A TREATISE ON THE RELIGIOUS AFFECTIONS by Jonathan Edwards, TAPE 3. And some speak of a great sight they have of their wickedness, who really, when the manner comes to be well examined in two 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 hearts does really consist. They tell of a dreadful load and sink of sin, a heap of black and loathome filthiness within them, when, if the manner be carefully inquired into, they have not in view anything wherein the corruption of nature does truly consist. Nor have they any thought if 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 who think also they have great convictions of their actual sins, who truly have none. They tell how their sins are set in order before them. They see them stand encompassing them round in a row with a dreadful, frightful appearance. when really they have not so much as one of the sins they have been guilty of in the course of their lives coming into view, that they are affected with the aggravations of. And if persons have had great terrors, which really have been from the awakening and convincing influences of the Spirit of God, it does not then 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 anything 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 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 observed 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 sanctifying, so that there shall be a very great resemblance in all that can be observed by others, much more easily may he imitate those works of God's Spirit which are common, and which men, while they are yet his own children, are the subjects of. These works are in no wise so much above him as the others. There are no works of God that are so high and divine and above the powers of nature, and out of reach of the power of all creature, as those of the works of the Spirit, whereby he forms a 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. The venerable Solomon's Daughter observes, quote, A man may say that he can justify God however he deals with Him, and yet not be brought off from his own righteousness. Some men justify God from a partial conviction of the righteousness of their condemnation. conscience takes notice of their sinfulness and tells them that they may be righteously damned, is Pharaoh who justified God, Exodus 9, 27. And they give some kind of consent to it, but many times it does not continue. They have only a pang upon them that usually dies away after a little time, end quote, Stoddard's Guide to Christ. 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 a 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 condemned himself before him, crying out, Thou art more righteous than I, for thou hast rewarded me good, whereof I have rewarded thee evil. And it is another time I have sinned, I have played the fool, I have erred exceedingly. 1 Samuel 24 16 and 17 and chapter 26 21 And yet Saul seems 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 is hard to discover. Secondly, If the operations and effects of the Spirit of God and 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 arrange 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. We have no certain rule to determine how far God's own Spirit may go in these 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 anything 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 anything 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 these 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 all 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 comforts, is no certain sign of grace. Mr. Stoddard, who had much experience of things of this nature, long ago observed that converted and unconverted men cannot be certainly distinguished by the account they give of their experience, the same relation of experiences being common to both, and that many persons have given a fair account of a work of conversion that have carried well in the eye of the world for several years, but have not proved well at last, to appeal to the learned. 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 the rule, i.e., 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 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 Savior, who is not convinced of his sin and misery, and of his own emptiness and helplessness, and is just assert 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. Shepherd observes, Sometimes a change made in a saint at first is like a confused chaos, so that the saints know not what to make of it. The manner of the spirits proceeding in them that are born of the Spirit is very often exceedingly mysterious and unsearchable. We, as it were, hear the sound of it. The effect of it is discernible, but no man can tell whence it came or whether it went. And it is oftentimes as difficult to know the way of the Spirit in a 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 works of God that worketh all. The engenerating 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, Pentacle 3.11. And so is every particular believer, Matthew 12.49 and 50. And the conception of Christ in the womb of the Blessed Virgin by the power of the Holy Ghost seems to be a design 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, and 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, and 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 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 much, 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. But 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 sevenfold 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 inquiries into our own state, or the 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. Thomas Shepard, speaking of the soul's closing with Christ, says, quote, As a child cannot tell how a soul comes into it, nor it may be when, but when afterwards it sees and feels that life, so that he were as bad as a beast that should deny an immortal soul. So here, in quote, Parable of the Ten Virgins, If the man do not know the time of his conversion or first closing with Christ, the minister may not draw any peremptory conclusion from thence that he is not godly." Solomon Stoddard's Guide to Christ. And Thomas Shepard in his Sound Believer says, Do not think that there is no compunction or sense of sin wrought in the soul, because you cannot so clearly discern and feel it. nor the time of the working and first beginning of it. I have known many that have come with their complaints that they were never humbled, they never felt it so. Yet there it has been, and many times they have seen it by the other spectacles, and bless God for it." Many do greatly err in their notions of a clear work of conversion, calling that a clear work, where the successive steps of influence and method of experience are clear, whereas that indeed is a clearest work, not where the order of doing is clearest, but where the spiritual and divine nature of the work done, in effect wrought, is most clear. Section 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 are not, that they dispose persons to spend much time in religion and to be zealously engaged in the external duties of worship. This is 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 a tendency of true grace to cause persons to delight in such religious exercises. True grace had this effect on Anna the prophetess, Luke 2.37. 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 and 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 a saint's delight in singing praises to God, Psalm 135, 3. Sing praises unto his name, for it is pleasant. Praise ye the Lord, for it is good to sing praises unto our God, for it is pleasant and praises comely. Psalm 147, 1. 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. It 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, and so on. It makes him love God's public worship. Psalm 26 8. Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house and the place where thine honor dwelleth. In Psalm 27, 4, 1 thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple. Psalm 84, 1 and 2, and so on. 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 are, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house, they will still be praising thee. Blessed is the man in whose heart are the ways of them, who, passing through the valley of Baca, go from strength to strength. Every one of them in Zion appeareth before God. A day in thy courts is better than a thousand. This is the nature of true grace. But yet, on the other hand, that persons are 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, He shall not fast as ye do this day, to cause your voice to be heard on high. That religion which is not spiritual and safe, he may cause men to delight in religious duties and ordinances. 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. Isaiah 58, 2. They ask of me the ordinances of justice. They take delight in approaching to God, and 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 the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them. For with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness. And lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song, of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument. For they hear thy words, but they do them not. So it was with Herod. He heard John the Baptist gladly, Mark 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 reclusives who forsook the world and utterly abandoned the society of mankind and shut themselves up in a close 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 exercise of devotion and converse with God. There were also in old time great multitudes called hermits and anchorites that left the world to spend all their days in lonesome deserts to give themselves up to religious contemplations and exercises of 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. A 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 daytime, but sometimes whole nights. Section 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 its praises, and affectionately to be calling on others to praise and extol him, I thought it deserved a more particular consideration. No Christian will make it an argument against a person that he seems to have such a disposition, nor can it reasonably be looked upon as an evidence for a person if those things that have been already observed and proved be duly considered. 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, the maimed to behold, 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 raising the son of the widow of Nain, Luke 7, 16, there came a fear on all, and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us, and that God has visited his people. So we read of their glorifying Christ, or speaking exceedingly high of Him, Luke 6.15. 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 the goodness of God to the Gentiles and glorified the word of the Lord. But all that did so were not true believers, but only a certain elect number of them, as is intimated in the account we have of it, Acts 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 God's praise, but soon forgot His And the Jews in Ezekiel's time, with their mouth showed much love, while their heart went after their covetousness. 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 the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his word, your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my namesake, said, Let the Lord be glorified. It is no certain sign that a person is graciously affected if, in the midst of his hopes and comforts, he is greatly affected with God's unmerited mercy to him that is so unworthy and seems greatly to extol and magnify free grace. Those that yet remain with unmortified pride and enmity against God may, when they imagine that they have received extraordinary kindness from God, deplore their unworthiness and magnify God's undeserved goodness to them. Yet this may arise from no other conviction of their ill-deservings and from no higher principle than Saul had, who while he yet remained with unsubdued pride and enmity against David, was brought, though a king, to acknowledge his unworthiness and cry out, I have played the fool, I have erred exceedingly. and with great affection and admiration to magnify and extol David's unmerited and unexampled kindness to him. 1 Samuel 24 16-19 and 26-21 and from no higher principle than that from whence Nebuchadnezzar was affected with God's dispensations that he saw and was a subject of, and praises, extols, and honors the King of heaven. And both he and Darius in their high affections call upon all nations to praise God. Daniel 3 28-30 and 4 1-3 and 34-37 and chapter 6 25-27. Number 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 that persons 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 plainest Scripture evidence. It is manifest that it was a common thing for the saints that we have a history or particular account of in Scripture to be assured. God in the plainest and most positive manner revealed and testified his 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. 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 verse 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 this 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 spake those things in his prayer to the end that his joy might be fulfilled in them. By these things it is evident that it is agreeable to Christ's signs and the contrived ordering and disposition Christ makes of things in his church, that there should be sufficient and abundant provision made that his saints might have full assurance of their 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 to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 2 Timothy 1.12 I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded, that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto 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, shall give me 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 everything might be made sure on God's part. The covenant is ordered and on all things 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. God's declared design in all this is that the years of the promises might have an undoubting hope and full joy in an assurance of their future glory. wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the ears 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 for 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 ascertainable. For God's promises and those, 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 verse 9, if assurance of freedom from the guilt of sin is not attainable. It further appears that assurance is attainable in ordinary cases, and that all Christians are directed to give all diligence to make their culling and election sure, and are told how they may do it, 2 Peter 1 5-10. 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 be in them or no. 2 Corinthians 13, 5. Know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobate? 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 1 Corinthians 9.26. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly. And to add no more, it is manifest that Christians should know that their interest in the saving benefits of Christianity is a thing ordinarily attainable, Because the apostle tells 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. 1 John 2.3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 5 Hereby know we that we are in him. 3.14 19 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. 20 Hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. 21 Hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us. Therefore, it must be determined that persons are hypocrites and their affections wrong, because they seem to be out of doubt respecting 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. John Flavel in his Touchstone of Sincerity writes, quote, O professor, look carefully to your foundation. Be not high-minded, but fear. You have, it may be done, and suffered many things in and for religion, You have excellent gifts and sweet comforts, a warm zeal for God and high confidence of your integrity. All this may be right that I, or it may be you know, but yet it is possible it may be false. You sometimes judge yourselves and pronounce yourselves upright, but remember your final sentence is not yet pronounced by your judge. And what if God weigh you over again, and is more equal balance than should say, Meanie, tackle? Thou art weighed in the balance, and art found wanting. What a confounded man wilt thou be under such a sentence? Things that are highly esteemed of men are an abomination in the sight of God. He seeth not as man seeth. Thy heart may be false, and thou not know it. Yea, it may be false, and thou strongly confident of its integrity. 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 appropriate 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 is 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. Solomon Starr writes, Some hypocrites are a great deal more confident than many saints. Discourse on the Way to Know Sincerity and Hypocrisy. And John Flavel writes, Doth the work of faith in some believers bear upon its top branches the full ripe fruits of a blessed assurance? Lo, what strong confidence and high-built persuasions of an interest in God has sometimes been found in unsanctified ones! Yea, so strong may this false assurance be, that they dare boldly venture to go to the judgment seat of God and there defend it. Does the Spirit of God fill the heart of the assured believer with joy unspeakable and full of glory, giving him through faith a prelimination or foretaste of heaven itself and those firstfruits of it? How near to this comes what the apostle supposes may be found in apostates, husbandry spiritualized. Such an overbearing, high-handed, and violent sort of confidence is this, effecting to declare itself with the most glaring show on the side of men, although it is to be seen in many, is not the countenance of a true Christian assurance. For the continuation of the religious affections, please tell that they were saints, and the most eminent 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 ye 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 them heard these words, and said unto Him, Are we blind also? If they had had more of the spirit of the publican, 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 resembled that of one who humbly trusts and hopes in Christ, and has no confidence in himself. If we do but consider what the hearts of natural men are, what principles they are under the dominion of, what blindness and deceit, what self-flattery, self-exaltation, and self-confidence reign there, we need not at all wonder that their high opinion of themselves and confidence of their happy circumstances be as high and strong as mountains. and as violent as a tempest, when one's conscience is blinded and convictions killed with false high affections, when two of those four mentioned principles are let loose, fed and prompted by false joys and comforts, excited by some pleasing imaginations, and impressed by Satan transforming himself into an angel of light. When once a hypocrite is thus established in a false hope, He is not, though things to cause him to call his hope in question, that oftentimes are the occasions of the doubting of true saints. At 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 is 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 ever more highly conceited of their light and understanding. Thirdly, The devil does not assault the hope of the hypocrite as he does the hope of a true saint. The devil is a great enemy to a true Christian hope, not only because it tends greatly to the comfort of him that hath it, but also because it is a thing of 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 retain 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 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 is not that side of his own corruptions which the saint has. A true Christian has ten times so much to do with his heart and his corruptions as a and the sins of his heart and practice appear to him in their blackness, they look dreadful, and it often appears a very mysterious thing that any grace can be consistent with such corruption, or should be in such a heart. But a false hope hides corruption, covers it all over, and the hypocrite looks clean and bright in his own eyes. There are two sorts of hypocrites. one that are deceived with their outward morality and external religion, many of whom are professed Arminians in the doctrine of justification, and the other are those that are deceived with false discoveries and elevations, who 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. Shepherd, 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 worse. And it is evident that the latter are commonly by far the more confident in their hope, and with the more difficulty brought off from it. I have scarcely known an 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, and so on. And especially when they earnestly seek, expect, and wait for evidence of their election and salvation this way is 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. 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 light delusive impressions, and be made confident the same way. The confidence of many of this sort, whom that Mr. Shepherd calls evangelical hypocrites, is like the confidence of some madmen 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 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 confidence of hypocrites will not be shaken by sin. They, at least some of them, will maintain their boldness in their hope in the most corrupt frames and wicked ways, which is a sure evidence of their delusion. Mr. Shepherd speaks of it as a presumptuous piece that is not interrupted and broke by evil works. and says that the Spirit will sigh and not sing in that bosom whence corrupt dispositions and passions break out, and that, though men in such frames may seem to maintain the consolation of the Spirit, and not suspect their hypocrisy under pretense of trusting the Lord's mercy, yet they cannot avoid the condemnation of the world." And here I cannot 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. They are 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. These are excellent and important doctrines indeed, rightly understood, but corrupt and destructive as many understand them. The Scripture speaks of our living or walking by faith and not by sight in no other way than these. When we are governed by a respect to eternal things, which are the objects of faith, which are not seen, and not by respect to temporal things which are seen, when we believe things revealed that we never saw with bodily eyes, and also exercise 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 anyone that looks over the scriptures which speak of faith and opposition to sight. 2 Corinthians 4.18 and 5.7, Hebrews 11.1, 8, 13, 17, 27 and 29, Romans 8.24 and John 20.29. Dr. Ains speaks of it as a thing by which the peace of a wicked man may be distinguished from the peace of a godly man. that the peace of a wicked man continues whether he performs the duties of piety and righteousness or no, providing those crimes are avoided that appear horrid to nature itself." But this doctrine, as it is understood by many, is that Christians ought firmly to believe and trust in Christ without spiritual light, even although they are in a dark, dead frame, and for the present have no spiritual experiences or discoveries. It is truly the duty of those who are thus in darkness to come out of darkness into light and to believe, but that they should confidently believe and trust while they yet remain without spiritual light or sight is as anti-scriptural an absurd doctrine. The Scripture is ignorant of any such faith in Christ as the operation of God. It is not founded in the spiritual sight of Christ. That believing on Christ, which accompanies a title to everlasting life, is a seeing of 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 a 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 cannot 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 cannot be in the exercise of faith in Him further than they have a sight of His fullness and faithfulness and exercise. Nor can they have the exercise of a 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 as impossible for men to have a stronger 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. I pause in the narrating of this book to speak to those who are listening who take an objection with Edward's view here to tell you that if you will be patient at the end of this book I will also narrate the appendix to the book which is a letter written to another pastor where Jonathan Edwards defends his position. But I go on. It is true that it is the duty of God's people to trust in Him when in darkness, even though they remain still in darkness. In one sense, when the aspects of His providence are dark, and look as though God had forsaken them and did not hear their prayers, many clouds gather, 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 promise of God difficult to be fulfilled, but He must be trusted out of sight, i.e., when we cannot see which way it is possible for Him to fulfill His word. Everything but God's mere word makes it look unlikely, so that if persons believe, they must hope against hope. Thus the ancient patriarchs, and thus the psalmist Jeremiah, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and the apostle Paul, gave glory to God by trusting Him in darkness. 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? Spiritual light may be led 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 kind of experience. For instance, they may have clear views of God's all-sufficiency and faithfulness. and so may confidently trust in Him and know that they are His children, and yet not have those close, clear, and sweet ideas of His love as at other times, thus it was with Christ Himself in His last Passion. They may also have views of God's sovereignty, holiness, and all-sufficiency, enabling them quietly to submit to Him, and to exercise a sweet and most encouraging hope in His fullness, 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 who thus insist on persons living by faith, when they have no experience, enter in a very bad frame, 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 be in doubt of their state, whatever frames they are in, and whatever wicked things they do, because it is a great and heinous sin of unbelief. And he is the best man, and puts most honor upon God, and maintains his hope of his good estate, the most confidently and immovably, when he is the least light or experienced. That is to say, when he is in the worst frame and way, because, forsooth, that it is a sign that he is strong in faith, giving glory to God, and against hope, beliefs, and But from what Bible do they learn this notion of faith, that it is a man's confidently believing that he is in a good estate? Solomon Stoddard, in his Nature of Saving Conversion, writes, Men do not know that they are godly by believing that they are godly. We know many things by faith, Hebrews 11 3. By faith we understand that the worlds were made by the word of God. Faith is the evidence of things not seen, Hebrews 11 1. Thus men know the trinity of persons of the Godhead, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that he that believes in him will have eternal life, the resurrection of the dead. And if God should tell a saint that he has grace, he might know it by believing the word of God. But it is not this way that godly men do know that they have grace. It is not revealed in the word, and the Spirit of God doth not testify it to particular persons." If this be faith, the Pharisees had faith in an imminent degree, some of whom Christ teaches committed the unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost. The Scripture represents faith, is that by which men are brought into a good estate, and therefore it cannot be the same thing as believing that they are already in a good estate. To suppose that faith consists in persons believing that they are in a good estate is in effect the same thing as to suppose that faith consists in a person believing that he has faith or in believing that he believes. Indeed, persons doubting of their good estate may in several respects arise from unbelief. It may be from unbelief or because they have so little faith that they have so little evidence of their good estate. If they had more experience of the actings of faith, and so more experience of the exercise of grace, they would have clearer evidence that their state was good. And so their doubts would be removed, and 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 favor 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 lack 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 favor to them. Some doubt whether they have any interest in the promises because from the aspect of providence they appear so unlikely to be fulfilled. The difficulties in the way are so many and great. Such doubting arises from lack 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 these, and they may be to blame that they have no more grace and no more of its present exercises 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 that gives it is put out, or to maintain the bright sunshine in the air when the sun has gone down. Distant experiences, when darkened by present prevailing lust and corruption, will never keep alive a gracious confidence and assurance. If the one prevailed, the other sickens and decays upon it. Does any one attempt to nourish and strengthen a little child by repeated blows on the head with a hammer? Nor is it all to be lamented that persons doubted their state in such circumstances, but, on the contrary, it is desirable in every way best that they should. It is agreeable to that wise and merciful constitution of things which God hath established. For so hath God constituted things in his dispensations towards his own people, that when their love decays, and the exercises of it become weak, fear should arise. They need fear, then, to restrain them from sin, to excite them to care for the good of their souls, and so to stir them up to watchfulness and diligence in religion. But God 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 and exercise to restrain them from sin and stir them up to duty. No other principles will ever make men conscientious but one of these two, fear or love. And therefore if one of these should not prevail as the other decayed, God's people, when fallen into dead and carnal frames, when love is asleep, would be lamentably exposed indeed. Hence God is 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. Light and darkness 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 decay and fall asleep and lust prevail, the light and joy of hope goes out and dark fear arises. And if, on the contrary, divine love prevail and comes into lively exercise, this brings in the brightness of hope and dries away black lust and fear with it. Love is the spirit of adoption, or the childlike principle. If that slumbers, men fall under fear, which is the spirit of bondage, or the servile principle, and so on the contrary. And if love, or the spirit of adoption, be carried to a great height, it quite drives away all fear, and gives full assurance, 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 fear or hope into the hearts of God's children just in proportion as they prevail. That is, when left to their own natural influence without something adventitious or accidental intervening as a distemper of melancholy, doctrinal ignorances, prejudices of education, wrong instruction, false principles, peculiar temptations, and so on. Fear is cast out by the Spirit of God no other way than by the prevailing of love, nor is it ever maintained by His Spirit but when love is asleep. At such a time, in vain is all the saint's self-examinations and pouring on past experience, in order to establish his peace and get assurance. For it is contrary to the nature of things, as God hath constituted them, that he should have assurance at such a time. They therefore directly thwart God's wise and gracious constitution of things, who exhort others to be confident in their hope when in dead frames. under a notion of living by faith and not by sight, and trusting God in the dark, and living upon Christ and not upon experiences, and who warn them not to doubt of their good estate, lest they should be guilty of the dreadful sin of unbelief. It has a direct tendency to establish the most presumptuous hypocrites, And to prevent their ever calling their state in question, how much soever wickedness rages, reigns in their hearts, and prevails in their lives, under a notion of honoring God, by hoping against hope, and confidently trusting in God when things look very dark. And doubtless, vast has been the mischief that has been done this way. Persons cannot be said to forsake Christ and live on their experiences merely because they use them as evidences of grace, for there are no other evidences that they can take. But then may persons be said to live upon their experiences when they make a righteousness of them, and when, instead of keeping their eye on God's glory and Christ's excellency, they turn it on themselves. They entertain their minds by viewing their own attainments, their high experiences, and the great things they have met with, which are bright and beautiful in their own eyes. They 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 immorality for those who make no pretenses to religion. But this is a far different thing from improving experiences as evidences of an interest in a glorious Redeemer. Section 12 Nothing can be certainly concluded concerning the nature of religious affections that the relations persons give with them are very affecting. 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 and the internal exercises of it, yet these are what they can neither feel nor see in the heart of another. Stoddard writes in The Nature of Saving Conversion, Men may have the knowledge of their own conversion. The knowledge that other men have of it is uncertain, because no man can look into the heart of another and see the workings of grace there." 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 man by outward appearances is at best uncertain and liable to deceit. 1 Samuel 16 7 The Lord seeth not as men 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. Solomon Stoddard writes that all visible signs are common to converted and unconverted men, and a relation of experiences among the rest, in quote, appeal to the learned. Oh, how hard it is for the eye of man to discern betwixt chaff and wheat! And how many upright hearts are now censured, whom God will clear! And how many false hearts are now approved, when God will condemn! Men at most beget but a conjectural knowledge of another state, and they that shall peremptorily judge either way may possibly wrong the generation of the upright, or, on the other side, absolve and justify the wicked. And truly, considering what has been said, it is no wonder that dangerous mistakes are so frequently made in this matter." Flavel's Husband Respiritualized, Chapter 12. They commonly are but poor judges and dangerous counselors in sole cases, who are quick and peremptory in determining person-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, to love and rejoice in them as their brethren in Christ Jesus. But yet the best of men may be deceived, when the appearance is seen 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 bright professors, received as eminent among the saints, to fall away and come to nothing. Shepherd, in his parable of the ten virgins, Be not offended if ye see great cedars fall, stars fall from heaven, great professors die in decay. Do not think they be all such, do not think that the elect shall fall. Truly some are such, that when they fall, one would think a man truly sanctified might fall away, as the Armenians think. 1 John 2.19 There were not of us. I speak this because the Lord is shaking, and I look for great apostasies, for God is trying all his friends through all the Christian world. In Germany, what professions were there? Who would have thought it? The Lord who delights to manifest that openly, which was hid secretly, sends a sword, and they fall." The saints may approve thee, and God condemn thee, Revelation 3.1. Thou hast the name that thou livest, and are dead. Men may say, There is a true Nathanael, and God may say, There is a self-causing Pharisee. Listener, thou hast heard of Judas and Demas, of Ananias and Sapphira, of Hymenaeus and Philetus, once renowned and famous professors, and thou hast heard how they proved at last Flavel's touchstone of sincerity. And this we need not wonder at, if we consider the things already observed, things which 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 a kind of love to the brethren, great appearances of admiration of God's perfections and works, sorrow for sin, reverence, submission, self-abasement, gratitude, joy, religious longings, and zeal for the interest of religion and the good of souls. These affections may come after great awakenings and convictions of conscience, and there may be great appearances of a work of humiliation. Counterfeit love and joy and other affections may seem to follow 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, may cause abundance of tears, yea, may overcome the nature of those who are the subjects of them, and may make them affectionate, fervent, and fluid, in speaking of the things of God, and dispose them to be abundant in it. They may have many sweet texts of Scripture and precious promises brought with great impression on their minds, and their affections 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, exclaiming against their unworthiness and extolling free grace. They 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 Christian assurance in his 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 nothing more, than the common influences of the Spirit of God. joined with the delusions of Satan and a wicked and deceitful heart. To which it may be added, that all these things may be attended with a sweet, natural temper, a good doctrinal knowledge of religion, a long acquaintance with the saints' way 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, with 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 a hypocrite and a true saint. Doubtless it is the glorious prerogative of the omniscient God, as the great searcher of hearts, to be able well to separate between these 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 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 experiences, And their hearts are touched, 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 laid upon them which many imagine. A true saint greatly delights in holiness. It is a most beautiful thing in his eyes. In God's work, and his saving, renewing, and making holy and happy a poor 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 anything real to answer them or no. And if he use the same words which are commonly used to express the affections of true saints, and tell of many things following one another in an order agreeable to the method of another's experience, and also speak 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, and given his relation, he speak with much affection, and above all, if in speaking he show much affection, such 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 fell to Hithophel's talk, and had once a sweet savour and relish of it, and therefore exceeding great was his surprise and disappointment when he fell. It was almost too much for him. Psalm 55, 12-14. It was not an enemy, then I could have borne it, but it was thou a man mine equal, my guide and mine acquaintance. We took sweet counsel together, and walked into the house of God in company." For the continuation of the religious affections, please go to cassette number four at this time.