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more vigorous their exercises are, (other circumstances being equal) the greater will be the effect on the body. Hence it is not to be wondered at, that very great and strong exercises of the affections should have great effects on the body. And therefore, seeing there are very great affections, both common and spiritual, hence it is not to be wondered at, that great effects on the body should arise from both these kinds of affections. And consequently these effects are no signs, that the affections they arise from, are of one kind or the other.

Great effects on the body certainly are no sure evidences that affections are spiritual; for we see them oftentimes arise from great affections about temporal things, and when religion is no way concerned in them. And if great affections about things purely natural may have these effects, I know not by what rule we should determine, that high affections about religious things, which arise in like manner from nature, cannot have the like effect.

Nor, on the other hand, do I know of any rule to determine, that gracious affections, when raised as high as any natural affections, with equally strong and vigorous exercises, cannot have a great effect on the body. No such rule can be drawn from reason; I know of no reason, why a being affected with a view of God's glory should not cause the body to faint, as well as being affected with a view of Solomon's glory. And no such rule has as yet been produced from the scripture: none has ever been found in all the late controversies about things of this nature. There is a great power in spiritual affections; we read of the power which worketh in christians*, and of the spirit of God being in them as the Spirit of powert, and of the effectual working of his power in them‡, yea, of the working of God's mighty power in them. But man's nature is weak: flesh and blood are represented in scripture as exceeding weak; and particularly with respect to its unfitness for great, spiritual, and heavenly operations and exercises. (Matth. xxvi. 41. 1 Cor. xv. 43. and 50.) The text prefixed to this discourse speaks of joy unspeakable, and full of glory. And who that considers what man's nature is, and what the nature of the affections are, can reasonably doubt but that such unutterable and glorious joys, may be too great and mighty for weak dust and ashes, so as to be considerably overbearing to it? It is evident by the scripture, that discoveries of God's glory, when given in a great degree, have a tendency, by affecting the mind, to overbear the body. The scripture teaches us, that if these views should be given to such a degree, as they are given in heaven, the weak frame of the body could not subsist under it, and that no man can, in that manner, see God and live. Eph. iii. 7. 20. || Eph. i. 19.

Eph. ii. 7. + 2 Tim. i. 7.

The knowledge which the saints have of God's beauty and glory in this world, and those holy affections that arise from it, are of the same nature and kind with what the saints are the subjects of in heaven, differing only in degree and circumstances. What God gives them here, is a foretaste of heavenly happiness, and an earnest of their future inheritance. And who shall limit God in his giving this earnest, or say he shall give so much of the inheritance, such a part of the future reward, as an earnest of the whole, and no more? And seeing God has taught us in his word, that the whole reward is such, that it would at once destroy the body, is it not too bold a thing for us to set bounds to the sovereign God; or to say, that in giving the earnest of this reward, he shall never give so much of it, as in the least to diminish the strength of the body, when God has no where thus limited himself?

The psalmist, speaking of his vehement religious affections, and of an effect in his flesh or body, besides what was in his soul, expressly distinguishes one from the other, Psal. lxxxiv. 2. My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my HEART and my FLESH crieth out for the living God. Here is a plain distinction between the heart and the flesh, as being each affected. So Psal. Ixiii. 1. My SOUL thirsteth for thee, my FLESH longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is. Here also is an evident, designed distinction, between the soul and the flesh.

The prophet Habakkuk speaks of his body being overborn by a sense of the majesty of God, Hab. iii. 16. When I heard my belly trembled: my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself. So the psalmist, Psal. cxix. 120. My flesh trembleth for fear of thee.

That such ideas of God's glory as are given sometimes even in this world, have a tendency to overbear the body, is evident, because the scripture gives us an account, that this has actually been the effect of those external manifestations which God made of himself to some of the saints, in order to give them an idea of his majesty and glory. Daniel, giving an account of an external representation of the glory of Christ, says, Dan. x. 8. And there remained no strength in me; for my comeliness was turned into corruption, and I retained no strength. And the apostle John, giving an account of a similar manifestation made to him, says, Rev. i. 17. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. It is in vain to say here, that these were only external manifestations of the glory of Christ; for though this be true, yet the use of these representations, was to give an idea of the thing represented, the true divine glory and majesty of Christ. They were made use of only as significations of this spiritual glory, and

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thus undoubtedly they received and improved them, and were affected by them. According to the end for which God intended. these outward signs, they received by them a great and lively apprehension of the real glory and majesty of God's nature, of which they were signs; and thus were greatly affected, their souls swallowed up, and their bodies overborn. And, I think, they are very bold and daring, who will say that God cannot, or shall not give the like affecting apprehensions of the same real glory of his nature to none of his saints, without the intervention of such external shadows.

Before I leave this head, I would farther observe, that it is plain the scripture often makes use of bodily effects to express the strength of holy and spiritual affections; such as trembling*, groaning, being sick, crying out||, panting§, and fainting** Now if it be supposed, that these are only figurative expressions to represent the degree of affection; yet I hope all will allow, that they are suitable figures to represent the high degree of those spiritual affections; which I see not how they would be, if those spiritual affections are the proper effects, and sad tokens of false affections, and the delusion of the devil. I cannot think, God would commonly make use of things which are very alien from spiritual affections, and are shrewd marks of the hand of Satan, and smell strong of the bottomless pit, as beautiful figures, to represent the high degree of holy and heavenly affections.

SECT. III.

It is no sign that affections are truly gracious, or that they are not, that they cause those who have them, to be fluent, fervent and abundant in talking of religious things.

There are many persons, who, if they see this in others, are greatly prejudiced against them. Their being so full of talk, is with them a sufficient ground to condemn them as Pharisees, and ostentatious hypocrites. On the other hand, there are many who, if they see this effect in any, are very ignorantly and imprudently forward, at once to determine that they are the true children of God, under the saving influences of his Spirit, and speak of it as a great evidence of a new creature. Such an one's mouth, say they, is now opened: he used to be slow to speak; but now he is full and free: he is free now to open his heart, and tell his expe

Psal. cxix. 120. Ezra ix. 4. Isa. lxvi. 2, 5. Hab. iii 16. Rom. viii. 26. Caut. ii. 5 and v. 8. Psal. Ixxxiv. 2. § Psal. xxxviii. 10, and xlii. 1. and exix. **Psal. lxxxiv. 2 and cxix. 81.

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riences, and declare the praises of God; it comes from him, as free as water from a fountain; and the like. And especially are they captivated into a confident persuasion that they are savingly wrought upon, if they are not only free and abundant, but very affectionate and earnest in their talk.

But this is the fruit of little judgment, and short experience; as event abundantly shew: and is a mistake into which persons often run, through their trusting their own wisdom, and making their own notions their rule, instead of the holy scripture. Though the scripture be full of rules, both how we should judge of our own state, and also how we should be conducted in our own opinion of others; yet we have no where any rule, by which to judge ourselves or others to be in a good estate, from any such effect for this is but the religion of the tongue, and what is in the scripture represented by the leaves of a tree, which-though the tree ought not to be without them, yet-are no where given as an evidence of the goodness of the tree.

That persons are disposed to be abundant in talking of religious things, may be from a good cause, and it may be from a bad one. It may be because their hearts are very full of holy affections; for out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh: and it may be because persons hearts are very full of affection which is not holy; for still out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. It is very much the nature of the affections, of whatever kind and whatever objects they are exercised about, if they are strong, to dispose persons to be very much in speaking of that with which they are affected; and not only to speak much, but to speak very earnestly and fervently. And therefore persons talking abundantly and very fervently about the things of religion, can be an evidence of no more than this, that they are very much affected with the things of religion; but this may be, (as has been already shown), without any grace. That which men are greatly affected with, while the high affection lasts, they will be earnestly engaged about, and will be likely to shew that earnestness in their talk and behaviour; as the greater part of the Jews, in all Judah and Galilee, did for a while, about John the Baptist's preaching and baptism, when they were willing for a season to rejoice in his light: a mighty stir was made all over the land, and among all sorts of persons, about this great prophet and his ministry. And so the multitude, in like manner, often manifested a great earnestness, a mighty engagedness of spirit, in every thing that was external, about Christ, his preaching and miracles, being astonished at his doctrine, anon with joy receiving the word. They followed him sometimes night and day, leaving meat, drink, and sleep to hear him; once they followed him into the wilderness, fasting three days going to hear him; sometimes extolling him to

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PART I.

the clouds, saying, Never man spake like this man! being fervent and earnest in what they said. But what did these things come to, in the greater part of them?

A person may be over full of talk of his own experiences; falling upon it every where, and in all companies; and when so, it is rather a dark sign than a good one. of leaves, seldom bears much fruit. And a cloud, though to apA tree that is over full pearance very pregnant and full of water, if it brings with it over much wind, seldom affords much rain to the dry and thirsty earth; which very thing the Holy Spirit is pleased several times to make use of, to represent a great shew of religion with the mouth, without answerable fruit in the life, Prov. xxv. 14. himself of a false gift, is like clouds and wind without roin. And Whoso boasteth the apostle Jude, speaking of some in the primitive times, that crept in unawares among the saints, and having a great shew of religion, were for a while not suspected, These are clouds (says he) without water, carried about of winds, Jude ver. 4. and 12. And the apostle Peter, speaking of the same, says, 2 Pet. ii. 17. These are clouds without water, carried with a tempest. affections, if they are equally strong, are much more forward to False declare themselves, than true: because it is the nature of false religion, to affect shew and observation; as it was with the Pharisees*.

SECT. IV.

It is no sign that affections are gracious, or that they are otherwise, that persons did not excite them by their own endeavours.

There are many in these days, who condemn all affections which are excited in a way that seems not to be the natural con

That famous experimental divine Mr. Shepard, says, shall be heard to the town's end; when simplicity walks through the town unseen. A Pharisee's trumpet Hence a man will sometimes covertly commend himself, (and myseif ever comes in,) and tells you a long story of conversion: and an hundred to one if some lie or other slip not out with it. Why, the secret meaning is, I pray admire me. complain of wants and weaknesses: pray think what a broken-hearted Christian I Parab of the ten virgins, Part 1. page 179, 180. Hence

am.

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

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