  in  my  wife  and  children,  namely,  by 
 the  testimony  of  my  own  heart  or  inward  consciousness.  Evan- 
 gelical faith  has  the  gospel  of  Christ  for  its  foundation ;  but  that 
 I  love  Christ,  is  a  proposition  not  contained  in  the  gospel  of 
 Christ. 
 
 And  therefore,  that  we  may  not  dispute  in  the  dark,  it  is  ne- 
 cessary that  we  should  explain  what  we  mean  by  a  person's  be- 
 lieving he  is  in  a  good  estate.  If  thereby  we  mean  only  be- 
 lieving the  minor  of  the  foregoing  syllogism,  or  such  like  syllo- 
 gisms, I  believe  or  I  love  God,  it  is  not  in  the  nature  of  faith. 
 But  if  by  a  man's  believing  himself  to  be  in  a  good  estate,  be 
 understood  his  believing  not  only  the  minor,  but  the  consequence. 
 Therefore  I  shall  be  saved,  or  therefore  God  unll  never  leave  me  nor 
 forsake  me;  then  a  man's  believing  his  good  estate,  partakes  of 
 the  nature  of  faith  ;  for  these  consequences  depend  on  divine  tes- 
 timony in  the  word  of  God  and  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ.  Yea, 
 I  would  observe  farther,  that  a  man's  judging  of  the  faith  or  love 
 he  tinds  in  himself,  whether  they  are  that  sort  of  faith  and  love 
 which  he  finds  to  be  saving,  may  depend  on  his  reliance  on  Scrip- 
 ture rules  and  marks,  which  are  divine  testimonies,  which  he 
 
641 
 
 may  be  tempted  not  to  rely  upon,  from  the  consideration  of  his 
 great  unwortliiness.  But  his  judging  that  he  has  tliose  indivi- 
 dual inward  acts  of  imderstanding,  and  exercises  of  heart,  depends 
 on  inward  sensations,  and  not  on  any  testimony  of  the  word  of 
 God.  The  knowing  present  acts  depends  on  immediate  con- 
 sciousness, and  the  knowing  past  acts  depends  on  memory.  And 
 therefore  the  fulness  of  my  satisfaction,  that  I  now  have  such  an 
 inward  act  or  exercise  of  mind,  depends  on  the  strength  of  sen- 
 sation ;  and  my  satisfaction,  that  1  have  had  them  heretofore, 
 depends  on  the  clearness  of  my  memory,  and  not  on  the  strength 
 of  my  reliance  on  any  divine  testimony;  and  so  my  doubting 
 whether  I  have,  or  have  liad,  such  individual  inward  acts,  is  not 
 of  the  nature  of  unbelief,  though  it  may  arise  from  unbelief  incli- 
 rectly ;  because,  if  I  had  had  more  faith,  the  actings  of  it  would 
 have  been  more  sensible,  and  the  memory  of  them  more  clear, 
 and  so  I  should  have  been  better  satisfied  that  I  had  them. 
 
 God  seems  to  have  given  Abraham's  servant  a  revelation,  that 
 the  dam§el  in  wiiom  he  found  such  marks,  namely,  coming  to 
 draw  water  with  a  pitcher  to  that  well,  her  readiness  to  give  him 
 and  his  camels  drink,  &c.  should  be  Isaac's  wife,  and  therefore 
 his  assenting  to  this  was  of  the  nature  of  faith,  having  divine  tes- 
 timony for  its  foundation.  But  his  believing  that  Rebekah  w'as 
 the  damsel  that  had  these  individual  marks,  his  knowing  that  she 
 came  to  draw  water,  and  that  she  let  down  her  pitcher,  &c.  was 
 not  of  the  nature  of  faith  His  knowing  this  was  not  from  divine 
 testimony,  but  from  the  testimony  of  his  own  senses. — (Vide 
 Gen.  xxiv.) 
 
 You  speak  of  "  a  saint's  doubting  of  his  good  estate  as  a  part 
 of  unbelief,  and  the  opposite  of  faith,  considered  in  its  full  com- 
 pass and  latitude,  as  one  branch  of  unbelief,  one  ingredient  in 
 unbelief;  and  of  assurance  of  a  man's  good  estate,  as  one  thing 
 that  belongs  to  the  exercise  of  faith."  I  do  not  know  whether  I 
 take  your  meaning  in  these  expressions.  If  you  mean,  that  a 
 person's  believing  liimself  to  be  in  a  good  estate  is  one  thing  that 
 appertains  to  the  essence  of  saving  faith,  or  that  saving  faith,  in 
 all  that  belongs  to  its  essence,  yea  its  perfection,  cannot  be  with- 
 out implying  it,  I  must  humbly  ask  leave  to  ditfer  from  you. 
 That  a  believing  that  I  am  in  a  good  estate,  is  no  part  or  ingre- 
 dient in  the  essence  of  saving  faith,  is  evident  by  this,  that  the 
 essence  of  saving  faith  must  be  complete  in  me,  before  it  can  be 
 true,  that  I  am  in  a  good  estate.  If  I  have  not  as  yet  acted 
 faith,  yea,  if  there  be  any  thing  wanting  in  me  to  make  up  the 
 essence  of  saving  faith,  then  I  am  not,  as  yet,  in  a  state  of  salva-> 
 tion,  and  iherefore  can  liave  no  ground  to  believe  that  I  am  so. 
 Any  thing  tiiat  belongs  to  the  essence  of  saving  faith  is  prior,  in 
 the  order  of  nature,  to  a  man's  being  in  a  [l)elievii.g]  state  of  sal- 
 vation, i)ecause  it  is  saving  faith  that  brings  hmi  into  such  a  state. 
 And  therefore,  believing  liiat  he  is  in  such  a  state  cannot  be  one 
 thing  that  is  essential  or  necessary  in  order  to  his  being  in  such 
 a  state ;  for  that  would  imply  a  contradiction.  It  would  be  to 
 suppose  a  man's  believing  that  he  is  in  a  good  estate  to  be  prior, 
 in  the  order  of  nature,  to  his  being  in  a  good  estate.    But  a  thing 
 
642 
 
 cannot  be  both  prior  and  posterior,  antecedent  and  consequent, 
 with  respect  to  the  very  same  thing.  The  real  truth  of  a  pro- 
 position is  in  the  order  of  nature  first,  before  its  being  believed 
 to  be  true.  But  till  a  man  has  already  all  that  belongs  to  the 
 essence  of  saving  faith,  that  proposition,  that  he  is  in  a  good  [be- 
 lieving] estate,  is  not,  as  yet,  true.  All  the  propositions  con- 
 tained in  the  gospel,  all  divine  testimonies  that  we  have  in  God's 
 word,  are  true  already,  are  already  laid  for  a  foundation  for  faith, 
 and  were  laid  long  ago.  But  that  proposition,  /  am  in  a  good 
 estate,  not  being  one  of  them,  is  not  true  till  I  have  first  believed ; 
 and  therefore  this  proposition  cannot  be  believed  to  be  true,  till 
 saving  faith  be  first  complete.  Therefore  the  completeness  of 
 the  act  of  saving  faith  will  not  make  it  take  in  a  belief  of  this  pro- 
 position, nor  will  the  strength  or  perfection  of  the  act  cause  it  to 
 imply  this.  If  a  man,  in  his  first  act  of  faith,  has  ever  so  great 
 a  conviction  of  God's  sufficiency  and  faithfulness,  and  let  his  re- 
 liance on  the  divine  testimony  be  ever  so  strong  and  perfect,  all 
 will  have  no  tendency  to  make  him  believe  this  proposition,  /  otti 
 in  a  good  estate,  to  be  true,  till  it  be  true,  wiiich  it  is  not  till  the 
 first  act  of  faith  is  complete,  and  has  made  it  true.  A  belief  of 
 divine  testimony  in  the  first  act  of  faith,  may  be  to  any  assignable 
 degree  of  strength  and  perfection,  without  believing  that  propo- 
 sition, for  there  is  no  such  divine  testimony  then  extant,  nor  is 
 there  any  such  truth  extant,  but  in  consequence  of  the  first  act  of 
 faith.  Therefore,  (as  I  said,)  saving  faith  may  be,  with  all  that 
 belongs  to  its  essence,  and  that  in  the  highest  perfection,  with- 
 out implying  a  belief  of  my  own  good  estate,  I  do  not  say  it  can 
 be  witliout  having  this  immediate  eji'ct.  But  it  is  rather  the 
 ej^ect  of  faith,  than  r  part,  branch,  or  ingredient  of  faith.  And  so 
 I  do  not  dispute  whether  a  man's  doubting  of  his  good  state  may 
 be  a  consequence  of  unbelief,  (I  doubt  not  but  it  is  in  those  who 
 are  in  a  good  state  ;)  because,  if  men  had  the  exercise  of  faith  in 
 such  a  degree  as  they  ought  to  have,  it  could  not  but  be  very 
 sensible  and  plain  that  tiiey  iiad  it.  But  yet  I  tliink  this  doubt- 
 ing of  a  good  state  is  entirely  a  different  thing  from  the  sin  of  un- 
 belief itself,  and  has  nothing  of  the  nature  of  unbelief  in  it;  that 
 is,  if  we  take  doubting  one's  good  state  in  the  sense  in  which  I 
 have  before  explained  it,  namely,  for  doubting  whether  I  have 
 such  individual  principles  and  acts  in  my  soul.  Take  it  in  a 
 complex  sense,  and  it  may  have  the  sin  of  unbelief  in  it ;  for 
 instance.  If,  although  I  doubt  not  that  I  have  such  and  such 
 qualifications,  I  yet  doubt  of  those  consequences,  for  which  I 
 Iiave  divine  testimony  or  promise  ;  as  when  a  person  doubts  not 
 that  he  loves  Christ,  yet  doubts  whether  he  shall  receive  a  crown 
 of  life.  The  doubting  of  this  consequence  is  properly  the  sin  of 
 unbelief. 
 
 You  say,  dear  Sir,  "  The  Holy  Ghost  requires  us  to  believe 
 the  reality  of  his  work  in  us  in  all  its  parts,  just  as  it  is ;"  and,  a 
 little  before,  "  The  believer's  doubting  whether  or  not  he  has 
 faith  is  sinful;  because  it  is  belying  the  Holy  Ghost,  denying  his 
 
643 
 
 work  ill  him,  so  there  is  no  sin  to  which  that  doubting  can  so 
 properly  be  reduced  as  unbelief." 
 
 Here  I  would  ask  leave  thus  to  express  my  thoughts  in  a  di- 
 versity from  yours.  I  think,  if  it  be  allowed  to  be  sinful  for  a 
 believer  to  doubt  whether  he  has  faith,  that  this  doubting  is  not 
 the  sin  of  unbelief  on  any  such  account  as  you  mention,  namely, 
 as  belying  or  denying  any  testimony  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  There 
 is  a  difference  between  doubting  of  the  being  of  some  work  of  the 
 Holy  Ghost,  and  denying  the  teslimony  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  as 
 there  is  a  difference  between  doubting  concerning  some  other 
 works  of  God,  and  denying  the  testimony  of  God.  It  is  the  work 
 of  God  to  give  a  man  great  natural  abilities  ;  and  if  we  suppose 
 God  requires  such  a  man  to  believe  the  reality  of  his  luork  iit  all  its 
 jmrtsjust  as  it  is,  and  so  that  it  is  sinful  for  him  at  all  to  doubt  of 
 his  natural  abilities  being  just  as  good  as  they  are,  yet  this  is  no 
 belying  any  testimony  of  God,  though  it  be  doubting  of  a  work  of 
 God,  and  so  is  diverse  from  the  sin  of  unbelief.  So,  if  we  sup- 
 pose a  very  eminent  saint  is  to  blame  in  doubting  whether  he 
 has-  so  much  grace  as  he  really  has  ;  he  indeed  does  not  believe  the 
 reality  of  God's  ivork  in  him  in  all  its  parts,  just  as  it  is,  yet  he  is 
 not  therein  guilty  of  the  sin  of  unbelief,  against  any  testimony  of 
 God,  any  more  than  the  other. 
 
 I  acknowledge  that,  for  a  true  saint,  in  a  carnal  and  careless 
 frame,  to  doubt  of  his  good  state,  is  sinful,  77iore  indirectly,  as  the 
 cause  of  it  is  sinful,  namely,  the  lov/ness  and  insensibility  of  the 
 actings  of  grace  in  him,  and  the  prevalence  of  carnality  and  stu- 
 pidity. It  is  sinful  to  be  without  assurance,  or  (as  we  say,)  it  is 
 his  own  fault,  he  sinfully  deprives  himself  of  it;  or  foregoes  it,  as 
 a  servant's  being  without  his  tools  is  his  sin,  when  he  has  carelessly 
 lost  them,  or  as  it  is  his  sin  to  be  without  strength  of  body,  or 
 without  the  sight  of  his  eyes,  when  he  has  deprived  himself  of 
 these  by  intemperance.  Not  that  weakness  or  blindness  of  body, 
 in  their  own  nature,  are  sin  ;  for  they  are  qualities  of  the  body, 
 and  not  of  mind,  the  subject  in  which  sin  is  inherent.  It  is  in- 
 directly the  duty  of  a  true  saint  always  to  rejoice  in  the  light  of 
 God's  countenance,  because  sin  is  the  cause  of  Ids  being  without 
 this  joy  at  any  time  ;  and  therefore,  it  was  indirectly  David's  sin 
 that  he  was  not  rejoicing  in  the  light  of  God's  countenance,  at 
 that  very  time  when  he  was  committing  the  great  iniquities  of 
 adultery  and  murder.  But  yet  it  is  not  directly  a  believer's  duty 
 to  rejoice  in  the  light  of  God's  countenance,  when  God  hides  his 
 face.  But  it  rather  then  becomes  him  to  be  troubled  and  to 
 mourn.  So  there  are  perhaps  many  oilier  privileges  of  saints  that 
 are  their  duty  indirectly,  and  the  want  of  them  is  sinful,  not  sim- 
 ply, but  complexly  considered.  Of  this  kind  I  take  the  want  of 
 assurance  of  my  good  estate  to  be. 
 
 I  think  no  words  of  mine,  either  in  my  book  or  letter,  implied 
 that  a  person's  deliverance  from  a  bad  frame,  does  not  begin 
 with  renewed  acts  of  faith  or  trusting  in  God.  If  they  did,  they 
 implied  what  I  never  intended.  Doubtless,  if  a  saint  comes  out 
 of  an  ill  frame,  wherein  grace  is  asleep  and  inactive,  it  must  be  by 
 
644 
 
 renewed  actings  of  grace.  It  is  very  plainly  impossible,  that 
 grace  should  begin  to  cease  to  be  inactive,  in  any  other  way  than 
 by  its  beginning  to  be  active.  It  must  begin  with  the  renewed 
 actings  of  some  grace  or  other ;  and  I  know  nothing  that  I  have 
 said  to  the  contrary,  but  that  the  grace  that  shall  first  begin  sen- 
 sibly to  revive  shall  be  faith,  and  that  this  shall  lead  the  way  to 
 the  renewed  acting  of  all  other  graces,  and  to  the  farther  acting 
 of  faith  itself.  But  a  person's  coming  out  of  a  carnal,  careless, 
 dead  frame,  by,  or  in  the  reviving  of  grace  in  his  soul,  is  quite  an- 
 other thing  from  a  saint's  having  a  strong  exercise  of  faith,  or 
 strong  hope,  or  strong  exercise  of  any  other  grace,  while  yet  re- 
 maining in  a  carnal,  careless,  dead  frame ;  or,  in  other  words,  in  a 
 frame  wherein  grace  is  so  far  from  being  in  strong  exercise,  that 
 it  is  asleep,  and  in  a  great  measure  without  exercise. 
 
 Thei'e  is  a  holy  hope,  a  truly  Christian  hope,  that  tlie  Scripture 
 speaks  of,  that  is  reckoned  among  the  graces  of  the  Spirit :  and 
 I  think  I  should  never  desire  or  seek  any  other  hope ;  for  I  be- 
 lieve no  other  hope  has  any  holy  or  good  tendency.  Therefore 
 this  hope,  this  grace  of  hope  alone,  can  properly  be  called  a  duty. 
 But  it  is  just  as  absurd  to  talk  of  the  exercise  of  this  holy  hope, 
 the  strong  exercise  of  this  grace  of  the  Spirit,  in  a  carnal,  stupid, 
 careless  frame,  such  a  frame  yet  remaining,  as  it  would  be  to  talk 
 of  the  strong  exercises  of  love  to  God,  or  heavenly  mindedness, 
 or  any  other  grace,  remaining  in  such  a  frame.  It  is  doubtless 
 proper,  earnestly  to  exhort  those  who  are  in  such  a  frame  to 
 come  out  of  it,  in  and  by  the  strong  exercises  of  all  grace  ;  but  I 
 should  not  think  it  proper  to  press  a  man  earnestly  to  maintain 
 strong  hope,  notxinthstancling  the  prevailing  and  continuance  of 
 great  carnality  and  stupidity,  (which  is  plainly  the  case  of  the 
 people  I  opposed.)  For  this  is  plainly  to  press  people  to  an  un- 
 holy hope,  a  strong  hope  that  is  no  Christian  grace,  but  strong 
 and  wicked  presumption  ;  and  the  promoting  of  this  has  most 
 evidently  been  the  effect  of  such  a  method  of  dealing  with  souls 
 in  innumerable  multitudes  of  awful  instances. 
 
 You  seem.  Sir,  to  suppose,  that  God's  manner  of  dealing  with 
 his  saints,  while  in  a  secure  ayid  careless  frame,  is  frst  to  give  as- 
 surance of  their  good  state  ivhile  they  remain  in  such  a  frame,  and 
 to  make  use  of  that  assurance  as  a  mean  to  bring  them  out  of 
 such  a  frame.  Here,  again,  I  must  beg  leave  to  differ  from 
 you,  and  to  think,  that  none  of  the  instances  or  texts  you  adduce 
 from  Scripture  do  at  all  prove  the  point.  I  think  it  is  God's 
 maimer,  first  to  awaken  their  consciences,  and  to  bring  them  to 
 reflect  upon  themselves,  and  to  bring  them  to  feel  their  own  ca- 
 lamity, which  they  have  brought  upon  themselves  by  so  depart- 
 ing from  God,  (by  which  an  end  is  put  to  their  carelessness  and 
 security,)  and  again  earnestly  and  carefully  to  seek  God's  face 
 before  tiiey  find  him,  and  before  God  restores  the  comfortable 
 and  joyful  sense  of  his  favour ;  and  I  think  this  is  abundantly 
 evident  both  by  Scri])ture  and  experience.  You  much  insist  on 
 Jonah  as  a  clear  instance  of  the  thing  you  lay  down.  You  ob- 
 serve that  he  says,  chap.  ii.  "  I  said,  I  am  cast  out  of  thy  sight,  yet 
 will  I  look  again  toward  thy  holy  temple."     Ver.  5-7.  "  When 
 
645 
 
 my  soul  fainted  within  me,  I  remembered  tlie  Lord,  and  my 
 prayer  came  in  unto  thee,  even  unto  thine  holy  temple."  You 
 speak  of  these  words  as  expressing  an  assurance  of  his  good  state 
 and  of  God's  favour;  (I  will  not  now  dispute  whether  they  do  or 
 not;)  and  you  speak  of  this  exercise  of  assurance,  &c.  as  his 
 practice  in  an  evil  frame,  and  in  a  careless  frame  ;  for  he  slept  se- 
 curely  in  the  sides  of  the  ship,  manifesting  dismal  security,  auful 
 carelessness  in  a  carnal  frame.  That  Jonah  was  in  a  careless,  se- 
 cure frame,  when  he  was  asleep  in  the  sides  of  the  ship,  I  do  not 
 deny.  But,  dear  Sir,  does  that  prove  that  he  remained  still  in  a 
 careless,  secure  frame,  when  in  his  heart  he  said  these  things  in 
 the  fish's  belly?  chap.  ii.  4^-7.  does  it  prove  that  he  remained 
 careless  after  he  was  awakened,  and  saw  the  furious  storm,  and 
 owned  it  was  the  fruit  of  God's  anger  towards  him  for  his  sins  ? 
 and  does  it  prove  that  he  still  remained  careless  after  the  whale 
 had  swallowed  him,  when  he  seemed  to  himself  to  be  "  in  the 
 belly  of  hell  ?"  when  "  the  water  compassed  him  about,  even  to 
 the  soul,"  and,  as  he  says,  "  all  God's  waters  and  billows  passed 
 over  him,  and  he  was  ready  to  despair  when  he  went  down  to  the 
 bottoms  of  the  mountains,"  was  ready  to  think  God  had  cast  him 
 out  of  his  sight,  and  confined  him  in  a  prison,  that  he  could  never 
 escape,  "  the  earth  with  her  bars  was  about  him  for  ever,  and  his 
 soul  fainted  within  him  ?"  He  was  brought  into  this  condition 
 after  his  sleeping  securely  in  the  sides  of  the  ship,  before  he  said, 
 "  I  will  look  again  towards  thine  holy  temple,"  &c.  He  was 
 evidently  first  awakened  out  of  carelessness  and  security,  and 
 brought  into  distress,  before  he  was  comforted. 
 
 The  other  place  you  also  much  insist  on,  concerning  the  peo- 
 ple of  Israel,  is  very  much  like  this.  Before  God  comforted 
 them  with  the  testimonies  of  his  favour,  after  their  backslidings, 
 he  first  by  severe  chastisements,  together  with  the  awakening 
 influences  of  his  Spirit,  brought  them  out  of  their  carelessness  and 
 carnal  securiti/.  It  appears,  by  many  scriptures,  that  this  was 
 God's  way  of  dealing  with  that  people.  So  Hos.  chap.  ii.  God 
 first  "  hedged  up  lier  ways  with  thorns,  and  made  a  wall  that  she 
 could  not  find  her  paths.  And  took  away  her  corn  and  wine, 
 and  wool  and  flax,  destroyed  her  vines  and  fig-trees,  and  caused 
 her  mirth  to  cease ;"  and,  by  this  means,  brought  her  to  herself, 
 brought  her  out  of  her  security,  carelessness,  and  deep  sleep,  very 
 much  as  the  prodigal  son  was  brought  to  himself:  God  "brought 
 her  first  into  the  wilderness,  before  he  spake  comfortably  to  her, 
 and  opened  to  her  a  door  of  hope."  By  lier  distress  first  brought 
 her  to  say,  "  I  will  go  and  return  to  my  first  husband;"  and  then, 
 when  God  spake  comfortably  to  her,  she  called  him,  "  Ishi,  my 
 husband;"  and  God  did  as  it  were  renewedly  betroth  her  unto 
 him.  That  passage,  Hos.  ii.  is  very  parallel  with  Jer.  iii.  One 
 place  serves  well  to  illustrate  and  explain  the  other,  and  that  it 
 was  God's  way  of  dealing  with  his  people  Israel,  after  their  apos- 
 tacy  and  carnal  security,  first  to  awaken  them,  and  under  a  sense 
 of  their  sin  and  misery,  to  bring  them  solicitously  to  seek  his 
 face,  before  he  gave  them  sensible  evidence  of  his  favour  j  and 
 
646 
 
 not  to  awaken  out  of  security,  by  first  making  manifest  his  favour 
 to  them.* 
 
 And,  besides,  I  would  observe,  that  in  Jer.  iii.  the  prophecy 
 is  not  concerning  the  recovery  of  backshding  saints  or  the  mys- 
 tical  church,  which,  though  she  had  corrupted  herself,  still  con- 
 tinued  to  be  God's  wife :  it  is  concerning  apostate  Israel,  that  had 
 forsaken  and  renounced  her  husband,  and  gone  after  other  lovers, 
 and  whom  God  had  renounced,  put  away,  and  given  her  a  bill  of 
 divorce,  (ver.  8.)  so  that  her  recovery  could  not  be  by  giving  her 
 assurance  of  her  good  estate  as  still  remaining  his  wife,  and  that 
 God  was  already  married  unto  her,  for  that  was  not  true,  and  is 
 not  consistent  with  the  context.  And  whereas  it  is  said,  ver.  14i. 
 "  Return,  O  backsliding  children,  saith  the  Lord ;  for  I  am  mar- 
 ried unto  you,  and  I  will  take  you  one  of  a  city,"  &c.  /  am  mar- 
 ried, in  the  Hebrew,  is  in  the  preterperfect  tense;  but  you  know. 
 Sir,  that  in  the  language  of  prophecy,  the  pretertense  is  very 
 commonly  put  for  the  future  ;  and  whereas  it  is  said,  ver.  19. 
 "  How  shall  I  put  thee  among  the  children  ?  And  I  said,  Thou 
 shalt  call  me.  My  father."  I  acknowledge  this  expression  here, 
 my  Father,  and  that  Rom.  viii.  15.  is  tlie  language  of  faith.  It 
 is  so  two  ways :  1st,  It  is  such  language  of  the  soul  as  is  the  im- 
 mediate effect  of  a  lively  faith.  I  acknowledge,  that  the  lively 
 exercises  of  faith  do  naturally  produce  satisfaction  of  a  good  state 
 as  their  immediate  effect.  2d,  It  is  language  which,  in  another 
 sense,  does  properly  and  naturally  express  the  very  act  of  faith 
 itself,  yea,  the  first  act  of  faith  in  a  sinner,  before  which  he  never 
 was  in  a  good  state.  As  thus,  supposing  a  man  in  distress,  pur- 
 sued by  his  enemies  that  sought  his  life,  should  have  the  gates  of 
 several  fortresses  set  open  before  him,  and  should  be  called  to 
 from  each  of  them  to  fly  thither  for  refuge ;  and  viewing  them  all, 
 and  one  appearing  strong  and  safe,  but  the  rest  insufficient,  he 
 should  accept  the  invitation  to  that  one,  and  fly  thither  with  this 
 language  :  "  This  is  my  fortress  ;  this  is  my  refuge.  In  vain  is 
 salvation  looked  for  from  the  other.  Behold  I  come  to  thee  ; 
 this  is  my  sure  defence."  Not  that  he  means  that  he  is  already 
 within  the  fortress,  and  so  in  a  good  estate.  But  this  is  my 
 chosen  fortress,  in  the  strengtli  of  which  I  trust,  and  to  which  I 
 betake  myself  for  safety.  So  if  a  woman  were  at  once  to  be  soli- 
 cited by  many  lovers,  to  give  herself  to  them  in  a  married  state, 
 and  beholding  the  superior  excellencies  of  one  far  above  all  the 
 rest,  should  betake  herself  to  him,  with  this  langmige  :  '•  This  is 
 my  husband,  behold  I  come  unto  thee,  thou  art  my  spouse." 
 Not  that  she  means  that  she  is  already  married  to  him,  but  that 
 he  is  her  chosen  husband,  &c.  Thus  God  otfers  himself  to  sin- 
 ners as  their  Saviour,  God  and  Father ;  and  the  language  of  the 
 heart  of  him  that  accepts  the  offer  by  active  faith,  is,  "  Thou  art 
 
 •  This  is  evident  by  many  scriptures ;  as.  Lev.  xxvi.  4.0-'12. 
 Deut.  xxxiii.  3G-39.  1  Kings  viii.  21,  22.  chap.  i.  4-8.  Ezek. 
 XV.  35-37.  Hos.  v.  15.  with  chap.  vi.  1-3.  chap.  xiii.  9,  10.  chap, 
 xix.  throughout. 
 
647 
 
 my  Saviour;  in  vain  is  salvation  hoped  for  from  otliers  that  offer 
 themselves.  Thou  art  my  God  and  Father."  Not  tliat  he  is 
 already  his  child,  but  he  chooses  him,  and  comes  to  him,  that  he 
 may  be  one  of  his  children  ;  as  in  Jer.  iii.  19.  Israel  calls  God 
 his  Father,  as  the  way  to  be  put  a^nong  the  children,  and  to  be 
 one  of  them,  and  not  as  being  one  already;  and  in  ver.  21-23. 
 she  is  not  brought  out  of  a  careless  and  secure  state  by  knowing 
 that  the  Lord  is  her  God,  but  she  is  first  brought  to  considera- 
 tion and  sense  of  her  sin  and  misery,  weeping  and  supplications 
 for  mercy,  and  conviction  of  the  vanity  of  other  saviours  and  re- 
 fuges, not  only  before  she  has  assurance  of  her  good  estate,  but 
 before  she  is  brought  to  fly  to  God  for  refuge,  that  she  may  be  in 
 a  good  estate. 
 
 As  to  the  instance  of  Job,  I  would  only  say  this :  I  think,  while 
 in  his  state  of  sore  affliction,  though  he  had  some  great  exercises 
 of  infirmity  and  impatience  under  his  extreme  trials,  yet  he  was 
 very  far  from  being  in  such  a  frame  as  I  intended,  when  I  spoke 
 of  a  secure,  careless,  carnal  frame,  &c.  I  doubt  not,  nor  did  I 
 ever  question  it,  that  the  saints'  hope  and  knowledge  of  their 
 good  state,  is,  in  many  cases,  of  excellent  benefit  to  help  them 
 against  temptation  and  the  exercises  of  corruption. 
 
 With  regard  to  the  case  of  extraordinary  temptation,  and  buf- 
 feting of  Satan,  which  you  mention,  I  do  not  very  well  know 
 what  to  say  farther.  I  have  often  found  my  own  insuflficiency  as 
 a  counsellor  in  such  like  cases,  wherein  melancholy  and  bodily 
 distemper  have  so  great  a  hand,  and  give  Satan  so  great  advan- 
 tage, as  appears  to  me  in  the  case  you  mention.  If  the  Lord  do 
 not  help,  whence  should  we  help  ?  If  some  Christian  friends  of 
 such  afflicted,  and,  as  it  were,  possessed  persons,  would,  from 
 time  to  time,  pray  and  fast  for  them,  it  might  be  a  proper  exer- 
 cise of  Christian  charity,  and  the  likeliest  way  I  know  for  relief. 
 
 I  kept  no  copy  of  my  former  letter  to  you,  and  so  do  not  remem- 
 ber fully  what  I  have  already  said  concerning  this  case.  But  this 
 I  have  often  found  with  such  melancholy  people,  that  the  great- 
 est difficulty  does  not  lie  in  giving  them  good  advice,  but  in  per- 
 suading them  to  take  it.  One  thing  I  think  of  great  importance, 
 which  is,  that  such  persons  should  go  on  in  a  steady  course  of 
 performance  of  all  duties,  both  of  their  general  and  particular 
 calling,  without  suffering  themselves  to  be  diverted  from  it  by 
 any  violence  of  Satan,  or  specious  pretence  of  his  whatsoever, 
 properly  ordering,  proportioning,  and  timing  all  sorts  of  duties, 
 duties  to  God,  public,  private  and  secret,  and  duties  to  man,  re- 
 lative duties,  of  business  and  conversation,  family  duties,  duties 
 of  friendship  and  good  neighbourhood,  duly  proportioning  labour 
 and  rest,  intentness  and  relaxation,  without  suffering  one  duty  to 
 crowd  out  or  intrench  upon  another.  If  such  persons  could  be 
 persuaded  to  this,  I  think,  in  this  way,  they  would  be  best 
 guarded  against  the  devil,  and  he  would  soonest  be  discouraged, 
 and  a  good  state  of  body  would  be  most  likely  to  be  gained,  and 
 persons  would  act  most  as  if  they  trusted  and  rested  in  God,  and 
 would  be  most  in  the  way  of  his  help  and  blessing. 
 
648 
 
 With  regard  to  what  you  write  concerning  immediate  revela- 
 tions, I  have  thought  of  it,  and  I  find  I  cannot  say  any  thing  to 
 purpose,  without  drawing  out  this  letter  to  a  very  extraordinary 
 length,  and  I  am  already  got  to  such  a  length,  that  I  had  need  to 
 ask  your  excuse.     I  have  written  enough  to  tire  your  patience.  ^ 
 
 It  has  indeed  been  with  great  difficulty  that  I  have  found  time 
 to  write  much.  If  you  knew  my  extraordinary  circumstances, 
 I  doubt  not,  you  would  excuse  my  not  writing  any  more.  I  ac- 
 knowledge the  subject  you  mention  is  very  important.  Probably 
 if  God  spares  my  life,  and  gives  me  opportunity,  I  may  write 
 largely  upon  it.  I  know  not  how  Providence  will  dispose  of  me, 
 I  am  going  to  be  cast  on  the  wide  world,  with  my  large  family  of 
 ten  children — I  humbly  request  your  prayers  for  me  under  my 
 difficulties  and  trials. 
 
 As  to  the  state  of  religion  in  this  place  and  this  land,  it  is  at 
 present  very  sorrowful  and  dark.  But  I  must,  for  a  more  parti- 
 cular account  of  tilings,  refer  you  to  my  letter  to  Mr.  M'Laurin, 
 of  Glasgow,  and  Mr.  Robe.  So,  asking  a  remembrance  in  your 
 prayers,  I  must  conclude,  by  subscribing  myself,  wiih  much  es- 
 teem and  respect, 
 
 Your  obliged  brother  and  Servant, 
 
 JONATHAN  EDWARDS. 
 
 P.  S.  July  3,  1750.  Having  had  no  leisure  to  finish  the  pre- 
 paration of  my  letters  to  Scotland  before  this  time,  by  reason  of 
 the  extraordinary  troubles,  hurries  and  confusions  of  my  unusual 
 circumstances,  I  can  now  inform  you,  that  the  controversy  be- 
 tween me  and  my  people,  that  I  mentioned  in  the  beginning  of 
 my  letter,  has  issued  in  a  separation.  An  ecclesiastical  council 
 was  called  on  the  affair,  who  sut  here  the  week  before  last,  who, 
 by  a  majority  of  one  voice,  determined  an  immediate  separation 
 to  be  necessary;  and  accordingly  my  pastoral  relation  to  my  peo- 
 ple was  dissolved  on  June  22.  If  I  can  procure  the  printed 
 accounts  from  Boston  of  the  proceedings  of  the  council,  1  will 
 give  order  to  my  friend  there  to  inclose  them  with  this  letter,  and 
 direct  them  to  you. — I  desire  your  prayers,  that  I  may  take  a 
 suitable  notice  of  the  frowns  of  heaven  on  me  and  this  people, 
 (between  whom  was  once  so  great  a  union,)  in  bringing  to  pass 
 such  a  separation  between  us  ;  and  that  these  troubles  may  be 
 sanctified  to  me,  that  God  w^ould  overrule  this  event  for  his  own 
 glory,  (which  doubtless  many  adversaries  will  rejoice  and  triumph 
 in,)  that  God  would  open  a  door  for  my  future  usefulness,  and 
 provide  for  me  and  my  numerous  family,  and  take  a  fatherly  care 
 of  us  in  our  ])rescnt  unsettled  uncertain  circumstances,  being 
 cast  on  the  wide  world.  J.  E. 
 
 Printed  by  W.  Collins  &  Co. 
 Glasgow. 
 
Princeton  Theologrcal  Semmary-Speer  Library 
 
 1    1012  01126  4563