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SHOWING
WHAT ARE DISTINGUISHING SIGNS OF TRULY GRACIOUS AND HOLY
AFFECTIONS. But
before I proceed directly to the distinguishing characters,
I would previously mention some things which I desire may be
observed, concerning the marks I shall lay down. 1.
That I am far from undertaking to give such signs of
gracious affections, as shall be sufficient to enable any
certainly to distinguish true affection from false in
others; or to determine positively which of their neighbors
are true professors, and which are hypocrites. In so doing,
I should be guilty of that arrogance which I have been
condemning. Though it be plain that Christ has given rules
to all Christians, to enable them to judge of professors of
religion, whom they are concerned with, so far as is
necessary for their own safety, and to prevent their being
led into a snare by false teachers, and false pretenders to
religion; and though it be also beyond doubt, that the
Scriptures do abound with rules, which may be very
serviceable to ministers, in counseling and conducting souls
committed to their care, in things appertaining to their
spiritual and eternal state; yet it is also evident, that it
was never God's design to give us any rules, by which we may
certainly know, who of our fellow professors are his, and to
make a full and clear separation between sheep and goats;
but that, on the contrary, it was God's design to reserve
this to himself, as his prerogative. And therefore no such
distinguishing signs as shall enable Christians or ministers
to do this, are ever to be expected to the world's end: for
no more is ever to be expected from any signs, that are to
be found in the word of God, or gathered from it, than
Christ designed them for. 2.
No such signs are to be expected, that shall be sufficient
to enable those saints certainly to discern their own good
estate, who are very low in grace, or are such as have much
departed from God, and are fallen into a dead, carnal, and
unchristian frame. It is not agreeable to God's design (as
has been already observed), that such should know their good
estate: nor is it desirable that they should; but, on the
contrary, every way best that they should not; and we have
reason to bless God, that he has made no provision that such
should certainly know the state that they are in, any other
way than by first coming out of the ill frame and way they
are in. Indeed it is not properly through the defect of the
signs given in the word of God, that every saint living,
whether strong or weak, and those who are in a bad frame, as
well as others, cannot certainly know their good estate by
them. For the rules in themselves are certain and
infallible, and every saint has, or has had those things in
himself, which are sure evidences of grace; for every, even
the least act of grace is so. But it is through his defect
to whom the signs are given. There is a twofold defect in
that saint who is very low in grace, or in an ill frame,
which makes it impossible for him to know certainly that he
has true grace, by the best signs and rules which can be
given him. First, a defect in the object, or the
qualification to be viewed and examined. I do not mean an
essential defect; because I suppose the person to be a real
saint; but a defect in degree: grace being very small,
cannot be clearly and certainly discerned and distinguished. Things
that are very small, we cannot clearly discern their form,
or distinguish them one from another; though, as they are in
themselves, their form may be very different. There is
doubtless a great difference between the body of man, and
the bodies of other animals, in the first conception in the
womb: but yet if we should view the different embryos, it
might not be possible for us to discern the difference, by
reason of the imperfect state of the object; but as it comes
to greater perfection, the difference becomes very plain.
The difference between creatures of very contrary qualities,
is not so plainly to be seen while they are very young; even
after they are actually brought forth, as in their more
perfect state. The difference between doves and ravens, or
doves and vultures, when they first come out of the egg, is
not so evident; but as they grow to their perfection, it is
exceeding great and manifest. Another defect attending the
grace of those I am speaking of is its being mingled with so
much corruption, which clouds and hides it, and makes it
impossible for it certainly to be known. Though different
things that are before us, may have in themselves many marks
thoroughly distinguishing them one from another; yet if we
see them only in a thick smoke, it may nevertheless be
impossible to distinguish them. A fixed star is easily
distinguishable from a comet, in a clear sky; but if we view
them through a cloud, it may be impossible to see the
difference. When true Christians are in an ill frame, guilt
lies on the conscience; which will bring fear, and so
prevent the peace and joy of an assured hope. Secondly.
There is in such a case a defect in the eye. As the
feebleness of grace and prevalence of corruption, obscures
the object; so it enfeebles the sight; it darkens the sight
as to all spiritual objects, of which grace is one. Sin is
like some distempers of the eyes, that make things to appear
of different colors from those which properly belong to
them, and like many other distempers, that put the mouth out
of taste so as to disenable it from distinguishing good and
wholesome food from bad, but everything tastes bitter. Men
in a corrupt and carnal frame, have their spiritual senses
in but poor plight for judging and distinguishing spiritual
things. For
these reasons no signs that can be given, will actually
satisfy persons in such a case: let the signs that are given
be never so good and infallible, and clearly laid down, they
will not serve them. It is like giving a man rules, how to
distinguish visible objects in the dark; the things
themselves may be very different, and their difference may
be very well and distinctly described to him; yet all is
insufficient to enable him to distinguish them, because he
is in the dark. And therefore many persons in such a case
spend time in a fruitless labor, in poring on past
experiences, and examining themselves by signs they hear
laid down from the pulpit, or that they read in books; when
there is other work for them to do, that is much more
expected of them; which, while they neglect, all their
self-examinations are like to be in vain if they should
spend never so much time in them. The accursed thing is to
be destroyed from their camp, and Achan to be slain; and
until this be done they will be in trouble. It is not God's
design that men should obtain assurance in any other way,
than by mortifying corruption, and increasing in grace, and
obtaining the lively exercises of it.—And although
self-examination be a duty of great use and importance, and
by no means to be neglected; yet it is not the principal
means, by which the saints do get satisfaction of their good
estate. Assurance is not to be obtained so much by
self-examination, as by action. The Apostle Paul sought
assurance chiefly this way, even by "forgetting the
things that were behind, and reaching forth unto those
things that were before, pressing towards the mark for the
prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus; if by any
means he might attain unto the resurrection of the
dead." And it was by this means chiefly that he
obtained assurance: 1 Cor. 9:26, "I therefore so run,
not as uncertainly." He obtained assurance of winning
the prize, more by running, than by considering. The
swiftness of his pace did more towards his assurance of a
conquest, than the strictness of his examination. Giving all
diligence to grow in grace, by adding to faith, virtue,
&c., is the direction that the Apostle Peter gives us,
for "making our calling and election sure, and having
an entrance ministered to us abundantly, into Christ's
everlasting kingdom;" signifying to us, that without
this, our eyes will be dim, and we shall be as men in the
dark, that cannot plainly see things past or to come, either
the forgiveness of our sins past, or our heavenly
inheritance that is future, and far off, 2 Pet. 1:5-11.[36] Therefore,
though good rules to distinguish true grace from
counterfeit, may tend to convince hypocrites, and be of
great use to the saints, in many respects; and among other
benefits may be very useful to them to remove many needless
scruples, and establish their hope; yet I am far from
pretending to lay down any such rules, as shall be
sufficient of themselves, without other means, to enable all
true saints to see their good estate, or as supposing they
should be the principal means of their satisfaction. 3.
Nor is there much encouragement, in the experience of
present or past times, to lay down rules or marks to
distinguish between true and false affections, in hopes of
convincing any considerable number of that sort of
hypocrites, who have been deceived with great false
discoveries and affections, and are once settled in a false
confidence, and high conceit of their own supposed great
experiences and privileges. Such hypocrites are so conceited
of their own wisdom, and so blinded and hardened with a very
great self-righteousness (but very subtle and secret, under
the disguise of great humility), and so invincible a
fondness of their pleasing conceit of their great
exaltation, that it usually signifies nothing at all to lay
before them the most convincing evidences of their
hypocrisy. Their state is indeed deplorable, and next to
those who have committed the unpardonable sin. Some of this
sort of persons seem to be most out of the reach of means of
conviction and repentance. But yet the laying down good
rules may be a means of preventing such hypocrites, and of
convincing many of other kinds of hypocrites; and God is
able to convince even this kind, and his grace is not to be
limited, nor means to be neglected. And besides, such rules
may be of use to the true saints, to detect false
affections, which they may have mingled with true; and be a
means of their religion's becoming more pure, and like gold
tried in the fire. Having
premised these things, I now proceed directly to take notice
of those things in which true religious affections are
distinguished from false. I.
Affections that are truly spiritual and gracious, do arise
from those influences and operations on the heart, which are
spiritual, supernatural and divine. I
will explain what I mean by these terms, whence will appear
their use to distinguish between those affections which are
spiritual, and those which are not so. We
find that true saints, or those persons who are sanctified
by the Spirit of God, are in the New Testament called
spiritual persons. And their being spiritual is spoken of as
their peculiar character, and that wherein they are
distinguished from those who are not sanctified. This is
evident, because those who are spiritual are set in
opposition to natural men, and carnal men. Thus the
spiritual man and the natural man are set in opposition one
to another, 1 Cor. 2:14, 15: "The natural man receiveth
not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are
foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they
are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth
all things." The Scripture explains itself to mean an
ungodly man, or one that has no grace, by a natural man:
thus the Apostle Jude, speaking of certain ungodly men, that
had crept in unawares among the saints, ver. 4, of his
epistle, says, 5:19, "These are sensual, having not the
Spirit." This the apostle gives as a reason why they
behaved themselves in such a wicked manner as he had
described. Here the word translated sensual, in the
original is yucikoi [psychikoi], which is the very same,
which in those verses in 1 Cor. chap. 2 is translated natural.
In the like manner, in the continuation of the same
discourse, in the next verse but one, spiritual men are
opposed to carnal men; which the connection plainly shows
mean the same, as spiritual men and natural men, in the
foregoing verses; "And I, brethren, could not speak
unto you, as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal;" i.e.,
as in a great measure unsanctified. That by carnal the
apostle means corrupt and unsanctified, is abundantly
evident, by Rom. 7:25, and 8:1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 19, 13,
Gal. 5:16, to the end, Col. 2:18. Now therefore, if by
natural and carnal in these texts, be intended unsanctified,
then doubtless by spiritual, which is opposed thereto, is
meant sanctified and gracious. And
as the saints are called spiritual in Scripture, so we also
find that there are certain properties, qualities, and
principles, that have the same epithet given them. So we
read of a "spiritual mind," Rom. 8:6, 7, and of
"spiritual wisdom," Col. 1:9, and of
"spiritual blessings," Eph. 1:3. Now
it may be observed, that the epithet spiritual, in
these and other parallel texts of the New Testament, is not
used to signify any relation of persons or things to the
spirit or soul of man, as the spiritual part of man, in
opposition to the body, which is the material part.
Qualities are not said to be spiritual, because they have
their seat in the soul, and not in the body: for there are
some properties that the Scripture calls carnal or fleshly,
which have their seat as much in the soul, as those
properties that are called spiritual. Thus it is with
pride and self-righteousness, and a man's trusting to his
own wisdom, which the apostle calls fleshly, Col.
2:18. Nor are things called spiritual, because they are
conversant about those things that are immaterial, and not
corporeal. For so was the wisdom of the wise men, and
princes of this world, conversant about spirits, and
immaterial beings; which yet the apostle speaks of as
natural men, totally ignorant of those things that are
spiritual, 1 Cor. chap. 2. But it is with relation to the
Holy Ghost, or Spirit of God, that persons or things are
termed spiritual in the New Testament. Spirit, as the word
is used to signify the third person in the Trinity, is the
substantive, of which is formed the adjective spiritual, in
the holy Scriptures. Thus Christians are called spiritual
persons, because they are born of the Spirit, and because of
the indwelling and holy influences of the Spirit of God in
them. And things are called spiritual as related to the
Spirit of God; 1 Cor. 2:13, 14, "Which things also we
speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but
which the Holy Ghost teacheth, comparing spiritual things
with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things
of the Spirit of God." Here the apostle himself
expressly signifies, that by spiritual things, he means the
things of the Spirit of God, and things which the Holy Ghost
teacheth. The same is yet more abundantly apparent by
viewing the whole context. Again, Rom. 8:6, "To be
carnally minded, is death; to be spiritually minded, is life
and peace" The apostle explains what he means by being
carnally and spiritually minded in what follows in the 9th
verse, and shows that by being spiritually minded, he means
a having the indwelling and holy influences of the Spirit of
God in the heart: "But ye are not in the flesh, but in
the Spirit, it so be the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if
any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of
his." The same is evident by all the context. But time
would fail to produce all the evidence there is of this, in
the New Testament. And
it must be here observed, that although it is with relation
to the Spirit of God and his influences, that persons and
things are called spiritual; yet not all those persons who
are subject to any kind of influence of the Spirit of God,
are ordinarily called spiritual in the New Testament. They
who have only the common influences of God's Spirit, are not
so called, in the places cited above, but only those who
have the special, gracious, and saving influences of God's
Spirit; as is evident, because it has been already proved,
that by spiritual men is meant godly men, in opposition to
natural, carnal, and unsanctified men. And it is most plain,
that the apostle by spiritually minded, Rom. 8:6, means
graciously minded. And though the extraordinary gifts of the
Spirit, which natural men might have, are sometimes called
spiritual, because they are from the Spirit; yet natural
men, whatever gifts of the Spirit they had, were not, in the
usual language of the New Testament, called spiritual
persons. For it was not by men's having the gifts of the
Spirit, but by their having the virtues of the Spirit, that
they were called spiritual; as is apparent by Gal. 6:1:
"Brethren, if any man be overtaken in a fault, ye which
are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of
meekness." Meekness is one of those virtues which the
apostle had just spoken of, in the verses next preceding,
showing what are the fruits of the Spirit. Those
qualifications are said to be spiritual in the language of
the New Testament, which are truly gracious and holy, and
peculiar to the saints. Thus,
when we read of spiritual wisdom and understanding (as in
Col. 1:9, "We desire that ye may be filled with the
knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual
understanding"), hereby is intended that wisdom which
is gracious, and from the sanctifying influences of the
Spirit of God. For, doubtless, by spiritual wisdom is meant
that which is opposite to what the Scripture calls natural
wisdom; as the spiritual man is opposed to the natural man.
And therefore spiritual wisdom is doubtless the same with
that wisdom which is from above, that the Apostle James
speaks of, Jam. 3:17: "The wisdom that is from above,
is first pure, then peaceable, gentle," &c., for
this the apostle opposes to natural wisdom, ver. 15:
"This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly,
sensual"—the last word in the original is the same
that is translated natural, in 1 Cor. 2:14. So
that although natural men may be the subjects of many
influences of the Spirit of God, as is evident by many
Scriptures, as Numb. 24:2, 1 Sam. 10:10, and 11:6, and
16:14, 1 Cor. 13:1, 2, 3, Heb. 6:4, 5, 6, and many others;
yet they are not, in the sense of the Scripture, spiritual
persons; neither are any of those effects, common gifts,
qualities, or affections, that are from the influence of the
Spirit of God upon them, called spiritual things. The great
difference lies in these two things. 1.
The Spirit of God is given to the true saints to dwell in
them, as his proper lasting abode; and to influence their
hearts, as a principle of new nature or as a divine
supernatural spring of life and action. The Scriptures
represent the Holy Spirit not only as moving, and
occasionally influencing the saints, but as dwelling in them
as his temple, his proper abode, and everlasting dwelling
place, 1 Cor. 3:16, 2 Cor. 6:16, John 14:16, 17. And he is
represented as being there so united to the faculties of the
soul, that he becomes there a principle or spring of new
nature and life. So
the saints are said to live by Christ living in them, Gal.
2:20. Christ by his Spirit not only is in them, but lives
in them; and so that they live by his life; so is his Spirit
united to them, as a principle of life in them; they do not
only drink living water, but this "living water becomes
a well or fountain of water," in the soul,
"springing up into spiritual and everlasting
life," John 4:14, and thus becomes a principle of life
in them. This living water, this evangelist himself explains
to intend the Spirit of God, chap. 7:38, 39. The light of
the Sun of righteousness does not only shine upon them, but
is so communicated to them that they shine also, and become
little images of that Sun which shines upon them; the sap of
the true vine is not only conveyed into them, as the sap of
a tree may be conveyed into a vessel, but is conveyed as sap
is from a tree into one of its living branches, where it
becomes a principle of life. The Spirit of God being thus
communicated and united to the saints, they are from thence
properly denominated from it, and are called spiritual. On
the other hand, though the Spirit of God may many ways
influence natural men; yet because it is not thus
communicated to them, as an indwelling principle, they do
not derive any denomination or character from it: for, there
being no union, it is not their own. The light may shine
upon a body that is very dark or black; and though that body
be the subject of the light, yet, because the light becomes
no principle of light in it, so as to cause the body to
shine, hence that body does not properly receive its
denomination from it, so as to be called a lightsome body.
So the Spirit of God acting upon the soul only, without
communicating itself to be an active principle in it, cannot
denominate it spiritual. A body that continues black, may be
said not to have light, though the light shines upon it: so
natural men are said "not to have the Spirit,"
Jude 19, sensual or natural (as the word is elsewhere
rendered), having not the Spirit. 2.
Another reason why the saints and their virtues are called
spiritual (which is the principal thing) is, that the Spirit
of God, dwelling as a vital principle in their souls, there
produces those effects wherein he exerts and communicates
himself in his own proper nature. Holiness is the nature of
the Spirit of God, therefore he is called in Scripture the
Holy Ghost. Holiness, which is as it were the beauty and
sweetness of the divine nature, is as much the proper nature
of the Holy Spirit, as heat is the nature of fire, or
sweetness was the nature of that holy anointing oil, which
was the principal type of the Holy Ghost in the Mosaic
dispensation; yea, I may rather say, that holiness is as
much the proper nature of the Holy Ghost, as sweetness was
the nature of the sweet odor of that ointment. The Spirit of
God so dwells in the hearts of the saints, that he there, as
a seed or spring of life, exerts and communicates himself,
in this his sweet and divine nature, making the soul a
partaker of God's beauty and Christ's joy, so that the saint
has truly fellowship with the Father, and with his Son Jesus
Christ, in thus having the communion or participation of the
Holy Ghost. The grace which is in the hearts of the saints,
is of the same nature with the divine holiness, as much as
it is possible for that holiness to be, which is infinitely
less in degree; as the brightness that is in a diamond which
the sun shines upon, is of the same nature with the
brightness of the sun, but only that it is as nothing to it
in degree. Therefore Christ says, John 3:6, "That which
is born of the Spirit, is spirit;" i.e., the grace that
is begotten in the hearts of the saints, is something of the
same nature with that Spirit, and so is properly called a
spiritual nature; after the same manner as that which is
born of the flesh is flesh, or that which is born of corrupt
nature is corrupt nature. But
the Spirit of God never influences the minds of natural men
after this manner. Though he may influence them many ways,
yet he never, in any of his influences, communicates himself
to them in his own proper nature. Indeed he never acts
disagreeably to his nature, either on the minds of saints or
sinners: but the Spirit of God may act upon men agreeably to
his own nature, and not exert his proper nature in the acts
and exercises of their minds: the Spirit of God may act so,
that his actions may be agreeable to his nature, and yet may
not at all communicate himself in his proper nature, in the
effect of that action. Thus, for instance, the Spirit of God
moved upon the face of the waters, and there was nothing
disagreeable to his nature in that action; but yet he did
not at all communicate himself in that action, there was
nothing of the proper nature of the Holy Spirit in that
motion of the waters. And so he may act upon the minds of
men many ways, and not communicate himself any more than
when be acts on inamimate things. Thus
not only the manner of the relation of the Spirit, who is
the operator, to the subject of his operations, is
different; as the Spirit operates in the saints, as dwelling
in them, as an abiding principle of action, whereas he doth
not so operate upon sinners; but the influence and operation
itself is different, and the effect wrought exceeding
different. So that not only the persons are called spiritual,
as having the Spirit of God dwelling in them; but those
qualifications, affections, and experiences, that are
wrought in them by the Spirit, are also spiritual,
and therein differ vastly in their nature and kind from all
that a natural man is or can be the subject of, while he
remains in a natural state; and also from all that men or
devils can be the authors of. It is a spiritual work in this
high sense; and therefore above all other works is peculiar
to the Spirit of God. There is no work so high and
excellent; for there is no work wherein God doth so much
communicate himself, and wherein the mere creature hath, in
so high a sense a participation of God; so that it is
expressed in Scripture by the saints "being made
partakers of the divine nature," 2 Pet. 1:4, and
"having God dwelling in them, and they in God," 1
John 4:12, 15, 16, and chap. 3:21; "and having Christ
in them," John 17:21, Rom. 8:10; "being the
temples of the living God," 2 Cor. 6:16; "living
by Christ's life," Gal. 2:20; "being made
partakers of God's holiness," Heb. 12:10; "having
Christ's love dwelling in them," John 17:26;
"having his joy fulfilled in them," John 17:13;
"seeing light in God's light, and being made to drink
of the river of God's pleasures," Psal. 36:8, 9;
"having fellowship with God, or communicating and
partaking with him (as the word signifies)," 1 John
1:3. Not that the saints are made partakers of the essence
of God, and so are godded with God, and christed
with Christ, according to the abominable and blasphemous
language and notions of some heretics: but, to use the
Scripture phrase, they are made partakers of God's fullness,
Eph. 3:17, 18, 19, John 1:16, that is, of God's spiritual
beauty and happiness, according to the measure and capacity
of a creature; for so it is evident the word fullness
signifies in Scripture language. Grace in the hearts of the
saints, being therefore the most glorious work of God,
wherein he communicates of the goodness of his nature, it is
doubtless his peculiar work, and in an eminent manner above
the power of all creatures. And the influences of the Spirit
of God in this, being thus peculiar to God, and being those
wherein God does, in so high a manner, communicate himself,
and make the creature partaker of the divine nature (the
Spirit of God communicating itself in its own proper
nature); this is what I mean by those influences that are
divine, when I say that "truly gracious affections do
arise from those influences that are spiritual and
divine." The
true saints only have that which is spiritual; others have
nothing which is divine, in the sense that has been spoken
of. They not only have not these communications of the
Spirit of God in so high a degree as the saints, but have
nothing of that nature or kind. For the Apostle James tells
us, that natural men have not the Spirit; and Christ teaches
the necessity of a new birth, or of being born of the
Spirit, from this, that he that is born of the flesh, has
only flesh, and no spirit, John 3:6. They have not the
Spirit of God dwelling in them in any degree; for the
apostle teaches, that all who have the Spirit of God
dwelling in them, are some of his, Rom. 8:9-11. And a having
the Spirit of God is spoken of as a certain sign that
persons shall have the eternal inheritance; for it is spoken
of as the earnest of it, 2 Cor. 1:29, and 5:5, Eph. 1:14;
and a having anything of the Spirit is mentioned as a sure
sign of being in Christ, 1 John 4:13: "Hereby know we
that we dwell in him, because he hath given us of his
Spirit." Ungodly men not only have not so much of the
divine nature as the saints, but they are not partakers of
it; which implies that they have nothing of it; for a being
partaker of the divine nature is spoken of as the peculiar
privilege of the true saints, 2 Pet. 1:4. Ungodly men are
not "partakers of God's holiness," Heb. 12:10. A
natural man has no experience of any of those things that
are spiritual: the apostle teaches us, that he is so far
from it, that he knows nothing about them, he is a perfect
stranger to them, the talk about such things is all
foolishness and nonsense to him, he knows not what it means;
1 Cor. 2:14, "The natural man receiveth not the things
of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him:
neither can he know them, because they are spiritually
discerned." And to the like purpose Christ teaches us
that the world is wholly unacquainted with the Spirit of
God, John 14:17: "Even the Spirit of truth, whom the
world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither
knoweth him." And it is further evident, that natural
men have nothing in them of the same nature with the true
grace of the saints, because the apostle teaches us, that
those of them who go farthest in religion have no charity,
or true Christian love, 1 Cor. chap. 13. So Christ elsewhere
reproves the Pharisees, those high pretenders to religion,
that they "had not the love of God in them," John
5:42. Hence natural men have no communion or fellowship with
Christ, or participation with him (as these words signify),
for this is spoken of as the peculiar privilege of the
saints, 1 John 1:3, together with ver. 6, 7, and 1 Cor. 1:8,
9. And the Scripture speaks of the actual being of a
gracious principle in the soul, though in its first
beginning, as a seed there planted, as inconsistent with a
man's being a sinner, 1 John 3:9. And natural men are
represented in Scripture, as having no spiritual light, no
spiritual life, and no spiritual being; and therefore
conversion is often compared to opening the eyes of the
blind, raising the dead, and a work of creation (wherein
creatures are made entirely new), and becoming new-born
children. From
these things it is evident, that those gracious influences
which the saints are subjects of, and the effects of God's
Spirit which they experience, are entirely above nature,
altogether of a different kind from anything that men find
within themselves by nature, or only in the exercise of
natural principles; and are things which no improvement of
those qualifications, or principles that are natural, no
advancing or exalting them to higher degrees, and no kind of
composition of them, will ever bring men to; because they
not only differ from what is natural, and from everything
that natural men experience, in degree and circumstances,
but also in kind; and are of a nature vastly more excellent.
And this is what I mean, by supernatural, when I say that
gracious affections are from those influences that are
supernatural. From
hence it follows, that in those gracious exercises and
affections which are wrought in the minds of the saints,
through the saving influences of the Spirit of God, there is
a new inward perception or sensation of their minds,
entirely different in its nature and kind, from anything
that ever their minds were the subjects of before they were
sanctified. For doubtless if God by his mighty power
produces something that is new, not only in degree and
circumstances, but in its whole nature, and that which could
be produced by no exalting, varying, or compounding of what
was there before, or by adding anything of the like kind; I
say, if God produces something thus new in a mind, that is a
perceiving, thinking, conscious thing; then doubtless
something entirely new is felt, or perceived, or thought;
or, which is the same thing, there is some new sensation or
perception of the mind, which is entirely of a new sorts and
which could be produced by no exalting, varying, or
compounding of that kind of perceptions or sensations which
the mind had before; or there is what some metaphysicians
call a new simple idea. If grace be, in the sense above
described, an entirely new kind of principle, then the
exercises of it are also entirely a new kind of exercises.
And if there be in the soul a new sort of exercises which it
is conscious of, which the soul knew nothing of before, and
which no improvement, composition, or management of what it
was before conscious or sensible of, could produce, or
anything like it; then it follows that the mind has an
entirely new kind of perception or sensation; and here is,
as it were, a new spiritual sense that the mind has, or a
principle of a new kind of perception or spiritual
sensation, which is in its whole nature different from any
former kinds of sensation of the mind, as tasting is diverse
from any of the other senses; and something is perceived by
a true saint, in the exercise of this new sense of mind, in
spiritual and divine things, as entirely diverse from
anything that is perceived in them, by natural men, as the
sweet taste of honey is diverse from the ideas men have of
honey by only looking on it, and feeling of it. So that the
spiritual perceptions which a sanctified and spiritual
person has, are not only diverse from all that natural men
have after the manner that the ideas or perceptions of the
same sense may differ one from another, but rather as the
ideas and sensations of different senses do differ. Hence
the work of the Spirit of God in regeneration is often in
Scripture compared to the giving a new sense, giving eyes to
see, and ears to hear, unstopping the ears of the deaf, and
opening the eyes of them that were born blind, and turning
from darkness unto light. And because this spiritual sense
is immensely the most noble and excellent, and that without
which all other principles of perception, and all our
faculties are useless and vain; therefore the giving this
new sense, with the blessed fruits and effects of it in the
soul, is compared to a raising the dead, and to a new
creation. This
new spiritual sense, and the new dispositions that attend
it, are no new faculties, but are new principles of nature.
I use the word principles for want of a word of a more
determinate signification. By a principle of nature in this
place, I mean that foundation which is laid in nature,
either old or new, for any particular manner or kind of
exercise of the faculties of the soul; or a natural habit or
foundation for action, giving a personal ability and
disposition to exert the faculties in exercises of such a
certain kind; so that to exert the faculties in that kind of
exercises may be said to be his nature. So this new
spiritual sense is not a new faculty of understanding, but
it is a new foundation laid in the nature of the soul, for a
new kind of exercises of the same faculty of understanding.
So that new holy disposition of heart that attends this new
sense is not a new faculty of will, but a foundation laid in
the nature of the soul, for a new kind of exercises of the
same faculty of will. The
Spirit of God, in all his operations upon the minds of
natural men, only moves, impresses, assists, improves, or
some way acts upon natural principles; but gives no new
spiritual principle. Thus when the Spirit of God gives a
natural man visions, as he did Balaam, he only impresses a
natural principle, viz., the sense of seeing, immediately
exciting ideas of that sense; but he gives no new sense;
neither is there anything supernatural, spiritual, or divine
in it. So if the Spirit of God impresses on a man's
imagination, either in a dream, or when he is awake, any
outward ideas of any of the senses, either voices, or shapes
and colors, it is only exciting ideas of the same kind that
he has by natural principles and senses. So if God reveals
to any natural man any secret fact: as, for instance,
something that he shall hereafter see or hear; this is not
infusing or exercising any new spiritual principle, or
giving the ideas of any new spiritual sense; it is only
impressing, in an extraordinary manner, the ideas that will
hereafter be received by sight and hearing.—So in the more
ordinary influences of the Spirit of God on the hearts of
sinners, he only assists natural principles to do the same
work to a greater degree, which they do of themselves by
nature. Thus the Spirit of God by his common influences may
assist men's natural ingenuity, as he assisted Bezaleel and
Aholiab in the curious works of the tabernacle: so he may
assist men's natural abilities in political affairs, and
improve their courage and other natural qualifications, as
he is said to have put his spirit on the seventy elders, and
on Saul, so as to give him another heart: so God may greatly
assist natural men's reason, in their reasoning about
secular things, or about the doctrines of religion, and may
greatly advance the clearness of their apprehensions and
notions of things of religion in many respects, without
giving any spiritual sense. So in those awakenings and
convictions that natural men may have, God only assists
conscience, which is a natural principle, to do that work in
a further degree, which it naturally does. Conscience
naturally gives men an apprehension of right and wrong, and
suggests the relation there is between right and wrong, and
a retribution: the Spirit of God assists men's consciences
to do this in a greater degree, helps conscience against the
stupifying influence of worldly objects and their lusts. And
so many other ways might be mentioned wherein the Spirit
acts upon, assists, and moves natural principles; but after
all it is no more than nature moved, acted and improved;
here is nothing supernatural and divine. But the Spirit of
God in his spiritual influences on the hearts of his saints,
operates by infusing or exercising new, divine, and
supernatural principles; principles which are indeed a new
and spiritual nature, and principles vastly more noble and
excellent than all that is in natural men. From
what has been said it follows, that all spiritual and
gracious affections are attended with and do arise from some
apprehension, idea, or sensation of mind, which is in its
whole nature different, yea, exceeding different, from all
that is, or can be in the mind of a natural man; and which
the natural man discerns nothing of, and has no manner of
idea of (agreeable to 1 Cor. 2:14), and conceives of no more
than a man without the sense of tasting can conceive of the
sweet taste of honey, or a man without the sense of hearing
can conceive of the melody of a tune, or a man born blind
can have a notion of the beauty of the rainbow. But
here two things must be observed, in order to the right
understanding of this. 1.
On the one hand it must be observed, that not everything
which in any respect appertains to spiritual affections, is
new and entirely different from what natural men can
conceive of, and do experience; some things are common to
gracious affections with other affections; many
circumstances, appendages and effects are common. Thus a
saint's love to God has a great many things appertaining to
it, which are common with a man's natural love to a near
relation; love to God makes a man have desires of the honor
of God, and a desire to please him; so does a natural man's
love to his friend make him desire his honor, and desire to
please him; love to God causes a man to delight in the
thoughts of God, and to delight in the presence of God, and
to desire conformity to God, and the enjoyment of God; and
so it is with a man's love to his friend; and many other
things might be mentioned which are common to both. But yet
that idea which the saint has of the loveliness of God, and
that sensation, and that kind of delight he has in that
view, which is as it were the marrow and quintessence of his
love, is peculiar, and entirely diverse from anything that a
natural man has, or can have any notion of. And even in
those things that seem to be common, there is something
peculiar; both spiritual and natural love cause desires
after the object beloved; but they be not the same sort of
desires: there is a sensation of soul in the spiritual
desires of one that loves God, which is entirely different
from all natural desires: both spiritual love and natural
love are attended with delight in the object beloved; but
the sensations of delight are not the same, but entirely and
exceedingly diverse. Natural men may have conceptions of
many things about spiritual affections; but there is
something in them which is as it were the nucleus, or kernel
of them, that they have no more conception of, than one born
blind, has of colors. It
may be clearly illustrated by this: we will suppose two men;
one is born without the sense of tasting, the other has it;
the latter loves honey, and is greatly delighted in it,
because he knows the sweet taste of it; the other loves
certain sounds and colors; the love of each has many things
that appertain to it, which is common; it causes both to
desire and delight in the object beloved, and causes grief
when it is absent, &c., but yet that idea or sensation
which he who knows the taste of honey has of its excellency
and sweetness, that is the foundation of his love, is
entirely different from anything the other has or can have;
and that delight which he has in honey is wholly diverse
from anything that the other can conceive of, though they
both delight in their beloved objects. So both these persons
may in some respects love the same object: the one may love
a delicious kind of fruit, which is beautiful to the eye,
and of a delicious taste; not only because he has seen its
pleasant colors, but knows its sweet taste; the other,
perfectly ignorant of this, loves it only for its beautiful
colors: there are many things seen, in some respect, to be
common to both; both love, both desire, and both delight;
but the love and desire, and delight of the one, is
altogether diverse from that of the other. The difference
between the love of a natural man and a spiritual man is
like to this; but only it must be observed, that in one
respect it is vastly greater, viz., that the kinds of
excellency which are perceived in spiritual objects, by
these different kinds of persons, are in themselves vastly
more diverse than the different kinds of excellency
perceived in delicious fruit, by a tasting and a tasteless
man; and in another respect it may not be so great, viz., as
the spiritual man may have a spiritual sense or taste, to
perceive that divine and most peculiar excellency but in
small beginnings, and in a very imperfect degree. 2.
On the other hand, it must be observed that a natural man
may have those religious apprehensions and affections, which
may be in many respects very new and surprising to him, and
what before he did not conceive of; and yet what he
experiences be nothing like the exercises of a principle of
new nature, or the sensations of a new spiritual sense; his
affections may be very new, by extraordinarily moving
natural principles in a very new degree, and with a great
many new circumstances, and a new co-operation of natural
affections, and a new composition of ideas; this may be from
some extraordinary powerful influence of Satan, and some
great delusion; but there is nothing but nature
extraordinarily acted. As if a poor man that had always
dwelt in a cottage and, had never looked beyond the obscure
village where he was born, should in a jest be taken to a
magnificent city and prince's court, and there arrayed in
princely robes, and set on the throne, with the crown royal
on his head, peers and nobles bowing before him, and should
be made to believe that he was now a glorious monarch; the
ideas he would have, and the affections he would experience,
would in many respects be very new, and such as he had no
imagination of before; but all this is no more than
extraordinarily raising and exciting natural principles, and
newly exalting, varying, and compounding such sort of ideas,
as he has by nature; here is nothing like giving him a new
sense. Upon
the whole, I think it is clearly manifest, that all truly
gracious affections do arise from special and peculiar
influences of the Spirit, working that sensible effect or
sensation in the souls of the saints, which are entirely
different from all that is possible a natural man should
experience, not only different in degree and circumstances,
but different in its whole nature; so that a natural man not
only cannot experience that which is individually the same,
but cannot experience anything but what is exceeding
diverse, and immensely below it, in its kind; and that which
the power of men or devils is not sufficient to produce the
like of, or anything of the same nature. I
have insisted largely on this matter, because it is of great
importance and use evidently to discover and demonstrate the
delusions of Satan, in many kinds of false religious
affections, which multitudes are deluded by, and probably
have been in all ages of the Christian church; and to settle
and determine many articles of doctrine, concerning the
operations of the Spirit of God, and the nature of true
grace. Now,
therefore, to apply these things to the purpose of this
discourse. From
hence it appears, that impressions which some have made on
their imagination, or the imaginary ideas which they have of
God or Christ, or heaven, or anything appertaining to
religion, have nothing in them that is spiritual, or of the
nature of true grace. Though such things may attend what is
spiritual, and be mixed with it, yet in themselves they have
nothing that is spiritual, nor are they any part of gracious
experience. Here,
for the sake of common people, I will explain what is
intended by impressions on the imagination and imaginary
ideas. The imagination is that power of the mind whereby it
can have a conception, or idea of things of an external or
outward nature (that is, of such sort of things as are the
objects of the outward senses) when those things are not
present, and be not perceived by the senses. It is called
imagination from the word image; because thereby a person
can have an image of some external thing in his mind, when
that thing is not present in reality, nor anything like it.
All such things as we perceive by our five external senses,
seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and feeling, are
external things: and when a person has an idea or image of
any of these sorts of things in his mind, when they are not
there, and when he does not really see, hear, smell, taste,
nor feel them; that is to have an imagination of them, and
these ideas are imaginary ideas: and when such kinds of
ideas are strongly impressed upon the mind, and the image of
them in the mind is very lively, almost as if one saw them,
or heard them, &c., that is called an impression on the
imagination. Thus colors and shapes, and a form of
countenance, they are outward things; because they are that
sort of things which are the objects of the outward sense of
seeing; and therefore when any person has in his mind a
lively idea of any shape, or color, or form of countenance;
that is to have an imagination of those things. So if he has
an idea, of such sort of light or darkness, as he perceives
by the sense of seeing; that is to have an idea of outward
light, and so is an imagination. So if he has an idea of any
marks made on paper, suppose letters and words written in a
book; that is to have an external and imaginary idea of such
kind of things as we sometimes perceive by our bodily eyes.
And when we have the ideas of that kind of things which we
perceive by any of the other senses, as of any sounds or
voices, or words spoken; this is only to have ideas of
outward things, viz., of such kind of things as are
perceived by the external sense of hearing, and so that also
is imagination: and when these ideas are livelily impressed,
almost as if they were really heard with the ears, this is
to have an impression on the imagination. And so I might go
on, and instance in the ideas of things appertaining to the
other three senses of smelling, tasting, and feeling. Many
who have had such things have very ignorantly supposed them
to be of the nature of spiritual discoveries. They have had
lively ideas of some external shape, and beautiful form of
countenance; and this they call spiritually seeing Christ.
Some have had impressed upon them ideas of a great outward
light; and this they call a spiritual discovery of God's or
Christ's glory. Some have had ideas of Christ's hanging on
the cross, and his blood running from his wounds; and this
they call a spiritual sight of Christ crucified, and the way
of salvation by his blood. Some have seen him with his arms
open ready to embrace them; and this they call a discovery
of the sufficiency of Christ's grace and love. Some have had
lively ideas of heaven, and of Christ on his throne there,
and shining ranks of saints and angels; and this they call
seeing heaven opened to them. Some from time to time have
had a lively idea of a person of a beautiful countenance
smiling upon them; and this they call a spiritual discovery
of the love of Christ to their souls, and tasting the love
of Christ. And they look upon it a sufficient evidence that
these things are spiritual discoveries, and that they see
them spiritually because they say they do not see these
things with their bodily eves, but in their hearts; for they
can see them when their eyes are shut. And in like manner,
the imaginations of some have been impressed with ideas of
the sense of hearing; they have had ideas of words, as if
they were sunken to them, sometimes they are the words of
Scripture, and sometimes other words: they have had ideas of
Christ's speaking comfortable words to them. These things
they have called having the inward call of Christ, hearing
the voice of Christ spiritually in their hearts, having the
witness of the Spirit, and the inward testimony of the love
of Christ, &c. The
common and less considerate and understanding sort of
people, are the more easily led into apprehensions that
these things are spiritual things, because spiritual things
being invisible, and not things that can be pointed forth
with the finger, we are forced to use figurative expressions
in speaking of them, and to borrow names from external and
sensible objects to signify them by. Thus we call a clear
apprehension of things spiritual by the name of light;
and a having such an apprehension of such or such things, by
the name of seeing such things; and the conviction of
the judgment, and the persuasion of the will by the word of
Christ in the gospel, we signify by spiritually hearing the
call of Christ: and the scripture itself abounds with such
like figurative expressions. Persons hearing these often
used, and having pressed upon them the necessity of having
their eyes opened, and having a discovery of spiritual
things, and seeing Christ in his glory and having the inward
call, and the like, they ignorantly look and wait for some
such external discoveries, and imaginary views as have been
spoken of; and when they have them are confident, that now
their eyes are opened, now Christ has discovered himself to
them, and they are his children; and hence are exceedingly
affected and elevated with their deliverance and happiness,
and many kinds of affections are at once set in a violent
motion in them. But
it is exceedingly apparent that such ideas have nothing in
them which is spiritual and divine, in the sense wherein it
has been demonstrated that all gracious experiences are
spiritual and divine. These external ideas are in no wise of
such a sort, that they are entirely, and in their whole
nature diverse from all that men have by nature, perfectly
different from, and vastly above any sensation which it is
possible a man should have by any natural sense or
principle, so that in order to have them, a man must have a
new spiritual and divine sense given him, in order to have
any sensations of that sort: so far from this, that they are
ideas of the same sort which we have by the external senses,
that are some of the inferior powers of the human nature:
they are merely ideas of external objects, or ideas of that
nature, of the same outward, sensitive kind: the same sort
of sensations of mind (differing not in degree, but only in
circumstances) that we have by those natural principles
which are common to us with the beasts, viz., the five
external senses. This is a low, miserable notion of
spiritual sense, to suppose that it is only a conceiving or
imagining that sort of ideas which we have by our animal
senses, which senses the beasts have in as great perfection
as we; it is, as it were, a turning Christ, or the divine
nature in the soul, into a mere animal. There is nothing
wanting in the soul, as it is by nature, to render it
capable of being the subject of all these external ideas,
without any new principles. A natural man is capable of
having an idea, and a lively idea of shapes, and colors, and
sounds, when they are absent, and as capable as a regenerate
man is: so there is nothing supernatural in them. And it is
known by abundant experience, that it is not the advancing
or perfecting human nature, which makes persons more capable
of having such lively and strong imaginary ideas, but that
on the contrary, the weakness of body and mind, and
distempers of body, make persons abundantly more susceptive
of such impressions.[37] As
to a truly spiritual sensation, not only is the manner of
its coming into the mind extraordinary, but the sensation
itself is totally diverse from all that men have, or can
have, in a state of nature, as has been shown. But as to
these external ideas, though the way of their coming into
the mind is sometimes unusual, yet the ideas in themselves
are not the better for that; they are still of no different
sort from what men have by their senses; they are of no
higher kind, nor a whit better. For instance, the external
idea a man has now of Christ hanging on the cross, and
shedding his blood, is no better in itself, than the
external idea that the Jews his enemies had, who stood round
his cross, and saw this with their bodily eyes. The
imaginary idea which men have now of an external brightness
and glory of God, is no better than the idea the wicked
congregation in the wilderness had of the external glory of
the Lord at Mount Sinai, when they saw it with their bodily
eyes; or any better than that idea which millions of cursed
reprobates will have of the external glory of Christ at the
day of judgment, who shall see, and have a very lively idea
of ten thousand times greater external glory of Christ, than
ever yet was conceived in any man's imagination:[38]
yea, the image of Christ, which men conceive in their
imaginations, is not in its own nature of any superior kind
to the idea the Papists conceive of Christ, by the beautiful
and affecting images of him which they see in their churches
(though the way of their receiving the idea may not be so
bad); nor are the affections they have, if built primarily
on such imaginations, any better than the affections raised
in the ignorant people, by the sight of those images, which
oftentimes are very great; especially when these images,
through the craft of the priests, are made to move, and
speak, and weep, and the like.[39]
Merely the way of persons receiving these imaginary ideas,
does not alter the nature of the ideas themselves that are
received; let them be received in what way they will, they
are still but external ideas, or ideas of outward
appearances, and so are not spiritual. Yea, if men should
actually receive such external ideas by the immediate power
of the most high God upon their minds, they would not be
spiritual, they would be no more than a common work of the
Spirit of God; as is evident in fact, in the instance of
Balaam, who had impressed on his mind, by God himself, a
clear and lively outward representation or idea of Jesus
Christ, as "the Star rising out of Jacob, when he heard
the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the Most High,
and saw the vision of the Almighty, failing into a
trance," Numb. 24:16, 17, but yet had no manner of
spiritual discovery of Christ; that Day Star never
spiritually rose in his heart, he being but a natural man. And
as these external ideas have nothing divine or spiritual in
their nature and nothing but what natural men, without any
new principles, are capable of; so there is nothing in their
nature which requires that peculiar, inimitable and
unparalleled exercise of the glorious power of God, in order
to their production, which it has been shown there is in the
production of true grace. There appears to be nothing in
their nature above the power of the devil. It is certainly
not above the power of Satan to suggest thoughts to men;
because otherwise he could not tempt them to sin. And if he
can suggest any thoughts or ideas at all, doubtless
imaginary ones, or ideas of things external, are not above
his power;[40]
for the external ideas men have are the lowest sort of
ideas. These ideas may be raised only by impressions made on
the body, by moving the animal spirits, and impressing the
brain.—Abundant experience does certainly show, that
alterations in the body will excite imaginary or external
ideas in the mind; as often, in the case of a high fever,
melancholy, &c. These external ideas are as much below
the more intellectual exercises of the soul, as the body is
a less noble part of man than the soul. And
there is not only nothing in the nature of these external
ideas or imaginations of outward appearances, from whence we
can infer that they are above the power of the devil; but it
is certain also that the devil can excite, and often hath
excited such ideas. They were external ideas which he
excited in the dreams and visions of the false prophets of
old, who were under the influence of lying spirits, that we
often read of in Scripture, as Deut. 13:1., 1 Kings 22:22,
Isa. 33:7, Ezek. 13:7. And they were external ideas that he
often excited in the minds of the heathen priests, magicians
and sorcerers, in their visions and ecstasies, and they were
external ideas that he excited in the mind of the man Christ
Jesus, when he showed him all the kingdoms of the world,
with the glory of them, when those kingdoms were not really
in sight. And
if Satan or any created being, has power to impress the mind
with outward representations, then no particular sort of
outward representations can be any evidence of a divine
power. Almighty power is no more requisite to represent the
shape of man to the imagination, than the shape of anything
else: there is no higher kind of power necessary to form in
the brain one bodily shape or color than another: it needs a
no more glorious power to represent the form of the body of
a man, than the form of a chip or block; though it be of a
very beautiful human body, with a sweet smile in his
countenance, or arms open, or blood running from the hands,
feet and side: that sort of power which can represent black
or darkness to the imagination, can also represent white and
shining brightness: the power and skill which can well and
exactly paint a straw, or a stick of wood, on a piece of
paper or canvass; the same in kind, only perhaps further
improved, will be sufficient to paint the body of a man,
with great beauty and in royal majesty, or a magnificent
city, paved with gold, full of brightness, and a glorious
throne, &c. So it is no more than the same sort of power
that is requisite to paint one as the other of these on the
brain. The same sort of power that can put ink upon paper,
can put on leaf gold. So that it is evident to a
demonstration, if we suppose it to be in the devil's power
to make any sort of external representation at all on the
fancy (as without doubt it is, and never anyone questioned
it who believed there was a devil, that had any agency with
mankind): I say, if so, it is demonstrably evident, that a
created power may extend to all kinds of external
appearances and ideas in the mind. From hence it again
clearly appears, that no such things have anything in them
that is spiritual, supernatural, and divine, in the sense in
which it has been proved that all truly gracious experiences
have. And though external ideas, through man's make and
frame, do ordinarily in some degree attend spiritual
experiences, yet these ideas are no part of their spiritual
experience, any more than the motion of the blood, and
beating of the pulse, that attend experiences, are a part of
spiritual experience. And though undoubtedly, through men's
infirmity in the present state, and especially through the
weak constitution of some persons, gracious affections which
are very strong, do excite lively ideas in the imagination;
yet it is also undoubted, that when persons' affections are
founded on imaginations, which is often the case, those
affections are merely natural and common, because they are
built on a foundation that is not spiritual; and so are
entirely different from gracious affections, which, as has
been proved, do evermore arise from those operations that
are spiritual and divine. These
imaginations do oftentimes raise the carnal affections of
men to an exceeding great height:[41]
and no wonder, when the subjects of them have an ignorant,
but undoubting persuasion, that they are divine
manifestations, which the great Jehovah immediately makes to
their souls, therein giving them testimonies in an
extraordinary manner, of his high and peculiar favor. Again,
it is evident from what has been observed and proved of the
manner in which gracious operations and effects in the heart
are spiritual, supernatural and divine, that the immediate
suggesting of the words of Scripture to the mind has nothing
in it which is spiritual. I
have had occasion to say something of this already; and what
has been said may be sufficient to evince it; but if the
reader bears in mind what has been said concerning the
nature of spiritual influences and effects, it will be more
abundantly manifest that this is no spiritual effect. For I
suppose there is no person of common understanding, who will
say or imagine that the bringing words (let them be what
words they will) to the mind is an effect of that nature
which it is impossible the mind of a natural man, while he
remains in a state of nature, should be the subject of, or
anything like it; or that it requires any new divine sense
in the soul; or that the bringing sounds or letters to the
mind, is an effect of so high, holy, and excellent a nature,
that it is impossible any created power should be the cause
of it. As
the suggesting words of Scripture to the mind, is only the
exciting in the mind ideas of certain sounds or letters; so
it is only one way of exciting ideas in the imagination; for
sounds and letters are external things, that are the objects
of the external senses of seeing and hearing. Ideas of
certain marks upon paper, such as any of the twenty-four
letters, in whatever order, or any sounds of the voice, are
as much external ideas, as of any other shapes or sounds
whatsoever; and therefore, by what has been already said
concerning these external ideas, it is evident they are
nothing spiritual; and if at any time the Spirit of God
suggests these letters or sounds to the mind, this is a
common, and not any special or gracious influence of that
Spirit. And therefore it follows from what has been already
proved, that those affections which have this effect for
their foundation, are no spiritual or gracious affections.
But let it be observed what it is that I say, viz., when
this effect, even the immediate and extraordinary manner of
words of Scripture's coming to the mind, is that which
excites the affections, and is properly the foundation of
them, then these affections are not spiritual. It may be so,
that persons may have gracious affections going with
Scriptures which come to their minds, and the Spirit of God
may make use of those Scriptures to excite them; when it is
some spiritual sense, taste or relish they have of the
divine and excellent things contained in those Scriptures,
that is the thing which excites their affections, and not
the extraordinary and sudden manner of words being brought
to their minds. They are affected with the instruction they
receive from the words, and the view of the glorious things
of God or Christ, and things appertaining to them, that they
contain and teach; and not because the words came suddenly,
as though some person had spoken them to them, thence
concluding that God did as it were immediately speak to
them. Persons oftentimes are exceedingly affected on this
foundation; the words of some great and high promises of
Scripture came suddenly to their minds, and they look upon
the words as directed immediately by God to them, as though
the words that moment proceeded out of the mouth of God as
spoken to them: so that they take it as a voice from God,
immediately revealing to them their happy circumstances, and
promising such and such great things to them: and this it is
that effects and elevates them. There is no near spiritual
understanding of the divine things contained in the
Scripture, or new spiritual sense of the glorious things
taught in that part of the Bible going before their
affection, and being the foundation of it. All the new
understanding they leave, or think they have, to be the
foundation of their affection, is this, that the words are
spoken to them, because they come so suddenly and
extraordinarily. And so this affection is built wholly on
the sand! Because it is built on a conclusion for which they
have no foundation. For, as has been shown, the sudden
coming of the words to their minds, is no evidence that the
bringing them to their minds in that manner was from God.
And if it was true that God brought the words to their
minds, and they certainly knew it, that would not be
spiritual knowledge; it may be without any spiritual sense:
Balaam might know that the words which God suggested to him,
were indeed suggested to him by God, and yet have no
spiritual knowledge. So that these affections which are
built on that notion, that texts of Scripture are sent
immediately from God, are built on no spiritual foundation,
and are vain and delusive. Persons who have their affections
thus raised, if they should be inquired of, whether they
have and new sense of the excellency of things contained in
those Scriptures, would probably say, Yes, without
hesitation: but it is true no otherwise than thus, that then
they have taken up that notion, that the words are spoken
immediately to them, that makes them seem sweet to them, and
they own the things which these Scriptures say to them, for
excellent things and wonderful things. As for instance
supposing these were the words which were suddenly brought
to their minds, Fear not, it is your Father's good
pleasure to give you the kingdom; they having
confidently taken up a notion that the words were as it were
immediately spoken from heaven to them, as an immediate
revelation that God was their Father, and had given the
kingdom to them, they are greatly affected by it, and the
words seem sweet to them; and oh, they say, "they are
excellent things that are contained in those words!"
But the reason why the promise seems excellent to them, is
only because they think it is made to them immediately; all
the sense they have of any glory in them, is only from
self-love, and from their own imagined interest in the
words; not that they had any view or sense of the holy and
glorious nature of the kingdom of heaven and the spiritual
glory of that God who gives it, and of his excellent grace
to sinful men, it offering and giving them this kingdom, of
his own good pleasure preceding their imagined interest in
these things, and their being affected by them, and being
the foundation of their affection, and hope of an interest
in them. On the contrary, they first imagine they are
interested, and then are highly affected with that, and then
can own these things to be excellent. So that the sudden and
extraordinary way of the Scripture's coming to their mind is
plainly the first foundation of the whole; which is a clear
evidence of the wretched delusion they are under. The
first comfort of many persons, and what they call their
conversion, is after this manner: after awakening and
terror, some comfortable sweet promise comes suddenly and
wonderfully to their minds; and the manner of its coming
makes them conclude it comes from God to them; and this is
the very thing that is all the foundation of their faith,
and hope, and comfort: from hence they take their first
encouragement to trust in God and in Christ, because they
think that God, by some Scripture so brought, has now
already revealed to them that he loves them, and has already
promised them eternal life, which is very absurd; for every
one of common knowledge of the principles of religion, knows
that it is God's manner to reveal his love to men, and their
interest in the promises, after they have believed, and not
before, because they must first believe before they have any
interest in the promises to be revealed. The Spirit of God
is a Spirit of truth and not of lies: he does not bring
Scriptures to men's minds, to reveal to them that they have
an interest in God's favor and promises, when they have
none, having not yet believed: which would be the case, if
God's bringing texts of Scripture to men's minds, to reveal
to them that their sins were forgiven, or that it was God's
pleasure to give them the kingdom, or anything of that
nature, went before, and was the foundation of their first
faith. No promise of the covenant of grace belongs to any
man, until he has first believed in Christ; for it is by
faith alone that we become interested in Christ, and the
promises of the new covenant made in him: and therefore
whatever spirit applies the promises of that covenant to a
person who has not first believed, as being already his,
must be a lying spirit, and that faith which is first built
on such an application of promises is built upon a lie.
God's manner is not to bring comfortable texts of Scripture
to give men assurance of his love, and that they shall be
happy, before they have had a faith of dependence.[42]
And if the Scripture which comes to a person's mind, be not
so properly a promise, as an invitation; yet if he makes the
sudden or unusual manner of the invitations coming to his
mind, the ground on which he believes that he is invited, it
is not true faith; because it is built on that which is not
the true ground of faith. True faith is built on no
precarious foundation: but a determination that the words of
such a particular text were, by the immediate power of God,
suggested to the mind, at such a time, as though then spoken
and directed by God to him, because the words came after
such a manner, is wholly an uncertain and precarious
determination, as has been now shown; and therefore is a
false and sandy foundation for faith; and accordingly that
faith which is built upon it is false. The only certain
foundation which any person has to believe that he is
invited to partake of the blessings of the gospel, is, that
the word of God declares that persons so qualified as he is,
are invited, and God who declares it, is true, and cannot
lie. If a sinner be once convinced of the veracity of God,
and that the Scriptures are his word, he will need no more
to convince and satisfy him that he is invited; for the
Scriptures are full of invitations to sinners, to the chief
of sinners, to come and partake of the benefits of the
gospel; he will not want any never speaking of God to him;
what he hath spoken already will be enough with him. As
the first comfort of many persons, and their affections at
the time of their supposed conversion, are built on such
grounds as these which have been mentioned; so are their
joys and hopes and other affections, from time to time
afterwards. They have often particular words of Scripture,
sweet declarations and promises suggested to them, which by
reason of the manner of their coming, they think are
immediately sent from God to them, at that time, which they
look upon as their warrant to take them, and which they
actually make the main ground of their appropriating them to
themselves, and of the comfort they take in them, and the
confidence they receive from them. Thus they imagine a kind
of conversation is carried on between God and them; and that
God, from time to time, does, as it were, immediately speak
to them, and satisfy their doubts, and testifies his love to
them, and promises them supports and supplies, and his
blessing in such and such cases, and reveals to them clearly
their interest in eternal blessings. And thus they are often
elevated, and have a course of a sudden and tumultuous kind
of joys, mingled with a strong confidence, and high opinion
of themselves; when indeed the main ground of these joys,
and this confidence, is not anything contained in, or taught
by these Scriptures, as they lie in the Bible, but the
manner of their coming to them; which is a certain evidence
of their delusion. There is no particular promise in the
word of God that is the saint's, or is any otherwise made to
him, or spoken to him, than all the promises of the covenant
of grace are his, and are made to him and spoken to him;[43]
though it be true that some of these promises may be more
peculiarly adapted to his case than others, and God by his
Spirit may enable him better to understand some than others,
and to have a greater sense of the preciousness, and glory,
and suitableness of the blessings contained in them. But
here some may be ready to say, What, is there no such thing
as any particular spiritual application of the promises of
Scripture by the Spirit of God? I answer, there is doubtless
such a thing as a spiritual and saving application of the
invitations and promises of Scripture to the souls of men;
but it is also certain, that the nature of it is wholly
misunderstood by many persons, to the great ensnaring of
their own souls, and the giving Satan a vast advantage
against them, and against the interest of religion, and the
church of God. The spiritual application of a Scripture
promise does not consist in its being immediately suggested
to the thoughts by some extrinsic agent, and being borne
into the mind with this strong apprehension, that it is
particularly spoken and directed to them at that time; there
is nothing of the evidence of the hand of God in this
effect, as events have proved, in many notorious instances;
and it is a mean notion of a spiritual application of
Scripture; there is nothing in the nature of it at all
beyond the power of the devil, if he be not restrained by
God; for there is nothing in the nature of the effect that
is spiritual, implying any vital communication of God. A
truly spiritual application of the word of God is of a
vastly higher nature; as much above the devil's power, as it
is, so to apply the word of God to a dead corpse, as to
raise it to life; or to a stone, to turn it into an angel. A
spiritual application of the word of God consists in
applying it to the heart, in spiritually enlightening,
sanctifying influences. A spiritual application of an
invitation or offer of the gospel consists, in giving the
soul a spiritual sense or relish of the holy and divine
blessings offered, and the sweet and wonderful grace of the
offerer, in making so gracious an offer, and of his holy
excellency and faithfulness to fulfill what he offers, and
his glorious sufficiency for it; so leading and drawing
forth the heart to embrace the offer; and thus giving the
man evidence of his title to the thing offered. And so a
spiritual application of the promises of Scripture, for the
comfort of the saints, consists in enlightening their minds
to see the holy excellency and sweetness of the blessings
promised, and also the holy excellency of the promiser, and
his faithfulness and sufficiency; thus drawing forth their
hearts to embrace the promiser, and thing promised; and by
this means, giving the sensible actings of grace, enabling
them to see their grace, and so their title to the promise.
An application not consisting in this divine sense and
enlightening of the mind, but consisting only in the word's
being borne into the thoughts, as if immediately then
spoken, so making persons believe, on no other foundation,
that the promise is theirs, is a blind application, and
belongs to the spirit of darkness, and not of light. When
persons have their affections raised after this manner,
those affections are really not raised by the word of God;
the Scripture is not the foundation of them; it is not
anything contained in those Scriptures which come to their
minds, that raise their affections; but truly that effect,
viz., the strange manner of the word's being suggested to
their minds, and a proposition from thence taken up by them,
which indeed is not contained in that Scripture, nor any
other; as that his sins are forgiven him, or that it is the
Father's good pleasure to give him in particular the
kingdom, or the like. There are propositions to be found in
the Bible, declaring that persons of such and such
qualifications are forgiven and beloved of God: but there
are no propositions to be found in the Bible declaring that
such and such particular persons, independent on any
previous knowledge of any qualifications, are forgiven and
beloved of God: and therefore, when any person is comforted,
and affected by any such proposition, it is by another word,
a word newly coined, and not any word of God contained in
the Bible.[44]
And thus many persons are vainly affected and deluded. Again,
it plainly appears from what has been demonstrated, that no
revelation of secret facts by immediate suggestion, is
anything spiritual and divine, in that sense wherein
gracious effects and operations are so. By secret facts, I mean things that have been done, or are come to pass, or shall hereafter come to pass, which are secret | ||||
