Part 2

PART 2.

If any one, on the reading of what has been just now said, is ready to acquit himself, and say, I am not one of those who have no religious affections; I am often greatly moved with the consideration of the great things of religion; Let him not content himself with this, that he has religious affections. For (as was observed before) as we ought not to reject and condemn all affections, as though true religion did not at all consist in affection; so on the other hand, we ought not to approve of all, as though every one that was religiously affected, had true grace, and was therein the subject of the saving influences of the Spirit of God: and that therefore the right way is to distinguish among religious affections, between one sort and another. Therefore let us now endeavor to do this: And in order to it, I would do two things.

1. I would mention some things, which are no signs one way or the other, either that affections are such as true religion consists in, or that they are otherwise; that we may be guarded against judging of affections by false signs.

2. I would observe some things, wherein those affections which are spiritual and gracious, differ from those which are not so, and may be distinguished and known.

First, I would take notice of some things, which are no signs that affections are gracious, or that they are not.

1. 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 [reconstructed: raised to an] extraordinary pitch, they are prejudiced against them, and determine that they are delusions, without further inquiry. But if it be as has been proved, that true religion [reconstructed: lies] very much in religious affections, then it follows, that if there be a great [reconstructed: deal] of true religion, there will be great religious affections; if true religion in the hearts of men, be raised to a great height, divine and holy affections will be raised to a great height.

Love is an affection; but will any Christian say, men ought not to love God and Jesus Christ in a high degree? And will any say, we ought not to have a very great hatred of sin, and a very deep sorrow for it? Or that we ought not to exercise a high degree of 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 no more affected with the things of religion than I am, I have no reason to be ashamed, that I have no greater exercises of love of God, and sorrow for sin, and gratitude for the 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 begotten Son to die for them, and of the dying love of Christ; and will pray that he may not be affected with them in any higher degree, because high affections are improper, and very unlovely in Christians, being enthusiastical, and ruinous to true religion?

Our text plainly speaks of great and high affections, when it speaks of rejoicing with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Here the most superlative expressions are used, which language will afford. And the Scriptures often require us to exercise very high affections: Thus in the first and great commandment of the law, there is an accumulation of expressions, as though words were wanting to express the degree, in which we ought to love God; Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. So the saints are called upon to exercise high degrees of joy: Rejoice, says Christ to his disciples, and be exceeding glad, Matthew 5:12. So it is said, Psalm 68:3. Let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God; yea, let them exceedingly rejoice. So in the same book of Psalms, the saints are often called upon to [reconstructed: shout] for joy; and in Luke 6:23. [reconstructed: Leap] for joy. So they are abundantly called upon to [reconstructed: 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 souls magnifying the Lord, singing his praises, talking of his wondrous work, [reconstructed: declaring] his doings, etc.

And we find the most [reconstructed: eminent saints] in Scripture, often professing high affections. Thus the Psalmist speaks of his love, as if it were unspeakable; Psalm 119:9[reconstructed: 7]. Oh [reconstructed: how love I] thy law! So he expresses a great degree of [reconstructed: hatred] of sin; Psalm 13[reconstructed: 9]:21, 22. Do I not hate them, O Lord, that hate Thee? And am I not grieved with those that [reconstructed: rise] up against Thee? I hate them [reconstructed: with] perfect hatred. He also expresses a high degree of sorrow for sin: He speaks of his sin going over his head, as a heavy [reconstructed: burden, too] heavy for him; and of his roaring all the day, and his [reconstructed: moisture being turned] into the drought of summer, and his bones being as it were broken with sorrow. So he often expresses great degrees of spiritual desires, in a multitude of the strongest expressions which can be conceived of; such as his longing, his soul [reconstructed: thirsting as in a] dry and thirsty land where no water is, his pantings, his flesh and heart crying out, his soul [reconstructed: breaking] for the longing it [reconstructed: has], etc. He expresses the exercises of great and extreme grief for the sins of others. Psalm 119:136. Rivers of water run down my eyes, because they keep not Thy law. And verse 53. Horror has taken hold upon me, because of the wicked that forsake Thy law. He expresses high exercises of joy, Psalm 21:1. The king shall [reconstructed: joy] in Thy strength; and in Thy salvation, how greatly shall he rejoice. Psalm 71:23. My lips shall greatly rejoice, when I sing unto Thee. Psalm 63:3[reconstructed: -7]. Because Thy loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise Thee. Thus will I bless Thee, while I live: I will lift up my hands in Thy name: My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise Thee with joyful lips: When I remember [reconstructed: Thee] upon my bed, and meditate on Thee in the night [reconstructed: watches]; because Thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of Thy wings will I rejoice.

The apostle Paul expresses high exercises of affection. Thus he expresses the exercises of pity and concern for others' good, even to anguish of heart; a great, fervent and abundant love, and earnest and longing desires, and exceeding joy; and speaks of the [reconstructed: exultation] and triumphs of his soul, and his earnest expectation and hope, and his abundant tears, and the travails of his soul, in pity, grief, earnest desires, godly jealousy and fervent zeal, in many places that have been cited already, and which therefore I need not repeat. John the Baptist expressed great joy, John 3:29. Those blessed women that anointed the body of Jesus [reconstructed: are] represented as in a very high exercise of religious affection, on occasion of Christ's resurrection; Matthew 28:8. And they departed from the sepulchre, with fear and great joy.

It is often foretold of the church of God, in her future happy seasons here on earth, that they shall exceedingly rejoice; Psalm 8[reconstructed: 9]:15, 1[reconstructed: 6]. They shall walk, O Lord, in the light of Thy [reconstructed: countenance]: In Thy name [illegible] daughter of Jerusalem: Behold thy king [reconstructed: comes], etc. The same is represented in innumerable other places. And because high degrees of joy are the proper and [reconstructed: natural fruit] of the Gospel of Christ, therefore the angel [reconstructed: called] this Gospel, [reconstructed: good] tidings of great joy, that [reconstructed: shall 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 perfections 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 [reconstructed: voice] of many waters, and as the [reconstructed: 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 they are affected by, more according to their truth, and have their affections more conformed to the nature of things. And therefore, if religious affections in men here below, are but of the same nature and kind with theirs, the higher they are, and the nearer they are to theirs in degree, the better; because therein they will be so much the more conformed to truth, as theirs are.

From these things it certainly appears, that religious affections being in a very high degree, is no evidence that they are not such as have the nature of true religion. Therefore they do greatly err, who condemn persons as enthusiasts, merely because their affections are very high.

And on the other hand, it is no evidence that religious 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 there are religious affections which are very high, that are not spiritual and saving. The apostle Paul speaks of affections in the Galatians, which had been exceedingly elevated, and which yet he manifestly speaks of, as fearing that they were vain, and had come to nothing. Galatians 4:15. Where is the blessedness you [reconstructed: spoke of]? For I bear you record, that if it had been possible, you would have [reconstructed: plucked] out your own eyes, and have given them to me. And in the 11th verse he tells them, he was afraid of them, lest he had bestowed upon them labor in vain. So 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 forgot his works. So they were greatly affected again, at Mount Sinai, when they saw the marvelous manifestations God made of himself there; and seemed mightily engaged in their minds, and with great forwardness made answer, when God proposed his holy covenant to them, saying, All that the Lord has spoken [reconstructed: will] we do, and be [reconstructed: 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 comes in the name of the Lord, Hosanna in the highest; so as to make the whole city ring again, and put all into an uproar. We learn by the evangelist John, that the reason why the people made this ado, was because they were affected with the miracle of raising Lazarus; John 12:18. Here was a vast multitude crying Hosanna on this occasion, so that it gave occasion to the Pharisees to say, Behold the world is gone after him, John 12:19, but Christ had at that time but few true disciples. And how quickly was this ado at an end? All of this nature is quelled and dead, when this 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 divines, that there may be religious affections, which are raised to a very high degree, and yet there be nothing of true religion.

2. It is no sign that affections have the nature of true religion, or that they have not, that they have great effects on the body.

All Affections whatsoever, have in some Respect or Degree, an Effect on the Body. As was observed before, such is our Nature, and such are the Laws of Union of Soul and Body, that the Mind can have no lively or vigorous Exercise, without some Effect upon the Body. So subject is the Body to the Mind, and so much do its Fluids, especially the animal Spirits, attend [the] Motions and Exercises of the Mind, that there cannot be so much as an intense Thought, without an Effect upon them. Yea, it is questionable, whether an embodied Soul ever so much as thinks one Thought, or has any Exercise at all, but that there is some corresponding Motion or Alteration of Motion, in some Degree, 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 some sensible Effect upon the Body. And if this be so, that all Affections have some Effect on the Body, we may then well suppose, the greater those Affections be, 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 Affections, should have great Effects on the Body. And therefore, seeing there are very great Affections, both common and spiritual; hence 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 they arise from, are of one Kind or the other.

Great Effects on the Body certainly are no sure Evidences that Affections are spiritual; for we see that such Effects oftentimes arise from great Affections about temporal Things, and when Religion is no Way concerned in them. And if great Affections about secular Things, are purely natural, may have these Effects, I know not by what Rule we should determine, that high Affections about religious Things, which arise in like Manner from Nature, cannot have the like Effect.

Nor on the other Hand, do I know of any Rule any have to determine, that gracious and holy Affections, when raised as high [as] any natural Affections, and have equally strong and vigorous Exercises, cannot have a great Effect on the Body. No such Rule can be drawn from Reason: I know of no Reason, why a being affected with a View of God's Glory should not cause the Body to faint, as well as a being affected with a View of Solomon's Glory. And no such Rule has as yet been produced from the Scripture: None has ever been found in all the late Controversies which have 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 Spirit of God being in them, as the Spirit of Power, and of the effectual working of his Power in them 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 exceeding weak; and particularly with Respect to its Unfitness for great spiritual and heavenly Operations and Exercises, Matthew 26:41. 1 Corinthians 15:43, and 50. The Text we are upon speaks of Joy unspeakable, and full of Glory. And who that considers what Man's Nature is, and what the Nature of the Affections are, can reasonably doubt but that such unutterable and glorious Joys, may be too great and mighty for weak Dust and Ashes, so as to be considerably overbearing to it? It is evident by the Scripture, that true divine Discoveries, or Ideas of God's Glory, when given in a great Degree, have a Tendency, by affecting the Mind, to overbear the Body; because the Scripture teaches us often, that if these Ideas or Views should be given to such a Degree, as they are given in Heaven, the weak Frame of the Body could not subsist under it, and that no Man can, in that Manner, see God and live. The Knowledge which the Saints have of God's Beauty and Glory in this World, and those holy Affections that arise from it, are of the same Nature and Kind with what the Saints are the Subjects of in Heaven, differing only in Degree and Circumstances: What God gives them here, is a Foretaste of heavenly Happiness, and an 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 of the future Reward, as an Earnest of the Whole, and no more? And seeing God has taught us in his Word, that the whole Reward is such, that it would at once destroy the Body, is it not too bold a Thing for us, so to set Bounds to the sovereign God, as to say, that in giving the Earnest of this Reward in this World, he shall never give so much of it, as in the least to diminish the Strength of the Body, when God has no where thus limited himself?

The Psalmist speaking of vehement religious Affections he had, speaks of an Effect in his Flesh or Body, besides what was in his Soul, expressly distinguishing one from the other, once and again, Psalm 84:2. My Soul longeth, yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord, my Heart and my Flesh crieth out for the living God. Here is a plain Distinction between the Heart and the Flesh, as being each affected. So Psalm 63:1. 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 designed Distinction between the Soul and the Flesh.

The Prophet Habakkuk speaks of his Body's being overborne, by a Sense of the Majesty of God, Habakkuk 3:16. When I heard, my Belly trembled, my Lips quivered at the Voice, Rottenness entered into my Bones, and I trembled in myself. So the Psalmist speaks expressly of his Flesh trembling, Psalm 119:120. My Flesh trembleth for Fear of thee.

That such Ideas of God's Glory, 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 giving an Account of an external Representation of the Glory of Christ, says, Daniel 10:8. And there remained no Strength in me, for my Comeliness was turned into Corruption, and I retained no Strength. And the Apostle John giving an Account of a like Manifestation made to him, says, Revelation 1:17. 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 behold: For though it be true, that they were outward Representations of Christ's Glory, which they behold with their [own] Eyes; yet the End and Use of these external 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 this spiritual Glory, and thus undoubtedly they received them, and improved them, and were affected by them. According to the End, for which God intended these outward Signs, they received by them a great and lively Apprehension of the real Glory and Majesty of God's Nature, which they were Signs of; 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 affecting Ideas and Apprehensions of the same real Glory and Majesty of his Nature, to none of his Saints, without the Intervention of any such external Shadows of it.

Before I leave this Head, I would farther observe, that it is plain the Scripture often makes Use of bodily Effects, to express the Strength of holy and spiritual Affections; such as trembling, groaning, being [sick], crying out panting, and fainting. Now if it be supposed, that these are only figurative Expressions, to represent the Degree of Affection; yet I hope all will allow, that they are fit and suitable Figures to represent the high Degree of those spiritual Affections, which the Spirit of God makes Use of them to represent. Which I do not see how they would be, if those spiritual Affections, let them be in never so high a Degree, have no Tendency to any such Things; but that on the contrary, they are the proper Effects, and sad Tokens of false Affections, and the Delusion of the Devil. I 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.

3. It is no Sign that Affections are truly gracious Affections, 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.

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, are very ignorantly and imprudently forward, at once to determine that they are the true Children of God, and are under the saving Influences of his Spirit, and speak of it as a great Evidence of a new Creature: They say such an one's Mouth is now [open]: He used to be slow to speak; but now he is full and free: He is free now to open his Heart, and tell his Experiences, and declare the Praises of God; it comes from him, as free as Water from a Fountain, and the like. And especially are they captivated into a confident and undoubting Persuasion that they are savingly wrought upon, if they are not only free and abundant, but very affectionate and earnest in their Talk.

But this is the Fruit of but little Judgment, a scanty and short Experience; as Events do abundantly show: and is a Mistake, Persons often run into, through their trusting to their own Wisdom and Discerning, and making their own Notions their Rule, instead of the holy Scripture. Though the Scripture be full of Rules, both how we should judge of our own State, and also how we should be conducted in our Opinion of others; yet we have no where any Rule, by which to judge ourselves or others to be in a good Estate, from any such Effect: For this is but the Religion of the Mouth and of the Tongue, and what is in the Scripture represented by the Leaves of a Tree, which though the Tree ought not to be without them, yet are no where given as an Evidence of the Goodness of the Tree.

That Persons are disposed to be abundant in talking of Things of Religion, may be from a good Cause, and it may be from a bad one. It may be because their Hearts are very full of holy Affections; for out of the Abundance of the Heart, the Mouth speaks: And it may be because Persons Hearts are very full of religious Affection which is not holy; for still out of the Abundance of the Heart the Mouth speaks. It is very much the Nature of the Affections, of whatever Kind they be, and whatever Objects they are exercised about, if they are strong, to dispose Persons to be very much in speaking of that which they are affected with; and not only to speak much, but to speak very earnestly and fervently. And therefore Persons talking abundantly and very fervently about the Things of Religion, can be an Evidence of no more than this, that they are very much affected with the Things of Religion; but this may be, (as has been already shown) and there be no Grace. That which Men are greatly affected with, while the high Affection lasts, they will be earnestly engaged about, and will be likely to show that Earnestness in their Talk and Behaviour; as the greater Part of the Jews, in all 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 manifested a great Earnestness, and mighty Engagedness of Spirit, in every Thing that was external, about Christ and his Preaching and Miracles, being [astonished] at his Doctrine, [and] with Joy receiving the Word, following him, sometimes Night and Day, leaving Meat, Drink and Sleep to hear him; once following him into the Wilderness, fasting three Days going, to hear him; sometimes crying him up to the Clouds, saying, Never Man spoke like this Man! being fervent and earnest in what they said. But what did these Things come to, in the greater Part of them?

A Person may be over-full of Talk of his own Experiences; commonly falling upon it, everywhere, and in all Companies: and when it is so, it is rather a dark Sign than a good one. As a Tree that is over-full of Leaves seldom bears much Fruit: And as a Cloud, though to Appearance very pregnant and full of Water, if it brings with it overmuch 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: Proverbs 25:14. Whoso boasts 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 suspected, These are Clouds (says he) without Water, carried about of Winds, Jude verses 4, and 12. And the Apostle Peter, speaking of the same, says, 2 Peter 2:17. 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.

4. It is no Sign that Affections are gracious, or that they are otherwise, that Persons did not make them themselves, or excite them of their own Contrivance, and by their own Strength.

There are many in these Days, that condemn all Affections which are excited in a Way that the Subjects of them can give no Account of, as not seeming to be the Fruit of any of their own 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 cooperate in a silent, secret and undiscernible Way, with the Use of Means, and our own Endeavours; so that there is no distinguishing by Sense, between the Influences of the Spirit of God, and the natural Operations of the Faculties of our own Minds.

And it is true, that for any to expect to receive the saving Influences of the Spirit of God, 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 the Spirit's making Use of Means, as subservient to the Effect, is enthusiastic. It is also undoubtedly true, that the Spirit of God is very various in the Manner and Circumstances of his Operations, and that sometimes he operates in a Way more secret and gradual, and from smaller Beginnings, than at others.

But if there be indeed a Power, entirely different from and 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, according to the general Profession of the Country; Then certainly, it is in no wise unreasonable to suppose, that this Effect should very frequently be produced after such a Manner, as to make it very manifest, apparent, and sensible that it is so. If Grace be indeed owing to the powerful and efficacious Operation 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? When Grace in the Heart, indeed is not produced by our Strength, nor is the Effect of the natural Power of our own Faculties, or any Means or Instruments, but is properly the Workmanship and Production of the Spirit of the Almighty, Is it a strange and unaccountable Thing, that it should seem to them who are Subjects of it agreeable to Truth, and not right contrary to Truth, so that if Persons tell of Effects that they are conscious to in their own Minds, that seem to them not to be from the natural Power or Operation of their Minds, but from the supernatural Power of some other Agent, it should at once be looked upon as a sure Evidence of their being under a Delusion, because Things seem to them to be as they are? For this is the Objection which is made: It is looked upon as a clear Evidence that the Apprehensions and Affections that many Persons have, are not really from such a Cause, because they seem to them to be from that Cause: They declare that what they are conscious of, seems to them evidently not to be from themselves, but from the mighty Power of the Spirit of God; and others from hence condemn them, and determine what they experience is not from the Spirit of God, but from themselves, or from the Devil. Thus unreasonably are Multitudes treated at this Day, by their Neighbours.

If it be indeed so, as the Scripture abundantly teaches, that Grace in the Soul, is so the Effect of God's Power, that it is fitly compared to those Effects, which are farthest from being owing to any Strength in the Subject, such as a Generation, or a being begotten, and Resurrection, or a being raised from the Dead, and 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 what Account can be given of 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 determine 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 evident, that no Flesh should glory in his Presence, that God alone might be exalted, and that the Excellency of the Power might be of God and not of Man, and that Christ's Power might be manifested in our Weakness, and none might say mine own Hand has 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 Circumstances. 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 Trumpets, and Lamps, and earthen Pitchers. So it was in the Deliverance of Israel from Goliath, by a Stripling, with a Sling and a Stone. So it was in that great Work of God, his calling the Gentiles, and converting the heathen World, after Christ's Ascension, after that the World by Wisdom knew not God, and all the Endeavours of Philosophers had proved in vain, for many Ages, to reform the World, and it was by every Thing, become abundantly evident that the World was utterly helpless, by any Thing else, but the mighty Power of God. And so it was in most of the Conversions of particular Persons, we have an Account of in the History of the New Testament: They were not wrought on in that silent, secret, gradual and insensible Manner, which is now insisted on; but with those manifest Evidences of a supernatural Power, wonderfully and suddenly causing a great Change, which in these Days are looked upon as certain Signs of Delusion and Enthusiasm.

The Apostle in Ephesians 1:18, 19 speaks of God's enlightening the Minds of Christians, and so bringing them to believe in Christ, to the End, that they might know the exceeding Greatness of his Power to them who believe. The Words are, The Eyes of your Understanding being enlightened, that ye may know what is the Hope of his Calling, and what the Riches of the Glory of his Inheritance in the Saints, and what is the exceeding Greatness of his Power to us-ward, who believe, according to the Working of his mighty Power, etcetera. 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 not agreeable to a Notion of God's operating so secretly, and undiscernibly, 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.

There are some who make this an argument in their own favor, 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 endeavor 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, that what they have experienced, must be from the mighty influence of the Spirit of God, and is of a saving nature; but very ignorantly, and without grounds. 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, exceeding busy with men, who often transform themselves into angels of light, and do in many wonderful ways, with great subtlety 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 injections with which he follows many persons; and in vain and fruitless frights and terrors, which he is the author of. And the power of Satan may be as immediate, and as evident in false comforts and joys, as in terrors and horrid suggestions; and oftentimes is so in fact. It is not in men's power to put themselves into such raptures, as the Anabaptists in Germany, and many other raving enthusiasts like them, have been the subjects of.

And besides, it is to be considered, that persons may have 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 any saving, but a common operation of the Spirit of God: And the subjects of such impressions, may be of the number of those we read of, Hebrews 6:4-5. That are [once] enlightened, and [tasted] of the heavenly Gift, and are made [partakers] of the Holy [Ghost], and [tasted] the good Word of God, and the Power of the World [to come] and yet may be wholly unacquainted with those latter Things that accompany Salvation, spoken of verse 9.

And where neither a good nor evil spirit have any immediate hand, persons, especially such as are of a weak and vapory habit of body, and the brain weak, and easily susceptive of impressions, may have strange apprehensions and imaginations, and strong affections attending them, unaccountably arising, 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, that he is not the voluntary author of; so many such persons, in like manner, be the subjects of involuntary impressions, when they are awake.

5. 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 delightful. They will mention it as an evidence that all is right, that their experience came with the Word, and will say, There were such and such sweet promises brought to my mind. They came suddenly, as if they were spoken to me. I had no hand in bringing such a text to my own mind; I was not thinking of anything leading to it: it came all at once, so that I was surprised. I had not thought of it a long time before; I did not know at first that it was Scripture; I did not remember that ever I had read it. And it may be, they will add, One Scripture came flowing in after another, and so texts all over the Bible, the most sweet and pleasant, and the most apt and suitable, which could be devised; and filled me full as I could hold. I could not but stand and admire. The tears flowed; I was full of joy, and could not doubt any longer. And thus, they think they have undoubted evidence, that their affections must be from God, and of the right kind, and their state good: But without any manner of grounds. How come they by any such rule, as that if any affections or experiences arise with promises, and comfortable texts of Scripture, unaccountably brought to mind, without their recollection, or if a great number of sweet texts follow one another in a chain, that this is a certain evidence their experiences are saving? Where is any such rule to be found in the Bible, the great and only sure directory in things of this nature?

What deceives many of the less understanding and considerate sort of people, in this matter, seems to be this; That the Scripture is the word of God, and has nothing in it which is wrong, but is pure and perfect: And therefore, those experiences which come from the Scripture must be right. But then it should be considered, affections may arise on occasion of the Scripture, and not properly come from the Scripture, as the genuine fruit of the Scripture, and by a right use of it; but from an abuse of it. All that can be argued from the purity and perfection of the word of God, with respect to experiences, is this, that those experiences which are agreeable to the word of God, are right, and cannot be otherwise; and not that those affections must be right, which arise on Occasion of the word of God, coming to the mind.

What evidence is there that the Devil cannot bring texts of Scripture to the mind, and misapply them, to deceive persons? There seems to be nothing in this which exceeds the power of Satan. It is no work of such mighty power, to bring sounds or letters to persons' minds, that we have any reason to suppose; nothing short of Omnipotence can be sufficient for it. If Satan has power to bring any words or sounds at all to persons' minds, he may have power to bring words contained in the Bible. There is no higher sort of power required in men, to make the sounds which express the words of a text of Scripture, than to make the sounds which express the words of an idle story or song. And so the same power in Satan, which is sufficient to renew one of those kinds of sounds in the mind, is sufficient to renew the other: The different signification, which depends wholly on custom, alters not the case, as to ability to make or revive the sounds or letters. Or will any suppose, that texts 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 himself, and carry him hither and thither, into the wilderness, and into an high mountain, and to a pinnacle of the temple, is not afraid to touch the Scripture, and abuse that for his own purposes. As he showed at the same time that he was so bold with Christ, he then brought one Scripture and another, to deceive and tempt him. And if Satan did presume, and was permitted, to put Christ himself in mind of texts of Scripture to tempt Him, what reason have we to determine, that he dare not, or will not be permitted, to put wicked men in mind of texts of Scripture, to tempt and deceive them? And if Satan may thus abuse one text of Scripture, so he may another. Its being a very excellent place of Scripture, a comfortable and 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 promises, 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; 2 Peter 3:16. 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 manner of reason to determine, that the Devil is not permitted thus to use the Scripture, as well as his instruments. For when the latter do it, they do it as his instruments and servants, and through his instigation and influence. And doubtless he does the same he instigates others to do. The Devil's servants do but follow their master, and do the same work that he does himself.

And as the Devil can abuse the Scripture, to deceive and destroy men, so may men's own folly and 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 multitude of such texts, following one another in a wonderful 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 with the word of God, and not only so, but from the word, and those affections not be from Satan, nor yet properly from the corruptions of their own hearts, but from some influence of the Spirit of God with the word, and yet have nothing of the nature of true and saving religion in them. Thus the stony-ground hearers had great joy from the word; yea which is represented as arising from the word, as growth from a seed; and their affections had, in their appearance, a very great and exact resemblance with those represented by the growth on the good ground, the difference not appearing, until it was discovered by the consequences, in a time of trial. And yet there was no saving religion in these affections.

6. It is no evidence that religious affections are saving, or that they are otherwise, that there is an appearance of love in them.

There are no professing Christians who pretend, that this is an Argument against the Truth and saving Nature of religious Affections. But on the other Hand, there are some who suppose, it is a good Evidence that Affections are from the sanctifying and saving Influences of the Holy Ghost. Their Argument is, 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 excellent than Knowledge, or Prophecy, or Miracles, or speaking with the Tongue of Men and Angels. It is the chief of the Graces of God's Spirit, and the Life, Essence and Sum of all true Religion; and that by which we are most conformed to Heaven, and most contrary to Hell and the Devil. But yet it is ill arguing from hence, that there are no Counterfeits of it. It may be observed, that the more excellent any thing is, the more will be the Counterfeits of it. Thus there are many more Counterfeits of Silver and Gold, than of Iron and Copper: There are many false Diamonds and Rubies, but who goes about to counterfeit common Stones? Though the more excellent Things are, the more difficult it is to make any Thing that shall be like them, in their essential Nature and internal Virtue; yet the more manifold will the Counterfeits be, and the more will Art and Subtlety be exercised and displayed, in an exact Imitation of the outward Appearance. Thus there is the greatest Danger of being cheated in buying of Medicines that are most excellent and sovereign, though it be most difficult to 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 Subtlety of Satan, and Men's deceitful Hearts, are wont chiefly to be exercised in counterfeiting those that are in highest Repute. So there are perhaps no Graces that have more Counterfeits than Love and Humility; these being Virtues wherein the Beauty of a true Christian does especially appear.

But with Respect to Love; it is plain by the Scripture, that 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, Matthew 24:12, 13. And because Iniquity shall abound, the Love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the End, the same shall be saved. Which latter Words plainly show, that those spoken of before, whose Love should 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 evidently the Case with many graceless Jews, such as cried him up so high, following him Day and Night, without Meat, Drink or Sleep; such as said, Lord I will follow thee whither soever thou goest, and cried Hosanna to the Son of David.

The Apostle seems to intimate, that there were many in his Days, who had a counterfeit Love to Christ, in Ephesians 6:24. Grace be with all them that love the Lord Jesus Christ in Sincerity. The last Word, in the Original, signifies in Incorruption; 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 by the Scripture, that there may be strong Affections of this Kind, without saving Grace; as there were in the Galatians towards the Apostle Paul, when they were ready to pluck out their Eyes and give them to him; although the Apostle expresses his Fear that their Affections were come to nothing, and that he had bestowed upon them Labour in vain, Galatians 4:11, 15.

7. Persons having religious Affections of many Kinds, accompanying one another, is not sufficient to determine whether they have any gracious Affections or no.

Though false Religion is wont to be maimed and monstrous, and not to have that Entireness and Symmetry of Parts, which is to be seen in true Religion; yet there may be a great Variety of false Affections together, that may resemble gracious Affections.

It is evident that there are Counterfeits of all Kinds of gracious Affections; as of Love to God, and Love to the Brethren, as has been just now observed: so of godly Sorrow for Sin, as in Pharaoh, Saul, and Ahab, and the Children of Israel in the Wilderness; Exodus 9:27; 1 Samuel 24:16, 17 and 26:21; 1 Kings 21:27; Numbers 14:39, 40. And of the Fear of God, as in the Samaritans, who feared the Lord, and served their own Gods at the same Time; 2 Kings 17:32, 33. And those Enemies of God we read of Psalm 66:3 who through the Greatness of God's Power, submit themselves to him, or, as it is in the Hebrew, lie unto him, that is, yield a counterfeit Reverence and Submission: so of a gracious Gratitude, as in the Children of Israel, who sang God's Praise at the Red Sea, Psalm 106:12; and Naaman the Syrian, after his miraculous Cure of his Leprosy, 2 Kings 5:15, and so forth.

So of spiritual Joy, as in the stony-ground Hearers, Matthew 13:20; and particularly many of John the Baptist's Hearers, John 5:35. So of Zeal, as in Jehu, 2 Kings 10:16; and in Paul before his Conversion, Galatians 1:14; Philippians 3:6; and the unbelieving Jews, Acts 22:3; Romans 10:2. So graceless Persons may have earnest religious Desires, which may be like Balaam's Desires, which he expresses under an extraordinary View that he had of the happy State of God's People, as distinguished from all the rest of the World, Numbers 23:9, 10. They may also have a strong Hope of eternal Life, as the Pharisees had.

And as Men, while in a State of Nature, are capable of a 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 so, that when false Affections are raised high, there are many false Affections attend each other. The Multitude that attended Christ into Jerusalem, after that great Miracle of raising Lazarus, seem to be moved with many religious Affections at once, and all in a high Degree. They seem to be filled with Admiration, and there was a Show of an high Affection of Love, and also of a great Degree of Reverence, in their laying their 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 Expectations of it, expecting it would immediately appear, and hence were filled with Joy, by which they were 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 Affections, to give an Account why, when one Affection is raised very high, that it should excite others; especially 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 before, Love is the Chief of the Affections, and as it were the Fountain of them. Let us suppose a Person who has been for some Time in great Exercise and Terror through Fear of Hell, and his Heart weakened with Distress and dreadful Apprehensions, and upon the Brink of Despair, and is all at once delivered, by being firmly made to believe, through some Delusion of Satan, that God has pardoned him, and accepts him as the Object of his dear Love, and promises him eternal Life: as suppose through some Vision, or strong Idea or Imagination, suddenly excited in him, of a Person with a beautiful Countenance, smiling on him, and with Arms open, and with Blood dropping down, which the Person conceives to be Christ, without any other Enlightening 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 spoke to him, such as those, Son, be of good Cheer, thy Sins be forgiven thee, or, Fear not, it is the Father's good Pleasure to give you the Kingdom, which he takes to be immediately spoken by God to him, though there was no preceding Acceptance of Christ, or closing of the Heart with him: I say, if we should suppose such a Case, what various Passions would naturally crowd at once, or one after another, into such a Person's Mind? It is easy to be 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, that his Soul was so amazed with the Fears of, and has received him with such Endearment, 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 think and speak of scarce 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 however, before his Deliverance, he was full of quarrellings against the Justice of God, that now it should be easy for him to submit to God, and own his Unworthiness, and cry out against himself, and appear to be very humble before God, and lie at his Feet as tame as a Lamb; and that he should now confess his Unworthiness, and cry out, Why me? Why me? (Like Saul, who when Samuel told him that God had appointed him to be King, makes answer, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the Tribes of Israel, and my Family the least of all the Families of the Tribe of Benjamin? Wherefore then speakest thou so to me? Much in the Language of David, the true Saint, 2 Samuel 7:18. Who am I, and what is my Father's House, that thou hast brought me hitherto!) Nor is it to be wondered at, that now he should delight to be with them who acknowledge and applaud his happy Circumstances, and should love all such as esteem and admire him and what he has experienced, and have violent Zeal against all such as would make nothing of such Things, and be disposed openly to separate, and as it were to proclaim War with all who are 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 forward to take Pains, and deny himself, to promote the Interest of the Party who he imagines favour 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 naturally arise in such Circumstances. He must have but slightly considered human Nature, who thinks such Things as these can't arise in this Manner, without any supernatural Interposition of divine Power.

As from true divine Love flow all christian Affections, so from a counterfeit Love in like Manner, naturally flow other false Affections. 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 out 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 distributed throughout the Branches, and the Fruit that is brought forth will be good and wholesome; but if the Sap in the Root and Stock be poisonous, so it will be in many Branches, (as in the other Case) and the Fruit will be deadly. The Tree in both Cases may be alike; there may be an exact Resemblance in Shape; but the 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 Similitude 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 told his Dream also; but he was woefully 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.

8. Nothing can certainly be determined concerning the Nature of the Affections by this, that Comforts and Joys seem to follow Awakenings and Convictions of Conscience, in a certain Order.

Many Persons seem to be prejudiced against Affections and Experiences, that come in such a Method, as has been much insisted on by many Divines; 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 of Men's devising: And particularly if high Affections of Joy follow great Distress and Terror, it is made by many an Argument against those Affections. But such Prejudices and Objections are without Reason or Scripture. Surely it cannot be unreasonable to suppose, that before God delivers Persons from a State of Sin and Exposedness to eternal Destruction, he should give them some considerable Sense of the Evil he delivers from; that they may be delivered sensibly, and understand their own Salvation, and know something of what God does for them. As Men that are saved are in two exceeding 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 reasonable, and agreeable to God's Wisdom, that Men who are saved, should be in these two States sensibly, first, that they should sensibly to themselves, be in a State of Condemnation, and so in a State of woeful Calamity 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.

And that it is God's Manner of dealing with Men, to lead them into a Wilderness, before he speaks comfortably to them, and so to order it, that they shall be brought into Distress, and made to see their own Helplessness, and absolute Dependence on his Power and Grace, before he appears to work any great Deliverance for them, is abundantly manifest by the Scripture. Then is God wont to repent himself for his professing People, when their 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; Deuteronomy 32:36, 37. Before God delivered the Children of Israel out of Egypt, they were prepared for it, by being made to see that they were in an evil Case, and to cry unto God, because of their hard Bondage; Exodus 2:23 and 5:19. And before God wrought that great Deliverance for them at the Red Sea, they were brought into great Distress, the Wilderness had shut them in, they could not turn to the right Hand nor the left, and the Red Sea was 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 swallowed up; and then God appeared and turned their Cries into Songs. So before they were brought to their Rest, and to enjoy the Milk and Honey of Canaan, God led them through a great and terrible Wilderness, that he might humble them, and teach them what was in their Heart, and so do them Good in their latter End; Deuteronomy 8:2, 16. The Woman that had the Issue of Blood twelve Years, was not delivered, till she had first spent all her Living on earthly Physicians, and could not be healed of any, and so was left helpless, having no more Money to spend; and then she came to the great Physician, without any Money or Price, and was healed by him; Luke 8:43, 44. Before Christ would answer the Request of the Woman of Canaan, he first seemed utterly to deny her, and humbled her, and brought her to own herself worthy to be called a Dog; and then he showed her Mercy, and received her as a dear Child; Matthew 15:22, et cetera. The Apostle Paul, before a remarkable Deliverance, was pressed out of Measure, above Strength, insomuch that he despaired even of Life; but had the Sentence of Death in himself, that he might not trust in himself, but in God that raiseth the Dead; 2 Corinthians 1:8, 9, 10. 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; Matthew 8:24, 25, 26. The Leper, before he is cleansed, must have his Mouth stopped, by a covering on his upper Lip, and was to acknowledge his great Misery and utter Uncleanness, by rending his Clothes, and crying, Unclean, unclean: Leviticus 13:45. And backsliding Israel, before God heals them, are brought to acknowledge that they have sinned, and have not obeyed the Voice of the Lord, and to see that they lie down in their Shame, and that Confusion covers them, and that in vain is Salvation hoped for from the Hills, and from the Multitude of Mountains, and that God only can save them; Jeremiah 3:23, 24, 25. 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 up themselves entirely into his Hands for Bondmen; and then reveals himself to them, as their Brother and their Saviour.

And if we consider those extraordinary Manifestations which God made of himself to Saints of Old, we shall find that he 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 fell upon him, and then God revealed himself to him in sweet Promises; Genesis 15:12, 13. So it was with Moses at Mount Sinai; first, God appeared to him in all the Terrors of his dreadful Majesty, so that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake, and then he made all his Goodness to pass before him, and proclaimed his Name, the Lord God gracious and merciful, et cetera. So it was with Elijah; first, there is a stormy Wind, and Earthquake, and devouring Fire, and then a still, small, sweet Voice; 1 Kings 19. So it was with Daniel; he first saw Christ's Countenance as Lightning, that terrified him, and caused him to faint away; and then he is strengthened and refreshed with such comfortable Words as these, O Daniel, a Man greatly beloved, Daniel 10. So it was with the Apostle John, Revelation 1. And there is an Analogy observable in God's Dispensations and Deliverances 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 do more directly show, that this is God's ordinary Manner in working Salvation for the Souls of Men, and in the Manifestations God makes of himself and of his Mercy in Christ, in the ordinary Works of his Grace on the Hearts of Sinners. The Servant that owed his Prince ten thousand Talents, is first held to his Debt, and the King pronounces Sentence of Condemnation upon him, and commands him to be sold, and his Wife and Children, and Payment to be made; and thus he humbles him, and brings him to own the whole Debt to be just, and then forgives him all. The prodigal Son spends all he has, and is brought to see himself in extreme Circumstances, and to humble himself, and own his Unworthiness, before he is relieved and feasted by his Father; Luke 15. Old inveterate Wounds must be searched to the Bottom, in order to Healing. And the Scripture compares Sin, the Wound of the Soul, to this, and speaks of healing this Wound without thus searching of it, as vain and deceitful; Jeremiah 8:11. Christ, in the Work of his Grace on the Hearts of Men, is compared to Rain on the mown Grass, Grass that is cut down with a Scythe, Psalm 72:6, representing his refreshing, comforting Influences on the wounded Spirit. Our first Parents, after they had sinned, were first terrified with God's Majesty and Justice, and had their Sin, with its Aggravations, set before them by their Judge, before they were relieved, by the Promise of the Seed of the Woman. Christians are spoken of as those that have fled for Refuge, to lay hold on the Hope set before them, Hebrews 6:18, which Representation implies great Fear, and Sense of Danger preceding. To the like Purpose, Christ is called a hiding Place from the Wind, and a Covert from the Tempest, and as Rivers of Water in a dry Place, and as the Shadow of a great Rock in a weary Land; Isaiah 32 at the Beginning. 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 Distress. There is all 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 School Master, to prepare her for Christ; and then comforted her with the joyful Sound of the Gospel from Mount Zion. So likewise John the Baptist came to prepare the Way for Christ, and prepare Men's Heart 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 Ax was laid at the Root of the Trees, et cetera.

And if it be indeed God's Manner (as I think the foregoing Considerations show that it undoubtedly is) before he gives Men the Comfort of a Deliverance from their Sin and Misery, to give them a considerable Sense of the Greatness and Dreadfulness of those Evils, and their extreme Wretchedness by Reason of them; surely it is not unreasonable to suppose, that Persons, at least oftentimes, while under these Views, should have great Distress and terrible Apprehensions of Mind: Especially if it be considered what these Evils are, that they have a View of; which are no other than great and manifold Sins, against the infinite Majesty of the great Jehovah, and the Suffering of the Fierceness of his Wrath to all Eternity. And the more so still, when we have many plain Instances in Scripture, of Persons that have actually been brought into extreme Distress, by such Convictions, before they have received saving Consolations: As the Multitude at Jerusalem, who were pricked in their Heart, and said unto Peter, and the rest of the Apostles, Men and Brethren, What shall we do? And the Apostle Paul, who trembled and was astonished, before he was comforted; and the Jailor, when he called for a Light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, and said, Sirs, What must I do to be saved?

From these Things it appears to be very unreasonable in professing Christians, to make this an Objection against the Truth and spiritual Nature of the comfortable and joyful Affections which any have, that they follow such awful Apprehensions and Distresses, as have been mentioned.

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 to be what some Persons lay great Weight upon; esteeming 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 Conscience, through the Influences of God's Spirit, consist in Conviction of Sinfulness of Heart and Practice, and of the Dreadfulness of Sin, as committed against a God of terrible Majesty, infinite Holiness and Hatred of Sin, and strict Justice in punishing of it. But there are some Persons that have frightful Apprehensions of Hell, a dreadful Pit ready to swallow them up, and Flames just ready to lay hold of them, and Devils around them, ready to seize them; who at the same Time seem to have very little proper 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: 'Tis a Work natural to him, and he has many Ways of doing it, in a Manner tending to no Good. He may exceedingly frighten 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; not to convince Persons of Things that are true, and revealed in the Word of God, but to lead them to vain and groundless Determinations; as that their Day is past, that they are reprobated, that God is implacable, that he has come to a Resolution immediately to cut them off, et cetera.

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 their minds are more strongly impressed with every Thing they are affected with, than others; and the Impression on the Imagination works on the Affection, and raises that still higher; and so Affection and Imagination act reciprocally, one on another, till their Affection is raised to a vast Height, and the Person is swallowed up, and loses all Possession of himself.

And some speak of a great Sight they have of their Wickedness, which 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 Hardness of Men's Heart 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 enquired into, they have not in View any Thing wherein the Corruption of Nature does truly consist, nor have they any Thought of any particular Thing wherein their Hearts are sinfully defective, or fall short of what ought to be in them, or any Exercises at all of Corruption in them. And many think also they have great Convictions of their actual Sins, who truly have none. They tell how their Sins are set in Order before them, they see them stand encompassing them round in a circle, with a dreadful frightful Appearance; when really they have not so much idea of the Sins they have been guilty of in the Course of their Lives, coming into View, that they are affected with the Aggravations of.

And if Persons have had great Terror, which really have been from the awakening and convincing Influences of the Spirit of God, it don't thence follow that their Terrors must needs issue in true Comfort. The native 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. 'Tis 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 human 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.

But if Comforts and Joys do not only come after great Terrors and Awakenings, but there be an Appearance of such preparatory Convictions and Humiliations, and brought about very distinctly, by such Steps, and in such a Method, as has frequently been observable in true Converts; this is no certain Sign 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 sanctioning; so that there shall be a very great Resemblance, in all that can be observed by others; much more easily may he imitate those Works of God's Spirit which are common, and which Men, while that are yet his own Children, are the Subjects of. These Works are in no wise so much above him as the other. There are no Works of God that are so high and divine, and above the Powers of Nature, and out of the Reach of the Power of all Creatures, as those Works of his Spirit, whereby he forms the Creature in his own Image, and makes it to be a Partaker of the divine Nature. But if the Devil can be the Author of such Resemblances of these as have been spoken of, without doubt he may of those that are of an infinitely inferior Kind. And it is abundantly evident in Fact, that there are false Humiliations, and false Submissions, as well as false Comforts. How far was Saul brought, though a very wicked Man, and of a haughty Spirit, when he (though a great King) was brought, in Conviction of his Sin, as it were to fall down, all in Tears, weeping aloud, before David his own Subject, (and one that he had for a long Time mortally hated, and openly treated as an Enemy) and condemn himself before him, crying out, You are more Righteous than I. You have rewarded me Good, whereas I have rewarded you Evil? And at another Time, I have sinned, I have played the Fool, I have erred exceedingly, 1 Samuel 24:16, 17 and Chapter 26:21. And yet Saul seems then to have had very little of the Influences of the Spirit of God, it being after God's Spirit had departed from him, and given him up, and an evil Spirit from the Lord troubled him. And if this proud Monarch, in a Pang of Affection, was brought to humble himself so low, before a Subject 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 Discouragement, as to many Things they used to depend upon, is taken for Humiliation: And that is called a Submission to God, which is no absolute Submission, but has some secret Bargain in it, that it is hard to discover.

Secondly, If the Operations and Effects of the Spirit of God, in the Convictions and Comforts of true Converts may be 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, 'tis 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 exactly imitate divine Operations in their Nature, though his Counterfeits may be very much like them in external Appearance; but he can exactly imitate their Order. When Counterfeits are made, there is no divine Power needful in order to the placing one of them first, and another last. And therefore no Order or Method of Operations and Experiences, is any certain Sign of their 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 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 that a natural Man can be the Subject of, before he believes in Christ. God has revealed no certain Connection between Salvation, and any Qualifications in Men, but only Grace and its Fruits. And therefore we don't find any legal Convictions, or Comforts following those legal Convictions, in any certain 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 Operations and Effects themselves, so mentioned, Thousands of Times. Which should be enough with Christians, who are willing to have the Word of God, rather than their own Philosophy, and Experiences, and Conjectures, as their sufficient and sure Guide in Things of this Nature.

Fourthly, Experience does greatly confirm, that Persons seeming to have Convictions & Comforts following one another in such a Method and Order, as is frequently observable in true Converts, is no certain Sign of Grace. I appeal to all those Ministers in this Land, who have had much Occasion of dealing with Souls, in the late extraordinary Season, whether there have not been many who don't 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 Affections, 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 Principles, that a Sinner can't 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 Condemnation; and that therefore such Convictions must be some Way implied in what is wrought in his Soul; yet nothing proves it to be necessary, that all those Things which are implied 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 shall be, each one, plain and manifest, in all who are truly converted. On the contrary, (as Mr. Shepard observes) sometimes the Change made in a Saint, at first Work, is like a confused Chaos; so that the Saints know not what to make of it. The Manner of the Spirit's proceeding in them that are born of the Spirit, is very often exceeding mysterious and unsearchable: We, as it were, hear the Sound of it, the Effect of it is discernable; but no Man can tell whence it came, or whither it went. And 'tis oftentimes as difficult to know the Way of the Spirit in the new Birth, as in the first Birth: Ecclesiastes 11. 5. Thou knowest not what is the Way of the Spirit, or how the Bones do grow in the Womb of her that is with Child: Even so thou knowest not the Work of God, that worketh all. The ingenerating of a Principle of Grace in the Soul, seems in Scripture to be compared to the conceiving of Christ in the Womb: Galatians 4. 19. And therefore the Church is called Christ's Mother, Canticles 3. 11. And so is every particular Believer, Matthew 12. 49, 50. And the Conception of Christ in the Womb of the blessed Virgin, by the Power of the holy Ghost, seems to be a designed Resemblance of the Conception of Christ in the Soul of a Believer, 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, or Heart that conceives this holy Child. The new Creature may use that Language in Psalms 139. 14, 15. I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvellous are thy Works: And that my Soul knoweth right well. My Substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret. Concerning the Generation of Christ, both in his Person, and also in the Hearts of his People, it may be said, as in Isaiah 53. 8. Who can declare his Generation. We know not the Works of God, that worketh all. 'Tis the Glory of God to conceal a Thing, (Proverbs 25. 2.) and to have his Path as it were in the mighty Waters, that his Footsteps may not be known: And especially in the Works of his Spirit on the Hearts of Men, which are the highest and chief of his Works. And therefore it is said, Isaiah 40. 13. Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his Counsellor hath taught him. 'Tis to be feared that some have gone too far towards directing the Spirit of the Lord, and marking out his Footsteps for him, and limiting him to certain Steps and Methods. Experience plainly shows, that God's Spirit is unsearchable and untraceable, in some of the best of Christians, in the Method of his Operations, in their Conversion. Nor does the Spirit of God proceed discernably in the Steps of a particular established Scheme, one half so often as is imagined. A Scheme of what is necessary, and according to a Rule already received and established by common Opinion, has a vast (though to many a very insensible) Influence in forming Persons Notions of the Steps and Method of their own Experiences. I know very well what their Way is; for I have had much Opportunity to observe it. Very often, at first, their Experiences appear like a confused Chaos, as Mr. Shepard expresses it: But then those Passages of their Experience are picked out, that have most of the Appearance of such particular Steps that are insisted on; and these are dwelt upon in the Thoughts, and these are told of from Time to Time, in the Relation they give: These Parts grow brighter and brighter in their View; and others, being neglected, grow more and more obscure: And what they have experienced is insensibly strained to bring all to an exact Conformity to the Scheme that is established. And it becomes natural for Ministers, who have to deal with them and direct them that insist upon Distinctness and Clearness of Method, to do so too. But yet there has been so much to be seen of the Operations of the Spirit of God, of late, that they who have had much to do with Souls, and are not blinded with a seven-fold Veil of Prejudice, must know that the Spirit is so exceeding 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 Enquiries into our own State, or Directions we give to others, is the Nature of the Effect that God has brought to pass in the Soul. As to the Steps which the Spirit of God took to bring that Effect to pass, we may leave them to him. We are often in Scripture expressly directed to try ourselves by the Nature of the Fruits of the Spirit; but nowhere by the Spirit's Method of producing them. Many do greatly err in their Notions of a clear Work of Conversion; calling that a clear Work, where the successive Steps of Influence, and Method of Experience 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.

9. 'Tis no certain Sign that the religious Affections which Persons have 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, of late been looked upon as an Argument against the religious Affections which some have had, that they spend so much Time in reading, praying, singing, hearing Sermons, and the like. 'Tis plain from the Scripture that it is the Tendency of true Grace to cause Persons very much to delight in such religious Exercises. True Grace had this Effect on Anna the Prophetess; Luke 1. 37. She departed not from the Temple; but served God with Fastings and Prayers, Night and Day. And Grace had this Effect upon the primitive Christians in Jerusalem; Acts 2. 46, 47. 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; Psalms 55. 17. Evening, Morning and at Noon will I pray. Grace makes the Saints delight in singing Praises to God: Psalms 135. 3. Sing Praises unto his Name, for it is pleasant. And 147. 1. Praise ye the Lord, for it is good to sing Praises unto our God, for it is pleasant, and Praise is comely. It also causes them to delight to hear the Word of God preached: It makes the Gospel a joyful Sound to them; Psalms 89. 15. And makes the Feet of those who publish these good Tidings, to be beautiful; Isaiah 52. 7. How beautiful upon the Mountains are the Feet of him that bringeth good Tidings, etc! It makes them love God's public Worship; Psalms 26. 8. Lord I have loved the Habitation of thy House, and the Place where thine Honour dwelleth. And 27. 4. 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 enquire in his Temple. Psalms 84. 1, 2, etc.—How amiable are thy Tabernacles, O Lord of Hosts! My Soul longeth, 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 thine 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. —Verse 10. A Day in thy Courts is better than a thousand.

This is the Nature of true Grace. But yet, on the other Hand, Persons being disposed to abound and to be zealously engaged in the external Exercises of Religion, and to spend much Time in them, is no sure Evidence of Grace; because such a Disposition is found in many that have no Grace. So it was with the Israelites of old, whose Services were abominable to God; they attended the new Moons, and Sabbaths, and calling of Assemblies, and spread forth their Hands, and made many Prayers; Isaiah 1. 12,—15. So it was with the Pharisees; they made long Prayers, and fasted twice a Week. False Religion may cause Persons to be loud and earnest in Prayer: Isaiah 58. 4. Ye shall not fast as ye do this Day, to cause your Voice to be heard on high. That Religion which is not spiritual and saving, may cause Men to delight in religious Duties and Ordinances: Isaiah 58. 2. Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my Ways; as a Nation that did Righteousness, and forsook not the Ordinance of their God. They ask of me the Ordinances of Justice, they take Delight in approaching to God. It may cause them to take Delight in hearing the Word of God preached; as it was with Ezekiel's Hearers, Ezekiel 33. 31, 32. And they come unto thee as my People cometh, and they sit before thee as my People, and they hear thy Words; but they will not do them: for with their Mouth they show much Love; but their Heart goeth after their Covetousness. And Lo, thou art unto them, as a very lovely Song, of one that hath a pleasant Voice, and can play well on an Instrument: For they hear thy Words, but they do them not. So it was with Herod; he heard John the Baptist gladly: Mark 6. 20. So it was with others of his Hearers, for a Season, they rejoiced in his Light; John 5. 35. So the stony ground Hearers heard the Word with Joy.

Experience shows that Persons, from false Religion, may be inclined to be exceeding abundant in the external Exercises of Religion; yea, to give themselves up to them, and devote almost their whole Time to them. Formerly a Sort of People were very numerous in the Romish Church, called Recluses; who forsook the World, and utterly abandoned the Society of Mankind, and shut themselves up close, in a narrow Cell, with a Vow never to stir out of it, nor to see the Face of any of Mankind any more; (unless that they might be visited in Case of Sickness) to spend all their Days in the Exercises of Devotion and Converse with God. There were also in old Time, great Multitudes called Hermits and Anchorites, that left the World to spend all their Days in lonesome Deserts, to give themselves up to religious Contemplations and Exercises of Devotion; 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 one to another) and had much Opportunity daily to observe him; who appeared to me the devoutest Person that ever I saw in my Life; great Part of his Time being spent in Acts of Devotion, at his eastern Window, which opened next to mine, seeming to be most earnestly engaged, not only in the Day-time, but sometimes whole Nights.

10. Nothing can be certainly known of the nature of religious affections by this, that they much dispose persons with their mouths to praise and glorify God. This indeed is implied in what has been just now observed, of abounding and spending much time in the external exercises of religion, and was also hinted before; but because many seem to look upon it as a bright evidence of gracious affection, when persons appear greatly disposed to praise and magnify God, to have their mouths full of his praises, and affectionately to be calling on others to praise and extol him, I thought it deserved a more particular consideration.

No Christian will make it an argument against a person, that he seems to have such a disposition. Nor can it reasonably be looked upon as an evidence for a person, if these things that have been already observed and proved, be duly considered, namely that persons, without grace, may have high affections towards God and Christ, and that their affections, being strong, may fill their mouths, and incline them to speak much, and very earnestly, about the things they are affected with, and that there may be counterfeits of all kinds of gracious affection. But it will appear more evidently and directly, that this is no certain sign of grace, if we consider what instances the Scripture 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 miracles; Mark 2:12. And immediately he arose, took up his bed, and went forth before them all: Insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion! So Matthew 9:8 and Luke 5:26. Also Matthew 15:31. Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, and the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see; and they glorified the God of Israel. So we are told, that on occasion of Christ's raising the son of the widow of Nain, Luke 7:16. There came a great 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 Christ, or speaking exceeding highly of him, Luke 4:15. 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 highest. Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, a little before he was crucified! And after Christ's ascension, when the apostles had healed the impotent man, we are told, that all men glorified God for that which was done, Acts 4:21. When the Gentiles in Antioch of Pisidia, heard from Paul and Barnabas, that God would reject the Jews, and take the Gentiles to be his people in their room, they were affected 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 number of them; as is intimated in the account we have of it, Acts 13:48. 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 his praise; but soon forgat his works. And it is foretold of false professors, and real enemies of religion, that they should show a forwardness to glorify God; Isaiah 66:5. Hear ye the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his word: Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified.

It is no certain sign that a person is graciously affected, if in the midst of his hopes and comforts, he is greatly affected with God's unmerited kindness to him that is so unworthy, and seems greatly to extol and magnify grace. Those that yet remain with unmortified pride and enmity against God, may, when they imagine that they have received extraordinary kindness from God, cry out of their unworthiness, and magnify God's undeserved goodness to them, from no other sense 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 sin, and cry out, I have played the fool, I have erred exceedingly, and with great affection and admiration, to magnify and extol David's unmerited and unexampled kindness to him, 1 Samuel 25:16-19 and 26:21. And from no higher principle, than that from whence Nebuchadnezzar was affected with God's dispensation, that he saw and was the subject of, and praises, extols and honors the King of Heaven, and both he, and Darius, in the like affections, call upon all Nations to praise God. Daniel 3:28, 29, 30 and 4:1, 2, 3, 34, 35, 37 and 6:25, 26, 27.

11. It is no sign that affections are right, or that they are wrong, that they make persons that have them, exceeding confident 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 doubting of the favor of God; supposing that there is no such thing to be expected in the church of God, as a full and absolute assurance of hope; unless it be in some very extraordinary circumstances; as in the case of martyrdom: Contrary to the doctrine of Protestants, which has been maintained by their most celebrated writers against the Papists; and contrary to the plain Scripture evidence. It is manifest that it was a common thing for the saints that we have a history, or particular account of in Scripture, to be assured. God in the plainest and most positive manner, revealed and testified his special favor to Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Daniel, and others. Job often speaks of his sincerity and uprightness with the greatest imaginable confidence and assurance, often calling God to witness to it; and says plainly, I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that I shall see him for myself, and not another, Job 19:25 etc. David, throughout the Book of Psalms, almost everywhere 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, 2 Kings 20:3. Jesus Christ, in his dying discourse with his eleven disciples, in the 14th, 15th and 16th chapters of John, (which was as it were Christ's last will and testament to his disciples, and to his whole church) often declares his special and everlasting love to them, in the plainest and most positive terms; and promises them a future participation with him in his glory, in the most absolute manner; and tells them at the same time, that he does so, to the end, that their joy might be full; John 15:11. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. See also at the conclusion of his whole discourse, Chapter 16:33. These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. Christ was not afraid of speaking too plainly and positively to them: He did not desire to hold them in the least suspense. And he concluded that last discourse of his, with a prayer in their presence, wherein he speaks positively to his Father of those eleven disciples, as having all of them savingly known him, and believed in him, and received and kept his word; and that they were not of the world; and that for their sakes he sanctified himself; and that his will was that they should be with him in his glory: And tells his Father, that he spoke these things in his prayer, to the end, that his joy might be fulfilled in them, Verse 13. By these things it is evident, that it is agreeable to Christ's designs, and the continued ordering and disposition Christ makes of things in his church, that there should be sufficient and abundant provision made, that his saints might have full assurance of their future glory.

The Apostle Paul, through all his epistles, speaks in an assured strain; ever speaking positively of his special relation to Christ, his 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 mention but three or four, Galatians 2:20. Christ liveth in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God; who loved me, and gave himself for me. Philippians 1:21. For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 2 Timothy 1:12. I know whom I have believed; and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him, against that day. 2 Timothy 4:7-8. I have fought a good fight; I have finished my course; I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me at that Day.

And the nature of the covenant of grace, and God's declared ends in the appointment and constitution of things in that covenant, do plainly show it to be God's design to make ample provision for the saints having an assured hope of eternal life, while living here upon Earth. 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 things, and sure: The promises are most full, and very often repeated, and various ways exhibited; and there are many witnesses, and many seals; and God has confirmed his promises with an oath. And God's declared design in all this is, that the heirs of the promises might have an undoubting hope, and full joy, in an assurance of their future glory. Hebrews 6:17, 18. Wherein God willing, more abundantly to show to 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 their interest in those sure promises in ordinary cases, was not attainable. For God's promises and oaths, let them be as sure as they will, cannot give strong hope and comfort to any particular person, any further than he can know that those promises are made to him. And in vain is provision made in Jesus Christ, that believers might be perfect as pertaining to the conscience, as is signified, Hebrews 9:9 if assurance of freedom from the guilt of sin is not attainable.

It further appears that assurance is not only attainable in some very extraordinary cases, that all Christians are directed to give all diligence to make their calling and election sure, and are told how they may do it, 2 Peter 1:5-8. And it is spoken of as a thing very unbecoming of Christians, and an argument of something very blamable in them, not to know whether Christ is in them or no; 2 Corinthians 13:5. Do you not know your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except you are reprobates? And it is implied that it is an argument of a very blamable negligence in Christians, if they practice Christianity after such a manner as to remain uncertain of the reward, in that 1 Corinthians 9:26. 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; 1 Corinthians 2:12. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. And 1 John 2:3. And hereby do we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. And verse 5. Hereby know we that we are in Him. Chapter 3:14. We know that we are passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. Verse 19. Hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. Verse 24. Hereby we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit that He has given us. So Chapter 4:13 and Chapter 5:2 and verse 19.

Therefore it must needs be very unreasonable to determine, that persons are hypocrites, and their affections wrong, because they seem to be out of doubt of their own salvation, and the affections they are the subjects of seem to banish all fears of hell.

On the other hand, it is no sufficient reason to determine that men are saints, and their affections gracious, because the affections they have are attended with an exceeding confidence that 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 we see a man that boldly calls God his Father, and commonly speaks in the most bold, familiar and appropriating language in prayer, My Father, my dear Redeemer, my sweet Savior, my Beloved, and the like,—and it is a common thing for him to use the most confident expressions before men, about the goodness of his state; such as, I know certainly that God is my Father; I know so surely as there is a God in heaven, that He is my God; I know I shall go to heaven, as well as if I were there; I know that God is now manifesting Himself to my soul, and is now smiling upon me: And seems to have done forever with any inquiry or examination into his state, as a thing sufficiently known, and out of doubt, and to contemn all that so much as intimate or suggest that there is some reason to doubt or fear whether all is right; such things are no signs at all that it is indeed so as he is confident it is. Such an over-bearing, high-handed and violent sort of confidence as this, so 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 favors more of the spirit of the Pharisees, who never doubted but that they were saints, and the most eminent of saints, and were bold to go to God, and come up near to Him, and lift up their eyes, and thank Him for the great distinction He had made between them and other men; and when Christ intimated that they were blind and graceless, despised the suggestion; John 9:40. And some of the Pharisees who were with Him, heard these words, and said unto Him, Are we blind also? If they had more of the spirit of the Publican, with their confidence, who in a sense of his exceeding unworthiness, stood afar off, and durst not so much as lift up his eyes to heaven, but smote on his breast, and cried out of himself as a sinner, their confidence would have more of the aspect of the confidence of one that humbly trusts and hopes in Christ, and has no confidence in himself.

If we do but consider what the hearts of natural men are, what principles they are under the dominion of, what blindness and deceit, what self-flattery, self-exaltation and self-confidence 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 convictions 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 himself into an angel of light.

When once a hypocrite is thus established in a false hope, he has not those things to cause him to call his hope in question, that oftentimes are the occasion of the doubting of true saints; as First, He has not that cautious spirit, that great sense of the vast importance of a sure foundation, and that dread of being deceived. The comforts of the true saints increase awakening and caution, and a lively sense 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 knowledge of his own blindness, and the deceitfulness of his own heart, and that mean opinion of his own understanding, that the true saint has. Those that are deluded with false discoveries and affections, are evermore highly conceited of their light and understanding. Thirdly, The Devil does not assault the hope of the hypocrite, as he does the hope of a true saint. The Devil is a great enemy to a true Christian hope, not only because it tends greatly to the comfort of him that has it, but also because it is a thing 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 that has it. A hypocrite may maintain his hope without opposition, as long as he lives, the Devil never disturbing it, nor attempting to disturb it. But there is perhaps no true Christian but what has his hope assaulted by him. Satan assaulted Christ Himself, upon this, whether He was the Son of God or no: And the servant is not above his master, nor the disciple above his Lord; it is enough for the disciple, that is most privileged in this world, to be as his master. Fourthly, He who has a false hope has not that sight of his own corruptions, which the saint has. A true Christian has ten times so much to do with his heart, and its corruptions, as a hypocrite: And the sins of his heart and practice, appear to him in their blackness; they look dreadful; and it often appears a very mysterious thing that any grace can be consistent with such corruption, or should be in such a heart. But a false hope hides corruption, covers it all over, and the hypocrite looks clean and bright in his own eyes.

There are two sorts of hypocrites: one that are deceived with their outward morality and external religion; many of 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 righteousness, and talk much of free grace; but at the same time make a righteousness of their discoveries, and of their humiliation, and exalt themselves to heaven with them. These two kinds of hypocrites Mr. Shepard, in his exposition of the parable of the ten virgins, distinguishes by the names of legal and evangelical hypocrites; and often speaks of the latter as 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 an 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 misunderstanding 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 generally been to reveal such things as they are desirous and fond of: And no wonder that persons who give heed to such things, have the same sort of visions or impressions about their own eternal 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 favor with God, etc. 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 revelation of their good estate, it raises in them the highest degree of confidence of it. It is found by abundant experience that those who are led away by impulses and imagined revelations, are extremely confident: They suppose that the great Jehovah has declared these and those things to them; and having His immediate testimony, a strong confidence is the highest virtue. Hence they are bold to say, I know this or that;—I know certainly;—I am as sure as that I have a being, and the like: And they despise all argument and inquiry in the case. And above all things else, it is easy to be accounted for, that impressions and impulses about 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 favor, should make them strongly confident: Especially when with their impulses and revelations they have high affections, which they take to be the most eminent exercises of grace. I have known of several persons, that have had a fond desire of something of a temporal nature, through a violent passion that has possessed them, and they have been earnestly pursuing the thing they have desired should come to pass, and have met with great difficulty and many discouragements in it, but at last have had an impression or supposed revelation that they should obtain what they sought; and they have looked upon it as a sure promise from the Most High, which has made them most ridiculously confident, against all manner of reason to convince them to the contrary, and all events working against them. And there is nothing hinders, but that persons who are seeking their salvation, may be deceived by the like delusive impressions, and be made confident of that, the same way.

The confidence of many of this sort of hypocrites, that Mr. Shepard calls evangelical hypocrites, is like the confidence of some mad men, who think they are kings: They will maintain it against all manner of reason and evidence. And in one sense, it is much more immovable than a truly gracious assurance; a true assurance is not upheld, but by the soul's being kept in a holy frame, and grace maintained in lively exercise. If the actings of grace do much decay in the Christian, and he falls into a lifeless frame, he loses his assurance: But this kind of confidence of hypocrites will not be shaken by sin: They, (at least some of them) will maintain their boldness in their hope, in the most corrupt frames and wicked ways: Which is a sure evidence of their delusion.

And here I can't but observe, that there are certain Doctrines often preached to the People, which need to be delivered with more Caution and Explanation than they frequently are; for as they are by many understood, they tend greatly to establish this Delusion and false Confidence of Hypocrites. The Doctrines I speak of are those of Christians living by Faith, not by Sight; their giving Glory to God, by trusting him in the Dark; living upon Christ, and not upon Experiences; not making their good Frames the Foundation of their Faith: Which are excellent and important Doctrines indeed, rightly understood, but corrupt and destructive, as many understand them. The Scripture speaks of living or walking by Faith, and not by Sight, in no other Way than these, namely a being governed by a Respect to eternal Things, that are the Objects of Faith, and are not seen, and not by a Respect to temporal Things, which are seen; and believing Things revealed that we never saw with bodily Eyes; and also living by Faith in the Promise of future Things; without yet seeing or enjoying the Things promised, or knowing the Way how they can be fulfilled. This will be easily evident to any one that looks over the Scriptures which speak of Faith in Opposition to Sight; as 2 Corinthians 4. 18. and 5. 7. Hebrews 11. 1, 8, 13, 17, 27, 29. Romans 8. 24. John 20. 29. But this Doctrine, as it is understood by many, is that Christians ought firmly to believe and trust in Christ, without spiritual Sight or Light, and although they are in a dark dead Frame, 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 spiritual Light or Sight, is an antiscriptural and absurd Doctrine. The Scripture is ignorant of any such Faith in Christ of the Operation of God, that is not founded in a spiritual Sight of Christ. That believing on Christ, which accompanies a Title to everlasting Life, is a seeking the Son, and believing on him, John 6. 40. 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; 2 Corinthians 3. 18. and 4. 6. They into whose Minds the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the Image of God, does not shine: They believe not; 2 Corinthians 4. 4. That Faith, which is without spiritual Light, is not the Faith of the Children of the Light, and of the Day; but the Presumption of the Children of Darkness. And therefore to press and urge them to believe, without any spiritual Light or Sight, tends greatly to help forward the Delusions of the Prince of Darkness. Men not only can't exercise Faith without some spiritual Light, but they can exercise Faith only just in such Proportion as they have spiritual Light. Men will trust in God no further than they know him: And they can't be in the Exercise of Faith in him one Ace further than they have a Sight of his Fulness and Faithfulness in Exercise. Nor can they have the Exercise of Trust in God, any further than they are in a gracious Frame. They that are in a dead carnal Frame, doubtless ought to trust in God; because that would be the same Thing as coming out of their bad Frame, and turning to God: But to exhort Men confidently to trust in God, and so hold up their Hope and Peace, though they are not in a gracious Frame, and continue still to be so, is the same Thing in Effect, as to exhort them confidently to trust in God, but not with a gracious Trust: And what is that but a wicked Presumption? It is just so impossible for Men to have a strong or lively trust in God, when they have no lively Exercises of Grace, or sensible Christian Experiences, as it is for them to be in the lively Exercises of Grace, without the Exercises of Grace.

It is true that it is the Duty of God's People to trust in him, when in Darkness, and though they remain still in Darkness, in that Sense, that they ought to trust in God when the Aspects of his Providence are dark, and look as though God had forsaken 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 Circumstances seem to render the Promises of God difficult to be fulfilled, and God must be trusted out of Sight, that is when we can't see which Way it is possible for him to fulfill his Word, every Thing but God's mere Word makes it look unlikely, so that if Persons believe, they must Hope against Hope. Thus the ancient Patriarchs, and Job, and the Psalmist, and Jeremiah, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshech and Abednego, and the Apostle 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 Hebrews. But how different a Thing is this, from trusting in God without spiritual Sight, and being at the same Time in a dead and carnal Frame!

There is also such a Thing as spiritual Light's being let into the Soul in one Way, when it is not in another; and so there is such a Thing as the Saints trusting in God, and also knowing their good Estate, when they are destitute of some Kinds of Experience. As for Instance, they may have clear Views of God's Sufficiency and Faithfulness, and so confidently trust in him, and know that they are his Children; and at the same Time, not have those clear and sweet Ideas of his Love, as at other Times: For it was thus with Christ himself in his last Passion. And they may have Views of much of God's Sovereignty, Holiness and All-sufficiency, enabling 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 thus insist on Persons living by Faith, when they have no Experience, and are in very bad Frames, are also very absurd in their Notions of Faith. What they mean by Faith is, believing that they are in a good Estate. Hence 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 confidently and immovably, when he has the least Light or Experience; that is to say, when he is in the worst and wickedest Frame and Way; because, forsooth, that is a Sign that he is strong in Faith, giving Glory to God, and against Hope believes in Hope. But what Bible do they learn this Notion of Faith out of, 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 can't be the same Thing, as believing that they are already in a good Estate. To suppose that Faith consists in Persons believing that they are in a good Estate, is in effect the same Thing, as to suppose that Faith consists in a Person's 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 so their Doubts would be removed. And then their doubting of their State may be from Unbelief thus, When though there be many Things that are good Evidences of a Work of Grace in them, yet they doubt very much whether they are really in a State of Favour with God, because it is they, those that are so unworthy, and have done so much to provoke God to Anger against them. Their Doubts in such a Case arise from Unbelief, as they arise from want of a sufficient Sense of, and reliance on the infinite Riches of God's Grace, and the Sufficiency of Christ for the Chief of Sinners. They may also be from Unbelief, when they doubt of their State, because of the Mystery of God's Dealings with them. They are not able to reconcile such Dispensations with God's Favour to them. Or when they doubt whether they have any Interest in the Promises, because the Promises from the Aspects 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, in such Persons, their Unbelief, and their Doubting of their State, are not the same Thing; though one arises from the other.

Persons may be greatly to blame for doubting of their State, on such Grounds as [are] last mentioned; and they may be to blame, that they have no more Grace, and no more of the present Exercises and Experiences of it, to be an Evidence to them of the Goodness of their State: Men are doubtless to blame for being in a dead 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 very much under the Prevalence of their Lusts, and an unchristian Spirit, they are not to blame for doubting of their 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 Light in the Room, when the Candle is put out; or to maintain the bright Sun-shine in the Air, when the Sun is gone down. Distant Experiences, when darkened by present prevailing Lust and Corruption, will never keep alive a gracious Confidence and Assurance; but that Sickens and Decays upon it, as necessarily as a little Child by repeated Blows on the Head with the [hammer]. Nor is it at all to be lamented that Persons doubt of their State in such Circumstances; but on the contrary, it is desirable and every Way best that they should. It is agreeable to that wise and [gracious] Constitution of Things, which God has established, that it should be so. For so has God contrived and constituted Things, in his Dispensations towards his own People, that when their Love decays, and the Exercises of it fail, or become weak, Fear [will] arise; [for] then they need it to restrain them from Sin, and to exercise them to care for the Good of their Souls, and so to stir them up to Watchfulness and Diligence in Religion: But God has 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, having a higher and more excellent Principle in exercise, to restrain them from Sin, and stir them up to their Duty. There are no other Principles, which human Nature is under the Influence of, that will ever [be 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 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] falls asleep, and Lust prevails, the Light and Joy [vanish], 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], of the [legal] Principle: And [on] the contrary. And if [it be] so, [that] 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, 1 John 4:18. There is no Fear in Love, but [perfect] Love [casts out] Fear. These two opposite Principles of Lust and holy Love [cast] 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 Distemper of Melancholy, [or] Ignorance, Prejudices of Education, wrong Instruction, [or] peculiar Temptations, et cetera.

[Driven] out by the Spirit of God, no other Way than by the prevailing of Love: [nor is it] ever maintained by his Spirit, when Love is asleep. At such a Time, in vain is all the Saint's Self-examinations, and poring on past Experience, in order to establish his Peace and [get] Assurance. For it is contrary to the Nature of Things, as God has constituted them, that he should have Assurance at such a [Time].

[They] do directly thwart God's wise and gracious Constitution of Things, [who exhort] others to be confident in their [Hope] in [Darkness] under a Notion of Living by [Faith], and not by [Sight], and trusting God in the Dark, and Living upon [Christ], and [not experiences] and [warn] them not to Doubt of their good Estate, [lest they] be guilty of the dreadful Sin of Unbelief. And it [has a] Tendency to establish the most presumptuous Hypocrites, and to [prevent] their ever calling their State in Question, how much [soever] Wickedness [rages], and reigns in their Hearts, and prevails in their [Lives] under a Notion of honoring God, by hoping against [Hope], and [trusting] in God, when Things look very dark. And doubtless vast has been the [Mischief], that has been done this [Way].

[Persons] can't be [said to live upon] Christ, for the sake of Christ, and live on their Experiences of the [Grace] of [God], merely because they take them and [use them as evidences]; for there are no other Evidences that they [can have]. But then may [they] be said to live upon their Experiences, when they make a Righteousness of them; and instead of keeping their Eye of God's Glory, and Christ's Excellency, they turn their [Eyes on] these Objects without them, on to themselves, to entertain their Minds, by viewing their own Attainments, and high Experiences, and the great Things they have met [with], and are bright and beautiful in their own Eyes, and are rich and [increased] with Goods, in their own 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 Pretenses to Religion. 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 mention one Thing more under the general Head that I am upon.

12. Nothing can be certainly concluded concerning the Nature of religious Affections, that any are the Subjects of, from this, that the outward Manifestations of them, and the Relation Persons give of them, are very affecting and pleasing to the truly Godly, and such as greatly gain their Charity, and win their Hearts.

The true Saints have not such a spirit of discerning, that they can certainly determine who are godly, and who are not. For though they know experimentally what true Religion is, in the internal Exercises of it; yet these are what they can neither feel, nor see, in the Heart of another. There is nothing in others, that comes within their View, but outward Manifestations and Appearances; but the Scripture plainly intimates that this Way of judging what is in Men by outward Appearances, is at best uncertain, and liable to Deceit; 1 Samuel 16:7. The Lord seeth not as Man seeth; for Man looketh on the outward Appearance, but the Lord looketh on the Heart. Isaiah 11:3. He shall not judge after the Sight of [his Eyes], neither reprove after the Hearing of his Ears They commonly [are] but poor Judges, and dangerous Counselors 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 Ignorance of themselves. Wise and experienced Men will proceed with great Caution in such an Affair.

When there are many probable Appearances of Piety in others, it is the Duty of the Saints to receive them cordially into their Charity, and to love them and rejoice in them, as their Brethren in Christ Jesus. But yet the best of Men may be deceived, when the Appearances seem to them exceedingly 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 the Things that have been already observed; what Things it has been shown, may appear in Men who are altogether graceless. Nothing hinders but that all these Things may meet together in Men, and yet they be without a Spark of Grace in their Hearts. They may have religious Affections of many Kinds together; they may have a Sort of Affection towards God, that bears a great Resemblance of dear Love to him; and so a kind of Love to the Brethren, and great Appearances of Admiration of God's Perfections and Works, and Sorrow for Sin, and Reverence, Submission, Self-abasement, Gratitude, Joy, religious Longings, and Zeal for the Interest of Religion and the Good of Souls. And these Affections may come after great Awakenings and Convictions of Conscience; and there may be great Appearances of a Work of Humiliation; and counterfeit Love and Joy, and other Affections may seem to follow these, and one another, just in the same Order, that is commonly observable in the holy Affections of true Converts. And these religious Affections may be carried to a great Height, and may cause Abundance of Tears, yea, may overcome the Nature of those who are the Subjects of them, and may make them affectionate, and fervent, and fluent in speaking of the Things of God, and dispose them to be abundant in it; and may be attended with many sweet Texts of Scripture, and precious Promises, brought with great Impression on their Minds; and may dispose them with their Mouths to praise and glorify God, in a very ardent Manner, and fervently to call upon others to praise him, crying out of their Unworthiness, and extolling free Grace. And may, moreover, dispose them to abound in the external Duties of Religion, such as Prayer, hearing the Word preached, Singing, and religious 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 common 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 Acquaintance with the Saints' Way of talking and of expressing their Affections and Experiences, and a natural Ability and Subtlety in accommodating their Expressions and Manner of speaking to the Dispositions and Notions of the Hearers, and a taking Decency of Expression and Behavior, formed by a good Education. How great therefore may the Resemblance be, as to all outward Expressions and Appearances, between an Hypocrite and a true Saint! Doubtless it is the glorious Prerogative of the omniscient God, as the great Searcher of Hearts, to be able well to separate between Sheep and Goats. And what an indecent, Self-exaltation, and 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 respect to others real Piety, when they not only tell a plausible Story, but when, in giving an Account of their Experiences, they make such a Representation, and speak after such a Manner, that they feel their Talk; that is to say, when their Talk seems to harmonize 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 many imagine. A true Saint greatly delights in Holiness: It is a most beautiful Thing in his Eyes; And God's Work, in savingly renewing and making holy and happy, a poor, and before perishing Soul, 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 pleasing Appearances have any Thing real to answer them, or no. 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 harmonize with his own. And if besides all this, in giving his Relation, he speaks with much Affection; and above all, if in speaking, he seems to show much Affection to him, to whom he speaks, such an Affection as the Galatians did to the Apostle Paul; these Things will naturally have a powerful Influence, to affect and draw his Hearers 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 Savor and Relish of it. And therefore exceeding great was his Surprise and Disappointment, when he fell; it was almost too much for him. Psalm 55:12, 13, 14. It was not an Enemy—then I could have borne it,—but it was thou, a Man, mine Equal, my Guide, and my Acquaintance; we took sweet Counsel together, and walked unto the House of God in Company.

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 not 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 Odor: So that we cannot, by any of our Senses, certainly distinguish those Blossoms which have in them that secret Virtue, which will afterwards appear in the Fruit, and that inward Solidity and Strength which shall enable them to bear, and cause them to be perfected by the hot Summer Sun, that will dry up the others. It is the mature Fruit which comes afterwards, and not the beautiful Colors 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 savory, and the Saints may think they talk feelingly. They may relish their Talk, and imagine they perceive a divine Savor in it; and yet all may come to nothing.

It is strange how hardly Men are brought to be contented with the Rules and Directions Christ has given them, but they must needs go by other Rules, of their own inventing, that seem to them wiser and better. I know of no Directions or Counsels which Christ ever delivered more plainly, than the Rules he has given us, to guide us in our judging of others Sincerity; 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 woeful have been the mischievous Consequences, of 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 scourged 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 convince, that ordinarily, those who have gone farthest this Way, that have been most highly conceited of their Faculty of discerning, and have appeared most forward, peremptorily and suddenly to determine the State of Mens Souls, have been Hypocrites, who have known nothing of true Religion.

In the Parable of the Wheat and Tares, it is said, Matthew 13:26. When the Blade was sprang 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 Mister Flavel observes; he 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, Mister Flavel adds, How difficult soever it be to discern the Difference between Wheat and Tares; yet doubtless the Eye of Sense can much easier discriminate them, than the most quick and piercing Eye of Man, can discern the Difference between special and common 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 or the Fruit which distinguishes the Wheat from the Tares, so this is the true Shibboleth, that he who stands as Judge at the Passages of Jordan, makes use of to distinguish those that shall pass over Jordan into the true Canaan, from those that should be slain at the Passages. For the Hebrew Word Shibboleth, signifies an Ear of Corn. And perhaps the more full Pronunciation of Jephthah's Friends, Shibboleth, may represent a full Ear with Fruit in it, typifying the Fruits of the Friends of Christ, the Antitype of Jephthah; and the more lean Pronunciation of the Ephraimites his Enemies, may represent their empty Ears, typifying the Show of Religion 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 that pass through Death, whether they have a Right to enter into the heavenly Canaan or no, 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 Priests discerning the Leprosy. In many Cases it was impossible for the Priest to determine whether a Man had the Leprosy, or whether he were clean, by the most narrow Inspection of the Appearances that were upon him, until he had waited to see what the Appearances would come to, and had shut up the Person who showed himself to him, one seven Days after another; and when he judged, he was to determine by the Hair, which grew out of the Spot that was showed him, which was as it were the Fruit that it brought forth.

And here, before I finish what I have to say under this Head, I would say something to a strange Notion some have of late been led away with, of certainly knowing the good Estate that others are in, as though it were immediately revealed to them from Heaven, by their Love flowing out to them in an extraordinary Manner. They argue thus, that their Love being very sensible and great, it may be certainly known by them who feel it, to be a true Christian Love: And if it be a true Christian Love, the Spirit of God must be the Author of it: And inasmuch as the Spirit of God, who knows certainly, whether others are the Children of God or no, and is a Spirit of Truth, is pleased, by an uncommon Influence upon them, to cause their Love to flow out, in an extraordinary Manner, 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 consider whether or no it be not their Duty, and what God requires of them, to love those as the Children of God, who they think are the Children of God, and whom they have 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 Children. If it be their Duty, then it is Good, and the Want of it Sin; and therefore, surely the Spirit of God may be the Author of it: The Spirit of God, without being a Spirit of Falsehood, may in such a Case assist a Person to do his Duty, and keep him from Sin. But then they argue from the uncommon Degree and special Manner, in which their Love flows out to the Person; which they think the Spirit of God never would cause, if he did not know the Object to be a Child of God. But then I would ask them, whether or no it is not their Duty to love all such as they are bound to think are the Children of God, from all that they can see in them, to a very great Degree, though God, from other Things which he sees, that are out of Sight to them, knows them not to be so. It is 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 commonly do. As we ought to love Christ to the utmost Capacity of our Nature, so it is our Duty to love those who we think are so near and dear to him as his Members, with an exceeding 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 Prayers, 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 People to do their Duty in some Instances, because he cannot do it without being a Spirit of Falsehood. But surely God is so sovereign as that comes to, that he may enable us to do our Duty when he pleases, and on what Occasion he pleases. When Persons think others are his Children, God may have other Ends in causing their exceedingly endeared Love to flow out to them, besides revealing to them whether their Opinion of them be right or no: 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 extraordinary 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 exceeding manifest, that Error or Mistake may be the Occasion of a gracious Exercise, and consequently a gracious Influence of the Spirit of God, by Romans 14:6. He that eateth to the Lord, he eateth, and giveth God Thanks; and he that eateth not to the Lord, he eateth not, and giveth God Thanks. The Apostle is speaking of those, who through erroneous and needless Scruples, avoided eating legally unclean Meats. By this it is very evident, that there may be true Exercises of Grace, a true Respect to the Lord, and particularly, a true Thankfulness, which may be occasioned, both by an erroneous Judgment and Practice. And consequently, an Error may be the Occasion of those truly holy Exercises that are from the infallible Spirit of God. And if so, it is certainly too much for us to determine, to how great a Degree the Spirit of God may give this holy Exercise, on such an Occasion.

This Notion, of certainly discerning another's State, by Love flowing out, is not only not founded on Reason or Scripture, but it is antiscriptural, it is against the Rules of Scripture; which say not a Word of any such Way of judging the State of others as this, but direct us to judge chiefly by the Fruits that are seen in them. And it is against the Doctrines of Scripture, which do plainly teach us that the State of others Souls towards God, cannot be known by us, as in Revelation 2:17. To him that overcometh, will I give to eat of the hidden Manna; and I will give him a white Stone, and in the Stone a new Name written, which no Man knoweth, saving he that receiveth it. And Romans 2:29. He is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and Circumcision is that of the Heart; in the Spirit, and not in the Letter; whose Praise is not of Men, but of God. That by this last Expression, whose Praise is not of Men, but of God, the Apostle has Respect to the Insufficiency of Men to judge concerning him, whether he be inwardly a Jew or no (as they could easily see by outward Marks, whether Men were outwardly Jews) and would signify, that it belongs to God alone to give a determining Voice in this Matter, is confirmed by the same Apostle's Use of the Phrase, in 1 Corinthians 4:5. Therefore judge nothing before the Time, until the Lord come; who both will bring to Light the hidden Things of Darkness, and will make manifest the Counsels of the Hearts; and then shall every Man have Praise of God. The Apostle, in the two foregoing Verses, says, But with me, it is a very small Thing, that I should be judged of you, or of Man's Judgment: Yea, I judge not mine own self, for I know nothing by my self, yet am I not hereby justified; but he that judgeth me is the Lord. And again, it is further confirmed, because the Apostle in this second Chapter to the Romans, directs his Speech especially to those who had a high Conceit of their own Holiness, made their Boast of God, and were confident of their own Discerning, and that they knew God's Will, and approved the Things which were excellent, or tried the Things that differ (as it is in the Margin). Verse 18. And were confident that they were Guides of the Blind, and a Light to them which are in Darkness, Instructors of the Foolish, Teachers of Babes; and so took upon them to judge others, see Verse 1 and 17, 18, 19, 20.

And how arrogant must the Notion be, that 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; 1 Peter 5:12. Though this Sylvanus 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 Corinthians 1:19, 1 Thessalonians 1:1, and 2 Thessalonians 1:1.

PART 2.

IF any one, on the Reading of what has been just now said, is ready to acquit himself, and say, I am not one of those who have no religious Affections; I am often greatly moved with the Consideration of the great Things of Religion; Let him not content himself with this, that he has religious Affections. For (as was observed before) as we ought not to reject and condemn all Affections, as though true Religion did not at all consist in Affection; so on the other Hand, we ought not to approve of all, as though every one that was religiously affected, had true Grace, and was therein the Subject of the saving Influences of the Spirit of God: and that therefore the right Way is to distinguish among religious Affections, between one sort and another. Therefore let us now endeavor to do this: And in order to it, I would do two Things.

1. I would mention some Things, which are no Signs one Way or the other, either that Affections are such as true Religion consists in, or that they are otherwise; that we may be guarded against judging of Affections by false Signs.

2. I would observe some Things, wherein those Affections which are spiritual and gracious, differ from those which are not so, and may be distinguished and known.

FIRST, I would take Notice of some Things, which are no Signs that Affections are gracious, or that they are not.

1. 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 it be as has been proved, that true Religion consists very much in religious Affections, then it follows, that if there be a great deal of true Religion, there will be great religious Affections; if true Religion in the Hearts of Men, be raised to a great Height, divine and holy Affections will be raised to a great Height.

Love is an Affection; but will any Christian say, Men ought not to love God and Jesus Christ in a high Degree? And will any say, we ought not to have a very great Hatred of Sin, and a very deep Sorrow for it? Or that we ought not to exercise a high Degree of 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 no more affected with the Things of Religion than I am, I have no Reason to be ashamed, that I have no greater Exercises of Love of God, and Sorrow for Sin, and Gratitude for the 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 begotten Son to die for them, and of the dying Love of Christ; and will pray that he may not be affected with them in any higher Degree, because high Affections are improper, and very unlovely in Christians, being enthusiastical, and ruinous to true Religion?

Our Text plainly speaks of great and high Affections, when it speaks of rejoicing with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory: Here the most superlative Expressions are used, which Language will afford. And the Scriptures often require us to exercise very high Affections: Thus in the first and great Commandment of the Law, there is an Accumulation of Expressions, as though Words were wanting to express the Degree, in which we ought to love God; Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy Heart, with all thy Soul, with all thy Mind, and with all thy Strength. So the Saints are called upon to exercise high Degrees of Joy: Rejoice, says Christ to his Disciples, and be exceeding glad, Matthew 5:12. So it is said, Psalm 68:3. Let the Righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God; yea, let them exceedingly rejoice. So in the same Book of Psalms, the Saints are often called upon to shout for Joy; and in Luke 6:23. 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 Souls magnifying the Lord, singing his praises, talking of his wondrous Work, declaring his Doings. etc.

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; Psalm 119:97. Oh how love I thy Law! So he expresses a great Degree of Hatred of Sin; Psalm 139:21, 22. Do I not hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? And am I not grieved with those that rise up against thee? I hate them with perfect Hatred. He also expresses a high Degree of Sorrow for Sin: He speaks of his Sin going over his Head, as an heavy Burden too heavy for him; and of his roaring all the Day, and his Moisture being turned into the Draught of Summer, and his Bones being as it were broken with Sorrow. So he often expresses great Degrees of spiritual Desires, in a Multitude of the strongest Expressions which can be conceived of; such as his longing, his Soul's thirsting in a dry and thirsty Land where no Water is, his Pantings, his Flesh and Heart crying out, his Soul breaking for the Longing it hath, etc. He expresses the Exercises of great and extreme Grief for the Sins of others. Psalm 119:136. Rivers of Water run down mine Eyes, because they keep not thy Law. And Verse 53. Horror hath taken hold upon me, because of the Wicked that forsake thy Law. He expresses high Exercises of Joy, Psalm 21:1. The King shall joy in thy Strength; and in thy Salvation, how greatly shall he rejoice. Psalm 71:23. My Lips shall greatly rejoice, when I sing unto thee. Psalm 63:3-6. Because thy loving Kindness is better than Life, my Lips shall praise thee. Thus will I bless thee, while I live: I will lift up my Hands in thy Name: My Soul shall be satisfied as with Marrow and Fatness, and my Mouth shall praise thee with joyful Lips: When I remember thee upon my Bed, and meditate on thee in the 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 Affection. Thus he expresses the Exercises of Pity and Concern for others' Good, even to Anguish of Heart; a great, fervent and abundant Love, and earnest and longing Desires, and exceeding Joy; and speaks of the Conflicts and Triumphs of his Soul, and his earnest Expectation and Hope, and his abundant Tears, and the Travails of his Soul, in Pity, Grief, earnest Desires, godly Jealousy and fervent Zeal, in many Places that have been cited already, and which therefore I need not repeat. John the Baptist expressed great Joy, John 3:29. 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; Matthew 28:8. And they departed from the Sepulchre, with Fear and great Joy.

It is often foretold of the Church of God, in her future happy Seasons here on Earth, that they shall exceedingly rejoice; Psalm 89:15, 16. 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 Daughter of Jerusalem: Behold thy King cometh unto thee. etc. The same is represented in innumerable other Places. And because high Degrees of Joy are the proper and genuine Fruits of the Gospel of Christ, therefore the Angel that proclaimed this Gospel, called it good Tidings of great Joy, that shall 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 Perfections 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 Voice of many Waters, and as the Voice of a great Thunder. Now the only Reason why their Affections are so much higher than the holy Affections of Saints on Earth, is, they see the Things they are affected by, more according to their Truth, and have their Affections more conformed to the Nature of Things. And therefore, if religious Affections in Men here below, are but of the same Nature and Kind with theirs, the higher they are, and the nearer they are to theirs in Degree, the better; because therein they will be so much the more conformed to Truth, as theirs are.

From these Things it certainly appears, that religious Affections being in a very high Degree, is no Evidence that they are not such as have the Nature of true Religion. Therefore they do greatly err, who condemn Persons as Enthusiasts, merely because their Affections are very high.

And on the other Hand, It is no Evidence that religious 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 there are religious Affections which are very high, that are not spiritual and saving. The Apostle Paul speaks of Affections in the Galatians, which had been exceedingly elevated, and which yet he manifestly speaks of, as fearing that they were vain, and had come to nothing. Galatians 4:15. Where is the Blessedness you spake of? For I bear you Record, that if it had been possible, you would have plucked out your own Eyes, and have given them to me. And in the eleventh Verse he tells them, he was afraid of them, lest he had bestowed upon them Labour in vain. So 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 forgat his Works. So they were greatly affected again, at Mount Sinai, when they saw the marvelous Manifestations God made of himself there; and seemed mightily engaged in their Minds, and with great Forwardness made Answer, when God proposed his holy Covenant to them, saying, All that the Lord hath spoken will 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; so as to make the whole City ring again, and put all into an Uproar. We learn by the Evangelist John, that the Reason why the People made this ado, was because they were affected with the Miracle of raising Lazarus; John 12:18. Here was a vast Multitude crying Hosanna on this Occasion, so that it gave Occasion to the Pharisees to say, Behold the World is gone after him, John 12:19. But Christ had at that Time but few true Disciples. And how quickly was this ado at an End? All of this Nature is quelled and dead, when this 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 Divines, that there may be religious Affections, which are raised to a very high Degree, and yet there be nothing of true Religion.

2. It is no Sign that Affections have the Nature of true Religion, or that they have not, that they have great Effects on the Body.

All Affections whatsoever, have in some Respect or Degree, an Effect on the Body. As was observed before, such is our Nature, and such are the Laws of Union of Soul and Body, that the Mind can have no lively or vigorous Exercise, without some Effect upon the Body. So subject is the Body to the Mind, and so much do its Fluids, especially the animal Spirits, attend the Motions and Exercises of the Mind, that there cannot be so much as an intense Thought, without an Effect upon them. Yea, it is questionable, whether an embodied Soul ever so much as thinks one Thought, or has any Exercise at all, but that there is some corresponding Motion or Alteration of Motion, in some Degree, 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 some sensible Effect upon the Body. And if this be so, that all Affections have some Effect on the Body, we may then well suppose, the greater those Affections be, 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 Affections, should have great Effects on the Body. And therefore, seeing there are very great Affections, both common and spiritual; hence 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 they arise from, are of one Kind or the other.

Great Effects on the Body certainly are no sure Evidences that Affections are spiritual; for we see that such Effects oftentimes arise from great Affections about temporal Things, and when Religion is no Way concerned in them. And if great Affections about secular Things, are purely natural, may have these Effects, I know not by what Rule we should determine, that high Affections about religious Things, which arise in like Manner from Nature, cannot have the like Effect.

Nor on the other Hand, do I know of any Rule any have to determine, that gracious and holy Affections, when raised as high as any natural Affections, and have equally strong and vigorous Exercises, cannot have a great Effect on the Body. No such Rule can be drawn from Reason: I know of no Reason, why a being affected with a View of God's Glory should not cause the Body to faint, as well as a being affected with a View of Solomon's Glory. And no such Rule has as yet been produced from the Scripture: None has ever been found in all the late Controversies which have 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 Spirit of God being in them, as the Spirit of Power, and of the effectual working of his Power in them 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, Matthew 26:41, 1 Corinthians 15:43, and 50. The Text we are upon speaks of Joy unspeakable, and full of Glory. And who that considers what Man's Nature is, and what the Nature of the Affections are, can reasonably doubt but that such unutterable and glorious Joys, may be too great and mighty for weak Dust and Ashes, so as to be considerably overbearing to it? It is evident by the Scripture, that true divine Discoveries, or Ideas of God's Glory, when given in a great Degree, have a Tendency, by affecting the Mind, to overbear the Body; because the Scripture teaches us often, that if these Ideas or Views should be given to such a Degree, as they are given in Heaven, the weak Frame of the Body could not subsist under it, and that no Man can, in that Manner, see God and live. The Knowledge which the Saints have of God's Beauty and Glory in this World, and those holy Affections that arise from it, are of the same Nature and Kind with what the Saints are the Subjects of in Heaven, differing only in Degree and Circumstances: What God gives them here, is a Foretaste of heavenly Happiness, and an 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 of the future Reward, as an Earnest of the Whole, and no more? And seeing God has taught us in his Word, that the whole Reward is such, that it would at once destroy the Body, is it not too bold a Thing for us, so to set Bounds to the sovereign God, as to say, that in giving the Earnest of this Reward in this World, he shall never give so much of it, as in the least to diminish the Strength of the Body, when God has no where thus limited himself?

The Psalmist speaking of vehement religious Affections he had, speaks of an Effect in his Flesh or Body, besides what was in his Soul, expressly distinguishing one from the other, once and again, Psalm 84:2. My Soul longeth, yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord, my Heart and my Flesh crieth out for the living God. Here is a plain Distinction between the Heart and the Flesh, as being each affected. So Psalm 63:1. 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 designed Distinction between the Soul and the Flesh.

The Prophet Habakkuk speaks of his Body's being overborne, by a Sense of the Majesty of God, Habakkuk 3:16. When I heard, my Belly trembled, my Lips quivered at the Voice, Rottenness entered into my Bones, and I trembled in myself. So the Psalmist speaks expressly of his Flesh trembling, Psalm 119:120. My Flesh trembleth for Fear of thee.

That such Ideas of God's Glory, 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 giving an Account of an external Representation of the Glory of Christ, says, Daniel 10:8. And there remained no Strength in me, for my Comeliness was turned into Corruption, and I retained no Strength. And the Apostle John giving an Account of a like Manifestation made to him, says, Revelation 1:17. And when I saw him, I fell at his Feet as dead. 'Tis 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 Representations of Christ's Glory, which they beheld with their bodily Eyes; yet the End and Use of these external 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 this spiritual Glory, and thus undoubtedly they received them, and improved them, and were affected by them. According to the End, for which God intended these outward Signs, they received by them a great and lively Apprehension of the real Glory and Majesty of God's Nature, which they were Signs of; 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 affecting Ideas and Apprehensions of the same real Glory and Majesty of his Nature, to none of his Saints, without the Intervention of any such external Shadows of it.

Before I leave this Head, I would farther observe, that it is plain the Scripture often makes Use of bodily Effects, to express the Strength of holy and spiritual Affections; such as trembling, groaning, being sick, crying out panting, and fainting. Now if it be supposed, that these are only figurative Expressions, to represent the Degree of Affection; yet I hope all will allow, that they are fit and suitable Figures to represent the high Degree of those spiritual Affections, which the Spirit of God makes Use of them to represent. Which I do not see how they would be, if those spiritual Affections, let them be in ever so high a Degree, have no Tendency to any such Things; but that on the contrary, they are the proper Effects, and sad Tokens of false Affections, and the Delusion of the Devil. I 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.

3. It is no Sign that Affections are truly gracious Affections, 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.

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, are very ignorantly and imprudently forward, at once to determine that they are the true Children of God, and are under the saving Influences of his Spirit, and speak of it as a great Evidence of a new Creature: They say such an one's Mouth is now open: He used to be slow to speak; but now he is full and free: He is free now to open his Heart, and tell his Experiences, and declare the Praises of God; it comes from him, as free as Water from a Fountain, and the like. And especially are they captivated into a confident and undoubting Persuasion that they are savingly wrought upon, if they are not only free and abundant, but very affectionate and earnest in their Talk.

But this is the Fruit of but little Judgment, a scanty and short Experience; as Events do abundantly show: and is a Mistake, Persons often run into, through their trusting to their own Wisdom and Discerning, and making their own Notions their Rule, instead of the holy Scripture. Though the Scripture be full of Rules, both how we should judge of our own State, and also how we should be conducted in our Opinion of others; yet we have no where any Rule, by which to judge ourselves or others to be in a good Estate, from any such Effect: For this is but the Religion of the Mouth and of the Tongue, and what is in the Scripture represented by the Leaves of a Tree, which though the Tree ought not to be without them, yet are no where given as an Evidence of the Goodness of the Tree.

That persons are disposed to be abundant in talking of things of religion, may be from a good cause, and it may be from a bad one. It may be because their hearts are very full of holy affections; for out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh: And it may be because persons' hearts are very full of religious affection which is not holy; for still out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. It is very much the nature of the affections, of whatever kind they be, and whatever objects they are exercised about, if they are strong, to dispose persons to be very much in speaking of that which they are affected with; and not only to speak much, but to speak very earnestly and fervently. And therefore persons talking abundantly and very fervently about the things of religion, can be an evidence of no more than this, that they are very much affected with the things of religion; but this may be, (as has been already shown) and there be no grace. That which men are greatly affected with, while the high affection lasts, they will be earnestly engaged about, and will be likely to show that earnestness in their talk and behavior; as the greater part of the Jews, in all 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 manifested a great earnestness, and mighty engagedness of spirit, in every thing that was external, about Christ and his preaching and miracles, being astonished at his doctrine, and with joy receiving the word, following him, sometimes night and day, leaving meat, drink and sleep to hear him; once following him into the wilderness, fasting three days going, to hear him; sometimes crying him up to the clouds, saying, Never man spake like this man! being fervent and earnest in what they said. But what did these things come to, in the greater part of them?

A person may be over-full of talk of his own experiences; commonly falling upon it, every where, and in all companies: and when it is so it is rather a dark sign than a good one. As a tree that is over-full of leaves seldom bears much fruit: And as a cloud, though to appearance very pregnant and full of water, if it brings with it overmuch 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: Proverbs 25:14. Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift, is like clouds and wind without rain. And the Apostle Jude, speaking of some in the primitive times, that crept in unawares among the saints, and having a great show of religion, were for a while not suspected, These are clouds (says he) without water, carried about of winds, Jude verse 4, and 12. And the Apostle Peter, speaking of the same, says, 2 Peter 2:17. 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.

4. It is no sign that affections are gracious, or that they are otherwise, that persons did not make them themselves, or excite them of their own contrivance, and by their own strength.

There are many in these days, that condemn all affections which are excited in a way that the subjects of them can give no account of, as not seeming to be the fruit of any of their own endeavors, 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, secret and undiscernable way, with the use of means, and our own endeavors; so that there is no distinguishing by sense, between the influences of the Spirit of God, and the natural operations of the faculties of our own minds.

And it is true, that for any to expect to receive the saving influences of the Spirit of God, 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 the Spirit's making use of means, as subservient to the effect, is enthusiastical. It is also undoubtedly true, that the Spirit of God is very various in the manner and circumstances of his operations, and that sometimes he operates in a way more secret and gradual, and from smaller beginnings, than at others.

But if there be indeed a power, entirely different from and 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, according to the general profession of the country; Then certainly, it is in no wise unreasonable to suppose, that this effect should very frequently be produced after such a manner, as to make it very manifest, apparent, and sensible that it is so. If grace be indeed owing to the powerful and efficacious operation 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? When grace in the heart, indeed is not produced by our strength, nor is the effect of the natural power of our own faculties, or any means or instruments, but is properly the workmanship and production of the Spirit of the Almighty, Is it a strange and unaccountable thing, that it should seem to them who are subjects of it agreeable to truth, and not right contrary to truth, so that if persons tell of effects that they are conscious to in their own minds, that seem to them not to be from the natural power or operation of their minds, but from the supernatural power of some other agent, it should at once be looked upon as a sure evidence of their being under a delusion, because things seem to them to be as they are? For this is the objection which is made: It is looked upon as a clear evidence that the apprehensions and affections that many persons have, are not really from such a cause, because they seem to them to be from that cause: They declare that what they are conscious of, seems to them evidently not to be from themselves, but from the mighty power of the Spirit of God; and others from hence condemn them, and determine what they experience is not from the Spirit of God, but from themselves, or from the Devil. Thus unreasonably are multitudes treated at this day, by their neighbors.

If it be indeed so, as the Scripture abundantly teaches, that grace in the soul, is so the effect of God's power, that it is fitly compared to those effects, which are farthest from being owing to any strength in the subject, such as a generation, or a being begotten, and resurrection, or a being raised from the dead, and 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 what account can be given of 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 determine 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 evident, that no flesh should glory in his presence, that God alone might be exalted, and that the excellency of the power might be of God and not of man, and that Christ's power might be manifested 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 circumstances. 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 trumpets, and lamps, and earthen pitchers. So it was in the deliverance of Israel from Goliath, by a stripling, with a sling and a stone. So it was in that great work of God, his calling the Gentiles, and converting the heathen world, after Christ's ascension, after that the world by wisdom knew not God, and all the endeavors of philosophers had proved in vain, for many ages, to reform the world, and it was by every thing, become abundantly evident that the world was utterly helpless, by any thing else, but the mighty power of God. And so it was in most of the conversions of particular persons, we have an account of in the history of the New Testament: They were not wrought on in that silent, secret, gradual and insensible manner, which is now insisted on; but with those manifest evidences of a supernatural power, wonderfully and suddenly causing a great change, which in these days are looked upon as certain signs of delusion and enthusiasm.

The Apostle in Ephesians 1:18, 19 speaks of God's enlightening the minds of Christians, and so bringing them to believe in Christ, to the end, that they might know the exceeding greatness of his power to them who believe. The words are, The eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward, who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, etc. 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 not agreeable to a notion of God's operating so secretly, and undiscernably, 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.

There are some who make this an Argument in their 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 Endeavour of mine; it came when I thought nothing of it; if I might have the World for it, I can't make it again when I please. And hence they determine, that what they have experienced, must be from the mighty Influence of the Spirit of God, and is of a saving Nature; but very ignorantly, and without Grounds. 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, exceeding busy with Men, who often transform themselves into Angels of Light, and do in many wonderful Ways, with great Subtlety 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 Injections with which he follows many Persons; and in vain and fruitless Frights and Terrors, which he is the Author of. And the Power of Satan may be as immediate, and as evident in false Comforts and Joys, as in Terrors and horrid Suggestions; and oftentimes is so in Fact. It is not in Men's Power to put themselves into such Raptures, as the Anabaptists in Germany, and many other raving Enthusiasts like them, have been the Subjects of.

And besides, it is to be considered, that Persons may have 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 any saving, but a common work of the Spirit of God: And the Subjects of such Impressions, may be of the Number of those we read of, Hebrews 6:4, 5. That are once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly Gift, and are made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good Word of God, and the Power of the World to come and yet may be wholly unacquainted with those latter Things that accompany Salvation, spoken of verse 9.

And where neither a good nor evil Spirit have any immediate Hand, Persons, especially such as are of a weak and vapory Habit of Body, and the Brain weak, and easily susceptible of Impressions, may have strange Apprehensions and Imaginations, and strong Affections attending them, unaccountably arising, 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, that he is not the voluntary Author of; so many such Persons, in like Manner, be the Subjects of involuntary Impressions, when they are awake.

5. 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 delightful. They will mention it as an Evidence that all is right, that their Experience came with the Word, and will say, There were such and such sweet Promises brought to my Mind: They came suddenly, as if they were spoke to me: I had no Hand in bringing such a Text to my own Mind; I was not 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 before; I did not know at first that it was Scripture; I did not remember that ever I had read it. And it may be, they will add, One Scripture came flowing in after another, and so Texts all over the Bible, the most sweet and pleasant, and the most apt and suitable, which could be devised; and filled me full as I could hold: I could not but stand and admire: The Tears flowed; I was full of Joy, and could not doubt any longer. And thus, they think they have undoubted Evidence, that their Affections must be from God, and of the right Kind, and their State good: But without any Manner of Grounds. How come they by any such Rule, as that if any Affections or Experiences arise with Promises, and comfortable Texts of Scripture, unaccountably brought to Mind, without their Recollection, or if a great Number of sweet Texts follow one another in a Chain, that this is a certain Evidence their Experiences are saving? Where is any such Rule to be found in the Bible, the great and only sure Directory in Things of this Nature?

What deceives many of the less understanding and considerate Sort of People, in this Matter, seems to be this; That the Scripture is the Word of God, and has nothing in it which is wrong, but is pure and perfect: And therefore, those Experiences which come from the Scripture must be right. But then it should be considered, Affections may arise on occasion of the Scripture, and not properly come from the Scripture, as the genuine Fruit of the Scripture, and by a right Use of it; but from an Abuse of it. All that can be argued from the Purity and Perfection of the Word of God, with Respect to Experiences, is this, that those Experiences which are agreeable to the Word of God, are right, and can't be otherwise; and not that those Affections must be right, which arise on Occasion of the Word of God, coming to the Mind.

What Evidence is there that the Devil can't bring Texts of Scripture to the Mind, and misapply them, to deceive Persons? There seems to be nothing in this which exceeds the Power of Satan. It is no Work of such mighty Power, to bring Sounds or Letters to Persons Minds, that we have any Reason to suppose; nothing short of Omnipotence can be sufficient for it. If Satan has Power to bring any Words or Sounds at all to Persons Minds, he may have Power to bring Words contained in the Bible. There is no higher Sort of Power required in Men, to make the Sounds which express the Words of a Text of Scripture, than to make the Sounds which express the Words of an idle Story or Song. And so the same Power in Satan, which is sufficient to renew one of those Kinds of Sounds in the Mind, is sufficient to renew the other: The different Signification, which depends wholly on Custom, alters not the Case, as to Ability to make or revive the Sounds or Letters. Or will any suppose, that Texts 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 himself, and carry him hither and thither, into the Wilderness, and into an high Mountain, and to a Pinnacle of the Temple, is not afraid to touch the Scripture, and abuse that for his own Purposes: As he showed at the same Time that he was so bold with Christ, he then brought one Scripture and another, to deceive and tempt him. And if Satan did presume, and was permitted, to put Christ himself in Mind of Texts of Scripture to tempt Him, what Reason have we to determine, that he dare not, or will not be permitted, to put wicked Men in mind of Texts of Scripture, to tempt and deceive them? And if Satan may thus abuse one Text of Scripture, so he may another. Its being a very excellent Place of Scripture, a comfortable and 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 Promises, 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; 2 Peter 3:16. 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 Manner of Reason to determine, that the Devil is not permitted thus to use the Scripture, as well as his Instruments. For when the Latter do it, they do it as his Instruments and Servants, and through his Instigation and Influence: And doubtless he does the same he instigates others to do: The Devil's Servants do but follow their Master, and do the same Work that he does himself.

And as the Devil can abuse the Scripture, to deceive and destroy Men, so may Men's own Folly and 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 spoke to them, yea a great Multitude of such Texts, following one another in a wonderful 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 with the Word of God, and not only so, but from the Word, and those Affections not be from Satan, nor yet properly from the Corruptions of their own Hearts, but from some Influence of the Spirit of God with the Word, and yet have nothing of the Nature of true and saving Religion in them. Thus the stony-ground Hearers had great Joy from the Word; yea which is represented as arising from the Word, as Growth from a Seed; and their Affections had, in their Appearance, a very great and exact Resemblance with those represented by the Growth on the good Ground, the Difference not appearing, until it was discovered by the Consequences, in a Time of Trial: And yet there was no saving Religion in these Affections.

6. It is no Evidence that religious Affections are saving, or that they are otherwise, that there is an Appearance of Love in them.

There are no professing Christians who pretend, that this is an Argument against the Truth and saving Nature of religious Affections. But on the other Hand, there are some who suppose, it is a good Evidence that Affections are from the sanctifying and saving Influences of the Holy Ghost. Their Argument is, 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 excellent than Knowledge, or Prophecy, or Miracles, or speaking with the Tongue of Men and Angels. It is the chief of the Graces of God's Spirit, and the Life, Essence and Sum of all true Religion; and that by which we are most conformed to Heaven, and most contrary to Hell and the Devil. But yet it is ill arguing from hence, that there are no Counterfeits of it. It may be observed, that the more excellent any Thing is, the more will be the Counterfeits of it. Thus there are many more Counterfeits of Silver and Gold, than of Iron and Copper: There are many false Diamonds and Rubies, but who goes about to counterfeit common Stones? Though the more excellent Things are, the more difficult it is to make any Thing that shall be like them, in their essential Nature and internal Virtue; yet the more manifold will the Counterfeits be, and the more will Art and Subtlety be exercised and displayed, in an exact Imitation of the outward Appearance. Thus there is the greatest Danger of being cheated in buying of Medicines that are most excellent and sovereign, though it be most difficult to 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 Subtlety of Satan, and Men's deceitful Hearts, are accustomed chiefly to be exercised in counterfeiting those that are in highest Repute. So there are perhaps no Graces that have more Counterfeits than Love and Humility; these being Virtues wherein the Beauty of a true Christian does especially appear.

But with Respect to Love; it is plain by the Scripture, that 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, Matthew 24:12, 13. And because Iniquity shall abound, the Love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the End, the same shall be saved. Which latter Words plainly show, that those spoken of before, whose Love should not endure to the End, but wax cold, should not be saved.

Persons may seem to have Love to God and Christ, yes to have very strong and violent Affections of this Nature, and yet have no Grace. For this was evidently the Case with many graceless Jews, such as cried him up so high, following him Day and Night, without Meat, Drink or Sleep; such as said, Lord 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, in Ephesians 6:24. Grace be with all them that love the Lord Jesus Christ in Sincerity. The last Word, in the Original, signifies in Incorruption; 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 by the Scripture, that there may be strong Affections of this Kind, without saving Grace; as there were in the Galatians towards the Apostle Paul, when they were ready to pluck out their Eyes and give them to him; although the Apostle expresses his Fear that their Affections were come to nothing, and that he had bestowed upon them Labour in vain, Galatians 4:11, 15.

7. Persons having religious Affections of many Kinds, accompanying one another, is not sufficient to determine whether they have any gracious Affections or not.

Though false Religion is accustomed to be maimed and monstrous, and not to have that Entireness and Symmetry of Parts, which is to be seen in true Religion; yet there may be a great Variety of false Affections together, that may resemble gracious Affections.

It is evident that there are Counterfeits of all Kinds of gracious Affections; as of Love to God, and Love to the Brethren, as has been just now observed: So of godly Sorrow for Sin, as in Pharaoh, Saul, and Ahab, and the Children of Israel in the Wilderness; Exodus 9:27, 1 Samuel 24:16, 17, and 26:21, 1 Kings 21:27, Numbers 14:39, 40. And of the Fear of God, as in the Samaritans, who feared the Lord, and served their own Gods at the same Time; 2 Kings 17:32, 33. And those Enemies of God we read of Psalm 66:3, who through the Greatness of God's Power, submit themselves to him, or, as it is in the Hebrew, lie unto him, that is, yield a counterfeit Reverence and Submission: So of a gracious Gratitude, as in the Children of Israel, who sang God's Praise at the Red Sea, Psalm 106:12, and Naaman the Syrian, after his miraculous Cure of his Leprosy, 2 Kings 5:15, etcetera.

So of spiritual Joy, as in the stony-ground Hearers, Matthew 13:20, and particularly many of John the Baptist's Hearers, John 5:35. So of Zeal, as in Jehu, 2 Kings 10:16, and in Paul before his Conversion, Galatians 1:14, Philippians 3:6, and the unbelieving Jews, Acts 22:3, Romans 10:2. So graceless Persons may have earnest religious Desires, which may be like Balaam's Desires, which he expresses under an extraordinary View that he had of the happy State of God's People, as distinguished from all the rest of the World, Numbers 23:9, 10. They may also have a strong Hope of eternal Life, as the Pharisees had.

And as Men, while in a State of Nature, are capable of a 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 so, that when false Affections are raised high, there are many false Affections attend each other. The Multitude that attended Christ into Jerusalem, after that great Miracle of raising Lazarus, seem to be moved with many religious Affections at once, and all in a high Degree. They seem to be filled with Admiration, and there was a Show of an high Affection of Love, and also of a great Degree of Reverence, in their laying their 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 Expectations of it, expecting it would immediately appear, and hence were filled with Joy, by which they were 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 Affections, to give an Account why, when one Affection is raised very high, that it should excite others; especially 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 before, Love is the Chief of the Affections, and as it were the Fountain of them. Let us suppose a Person who has been for some Time in great Exercise and Terror through Fear of Hell, and his Heart weakened with Distress and dreadful Apprehensions, and upon the Brink of Despair, and is all at once delivered, by being firmly made to believe, through some Delusion of Satan, that God has pardoned him, and accepts him as the Object of his dear Love, and promises him eternal Life: As suppose through some Vision, or strong Idea or Imagination, suddenly excited in him, of a Person with a beautiful Countenance, smiling on him, and with Arms open, and with Blood dropping down, which the Person conceives to be Christ, without any other Enlightening of the Understanding, to give a View of the spiritual divine Excellency of Christ and his Fullness, and of the Way of Salvation revealed in the Gospel; or perhaps by some Voice or Words coming as if they were spoke to him, such as those, Son, be of good Cheer, thy Sins be forgiven thee, or, Fear not, it is the Father's good Pleasure to give you the Kingdom, which he takes to be immediately spoken by God to him, though there was no preceding Acceptance of Christ, or closing of the Heart with him: I say, if we should suppose such a Case, what various Passions would naturally crowd at once, or one after another, into such a Person's Mind? It is easy to be 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, that his Soul was so amazed with the Fears of, and has received him with such Endearment, 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 think and speak of scarce 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 Countenances, and talk with a loud Voice: And however, before his Deliverance, he was full of quarrellings against the Justice of God, that now it should be easy for him to submit to God, and own his Unworthiness, and cry out against himself, and appear to be very humble before God, and lie at his Feet as tame as a Lamb; And that he should now confess his Unworthiness, and cry out, Why me? Why me? (Like Saul, who when Samuel told him that God had appointed him to be King, makes answer, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the Tribes of Israel, and my Family the least of all the Families of the Tribe of Benjamin? Wherefore then speakest thou so to me? Much in the Language of David, the true Saint, 2 Samuel 7:18. Who am I, and what is my Father's House, that thou hast brought me hitherto!) Nor is it to be wondered at, that now he should delight to be with them who acknowledge and applaud his happy Circumstances, and should love all such as esteem and admire him and what he has experienced, and have violent Zeal against all such as would make nothing of such Things, and be disposed openly to separate, and as it were to proclaim War with all who are 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 forward to take Pains, and deny himself, to promote the Interest of the Party who he imagines favour 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 naturally arise in such Circumstances. He must have but slightly 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 affections, so from a counterfeit love in like manner, naturally flow other false affections. 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 out 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 distributed throughout the branches, and the fruit that is brought forth will be good and wholesome; but if the sap in the root and stock be poisonous, so it will be in many branches, (as in the other case) and the fruit will be deadly. The tree in both cases may be alike; there may be an exact resemblance in shape; but the 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 similitude 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 favor, and his honourable office in the palace, the chief baker had raised hopes and expectations, and told his dream also; but he was woefully 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.

8. Nothing can certainly be determined concerning the nature of the affections by this, that comforts and joys seem to follow awakenings and convictions of conscience, in a certain order.

Many persons seem to be prejudiced against affections and experiences, that come in such a method, as has been much insisted on by many divines; 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 of men's devising: And particularly if high affections of joy follow great distress and terror, it is made by many an argument against those affections. But such prejudices and objections are without reason or Scripture. Surely it cannot be unreasonable to suppose, that before God delivers persons from a state of sin and exposedness to eternal destruction, he should give them some considerable sense of the evil he delivers from; that they may be delivered sensibly, and understand their own salvation, and know something of what God does for them. As men that are saved are in two exceeding 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 reasonable, and agreeable to God's wisdom, that men who are saved, should be in these two states sensibly, first, that they should sensibly to themselves, be in a state of condemnation, and so in a state of woeful calamity 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.

And that it is God's manner of dealing with men, to lead them into a wilderness, before he speaks comfortably to them, and so to order it, that they shall be brought into distress, and made to see their own helplessness, and absolute dependence on his power and grace, before he appears to work any great deliverance for them, is abundantly manifest by the Scripture. Then is God wont to repent himself for his professing people, when their 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; Deuteronomy 32:36, 37. Before God delivered the children of Israel out of Egypt, they were prepared for it, by being made to see that they were in an evil case, and to cry unto God, because of their hard bondage; Exodus 2:23 and 5:19. And before God wrought that great deliverance for them at the Red Sea, they were brought into great distress, the wilderness had shut them in, they could not turn to the right hand nor the left, and the Red Sea was 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 swallowed up; and then God appeared and turned their cries into songs. So before they were brought to their rest, and to enjoy the milk and honey of Canaan, God led them through a great and terrible wilderness, that he might humble them, and teach them what was in their heart, and so do them good in their latter end; Deuteronomy 8:2, 16. The woman that had the issue of blood twelve years, was not delivered, until she had first spent all her living on earthly physicians, and could not be healed of any, and so was left helpless, having no more money to spend; and then she came to the great Physician, without any money or price, and was healed by him; Luke 8:43, 44. Before Christ would answer the request of the woman of Canaan, he first seemed utterly to deny her, and humbled her, and brought her to own herself worthy to be called a dog; and then he showed her mercy, and received her as a dear child; Matthew 15:22, et cetera. The Apostle Paul, before a remarkable deliverance, was pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that he despaired even of life; but had the sentence of death in himself, that he might not trust in himself, but in God that raiseth the dead; 2 Corinthians 1:8, 9, 10. 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; Matthew 8:24, 25, 26. The leper, before he is cleansed, must have his mouth stopped, by a covering on his upper lip, and was to acknowledge his great misery and utter uncleanness, by rending his clothes, and crying, Unclean, unclean: Leviticus 13:45. And backsliding Israel, before God heals them, are brought to acknowledge that they have sinned, and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord, and to see that they lie down in their shame, and that confusion covers them, and that in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude of mountains, and that God only can save them; Jeremiah 3:23, 24, 25. Joseph, who was sold by his brothers, and therein was a type of Christ, brings his brothers 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 up themselves entirely into his hands for bondmen; and then reveals himself to them, as their brother and their Savior.

And if we consider those extraordinary manifestations 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 fell upon him, and then God revealed himself to him in sweet promises; Genesis 15:12, 13. So it was with Moses at Mount Sinai; first, God appeared to him in all the terrors of his dreadful majesty, so that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake, and then he made all his goodness to pass before him, and proclaimed his name, the Lord God gracious and merciful, et cetera. So it was with Elijah; first, there is a stormy wind, and earthquake, and devouring fire, and then a still, small, sweet voice; 1 Kings 19. So it was with Daniel; he first saw Christ's countenance as lightning, that terrified him, and caused him to faint away; and then he is strengthened and refreshed with such comfortable words as these, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, Daniel 10. So it was with the Apostle John, Revelation 1. And there is an analogy observable in God's dispensations and deliverances 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 do more directly show, that this is God's ordinary manner in working salvation for the souls of men, and in the manifestations God makes of himself and of his mercy in Christ, in the ordinary works of his grace on the hearts of sinners. The servant that owed his Prince ten thousand talents, is first held to his debt, and the King pronounces sentence of condemnation upon him, and commands him to be sold, and his wife and children, and payment to be made; and thus he humbles him, and brings him to own the whole debt to be just, and then forgives him all. The prodigal son spends all he has, and is brought to see himself in extreme circumstances, and to humble himself, and own his unworthiness, before he is relieved and feasted by his father; Luke 15. Old inveterate wounds must be searched to the bottom, in order to healing. And the Scripture compares sin, the wound of the soul, to this, and speaks of healing this wound without thus searching of it, as vain and deceitful; Jeremiah 8:11. Christ, in the work of his grace on the hearts of men, is compared to rain on the mown grass, grass that is cut down with a scythe, Psalm 72:6 representing his refreshing, comforting influences on the wounded spirit. Our first parents, after they had sinned, were first terrified with God's majesty and justice, and had their sin, with its aggravations, set before them by their Judge, before they were relieved, by the promise of the seed of the woman. Christians are spoken of as those that have fled for refuge, to lay hold on the hope set before them, Hebrews 6:18 which representation implies great fear, and sense of danger preceding. To the like purpose, Christ is called a hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest, and as rivers of water in a dry place, and as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land; Isaiah 32 at the beginning. 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 distress. There is all 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 for Christ; and then comforted her with the joyful sound of the Gospel from Mount Zion. So likewise John the Baptist came to prepare the way for Christ, and prepare men's heart 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 root of the trees, et cetera.

And if it be indeed God's Manner (as I think the foregoing Considerations show that it undoubtedly is) before he gives Men the Comfort of a Deliverance from their Sin and Misery, to give them a considerable Sense of the Greatness and Dreadfulness of those Evils, and their extreme Wretchedness by Reason of them; surely it is not unreasonable to suppose, that Persons, at least oftentimes, while under these Views, should have great Distress and terrible Apprehensions of Mind: Especially if it be considered what these Evils are, that they have a View of; which are no other than great and manifold Sins, against the infinite Majesty of the great Jehovah, and the Suffering of the Fierceness of his Wrath to all Eternity. And the more so still, when we have many plain Instances in Scripture, of Persons that have actually been brought into extreme Distress, by such Convictions, before they have received saving Consolations: As the Multitude at Jerusalem, who were pricked in their Heart, and said unto Peter, and the rest of the Apostles, Men and Brethren, What shall we do? And the Apostle Paul, who trembled and was astonished, before he was comforted; and the Jailor, when he called for a Light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, and said, Sirs, What must I do to be saved?

From these Things it appears to be very unreasonable in professing Christians, to make this an Objection against the Truth and spiritual Nature of the comfortable and joyful Affections which any have, that they follow such awful Apprehensions and Distresses, as have been mentioned.

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 to be what some Persons lay great Weight upon; esteeming 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 Conscience, through the Influences of God's Spirit, consist in Conviction of Sinfulness of Heart and Practice, and of the Dreadfulness of Sin, as committed against a God of terrible Majesty, infinite Holiness and Hatred of Sin, and strict Justice in punishing of it. But there are some Persons that have frightful Apprehensions of Hell, a dreadful Pit ready to swallow them up, and Flames just ready to lay hold of them, and Devils around them, ready to seize them; who at the same Time seem to have very little proper 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; not to convince Persons of Things that are true, and revealed in the Word of God, but to lead them to vain and groundless Determinations; as that their Day is past, that they are reprobated, that God is implacable, that he has come to a Resolution immediately to cut them off, etcetera

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 their imaginations are more strongly impressed with every Thing they are affected with, than others; and the Impression on the Imagination reacts on the Affection, and heightens that still higher; and so Affection and Imagination act reciprocally, one on another, till their Affection is raised to a vast Height, and the Person is swallowed up, and loses all Possession of himself.

And some speak of a great Sight they have of their Wickedness, which 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 Hardness of Men's Heart 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 enquired into, they have not in View any Thing wherein the Corruption of Nature does truly consist, nor have they any Thought of any particular Thing wherein their Hearts are sinfully defective, or fall short of what ought to be in them, or any Exercises at all of Corruption in them. And many think also they have great Convictions of their actual Sins, who truly have none. They tell how their Sins are set in Order before them, they see them stand encompassing them round in a row, with a dreadful frightful Appearance; when really they have not so much an idea of the Sins they have been guilty of in the Course of their Lives, coming into View, that they are affected with the Aggravations of.

And if Persons have had great Terror, which really have been from the awakening and convincing Influences of the Spirit of God, it does 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 human 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.

But if Comforts and Joys do not only come after great Terrors and Awakenings, but there be an Appearance of such preparatory Convictions and Humiliations, and brought about very distinctly, by such Steps, and in such a Method, as has frequently been observable in true Converts; this is no certain Sign 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 sanctioning; so that there shall be a very great Resemblance, in all that can be observed by others; much more easily may he imitate those Works of God's Spirit which are common, and which Men, while that are yet his own Children, are the Subjects of. These Works are in no wise so much above him as the other. There are no Works of God that are so high and divine, and above the Powers of Nature, and out of the Reach of the Power of all Creatures, as those Works of his Spirit, whereby he forms the Creature in his own Image, and makes it to be a Partaker of the divine Nature. But if the Devil can be the Author of such Resemblances of these as have been spoken of, without doubt he may of those that are of an infinitely inferior Kind. And it is abundantly evident in Fact, that there are false Humiliations, and false Submissions, as well as false Comforts . How far was Saul brought, though a very wicked Man, and of a haughty Spirit, when he (though a great King) was brought, in Conviction of his Sin, as it were to fall down, all in Tears, weeping aloud, before David his own Subject, (and one that he had for a long Time mortally hated, and openly treated as an Enemy) and condemn himself before him, crying out, Thou art more Righteous than I. 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, 1 Samuel 24:16, 17 and Chapter 26:21. And yet Saul seems then to have had very little of the Influences of the Spirit of God, it being after God's Spirit had departed from him, and given him up, and an evil Spirit from the Lord troubled him. And if this proud Monarch, in a Pang of Affection, was brought to humble himself so low, before a Subject 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 Discouragement, as to many Things they used to depend upon, is taken for Humiliation: And that is called a Submission to God, which is no absolute Submission, but has some secret Bargain in it, that it is hard to discover.

Secondly, If the Operations and Effects of the Spirit of God, in the Convictions and Comforts of true Converts may be 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 exactly imitate divine Operations in their Nature, though his Counterfeits may be very much like them in external Appearance; but he can exactly imitate their Order. When Counterfeits are made, there is no divine Power needful in order to the placing one of them first, and another last. And therefore no Order or Method of Operations and Experiences, is any certain Sign of their 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 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 that a natural Man can be the Subject of, before he believes in Christ. God has revealed no certain Connection between Salvation, and any Qualifications in Men, but only Grace and its Fruits. And therefore we do not find any legal Convictions, or Comforts following those legal Convictions, in any certain 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 Operations and Effects themselves, so mentioned, Thousands of Times. Which should be enough with Christians, who are willing to have the Word of God, rather than their own Philosophy, and Experiences, and Conjectures, as their sufficient and sure Guide in Things of this Nature.

Fourthly, Experience does greatly confirm, that Persons seeming to have Convictions and Comforts following one another in such a Method and Order, as is frequently observable in true Converts, is no certain Sign of Grace . I appeal to all those Ministers in this Land, who have had much Occasion of dealing with Souls, in the late extraordinary Season, whether there have not been many who do not prove well, that have given a fair Account of their Experiences, and have seemed to be converted according to Rule, that is with Convictions and Affections, 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 Principles, 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 Condemnation; and that therefore such Convictions must be some Way implied in what is wrought in his Soul; yet nothing proves it to be necessary, that all those Things which are implied 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 shall be, each one, plain and manifest, in all who are truly converted. On the contrary, (as Mister Shepard observes) sometimes the Change made in a Saint, at first Work, is like a confused Chaos; so that the Saints know not what to make of it. The Manner of the Spirit's proceeding in them that are born of the Spirit, is very often exceeding mysterious and unsearchable: We, as it were, hear the Sound of it, the Effect of it is discernible; but no Man can tell whence it came, or whither it went. And it is oftentimes as difficult to know the Way of the Spirit in the new Birth, as in the first Birth: Ecclesiastes 11:5. Thou knowest not what is the Way of the Spirit, or how the Bones do grow in the Womb of her that is with Child: Even so thou knowest not the Work of God, that worketh all. The ingenerating of a Principle of Grace in the Soul, seems in Scripture to be compared to the conceiving of Christ in the Womb: Galatians 4:19. And therefore the Church is called Christ's Mother, Canticles 3:11. And so is every particular Believer, Matthew 12:49, 50. And the Conception of Christ in the Womb of the blessed Virgin, by the Power of the holy Ghost, seems to be a designed Resemblance of the Conception of Christ in the Soul of a Believer, 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, or Heart that conceives this holy Child. The new Creature may use that Language in Psalm 139:14, 15. I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvellous are thy Works: And that my Soul knoweth right well. My Substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret. Concerning the Generation of Christ, both in his Person, and also in the Hearts of his People, it may be said, as in Isaiah 53:8. 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, (Proverbs 25:2.) and to have his Path as it were in the mighty Waters, that his Footsteps may not be known: And especially in the Works of his Spirit on the Hearts of Men, which are the highest and chief of his Works. And therefore it is said, Isaiah 40:13. Who hath directed the Spirit 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 limiting him to certain Steps and Methods. Experience plainly shows, that God's Spirit is unsearchable and untraceable, 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, one half so often as is imagined. A Scheme of what is necessary, and according to a Rule already received and established by common Opinion, has a vast (though to many a very insensible) Influence in forming Persons' Notions of the Steps and Method of their own Experiences. I know very well what their Way is; for I have had much Opportunity to observe it. Very often, at first, their Experiences appear like a confused Chaos, as Mister Shepard expresses it: But then those Passages of their Experience are picked out, that have most of the Appearance of such particular Steps that are insisted on; and these are dwelt upon in the Thoughts, and these are told of from Time to Time, in the Relation they give: These Parts grow brighter and brighter in their View; and others, being neglected, grow more and more obscure: And what they have experienced is insensibly strained to bring all to an exact Conformity to the Scheme that is established. And it becomes natural for Ministers, who have to deal with them and direct them that insist upon Distinctness and Clearness of Method, to do so too. But yet there has been so much to be seen of the Operations of the Spirit of God, of late, that they who have had much to do with Souls, and are not blinded with a seven-fold Veil of Prejudice, must know that the Spirit is so exceeding 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 Enquiries into our own State, or Directions we give to others, is the Nature of the Effect that God has brought to pass in the Soul. As to the Steps which the Spirit of God took to bring that Effect to pass, we may leave them to him. We are often in Scripture expressly directed to try ourselves by the Nature of the Fruits of the Spirit; but no where by the Spirit's Method of producing them. Many do greatly err in their Notions of a clear Work of Conversion; calling that a clear Work, where the successive Steps of Influence, and Method of Experience 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.

9. It is no certain Sign that the religious Affections which Persons have 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, of late been looked upon as an Argument against the religious Affections which some have had, that they spend so much Time in reading, praying, singing, hearing Sermons, and the like. It is plain from the Scripture that it is the Tendency of true Grace to cause Persons very much to delight in such religious Exercises. True Grace had this Effect on Anna the Prophetess; Luke 1:37. She departed not from the Temple; but served God with Fastings and Prayers, Night and Day. And Grace had this Effect upon the primitive Christians in Jerusalem; Acts 2:46, 47. 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; Psalm 55:17. Evening, Morning and at Noon will I pray. Grace makes the Saints delight in singing Praises to God: Psalm 135:3. Sing Praises unto his Name, for it is pleasant. And 147:1. Praise ye the Lord, for it is good to sing Praises unto our God, for it is pleasant, and Praise is comely. It also causes them to delight to hear the Word of God preached: It makes the Gospel a joyful Sound to them; Psalm 89:15. And makes the Feet of those who publish these good Tidings, to be beautiful; Isaiah 52:7. How beautiful upon the Mountains are the Feet of him that bringeth good Tidings, etcetera! It makes them love God's public Worship; Psalm 26:8. Lord I have loved the Habitation of thy House, and the Place where thine Honour dwelleth. And 27:4. 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 enquire in his Temple. Psalm 84:1, 2, etcetera—How amiable are thy Tabernacles, O Lord of Hosts! my Soul longeth, 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 thine 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.—Verse 10. A Day in thy Courts is better than a thousand.

This is the Nature of true Grace. But yet, on the other Hand, Persons being disposed to abound and to be zealously engaged in the external Exercises of Religion, and to spend much Time in them, is no sure Evidence of Grace; because such a Disposition is found in many that have no Grace. So it was with the Israelites of old, whose Services were abominable to God; they attended the new Moons, and Sabbaths, and calling of Assemblies, and spread forth their Hands, and made many Prayers; Isaiah 1:12—15. So it was with the Pharisees; they made long Prayers, and fasted twice a Week. False Religion may cause Persons to be loud and earnest in Prayer: Isaiah 58:4. Ye shall not fast as ye do this Day, to cause your Voice to be heard on high. That Religion which is not spiritual and saving, may cause Men to delight in religious Duties and Ordinances: Isaiah 58:2. Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my Ways; as a Nation that did Righteousness, and forsook not the Ordinance of their God. They ask of me the Ordinances of Justice, they take Delight in approaching to God. It may cause them to take Delight in hearing the Word of God preached; as it was with Ezekiel's Hearers, Ezekiel 33:31, 32. And they come unto thee as my People cometh, and they sit before thee as my People, and they hear thy Words; but they will not do them: for with their Mouth they show much Love; but their Heart goeth after their Covetousness. And lo, thou art unto them, as a very lovely Song, of one that hath a pleasant Voice, and can play well on an Instrument: For they hear thy Words, but they do them not. So it was with Herod; he heard John the Baptist gladly: Mark 6:20. So it was with others of his Hearers, for a Season, they rejoiced in his Light; John 5:35. So the stony ground Hearers heard the Word with Joy.

Experience shows that Persons, from false Religion, may be inclined to be exceeding abundant in the external Exercises of Religion; yea, to give themselves up to them, and devote almost their whole Time to them. Formerly a Sort of People were very numerous in the Romish Church, called Recluses; who forsook the World, and utterly abandoned the Society of Mankind, and shut themselves up close, in a narrow Cell, with a Vow never to stir out of it, nor to see the Face of any of Mankind any more; (unless that they might be visited in Case of Sickness) to spend all their Days in the Exercises of Devotion and Converse with God. There were also in old Time, great Multitudes called Hermits and Anchorites, that left the World to spend all their Days in lonesome Deserts, to give themselves up to religious Contemplations and Exercises of Devotion; 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 one to another) and had much Opportunity daily to observe him; who appeared to me the devoutest Person that ever I saw in my Life; great Part of his Time being spent in Acts of Devotion, at his eastern Window, which opened next to mine, seeming to be most earnestly engaged, not only in the Day-time, but sometimes whole Nights.

10. Nothing can be certainly known of the Nature of religious Affections by this, that they much dispose Persons with their Mouths to praise and glorify God. This indeed is implied in what has been just now observed, of abounding and spending much Time in the external Exercises of Religion, and was also hinted before; but because many seem to look upon it as a bright Evidence of gracious Affection, when Persons appear greatly disposed to praise and magnify God, to have their Mouths full of his Praises, and affectionately to be calling on others to praise and extol him, I thought it deserved a more particular Consideration.

No Christian will make it an Argument against a Person, that he seems to have such a Disposition. Nor can it reasonably be looked upon as an Evidence for a Person, if these Things that have been already observed and proved, be duly considered, namely that Persons, without Grace, may have high Affections towards God and Christ, and that their Affections, being strong, may fill their Mouths, and incline them to speak much, and very earnestly, about the Things they are affected with, and that there may be Counterfeits of all Kinds of gracious Affection. But it will appear more evidently and directly, that this is no certain Sign of Grace, if we consider what Instances the Scripture 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 Miracles; Mark 2:12. And immediately he arose, took up his Bed, and went forth before them all: Insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this Fashion! So Matthew 9:8 and Luke 5:26. Also Matthew 15:31. Insomuch that the Multitude wondered, when they saw the Dumb to speak, and the Maimed to be whole, the Lame to walk, and the Blind to see; and they glorified the God of Israel. So we are told, that on Occasion of Christ's raising the Son of the Widow of Nain, Luke 7:16. There came a great Fear on all; and they glorified God, saying, that a great Prophet is risen up among us, and that God with visited his People. So we read of their glorifying Christ, or speaking exceeding highly of him, Luke 4:15. 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 Highest. Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord, a little before he was crucified! And after Christ's Ascension, when the Apostles had healed the impotent Man, we are told, that all Men glorified God for that which was done, Acts 4:21. When the Gentiles in Antioch of Pisidia, heard from Paul and Barnabas, that God would reject the Jews, and take the Gentiles to be his People in their Room, they were affected 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 Number of them; as in intimated in the Account we have of it, Acts 13:48. And when the Gentiles 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 his Praise; they soon forgat his works. And it is foretold of false Professors, and real Enemies of Religion, that they should show a Forwardness to glorify God; Isaiah 66:5. Hear you the Word of the Lord, you that tremble at his Word: Your Brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my Name's sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified.

It is no certain Sign that a Person is graciously affected, if in the midst of his Hopes and Comforts, he is greatly affected with God's unmerited Kindness to him that is so unworthy, and seems greatly to extol and magnify Grace. Those that yet remain with unmortified Pride and Enmity against God, may, when they imagine that they have received extraordinary Kindness from God, cry out of their Unworthiness, and magnify God's undeserved Goodness to them, from no other view of their own 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 Sin, and cry out, I have played the Fool, I have erred exceedingly, and with great Affection and Admiration, to magnify and extol David's unmerited and unexampled Kindness to him, 1 Samuel 25:16–19 and 26:21. And from no higher Principle, than that from whence Nebuchadnezzar was affected with God's Dispensation, that he saw and was the Subject of, and praises, extols and honours the King of Heaven, and both he, and Darius, in the same Affections, call upon all Nations to praise God. Daniel 3:28, 29, 30 and 4:1, 2, 3, 34, 35, 37 and 6:25, 26, 27.

11. It is no Sign that Affections are right, or that they are wrong, that they make Persons that have them, exceeding confident 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 Doubting of the Favour of God; supposing that there is no such Thing to be expected in the Church of God, as a full and absolute Assurance of Hope; unless it be in some very extraordinary Circumstances; as in the Case of Martyrdom: Contrary to the Doctrine of Protestants, which has been maintained by their most celebrated Writers against the Papists; and contrary to the plain Scripture Evidence. It is manifest that it was a common Thing for the Saints that we have a History, or particular Account of in Scripture, to be assured. God in the plainest and most positive Manner, revealed and testified his special Favour to Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Daniel, and others. Job often speaks of his Sincerity and Uprightness with the greatest imaginable Confidence and Assurance, often calling God to witness to it; and says plainly, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that I shall see him for my self, and not another, Job 19:25 etc. 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, 2 Kings 20:3. Jesus Christ, in his dying Discourse with his eleven Disciples, in the 14th, 15th and 16th Chapters of John, (which was as it were Christ's last Will and Testament to his Disciples, and to his whole Church) often declares his special and everlasting Love to them, in the plainest and most positive Terms; and promises them a future Participation with him in his Glory, in the most absolute Manner; and tells them at the same Time, that he does so, to the End, that their Joy might be full; John 15:11. These Things have I spoken unto you, that my Joy might remain in you, and that your Joy might be full. See also at the Conclusion of his whole Discourse, Chapter 16:33. These Things have I spoken unto you, that in me you might have Peace. In the World you shall have Tribulation; but be of good Cheer, I have overcome the World. Christ was not afraid of speaking too plainly and positively to them: He did not desire to hold them in the least Suspense. And he concluded that last Discourse of his, with a Prayer in their Presence, wherein he speaks positively to his Father of those eleven Disciples, as having all of them savingly known him, and believed in him, and received and kept his Word; and that they were not of the World; and that for their Sakes he sanctified himself; and that his Will was that they should be with him in his Glory: And tells his Father, that he spoke these Things in his Prayer, to the End, that his Joy might be fulfilled in them, Verse 13. By these Things it is evident, that it is agreeable to Christ's Designs, and the continued Ordering and Disposition Christ makes of Things in his Church, that there should be sufficient and abundant Provision made, that his Saints might have full Assurance of their future Glory.

The Apostle Paul, through all his Epistles, speaks in an assured Strain; ever speaking positively of his special Relation to Christ, his 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 mention but three or four, Galatians 2:20. Christ lives in me, and the Life which I now live in the Flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God; who loved me, and gave himself for me. Philippians 1:21. For me to live is Christ, and to die is Gain. 2 Timothy 1:12. I know whom I have believed; and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him, against that Day. 2 Timothy 1:8. I have fought a good Fight; I have finished my Course; I have kept the Faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me at that Day.

And the Nature of the Covenant of Grace, and God's declared Ends in the Appointment and Constitution of Things in that Covenant, do plainly show it to be God's Design to make ample Provision for the Saints having an assured Hope of eternal Life, while living here upon Earth. 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 Things, and sure: The Promises are most full, and very often repeated, and various Ways exhibited; and there are many Witnesses, and many Seals; and God has confirmed his Promises with an Oath. And God's declared Design in all this is, that the Heirs of the Promises might have an undoubting Hope, and full Joy, in an Assurance of their future Glory. Hebrews 6:17, 18. Wherein God willing, more abundantly to show to 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 their Interest in those sure Promises in ordinary Cases, was not attainable. For God's Promises and Oaths, let them be as sure as they will, cannot give strong Hope and Comfort to any particular Person, any further than he can know that those Promises are made to him. And in vain is Provision made in Jesus Christ, that Believers might be perfect as pertaining to the Conscience, as is signified, Hebrews 9:9 if Assurance of Freedom from the Guilt of Sin is not attainable.

It further appears that Assurance is not only attainable in some very extraordinary Cases, that all Christians are directed to give all Diligence to make their Calling and Election sure, and are told how they may do it, 2 Peter 1:5–8. And it is spoken of as a Thing very unbecoming to Christians, and an Argument of something very blamable in them, not to know whether Christ be in them or not; 2 Corinthians 13:5. Do you not know your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except you be Reprobates? And it is implied that it is an Argument of a very blamable Negligence in Christians, if they practice Christianity after such a Manner as to remain uncertain of the Reward, in that 1 Corinthians 9:26. I therefore so run, as not uncertainly. And to add no more, it is manifest, that Christians knowing their Interest 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 accustomed to know this; 1 Corinthians 2:12. Now we have received, not the Spirit of the World, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the Things that are freely given to us of God. And 1 John 2:3. And hereby do we know that we know him, if we keep his Commandments. And Verse 5. Hereby we know that we are in him. Chapter 3:14. We know that we are passed from Death to Life, because we love the Brethren. Verse 19. Hereby we know that we are of the Truth, and shall assure our Hearts before him. Verse 24. Hereby we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit that he has given us. So Chapter 4:13 and Chapter 5:2 and Verse 19.

Therefore it must necessarily be very unreasonable to determine, that Persons are Hypocrites, and their Affections wrong, because they seem to be out of Doubt of their own Salvation, and the Affections they are the Subjects of seem to banish all Fears of Hell.

On the other Hand, it is no sufficient Reason to determine that Men are Saints, and their Affections gracious, because the Affections they have are attended with an exceeding Confidence that their State is good, and their Affections divine. Nothing can be certainly argued from their Confidence, however great and strong soever it seems to be. If we see a Man that boldly calls God his Father, and commonly speaks in the most bold, familiar and appropriating Language in Prayer, My Father, my dear Redeemer, my sweet Savior, my Beloved, and the like,—and it is a common Thing for him to use the most confident Expressions before Men, about the Goodness of his State; such as, I know certainly that God is my Father; I know so surely as there is a God in Heaven, that he is my God; I know I shall go to Heaven, as well as if I were there; I know that God is now manifesting himself to my Soul, and is now smiling upon me: And seems to have done forever with any Enquiry or Examination into his State, as a Thing sufficiently known, and out of Doubt, and to despise all that so much as intimate or suggest that there is some Reason to Doubt or Fear whether all is right; such Things are no Signs at all that it is indeed so as he is confident it is. Such an over-bearing, high-handed and violent Sort of Confidence as this, so 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 favors more of the Spirit of the Pharisees, who never doubted but that they were Saints, and the most eminent of Saints, and were bold to go to God, and come up near to him, and lift up their Eyes, and thank him for the great Distinction he had made between them and other Men; and when Christ intimated that they were blind and graceless, despised the Suggestion; John 9:40. And some of the Pharisees which were with him, heard these Words, and said unto him, Are we blind also? If they had more of the Spirit of the Publican, with their Confidence, who in a Sense of his exceeding Unworthiness, stood afar off, and dared not so much as lift up his Eyes to Heaven, but struck on his Breast, and cried out of himself as a Sinner, their Confidence would have more of the Aspect of the Confidence of one that humbly trusts and hopes in Christ, and has no Confidence in himself.

If we do but consider what the Hearts of natural Men are, what Principles they are under the Dominion of, what Blindness and Deceit, what Self-flattery, Self-exaltation and Self-confidence 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 Convictions 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 himself into an Angel of Light.

When once a Hypocrite is thus established in a false Hope, he has not those Things to cause him to call his Hope in Question, that oftentimes are the Occasion of the Doubting of true Saints; as First, He has not that cautious Spirit, that great Sense of the vast Importance of a sure Foundation, and that Dread of being deceived. The Comforts of the true Saints increase Awakening and Caution, and a lively Sense 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 stupefy the Mind. Secondly, The Hypocrite has not the Knowledge of his own Blindness, and the Deceitfulness of his own Heart, and that mean Opinion of his own Understanding, that the true Saint has. Those that are deluded with false Discoveries and Affections, are evermore highly conceited of their Light and Understanding. Thirdly, The Devil does not assault the Hope of the Hypocrite, as he does the Hope of a true Saint. The Devil is a great Enemy to a true Christian Hope, not only because it tends greatly to the Comfort of him that has it, but also because it is a Thing 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 that has it. A Hypocrite may maintain his Hope without Opposition, as long as he lives, the Devil never disturbing it, nor attempting to disturb it. But there is perhaps no true Christian but what has his Hope assaulted by him. Satan assaulted Christ himself, upon this, whether he were the Son of God or not: And the Servant is not above his Master, nor the Disciple above his Lord; it is enough for the Disciple, that is most privileged in this World, to be as his Master. Fourthly, He who has a false Hope has not that Sight of his own Corruptions, which the Saint has. A true Christian has ten Times so much to do with his Heart, and its Corruptions, as an Hypocrite: And the Sins of his Heart and Practice, appear to him in their Blackness; they look dreadful; and it often appears a very mysterious Thing that any Grace can be consistent with such Corruption, or should be in such a Heart. But a false Hope hides Corruption, covers it all over, and the Hypocrite looks clean and bright in his own Eyes.

There are two Sorts of Hypocrites: one that are deceived with their outward Morality and external Religion; many of 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 Righteousness, and talk much of free Grace; but at the same Time make a Righteousness of their Discoveries, and of their Humiliation, and exalt themselves to Heaven with them. These two Kinds of Hypocrites Mister 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 as 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 an 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 misunderstanding 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 generally been to reveal such Things as they are desirous and fond of: And no wonder that Persons who give heed to such Things, have the same Sort of Visions or Impressions about their own eternal 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 Favor with God, etc. 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 Revelation of their good Estate, it raises in them the highest Degree of Confidence of it. It is found by abundant Experience that those who are led away by Impulses and imagined Revelations, are extremely confident: They suppose that the great Jehovah has declared these and those Things to them; and having his immediate Testimony, a strong Confidence is the highest Virtue. Hence they are bold to say, I know this or that;—I know certainly;—I am as sure as that I have a Being, and the like: And they despise all Argument and Enquiry 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 Favor, should make them strongly confident: Especially when with their Impulses and Revelations they have high Affections, which they take to be the most eminent Exercises of Grace. I have known of several Persons, that have had a fond Desire of something of a temporal Nature, through a violent Passion that has possessed them, and they have been earnestly pursuing the Thing they have desired should come to pass, and have met with great Difficulty and many Discouragements in it, but at last have had an Impression or supposed Revelation that they should obtain what they sought; and they have looked upon it as a sure Promise from the most High, which has made them most ridiculously confident, against all Manner of Reason to convince them to the contrary, and all Events working against them. And there is nothing hinders, but that Persons who are seeking their Salvation, may be deceived by the like delusive Impressions, and be made confident of that, the same Way.

The Confidence of many of this Sort of Hypocrites, that Mister Shepard calls evangelical Hypocrites, is like the Confidence of some mad Men, who think they are Kings: They will maintain it against all Manner of Reason and Evidence. And in one Sense, it is much more immovable than a truly gracious Assurance; a true Assurance is not upheld, but by the Soul's being kept in a holy Frame, and Grace maintained in lively Exercise. If the Actings of Grace do much decay in the Christian, and he falls into a lifeless Frame, he loses his Assurance: But this Kind of Confidence of Hypocrites will not be shaken by Sin: They, (at least some of them) will maintain their Boldness in their Hope, in the most corrupt Frames and wicked Ways: Which is a sure Evidence of their Delusion.

And here I can't but observe, that there are certain Doctrines often preached to the People, which need to be delivered with more Caution and Explanation than they frequently are; for as they are by many understood, they tend greatly to establish this Delusion and false Confidence of Hypocrites. The Doctrines I speak of are those of Christians living by Faith, not by Sight; their giving Glory to God, by trusting him in the Dark; living upon Christ, and not upon Experiences; not making their good Frames the Foundation of their Faith: Which are excellent and important Doctrines indeed, rightly understood, but corrupt and destructive, as many understand them. The Scripture speaks of living or walking by Faith, and not by Sight, in no other Way than these, namely a being governed by a Respect to eternal Things, that are the Objects of Faith, and are not seen, and not by a Respect to temporal Things, which are seen; and believing Things revealed that we never saw with bodily Eyes; and also living by Faith in the Promise of future Things; without yet seeing or enjoying the Things promised, or knowing the Way how they can be fulfilled. This will be easily evident to any one that looks over the Scriptures which speak of Faith in Opposition to Sight; as 2 Corinthians 4. 18. and 5. 7. Hebrews 11. 1, 8, 13, 17, 27, 29. Romans 8. 24. John 20. 29. But this Doctrine, as it is understood by many, is that Christians ought firmly to believe and trust in Christ, without spiritual Sight or Light, and although they are in a dark dead Frame, 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 spiritual Light or Sight, is an antiscriptural and absurd Doctrine. The Scripture is ignorant of any such Faith in Christ of the Operation of God, that is not founded in a spiritual Sight of Christ. That believing on Christ, which accompanies a Title to everlasting Life, is a seeking the Son, and believing on him, John 6. 40. 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; 2 Corinthians 18. and 4. 6. They into whose Minds the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the Image of God, does not shine: They believe not; 2 Corinthians 4. 4. That Faith, which is without spiritual Light, is not the Faith of the Children of the Light, and of the Day; but the Presumption of the Children of Darkness. And therefore to press and urge them to believe, without any spiritual Light or Sight, tends greatly to help forward the Delusions of the Prince of Darkness. Men not only can't exercise Faith without some spiritual Light, but they can exercise Faith only just in such Proportion as they have spiritual Light. Men will trust in God no further than they know him: And they can't be in the Exercise of Faith in him one Ace further than they have a Sight of his Fulness and Faithfulness in Exercise. Nor can they have the Exercise of Trust in God, any further than they are in a gracious Frame. They that are in a dead carnal Frame, doubtless ought to trust in God; because that would be the same Thing as coming out of their bad Frame, and turning to God: But to exhort Men confidently to trust in God, and so hold up their Hope and Peace, though they are not in a gracious Frame, and continue still to be so, is the same Thing in Effect, as to exhort them confidently to trust in God, but not with a gracious Trust: And what is that but a wicked Presumption? It is just so impossible for Men to have a strong or lively trust in God, when they have no lively Exercises of Grace, or sensible Christian Experiences, as it is for them to be in the lively Exercises of Grace, without the Exercises of Grace.

It is true that it is the Duty of God's People to trust in him, when in Darkness, and though they remain still in Darkness, in that Sense, that they ought to trust in God when the Aspects of his Providence are dark, and look as though God had forsaken 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 Circumstances seem to render the Promises of God difficult to be fulfilled, and God must be trusted out of Sight, that is when we can't see which Way it is possible for him to fulfill his Word, every Thing but God's mere Word makes it look unlikely, so that if Persons believe, they must Hope against Hope. Thus the ancient Patriarchs, and Job, and the Psalmist, and Jeremiah, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshech and Abednego, and the Apostle 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 Hebrews. But how different a Thing is this, from trusting in God without spiritual Sight, and being at the same Time in a dead and carnal Frame!

There is also such a Thing as spiritual Light's being let into the Soul in one Way, when it is not in another; and so there is such a Thing as the Saints trusting in God, and also knowing their good Estate, when they are destitute of some Kinds of Experience. As for Instance, they may have clear Views of God's Sufficiency and Faithfulness, and so confidently trust in him, and know that they are his Children; and at the same Time, not have those clear and sweet Ideas of his Love, as at other Times: For it was thus with Christ himself in his last Passion. And they may have Views of much of God's Sovereignty, Holiness and All-sufficiency, enabling 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 thus insist on Persons living by Faith, when they have no Experience, and are in very bad Frames, are also very absurd in their Notions of Faith. What they mean by Faith is, believing that they are in a good Estate. Hence 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 confidently and immoveably, when he has the least Light or Experience; that is to say, when he is in the worst and wickedest Frame and Way; because, forsooth, that is a Sign that he is strong in Faith, giving Glory to God, and against Hope believes in Hope. But what Bible do they learn this Notion of Faith out of, 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 can't be the same Thing, as believing that they are already in a good Estate. To suppose that Faith consists in Persons believing that they are in a good Estate, is in effect the same Thing, as to suppose that Faith consists in a Person's 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 so their Doubts would be removed. And then their doubting of their State may be from Unbelief thus, When though there be many Things that are good Evidences of a Work of Grace in them, yet they doubt very much whether they are really in a State of Favour with God, because it is they, those that are so unworthy, and have done so much to provoke God to Anger against them. Their Doubts in such a Case arise from Unbelief, as they arise from want of a sufficient Sense of, and reliance on the infinite Riches of God's Grace, and the Sufficiency of Christ for the Chief of Sinners. They may also be from Unbelief, when they doubt of their State, because of the Mystery of God's Dealings with them: They are not able to reconcile such Dispensations with God's Favour to them: Or when they doubt whether they have any Interest in the Promises, because the Promises from the Aspects 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 Dependance upon God's Almighty Power, and his Knowledge and Wisdom, as infinitely above theirs. But yet, in such Persons, their Unbelief, and their Doubting of their State, are not the same Thing; though one arises from the other.

Persons may be greatly to blame for doubting of their state, on such grounds as those last mentioned; and they may be to blame, that they have no more grace, and no more of the present exercises and experiences of it, to be an evidence to them of the goodness of their state. Men are doubtless to blame for being in a dead 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 very much under the prevalence of their lusts, and an unchristian spirit, they are not to blame for doubting of their 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 light in the room, when the candle is put out; or to maintain the bright sunshine in the air, when the sun is gone down. Distant experiences, when darkened by present prevailing lust and corruption, will never keep alive a gracious confidence and assurance; but that sickens and decays upon it, as necessarily as a little child by repeated blows on the head with the hammer. Nor is it at all to be lamented that persons doubt of their state in such circumstances; but on the contrary, it is desirable and every way best that they should. It is agreeable to that wise and gracious constitution of things, which God hath established, that it should be so. For so hath God contrived and constituted things, in his dispensations towards his own people, that when their Love decays, and the exercises of it fail, or become weak, Fear should arise; for then they need it to restrain them from sin, and to exercise 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, having a higher and more excellent principle in exercise, to restrain them from sin, and stir them up to their duty. There are no other principles, which human nature is under the influence of, that are ever adventitious, 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 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 slumbers and falls asleep, and lust prevails, the light and joy vanish, 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, of the servile principle: And on the contrary. And if so, if the Spirit of Adoption, be carried to a great height, it quite drives away all fear, and brings full assurance; agreeable to that of the Apostle, 1 John 4:18. There is no Fear in Love, but perfect Love casteth 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 distemper of melancholy, or ignorance, prejudices of education, wrong instruction, or peculiar temptations, etc.

Fear is driven out by the Spirit of God, no other way than by the prevailing of love: nor ever maintained by his Spirit, when love is asleep. At such a time, in vain is all the saint's self-examinations, and poring on past experience, in order to establish his peace and full 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 who do so, do directly thwart God's wise and gracious constitution of things, teaching others to be confident in their state in darkness under a notion of Living by Faith, and not by Sight, and Trusting God in the Dark, and Living upon Christ, and teaching them not to doubt of their good estate, lest they be guilty of the dreadful sin of unbelief. And it has a tendency to establish the most presumptuous hypocrites, and to prevent their ever calling their state in question, how much forever wickedness prevails, and reigns in their hearts, and prevails in their lives under a notion of honoring God, by hoping against hope, and trusting in God, when things look very dark. And doubtless vast has been the mischief, that has been done this way.

Men cannot be said to forsake Christ, and live on their experiences of the grace of God, merely because they take them and use them as evidences that they are gracious; for there are no other evidences that they are so. But then may they be said to live 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 from these objects without them, on to themselves, to entertain their minds, by viewing their own attainments, and high experiences, and the great things they have met with, and are bright and beautiful in their own eyes, and are rich and increased with goods, in their own apprehensions, and think that God has as admiring an esteem of them, on the same account, as they have of themselves. This is living on experiences, and not on Christ; and is more abominable in the sight of God, than the gross immoralities of those who make no pretences to religion. But this is a far different thing from a mere improving experiences as evidences of an interest in a glorious Redeemer.

But to return from this digression, I would mention one thing more under the general head that I am upon.

12. Nothing can be certainly concluded concerning the nature of religious affections, that any are the subjects of, from this, that the outward manifestations of them, and the relation persons give of them, are very affecting and pleasing to the truly godly, and such as greatly gain their charity, and win their hearts.

The true saints have not such a spirit of discerning, that they can certainly determine who are godly, and who are not. For though they know experimentally what true religion is, in the internal exercises of it; yet these are what they can neither feel, nor see, in the heart of another. There is nothing in others, that comes within their view, but outward manifestations and appearances; but the Scripture plainly intimates that this way of judging what is in men by outward appearances, is at best uncertain, and liable to deceit; 1 Samuel 16:7. The Lord seeth not as Man seeth; for Man looketh on the outward Appearance, but the Lord looketh on the Heart. Isaiah 11:3. He shall not judge after the Sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the Hearing of his Ears. They commonly are but poor judges, and 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 ignorance of themselves. Wise and experienced men will proceed with great caution in such an affair.

When there are many probable appearances of piety in others, it is the duty of the saints to receive them cordially into their charity, and to love them and rejoice in them, as their brethren in Christ Jesus. But yet 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 the things that have been already observed; what things it has been shown, may appear in men who are altogether graceless. Nothing hinders but that all these things may meet together in men, and yet they be without a spark of grace in their hearts. They may have religious affections of many kinds together; they may have a sort of affection towards God, that bears a great resemblance of dear love to him; and so a kind of love to the brethren, and great appearances of admiration of God's perfections and works, and sorrow for sin, and reverence, submission, self-abasement, gratitude, joy, religious longings, and zeal for the interest of religion and the good of souls. And these affections may come after great awakenings and convictions of conscience; and there may be great appearances of a work of humiliation; and counterfeit love and joy, and other affections may seem to follow these, and one another, just in the same order, that is commonly observable in the holy affections of true converts. And these religious affections may be carried to a great height, and may cause abundance of tears, yea, may overcome the nature of those who are the subjects of them, and may make them affectionate, and fervent, and fluent in speaking of the things of God, and dispose them to be abundant in it; and may be attended with many sweet texts of Scripture, and precious promises, brought with great impression on their minds; and may dispose them with their mouths to praise and glorify God, in a very ardent manner, and fervently to call upon others to praise him, crying out of their unworthiness, and extolling free grace. And may, moreover, dispose them to abound in the external duties of religion, such as prayer, hearing the word preached, singing, and religious 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 common 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 acquaintance with the saints' way of talking and of expressing their affections and experiences, and a natural ability and subtlety in accommodating their expressions and manner of speaking to the dispositions and notions of the hearers, and a taking decency of expression and behaviour, formed by a good education. How great therefore may the resemblance be, as to all outward expressions and appearances, between an hypocrite and a true saint! Doubtless it is the glorious prerogative of the omniscient God, as the great searcher of hearts, to be able well to separate between sheep and goats. And what an indecent, self-exaltation, and 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 respect to others' real Piety, when they not only tell a plausible Story, but when, in giving an Account of their Experiences, they make such a Representation, and speak after such a Manner, that they feel their Talk; that is to say, when their Talk seems to harmonize 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 many imagine. A true Saint greatly delights in Holiness. It is a most beautiful Thing in his Eyes. And God's Work, in savingly renewing and making holy and happy, a poor, and before perishing Soul, 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 pleasing Appearances have any Thing real to answer them, or no. 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 harmonize with his own. And if besides all this, in giving his Relation, he speaks with much Affection; and above all, if in speaking, he seems to show much Affection to him, to whom he speaks, such an Affection as the Galatians did to the Apostle Paul; these Things will 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 Savor and Relish of it. And therefore exceeding great was his Surprise and Disappointment, when he fell; it was almost too much for him. Psalm 55, 12, 13, 14. It was not an Enemy—then I could have borne it,—but it was you, a Man, mine Equal, my Guide, and my Acquaintance; we took sweet Counsel together, and walked unto the House of God in Company.

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 not 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 Odor: So that we cannot, by any of our Senses, certainly distinguish those Blossoms which have in them that secret Virtue, which will afterwards appear in the Fruit, and that inward Solidity and Strength which shall enable them to bear, and cause them to be perfected by the hot Summer Sun, that will dry up the others. It is the mature Fruit which comes afterwards, and not the beautiful Colors 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 savory, and the Saints may think they talk feelingly. They may relish their Talk, and imagine they perceive a divine Savor in it; and yet all may come to nothing.

It is strange how hardly Men are brought to be contented with the Rules and Directions Christ has given them, but they must needs go by other Rules, of their own inventing, that seem to them wiser and better. I know of no Directions or Counsels which Christ ever delivered more plainly, than the Rules he has given us, to guide us in our judging of others' Sincerity; 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 safe in. And woeful have been the mischievous Consequences, of 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 scourged 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 convince, that ordinarily, those who have gone farthest this Way, that have been most highly conceited of their Faculty of discerning, and have appeared most forward, peremptory 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, Matthew 13:26. When 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 Mister Flavel observes; he 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, Mister Flavel adds, How difficult so ever it be to discern the Difference between Wheat and Tares; yet doubtless the Eye of Sense can much easier discriminate them, than the most quick and piercing Eye of Man, can discern the Difference between special and common 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 or the Fruit which distinguishes the Wheat from the Tares, so this is the true Shibboleth, that he who stands as Judge at the Passages of Jordan, makes use of to distinguish those that shall pass over Jordan into the true Canaan, from those that should be slain at the Passages. For the Hebrew Word Shibboleth, signifies an Ear of Corn. And perhaps the more full Pronunciation of Jephthah's Friends, Shibboleth, may represent a full Ear with Fruit in it, typifying the Fruits of the Friends of Christ, the Antitype of Jephthah; and the more lean Pronunciation of the Ephraimites his Enemies, may represent their empty Ears, typifying the Show of Religion 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 that pass through Death, whether they have a Right to enter into the heavenly Canaan or no, 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 determine whether a Man had the Leprosy, or whether he were clean, by the most narrow Inspection of the Appearances that were upon him, until he had waited to see what the Appearances would come to, and had shut up the Person who showed himself to him, one seven Days after another; and when he judged, he was to determine by the Hair, which grew out of the Spot that was showed him, which was as it were the Fruit that it brought forth.

And here, before I finish what I have to say under this Head, I would say something to a strange Notion some have of late been led away with, of certainly knowing the good Estate that others are in, as though it were immediately revealed to them from Heaven, by their Love flowing out to them in an extraordinary Manner. They argue thus, that their Love being very sensible and great, it may be certainly known by them who feel it, to be a true Christian Love. And if it be a true Christian Love, the Spirit of God must be the Author of it: And inasmuch as the Spirit of God, who knows certainly, whether others are the Children of God or no, and is a Spirit of Truth, is pleased, by an uncommon Influence upon them, to cause their Love to flow out, in an extraordinary Manner, 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 consider whether or no it be not their Duty, and what God requires of them, to love those as the Children of God, who they think are the Children of God, and whom they have 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 Children. If it be their Duty, then it is Good, and the Want of it Sin; and therefore, surely the Spirit of God may be the Author of it: The Spirit of God, without being a Spirit of Falsehood, may in such a Case assist a Person to do his Duty, and keep him from Sin. But then they argue from the uncommon Degree and special Manner, in which their Love flows out to the Person; which they think the Spirit of God never would cause, if he did not know the Object to be a Child of God. But then I would ask them, whether or no it is not their Duty to love all such as they are bound to think are the Children of God, from all that they can see in them, to a very great Degree, though God, from other Things which he sees, that are out of Sight to them, knows them not to be so. It is 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 commonly do. As we ought to love Christ to the utmost Capacity of our Nature, so it is our Duty to love those who we think are so near and dear to him as his Members, with an exceeding 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 Prayers, 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 People to do their Duty in some Instances, because he cannot do it without being a Spirit of Falsehood. But surely God is so sovereign as that comes to, that he may enable us to do our Duty when he pleases, and on what Occasion he pleases. When Persons think others are his Children, God may have other Ends in causing their exceedingly endeared Love to flow out to them, besides revealing to them whether their Opinion of them be right or no: 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 extraordinary 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 exceeding manifest, that Error or Mistake may be the Occasion of a gracious Exercise, and consequently a gracious Influence of the Spirit of God, by Romans 14:6. He that eateth to the Lord, he eateth, and giveth God Thanks; and he that eateth not to the Lord, he eateth not, and giveth God Thanks. The Apostle is speaking of those, who through erroneous and needless Scruples, avoided eating legally unclean Meats. By this it is very evident, that there may be true Exercises of Grace, a true Respect to the Lord, and particularly, a true Thankfulness, which may be occasioned, both by an erroneous Judgment and Practice. And consequently, an Error may be the Occasion of those truly holy Exercises that are from the infallible Spirit of God. And if so, it is certainly too much for us to determine, to how great a Degree the Spirit of God may give this holy Exercise, on such an Occasion.

This Notion, of certainly discerning another's State, by Love flowing out, is not only not founded on Reason 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 Scripture, which do plainly teach us that the State of others' Souls towards God, cannot be known by us, as in Revelation 2:17. To him that overcometh, will I give to eat of the hidden Manna; and I will give him a white Stone, and in the Stone a new Name written, which no Man knoweth, saving he that receiveth it. And Romans 2:29. He is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and Circumcision is that of the Heart; in the Spirit, and not in the Letter; whose Praise is not of Men, but of God. That by this last Expression, whose Praise is not of Men, but of God, the Apostle has Respect to the Insufficiency of Men to judge concerning him, whether he be inwardly a Jew or no (as they could easily see by outward Marks, whether Men were outwardly Jews) and would signify, that it belongs to God alone to give a determining Voice in this Matter, is confirmed by the same Apostle's Use of the Phrase, in 1 Corinthians 4:5. Therefore judge nothing before the Time, until the Lord come; who both will bring to Light the hidden Things of Darkness, and will make manifest the Counsels of the Hearts; and then shall every Man have Praise of God. The Apostle, in the two foregoing Verses, says, But with me, it is a very small Thing, that I should be judged of you, or of Man's Judgment: Yea, I judge not mine own self, for I know nothing by my self, yet am I not hereby justified; but he that judgeth me is the Lord. And again, it is further confirmed, because the Apostle in this second Chapter to the Romans, directs his Speech especially to those who had a high Conceit of their own Holiness, made their Boast of God, and were confident of their own Discerning, and that they knew God's Will, and approved the Things which were excellent, or tried the Things that differ (as it is in the Margin.) Verse 18. And were confident that they were Guides of the Blind, and a Light to them which are in Darkness, Instructors of the Foolish, Teachers of Babes; and so took upon them to judge others, see Verse 1 and 17, 18, 19, 20.

And how arrogant must the Notion be, that 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; 1 Peter 5:12. Though this Sylvanus 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 Corinthians 1:19, 1 Thessalonians 1:1, and 2 Thessalonians 1:1.

Part 2.

If anyone, reading what was just said, is ready to excuse himself and say, 'I am not one of those who have no religious affections — I am often deeply moved by the great things of religion,' let him not rest content merely with the fact that he has religious affections. For as was noted before, just as we ought not to reject and condemn all affections as though true religion did not consist in them at all, so on the other hand we ought not to approve of all affections as though every person who was religiously moved therefore possessed true grace and was experiencing the saving work of God's Spirit. The right approach is to distinguish among religious affections, between one kind and another. So let us now endeavor to do that. To accomplish it, I would do two things.

First, I would note some things that are no signs one way or the other — neither proving that affections are the kind that true religion consists in, nor proving that they are not — so that we may be guarded against judging affections by false signs.

Second, I would observe some things in which affections that are spiritual and gracious differ from those that are not, and by which the genuine ones may be distinguished and recognized.

First, I would note some things that are no signs that affections are gracious, or that they are not.

First sign that proves nothing: religious affections are very intense or raised very high.

Some people are quick to condemn all high affections. If a person appears to have his religious affections raised to an extraordinary level, they are prejudiced against him and conclude that his experience is a delusion, without further inquiry. But if true religion lies very much in religious affections, as has been proved, then it follows that if there is a great deal of true religion, there will be great religious affections. If true religion in a person's heart is 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 that people ought not to love God and Jesus Christ in a high degree? And will any say that we ought not to have a very great hatred of sin and a very deep sorrow for it? Or that we ought not to exercise a high degree of gratitude to God for the mercies we receive from Him, and for the great things He has done for the salvation of fallen humanity? Or that we should not have very great and strong desires after God and holiness? Is there anyone who will claim that his affections in religion are already great enough — that he has no cause to be humbled that he is not more affected by the things of religion than he is, no reason to be ashamed that he has no greater love for God, sorrow for sin, and gratitude for the mercies he has received? Who is there who will give thanks to God that he is already affected enough by what he has read and heard of God's wonderful love — to sinners and rebels — in giving His only begotten Son to die for them, and of the dying love of Christ, and will pray that he may not be affected with these things to any higher degree, on the grounds that high affections are improper and unbecoming in Christians, being the mark of enthusiasm and ruinous to true religion?

Our text plainly speaks of great and high affections when it speaks of 'rejoicing with joy inexpressible and full of glory' — the most superlative expressions language can provide. And Scripture frequently calls us to exercise very high affections. The first and greatest commandment of the law piles up expressions, as though ordinary language were insufficient to express the degree to which we should love God: 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' So the saints are called to exercise high degrees of joy: 'Rejoice,' says Christ to His disciples, 'and be exceedingly glad' (Matthew 5:12). And Psalm 68:3: 'Let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God; yes, let them rejoice with gladness.' Similarly, throughout the Psalms the saints are repeatedly called to shout for joy, and in Luke 6:23, to leap for joy. They are also abundantly called 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, their souls magnifying the Lord, singing His praises, speaking of His wonderful works, declaring His deeds, and so on.

We find the most outstanding believers in Scripture often expressing high affections. The psalmist speaks of his love as though it were inexpressible (Psalm 119:97): 'Oh, how I love Your law!' He expresses a great degree of hatred of sin (Psalm 139:21-22): 'Do I not hate those who hate You, O Lord? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? I hate them with the utmost hatred.' He also expresses a high degree of sorrow for sin — speaking of his sin going over his head like a heavy burden too heavy for him, of his groaning all day long, of his vitality drained away like the heat of summer, and of his bones as though broken with sorrow. He often expresses great degrees of spiritual desire in some of the strongest language imaginable — his longing, his soul thirsting as in a dry and parched land where there is no water, his panting, his flesh and heart crying out, his soul breaking for the longing it has, and so on. He expresses the exercise of great and extreme grief for the sins of others. Psalm 119:136: 'My eyes shed streams of water, because they do not keep Your law.' And verse 53: 'Burning indignation has seized me because of the wicked, who forsake Your law.' He expresses high exercises of joy. Psalm 21:1: 'The king shall joy in Your strength, O Lord, and in Your salvation how greatly shall he rejoice.' Psalm 71:23: 'My lips will shout for joy when I sing praises to You.' Psalm 63:3-7: 'Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips will praise You. So I will bless You as long as I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth offers praises with joyful lips. When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches, for You have been my help, and in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy.'

The apostle Paul expresses high exercises of affection. He expresses the exercise of pity and concern for others' good, even to anguish of heart; a great, fervent, and abundant love; earnest and longing desires; and overflowing joy. He speaks of the triumphs and exultation of his soul, his earnest expectation and hope, his abundant tears, and the travail of his soul in pity, grief, earnest desires, godly jealousy, and fervent zeal — in many of the places already cited, which I need not repeat. John the Baptist expressed great joy (John 3:29). The blessed women who had anointed Jesus's body are described as being in a very high exercise of religious affection when Christ rose from the dead (Matthew 28:8): 'And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy.'

It is repeatedly foretold about the Church of God in her future seasons of blessing on earth that she will rejoice exceedingly. Psalm 89:15-16: 'How blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! O Lord, they walk in the light of Your countenance.' The same is depicted in countless other passages. And because high degrees of joy are the proper and natural fruit of the Gospel of Christ, the angel called that Gospel 'good news of great joy which will be for all the people.'

The saints and angels in heaven, where religion exists in its highest perfection, are powerfully affected by what they behold and contemplate of God's perfections and works. They are all like a pure, heavenly flame of fire in their love, and in the greatness and strength of their joy and gratitude. Their praises are described as 'the sound of many waters' and 'the sound of loud thunder.' The only reason their affections are so much greater than the holy affections of believers on earth is that they see the things they are affected by more according to their true nature, and their affections are more closely conformed to the nature of things. Therefore, if religious affections in people here below are of the same nature and kind as the angels' affections, the higher they are and the closer they approach that heavenly degree, the better — because they will then be so much more conformed to the truth, as the angels' affections are.

From all of this it is certainly clear that religious affections being at a very high degree is no evidence that they are not of the nature of true religion. Those who condemn people as fanatics merely because their affections are very high are therefore greatly mistaken.

On the other hand, it is no evidence that religious affections are spiritual and gracious simply because they are great. Scripture — our sure and infallible guide in judging such matters — makes it very clear that there are religious affections which are very high and yet are not spiritual or saving. The apostle Paul speaks of affections in the Galatians that had been exceedingly elevated, and yet he clearly speaks of them with fear that they had been empty and had come to nothing. Galatians 4:15: 'Where then is that sense of blessing you had? For I testify about you that, if possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.' And in verse 11 he tells them 'I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain.' The children of Israel were greatly affected by God's mercy to them when they saw His wonderful works at the Red Sea and sang His praise — though they soon forgot His works. They were greatly affected again at Mount Sinai when they saw the marvelous manifestations God made of Himself there, and seemed powerfully engaged in mind, eagerly answering when God proposed His holy covenant to them, saying, 'All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.' But how quickly did all that powerful eagerness and engaged affection come to an end? 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 great commotion when Jesus shortly after entered Jerusalem — greatly magnifying Christ, as though the ground were not good enough for the donkey He rode on to tread upon. They cut down palm branches and spread them in the road; they even pulled off their garments and spread them in the way. They cried with loud voices, 'Hosanna to the Son of David, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, Hosanna in the highest' — making the whole city ring and throwing everyone into a stir. We learn from the evangelist John that the reason the people made this commotion was because they were affected by the miracle of raising Lazarus (John 12:18). Such a vast multitude cried Hosanna on this occasion that it led the Pharisees to say, 'Look, the world has gone after Him' (John 12:19) — yet Christ had at that time very few true disciples. And how quickly did all that commotion end? All of it was silenced and dead when this same Jesus stood bound, with a mock robe and a crown of thorns, to be mocked, spit upon, flogged, condemned, and executed. There was indeed a great and loud outcry about Him among the multitude then, just as before — but of a very different kind. It was not then 'Hosanna, Hosanna,' but 'Crucify, crucify.'

And all orthodox theologians agree that religious affections may be raised to a very high degree and yet contain nothing of true religion.

Second sign that proves nothing: religious affections have great effects on the body.

All affections whatsoever have, to some degree, an effect on the body. As was observed before, such is our nature, and such are the laws governing the union of soul and body, that the mind cannot have any lively or vigorous exercise without some effect upon the body. The body is so responsive to the mind, and the bodily fluids — especially the vital spirits — so closely attend the mind's movements and exercises, that there cannot even be an intense thought without some effect upon them. Indeed, it is questionable whether a soul in a body ever has a single thought or any exercise at all without some corresponding movement or change of movement, to some degree, in the fluids of some part of the body. But universal experience shows that the exercise of the affections has a particular tendency to produce some perceptible effect on the body. If this is so — that all affections have some bodily effect — then we may reasonably expect that the greater those affections are, and the more vigorous their exercise (other circumstances being equal), the greater the effect on the body will be. It is therefore not surprising that very great and strong exercises of the affections should have great effects on the body. And since there are very great affections of both the common and the spiritual kind, it is not surprising that great bodily effects should arise from both kinds of affections. Consequently, these bodily effects are no sign of which kind of affection produced them.

Great effects on the body are certainly no reliable evidence that affections are spiritual — for we see that such effects often arise from strong affections about ordinary, worldly things, when religion is not involved at all. If purely natural affections about earthly things can produce these effects, I know of no basis on which to conclude that high affections about religious things — arising in the same way from nature — cannot have similar effects.

Nor, on the other hand, do I know of any rule by which anyone could determine that gracious and holy affections — when raised as high as any natural affections and exercised with equal strength and vigor — cannot have a great effect on the body. No such rule can be derived from reason. I know of no reason why being affected by a vision of God's glory should not cause the body to faint, just as well as being affected by a sight of Solomon's glory. No such rule has ever been drawn from Scripture. None has been found in all the recent controversies about things of this nature. There is a great power in spiritual affections. We read of the power that works in Christians, of the Spirit of God being in them as a Spirit of power, and of the effective working of His power in them — yes, of the working of God's mighty power in them. Yet human nature is weak. Flesh and blood are described in Scripture as exceedingly weak — especially in its unfitness for great spiritual and heavenly exercises (Matthew 26:41; 1 Corinthians 15:43, 50). The text we are studying speaks of 'joy inexpressible and full of glory.' Given what human nature is like and what the affections are like, who can reasonably doubt that such inexpressible and glorious joys could be too great and powerful for weak, frail humanity — so as to be considerably overpowering to it? Scripture makes it clear that true divine revelations of God's glory, when given in great measure, have a tendency — by their effect on the mind — to overpower the body. Scripture teaches us repeatedly that if these visions were given to the degree they are given in heaven, the weak frame of the body could not survive it, and that no one can see God in that way and live. The knowledge the saints have of God's beauty and glory in this world, and the holy affections that arise from it, are of the same nature and kind as what the saints experience in heaven — differing only in degree and circumstances. What God gives them here is a foretaste of heavenly happiness and a pledge of their future inheritance. Who shall limit God in giving this pledge, or say He shall give only so much of the inheritance — only such a portion of the future reward as a pledge of the whole — and no more? And since God has taught us in His Word that the full reward is such that it would instantly destroy the body, is it not too bold for us to set boundaries on the sovereign God — to say that in giving the pledge of this reward in this world, He will never give so much of it as to even slightly diminish the strength of the body — when God has nowhere limited Himself in this way?

The psalmist, speaking of the intense religious affections he experienced, speaks of an effect in his flesh or body in addition to what was in his soul — expressly distinguishing the two, more than once. Psalm 84:2: 'My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.' Here is a clear distinction between the heart and the flesh, as both being affected. So also Psalm 63:1: 'My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.' Here again there is an evident and deliberate distinction between the soul and the flesh.

The prophet Habakkuk speaks of his body being overpowered by a sense of God's majesty (Habakkuk 3:16): 'I heard and my inward parts trembled, at the sound my lips quivered. Decay enters my bones, and in my place I tremble.' So the psalmist also speaks expressly of his flesh trembling (Psalm 119:120): 'My flesh trembles for fear of You.'

That such revelations of God's glory given in this world sometimes have a tendency to overpower the body is evident from Scripture, which records that this has actually happened when God made certain external manifestations of Himself to some of the saints — manifestations designed to give them a sense of His majesty and glory. We have such instances in the prophet Daniel and the apostle John. Daniel, describing an external representation of the glory of Christ, says (Daniel 10:8): 'So I was left alone and saw this great vision; yet no strength was left in me, for my natural color turned to a deathly pallor, and I retained no strength.' And the apostle John, describing a similar manifestation made to him, says (Revelation 1:17): 'When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man.' It is of no use to say that these were only outward signs or symbols of Christ's glory which these believers beheld. For while it is true that they were outward representations of Christ's glory seen with their eyes, the purpose of these outward symbols was to give these prophets a true apprehension of what was represented — namely, the true divine glory and majesty of Christ, which is His spiritual glory. These outward signs were used only as significations of that spiritual glory, and that is undoubtedly how the prophets received, understood, and were affected by them. In accordance with God's purpose in giving these outward signs, they received through them a great and vivid apprehension of the real glory and majesty of God's nature — and were so powerfully affected that their souls were overcome and their bodies overpowered. And I think those are very bold and reckless who would say that God cannot — or will not — give similarly clear and affecting apprehensions of that same real glory and majesty of His nature to any of His saints, without the use of such external signs.

Before I leave this point, I would further note that Scripture plainly and repeatedly uses bodily effects to express the intensity of holy and spiritual affections — such as trembling, groaning, being faint, crying out, panting, and fainting. Now if these are taken as merely figurative expressions representing the degree of affection, I trust everyone will grant that they are fitting and appropriate figures to represent the high degree of those spiritual affections that the Spirit of God uses them to express. But I do not see how they could be fitting figures if those spiritual affections — however high — had no tendency to produce any such effects, and if, on the contrary, these effects were actually the proper results and telltale signs of false affections and the deceptions of the devil. I cannot believe that God would routinely use things that are completely foreign to spiritual affections, and that are clear marks of the devil's handiwork and smelling strongly of the pit, as beautiful figures to represent the high degree of holy and heavenly affections.

Third sign that proves nothing: affections cause people to be fluent, fervent, and abundant in talking about the things of religion.

Many people, when they see this in others, are strongly prejudiced against them. The fact that a person is so full of religious talk is, to them, sufficient grounds to condemn him as a Pharisee or a pretentious hypocrite. On the other hand, many others, when they see this effect in someone, immediately and imprudently conclude that the person is a true child of God and under the saving influence of God's Spirit, and speak of it as strong evidence of a new creation. They say things like, 'His mouth is now open — he used to be slow to speak, but now he is full and free. He speaks openly about his heart and shares his experiences and declares the praises of God; it comes from him as freely as water from a fountain,' and the like. And they are especially convinced — in an entirely confident and unquestioning way — that a person has been savingly worked upon if he is not only free and abundant but also very affectionate and earnest in his talk.

But this reflects little judgment and narrow, short experience, as events abundantly show. It is a mistake people commonly fall into by trusting their own wisdom and discernment and making their own ideas their rule, instead of the holy Scripture. Although Scripture is full of rules both for how we should judge our own condition and how we should form opinions about others, there is nowhere in Scripture any rule by which to judge ourselves or others to be in a good spiritual state on the basis of this effect. For this is merely the religion of the mouth and tongue — what Scripture represents by the leaves of a tree. Though a tree should not be without them, leaves are never given in Scripture as evidence that the tree is good.

A person may be inclined to talk abundantly about religious things from a good cause or from a bad one. It may be because his heart is very full of holy affections — for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. And it may be because his heart is very full of religious affection that is not holy — for still, out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. It is very much the nature of affections — of whatever kind they are, and whatever objects they are exercised about — if they are strong, to move people to speak much about what they are affected with, and not only to speak much but to speak very earnestly and fervently. Therefore, a person's talking abundantly and very fervently about the things of religion can be evidence of no more than this: that he is very much affected with the things of religion. But this may be — as has already been shown — with no grace at all. What people are strongly affected with, while that strong affection lasts, they will be earnestly engaged about and will be likely to show that earnestness in their talk and behavior. This is how the greater part of the Jews in all Judea and Galilee responded for a time to John the Baptist's preaching and baptism, when they were willing for a season to rejoice in his light — a great commotion was made throughout the entire land, and among all sorts of people, about this great prophet and his ministry. In the same way, the multitudes often showed great earnestness and intense engagement in every outward expression concerning Christ and His preaching and miracles — being astonished at His teaching, joyfully receiving the Word, following Him sometimes night and day, forsaking food, drink, and sleep to hear Him; once following Him into the wilderness, fasting for three days on the way, to hear Him; sometimes praising Him to the skies, saying, 'Never did a man speak the way this man speaks!' — fervent and earnest in what they said. But what did all of this come to, in the case of most of them?

A person may be excessively full of talk about his own religious experiences — constantly bringing it up everywhere and in all company — and when this is the case, it is more of a dark sign than a good one. A tree that is excessively full of leaves seldom bears much fruit. And a cloud, though it appears very heavy and full of water, if it brings too much wind with it, seldom provides much rain to the dry and thirsty earth. This very thing the Holy Spirit is pleased to use several times as a picture of a great show of religion with the mouth without corresponding fruit in the life. Proverbs 25:14: 'Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of his gifts falsely.' And the apostle Jude, speaking of some in the early church who had crept in unnoticed among the saints and — making a great show of religion — had for a time gone unsuspected, says (Jude 4, 12): 'These are hidden reefs... clouds without water, carried along by winds.' And the apostle Peter, speaking of the same kind of people, says (2 Peter 2:17): 'These are springs without water and mists driven by a storm.'

False affections, if equally strong, are far more inclined to display themselves than true ones. This is because it is the nature of false religion to seek to be seen and noticed — as it was with the Pharisees.

Fourth sign that proves nothing: people did not produce the affections themselves or work them up by their own effort and planning.

Many people today condemn all affections that arise in a way their subjects cannot account for — that do not seem to be the result of their own efforts or the natural consequence of human faculties and principles in such circumstances and under such means — but rather seem to come from the influence of some outside, supernatural power on their minds. How greatly has the doctrine of the inward experience — or the perceptible sensing — of the immediate power and working of the Spirit of God been mocked and ridiculed by many in recent times. They say that the Spirit of God's way is to work silently, secretly, and imperceptibly alongside the use of means and our own efforts, so that there is no distinguishing by sense between the influences of the Spirit of God and the natural operations of our own minds' faculties.

It is true that expecting to receive the saving influences of the Spirit of God while neglecting the diligent use of the appointed means of grace is unreasonable presumption. And to expect the Spirit of God to work savingly on one's mind without the Spirit's using means as instruments to accomplish the effect is a form of enthusiasm. It is also undoubtedly true that the Spirit of God works in very varied ways and circumstances, and that sometimes He works in a more secret and gradual manner, beginning from smaller beginnings, than at other times.

If a work of grace on the soul truly requires a power beyond what human nature itself possesses, then it is entirely reasonable to expect that this supernatural effect would often be perceptible to the person experiencing it. In other words, the person would often be aware that what is happening inside them goes beyond anything they could produce on their own.

Scripture consistently compares the work of grace to the most conspicuous acts of divine power: generation, resurrection, and creation. And throughout the biblical record, God's pattern was not to work invisibly and imperceptibly, but to make His hand clearly visible. When He brought Israel out of Egypt, He parted the Red Sea — a display of power that left no one wondering whether God had acted. When He gave Gideon victory, He stripped the army down to three hundred men so that no one could credit the outcome to human strength. When He put a giant down by a shepherd boy's hand, He deliberately chose the most improbable means. When He called the Gentiles into His kingdom, He did it in ways that stunned and confounded everyone who witnessed it. The New Testament conversions — at Pentecost, in Samaria, among the Gentiles at Cornelius's house — all followed this same pattern: conspicuous divine power, not hidden, gradual influence that blended seamlessly with natural processes. God's design throughout has been to make it clear that the work is His.

This is precisely what Paul prays for in Ephesians 1:18-19 — that believers would be enlightened to know 'what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.' The word 'know' here does not mean merely to have a correct theological belief about God's power. It means to know it by experience — to be consciously aware of it, to have it registered in one's own perception. Paul is praying that believers would experientially sense the greatness of the power working in them. This is a direct refutation of the view that God's Spirit works only in hidden, imperceptible ways.

It is therefore both unreasonable and unscriptural to argue that a person's affections cannot be from God's Spirit simply because the person perceives them as not arising from his own efforts. On the contrary, if the work of grace is as Scripture describes it, we should often expect that its subjects would perceive it as something beyond themselves. To make that perception itself a disqualifying mark is to turn Scripture's testimony on its head.

On the other hand, it is no evidence that affections are gracious simply because a person did not deliberately produce them — because they arose in a way the person cannot explain.

Some people use this as an argument in their own favor when describing what they have experienced. They say things like: 'I am sure I did not make it myself. It was not the result of any planning or effort on my part. It came when I was thinking of nothing like it. Even if I wanted to, I could not make it happen again on demand.' From this they conclude that what they experienced must be from the mighty influence of God's Spirit and must be saving in nature. But this conclusion is ignorant and without foundation. What they experienced may indeed not have come from themselves directly — it may have come from some invisible agent, some spirit other than their own. But it does not follow that it was from the Spirit of God. There are spirits besides the Holy Spirit who influence human minds. We are told not to believe every spirit, but to test the spirits to see whether they are from God. There are many false spirits, extremely active among people, who often disguise themselves as angels of light and in many remarkable ways — with great subtlety and power — imitate the operations of the Spirit of God. Many of Satan's operations are very clearly distinguishable from the voluntary workings of a person's own mind. This is true in the dreadful, horrifying suggestions and blasphemous thoughts he injects into many people, and in the groundless fears and terrors he authors. Satan's power can be just as immediate and evident in producing false comforts and joys as in producing terrors and horrible suggestions — and often is. It is not within human power to put oneself into the kind of raptures that the Anabaptists in Germany and many other raving enthusiasts like them experienced.

Beyond this, it must also be considered that a person may receive impressions on their mind that they did not produce themselves and that did not come from an evil spirit — they may come from the Spirit of God — and yet be only common, non-saving operations of the Spirit rather than saving ones. The subjects of such impressions may be among those described in Hebrews 6:4-5 — those who were enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, shared in the Holy Spirit, and tasted the good Word of God and the powers of the age to come — and yet may be entirely without the things that accompany salvation, mentioned in verse 9.

And in cases where neither a good nor an evil spirit has any direct involvement, persons — especially those with a weak or highly impressionable constitution, with a brain that is easily susceptible to impressions — may have strange perceptions, vivid imaginations, and strong accompanying affections that arise in unexplained ways without being voluntarily produced. We observe that such people are prone to these kinds of impressions about ordinary, earthly things, and there is equal reason to expect it can happen regarding spiritual things. Just as a sleeping person has dreams they did not deliberately produce, so many such persons, in a similar way, may experience involuntary impressions even while awake.

Fifth sign that proves nothing: religious affections come with scripture texts that are brought powerfully to mind.

It is no evidence against affections being gracious that they were occasioned by scriptures coming to mind — provided it is the scripture itself, or the truth the scripture contains and teaches, that is the basis of the affection, and not merely the sudden or unusual way in which the text arrived.

On the other hand, it is also no evidence that affections are gracious simply because they arose when a scripture text came suddenly and powerfully to mind — whether those affections are fear, hope, joy, sorrow, or anything else. Some people treat this as strong evidence that their affections are saving — especially when the affections produced are pleasant ones like hope or joy. They will mention it as proof that everything is right: 'My experience came with the Word,' they say, and they will add, 'Such and such wonderful promises were brought to my mind.' 'They came suddenly, as though they were being spoken directly to me.' 'I had no part in bringing that text to mind. I was not thinking of anything that would lead to it. It came all at once and caught me off guard.' 'I had not thought of it for a long time beforehand. At first I did not even know it was scripture. I could not remember ever having read it.' And they may add: 'One scripture came flowing in after another — texts from all over the Bible, the sweetest and most fitting texts imaginable, one after another — until I was as full as I could be. I could not help but stand in wonder. Tears flowed. I was full of joy and could no longer doubt.' And from all this they conclude they have undeniable evidence that their affections must be from God, must be of the right kind, and that their spiritual state must be good. But they have no grounds for this conclusion at all. Where did they find the rule that says: if affections or experiences arise alongside comforting scripture promises that came to mind unbidden — or if a series of sweet texts flows through the mind one after another — this is certain evidence that the experiences are saving? Where in the Bible — the only sure guide in matters of this kind — is any such rule found?

What deceives many less careful and thoughtful people in this matter seems to be this: Scripture is the Word of God, and there is nothing wrong in it — it is pure and perfect. Therefore, they reason, experiences that come from scripture must be right. But what must be considered is this: affections may arise on the occasion of scripture coming to mind without actually flowing from scripture as its genuine fruit through a right use of it. They may instead arise from an abuse of it. All that can legitimately be argued from the purity and perfection of God's Word regarding religious experience is this: experiences that are consistent with God's Word are right and cannot be otherwise. It does not follow that affections must be right simply because they arose on the occasion of a scripture text coming to mind.

What evidence is there that Satan cannot bring scripture texts to a person's mind and misapply them for deception? This does not seem to exceed Satan's power at all. There is no reason to think that bringing words or sounds to a person's mind requires omnipotence. If Satan has the power to bring any words or sounds to the mind at all, he may have the power to bring words that happen to be in the Bible. No greater power is required to produce the sounds of a scripture text in the mind than to produce the sounds of an idle story or song. So the same power in Satan that can revive one kind of words in the mind is sufficient to revive the other. The fact that those words carry a different meaning — which depends entirely on convention — does not change his ability to produce or revive the sounds. Or will anyone suppose that scripture texts are so sacred that Satan would not dare to misuse them? That too is a mistake. The one who was bold enough to seize Christ Himself — carrying Him into the wilderness, to a high mountain, and to the pinnacle of the temple — is not afraid to touch the Scripture and abuse it for his own ends. He demonstrated this very boldness at the same time: during the temptation of Christ, he quoted scripture after scripture to deceive and tempt Him. If Satan dared, and was permitted, to bring scripture texts to the mind of Christ Himself in order to tempt Him, what reason do we have to conclude that he will not dare, or will not be permitted, to bring scripture texts to the minds of sinful people to tempt and deceive them? And if he can misuse one scripture text, he can misuse any other. The fact that it is an excellent passage — a comforting and precious promise — does not limit his courage or ability. If he can bring one comforting text to mind, he can bring a thousand. He can select exactly those scriptures best suited to serve his purposes, and he can heap up promise after promise — which, twisted by his false application, will work wonderfully to silence rising doubts and confirm the false joy and assurance of a poor, deceived sinner.

We know that Satan's instruments — corrupt and heretical teachers — do pervert the scripture to the damnation of themselves and others (2 Peter 3:16). They have free use of scripture in every part of it. There is no text so precious and sacred that they are not permitted to abuse it to the eternal ruin of multitudes of souls. And there are no weapons they wield with more destructive effect. There is no reason to conclude that Satan is not permitted to use scripture in the same way his instruments do. For when they do it, they act as his instruments and servants, driven by his instigation and influence. Without question, he does himself what he instigates others to do. Satan's servants simply follow their master and carry out the same work he performs himself.

Just as Satan can abuse scripture to deceive and destroy people, so can a person's own sinfulness and corruption. Sin in the human heart acts like its father. People's own hearts are deceptive like the devil, and use the same means to deceive.

It is therefore clear that a person may have intense affections of hope and joy that arise when scripture texts — even precious promises — come suddenly and powerfully to mind as though spoken directly to them, and that one text may follow another in a remarkable chain, and yet all of this may be no evidence whatsoever that these affections are divine or that they are anything other than the effects of Satan's delusions.

I would further note that a person may have heightened and joyful affections that come along with God's Word — and not only alongside it but genuinely arising from it — and yet those affections may be neither from Satan nor from the corruption of their own heart, but from some influence of the Spirit of God working through the Word, and yet have nothing of true and saving religion in them. The stony-ground hearers in the parable had great joy from the Word — joy that is depicted as springing up from the Word just as growth springs from a seed. In their outward appearance, their affections closely resembled the growth depicted on the good ground, with no difference visible until it was revealed by what happened in a time of trial. And yet there was no saving religion in those affections.

Sixth sign that proves nothing: religious affections have the appearance of love.

No professing Christian claims that the presence of love is an argument against the genuineness of religious affections. Some, however, believe that the appearance of love is good evidence that affections are from the sanctifying and saving influence of the Holy Spirit. Their reasoning is that Satan cannot love — that this affection is directly contrary to his nature, which is enmity and malice. It is true that nothing is more excellent, heavenly, and divine than a spirit of genuine Christian love toward God and people. It surpasses knowledge, prophecy, miracles, and speaking with the tongues of men and angels. It is the chief of the Spirit's graces, the life, essence, and sum of all true religion — and the quality by which we are most conformed to heaven and most contrary to hell and the devil. But it is poor reasoning to conclude from this that love has no counterfeits. The more excellent a thing is, the more counterfeits there will be of it. There are far more counterfeits of silver and gold than of iron and copper. There are many false diamonds and rubies, but who bothers to counterfeit common stones? The more excellent something is, the harder it is to duplicate its true inner nature and value — yet the more numerous the counterfeits will be, and the more art and cunning will be devoted to copying its outward appearance. This is why the greatest danger of fraud is in buying the most excellent medicines — even though they are hardest to replicate in true virtue, and even though their counterfeits are worthless when you get them. So it is with Christian virtues and graces. Satan's subtlety and the deceptive power of the human heart are most active in counterfeiting those virtues held in the highest regard. Perhaps no graces have more counterfeits than love and humility — for these are the virtues in which the beauty of a true Christian is most clearly seen.

With respect to love specifically, Scripture makes it plain that a person may have a kind of religious love and yet have no saving grace. Christ speaks of many professing Christians whose love will not last and who will therefore fail to be saved (Matthew 24:12-13): 'Because lawlessness will increase, most people's love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.' The final words plainly show that those whose love does not endure to the end, but grows cold, will not be saved.

A person may seem to love God and Christ — even with strong and intense affection — and yet have no grace. This was clearly the case with many graceless Jews: those who praised Christ so highly, following Him day and night without food, drink, or sleep; those who said, 'Lord, I will follow You wherever You go'; and those who cried, 'Hosanna to the Son of David.'

The apostle Paul seems to suggest that there were many in his day who had a counterfeit love to Christ, in Ephesians 6:24: 'Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love.' The word translated 'sincerity' in some versions actually means 'incorruption' in the original language. This shows that Paul was aware that many had a kind of love for Christ that was not pure and spiritual.

Similarly, Christian love toward God's people can be counterfeited. Scripture makes it clear that there may be strong affections of this kind without saving grace — as was the case with the Galatians toward the apostle Paul, when they were ready to tear out their own eyes and give them to him, though Paul expressed his fear that their affections had come to nothing and that he had labored over them in vain (Galatians 4:11, 15).

Seventh sign that proves nothing: a person has many different kinds of religious affections occurring together.

Though false religion tends to be incomplete and distorted — lacking the wholeness and symmetry found in true religion — there can still be a great variety of false affections occurring together that closely resemble gracious affections.

It is clear that counterfeits exist for every kind of gracious affection. There are counterfeits of love to God and love to fellow believers, as just noted. There are counterfeits of godly sorrow for sin — as seen in Pharaoh, Saul, Ahab, and the Israelites in the wilderness (Exodus 9:27; 1 Samuel 24:16-17; 26:21; 1 Kings 21:27; Numbers 14:39-40). There are counterfeits of the fear of God — as in the Samaritans, who feared the Lord while still serving their own gods at the same time (2 Kings 17:32-33). And those enemies of God described in Psalm 66:3 who, through the greatness of God's power, submit themselves to Him — or, as the Hebrew puts it, lie to Him — offering counterfeit reverence and submission. There are counterfeits of gracious gratitude, as in the Israelites who sang God's praises at the Red Sea (Psalm 106:12), and in Naaman the Syrian after his miraculous healing from leprosy (2 Kings 5:15), and so on.

There are counterfeits of spiritual joy, as seen in the stony-ground hearers (Matthew 13:20) and especially many of John the Baptist's hearers (John 5:35). There are counterfeits of zeal, as in Jehu (2 Kings 10:16), in Paul before his conversion (Galatians 1:14; Philippians 3:6), and in the unbelieving Jews (Acts 22:3; Romans 10:2). Graceless people may also have intense religious desires, like Balaam's desires — expressed when he had an extraordinary vision of the blessed state of God's people as distinct from all others in the world (Numbers 23:9-10). They may also have a strong hope of eternal life, as the Pharisees had.

People in a state of nature are capable of resembling every kind of religious affection — and nothing prevents them from having many of them at the same time. Experience abundantly confirms that this is very often the case. It seems to be a common pattern that when false affections are stirred up to a high degree, many of them appear together. The crowd that accompanied Christ into Jerusalem after the miracle of raising Lazarus appears to have been moved by many religious affections at once, all at a high pitch. They seemed filled with wonder, and showed what appeared to be a high degree of love. They displayed great reverence by laying their garments on the ground for Christ to walk on. They showed great gratitude for the good works He had done, praising Him with loud voices for His salvation. They expressed earnest desires for the coming of God's kingdom, which they expected Jesus was about to establish, and showed great hope and elevated expectation of its immediate appearance. They were filled with joy, which animated their acclamations and made the noise ring throughout the entire city. And they showed great zeal and eagerness to accompany Jesus and assist Him without delay — now at the time of the great feast of the Passover — as He set up His kingdom. It is easy to understand from human nature and the nature of the affections why, when one affection is raised very high, it tends to stir up others — especially if the affection first raised is counterfeit love, as it was with the crowd who cried 'Hosanna.' Counterfeit love will naturally draw many other affections along with it. As noted earlier, love is the chief of the affections, the source from which the others flow. Consider a person who has been in great distress and terror for some time, afraid of hell, his heart worn down by anguish and dreadful thoughts, standing on the edge of despair. Then suppose he is suddenly delivered — through some delusion of Satan — by being made firmly to believe that God has pardoned him and received him as a beloved object, and has promised him eternal life. Perhaps this comes through some vision or a vivid image that suddenly arises in his mind — a person with a beautiful face, smiling at him, arms open, with blood dripping down — which he takes to be Christ, with no genuine enlightening of the understanding to perceive Christ's spiritual excellence and fullness, and no true grasp of the way of salvation revealed in the Gospel. Or perhaps it comes through some voice or words that seem to be spoken to him, such as: 'Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven,' or 'Do not be afraid; it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom' — which he takes to be the immediate voice of God, even though there was no genuine prior acceptance of Christ or closing of the heart with Him. If we suppose such a case, what a rush of passions would crowd into such a person's mind, all at once or in rapid succession? It can be explained entirely by natural principles that such a person's heart, in those circumstances, would soar to the heights with transports of joy, and would be filled with fervent affection toward the imaginary God or Redeemer he believes has rescued him from the dreadful destruction he so feared — and has received him with special tenderness as a favored one. It is natural that he would now be filled with wonder and gratitude, that his mouth would be open and full of talk about his experience, that for a time he would think and speak of almost nothing else, that he would magnify the God who has done so much for him, call on others to rejoice with him, appear with a cheerful face, and speak with a loud voice. And though before his supposed deliverance he was full of complaints against God's justice, now it would come easily for him to submit to God, acknowledge his unworthiness, cry out against himself, appear humble before God, and lie at His feet as quiet as a lamb. He would confess his unworthiness and cry out, 'Why me? Why me?' — much like Saul, who when Samuel told him God had appointed him king answered, 'Am I not a Benjamite, from the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and is not my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak to me like this?' — language very similar to that of David, a true saint (2 Samuel 7:18): 'Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that You have brought me this far?' Nor is it surprising that such a person would delight in being around those who affirm and applaud his happy condition, that he would love all who esteem and admire him and his experiences, that he would have intense zeal against all who would minimize such things, that he would be inclined to openly separate from and declare war on all who are not of his party. He would glory in his sufferings, be quick to condemn and censure all who seem to doubt or question these things, and — while the warmth of his affections lasts — would be extremely eager to work hard, deny himself, and promote the cause of those who favor such things, zealously trying to increase their number — just as the Pharisees crossed sea and land to make a single convert. And I could go on and mention many more things that would naturally arise in such circumstances. Anyone who thinks such responses cannot arise in this way without any supernatural divine power has given very little thought to human nature.

Just as all Christian affections flow from genuine divine love, in the same way other false affections naturally flow from counterfeit love. In both cases, love is the source and the other affections are the streams that flow from it. The various faculties, principles, and affections of human nature are like many channels from a single fountain. If the water in the fountain is pure, pure water flows through all those channels. If the water is poisoned, then poisoned streams flow out through all of them. The channels themselves look the same in either case — the great difference lies in the nature of the water. Or consider a different image: human nature is like a tree with many branches growing from one root. If the sap in the root is good, good sap flows through all the branches, and the fruit produced is wholesome. If the sap in the root is poisonous, the same is true throughout the branches, and the fruit is deadly. The two trees may look exactly alike in shape, but the difference is discovered only when you eat the fruit. This is how it often is — at least in some measure — between true believers and hypocrites. There is sometimes a striking similarity between true and false religious experiences, in their outward appearance and in what the people who have them say and report. The difference is much like the difference between the dreams of Pharaoh's chief cupbearer and his chief baker. The two dreams seemed very much alike — so much so that when Joseph interpreted the cupbearer's dream as meaning he would be released from prison and restored to the king's favor and his honored position in the palace, the baker was filled with hope and expectation and told his dream as well. But he was terribly disappointed. Though his dream appeared so similar to the favorable, well-promising dream of his companion, the outcome was entirely opposite.

Eighth sign that proves nothing: comforts and joys seem to follow spiritual awakening and conviction of conscience in a particular order.

Many people are prejudiced against affections and experiences that come in a particular sequence that many ministers have emphasized: first, awakening, fear, and solemn apprehensions of judgment; then a humbling sense of total sinfulness and helplessness; and then, light and comfort. They regard all such descriptions of a fixed sequence or set of steps as human inventions. In particular, when high affections of joy follow severe distress and terror, many treat this as an argument against those affections. But these prejudices and objections have no basis in reason or Scripture. Surely it is not unreasonable to suppose that before God delivers a person from a state of sin and exposure to eternal destruction, He would give that person some meaningful sense of the evil from which they are being rescued. This way, deliverance is experienced consciously — the person understands their own salvation and knows something of what God has done for them. Saved people move through two very different states: first, a state of condemnation, and then a state of justification and blessing. Since God deals with people according to their rational, intelligent nature, it seems entirely reasonable — and consistent with God's wisdom — that saved people would be in these two states in a way they are conscious of. First, that they would consciously experience being in a state of condemnation, in a condition of real misery and dreadful danger; and then afterward, that they would consciously experience being in a state of deliverance and happiness. First, they should be fully aware of their absolute need; and afterward, of Christ's sufficiency and God's mercy through Him.

Scripture makes it abundantly clear that God's way of dealing with people is to lead them into a wilderness before He speaks comfort to them — to arrange things so that they are brought into distress, made to see their own helplessness and absolute dependence on His power and grace, before He acts to deliver them. God's time to relent for His people comes when their strength is gone and they have no one left, when they see that their false gods cannot help them and that the rock they trusted is worthless (Deuteronomy 32:36-37). Before God delivered the Israelites out of Egypt, He prepared them by letting them see they were in a desperate situation, and they cried out to God because of their hard bondage (Exodus 2:23; 5:19). Before God worked the great deliverance at the Red Sea, they were brought into extreme distress: the wilderness had shut them in, they could not turn right or left, the Red Sea was before them, and the vast Egyptian army was behind them. They were brought to see they could do nothing to save themselves — that if God did not act, they would be immediately destroyed. Then God appeared and turned their cries into songs. Before they were brought into their rest and enjoyed the abundance of Canaan, God led them through a great and terrible wilderness to humble them, teach them what was in their hearts, and so do them good in the end (Deuteronomy 8:2, 16). The woman who had suffered from a hemorrhage for twelve years was not healed until she had first spent everything she had on earthly physicians and could not be cured by any of them — left helpless, with nothing more to spend. Then she came to the great Physician, without money or price, and was healed by Him (Luke 8:43-44). Before Christ granted the request of the Canaanite woman, He first appeared to refuse her entirely, humbled her, and brought her to acknowledge that she was no better than a dog. Then He showed her mercy and received her as a dear child (Matthew 15:22, and following). The apostle Paul, before a remarkable deliverance, was pressed beyond measure, beyond strength, to the point of despairing of life itself — but he had the sentence of death in himself so that he would not trust in himself but in God who raises the dead (2 Corinthians 1:8-10). There was first a great storm; the ship was covered with waves and about to sink, and the disciples were brought to cry out, 'Lord, save us! We are perishing!' — and then the wind and sea were rebuked and there was a great calm (Matthew 8:24-26). The leper, before being cleansed, had his mouth covered and was required to acknowledge his great misery and total uncleanness by tearing his clothes and crying, 'Unclean! Unclean!' (Leviticus 13:45). And backsliding Israel, before God heals them, is brought to acknowledge that they have sinned and not obeyed the Lord's voice — to see that they lie down in their shame, that confusion covers them, that salvation hoped for from hills and mountains is in vain, and that God alone can save them (Jeremiah 3:23-25). Joseph, who was sold by his brothers and in this was a picture of Christ, brought his brothers into great anxiety and distress, led them to reflect on their sin and admit, 'We are truly guilty' — and finally to surrender themselves entirely into his hands as servants. Then he revealed himself to them as their brother and their savior.

When we consider the extraordinary manifestations God made of Himself to the saints of old, we find that He consistently appeared first in a terrifying way, and then in ways that brought comfort. So it was with Abraham: first a horror of great darkness fell upon him, and then God revealed Himself to him in sweet promises (Genesis 15:12-13). So it was with Moses at Mount Sinai: God first appeared to him in all the terrors of His dreadful majesty, so that Moses said, 'I am full of fear and trembling' — and then He made all His goodness pass before him and proclaimed His name: 'The Lord God, gracious and merciful,' and so on. So it was with Elijah: first a stormy wind, an earthquake, and consuming fire, and then a still, small, gentle voice (1 Kings 19). So it was with Daniel: he first saw Christ's face like lightning, which terrified him and caused him to faint — and then he was strengthened and refreshed with comforting words: 'O Daniel, you who are greatly loved' (Daniel 10). So it was with the apostle John (Revelation 1). There is a consistent pattern observable in God's dealings and the deliverances He works for His people, and in the manifestations He makes of Himself to them, both in the ordinary and the extraordinary.

But many passages of Scripture more directly show that this is God's ordinary way of working salvation in people's souls — in the way He reveals Himself and His mercy in Christ through the ordinary work of His grace on sinners' hearts. The servant who owed his king ten thousand talents is first held to his debt: the king pronounces judgment against him and orders him to be sold, along with his wife and children, to make payment. In this way the king humbles him and brings him to acknowledge the full justice of the debt — and then forgives him everything. The prodigal son spends everything, is brought to see himself in desperate circumstances, humbles himself, and acknowledges his unworthiness — before his father runs to him, welcomes him, and celebrates (Luke 15). Old, deep wounds must be probed to the bottom in order to heal. Scripture compares sin to such a wound of the soul, and speaks of healing this wound without probing it as vain and deceptive (Jeremiah 8:11). Christ, in the work of His grace on people's hearts, is compared to rain on mown grass — grass cut down by a scythe (Psalm 72:6) — a picture of His refreshing, comforting influence on the wounded spirit. After our first parents sinned, God first confronted them with the terror of His majesty and justice, and set their sin before them with all its gravity, before relieving them with the promise of the seed of the woman. Christians are described as those who have 'fled for refuge to take hold of the hope set before them' (Hebrews 6:18) — language that implies great fear and a sense of danger coming first. Similarly, Christ is called 'a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in a dry country, like the shade of a great rock in a parched land' (Isaiah 32:2). And it seems to be the natural meaning of the word 'gospel' — good news — that it is news of deliverance and salvation coming after great fear and distress. There is every reason to believe that God deals with individual believers the way He dealt with His church: He first made her hear His voice in the law, with thunders and lightning, and kept her under that schoolmaster to prepare her for Christ — and then comforted her with the joyful sound of the gospel from Mount Zion. Likewise, John the Baptist came to prepare the way for Christ and to prepare people's hearts to receive Him — by confronting them with their sins and stripping the self-righteous Jews of their confidence in their own righteousness, telling them they were a generation of vipers and showing them the danger of the wrath to come, saying that the ax was already laid at the root of the trees, and so on.

If it is indeed God's pattern — as the foregoing considerations clearly show it is — to give people a meaningful sense of the greatness and dreadfulness of sin and their wretched condition before He gives them the comfort of deliverance, then surely it is not unreasonable to suppose that people under such convictions will often experience great distress and terrible apprehensions of mind. This is especially so when we consider what these evils actually are: great and many sins committed against the infinite majesty of the great God, and the prospect of enduring the full fury of His wrath for eternity. And it is even less surprising when we have clear examples in Scripture of people who were brought into extreme distress by such convictions before receiving saving comfort — as the crowd in Jerusalem who were 'cut to the heart' and said to Peter and the other apostles, 'Brothers, what shall we do?' And the apostle Paul, who trembled and was astonished before he was comforted. And the jailer, who called for a light, rushed in trembling, fell down before Paul and Silas, and said, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?'

From all this it is clear that it is very unreasonable for professing Christians to treat the comfortable and joyful affections of others as suspect simply because they followed the kind of solemn conviction and distress that has been described.

On the other hand, it is also no evidence that comforts and joys are genuine simply because they follow intense terror and terrifying fears of hell. Some people place great weight on this — treating severe terror as evidence of a deep work of the law in the heart, which they believe properly prepares the way for genuine comfort. But they fail to distinguish between terror and genuine conviction of conscience. Though conviction of conscience often produces terror, the two are not the same thing — and terror often arises from other causes. Genuine conviction of conscience, through the influence of God's Spirit, consists in a real sense of the sinfulness of one's heart and life, and of the dreadfulness of sin as committed against a God of terrible majesty, infinite holiness, deep hatred of sin, and strict justice in punishing it. But some people have terrifying visions of hell — a dreadful pit ready to swallow them up, flames about to seize them, devils all around ready to take them — while at the same time showing very little genuine enlightening of conscience that actually convinces them of their sinfulness in heart and life. Satan, if permitted, can terrify people just as powerfully as the Spirit of God can. It is work that comes naturally to him, and he has many ways of doing it in ways that lead to no good. He may terrify people intensely by impressing on their minds vivid images: a frowning face, a drawn sword, black clouds of vengeance, words of awful doom being pronounced, hell gaping open, devils approaching — not to bring people to genuine conviction of things that are true and revealed in God's Word, but to lead them to false and groundless conclusions, such as that their time has passed, that they are reprobate, that God is implacable, that He has decided to cut them off immediately, and the like.

The terrors some people experience are also largely due to their particular temperament and physical constitution. It is obvious that some people are so constituted that their minds are more powerfully affected by whatever they encounter than others. The impression on the imagination stirs up the affections, which in turn heighten the imagination further, and so imagination and affection act back and forth on each other until the affection is raised to an enormous height, and the person is completely overwhelmed and loses all self-control.

Some people speak of having a great sight of their own wickedness, when on careful examination they turn out to have little or no genuine conviction of conscience. They talk about having a dreadfully hard heart, how their heart lies like a stone — when in fact they have none of the thoughts in their mind that true hardness of heart actually involves. They speak of a dreadful burden and mass of sin, a heap of dark and loathsome filthiness within them — when, on close examination, they have no real sense of what corruption of nature actually consists in, no thought about any specific way in which their hearts fall short of what they should be, and no awareness of any actual movements of corruption within them. Many also think they have deep conviction of their actual sins when they truly do not. They talk of their sins being set in order before them, surrounding them in a circle with a dreadful and frightening appearance — when in reality they have barely any mental picture of the specific sins they have committed in the course of their lives, let alone a sense of their aggravating circumstances.

And if a person's terror truly did come from the awakening and convicting work of the Spirit of God, it does not follow that it must result in genuine saving comfort. The native corruption of the heart can quench the Spirit of God — after He has been striving — by leading people into presumptuous, self-exalting hope and joy, just as it can obstruct grace in other ways. Not every woman in labor actually gives birth to a living child; sometimes the result is something malformed, lacking any of the qualities of human life. Pharaoh's chief baker, after he had lain in the dungeon alongside Joseph, had a dream that raised his hopes, and he too was lifted out of the dungeon like the chief cupbearer — but it was to be executed.

But even if comforts and joys not only follow great terror and awakening, but also appear to be preceded by exactly the kind of conviction and humbling that is often seen in true converts — coming in distinct steps and in the very method commonly observed — this is still no certain sign that the light and comfort that follows is true and saving. Here are the reasons for this.

First, just as Satan can counterfeit all the saving operations and graces of God's Spirit, he can also counterfeit those operations that prepare the way for grace. If Satan can copy the effects of the Spirit that are special, divine, and sanctifying — so closely that the resemblance is nearly perfect in everything observers can see — then he can far more easily imitate those works of the Spirit that are common, and which people are capable of experiencing while still in a state of spiritual death. These common works are not nearly as high above his power as the saving ones are. The works of God's Spirit by which He forms the creature in His own image and makes it a partaker of the divine nature are the highest and most divine of all God's works — furthest above the powers of nature and beyond the reach of any creature. But if Satan can produce convincing counterfeits of even these, he can certainly produce counterfeits of things that are of an infinitely lower kind. And experience makes it abundantly clear that false humiliations and false submissions do exist, just as false comforts do. Consider how far Saul was brought — wicked man and proud spirit that he was. Though he was a great king, he was led — under conviction of his sin — to fall down, weeping aloud, before David his own subject (whom he had long hated and openly treated as an enemy), and to condemn himself before him, crying out, 'You are more righteous than I. You have treated me well, whereas I have treated you badly' (1 Samuel 24:16-17). At another time he cried, 'I have sinned. I have played the fool. I have erred greatly' (1 Samuel 26:21). And yet Saul seems to have had very little genuine influence of the Spirit of God at that time — for it was after God's Spirit had already departed from him and given him up, and an evil spirit had begun to trouble him. If this proud king, in a surge of feeling, was brought to humble himself so deeply before a subject he hated and continued to treat as an enemy, then surely there can be appearances of great conviction and humiliation before God in people who remain His enemies at heart and may continue so to the end. People who are terrified by fear of hell often appear to have been thoroughly stripped of confidence in their own righteousness — yet they have not truly been stripped of it in every way. They may have given up some ways of trusting in their own righteousness, while clinging to others that are more hidden and subtle. What often passes for humiliation is really just discouragement about certain things they used to rely on. And what is called submission to God is not genuine, unconditional surrender — it has some secret negotiation embedded in it that is difficult to detect.

Second, if the operations and effects of the Spirit of God in the convictions and comforts of true converts can be imitated, then their order can also be imitated. If Satan can counterfeit the things themselves, he can easily arrange them in a particular sequence. If he can produce A, B, and C, it is just as easy for him to put A first, then B, then C, as to arrange them in any other order. The nature of divine things is harder for Satan to imitate than their sequence. He cannot perfectly duplicate the inner nature of divine operations — though his counterfeits may look very similar from the outside — but he can perfectly replicate their order. When producing counterfeits, no divine power is required to arrange them in a particular sequence. Therefore, no particular order or method of operations and experiences is a certain sign of their being from God. Only what Satan cannot do — what no power short of divine could bring about — can be trusted as certain evidence of grace.

Third, we have no certain rule for determining how far God's own Spirit may go in operations and convictions that are not in themselves spiritual and saving — while the person who experiences them is never actually converted but falls short of salvation in the end. There is no necessary connection in the nature of things between anything a natural person may experience while still in a state of nature and the saving grace of God's Spirit. And if there is no connection in the nature of things, then there can be no known and certain connection at all, unless it has been revealed by God. But God has revealed no certain connection between a state of salvation and anything a natural person can experience before believing in Christ. God has revealed no guaranteed connection between salvation and any human qualification, except grace itself and its fruits. Therefore we do not find any legal convictions, or comforts following those convictions, in any particular method or order, ever mentioned in Scripture as certain signs of grace or as experiences unique to the saints. We do find gracious operations and effects themselves mentioned as such signs — thousands of times. This should be sufficient for Christians who are willing to let God's Word, rather than their own reasoning and experiences and guesses, be their sure and sufficient guide in matters of this kind.

Fourth, experience strongly confirms that a person appearing to have convictions and comforts following one another in the method and order often seen in true converts is no certain sign of grace. I appeal to all ministers in this land who have had extensive experience dealing with souls during the recent remarkable season of awakening: have there not been many who did not turn out well, who nevertheless gave a fine account of their experiences and appeared to be converted by the book — that is, with convictions and affections following distinctly and precisely in the order and method that has typically been described as the pattern of the Spirit's operations in conversion?

Just as appearing to follow the distinct steps and method commonly seen in true converts is no certain sign of genuine conversion, so the absence of that pattern is no evidence that a person is not converted. It can be demonstrated from Scripture that a sinner cannot genuinely receive Christ as Savior without being convicted of his sin and misery, his own emptiness and helplessness, and his just desert of eternal condemnation. These convictions must therefore be implied in some way in what is wrought in the soul. But nothing proves that all these things must be worked out in the soul in a series of clearly distinct, separate, observable steps — each one plain and visible — in every genuinely converted person. On the contrary, as Thomas Shepard observed, sometimes the change made in a believer at the first work of grace is like a confused chaos — the person simply cannot make sense of what is happening in them. The manner in which the Spirit proceeds in those who are born of the Spirit is often deeply mysterious and untraceable. We can hear, as it were, the sound of the wind — the effects are visible — but no one can tell where it came from or where it is going. It is often as difficult to trace the Spirit's way in the new birth as in the natural birth (Ecclesiastes 11:5): 'Just as you do not know the path of the wind and how bones are formed in the womb of the pregnant woman, so you do not know the activity of God who makes all things.' The implanting of a principle of grace in the soul is compared in Scripture to the conception of Christ in the womb (Galatians 4:19). This is why the church is called Christ's mother (Song of Solomon 3:11), and every individual believer as well (Matthew 12:49-50). The conception of Christ in the womb of the virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit appears to be a designed parallel to the conception of Christ in the soul of a believer by the power of that same Spirit. And we cannot trace the Spirit's way, or know how the life grows, whether in the womb or in the heart that conceives this holy new life. The new creature may use the words of Psalm 139:14-15: 'I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret.' Concerning the generation of Christ — both in His own person and in the hearts of His people — it may be said as in Isaiah 53:8: 'Who can declare His generation?' We do not know the works of God who makes all things. It is God's glory to conceal a matter (Proverbs 25:2), and to have His paths in the mighty waters where His footsteps cannot be traced. This is especially true of His works in the Spirit's operations on the hearts of people, which are the highest of all His works. Therefore it is written (Isaiah 40:13): 'Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord, or as His counselor has taught Him?' It is to be feared that some have gone too far in trying to direct the Spirit of the Lord — mapping out His footsteps and limiting Him to certain fixed steps and methods. Experience plainly shows that the Spirit is unsearchable and untraceable in His method of working in some of the best of Christians during their conversion. Nor does the Spirit follow a particular established scheme, in clearly discernible steps, anywhere near as often as people imagine. A preconceived scheme of what must happen — already received and established by common opinion — has a vast and largely unnoticed influence in shaping how people understand and describe the steps and method of their own experience. I know well how this works, having had much opportunity to observe it. Very often at first, people's experiences look like a confused chaos, as Shepard puts it. But then those parts of their experience that most closely resemble the particular steps being insisted upon are selected out and focused on. These are dwelt upon in their thoughts, and these are the parts told and retold in the account they give. These elements grow brighter and clearer in their minds over time, while what does not fit the scheme grows more obscure and is quietly set aside. What they have experienced is unconsciously adjusted until it conforms to the accepted pattern. And it becomes natural for ministers who insist on distinctness and clarity of method to do the same when dealing with those under their care. Yet so much of the Spirit's work has been observable in recent times that those who have dealt extensively with souls — and are not blinded by thick layers of prejudice — must recognize that the Spirit is so remarkably varied in how He operates that in many cases it is simply impossible to trace His way.

What we must principally attend to, in examining our own state or in guiding others, is the nature of the effect God has brought about in the soul. As for the steps the Spirit took to produce that effect, we may leave those to Him. Scripture repeatedly tells us to examine ourselves by the nature of the fruits of the Spirit — never by the Spirit's method of producing them. Many make a serious mistake in their understanding of what a clear work of conversion looks like. They call a work clear when the successive steps and method of experience are clear. But the truly clearest work is not where the order of what was done is most visible — it is where the spiritual and divine nature of the work itself, and the effect produced, is most clearly seen.

Ninth sign that proves nothing: religious affections lead a person to spend much time in religious activities and to be zealously engaged in the outward duties of worship.

It has been entirely unreasonably used, in recent times, as an argument against the religious affections some have experienced — that they spend so much time in reading, praying, singing, hearing sermons, and the like. Scripture plainly shows that true grace tends to cause people to delight greatly in such religious exercises. True grace had this effect on Anna the prophetess (Luke 2:37): 'She never left the temple, serving night and day with fasting and prayers.' Grace had this effect on the early Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 2:46-47): 'Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God.' Grace made Daniel delight in the duty of prayer and led him to observe it faithfully three times a day, as it also did David (Psalm 55:17): 'Evening and morning and at noon, I will complain and murmur, and He will hear my voice.' Grace makes the saints delight in singing praises to God (Psalm 135:3): 'Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing praises to His name, for it is lovely.' And Psalm 147:1: 'Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant and praise is beautiful.' Grace also causes them to delight in hearing God's Word preached, making the gospel a joyful sound to them (Psalm 89:15), and making beautiful the feet of those who announce the good news (Isaiah 52:7): 'How lovely on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news.' It makes them love God's public worship (Psalm 26:8): 'O Lord, I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells.' And Psalm 27:4: 'One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: 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 meditate in His temple.' And Psalm 84:1-2, 10: 'How lovely are Your dwelling places, O Lord of hosts! My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the Lord... a day in Your courts is better than a thousand outside.'

This is the nature of true grace. But on the other hand, a person being inclined to be abundantly and zealously engaged in the outward exercises of religion, spending much time in them, is no certain evidence of grace — because such a disposition is found in many who have no grace. So it was with the Israelites of old, whose worship was detestable to God: they attended new moons, Sabbaths, and appointed assemblies, spread out their hands, and offered many prayers (Isaiah 1:12-15). So it was with the Pharisees: they made long prayers and fasted twice a week. False religion can cause people to pray loudly and earnestly (Isaiah 58:4): 'You shall not fast as you do today, making your voice heard on high.' Religion that is not spiritual and saving can cause people to delight in religious duties and ordinances (Isaiah 58:2): 'Yet they seek Me day by day and delight to know My ways, as a nation that has done righteousness and has not forsaken the ordinance of their God. They ask Me for just decisions; they delight in the nearness of God.' It can cause delight in hearing the Word of God preached, as with Ezekiel's hearers (Ezekiel 33:31-32): 'They come to you as people come, and sit before you as My people and hear your words, but they do not do them, for they do the lustful desires expressed by their mouth, and their heart goes after their gain. Behold, you are to them like a sensual song by one who has a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument; for they hear your words but they do not practice them.' So it was with Herod, who 'used to enjoy listening to' John the Baptist (Mark 6:20). So it was with others of John's hearers who 'were willing to rejoice for a while in his light' (John 5:35). And so the stony-ground hearers 'received the word with joy' (Matthew 13:20).

Experience shows that people motivated by false religion may be inclined to be extraordinarily active in the outward exercises of religion — even giving themselves over to them and devoting almost their entire time to them. A type of person was once very common in the Roman Catholic Church, known as recluses, who forsook the world and completely abandoned human society, shutting themselves in a small cell with a vow never to leave it or see another human face (except in case of illness), spending all their days in devotional exercises and communion with God. There were also in ancient times great numbers of people known as hermits and anchorites who left the world to spend all their days in remote deserts, giving themselves over to religious contemplation and devotional practice — some with no shelter but the caves and vaults of mountains, and no food but what the earth produced on its own. I once lived for many months next door to a Jewish man — the houses sharing a wall — and had extensive opportunity to observe him daily. He appeared to me to be the most devout person I had ever seen in my life, spending a great part of his time in acts of devotion at his east-facing window which opened next to mine, appearing intensely engaged — not only throughout the day, but sometimes through entire nights.

Tenth sign that proves nothing: religious affections strongly incline people to praise and glorify God with their mouths. This is implied in what was just observed about abundant engagement in the outward exercises of religion, and was hinted at earlier. But because many seem to regard it as a bright mark of gracious affection when a person is greatly disposed to praise and magnify God — when their mouth is full of His praises and they earnestly call on others to extol and glorify Him — this deserves more specific attention.

No Christian will use this disposition as an argument against a person. Nor can it reasonably be treated as evidence in a person's favor — given what has already been observed and shown: that people without grace may have strong affections toward God and Christ, that these strong affections tend to fill their mouths and incline them to speak much and very earnestly about what moves them, and that every kind of gracious affection has its counterfeits. It becomes even more evident that this is no certain sign of grace when we consider the examples Scripture gives of graceless people doing the very same thing. We often encounter this among the crowd that was present when Christ preached and worked miracles (Mark 2:12): 'And he got up and immediately picked up the pallet and went out in the sight of everyone, so that they were all amazed and were glorifying God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this."' Similarly in Matthew 9:8 and Luke 5:26. Also Matthew 15:31: 'So the crowd marveled as they saw the mute speaking, the crippled restored, and the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.' When Christ raised the son of the widow of Nain, Luke 7:16 tells us: 'Fear gripped them all, and they began glorifying God, saying, "A great prophet has arisen among us!" and, "God has visited His people!"' We also read of people glorifying Christ and speaking of Him in the highest terms (Luke 4:15): 'He was teaching in their synagogues and was praised by all.' And how the crowds praised Him with loud voices crying, 'Hosanna to the Son of David, Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord' — this just before He was crucified! After Christ's ascension, when the apostles healed the lame man, we read that 'all the people were glorifying God for what had happened' (Acts 4:21). When the Gentiles in Pisidian Antioch heard from Paul and Barnabas that God would set aside the Jews and bring the Gentiles in their place, they were moved by this kindness of God toward the Gentiles and glorified the word of the Lord. But not all who did so were true believers — only a certain number among them, as the account makes clear (Acts 13:48): 'When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.' Long before this, the Israelites at the Red Sea sang His praises — and then quickly forgot His works. And Scripture even foretells that false professors and actual enemies of true religion will show eagerness to glorify God (Isaiah 66:5): 'Hear the word of the Lord, you who tremble at His word: "Your brothers who hate you, who exclude you for My name's sake, have said, "Let the Lord be glorified, so that we may see your joy.""'

It is also no certain sign that a person has been genuinely affected by grace if, in the midst of their hope and comfort, they are greatly moved by God's undeserved kindness to one so unworthy as themselves, and seem to magnify and extol grace. People who still harbor unmortified pride and enmity against God may, when they imagine they have received extraordinary favor from God, cry out about their own unworthiness and magnify God's undeserved goodness — from no deeper sense of their guilt and from no higher principle than Saul had. Saul still harbored unbroken pride and enmity against David, and yet he was brought — though a king — to acknowledge his sin, crying out, 'I have played the fool, I have erred greatly,' and with great feeling and admiration to magnify David's undeserved and remarkable kindness to him (1 Samuel 24:16-19; 26:21). And from no higher principle than that which moved Nebuchadnezzar when he was affected by God's dealings with him — praising, exalting, and honoring the King of heaven, both he and Darius calling on all nations to praise God (Daniel 3:28-30; 4:1-3, 34-35, 37; 6:25-27).

Eleventh sign that proves nothing: affections make the person who has them intensely confident that what they are experiencing is divine and that their spiritual state is good.

Some argue against a person on the grounds that they must be deluded if they claim to be assured of their good spiritual state, carried beyond all doubting of God's favor. They hold that there is no such thing to be expected in the church of God as a full and absolute assurance of hope — except perhaps in extraordinary circumstances, such as when facing martyrdom. This view stands against the doctrine of Protestants as maintained by their most celebrated writers against the Catholics, and against the plain testimony of Scripture. It is clear that assurance was common among the saints described in Scripture. God revealed and confirmed His special favor in the plainest and most certain terms to Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Daniel, and others. Job speaks of his own sincerity and uprightness with the greatest imaginable confidence, repeatedly calling on God to witness to it, and says plainly: 'As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth. Even after my skin is destroyed, yet from my flesh I shall see God; whom I myself shall behold' (Job 19:25-27). David throughout the Psalms speaks almost everywhere without hesitation and in the most direct way of God as his God — glorying in Him as his portion and heritage, his rock and confidence, his shield, salvation, and stronghold, and the like. Hezekiah appeals to God as one who knew that he had walked before Him in truth and with a wholehearted commitment (2 Kings 20:3). In His final conversation with the eleven disciples — recorded in John 14, 15, and 16, and serving as something like Christ's last will and testament to His disciples and to His whole church — Jesus repeatedly declares His special and everlasting love for them in the plainest and most positive terms. He promises them a future share in His glory in the most absolute terms, and He tells them He does so in order that their joy may be full (John 15:11): 'These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.' And at the close of that whole discourse (John 16:33): 'These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.' Christ was not afraid of speaking too plainly and directly to them. He had no desire to leave them in the slightest uncertainty. He concluded that last discourse with a prayer offered in their presence, in which He spoke definitively to His Father about all eleven disciples — that they had all come to saving knowledge of Him, believed in Him, received and kept His word, that they were not of the world, that He had sanctified Himself for their sake, and that His will was for them to be with Him in His glory. He said He spoke these things in His prayer so that His joy might be made complete in them (verse 13). From all this it is evident that it is consistent with Christ's purposes and His ongoing ordering of things in His church that abundant and sufficient provision should be made for His saints to have full assurance of their future glory.

The apostle Paul speaks throughout all his letters in an assured tone — always positively of his special relationship to Christ his Lord, Master, and Redeemer, and of his confident expectation of the future reward. The passages that could be cited are too many to count; I will mention just three or four. Galatians 2:20: 'Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.' Philippians 1:21: 'For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.' 2 Timothy 1:12: 'I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.' 2 Timothy 4:7-8: 'I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day.'

The nature of the covenant of grace, and God's stated purposes in its design and arrangement, plainly show that it is God's intention to make full provision for the saints to have assured hope of eternal life while living here on earth. Everything in that covenant is ordered and arranged so that everything might be made certain on God's part. The covenant is ordered in all things and is sure. The promises are very full and repeatedly given, presented in many forms, confirmed by many witnesses and many seals, and God has confirmed His promises with an oath. God's stated purpose in all of this is that the heirs of the promises might have an unshaken hope and full joy in assurance of their future glory (Hebrews 6:17-18): 'In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us.' But all of this would be pointless for the purpose of the saints' strong consolation and hope of future glory, if a person could not ordinarily come to know their own interest in those promises. For no matter how certain God's promises and oaths may be, they cannot produce strong hope and comfort in any particular person beyond what that person can know of their own share in them. And all the provision made in Jesus Christ for believers to be perfect in conscience — as indicated in Hebrews 9:9 — would be in vain if assurance of freedom from the guilt of sin could not actually be obtained.

It further appears that assurance is not only attainable in extraordinary cases, since all Christians are directed to give every effort to make their calling and election sure, and are shown how they may do so (2 Peter 1:5-8). It is spoken of as something very unbecoming of Christians — evidence of something genuinely wrong — not to know whether Christ is in them (2 Corinthians 13:5): 'Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you — unless indeed you fail the test?' It is also implied that it reflects seriously blameworthy negligence for a Christian to live the Christian life in a way that leaves the reward uncertain (1 Corinthians 9:26): 'Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim.' And beyond all this, it is clear that Christians knowing their own interest in the saving benefits of Christianity is something ordinarily attainable, because the apostles tell us by what means Christians — not only apostles and martyrs — typically came to know this (1 Corinthians 2:12): 'Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God.' And 1 John 2:3: 'By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.' Verse 5: 'By this we know that we are in Him.' 1 John 3:14: 'We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren.' Verse 19: 'By this we shall know that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him.' Verse 24: 'We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.' So also 1 John 4:13; 5:2; and verse 19.

It is therefore very unreasonable to conclude that people are hypocrites and their affections wrong simply because they appear to have no doubt about their own salvation and the affections they experience seem to have driven out all fear of hell.

On the other hand, it is no sufficient reason to conclude that people are genuine believers and their affections gracious simply because those affections are accompanied by intense confidence that their state is good and their affections divine. Nothing can be certainly concluded from such confidence, no matter how great or strong it appears. If we see a man who boldly addresses God as his Father, who commonly speaks in the most bold, familiar, and claiming language in prayer — 'My Father, my dear Redeemer, my sweet Savior, my Beloved' — and who habitually makes the most confident assertions before others about the goodness of his state: 'I know certainly that God is my Father; I know as surely as there is a God in heaven that He is my God; I know I will go to heaven as well as if I were there; I know that God is now manifesting Himself to my soul and smiling upon me' — and who appears to have settled the question of his own spiritual state once for all, treating it as beyond doubt, and who despises anyone who so much as suggests there might be reason for doubt or self-examination — none of this is any sign at all that things actually are as he is so confident they are. This kind of overbearing, forceful, and aggressive confidence — which loves to put itself on display before others with the most glaring show — does not have the character of true Christian assurance. It has more the spirit of the Pharisees, who never doubted they were saints — indeed, the most distinguished of saints — and who boldly approached God and lifted their eyes to thank Him for the great distinction He had placed between them and other men. When Christ suggested they were blind and graceless, they dismissed the idea (John 9:40): 'Those of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things and said to Him, "We are not blind too, are we?"' If they had had more of the spirit of the tax collector alongside their confidence — who, in a deep sense of his own unworthiness, stood far off, would not even lift his eyes toward heaven, but beat his breast and cried out that he was a sinner — their confidence would have looked far more like the confidence of one who humbly trusts and hopes in Christ and has no confidence in himself.

When we consider what the hearts of natural people are — what principles rule them, what blindness and self-deception, what self-flattery, self-promotion, and self-confidence reign there — we need not be at all surprised that their high opinion of themselves and confidence in their happy condition can be as immovable as mountains and as fierce as a storm. This is what happens once conscience is blinded and conviction silenced by false and heightened affections, and those self-regarding principles are let loose, fed, and stirred up by false joys and comforts — excited by pleasing imaginations impressed by Satan, who disguises himself as an angel of light.

Once a hypocrite is settled in a false hope, he does not face those things that often cause genuine believers to question their hope. First, he does not have the cautious spirit of the true believer, the deep sense of how much depends on having a solid foundation, or the dread of being deceived. True comfort increases alertness and care in a true believer, along with a vivid awareness of how weighty a thing it is to stand before an infinitely holy, just, and all-knowing Judge. But false comfort puts an end to all these things and deeply dulls the mind. Second, the hypocrite does not know his own spiritual blindness or the deceitfulness of his own heart, and he does not have the lowly view of his own understanding that a true believer has. Those who are deceived by false spiritual experiences and affections are consistently proud of their spiritual insight and understanding. Third, Satan does not attack the hypocrite's hope as he attacks the hope of a true believer. Satan is a great enemy to genuine Christian hope — not only because it greatly comforts the one who has it, but because it is something holy and heavenly by nature, tending powerfully to cultivate and strengthen grace in the heart and motivate serious and diligent Christian living. But he is no enemy to the hypocrite's hope, which above all other things secures his grip on the one who holds it. A hypocrite may maintain his hope without opposition for as long as he lives — Satan never disturbing it or attempting to disturb it. But there is perhaps no true Christian whose hope Satan does not attack. Satan assaulted Christ Himself on this very point — whether He was the Son of God. The servant is not above his master, nor the disciple above his Lord. It is enough for the most privileged disciple to be treated as his master was. Fourth, the person with a false hope does not have the same sight of his own corruption that the true believer has. A true Christian has ten times more to deal with regarding his own heart and its corruptions than a hypocrite does. The sins of his heart and life appear to him in their darkness — they look dreadful — and it often seems a profound mystery that any grace could exist alongside such corruption, or be found in such a heart. But false hope conceals corruption and covers it over completely, so that the hypocrite looks clean and bright in his own eyes.

There are two kinds of hypocrites. The first are those deceived by their outward morality and external religion — many of whom are committed Arminians in their doctrine of justification. The second are those deceived by false spiritual experiences and elevated states — who often speak against human effort and self-righteousness, and talk much about free grace, while at the same time making a righteousness out of their spiritual experiences and their sense of humiliation, using these to lift themselves to heaven. Thomas Shepard, in his exposition of the parable of the ten virgins, distinguishes these two kinds as legal and evangelical hypocrites, and often speaks of the latter as the worse of the two. And it is clearly the case that the latter are typically far more confident in their hope and far more resistant to being disabused of it. I have scarcely known in my life of an instance where such a person was undeceived. The chief basis for many of their confidence is the very same kind of impressions and supposed revelations — sometimes accompanied by scripture texts, sometimes not — that many people have recently had concerning future events. They call these impressions about their spiritual state the witness of the Spirit, entirely misunderstanding what the witness of the Spirit actually is, as I will explain later. Those who have had visions and impressions about other things have generally received them about things they intensely desired. It is no wonder that people who give weight to such things have the same kind of impressions about their own eternal salvation — revealing to them that their sins are forgiven, that their names are written in the book of life, that they stand in high favor with God — especially when they eagerly seek, expect, and wait for evidence of their election and salvation through this means, as the surest and most glorious evidence available. Nor is it any wonder that when they receive such a supposed revelation about their spiritual state, it raises their confidence to the highest degree. Experience abundantly confirms that those who are led astray by impressions and imagined revelations are extremely confident. They believe the great God Himself has declared these things to them, and since they have His immediate testimony, total confidence appears to them the highest virtue. So they boldly say, 'I know this or that — I know it certainly — I am as sure as that I exist,' and the like, and they dismiss all argument or examination. Above all, it is easy to understand why impressions and impulses about something so pleasing, so flattering to their self-love and pride — such as being God's dear children, specially distinguished from most of the world in His favor — would make them intensely confident, especially when combined with high affections that they regard as the most eminent exercises of grace. I have known of several people who had an intense desire for something of a temporal nature — driven by a passionate longing — who pursued what they wanted through great difficulty and many discouraging setbacks, and finally received an impression or supposed revelation that they would obtain what they sought. They treated this as a sure promise from God Most High, which made them foolishly and stubbornly confident against all rational evidence to the contrary and all circumstances working against them. There is nothing preventing people who are seeking their salvation from being deceived by the very same kind of delusive impressions, and from being made just as confident in the same way.

The confidence of many of this kind of hypocrite — what Shepard calls evangelical hypocrites — is like the confidence of certain delusional people who believe they are kings. They will maintain it against all reason and evidence. In one sense, this confidence is far more unshakeable than a truly gracious assurance. A true assurance is sustained only by the soul being kept in a holy state and grace being actively exercised. If the exercises of grace decline significantly and the Christian falls into a spiritually dead state, he loses his assurance. But the confidence of the hypocrite is not shaken by sin. Some of them maintain their boldness and hope in the most corrupt and wicked conditions — which is itself a sure sign of their delusion.

I cannot help but observe here that there are certain doctrines often preached to people that need to be delivered with more care and explanation than they frequently receive. As many people understand them, these doctrines tend powerfully to reinforce the delusion and false confidence of hypocrites. The doctrines I have in mind are these: Christians living by faith, not by sight; giving glory to God by trusting Him in the dark; living on Christ rather than on their experiences; not making their good spiritual frames the foundation of their faith. These are excellent and important doctrines when rightly understood, but corrupt and destructive as many understand them. Scripture speaks of living or walking by faith and not by sight in only one sense: being governed by regard for eternal, unseen things that are the objects of faith, rather than by temporal, visible things — believing things revealed that we have never seen with physical eyes, and living by faith in the promise of things not yet received or seen, with no understanding of how they can come about. This is easily confirmed by any survey of the scriptures that contrast faith with sight, such as 2 Corinthians 4:18; 5:7; Hebrews 11:1, 8, 13, 17, 27, 29; Romans 8:24; John 20:29. But as many understand it, this doctrine means that Christians should firmly believe and trust in Christ without any spiritual sight or light — even while in a cold, dead spiritual state, currently having no spiritual experience or sense of God's presence. Certainly it is the duty of those in that darkness to come out of it and into light and believe. But to urge them to confidently trust in Christ while remaining without any spiritual light or sight is anti-scriptural and unreasonable. Scripture knows nothing of a faith in Christ — one that is truly the work of God — that is not grounded in a spiritual sight of Christ. The faith in Christ that accompanies a title to everlasting life involves 'looking to the Son and believing in Him' (John 6:40). True faith in Christ is never exercised beyond the degree to which a person 'beholds as in a mirror the glory of the Lord' and has 'the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ' (2 Corinthians 3:18; 4:6). Those in whose minds 'the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God' does not shine — they do not believe (2 Corinthians 4:4). Faith without spiritual light is not the faith of children of light and of the day — it is the presumption of children of darkness. Therefore, pressing people to believe without any spiritual light or sight works powerfully to advance the delusions of the prince of darkness. People not only cannot exercise faith without some spiritual light — they can exercise faith only in exact proportion to the spiritual light they have. People will trust God no further than they know Him, and they cannot exercise faith in Him one degree beyond the measure in which they see His fullness and faithfulness in active experience. Nor can they exercise trust in God any further than they are in a gracious spiritual state. Those who are in a cold and carnal condition ought indeed to trust God — because doing so would be the very same thing as coming out of that condition and turning to God. But to exhort people to confidently trust in God and so hold on to their hope and peace while they remain in an ungracious state is effectively to exhort them to trust in God without a gracious trust. And what is that but wicked presumption? It is just as impossible for people to have a strong and living trust in God when they have no lively exercises of grace and no conscious Christian experience, as it is to be in the lively exercise of grace without actually exercising grace.

It is true that it is the duty of God's people to trust in Him when in darkness — and to continue trusting even while remaining in a certain kind of darkness. Specifically, they ought to trust God when His providential dealings are dark and appear as though He has forsaken them, when He seems not to answer their prayers, when many threatening circumstances surround them and seem about to overwhelm them, when all events seem to work against them and all circumstances make it hard to see how His promises can possibly be fulfilled. In these situations, God must be trusted out of sight — that is, when we cannot see how He could fulfill His Word, when everything except His bare Word makes it look unlikely, so that believing requires hoping against hope. This is how the ancient patriarchs, Job, the psalmists, Jeremiah, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and the apostle Paul all gave glory to God by trusting Him in the dark. And we have many examples of this glorious, victorious faith in Hebrews 11. But how different a thing this is from trusting in God without spiritual sight, while at the same time being in a cold and worldly spiritual state!

There is also such a thing as spiritual light coming into the soul in one way when it is not present in another. Because of this, there is such a thing as saints trusting in God and knowing their good spiritual state even when lacking certain kinds of experience. For instance, they may have clear views of God's sufficiency and faithfulness, and so confidently trust in Him and know that they are His children — while at the same time not having the same clear and sweet sense of His love that they have at other times. This was true of Christ Himself in His final sufferings. They may also have views of much of God's sovereignty, holiness, and all-sufficiency that enable them to submit quietly to Him and exercise a sweet and deeply encouraging hope in God's fullness — even when they are not fully assured of their own good spiritual state. But how different these things are from confidently trusting in God without any spiritual light or experience!

Those who insist on people living by faith when they have no spiritual experience and are in very poor spiritual condition also hold badly confused notions of what faith is. What they mean by faith is believing that one is in a good spiritual state. As a result, they treat it as a dreadful sin for a person to doubt their own state, regardless of what spiritual condition they are in or what wicked things they may be doing — because they consider such doubt the great and heinous sin of unbelief. In their view, the best person and the one who honors God most is the one who maintains the most confident and unshakeable hope about his good spiritual state when he has the least light or experience — that is, when he is in the worst and most sinful condition — because this, they say, is a sign that he is strong in faith, giving glory to God, and hoping against hope. But from what Bible do they draw this idea that faith is a person's confident belief that he is in a good spiritual state? If that is faith, then the Pharisees possessed faith to an exceptional degree — some of whom Christ teaches committed the unpardonable sin against the Holy Spirit. Scripture presents faith as what brings a person into a good spiritual state. Therefore faith cannot be the same thing as believing that one is already in such a state. To suppose that faith consists in believing that one is in a good spiritual state is effectively the same as supposing that faith consists in believing that one has faith — believing that one believes.

It is true that doubting one's spiritual state may in several ways arise from unbelief. It may arise from unbelief in this sense: because a person has so little faith, they have so little evidence of their good spiritual state. If they had more experience of faith in action, and therefore more experience of grace actually being exercised, they would have clearer evidence that their state was good, and their doubts would be resolved. Doubting one's state may also arise from unbelief in this way: when, even though there are many things that give good evidence of a work of grace, a person still doubts greatly whether they are truly in a state of favor with God — because it is they, someone so unworthy who has done so much to provoke God's anger. In such a case their doubt arises from unbelief in that it arises from a failure to sufficiently grasp and rest on the infinite riches of God's grace and the sufficiency of Christ for the chief of sinners. Doubts may also arise from unbelief when a person doubts because of the mysterious nature of God's dealings with them and cannot reconcile those dealings with God's love for them. Or when they doubt whether they have any share in the promises, because circumstances make those promises look so unlikely to be fulfilled and the obstacles seem many and great. Such doubting arises from a failure to depend on God's almighty power and His wisdom and knowledge as infinitely above their own. Yet in all these cases, a person's unbelief and their doubting of their state are not the same thing — even though one arises from the other.

People may be genuinely at fault for doubting their spiritual state on the last-mentioned grounds — and they may be at fault for having so little grace and so little present exercise and experience of it to serve as evidence that their state is good. People are certainly to blame for falling into a cold and carnal spiritual condition. But when they are in such a condition, when they have no conscious experience of the exercises of grace — on the contrary, when they are very much under the power of their sinful desires and an unchristian spirit — they are not to blame for doubting their state. It is just as impossible in the nature of things for holy, Christian hope to be kept alive in its clarity and strength in such circumstances, as it is to keep a room lit when the candle has been extinguished, or to maintain bright sunshine in the air when the sun has gone down. Past spiritual experiences, when overshadowed by present prevailing sin and corruption, will never keep a gracious confidence and assurance alive — that assurance will weaken and fade just as inevitably as a child weakened by repeated blows to the head. Nor is it to be lamented that a person doubts their spiritual state in such circumstances. On the contrary, it is desirable and altogether fitting that they should. This is consistent with the wise and gracious arrangement God has established. God has so ordered things in His dealings with His people that when love decays and its exercises fail or weaken, fear arises — for in that condition they need it to restrain them from sin, to move them to care for their souls, and to stir up watchfulness and diligence in the Christian life. But God has also arranged that when love rises and is vigorously active, fear vanishes and is driven away — for then they do not need it, having a higher and more excellent principle at work to restrain them from sin and drive them in their duty. There are only two principles capable of producing a truly conscientious life in human nature: fear and love. If one does not increase as the other declines, God's people would, when falling into cold and carnal states — when love is asleep — be dangerously exposed. Therefore God has wisely ordained that these two opposite principles of love and fear should rise and fall like the two sides of a scale: when one rises, the other falls. As light and darkness necessarily and unavoidably alternate — if light prevails, darkness recedes by exactly that measure; if light fades, darkness gains by exactly that measure — so it is in the heart of a child of God. If divine love grows cold and sinful desire prevails, light and joy fade, and dark fear and doubt arise. If divine love prevails and becomes vigorously active, it brings the brightness of hope, and drives away sinful desire and fear along with it. Love is the spirit of adoption — the childlike principle. If it slumbers, people fall under fear, which is the spirit of bondage, the legal principle — and the reverse is also true. And if the spirit of adoption is carried to a great height, it completely drives away all fear and produces full assurance, in keeping with the apostle's words (1 John 4:18): 'There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear.' These two opposing principles of sinful desire and holy love produce hope and fear in God's children's hearts in proportion to how much each prevails — when left to their own natural influence, without something external or unusual interfering, such as an affliction of melancholy, ignorance, prejudices from upbringing, wrong teaching, or particular temptations, and so on.

Fear is driven out by the Spirit of God in no other way than by love prevailing, and it is never sustained by His Spirit when love is asleep. In such a time, all the believer's self-examination and dwelling on past experiences in order to restore peace and gain assurance will be in vain. For it is contrary to the nature of things, as God has constituted them, that a person should have assurance at such a time.

Those who exhort others to be confident in their hope while in spiritual darkness — under the idea of living by faith and not by sight, trusting God in the dark, and living on Christ rather than on experiences — and who warn them not to doubt their spiritual state lest they commit the dreadful sin of unbelief, directly work against God's wise and gracious constitution of things. This approach tends to establish the most presumptuous hypocrites in their delusion and to prevent them from ever examining their state — no matter how much wickedness rages and rules in their hearts and prevails in their lives — under the notion that they are honoring God by hoping against hope and trusting in Him when things look very dark. The harm done in this way has undoubtedly been immense.

People cannot be said to be living on their experiences rather than on Christ and His grace simply because they use those experiences as evidence. Those experiences are, in fact, the only evidence they have. But they may properly be said to live on their experiences when they make a righteousness of them — when, instead of keeping their eyes on God's glory and Christ's excellence, they turn their eyes inward onto themselves, entertaining their minds by contemplating their own spiritual attainments, their high experiences, and the remarkable things they have encountered. In this state they are bright and beautiful in their own eyes, feeling rich and well-supplied, believing that God esteems them as admiringly as they esteem themselves. This is living on experiences rather than on Christ, and it is more abominable in God's sight than the gross immorality of those who make no pretense of religion at all. But this is a very different thing from simply using one's experiences as evidence of an interest in a glorious Redeemer.

But to return from this digression — let me mention one more thing under the general subject I have been addressing.

Twelfth sign that proves nothing: the outward expressions of affections, and the accounts people give of them, are very moving and pleasing to genuinely godly people and strongly win their approval and their hearts.

True believers do not possess a spirit of discernment so keen that they can reliably determine who is genuinely godly and who is not. Though they know from personal experience what true religion is in its internal exercises, those internal exercises are not something they can feel or see in another person's heart. What falls within their observation in others is only outward expressions and appearances. And Scripture plainly implies that this way of judging what is in a person by outward appearances is at best uncertain and prone to deception (1 Samuel 16:7): 'The Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.' And Isaiah 11:3: 'He will not judge by what His eyes see, nor make a decision by what His ears hear.' Those who are quick and decisive in pronouncing on the spiritual state of others — boasting of their unusual ability to discern and distinguish in these grave matters, as though everything were open and transparent to them — are commonly poor judges and dangerous advisors in matters of the soul. They reveal one of three things: either they have had very little experience, or they are people of weak judgment, or they have a high degree of pride and self-confidence, and therefore of self-ignorance. Wise and experienced people will proceed with great caution in such a matter.

When there are many signs of genuine piety in others, it is the duty of believers to receive them warmly into their fellowship, to love them and rejoice in them as brothers and sisters in Christ. Yet even the best of people can be deceived when the appearances seem exceedingly clear and bright — so much so as to completely win their approval and conquer their hearts. It has been common in the church of God throughout history for those who shine brightly as professors of faith, and who are received as eminent saints among the saints, to fall away and come to nothing. This should not surprise us, given what has already been observed about what can appear in people who are entirely without grace. All of these things can be present in a person together, and yet there may not be a spark of grace in their heart. They may have many different kinds of religious affections at once — a kind of affection toward God that closely resembles genuine love, a kind of love for fellow believers, great expressions of wonder at God's perfections and works, sorrow for sin, reverence, submission, self-abasement, gratitude, joy, religious longing, and zeal for the advancement of religion and the good of souls. These affections may come after great spiritual awakenings and conviction of conscience, with all the outward appearances of a genuine work of humbling. Counterfeit love and joy and other affections may seem to follow these and one another in exactly the same order commonly observable in the holy affections of true converts. These religious affections may be carried to a great height, producing abundant tears — even overwhelming the physical constitution of those who have them — and may make them warm, fervent, and freely expressive in speaking about the things of God, inclining them to speak about these things abundantly. They may come with many sweet scripture texts and precious promises brought with great force to the mind, and may incline them to praise and glorify God very fervently with their mouths, to call earnestly on others to praise Him, crying out about their own unworthiness and extolling free grace. They may further incline them to devote themselves generously to the outward duties of religion such as prayer, hearing the preached Word, singing, and religious conversation. And all of this may be accompanied by what looks strikingly like Christian assurance at its highest — when the saints mount up like eagles, above all darkness and doubt. I believe it has been made clear that all these things can be present, and yet there may be nothing beyond the common operations of the Spirit of God, combined with the delusions of Satan and the wicked and deceitful heart. I may add that all of these things may be accompanied by a pleasant natural temperament, a solid doctrinal knowledge of religion, a long familiarity with the way believers speak about their affections and experiences, and a natural skill in adapting their expressions and manner of speaking to the expectations and sensibilities of their hearers — along with a gracious and appealing way of speaking and behaving, shaped by a good upbringing. How great, then, may the outward resemblance be between a hypocrite and a true believer in all outward expressions and appearances! Surely it is the glorious privilege of the omniscient God, as the great searcher of hearts, to be able to separate the sheep from the goats. And what presumptuous arrogance it is for poor, fallible, limited human beings to claim they can determine who is truly sincere and upright before God, and who is not!

Many people place great weight on this and take it as a reliable way of judging others' genuine piety — not only when those others tell a plausible account, but specifically when, in describing their experiences, they speak in a way that is 'felt' by the listener: that is, when their account seems to resonate with the listener's own experience, when the listener's heart is touched, moved, and delighted by what they hear, and drawn out toward the speaker in warm love. But these signs do not carry the certainty or warrant that many suppose. A true believer greatly delights in holiness — it is a most beautiful thing to him. And God's work of savingly renewing and making holy and happy a poor, once-perishing soul appears to him as a most glorious work. No wonder, then, that his heart is touched and greatly moved when he hears another give a plausible account of this work having been done in his own heart, and when he sees in that person what appears to be the evidence of holiness — whether those pleasing appearances have any reality behind them or not. And if the person uses the same words commonly used to express the affections of true believers, and describes many things following one another in an order consistent with the experience of the one listening, and speaks freely and boldly and with an air of assurance — no wonder the listener thinks the experiences resonate with his own. And if, beyond all this, the person speaks with much warmth and affection in telling his account — and above all, if he shows great personal affection toward the very person he is speaking to, like the affection the Galatians showed toward the apostle Paul — these things will naturally have a powerful effect on the listener's heart and throw open the doors of his goodwill toward the speaker. David speaks as one who had felt Ahithophel's conversation and had once found a sweet savor and pleasure in it. This is why his surprise and grief when Ahithophel fell was so overwhelming — nearly more than he could bear (Psalm 55:12-14): 'For it is not an enemy who reproaches me, then I could bear it... But it is you, a man my equal, my companion and my familiar friend; we who had sweet fellowship together walked in the house of God in the throng.'

Those who profess religion — especially those who do so during a time of outpouring of God's Spirit — are like the blossoms in spring. There are vast numbers of them on the trees, and all of them look beautiful and full of promise. Yet a great many of them never become anything. Many of those that will, before long, wither up and fall off still look, for a time, just as lovely and bright as the ones that will bear fruit. Not only do they look the same, they even smell sweet and give off a pleasant fragrance, so that none of our senses can reliably tell apart the blossoms that carry the hidden life that will show itself in fruit, and that have the inward substance and strength that will enable them to bear under the hot summer sun that will dry up the others. It is the mature fruit that comes later — not the beautiful color and fragrance of the blossom — by which we must judge. Likewise, new converts in their talk about the things of religion may appear excellent and be very pleasing to hear, and believers may think they are speaking from genuine experience. They may find the talk deeply meaningful and imagine they perceive a divine quality in it — and yet it may all come to nothing.

It is remarkable how reluctant people are to be satisfied with the guidelines and directions Christ has given them, insisting instead on following other rules of their own devising that seem to them wiser and more reliable. I know of no directions Christ ever gave more plainly than the rule for judging others' sincerity — that we are to judge the tree chiefly by its fruit. But this will not satisfy people; other methods are invented that seem more discerning and certain. And the consequences of setting human wisdom above the wisdom of Christ have been deeply harmful. I believe many believers have gone far out of the path of Christ's Word in this regard, and some of them have been brought back to it only through severe and painful discipline. But many things that have appeared recently — and are appearing now — should convince us that, as a rule, those who have gone furthest in this direction, who have been most proud of their ability to discern, and who have been most quick, decisive, and sweeping in pronouncing on the spiritual state of others' souls, have been hypocrites who knew nothing of true religion.

In the parable of the wheat and weeds it says (Matthew 13:26): 'But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also.' This suggests, as John Flavel observes, that the weeds were not discernible or distinguishable from the wheat until that point. Flavel cites Jerome's observation that wheat and weeds are so alike until the wheat stalk produces the grain that it is next to impossible to tell them apart. Flavel then adds: however difficult it may be to distinguish wheat from weeds by sight, the eye can far more easily distinguish them than the sharpest human eye can distinguish between saving grace and common grace. For every saving grace in the true believer has its counterfeit in the hypocrite — counterfeits which even a spiritual and highly discerning eye can easily mistake for the genuine and saving effects of the sanctifying Spirit.

As it is the grain — the fruit — that distinguishes wheat from weeds, so this is the true test that the Judge standing at the passages of the Jordan uses to distinguish those who shall cross into the true Canaan from those who shall be slain at the crossing. The Hebrew word 'shibboleth' itself means an ear of grain. Perhaps the fuller pronunciation — 'Shibboleth' — by the friends of Jephthah represents a full, grain-bearing ear, picturing the fruit of the friends of Christ, the reality to which Jephthah pointed. And the thinner pronunciation — 'Sibboleth' — by the Ephraimites, his enemies, represents their empty ears, picturing the outward show of religion in hypocrites, without substance or fruit. This is consistent with the doctrine abundantly taught in Scripture: that He who judges those who pass through death — determining whether they have a right to enter the heavenly Canaan or whether they should be condemned — will judge every person according to his works.

We are taught the same thing by the guidelines given to the priests for discerning leprosy. In many cases it was impossible for the priest to determine from a single examination of the outward appearances whether a person had leprosy or was clean. He had to wait and observe what the appearance would become, shutting up the person who presented himself to him for one period of seven days after another. And when he made his final judgment, he determined by the hair growing out of the spot that had been shown to him — which was, in effect, the fruit that the spot produced.

Before I conclude this section, I want to address a strange notion that some people have recently been led into: the idea that they can certainly know the good spiritual state of another person because their love for that person flows out in an extraordinary way — as though this were a direct revelation from heaven. Their reasoning goes like this: since their love is so strong and tangible, it can be certainly known by those who feel it to be genuine Christian love. If it is genuine Christian love, the Spirit of God must be its author. Since the Spirit of God — who certainly knows whether others are children of God and who is a Spirit of truth — is pleased to cause their love to flow out in this exceptional way toward a particular person as a child of God, it must follow that this infallible Spirit, who never deceives, knows that person to be a child of God. But these people could be convinced of the error in their reasoning if they would simply consider whether it is not their duty — what God actually requires of them — to love as children of God those whom they have every visible reason to regard as children of God.

Even if God, who searches hearts, knows those persons not to be His children, loving them as such is still a duty for those who genuinely believe they are. If it is a duty, then it is good, and failing to do it is sin. Surely, therefore, the Spirit of God may be the author of it. The Spirit of God, without being a Spirit of falsehood, may in such a case help a person do their duty and keep them from sin. But they argue further from the exceptional degree and special quality of the way their love flows out, which they believe the Spirit of God would never produce unless He knew the object was a child of God. But then I ask them: is it not their duty to love all those they are bound to regard as children of God — from everything they can see in them — to a very great degree, even if God, who sees things they cannot see, knows them not to be so? It is people's duty to love all those they are bound in good conscience to regard as children of God with a far deeper affection than they usually do. Just as we ought to love Christ to the utmost capacity of our nature, so we are duty-bound to love those we believe to be as near and dear to Him as His own members — with an exceeding deep affection, as Christ has loved us. Therefore it is sin not to love them so. We ought to pray to God to keep us from sin by His Spirit and to enable us to do our duty. May not His Spirit answer those prayers and enable us to do our duty in a particular instance, without lying? If He cannot, then God's Spirit is prevented from helping His people do their duty in certain situations because He cannot do so without being a Spirit of falsehood. But surely God is sovereign enough to enable us to do our duty when He pleases and on whatever occasion He pleases. When people believe others to be God's children, God may have other purposes in causing their warm love to flow toward them besides confirming whether their assessment is correct. He may have the merciful purpose of enabling them to do their duty and keeping them from the dreadful evil of sin. And will they say God should be forbidden to show them that mercy in such a case? Suppose I am away from home and hear that during my absence my house has burned down, but that my family escaped the flames in some remarkable way — and everything about how the story reaches me makes it highly credible. It would be sin for me in that situation not to feel very great gratitude to God, even if the story turned out to be untrue. And is God not sovereign enough to show me that mercy in that situation — to enable me to do my duty to a much greater degree than I usually do — without being chargeable with deception for strengthening a false belief?

It is very clear that an error or mistaken belief may be the occasion of a gracious exercise, and consequently of a gracious influence of the Spirit of God, as Romans 14:6 shows: 'He who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God.' The apostle here is speaking about those who, because of mistaken and unnecessary scruples, avoided eating what they considered ceremonially unclean food. This makes it very evident that there can be genuine exercises of grace — a genuine regard for the Lord, and specifically genuine thankfulness — that are brought about through both an erroneous belief and an erroneous practice. Consequently, an error may be the occasion of truly holy exercises that are from the infallible Spirit of God. And if this is the case, it is certainly too much for us to determine to what degree the Spirit of God may produce such holy exercises even in connection with a mistaken belief.

This notion of being able to certainly know another person's spiritual state through love flowing out is not only without basis in reason or Scripture — it is contrary to Scripture. Scripture says nothing at all about judging another's spiritual state in this way, but directs us to judge chiefly by the fruits observable in them. It is also contrary to the clear teaching of Scripture, which plainly teaches that the spiritual state of another's soul toward God cannot be known by us (Revelation 2:17): 'To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.' And Romans 2:29: 'He is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.' That this final phrase — 'his praise is not from men, but from God' — refers to the inability of human beings to judge whether someone is inwardly a Jew (just as they could easily see from outward marks whether someone was outwardly a Jew), and means that it belongs to God alone to give a decisive verdict in this matter, is confirmed by the same apostle's use of this phrase in 1 Corinthians 4:5: 'Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men's hearts; and then each man's praise will come to him from God.' In the two verses before this, the apostle says: 'But to me it is a very small thing that I may be examined by you, or by any human court; in fact, I do not even examine myself. For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord.' This is further confirmed because the apostle in Romans 2 is addressing specifically those who had a high opinion of their own holiness, boasted in God, were confident in their own discernment, and were certain they knew God's will and could distinguish what was excellent (as the marginal reading has it, 'tested the things that differ') — those who were convinced they were guides of the blind and a light to those in darkness, instructors of the foolish and teachers of children, and who therefore took it upon themselves to judge others (Romans 2:1, 17-20).

And how arrogant is the notion of those who imagine they can certainly know another person's godliness, when even the great apostle Peter was content to say of Silvanus only that he was 'a faithful brother, as I consider him' (1 Peter 5:12). And yet this Silvanus appears to have been a very prominent minister of Christ, an evangelist, a well-known and shining light in God's church in those days, and an intimate companion of the apostles (2 Corinthians 1:19; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:1).

Part 2.

If anyone, on reading what has just been said, is ready to excuse himself and say, 'I am not one of those who have no religious affections — I am often greatly moved by the great things of religion,' let him not rest content merely with the fact that he has religious affections. For as was observed before, just as we ought not to reject and condemn all affections as though true religion did not consist in them at all, so on the other hand we ought not to approve of all, as though every person who was religiously moved therefore possessed true grace and was experiencing the saving work of God's Spirit. The right approach is to distinguish among religious affections, between one kind and another. So let us now endeavor to do that. To accomplish it, I would do two things.

First, I would note some things that are no signs one way or the other — neither proving that affections are the kind that true religion consists in, nor proving that they are not — so that we may be guarded against judging affections by false signs.

Second, I would observe some things in which affections that are spiritual and gracious differ from those that are not, and by which the genuine ones may be distinguished and recognized.

First, I would note some things that are no signs that affections are gracious, or that they are not.

First sign that proves nothing: religious affections are very intense or raised very high.

Some people are quick to condemn all high affections. If a person appears to have his religious affections raised to an extraordinary level, they are prejudiced against him and conclude that his experience is a delusion, without further inquiry. But if true religion lies very much in religious affections, as has been proved, then it follows that if there is a great deal of true religion, there will be great religious affections. If true religion in a person's heart is 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 that people ought not to love God and Jesus Christ in a high degree? And will any say that we ought not to have a very great hatred of sin and a very deep sorrow for it? Or that we ought not to exercise a high degree of gratitude to God for the mercies we receive from Him, and for the great things He has done for the salvation of fallen humanity? Or that we should not have very great and strong desires after God and holiness? Is there anyone who will claim that his affections in religion are already great enough — that he has no cause to be humbled that he is not more affected by the things of religion than he is, no reason to be ashamed that he has no greater love for God, sorrow for sin, and gratitude for the mercies he has received? Who is there who will give thanks to God that he is already affected enough by what he has read and heard of God's wonderful love — to sinners and rebels — in giving His only begotten Son to die for them, and of the dying love of Christ, and will pray that he may not be affected with these things to any higher degree, on the grounds that high affections are improper and unbecoming in Christians, being the mark of enthusiasm and ruinous to true religion?

Our text plainly speaks of great and high affections when it speaks of 'rejoicing with joy inexpressible and full of glory' — the most superlative expressions language can provide. And Scripture frequently calls us to exercise very high affections. The first and greatest commandment of the law piles up expressions, as though ordinary language were insufficient to express the degree to which we should love God: 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' So the saints are called to exercise high degrees of joy: 'Rejoice,' says Christ to His disciples, 'and be exceedingly glad' (Matthew 5:12). And Psalm 68:3: 'Let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God; yes, let them rejoice with gladness.' Similarly, throughout the Psalms the saints are repeatedly called to shout for joy, and in Luke 6:23, to leap for joy. They are also abundantly called 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, their souls magnifying the Lord, singing His praises, speaking of His wonderful works, declaring His deeds, and so on.

We find the most outstanding believers in Scripture often expressing high affections. The psalmist speaks of his love as though it were inexpressible (Psalm 119:97): 'Oh, how I love Your law!' He expresses a great degree of hatred of sin (Psalm 139:21-22): 'Do I not hate those who hate You, O Lord? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? I hate them with the utmost hatred.' He also expresses a high degree of sorrow for sin — speaking of his sin going over his head like a heavy burden too heavy for him, of his groaning all day long, of his vitality drained away like the heat of summer, and of his bones as though broken with sorrow. He often expresses great degrees of spiritual desire in some of the strongest language imaginable — his longing, his soul thirsting as in a dry and parched land where there is no water, his panting, his flesh and heart crying out, his soul breaking for the longing it has, and so on. He expresses the exercise of great and extreme grief for the sins of others. Psalm 119:136: 'My eyes shed streams of water, because they do not keep Your law.' And verse 53: 'Burning indignation has seized me because of the wicked, who forsake Your law.' He expresses high exercises of joy. Psalm 21:1: 'The king shall joy in Your strength, O Lord, and in Your salvation how greatly shall he rejoice.' Psalm 71:23: 'My lips will shout for joy when I sing praises to You.' Psalm 63:3-6: 'Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips will praise You. So I will bless You as long as I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth offers praises with joyful lips. When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches; for You have been my help, and in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy.'

The apostle Paul expresses high exercises of affection. He expresses the exercise of pity and concern for others' good, even to anguish of heart; a great, fervent, and abundant love; earnest and longing desires; and overflowing joy. He speaks of the conflicts and triumphs of his soul, his earnest expectation and hope, his abundant tears, and the travail of his soul in pity, grief, earnest desires, godly jealousy, and fervent zeal — in many of the places already cited, which I need not repeat. John the Baptist expressed great joy (John 3:29). The blessed women who had anointed Jesus's body are described as being in a very high exercise of religious affection when Christ rose from the dead (Matthew 28:8): 'And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy.'

It is repeatedly foretold about the church of God in her future seasons of blessing on earth that she will rejoice exceedingly (Psalm 89:15-16): 'They shall walk, O Lord, in the light of Your face; in Your name they shall rejoice all the day, and by Your righteousness they shall be exalted.' And: 'Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold, your King is coming to you.' The same is depicted in countless other passages. And because high degrees of joy are the proper and natural fruit of the gospel of Christ, the angel who proclaimed that gospel called it 'good news of great joy which will be for all the people.'

The saints and angels in heaven, where religion exists in its highest perfection, are powerfully affected by what they behold and contemplate of God's perfections and works. They are all like a pure, heavenly flame of fire in their love, and in the greatness and strength of their joy and gratitude. Their praises are described as 'the sound of many waters' and 'the sound of loud thunder.' The only reason their affections are so much greater than the holy affections of believers on earth is that they see the things they are affected by more according to their true nature, and their affections are more closely conformed to the nature of things. Therefore, if religious affections in people here below are of the same nature and kind as the angels' affections, the higher they are and the closer they approach that heavenly degree, the better — because they will then be so much more conformed to the truth, as the angels' affections are.

From all of this it is certainly clear that religious affections being at a very high degree is no evidence that they are not of the nature of true religion. Those who condemn people as fanatics merely because their affections are very high are therefore greatly mistaken.

On the other hand, it is no evidence that religious affections are spiritual and gracious simply because they are great. Scripture — our sure and infallible guide in judging such matters — makes it very clear that there are religious affections which are very high and yet are not spiritual or saving. The apostle Paul speaks of affections in the Galatians that had been exceedingly elevated, and yet he clearly speaks of them with fear that they had been empty and had come to nothing (Galatians 4:15): 'Where then is that sense of blessing you had? For I testify about you that, if possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.' And in verse 11 he tells them 'I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain.' The children of Israel were greatly affected by God's mercy to them when they saw His wonderful works at the Red Sea and sang His praise — though they soon forgot His works. They were greatly affected again at Mount Sinai when they saw the marvelous manifestations God made of Himself there, and seemed powerfully engaged in mind, eagerly answering when God proposed His holy covenant to them, saying, 'All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.' But how quickly did all that powerful eagerness and engaged affection come to an end? 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 great commotion when Jesus shortly after entered Jerusalem — greatly magnifying Christ, as though the ground were not good enough for the donkey He rode on to tread upon. They cut down palm branches and spread them in the road; they even pulled off their garments and spread them in the way. They cried with loud voices, 'Hosanna to the Son of David, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, Hosanna in the highest' — making the whole city ring and throwing everyone into a stir. We learn from the evangelist John that the reason the people made this commotion was because they were affected by the miracle of raising Lazarus (John 12:18). Such a vast multitude cried 'Hosanna' on this occasion that it led the Pharisees to say, 'Look, the world has gone after Him' (John 12:19) — yet Christ had at that time very few true disciples. And how quickly did all that commotion end? All of it was silenced and dead when this same Jesus stood bound, with a mock robe and a crown of thorns, to be mocked, spit upon, flogged, condemned, and executed. There was indeed a great and loud outcry about Him among the multitude then, just as before — but of a very different kind. It was not then 'Hosanna, Hosanna,' but 'Crucify, crucify.'

And all orthodox theologians agree that religious affections may be raised to a very high degree and yet contain nothing of true religion.

Second sign that proves nothing: religious affections have great effects on the body.

All affections whatsoever have, to some degree, an effect on the body. As was observed before, such is our nature, and such are the laws governing the union of soul and body, that the mind cannot have any lively or vigorous exercise without some effect upon the body. The body is so responsive to the mind, and the bodily fluids — especially the vital spirits — so closely attend the mind's movements and exercises, that there cannot even be an intense thought without some effect upon them. Indeed, it is questionable whether a soul in a body ever has a single thought or any exercise at all without some corresponding movement or change of movement, to some degree, in the fluids of some part of the body. But universal experience shows that the exercise of the affections has a particular tendency to produce some perceptible effect on the body. If this is so — that all affections have some bodily effect — then we may reasonably expect that the greater those affections are, and the more vigorous their exercise (other circumstances being equal), the greater the effect on the body will be. It is therefore not surprising that very great and strong exercises of the affections should have great effects on the body. And since there are very great affections of both the common and the spiritual kind, it is not surprising that great bodily effects should arise from both kinds of affections. Consequently, these bodily effects are no sign of which kind of affection produced them.

Great effects on the body are certainly no reliable evidence that affections are spiritual — for we see that such effects often arise from strong affections about ordinary, worldly things, when religion is not involved at all. If purely natural affections about earthly things can produce these effects, I know of no basis on which to conclude that high affections about religious things — arising in the same way from nature — cannot have similar effects.

Nor, on the other hand, do I know of any rule by which anyone could determine that gracious and holy affections — when raised as high as any natural affections and exercised with equal strength and vigor — cannot have a great effect on the body. No such rule can be derived from reason. I know of no reason why being affected by a vision of God's glory should not cause the body to faint, just as well as being affected by a sight of Solomon's glory. No such rule has ever been drawn from Scripture. None has been found in all the recent controversies about things of this nature. There is a great power in spiritual affections. We read of the power that works in Christians, of the Spirit of God being in them as a Spirit of power, and of the effective working of His power in them — yes, of the working of God's mighty power in them. Yet human nature is weak. Flesh and blood are described in Scripture as exceedingly weak — especially in its unfitness for great spiritual and heavenly exercises (Matthew 26:41; 1 Corinthians 15:43, 50). The text we are studying speaks of 'joy inexpressible and full of glory.' Given what human nature is like and what the affections are like, who can reasonably doubt that such inexpressible and glorious joys could be too great and powerful for weak, frail humanity — so as to be considerably overpowering to it? Scripture makes it clear that true divine revelations of God's glory, when given in great measure, have a tendency — by their effect on the mind — to overpower the body. Scripture teaches us repeatedly that if these visions were given to the degree they are given in heaven, the weak frame of the body could not survive it, and that no one can see God in that way and live. The knowledge the saints have of God's beauty and glory in this world, and the holy affections that arise from it, are of the same nature and kind as what the saints experience in heaven — differing only in degree and circumstances. What God gives them here is a foretaste of heavenly happiness and a pledge of their future inheritance. Who shall limit God in giving this pledge, or say He shall give only so much of the inheritance — only such a portion of the future reward as a pledge of the whole — and no more? And since God has taught us in His Word that the full reward is such that it would instantly destroy the body, is it not too bold for us to set boundaries on the sovereign God — to say that in giving the pledge of this reward in this world, He will never give so much of it as to even slightly diminish the strength of the body — when God has nowhere limited Himself in this way?

The psalmist, speaking of the intense religious affections he experienced, speaks of an effect in his flesh or body in addition to what was in his soul — expressly distinguishing the two, more than once (Psalm 84:2): 'My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.' Here is a clear distinction between the heart and the flesh, as both being affected. So also Psalm 63:1: 'My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.' Here again there is an evident and deliberate distinction between the soul and the flesh.

The prophet Habakkuk speaks of his body being overpowered by a sense of God's majesty (Habakkuk 3:16): 'I heard and my inward parts trembled, at the sound my lips quivered. Decay enters my bones, and in my place I tremble.' So the psalmist also speaks expressly of his flesh trembling (Psalm 119:120): 'My flesh trembles for fear of You.'

That such revelations of God's glory given in this world sometimes have a tendency to overpower the body is evident from Scripture, which records that this has actually happened when God made certain external manifestations of Himself to some of the saints — manifestations designed to give them a sense of His majesty and glory. We have such instances in the prophet Daniel and the apostle John. Daniel, describing an external representation of the glory of Christ, says (Daniel 10:8): 'So I was left alone and saw this great vision; yet no strength was left in me, for my natural color turned to a deathly pallor, and I retained no strength.' And the apostle John, describing a similar manifestation made to him, says (Revelation 1:17): 'When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man.' It is of no use to say that these were only outward signs or symbols of Christ's glory which these believers beheld. For while it is true that they were outward representations of Christ's glory seen with their eyes, the purpose of these outward symbols was to give these prophets a true apprehension of what was represented — namely, the true divine glory and majesty of Christ, which is His spiritual glory. These outward signs were used only as significations of that spiritual glory, and that is undoubtedly how the prophets received, understood, and were affected by them. In accordance with God's purpose in giving these outward signs, they received through them a great and vivid apprehension of the real glory and majesty of God's nature — and were so powerfully affected that their souls were overcome and their bodies overpowered. And I think those are very bold and reckless who would say that God cannot — or will not — give similarly clear and affecting apprehensions of that same real glory and majesty of His nature to any of His saints, without the use of such external signs.

Before I leave this point, I would further note that Scripture plainly and repeatedly uses bodily effects to express the intensity of holy and spiritual affections — such as trembling, groaning, being faint, crying out, panting, and fainting. Now if these are taken as merely figurative expressions representing the degree of affection, I trust everyone will grant that they are fitting and appropriate figures to represent the high degree of those spiritual affections that the Spirit of God uses them to express. But I do not see how they could be fitting figures if those spiritual affections — however high — had no tendency to produce any such effects, and if, on the contrary, these effects were actually the proper results and telltale signs of false affections and the deceptions of the devil. I cannot believe that God would routinely use things that are completely foreign to spiritual affections, and that are clear marks of the devil's handiwork and smelling strongly of the pit, as beautiful figures to represent the high degree of holy and heavenly affections.

Third sign that proves nothing: affections cause people to be fluent, fervent, and abundant in talking about the things of religion.

Many people, when they see this in others, are strongly prejudiced against them. The fact that a person is so full of religious talk is, to them, sufficient grounds to condemn him as a Pharisee or a pretentious hypocrite. On the other hand, many others, when they see this effect in someone, immediately and imprudently conclude that the person is a true child of God and under the saving influence of God's Spirit, and speak of it as strong evidence of a new creation. They say things like, 'His mouth is now open — he used to be slow to speak, but now he is full and free. He speaks openly about his heart and shares his experiences and declares the praises of God; it comes from him as freely as water from a fountain,' and the like. And they are especially convinced — in an entirely confident and unquestioning way — that a person has been savingly worked upon if he is not only free and abundant but also very affectionate and earnest in his talk.

But this reflects little judgment and narrow, short experience, as events abundantly show. It is a mistake people commonly fall into by trusting their own wisdom and discernment and making their own ideas their rule, instead of the holy Scripture. Although Scripture is full of rules both for how we should judge our own condition and how we should form opinions about others, there is nowhere in Scripture any rule by which to judge ourselves or others to be in a good spiritual state on the basis of this effect. For this is merely the religion of the mouth and tongue — what Scripture represents by the leaves of a tree. Though a tree should not be without them, leaves are never given in Scripture as evidence that the tree is good.

A person may be inclined to talk abundantly about religious things from a good cause or from a bad one. It may be because his heart is very full of holy affections — for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. And it may be because his heart is very full of religious affection that is not holy — for still, out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. It is very much the nature of affections — of whatever kind they are, and whatever objects they are exercised about — if they are strong, to move people to speak much about what they are affected with, and not only to speak much but to speak very earnestly and fervently. Therefore, a person's talking abundantly and very fervently about the things of religion can be evidence of no more than this: that he is very much affected with the things of religion. But this may be — as has already been shown — with no grace at all. What people are strongly affected with, while that strong affection lasts, they will be earnestly engaged about and will be likely to show that earnestness in their talk and behavior. This is how the greater part of the Jews in all Judea and Galilee responded for a time to John the Baptist's preaching and baptism, when they were willing for a season to rejoice in his light — a great commotion was made throughout the entire land, and among all sorts of people, about this great prophet and his ministry. In the same way, the multitudes often showed great earnestness and intense engagement in every outward expression concerning Christ and His preaching and miracles — being astonished at His teaching, joyfully receiving the Word, following Him sometimes night and day, forsaking food, drink, and sleep to hear Him; once following Him into the wilderness, fasting for three days on the way, to hear Him; sometimes praising Him to the skies, saying, 'Never did a man speak the way this man speaks!' — fervent and earnest in what they said. But what did all of this come to, in the case of most of them?

A person may be excessively full of talk about his own religious experiences — constantly bringing it up everywhere and in all company — and when this is the case, it is more of a dark sign than a good one. A tree that is excessively full of leaves seldom bears much fruit. And a cloud, though it appears very heavy and full of water, if it brings too much wind with it, seldom provides much rain to the dry and thirsty earth. This very thing the Holy Spirit is pleased to use several times as a picture of a great show of religion with the mouth without corresponding fruit in the life (Proverbs 25:14): 'Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of his gifts falsely.' And the apostle Jude, speaking of some in the early church who had crept in unnoticed among the saints and — making a great show of religion — had for a time gone unsuspected, says (Jude 4, 12): 'These are hidden reefs... clouds without water, carried along by winds.' And the apostle Peter, speaking of the same kind of people, says (2 Peter 2:17): 'These are springs without water and mists driven by a storm.'

False affections, if equally strong, are far more inclined to display themselves than true ones. This is because it is the nature of false religion to seek to be seen and noticed — as it was with the Pharisees.

Fourth sign that proves nothing: people did not produce the affections themselves or work them up by their own effort and planning.

Many people today condemn all affections that arise in a way their subjects cannot account for — that do not seem to be the result of their own efforts or the natural consequence of human faculties and principles in such circumstances and under such means — but rather seem to come from the influence of some outside, supernatural power on their minds. How greatly has the doctrine of the inward experience — or the perceptible sensing — of the immediate power and working of the Spirit of God been mocked and ridiculed by many in recent times. They say that the Spirit of God's way is to work silently, secretly, and imperceptibly alongside the use of means and our own efforts, so that there is no distinguishing by sense between the influences of the Spirit of God and the natural operations of our own minds' faculties.

It is true that expecting to receive the saving influences of the Spirit of God while neglecting the diligent use of the appointed means of grace is unreasonable presumption. And to expect the Spirit of God to work savingly on one's mind without the Spirit's using means as instruments to accomplish the effect is a form of enthusiasm. It is also undoubtedly true that the Spirit of God works in very varied ways and circumstances, and that sometimes He works in a more secret and gradual manner, beginning from smaller beginnings, than at other times.

But if there is indeed a power entirely different from and beyond human power, or the power of any means or instruments, and above the power of nature — which is required for the production of saving grace in the heart, as is generally professed — then it is in no way unreasonable to suppose that this effect would very often be produced in a manner that makes it very evident, apparent, and perceptible that it is so. If grace is indeed the result of the powerful and effective operation of an outside agent — a divine power acting from outside ourselves — why is it unreasonable to suppose it should seem to those who receive it to be exactly that? Is it a strange thing that it should appear to be as it is? When grace in the heart is truly not produced by human strength, nor by the natural power of our own faculties, nor by any means or instruments, but is genuinely the work and creation of the Spirit of the Almighty — is it strange and inexplicable that it should seem to those who experience it as consistent with truth rather than contrary to it? If people report effects they are aware of in their own minds that seem to them to come not from the natural power of their own minds but from the supernatural power of another agent, should this immediately be treated as certain evidence of delusion, simply because things appear to them as they actually are? For this is the very objection being made: it is treated as clear evidence that the perceptions and affections many people have are not from the cause they appear to be from — precisely because they appear to be from that cause. People declare that what they are conscious of seems evidently not to come from themselves but from the mighty power of the Spirit of God, and others condemn them on that basis, concluding that what they experience is not from the Spirit of God but from themselves or from the devil. This is how multitudes are being treated today by their neighbors — and it is entirely unreasonable.

If it is indeed the case — as Scripture abundantly teaches — that grace in the soul is so fully God's work that it is fittingly compared to the effects most remote from any strength in the subject, such as new birth, resurrection from the dead, and creation out of nothing, and that it is an effect in which the mighty power of God is greatly glorified and the surpassing greatness of His power is displayed — then what account can be given for why the Almighty, in so great a work of His power, should take care to conceal His power so thoroughly that the subjects of it can discern nothing of it? Or what reason or revelation does anyone have to conclude that He does so? If we judge by Scripture, this is not consistent with God's manner in His works and dealings — on the contrary, God's pattern in the great works of His power and mercy for His people is to order things so that His hand is visible, His power conspicuous, and people's dependence on Him unmistakable, so that no human being should boast before Him, that God alone might be exalted, that the surpassing power might be of God and not of man, that Christ's power might be made evident in human weakness, and that no one might say, 'My own hand has saved me.' So it was in most of the great temporal deliverances God worked for Israel of old, which were pictures of the salvation of God's people from their spiritual enemies. So it was in the redemption of Israel from Egyptian bondage — He redeemed them with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, and to make His power all the more conspicuous, He first allowed Israel to be brought into the most helpless and desperate circumstances. So it was in the great deliverance through Gideon — God required the army to be reduced to a handful, armed with nothing but trumpets, torches, and clay jars. So it was in the deliverance of Israel from Goliath — by a young man with a sling and a stone. So it was in the great work of calling the Gentiles and converting the pagan world after Christ's ascension — after the world's wisdom had failed to know God, and all the efforts of philosophers had proved useless for many generations to reform the world, and it had become abundantly clear that the world was utterly helpless apart from the mighty power of God. And so it was in most of the conversions of individual people recorded in the New Testament — they were not worked on in that silent, secret, gradual, and imperceptible manner now insisted upon, but with clear signs of a supernatural power, remarkably and suddenly causing a great change, which in these days is regarded as certain proof of delusion and fanaticism.

The apostle in Ephesians 1:18-19 speaks of God's enlightening the minds of Christians and bringing them to believe in Christ, to the end that 'they might know' the surpassing greatness of His power toward those who believe. The words are: 'the eyes of your heart having been enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might.' When the apostle speaks of believers being subjects of God's power — in their enlightening and effectual calling — to the end that they might know what His mighty power is toward those who believe, he can only mean that they might know it by experience. But if the saints know this power by experience, then they feel it, perceive it, and are conscious of it — as something sensibly distinct from the natural operations of their own minds. This is incompatible with the notion that God operates so secretly and imperceptibly that those who are subjects of it cannot perceive themselves to be under any outside power at all — except perhaps by reasoning it out from Scripture statements, which is a very different thing from knowing it by experience.

It is therefore very unreasonable and unscriptural to conclude that affections are not from the gracious work of God's Spirit simply because those who have them are perceptibly aware that the affections did not arise from themselves.

On the other hand, it is no evidence that affections are gracious simply because a person did not deliberately produce them — because they arose in a way the person cannot explain.

Some people use this as an argument in their own favor when describing what they have experienced. They say things like: 'I am sure I did not make it myself. It was not the result of any planning or effort on my part. It came when I was thinking of nothing like it. Even if I wanted to, I could not make it happen again on demand.' From this they conclude that what they experienced must be from the mighty influence of God's Spirit and must be saving in nature. But this conclusion is ignorant and without foundation. What they experienced may indeed not have come from themselves directly — it may have come from some invisible agent, some spirit other than their own. But it does not follow that it was from the Spirit of God. There are spirits besides the Holy Spirit who influence human minds. We are told not to believe every spirit, but to test the spirits to see whether they are from God. There are many false spirits, extremely active among people, who often disguise themselves as angels of light and in many remarkable ways — with great subtlety and power — imitate the operations of the Spirit of God. Many of Satan's operations are very clearly distinguishable from the voluntary workings of a person's own mind. This is true in the dreadful, horrifying suggestions and blasphemous thoughts he injects into many people, and in the groundless fears and terrors he authors. Satan's power can be just as immediate and evident in producing false comforts and joys as in producing terrors and horrible suggestions — and often is. It is not within human power to put oneself into the kind of raptures that the Anabaptists in Germany and many other raving enthusiasts like them experienced.

Beyond this, it must also be considered that a person may receive impressions on their mind that they did not produce themselves and that did not come from an evil spirit — they may come from the Spirit of God — and yet be only common, non-saving operations of the Spirit rather than saving ones. The subjects of such impressions may be among those described in Hebrews 6:4-5 — those who were enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, shared in the Holy Spirit, and tasted the good Word of God and the powers of the age to come — and yet may be entirely without the things that accompany salvation, mentioned in verse 9.

And in cases where neither a good nor an evil spirit has any direct involvement, persons — especially those with a weak or highly impressionable constitution, with a brain that is easily susceptible to impressions — may have strange perceptions, vivid imaginations, and strong accompanying affections that arise in unexplained ways without being voluntarily produced. We observe that such people are prone to these kinds of impressions about ordinary, earthly things, and there is equal reason to expect it can happen regarding spiritual things. Just as a sleeping person has dreams they did not deliberately produce, so many such persons, in a similar way, may experience involuntary impressions even while awake.

Fifth sign that proves nothing: religious affections come with scripture texts that are brought powerfully to mind.

It is no evidence against affections being gracious that they were occasioned by scriptures coming to mind — provided it is the scripture itself, or the truth the scripture contains and teaches, that is the basis of the affection, and not merely the sudden or unusual way in which the text arrived.

On the other hand, it is also no evidence that affections are gracious simply because they arose when a scripture text came suddenly and powerfully to mind — whether those affections are fear, hope, joy, sorrow, or anything else. Some people treat this as strong evidence that their affections are saving — especially when the affections produced are pleasant ones like hope or joy. They will mention it as proof that everything is right: 'My experience came with the Word,' they say, and they will add, 'Such and such wonderful promises were brought to my mind: They came suddenly, as though they were being spoken directly to me. I had no part in bringing that text to mind. I was not thinking of anything that would lead to it. It came all at once and caught me off guard.' 'I had not thought of it for a long time beforehand. At first I did not even know it was scripture. I could not remember ever having read it.' And they may add: 'One scripture came flowing in after another — texts from all over the Bible, the sweetest and most fitting texts imaginable, one after another — until I was as full as I could be. I could not help but stand in wonder. Tears flowed. I was full of joy and could no longer doubt.' And from all this they conclude they have undeniable evidence that their affections must be from God, must be of the right kind, and that their spiritual state must be good. But they have no grounds for this conclusion at all. Where did they find the rule that says: if affections or experiences arise alongside comforting scripture promises that came to mind unbidden — or if a series of sweet texts flows through the mind one after another — this is certain evidence that the experiences are saving? Where in the Bible — the only sure guide in matters of this kind — is any such rule found?

What deceives many less careful and thoughtful people in this matter seems to be this: Scripture is the Word of God, and there is nothing wrong in it — it is pure and perfect. Therefore, they reason, experiences that come from scripture must be right. But what must be considered is this: affections may arise on the occasion of scripture coming to mind without actually flowing from scripture as its genuine fruit through a right use of it. They may instead arise from an abuse of it. All that can legitimately be argued from the purity and perfection of God's Word regarding religious experience is this: experiences that are consistent with God's Word are right and cannot be otherwise. It does not follow that affections must be right simply because they arose on the occasion of a scripture text coming to mind.

What evidence is there that Satan cannot bring scripture texts to a person's mind and misapply them for deception? This does not seem to exceed Satan's power at all. There is no reason to think that bringing words or sounds to a person's mind requires omnipotence. If Satan has the power to bring any words or sounds to the mind at all, he may have the power to bring words that happen to be in the Bible. No greater power is required to produce the sounds of a scripture text in the mind than to produce the sounds of an idle story or song. So the same power in Satan that can revive one kind of words in the mind is sufficient to revive the other. The fact that those words carry a different meaning — which depends entirely on convention — does not change his ability to produce or revive the sounds. Or will anyone suppose that scripture texts are so sacred that Satan would not dare to misuse them? That too is a mistake. The one who was bold enough to seize Christ Himself — carrying Him into the wilderness, to a high mountain, and to the pinnacle of the temple — is not afraid to touch the Scripture and abuse it for his own ends. He demonstrated this very boldness at the same time: during the temptation of Christ, he quoted scripture after scripture to deceive and tempt Him. If Satan dared, and was permitted, to bring scripture texts to the mind of Christ Himself in order to tempt Him, what reason do we have to conclude that he will not dare, or will not be permitted, to bring scripture texts to the minds of sinful people to tempt and deceive them? And if he can misuse one scripture text, he can misuse any other. The fact that it is an excellent passage — a comforting and precious promise — does not limit his courage or ability. If he can bring one comforting text to mind, he can bring a thousand. He can select exactly those scriptures best suited to serve his purposes, and he can heap up promise after promise — which, twisted by his false application, will work wonderfully to silence rising doubts and confirm the false joy and assurance of a poor, deceived sinner.

We know that Satan's instruments — corrupt and heretical teachers — do pervert the scripture to the damnation of themselves and others (2 Peter 3:16). They have free use of scripture in every part of it. There is no text so precious and sacred that they are not permitted to abuse it to the eternal ruin of multitudes of souls. And there are no weapons they wield with more destructive effect. There is no reason to conclude that Satan is not permitted to use scripture in the same way his instruments do. For when they do it, they act as his instruments and servants, driven by his instigation and influence. Without question, he does himself what he instigates others to do. Satan's servants simply follow their master and carry out the same work he performs himself.

Just as Satan can abuse scripture to deceive and destroy people, so can a person's own sinfulness and corruption. Sin in the human heart acts like its father. People's own hearts are deceptive like the devil, and use the same means to deceive.

It is therefore clear that a person may have intense affections of hope and joy that arise when scripture texts — even precious promises — come suddenly and powerfully to mind as though spoken directly to them, and that one text may follow another in a remarkable chain, and yet all of this may be no evidence whatsoever that these affections are divine or that they are anything other than the effects of Satan's delusions.

I would further note that a person may have heightened and joyful affections that come along with God's Word — and not only alongside it but genuinely arising from it — and yet those affections may be neither from Satan nor from the corruption of their own heart, but from some influence of the Spirit of God working through the Word, and yet have nothing of true and saving religion in them. The stony-ground hearers in the parable had great joy from the Word — joy that is depicted as springing up from the Word just as growth springs from a seed. In their outward appearance, their affections closely resembled the growth depicted on the good ground, with no difference visible until it was revealed by what happened in a time of trial. And yet there was no saving religion in those affections.

Sixth sign that proves nothing: religious affections have the appearance of love.

No professing Christian claims that the presence of love is an argument against the genuineness of religious affections. Some, however, believe that the appearance of love is good evidence that affections are from the sanctifying and saving influence of the Holy Spirit. Their reasoning is that Satan cannot love — that this affection is directly contrary to his nature, which is enmity and malice. It is true that nothing is more excellent, heavenly, and divine than a spirit of genuine Christian love toward God and people. It surpasses knowledge, prophecy, miracles, and speaking with the tongues of men and angels. It is the chief of the Spirit's graces, the life, essence, and sum of all true religion — and the quality by which we are most conformed to heaven and most contrary to hell and the devil. But it is poor reasoning to conclude from this that love has no counterfeits. The more excellent a thing is, the more counterfeits there will be of it. There are far more counterfeits of silver and gold than of iron and copper. There are many false diamonds and rubies, but who bothers to counterfeit common stones? The more excellent something is, the harder it is to duplicate its true inner nature and value — yet the more numerous the counterfeits will be, and the more art and cunning will be devoted to copying its outward appearance. This is why the greatest danger of fraud is in buying the most excellent medicines — even though they are hardest to replicate in true virtue, and even though their counterfeits are worthless when you get them. So it is with Christian virtues and graces. Satan's subtlety and the deceptive power of the human heart are most active in counterfeiting those virtues held in the highest regard. Perhaps no graces have more counterfeits than love and humility — for these are the virtues in which the beauty of a true Christian is most clearly seen.

With respect to love specifically, Scripture makes it plain that a person may have a kind of religious love and yet have no saving grace. Christ speaks of many professing Christians whose love will not last and who will therefore fail to be saved (Matthew 24:12-13): 'Because lawlessness will increase, most people's love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.' The final words plainly show that those whose love does not endure to the end, but grows cold, will not be saved.

A person may seem to love God and Christ — even with strong and intense affection — and yet have no grace. This was clearly the case with many graceless Jews: those who praised Christ so highly, following Him day and night without food, drink, or sleep; those who said, 'Lord, I will follow You wherever You go'; and those who cried, 'Hosanna to the Son of David.'

The apostle Paul seems to suggest that there were many in his day who had a counterfeit love to Christ, in Ephesians 6:24: 'Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love.' The word translated 'sincerity' in some versions actually means 'incorruption' in the original language. This shows that Paul was aware that many had a kind of love for Christ that was not pure and spiritual.

Similarly, Christian love toward God's people can be counterfeited. Scripture makes it clear that there may be strong affections of this kind without saving grace — as was the case with the Galatians toward the apostle Paul, when they were ready to tear out their own eyes and give them to him, though Paul expressed his fear that their affections had come to nothing and that he had labored over them in vain (Galatians 4:11, 15).

Seventh sign that proves nothing: a person has many different kinds of religious affections occurring together.

Though false religion tends to be incomplete and distorted — lacking the wholeness and symmetry found in true religion — there can still be a great variety of false affections occurring together that closely resemble gracious affections.

It is clear that counterfeits exist for every kind of gracious affection. There are counterfeits of love to God and love to fellow believers, as just noted. There are counterfeits of godly sorrow for sin — as seen in Pharaoh, Saul, Ahab, and the Israelites in the wilderness (Exodus 9:27; 1 Samuel 24:16-17; 26:21; 1 Kings 21:27; Numbers 14:39-40). There are counterfeits of the fear of God — as in the Samaritans, who feared the Lord while still serving their own gods at the same time (2 Kings 17:32-33). And those enemies of God described in Psalm 66:3 who, through the greatness of God's power, submit themselves to Him — or, as the Hebrew puts it, lie to Him — offering counterfeit reverence and submission. There are counterfeits of gracious gratitude, as in the Israelites who sang God's praises at the Red Sea (Psalm 106:12), and in Naaman the Syrian after his miraculous healing from leprosy (2 Kings 5:15), and so on.

There are counterfeits of spiritual joy, as seen in the stony-ground hearers (Matthew 13:20) and especially many of John the Baptist's hearers (John 5:35). There are counterfeits of zeal, as in Jehu (2 Kings 10:16), in Paul before his conversion (Galatians 1:14; Philippians 3:6), and in the unbelieving Jews (Acts 22:3; Romans 10:2). Graceless people may also have intense religious desires, like Balaam's desires — expressed when he had an extraordinary vision of the blessed state of God's people as distinct from all others in the world (Numbers 23:9-10). They may also have a strong hope of eternal life, as the Pharisees had.

People in a state of nature are capable of resembling every kind of religious affection — and nothing prevents them from having many of them at the same time. Experience abundantly confirms that this is very often the case. It seems to be a common pattern that when false affections are stirred up to a high degree, many of them appear together. The crowd that accompanied Christ into Jerusalem after the miracle of raising Lazarus appears to have been moved by many religious affections at once, all at a high pitch. They seemed filled with wonder, and showed what appeared to be a high degree of love, and displayed great reverence by laying their garments on the ground for Christ to walk on, and showed great gratitude for the good works He had done — praising Him with loud voices for His salvation — and expressed earnest desires for the coming of God's kingdom, which they expected Jesus was about to establish, showing great hope and elevated expectation of its immediate appearance. They were filled with joy, which animated their acclamations and made the noise ring throughout the entire city, and showed great zeal and eagerness to accompany Jesus and assist Him without delay — now at the time of the great feast of the Passover — as He set up His kingdom. It is easy to understand from human nature and the nature of the affections why, when one affection is raised very high, it tends to stir up others — especially if the affection first raised is counterfeit love, as it was with the crowd who cried 'Hosanna.' Counterfeit love will naturally draw many other affections along with it. As noted earlier, love is the chief of the affections, the source from which the others flow. Consider a person who has been in great distress and terror for some time, afraid of hell, his heart worn down by anguish and dreadful thoughts, standing on the edge of despair — and then is suddenly delivered, through some delusion of Satan, by being made firmly to believe that God has pardoned him and received him as a beloved object, and has promised him eternal life. Perhaps this comes through some vision or a vivid image that suddenly arises in his mind — a person with a beautiful face, smiling at him, arms open, with blood dripping down — which he takes to be Christ, with no genuine enlightening of the understanding to perceive Christ's spiritual excellence and fullness, and no true grasp of the way of salvation revealed in the gospel. Or perhaps it comes through some voice or words that seem to be spoken to him, such as: 'Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven,' or 'Do not be afraid; it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom' — which he takes to be the immediate voice of God, even though there was no genuine prior acceptance of Christ or closing of the heart with Him. If we suppose such a case, what a rush of passions would crowd into such a person's mind, all at once or in rapid succession? It can be explained entirely by natural principles that such a person's heart, in those circumstances, would soar to the heights with transports of joy, and would be filled with fervent affection toward the imaginary God or Redeemer he believes has rescued him from the dreadful destruction he so feared and has received him with special tenderness as a favored one. It is natural that he would now be filled with wonder and gratitude, that his mouth would be open and full of talk about his experience, that for a time he would think and speak of almost nothing else, that he would seem to magnify the God who has done so much for him, call on others to rejoice with him, appear with a cheerful face, and speak with a loud voice. And though before his supposed deliverance he was full of complaints against God's justice, now it would come easily for him to submit to God, acknowledge his unworthiness, cry out against himself, appear humble before God, and lie at His feet as quiet as a lamb. He would confess his unworthiness and cry out, 'Why me? Why me?' — much like Saul, who when Samuel told him God had appointed him king answered, 'Am I not a Benjamite, from the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and is not my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak to me like this?' — language very similar to that of David, a true saint (2 Samuel 7:18): 'Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that You have brought me this far?' Nor is it surprising that such a person would delight in being around those who affirm and applaud his happy condition, that he would love all who esteem and admire him and his experiences, that he would have intense zeal against all who would minimize such things, that he would be inclined to openly separate from and declare war on all who are not of his party, and would glory in his sufferings, be quick to condemn and censure all who seem to doubt or question these things, and — while the warmth of his affections lasts — would be extremely eager to work hard, deny himself, and promote the cause of those who favor such things, zealously trying to increase their number — just as the Pharisees crossed sea and land to make a single convert. And I could go on and mention many more things that would naturally arise in such circumstances. Anyone who thinks such responses cannot arise in this way without any supernatural divine power has given very little thought to human nature.

Just as all Christian affections flow from genuine divine love, in the same way other false affections naturally flow from counterfeit love. In both cases, love is the source and the other affections are the streams that flow from it. The various faculties, principles, and affections of human nature are like many channels from a single fountain. If the water in the fountain is pure, pure water flows through all those channels. If the water is poisoned, then poisoned streams flow out through all of them. The channels themselves look the same in either case — the great difference lies in the nature of the water. Or consider a different image: human nature is like a tree with many branches growing from one root. If the sap in the root is good, good sap flows through all the branches, and the fruit produced is wholesome. If the sap in the root is poisonous, the same is true throughout the branches, and the fruit is deadly. The two trees may look exactly alike in shape, but the difference is discovered only when you eat the fruit. This is how it often is — at least in some measure — between true believers and hypocrites. There is sometimes a striking similarity between true and false religious experiences, in their outward appearance and in what the people who have them say and report. The difference is much like the difference between the dreams of Pharaoh's chief cupbearer and his chief baker. The two dreams seemed very much alike — so much so that when Joseph interpreted the cupbearer's dream as meaning he would be released from prison and restored to the king's favor and his honored position in the palace, the baker was filled with hope and expectation and told his dream as well. But he was terribly disappointed. Though his dream appeared so similar to the favorable, well-promising dream of his companion, the outcome was entirely opposite.

Eighth sign that proves nothing: comforts and joys seem to follow spiritual awakening and conviction of conscience in a particular order.

Many people are prejudiced against affections and experiences that come in a particular sequence that many ministers have emphasized: first, awakening, fear, and solemn apprehensions of judgment; then a humbling sense of total sinfulness and helplessness; and then, light and comfort. They regard all such descriptions of a fixed sequence or set of steps as human inventions. In particular, when high affections of joy follow severe distress and terror, many treat this as an argument against those affections. But these prejudices and objections have no basis in reason or Scripture. Surely it is not unreasonable to suppose that before God delivers a person from a state of sin and exposure to eternal destruction, He would give that person some meaningful sense of the evil from which they are being rescued. This way, deliverance is experienced consciously — the person understands their own salvation and knows something of what God has done for them. Saved people move through two very different states: first, a state of condemnation, and then a state of justification and blessing. Since God deals with people according to their rational, intelligent nature, it seems entirely reasonable — and consistent with God's wisdom — that saved people would be in these two states in a way they are conscious of. First, that they would consciously experience being in a state of condemnation, in a condition of real misery and dreadful danger; and then afterward, that they would consciously experience being in a state of deliverance and happiness. First, they should be fully aware of their absolute need; and afterward, of Christ's sufficiency and God's mercy through Him.

Scripture makes it abundantly clear that God's way of dealing with people is to lead them into a wilderness before He speaks comfort to them — to arrange things so that they are brought into distress, made to see their own helplessness and absolute dependence on His power and grace, before He acts to deliver them. God's time to relent for His people comes when their strength is gone and they have no one left, when they see that their false gods cannot help them and that the rock they trusted is worthless (Deuteronomy 32:36-37). Before God delivered the Israelites out of Egypt, He prepared them by letting them see they were in a desperate situation, and they cried out to God because of their hard bondage (Exodus 2:23; 5:19). Before God worked the great deliverance at the Red Sea, they were brought into extreme distress: the wilderness had shut them in, they could not turn right or left, the Red Sea was before them, and the vast Egyptian army was behind them. They were brought to see they could do nothing to save themselves — that if God did not act, they would be immediately destroyed. Then God appeared and turned their cries into songs. Before they were brought into their rest and enjoyed the abundance of Canaan, God led them through a great and terrible wilderness to humble them, teach them what was in their hearts, and so do them good in the end (Deuteronomy 8:2, 16). The woman who had suffered from a hemorrhage for twelve years was not healed until she had first spent everything she had on earthly physicians and could not be cured by any of them — left helpless, with nothing more to spend. Then she came to the great Physician, without money or price, and was healed by Him (Luke 8:43-44). Before Christ granted the request of the Canaanite woman, He first appeared to refuse her entirely, humbled her, and brought her to acknowledge that she was no better than a dog. Then He showed her mercy and received her as a dear child (Matthew 15:22, and following). The apostle Paul, before a remarkable deliverance, was pressed beyond measure, beyond strength, to the point of despairing of life itself — but he had the sentence of death in himself so that he would not trust in himself but in God who raises the dead (2 Corinthians 1:8-10). There was first a great storm; the ship was covered with waves and about to sink, and the disciples were brought to cry out, 'Lord, save us! We are perishing!' — and then the wind and sea were rebuked and there was a great calm (Matthew 8:24-26). The leper, before being cleansed, had his mouth covered and was required to acknowledge his great misery and total uncleanness by tearing his clothes and crying, 'Unclean! Unclean!' (Leviticus 13:45). And backsliding Israel, before God heals them, is brought to acknowledge that they have sinned and not obeyed the Lord's voice — to see that they lie down in their shame, that confusion covers them, that salvation hoped for from hills and mountains is in vain, and that God alone can save them (Jeremiah 3:23-25). Joseph, who was sold by his brothers and in this was a picture of Christ, brought his brothers into great anxiety and distress, led them to reflect on their sin and admit, 'We are truly guilty' — and finally to surrender themselves entirely into his hands as servants. Then he revealed himself to them as their brother and their savior.

When we consider the extraordinary manifestations God made of Himself to the saints of old, we find that He consistently appeared first in a terrifying way, and then in ways that brought comfort. So it was with Abraham: first a horror of great darkness fell upon him, and then God revealed Himself to him in sweet promises (Genesis 15:12-13). So it was with Moses at Mount Sinai: God first appeared to him in all the terrors of His dreadful majesty, so that Moses said, 'I am full of fear and trembling' — and then He made all His goodness pass before him and proclaimed His name: 'The Lord God, gracious and merciful,' and so on. So it was with Elijah: first a stormy wind, an earthquake, and consuming fire, and then a still, small, gentle voice (1 Kings 19). So it was with Daniel: he first saw Christ's face like lightning, which terrified him and caused him to faint — and then he was strengthened and refreshed with comforting words: 'O Daniel, you who are greatly loved' (Daniel 10). So it was with the apostle John (Revelation 1). There is a consistent pattern observable in God's dealings and the deliverances He works for His people, and in the manifestations He makes of Himself to them, both in the ordinary and the extraordinary.

But many passages of Scripture more directly show that this is God's ordinary way of working salvation in people's souls — in the way He reveals Himself and His mercy in Christ through the ordinary work of His grace on sinners' hearts. The servant who owed his king ten thousand talents is first held to his debt: the king pronounces judgment against him and orders him to be sold, along with his wife and children, to make payment. In this way the king humbles him and brings him to acknowledge the full justice of the debt — and then forgives him everything. The prodigal son spends everything, is brought to see himself in desperate circumstances, humbles himself, and acknowledges his unworthiness — before his father runs to him, welcomes him, and celebrates (Luke 15). Old, deep wounds must be probed to the bottom in order to heal. Scripture compares sin to such a wound of the soul, and speaks of healing this wound without probing it as vain and deceptive (Jeremiah 8:11). Christ, in the work of His grace on people's hearts, is compared to rain on mown grass — grass cut down by a scythe (Psalm 72:6) — a picture of His refreshing, comforting influence on the wounded spirit. After our first parents sinned, God first confronted them with the terror of His majesty and justice, and set their sin before them with all its gravity, before relieving them with the promise of the seed of the woman. Christians are described as those who have 'fled for refuge to take hold of the hope set before them' (Hebrews 6:18) — language that implies great fear and a sense of danger coming first. Similarly, Christ is called 'a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in a dry country, like the shade of a great rock in a parched land' (Isaiah 32:2). And it seems to be the natural meaning of the word 'gospel' — good news — that it is news of deliverance and salvation coming after great fear and distress. There is every reason to believe that God deals with individual believers the way He dealt with His church: He first made her hear His voice in the law, with thunders and lightning, and kept her under that schoolmaster to prepare her for Christ — and then comforted her with the joyful sound of the gospel from Mount Zion. Likewise, John the Baptist came to prepare the way for Christ and to prepare people's hearts to receive Him — by confronting them with their sins and stripping the self-righteous Jews of their confidence in their own righteousness, telling them they were a generation of vipers and showing them the danger of the wrath to come, saying that the ax was already laid at the root of the trees, and so on.

If it is indeed God's pattern — as the foregoing considerations clearly show it is — to give people a meaningful sense of the greatness and dreadfulness of sin and their wretched condition before He gives them the comfort of deliverance, then surely it is not unreasonable to suppose that people under such convictions will often experience great distress and terrible apprehensions of mind. This is especially so when we consider what these evils actually are: great and many sins committed against the infinite majesty of the great God, and the prospect of enduring the full fury of His wrath for eternity. And it is even less surprising when we have clear examples in Scripture of people who were brought into extreme distress by such convictions before receiving saving comfort — as the crowd in Jerusalem who were 'cut to the heart' and said to Peter and the other apostles, 'Brothers, what shall we do?' And the apostle Paul, who trembled and was astonished before he was comforted. And the jailer, who called for a light, rushed in trembling, fell down before Paul and Silas, and said, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?'

From all this it is clear that it is very unreasonable for professing Christians to treat the comfortable and joyful affections of others as suspect simply because they followed the kind of solemn conviction and distress that has been described.

On the other hand, it is also no evidence that comforts and joys are genuine simply because they follow intense terror and terrifying fears of hell. Some people place great weight on this — treating severe terror as evidence of a deep work of the law in the heart, which they believe properly prepares the way for genuine comfort. But they fail to distinguish between terror and genuine conviction of conscience. Though conviction of conscience often produces terror, the two are not the same thing — and terror often arises from other causes. Genuine conviction of conscience, through the influence of God's Spirit, consists in a real sense of the sinfulness of one's heart and life, and of the dreadfulness of sin as committed against a God of terrible majesty, infinite holiness, deep hatred of sin, and strict justice in punishing it. But some people have terrifying visions of hell — a dreadful pit ready to swallow them up, flames about to seize them, devils all around ready to take them — while at the same time showing very little genuine enlightening of conscience that actually convinces them of their sinfulness in heart and life. Satan, if permitted, can terrify people just as powerfully as the Spirit of God can. It is work that comes naturally to him, and he has many ways of doing it in ways that lead to no good. He may terrify people intensely by impressing on their minds vivid images: a frowning face, a drawn sword, black clouds of vengeance, words of awful doom being pronounced, hell gaping open, devils approaching — not to bring people to genuine conviction of things that are true and revealed in God's Word, but to lead them to false and groundless conclusions, such as that their time has passed, that they are reprobate, that God is implacable, that He has decided to cut them off immediately, and the like.

The terrors some people experience are also largely due to their particular temperament and physical constitution. It is obvious that some people are so constituted that their imaginations are more powerfully impressed by whatever affects them than others. The impression on the imagination stirs up the affections, which in turn heighten the imagination further, and so imagination and affection act back and forth on each other until the affection is raised to an enormous height, and the person is completely overwhelmed and loses all self-control.

Some people speak of having a great sight of their own wickedness, when on careful examination they turn out to have little or no genuine conviction of conscience. They talk about having a dreadfully hard heart, how their heart lies like a stone — when in fact they have none of the thoughts in their mind that true hardness of heart actually involves. They speak of a dreadful burden and mass of sin, a heap of dark and loathsome filthiness within them — when, on close examination, they have no real sense of what corruption of nature actually consists in, no thought about any specific way in which their hearts fall short of what they should be, and no awareness of any actual movements of corruption within them. Many also think they have deep conviction of their actual sins when they truly do not. They talk of their sins being set in order before them, surrounding them in a row with a dreadful and frightening appearance — when in reality they have barely any mental picture of the specific sins they have committed in the course of their lives, let alone a sense of their aggravating circumstances.

And if a person's terror truly did come from the awakening and convicting work of the Spirit of God, it does not follow that it must result in genuine saving comfort. The unmortified corruption of the heart can quench the Spirit of God — after He has been striving — by leading people into presumptuous, self-exalting hope and joy, just as it can obstruct grace in other ways. Not every woman in labor actually gives birth to a living child; sometimes the result is something malformed, lacking any of the qualities of human life. Pharaoh's chief baker, after he had lain in the dungeon alongside Joseph, had a dream that raised his hopes, and he too was lifted out of the dungeon like the chief cupbearer — but it was to be executed.

But even if comforts and joys not only follow great terror and awakening, but also appear to be preceded by exactly the kind of conviction and humbling that is often seen in true converts — coming in distinct steps and in the very method commonly observed — this is still no certain sign that the light and comfort that follows is true and saving. Here are the reasons for this.

First, just as Satan can counterfeit all the saving operations and graces of God's Spirit, he can also counterfeit those operations that prepare the way for grace. If Satan can copy the effects of the Spirit that are special, divine, and sanctifying — so closely that the resemblance is nearly perfect in everything observers can see — then he can far more easily imitate those works of the Spirit that are common, and which people are capable of experiencing while still in a state of spiritual death. These common works are not nearly as high above his power as the saving ones are. The works of God's Spirit by which He forms the creature in His own image and makes it a partaker of the divine nature are the highest and most divine of all God's works — furthest above the powers of nature and beyond the reach of any creature. But if Satan can produce convincing counterfeits of even these, he can certainly produce counterfeits of things that are of an infinitely lower kind. And experience makes it abundantly clear that false humiliations and false submissions do exist, just as false comforts do. Consider how far Saul was brought — wicked man and proud spirit that he was. Though he was a great king, he was led — under conviction of his sin — to fall down, weeping aloud, before David his own subject (whom he had long hated and openly treated as an enemy), and to condemn himself before him, crying out, 'You are more righteous than I. You have treated me well, whereas I have treated you badly' (1 Samuel 24:16-17). At another time he cried, 'I have sinned. I have played the fool. I have erred greatly' (1 Samuel 26:21). And yet Saul seems to have had very little genuine influence of the Spirit of God at that time — for it was after God's Spirit had already departed from him and given him up, and an evil spirit had begun to trouble him. If this proud king, in a surge of feeling, was brought to humble himself so deeply before a subject he hated and continued to treat as an enemy, then surely there can be appearances of great conviction and humiliation before God in people who remain His enemies at heart and may continue so to the end. People who are terrified by fear of hell often appear to have been thoroughly stripped of confidence in their own righteousness — yet they have not truly been stripped of it in every way. They may have given up some ways of trusting in their own righteousness, while clinging to others that are more hidden and subtle. What often passes for humiliation is really just discouragement about certain things they used to rely on. And what is called submission to God is not genuine, unconditional surrender — it has some secret negotiation embedded in it that is difficult to detect.

Second, if the operations and effects of the Spirit of God in the convictions and comforts of true converts can be imitated, then their order can also be imitated. If Satan can counterfeit the things themselves, he can easily arrange them in a particular sequence. If he can produce A, B, and C, it is just as easy for him to put A first, then B, then C, as to arrange them in any other order. The nature of divine things is harder for Satan to imitate than their sequence. He cannot perfectly duplicate the inner nature of divine operations — though his counterfeits may look very similar from the outside — but he can perfectly replicate their order. When producing counterfeits, no divine power is required to arrange them in a particular sequence. Therefore, no particular order or method of operations and experiences is a certain sign of their being from God. Only what Satan cannot do — what no power short of divine could bring about — can be trusted as certain evidence of grace.

Third, we have no certain rule for determining how far God's own Spirit may go in operations and convictions that are not in themselves spiritual and saving — while the person who experiences them is never actually converted but falls short of salvation in the end. There is no necessary connection in the nature of things between anything a natural person may experience while still in a state of nature and the saving grace of God's Spirit. And if there is no connection in the nature of things, then there can be no known and certain connection at all, unless it has been revealed by God. But God has revealed no certain connection between a state of salvation and anything a natural person can experience before believing in Christ. God has revealed no guaranteed connection between salvation and any human qualification, except grace itself and its fruits. Therefore we do not find any legal convictions, or comforts following those convictions, in any particular method or order, ever mentioned in Scripture as certain signs of grace or as experiences unique to the saints. We do find gracious operations and effects themselves mentioned as such signs — thousands of times. This should be sufficient for Christians who are willing to let God's Word, rather than their own reasoning and experiences and guesses, be their sure and sufficient guide in matters of this kind.

Fourth, experience strongly confirms that a person appearing to have convictions and comforts following one another in the method and order often seen in true converts is no certain sign of grace. I appeal to all ministers in this land who have had extensive experience dealing with souls during the recent remarkable season of awakening: have there not been many who did not turn out well, who nevertheless gave a fine account of their experiences and appeared to be converted by the book — that is, with convictions and affections following distinctly and precisely in the order and method that has typically been described as the pattern of the Spirit's operations in conversion?

Just as appearing to follow the distinct steps and method commonly seen in true converts is no certain sign of genuine conversion, so the absence of that pattern is no evidence that a person is not converted. It can be demonstrated from Scripture that a sinner cannot genuinely receive Christ as Savior without being convicted of his sin and misery, his own emptiness and helplessness, and his just desert of eternal condemnation. These convictions must therefore be implied in some way in what is wrought in the soul. But nothing proves that all these things must be worked out in the soul in a series of clearly distinct, separate, observable steps — each one plain and visible — in every genuinely converted person. On the contrary, as Thomas Shepard observed, sometimes the change made in a believer at the first work of grace is like a confused chaos — the person simply cannot make sense of what is happening in them. The manner in which the Spirit proceeds in those who are born of the Spirit is often deeply mysterious and untraceable. We can hear, as it were, the sound of the wind — the effects are visible — but no one can tell where it came from or where it is going. It is often as difficult to trace the Spirit's way in the new birth as in the natural birth (Ecclesiastes 11:5): 'Just as you do not know the path of the wind and how bones are formed in the womb of the pregnant woman, so you do not know the activity of God who makes all things.' The implanting of a principle of grace in the soul is compared in Scripture to the conception of Christ in the womb (Galatians 4:19). This is why the church is called Christ's mother (Song of Solomon 3:11), and every individual believer as well (Matthew 12:49-50). The conception of Christ in the womb of the virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit appears to be a designed parallel to the conception of Christ in the soul of a believer by the power of that same Spirit. And we cannot trace the Spirit's way, or know how the life grows, whether in the womb or in the heart that conceives this holy new life. The new creature may use the words of Psalm 139:14-15: 'I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret.' Concerning the generation of Christ — both in His own person and in the hearts of His people — it may be said as in Isaiah 53:8: 'Who can declare His generation?' We do not know the works of God who makes all things. It is God's glory to conceal a matter (Proverbs 25:2), and to have His paths in the mighty waters where His footsteps cannot be traced. This is especially true of His works in the Spirit's operations on the hearts of people, which are the highest of all His works. Therefore it is written (Isaiah 40:13): 'Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord, or as His counselor has taught Him?' It is to be feared that some have gone too far in trying to direct the Spirit of the Lord — mapping out His footsteps and limiting Him to certain fixed steps and methods. Experience plainly shows that the Spirit is unsearchable and untraceable in His method of working in some of the best of Christians during their conversion. Nor does the Spirit follow a particular established scheme, in clearly discernible steps, anywhere near as often as people imagine. A preconceived scheme of what must happen — already received and established by common opinion — has a vast and largely unnoticed influence in shaping how people understand and describe the steps and method of their own experience. I know well how this works, having had much opportunity to observe it. Very often at first, people's experiences look like a confused chaos, as Shepard puts it. But then those parts of their experience that most closely resemble the particular steps being insisted upon are selected out and focused on. These are dwelt upon in their thoughts, and these are the parts told and retold in the account they give. These elements grow brighter and clearer in their minds over time, while what does not fit the scheme grows more obscure and is quietly set aside. What they have experienced is unconsciously adjusted until it conforms to the accepted pattern. And it becomes natural for ministers who insist on distinctness and clarity of method to do the same when dealing with those under their care. Yet so much of the Spirit's work has been observable in recent times that those who have dealt extensively with souls — and are not blinded by thick layers of prejudice — must recognize that the Spirit is so remarkably varied in how He operates that in many cases it is simply impossible to trace His way.

What we must principally attend to, in examining our own state or in guiding others, is the nature of the effect God has brought about in the soul. As for the steps the Spirit took to produce that effect, we may leave those to Him. Scripture repeatedly tells us to examine ourselves by the nature of the fruits of the Spirit — never by the Spirit's method of producing them. Many make a serious mistake in their understanding of what a clear work of conversion looks like. They call a work clear when the successive steps and method of experience are clear. But the truly clearest work is not where the order of what was done is most visible — it is where the spiritual and divine nature of the work itself, and the effect produced, is most clearly seen.

Ninth sign that proves nothing: religious affections lead a person to spend much time in religious activities and to be zealously engaged in the outward duties of worship.

It has been entirely unreasonably used, in recent times, as an argument against the religious affections some have experienced — that they spend so much time in reading, praying, singing, hearing sermons, and the like. Scripture plainly shows that true grace tends to cause people to delight greatly in such religious exercises. True grace had this effect on Anna the prophetess (Luke 2:37): 'She never left the temple, serving night and day with fasting and prayers.' Grace had this effect on the early Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 2:46-47): 'Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God.' Grace made Daniel delight in the duty of prayer and led him to observe it faithfully three times a day, as it also did David (Psalm 55:17): 'Evening and morning and at noon, I will complain and murmur, and He will hear my voice.' Grace makes the saints delight in singing praises to God (Psalm 135:3): 'Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing praises to His name, for it is lovely.' And Psalm 147:1: 'Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant and praise is beautiful.' Grace also causes them to delight in hearing God's Word preached, making the gospel a joyful sound to them (Psalm 89:15), and making beautiful the feet of those who announce the good news (Isaiah 52:7): 'How lovely on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news.' It makes them love God's public worship (Psalm 26:8): 'O Lord, I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells.' And Psalm 27:4: 'One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: 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 meditate in His temple.' And Psalm 84:1-2, 10: 'How lovely are Your dwelling places, O Lord of hosts! My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the Lord... a day in Your courts is better than a thousand outside.'

This is the nature of true grace. But on the other hand, a person being inclined to be abundantly and zealously engaged in the outward exercises of religion, spending much time in them, is no certain evidence of grace — because such a disposition is found in many who have no grace. So it was with the Israelites of old, whose worship was detestable to God: they attended new moons, Sabbaths, and appointed assemblies, spread out their hands, and offered many prayers (Isaiah 1:12-15). So it was with the Pharisees: they made long prayers and fasted twice a week. False religion can cause people to pray loudly and earnestly (Isaiah 58:4): 'You shall not fast as you do today, making your voice heard on high.' Religion that is not spiritual and saving can cause people to delight in religious duties and ordinances (Isaiah 58:2): 'Yet they seek Me day by day and delight to know My ways, as a nation that has done righteousness and has not forsaken the ordinance of their God. They ask Me for just decisions; they delight in the nearness of God.' It can cause delight in hearing the Word of God preached, as with Ezekiel's hearers (Ezekiel 33:31-32): 'They come to you as people come, and sit before you as My people and hear your words, but they do not do them, for they do the lustful desires expressed by their mouth, and their heart goes after their gain. Behold, you are to them like a sensual song by one who has a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they do not practice them.' So it was with Herod, who 'used to enjoy listening to' John the Baptist (Mark 6:20). So it was with others of John's hearers who 'were willing to rejoice for a while in his light' (John 5:35). And so the stony-ground hearers 'received the word with joy' (Matthew 13:20).

Experience shows that people motivated by false religion may be inclined to be extraordinarily active in the outward exercises of religion — even giving themselves over to them and devoting almost their entire time to them. A type of person was once very common in the Roman Catholic Church, known as recluses, who forsook the world and completely abandoned human society, shutting themselves in a small cell with a vow never to leave it or see another human face (except in case of illness), spending all their days in devotional exercises and communion with God. There were also in ancient times great numbers of people known as hermits and anchorites who left the world to spend all their days in remote deserts, giving themselves over to religious contemplation and devotional practice — some with no shelter but the caves and vaults of mountains, and no food but what the earth produced on its own. I once lived for many months next door to a Jewish man — the houses sharing a wall — and had extensive opportunity to observe him daily. He appeared to me to be the most devout person I had ever seen in my life, spending a great part of his time in acts of devotion at his east-facing window which opened next to mine, appearing intensely engaged — not only throughout the day, but sometimes through entire nights.

Tenth sign that proves nothing: religious affections strongly incline people to praise and glorify God with their mouths. This is implied in what was just observed about abundant engagement in the outward exercises of religion, and was hinted at earlier. But because many seem to regard it as a bright mark of gracious affection when a person is greatly disposed to praise and magnify God — when their mouth is full of His praises and they earnestly call on others to extol and glorify Him — this deserves more specific attention.

No Christian will use this disposition as an argument against a person. Nor can it reasonably be treated as evidence in a person's favor — given what has already been observed and shown: that people without grace may have strong affections toward God and Christ, that these strong affections tend to fill their mouths and incline them to speak much and very earnestly about what moves them, and that every kind of gracious affection has its counterfeits. It becomes even more evident that this is no certain sign of grace when we consider the examples Scripture gives of graceless people doing the very same thing. We often encounter this among the crowd that was present when Christ preached and worked miracles (Mark 2:12): 'And he got up and immediately picked up the pallet and went out in the sight of everyone, so that they were all amazed and were glorifying God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this."' Similarly in Matthew 9:8 and Luke 5:26. Also Matthew 15:31: 'So the crowd marveled as they saw the mute speaking, the crippled restored, and the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.' When Christ raised the son of the widow of Nain, Luke 7:16 tells us: 'Fear gripped them all, and they began glorifying God, saying, "A great prophet has arisen among us!" and, "God has visited His people!"' We also read of people glorifying Christ and speaking of Him in the highest terms (Luke 4:15): 'He was teaching in their synagogues and was praised by all.' And how the crowds praised Him with loud voices crying, 'Hosanna to the Son of David, Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord' — this just before He was crucified! After Christ's ascension, when the apostles healed the lame man, we read that 'all the people were glorifying God for what had happened' (Acts 4:21). When the Gentiles in Pisidian Antioch heard from Paul and Barnabas that God would set aside the Jews and bring the Gentiles in their place, they were moved by this kindness of God toward the Gentiles and glorified the word of the Lord. But not all who did so were true believers — only a certain number among them, as the account makes clear (Acts 13:48): 'When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.' Long before this, the Israelites at the Red Sea sang His praises — and then quickly forgot His works. And Scripture even foretells that false professors and actual enemies of true religion will show eagerness to glorify God (Isaiah 66:5): 'Hear the word of the Lord, you who tremble at His word: "Your brothers who hate you, who exclude you for My name's sake, have said, "Let the Lord be glorified.""'

It is also no certain sign that a person has been genuinely affected by grace if, in the midst of their hope and comfort, they are greatly moved by God's undeserved kindness to one so unworthy as themselves, and seem to magnify and extol grace. People who still harbor unmortified pride and enmity against God may, when they imagine they have received extraordinary favor from God, cry out about their own unworthiness and magnify God's undeserved goodness — from no deeper sense of their guilt and from no higher principle than Saul had. Saul still harbored unbroken pride and enmity against David, and yet he was brought — though a king — to acknowledge his sin, crying out, 'I have played the fool, I have erred greatly,' and with great feeling and admiration to magnify David's undeserved and remarkable kindness to him (1 Samuel 24:16-19; 26:21). And from no higher principle than that which moved Nebuchadnezzar when he was affected by God's dealings with him — praising, exalting, and honoring the King of heaven, both he and Darius calling on all nations to praise God (Daniel 3:28-30; 4:1-3, 34-35, 37; 6:25-27).

Eleventh sign that proves nothing: affections make the person who has them intensely confident that what they are experiencing is divine and that their spiritual state is good.

Some argue that being assured of one's good spiritual state is itself a sign of delusion — but this runs directly against Protestant doctrine and against Scripture. God revealed His favor to Noah, Abraham, Job, David, and Hezekiah. And Christ's farewell discourse in John 14-16 makes abundant provision for His disciples' assurance — it is one of the main purposes of those chapters.

Paul speaks throughout his epistles in a tone of assurance. In Galatians 2:20 he says, 'The Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.' In Philippians 1:21: 'For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.' In 2 Timothy 1:12: 'I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.' In 2 Timothy 4:7-8: 'I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness.'

The covenant of grace is designed to give assured hope. Its promises are full and repeated, and they are confirmed with an oath (Hebrews 6:17-18): 'In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us.'

Assurance is ordinarily attainable. Peter commands believers to pursue it (2 Peter 1:5-8), and Paul commands self-examination (2 Corinthians 13:5). Paul himself ran with certainty of purpose, not beating the air (1 Corinthians 9:26). He says that 'we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God' (1 Corinthians 2:12). And John's first epistle is filled with 'we know' statements — we know that we know Him, we know that we have passed out of death into life, we know that we are of the truth, we know that He abides in us, we know that we are of God (1 John 2:3; 3:14, 19, 24; 5:19).

Given all this, it is unreasonable to condemn those who are assured of their good spiritual state as hypocrites simply because of their assurance.

On the other hand, confidence is no proof of grace. An overbearing, glaring confidence — like that of the Pharisee, who was so sure of himself that he despised others — stands in sharp contrast to the humble posture of the tax collector, who would not even lift his eyes to heaven.

The natural heart is blind, self-flattering, and self-confident. When a person's natural self-flattery is further inflated by Satan's delusions, the resulting false assurance can become like a mountain — immovable and overwhelming. This explains how some people maintain an unshakable confidence that has no foundation in genuine grace.

Once a hypocrite is settled in a false hope, he lacks the things that often cause true saints to question their hope. First, he does not have a cautious spirit, a deep sense of how much depends on having a sure foundation, or a dread of being deceived. True comfort increases alertness and caution in genuine believers, along with a vivid sense of what it means to appear before an infinitely holy, just, and all-knowing Judge. But false comfort puts an end to all these things and dangerously numbs the mind. Second, the hypocrite does not know his own blindness, does not recognize the deceitfulness of his own heart, and does not have that low opinion of his own understanding that the true saint has. Those deluded by false discoveries and affections are invariably proud of their spiritual insight and understanding. Third, the devil does not attack the hypocrite's hope the way he attacks the hope of a true saint. The devil is a fierce enemy of true Christian hope — not only because it brings real comfort to the one who has it, but because it is holy and heavenly in nature, strengthening and nourishing grace in the heart and powerfully motivating a strict and diligent Christian life. But he is no enemy to the hypocrite's hope, which of all things best serves his purposes in that person. A hypocrite may maintain his hope without opposition as long as he lives — the devil never disturbing it or even trying to disturb it. But there is likely no true Christian whose hope Satan does not attack. Satan even assaulted Christ Himself on this very point — whether He was the Son of God — 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 treated as his master was. Fourth, the person with a false hope does not see his own corruption the way the true saint does. A true Christian deals ten times more with his heart and its corruptions than a hypocrite does. The sins of his heart and life appear to him in their full darkness; they look dreadful; and it often seems a great mystery that any grace could coexist with such corruption or be found in such a heart. But a false hope hides corruption, covers it entirely, and the hypocrite sees himself as clean and bright.

There are two kinds of hypocrites: those deceived by their outward morality and external religion — many of whom are professed Arminians in the doctrine of justification — and those deceived by false discoveries and elevated experiences, who often speak against works and human righteousness, talk much about free grace, but at the same time make a righteousness of their discoveries and their humiliation, exalting themselves to heaven on that basis. Thomas Shepard, in his exposition of the Parable of the Ten Virgins, distinguishes these two kinds as legal and evangelical hypocrites, and frequently speaks of the latter as the worse of the two. And it is clear that the latter are by far the most confident in their hope and the most difficult to dislodge from it — I have scarcely known a single instance in my life of such a person being truly undeceived. The main grounds of confidence for many of them are the very same kind of impulses and supposed revelations — sometimes with scripture texts attached, sometimes without — that so many have lately had concerning future events. They call these impulses about their spiritual state 'the witness of the Spirit,' entirely misunderstanding what the witness of the Spirit actually is — as I will explain later. Those who have had visions and impulses about other things have generally received revelations about what they most desired. It is no surprise, then, that people who accept such impressions also receive the same kind of visions about their own eternal salvation — revealing to them that their sins are forgiven, that their names are written in the Book of Life, that they stand in high favor with God, and so on — especially when they are earnestly seeking, expecting, and waiting for evidence of their election and salvation by this very method, as if it were the surest and most glorious form of evidence. Nor is it surprising that when they receive such a supposed revelation of their good spiritual state, it produces the highest degree of confidence in them. Experience abundantly confirms that those led astray by impulses and imagined revelations are extremely confident. They believe the great God has spoken these things directly to them, and since they have His immediate testimony, strong confidence feels like the highest virtue. So they boldly say, 'I know this — I know it for certain — I am as sure as I am that I exist,' and the like, and they dismiss all argument or inquiry on the matter. Above all, it is easy to understand why impressions and impulses about something so pleasing, something that so flatters their self-love and pride — namely, that they are God's dear children, singled out from most people in the world by His special favor — would produce strong confidence, especially when these impulses and revelations are accompanied by intense affections that they take to be the highest exercises of grace. I have known several people who deeply desired something in the natural realm, were driven by a strong passion, pursued it earnestly through great difficulty and many discouragements, and at last received an impression or supposed revelation that they would obtain what they sought. They regarded this as a sure promise from the Most High, which made them absurdly confident in the face of all contrary reason and all events working against them. There is nothing to prevent people seeking salvation from being deceived by similar delusive impressions, and from being made equally confident through them.

The confidence of many of these evangelical hypocrites, as Shepard calls them, is like the confidence of certain madmen who believe they are kings — they will hold their position against all reason and evidence. In one sense, their confidence is far more unshakable than genuine assurance. True assurance is sustained only as the soul is kept in a holy frame and grace remains in lively exercise. If the Christian's grace grows cold and he falls into a lifeless state, he loses his assurance. But this kind of hypocrite's confidence is not shaken by sin — some of them maintain their bold hope even while living in the most corrupt frames and wicked ways, which is itself clear evidence of their delusion.

Here I must observe that certain doctrines are often preached to people in ways that need more care and explanation than they typically receive, because as many people understand them, they powerfully reinforce this delusion and false confidence in hypocrites. The doctrines I have in mind are these: Christians live by faith, not by sight; they give glory to God by trusting Him in the dark; they live on Christ and not on experiences; they must not make their good frames the foundation of their faith. These are excellent and important doctrines when rightly understood, but they become corrupting and destructive in the hands of many who misapply them. Scripture speaks of living or walking by faith and not by sight in only these senses: being governed by regard for eternal things — the objects of faith — that are unseen, rather than by regard for temporal things that are seen; believing things revealed that we have never seen with bodily eyes; and trusting in the promise of future things without yet seeing or enjoying what has been promised, or knowing how it could be fulfilled. This is easily confirmed by looking at the scriptures that speak of faith in contrast to sight: 2 Corinthians 4:18 and 5:7, Hebrews 11:1, 8, 13, 17, 27, 29, Romans 8:24, John 20:29. But as many understand this doctrine, it means that Christians ought to believe and trust in Christ firmly even without any spiritual sight or light — even when they are in a dark, lifeless frame with no spiritual experiences or discoveries. It is true that those in such darkness should come out of it into the light and believe. But telling them to trust confidently while they remain without spiritual light or sight is an unscriptural and unreasonable doctrine. Scripture knows nothing of a faith in Christ — the kind wrought by God — that is not founded on spiritual sight of Christ. The believing in Christ that comes with a title to eternal life involves seeing the Son and believing in Him (John 6:40). True faith in Christ is never exercised any further than people behold the glory of the Lord as in a mirror and have the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18; 4:6). Those into whose minds the light of the glorious gospel of Christ — who is the image of God — does not shine do not believe (2 Corinthians 4:4). Faith that exists without spiritual light is not the faith of the children of light and of the day — it is the presumption of the children of darkness. Therefore, pressing and urging people to believe without any spiritual light or sight powerfully advances the delusions of the prince of darkness. People cannot exercise faith without some spiritual light, and they can exercise faith only in proportion to the spiritual light they have. People will trust God no further than they know Him, and they cannot be in the exercise of faith in Him one step further than they have a living sight of His fullness and faithfulness. Nor can they genuinely trust in God any further than they are in a grace-filled frame. Those in a dead, carnal frame ought to trust in God — because doing so would be the same thing as coming out of their bad frame and turning to God. But to urge people to trust in God confidently and hold up their hope and peace while they remain in an ungracious frame is effectively urging them to trust in God without gracious trust — and what is that but wicked presumption? It is just as impossible for people to have a strong, lively trust in God when they have no lively exercises of grace and no real Christian experience as it is for them to be in the lively exercise of grace without actually exercising grace.

It is true that God's people should trust in Him when in darkness — even remaining in that darkness — in this sense: they should trust God when the face of His providence is dark, when everything looks as though He has forsaken them and is not hearing their prayers, when many clouds gather and many enemies surround them with a threatening aspect, when all the events of Providence seem to be against them, when all circumstances make God's promises seem impossible to fulfill, and God must be trusted out of sight — meaning when we cannot see how it is possible for Him to keep His word, when everything except God's mere word makes fulfillment look unlikely, so that if they believe, they must hope against hope. This is how the ancient patriarchs, Job, the psalmists, Jeremiah, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and the apostle Paul all gave glory to God by trusting Him in the dark. We have many examples of this glorious, victorious faith in Hebrews 11. But how different this is from trusting in God without spiritual sight while at the same time remaining in a dead and carnal frame!

There is also such a thing as spiritual light being let into the soul in one way while not in another, and so there is such a thing as saints trusting in God and knowing their good spiritual state even when they lack some kinds of experience. For example, they may have clear views of God's sufficiency and faithfulness, and so confidently trust in Him and know they are His children, while at the same time not having the clear and sweet sense of His love they enjoy at other times — for it was even so with Christ Himself in His last suffering. They may also have views of much of God's sovereignty, holiness, and all-sufficiency that enable them to submit quietly to Him and exercise a sweet and encouraging hope in God's fullness, even when they are uncertain about their own spiritual state. But how entirely different these things are from trusting in God confidently without spiritual light or experience!

Those who insist that people should live by faith even when they have no experience and are in very bad spiritual states hold an unreasonable view of faith. What they mean by faith is simply believing that one is in a good spiritual state. So they count it a dreadful sin to doubt one's spiritual condition, regardless of what state a person is in or what wicked things he does — because doubt is supposedly the great and heinous sin of unbelief. In their view, the best person, and the one who honors God most, is the one who maintains the most confident and unmovable hope in his good spiritual state precisely when he has the least light or experience — that is, when he is in the worst and most wicked frame and way — because this is supposedly a sign of being strong in faith, giving glory to God, and hoping against hope. But what Bible do they draw this notion of faith from — that faith is a man confidently believing he is in a good spiritual state? If that were faith, the Pharisees had it in an eminent degree, and some of them, as Christ teaches, committed the unpardonable sin against the Holy Spirit. Scripture presents faith as that by which people are brought into a good state — and therefore it cannot be the same thing as believing they are already in a good state. To say that faith consists in a person believing he is in a good state is effectively the same as saying faith consists in believing that he has faith, or in believing that he believes.

People may be greatly to blame for doubting their spiritual state for the reasons just mentioned, and they may be to blame for having so little grace and so little present exercise and experience of it to serve as evidence of their good state. If they had more experience of faith in action and more experience of grace in exercise, they would have clearer evidence that their state is good, and their doubts would be removed. Their doubting may also arise from unbelief in this way: though there are many things that are good evidence of a work of grace in them, they still greatly doubt whether they are truly in a state of favor with God, because it is they — so unworthy, who have done so much to provoke God's anger. In such a case, their doubts arise from unbelief in that they stem from insufficient sense of and reliance on the infinite riches of God's grace and the sufficiency of Christ for the chief of sinners. They may also doubt from unbelief when they cannot reconcile God's dealings with His favor toward them, or when the promises seem unlikely to be fulfilled given how the circumstances appear and how many great difficulties stand in the way. Such doubt arises from a failure to depend on God's almighty power and His wisdom and knowledge, which are infinitely above their own. Yet even in such cases, a person's unbelief and their doubting of their state are not the same thing, though one arises from the other.

People may be greatly at fault for doubting their state on the grounds just mentioned, and they may be at fault for having so little grace and so little present exercise of it to serve as evidence of their good state. People are certainly to blame for falling into dead, carnal frames. But when they are in such a frame and have no real experience of grace in exercise — when, on the contrary, their lusts are prevailing and an unchristian spirit rules — they cannot be blamed for doubting their state. It is just as impossible, in the nature of things, for a holy and Christian hope to be kept alive in its clearness and strength under such circumstances as it is to keep the light in a room when the candle has been put out, or to maintain bright sunshine when the sun has gone down. Past experiences, when darkened by present prevailing lust and corruption, will never sustain a gracious confidence and assurance — that assurance will sicken and decay just as surely as a small child would suffer from repeated blows to the head. It is not at all to be mourned when people in such circumstances doubt their state — on the contrary, it is desirable and best in every way that they should. This is in keeping with that wise and gracious design God has established in His dealings with His people. God has arranged things so that when love decays and its exercise fails or grows weak, fear rises — because then fear is needed to restrain them from sin, to stir them to care for their souls, and to move them toward watchfulness and diligence in the Christian life. But God has ordered it so that when love rises and is in vigorous exercise, fear vanishes and is driven away — for then fear is not needed, since a higher and more excellent principle is at work restraining them from sin and stirring them to duty. The only two principles under whose influence human nature ever falls are love and fear. Therefore, if one of these did not rise as the other fell, God's people would be dangerously exposed whenever they were in dead and carnal frames with love asleep. God has wisely ordained that these two opposite principles — love and fear — should rise and fall like the two opposite sides of a scale: when one rises, the other sinks. Just as light and darkness necessarily and unavoidably follow each other — as light prevails, darkness recedes by exactly that much, and as light decays, darkness advances by exactly that much — so it is in the heart of a child of God. If divine love slumbers and falls asleep while lust prevails, light and joy vanish and dark fear and doubt arise. If, on the contrary, divine love prevails and comes into lively exercise, it brings in the brightness of hope and drives away both dark lust and fear. Love is the spirit of adoption — the spirit of a child; if it slumbers, people fall under fear, which is the spirit of bondage — the spirit of a slave. And if the spirit of adoption is carried to a great height, it completely drives away all fear and brings full assurance, in keeping with the apostle's words in 1 John 4:18: 'There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear.' These two opposite principles — lust and holy love — bring hope and fear into the hearts of God's children in proportion as they prevail, when left to their own natural influence without something intervening from outside, such as the disorder of melancholy, ignorance, prejudices from upbringing, wrong teaching, or particular temptations.

Fear is driven out by God's Spirit in no other way than by the prevailing of love, and it is never sustained by His Spirit when love is asleep. At such a time, all the saint's self-examination and scrutiny of past experience in order to establish peace and full assurance is in vain. It is simply contrary to the nature of things as God has constituted them for a person to have assurance at such a time.

Those who teach others to be confident in their spiritual state while in darkness — under the guise of living by faith and not by sight, trusting God in the dark, living on Christ, and not doubting their good estate lest they commit the dreadful sin of unbelief — are directly working against God's wise and gracious design. This teaching tends to settle the most presumptuous hypocrites in their delusion and to prevent them from ever examining their state, no matter how much wickedness prevails in their hearts and lives — all under the banner of honoring God by hoping against hope and trusting in Him when things look very dark. The harm done in this way has undoubtedly been immense.

People cannot be said to forsake Christ and live on their experiences of God's grace merely because they use those experiences as evidence that they are gracious — for there is no other kind of evidence available. But they may be said to live on their experiences when they make a righteousness of them: instead of keeping their eyes on God's glory and Christ's excellency, they turn their eyes from those external objects to themselves, entertaining their minds by reviewing their own attainments, high experiences, and great spiritual encounters. In this state they appear bright and beautiful in their own eyes, rich and increasing in their own estimation, and they imagine that God regards them with the same admiring esteem they have for themselves. This is living on experiences and not on Christ, and it is more abominable in God's sight than the open immorality of those who make no pretense to religion. But this is a very different thing from simply using experiences as evidence of one's interest in a glorious Redeemer.

But to return from this digression — let me mention one more thing under this general heading.

Twelfth sign that proves nothing: the outward display of a person's religious affections, and the account they give of them, greatly moves and pleases truly godly people, winning their hearts and gaining their approval.

True saints do not have such a discerning spirit that they can certainly tell who is godly and who is not. Though they know by personal experience what true religion looks like in its internal exercises, those are things they can neither feel nor see in another person's heart. The only thing they can observe in others is outward conduct and appearances, and Scripture plainly indicates that judging what is in a person by outward appearances is at best uncertain and liable to error (1 Samuel 16:7): 'The Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.' Isaiah 11:3 likewise says: 'He will not judge by what His eyes see, nor make a decision by what His ears hear.' Those who are quick and forceful in pronouncing on people's spiritual states, boasting of an extraordinary faculty for discernment in these serious matters as though everything were open and clear to them, are usually poor judges and dangerous counselors in matters of the soul. They reveal one of three things: either they have had little experience, or they are persons of weak judgment, or they have a great degree of pride and self-confidence along with deep ignorance of themselves. Wise and experienced people proceed with great caution in such matters.

When there are many probable signs of genuine faith in others, it is the duty of the saints to receive them warmly into their love, welcoming them as brothers and sisters in Christ. But even the best of people may be deceived when appearances seem exceedingly bright and genuine — so much so that their approval is fully won and their hearts are completely taken. It has been common in the church for such bright professors, received and honored as eminent saints among the saints, to fall away and come to nothing. This should not surprise us given everything already observed — all the things that have been shown may appear in people who are entirely without grace. Nothing prevents all of these things from meeting together in a person while not a spark of grace exists in his heart. Such a person may have religious affections of many kinds at once — a kind of affection toward God bearing a strong resemblance to genuine love for Him, a kind of love toward fellow believers, great apparent admiration of God's perfections and works, sorrow for sin, reverence, submission, self-abasement, gratitude, joy, religious longings, and zeal for the cause of religion and the good of souls. These affections may come after powerful awakenings and convictions of conscience, with great apparent signs of humiliation. Counterfeit love and joy and other affections may then seem to follow these convictions, and one another, in the same order commonly seen in the genuine affections of true converts. These religious affections may be carried to a great height, producing abundant tears, and may even overwhelm those who experience them, making them warm and fervent and fluent in speaking about the things of God. They may be attended by many sweet scripture texts and precious promises brought with great force to the mind, and may dispose a person to praise and glorify God with ardent words and to call on others earnestly to praise Him, crying out about their own unworthiness and extolling free grace. They may further dispose the person to abound in the external duties of religion — prayer, hearing the Word preached, singing, and religious conversation — all accompanied by a strong resemblance of a genuine Christian assurance at its highest, as when the saints mount on eagles' wings above all darkness and doubt. It has, I believe, been made plain that all of these things may be present, and yet there be nothing more than the common influences of God's Spirit combined with the delusions of Satan and the wicked and deceitful heart. To all this may be added: a pleasant natural temperament, a sound doctrinal knowledge of religion, long familiarity with the way the saints speak and express their affections and experiences, a natural ability and cleverness in adapting their expressions to the dispositions and ideas of their hearers, and a pleasing, decent manner of expression and behavior formed by a good upbringing. How great, then, may the resemblance be in all outward expressions and appearances between a hypocrite and a true saint! It is surely the glorious privilege of the omniscient God, as the great searcher of hearts, to be able to separate sheep from goats. How indecent, self-exalting, and arrogant it is for poor, fallible, limited human beings to claim they can determine and know who is truly sincere and upright before God and who is not!

Many people place great weight on this and consider it a reliable way to judge another person's genuine faith: not only does the person tell a plausible story, but in giving an account of their experiences they speak in such a way that the listener feels their talk — that is, it resonates with the listener's own experience, touching and affecting and delighting his heart, and drawing out warm love toward them. But such things do not carry the certainty or dependability that many suppose. A true saint delights greatly in holiness — it is, in his eyes, a most beautiful thing. And God's work of savingly renewing a poor, formerly perishing soul, making it holy and happy, appears to him a most glorious work. No wonder, then, that his heart is touched and greatly moved when he hears another give a convincing account of this work done in his own heart, or when he sees in that person probable signs of holiness — whether those pleasing appearances have anything real behind them or not. If the person uses the words commonly used to express the affections of true saints, and describes many things following one another in an order that matches the pattern of the listener's own experience, and speaks freely, boldly, and with an air of assurance — no wonder the listener thinks his experiences match his own. And if, beyond all this, the person speaks with much feeling in giving his account, and above all shows great warmth and affection toward the person he is speaking with — the kind the Galatians showed to the apostle Paul — these things will naturally have a powerful effect, moving the listener's heart and opening wide the doors of his approval. David speaks as one who had felt Ahithophel's talk and once savored it. Therefore his surprise and disappointment when Ahithophel fell was overwhelming — it was almost more than he could bear. He expresses it in Psalm 55:12-14: 'It was not an enemy — then I could have borne it — but it was you, a man my equal, my guide, and my close friend; we took sweet counsel together and walked to the house of God in the company of others.'

People who profess religion — especially those who do so during a time of outpouring of God's Spirit — are like the blossoms in spring. There are vast numbers of them on the trees, and they all look fair and promising. But many of them never come to anything. Many that will in a short time wither and fall from the tree look just as beautiful and bright as the others for a while — and not only that, but they are fragrant and send forth a pleasant scent, so that none of our senses can certainly tell which blossoms carry that hidden vitality that will later appear as fruit, or that inward substance and strength that will allow them to bear and be perfected by the hot summer sun that will dry up the others. It is the mature fruit that comes afterward, not the beautiful color and fragrance of the blossom, that we must judge by. In the same way, new converts — or those who profess to be — may in their talk about religious things appear beautiful and seem very genuine, and the saints may think they speak from real experience. They may relish the talk, imagining they perceive something divine in it — and yet it may all come to nothing.

It is remarkable how reluctant people are to be content with the rules and directions Christ has given them, insisting instead on going by other rules of their own invention that seem to them wiser and better. I know of no directions that Christ has delivered more plainly than the rules He has given us for judging others' sincerity — namely, that we should judge the tree chiefly by its fruit. But this is not accepted; other methods are devised, imagined to be more reliable and discerning. The harmful consequences of placing human wisdom above the wisdom of Christ have been severe. I believe many saints have strayed far from the path of Christ's Word in this regard, and some of them have been driven back by painful discipline. But much of what has recently appeared, and continues to appear, should convince us that ordinarily those who have gone furthest in this direction — most proud of their supposed faculty for discernment, most quick and forceful and rash in pronouncing on the state of people's souls — have turned out to be hypocrites who knew nothing of true religion.

In the Parable of the Wheat and Tares, Matthew 13:26 says: 'When the blade sprang up and brought forth fruit, then the tares appeared also.' As John Flavel observes, this indicates that the tares were not distinguishable from the wheat until that point. He cites Jerome's observation that wheat and tares are so alike until the wheat's blade brings forth the ear that it is nearly impossible to tell them apart. Flavel then adds that however difficult it may be for the eye to distinguish wheat from tares, it is far easier than the sharpest and most penetrating human eye discerning the difference between special and common grace. For every saving grace in the saints has its counterfeit in hypocrites — there are resembling works in hypocrites that even a spiritually discerning and highly experienced eye may easily mistake for the genuine, saving effects of a sanctifying Spirit.

Just as it is the ear or the fruit that distinguishes wheat from tares, so fruit is the true shibboleth — the test that the Judge at the passages of the Jordan uses to distinguish those who will cross over into the true Canaan from those who will be slain at the river. The Hebrew word 'shibboleth' means an ear of grain. Perhaps the fuller, correct pronunciation of 'shibboleth' by Jephthah's friends represents a full ear with grain in it, symbolizing the fruits of the friends of Christ, the antitype of Jephthah. And the thinner, mispronounced 'sibboleth' of his Ephraimite enemies represents their empty ears, symbolizing the mere appearance of religion in hypocrites — all show and no substance or fruit. This aligns with the doctrine Scripture repeatedly teaches: that the One appointed to judge all who pass through death, determining whether they have a right to enter the heavenly Canaan or will be cut off, will judge every person according to his works.

The rules given to the priest for discerning leprosy teach us the same thing. In many cases it was impossible for the priest to determine by even the most careful examination of visible signs whether a man had leprosy or was clean, until he had waited to see how the signs developed — shutting the man up for seven days at a time — and when he finally rendered judgment, he did so based on the hair growing out of the spot, which was, as it were, the fruit the spot brought forth.

Before finishing what I have to say under this heading, I want to address a strange notion that some have lately embraced: the idea that one can certainly know another person's good spiritual state because it has been revealed from heaven through an extraordinary flowing out of love toward them. The reasoning goes like this: the love they feel is very strong and evident, so they can be certain it is true Christian love. And if it is true Christian love, the Spirit of God must be its author. And since the Spirit of God — who knows certainly whether others are children of God or not, and who is the Spirit of truth — has been pleased by an unusual influence to cause their love to flow out in an extraordinary way toward this person as a child of God, then this infallible Spirit, who never deceives, must know that the person is indeed a child of God. But those holding this view could be convinced of the flaw in their reasoning if they would consider whether it is not their duty — what God requires of them — to love as children of God those who, by all appearances, seem to be children of God and whom they have no reason to think otherwise.

Even if God, who searches the heart, knows such people are not His children, it is still the duty of others to love them as such based on what is visible. If it is their duty, then doing it is good and failing to do it is sin — and therefore the Spirit of God may certainly be the author of that love. The Spirit of God can, without being a spirit of falsehood, assist a person in doing his duty and keeping him from sin in such a case. But then these people argue from the unusual degree and special manner in which their love flows out to the person, which they think the Spirit of God would never cause if He did not know the object to be a child of God. Let me ask them, then: is it not their duty to love all those whom they are bound to regard as children of God, based on everything they can see, to a very great degree — even if God, from other things He sees that are hidden from them, knows those persons are not His? It is people's duty to love all those whom they are bound in charity to regard as children of God with a far greater warmth of affection than they commonly do. Just as we ought to love Christ to the full capacity of our nature, so it is our duty to love those we believe are as near and dear to Him as His members with an exceedingly deep affection, as Christ has loved us — and therefore it is sin in us not to love them so. We ought to pray that God by His Spirit would keep us from sin and enable us to do our duty. May not His Spirit answer those prayers and enable us to do our duty in a particular instance without lying? If He cannot, then the Spirit of God is prevented from helping His people do their duty in some instances because He cannot do so without becoming a spirit of falsehood — but surely God is sovereign enough to enable us to do our duty when He pleases and on what occasion He pleases. When people believe others are God's children, He may have other purposes in causing their deep love to flow out toward them, besides revealing whether their assessment is correct. He may have the merciful purpose of enabling them to do their duty and keeping them from the great evil of sin. Will they say God may not show them that mercy in such a case? Suppose I am away from home and hear that in my absence my house has burned down, but my family escaped the flames in some remarkable way — and everything about the account as I heard it makes it very believable. It would be sin for me in such a case not to feel great gratitude to God, even if the report turns out to be false. And is not God sovereign enough to show me that mercy on such an occasion, enabling me to do my duty to a far greater degree than usual, without being charged with deception for having confirmed a falsehood?

It is very clear that an error or mistake may occasion a genuine exercise of grace, and therefore a genuine influence of the Spirit of God, as Romans 14:6 shows: 'He who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God.' The apostle is speaking about those who, through mistaken and unnecessary scruples, avoided eating meat that was ceremonially unclean. This makes it evident that there may be true exercises of grace — true regard to the Lord, and particularly true thankfulness — that are occasioned by both an erroneous judgment and erroneous practice. Consequently, an error may be the occasion of those genuinely holy exercises that flow from the infallible Spirit of God. If that is so, it is certainly not for us to determine to how great a degree the Spirit of God may grant such holy exercise on such an occasion.

This notion of certainly discerning another person's spiritual state by an outflow of love is not only without support from reason or Scripture — it is contrary to Scripture. Scripture says nothing whatsoever about this as a way of judging another's spiritual state, but instead directs us to judge chiefly by the fruits we observe in them. It also contradicts the clear teaching of Scripture, which plainly tells us that the state of another person's soul toward God is not something we can know. Revelation 2:17 says: 'To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.' Romans 2:29 says: 'He is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.' The phrase 'his praise is not from men, but from God' refers to the inability of men to judge whether a person is inwardly a Jew — just as they could easily see by outward marks who was outwardly a Jew — and indicates that it belongs to God alone to render a decisive judgment in this matter. This is confirmed by Paul's use of the same phrase in 1 Corinthians 4:5: 'Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men's hearts; and then each man's praise will come to him from God.' In the two preceding verses Paul says: 'But to me it is a very small thing that I may be examined by you, or by any human court; in fact, I do not even examine myself. For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord.' This is further confirmed because in Romans 2, Paul addresses his remarks specifically to those who had a high opinion of their own holiness, boasted in God, and were confident in their discernment — certain that they knew God's will and could approve what was excellent, or test what was different. Verse 18 tells us they were confident they were guides to the blind, a light to those in darkness, instructors of the foolish, teachers of children — and so took it upon themselves to judge others (see Romans 2:1 and 17-20).

How arrogant, then, is the notion held by those who imagine they can certainly know another person's godliness — when the great apostle Peter ventures no stronger claim about Silvanus than that he was 'a faithful brother, as I consider him' (1 Peter 5:12). This Silvanus appears to have been a very prominent minister of Christ, an evangelist, and a celebrated light in God's church at that time, and a close companion of the apostles. See 2 Corinthians 1:19, 1 Thessalonians 1:1, and 2 Thessalonians 1:1.