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, a mighty engagedness of spirit, in every thing that was external, about Christ and his preaching and miracles, being astonished at his doctrine, anon with joy receiving the word, following him sometimes night and day, leaving meat, drink, and sleep, to hear him; once following him into the wilderness, fasting three days to hear him; sometimes crying him up to the clouds, saying, "Never man spake like this man!" being fervent and earnest in what they said. But what did these things come to in the greater part of them?

A person may be over-full of talk of his own 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 overfull of leaves seldom bears much fruit; and as a cloud, though to appearance very pregnant and full of water, if it brings with it over-much wind, seldom affords much rain to the dry and thirsty earth: which very thing the Holy Spirit is pleased several times to make use of, to represent a great show of religion with the mouth, without answerable fruit in the life: "Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift, is like clouds and wind without rain." And the apostle Jude, speaking of some in the primitive times, that crept in unawares among the saints, and having a great show of religion, were for a while not sus

pected: "These are clouds without water, carried about of winds." And the apostle Peter, speaking "These are clouds without water,

of the same, says, 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.*

A

That famous experimental divine, Mr. Shepard, says, Pharisee's trumpet shall be heard to the town's end; when simplicity walks through the town unseen. Hence a man will sometimes covertly commend himself, (and myself ever comes in,) and tells you a long story of conversion; and an hundred to one if some lie or other slip not out with it. Why, the secret meaning is I pray admire me. Hence complain of wants and weaknesses-Pray think what a broken-hearted Christian I am."Parable of the Ten Virgins, Part I. page 179, 180.

And holy Mr. Flavel says thus-" O reader, if thy heart were right with God, and thou didst not cheat thyself with a vain profession, thou wouldst have frequent business with God, which thou wouldst be loath thy dearest friend, or the wife of thy bosom, should be privy to. Non est religio, ubi omnia patent. Religion doth not lie open to all, to the eyes of men. Observed duties maintain our credit; but secret duties maintain our life. It was the saying of a heathen, about his secret correspondency with his friend, What need the world be acquainted with it? Thou and I are theatre enough to each other.' There are inclosed pleasures in religion, which none but renewed spiritual souls do feelingly understand."-Flavel's Touchstone of Sincerity, Chap. II. Sect. 2.

CHAPTER IV.

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

How

THERE are many in these days, that condemn all affections which are excited in a way of which the subjects of them can give no account, as not seeming to be the fruit of any of their own endeavours, or the natural consequence of the faculties and principles of human nature, in such circumstances, and under such means; but to be from the influence of some extrinsic and supernatural power upon their minds. 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 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 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; then, certainly, it is not unreasonable to suppose, that this effect should very frequently be produced in such a manner, as to make it very 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; so that if persons tell of effects of which they are conscious in their own minds, that seem to them not to be from the natural power or operation of their minds, but from the 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, that what they experience is not from the Spirit of God, but from themselves, or from the devil. Thus unreasonably are multitudes treated

at this day by their neighbours.

If it be indeed so, as the Scripture abundantly teaches, that grace in the soul is so entirely the effect of God's power, that it is fitly compared to those effects which are farthest from being produced by any strength in the subject, such as a generation, a being begotten, a resurrection, a being raised from the dead, a creation, or a being brought out of nothing into being, and that it is an effect wherein the mighty power of God is greatly glorified, and the exceeding greatness of his power is manifested; then how can we account for it, that the Almighty, in so great a work of his power, should so carefully hide his power, that the subjects of it should be able to discern nothing of it? or what reason or revelation have any to 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"—that "the