IMPROVEMENT.

The firſt USE may lie in ſeveral Inferences, for our Inſtruction.

I. From what has been ſaid, it may be infer'd, by Parity of Reaſon, that Nothing that damned Men do, or ever will Experience, can be any ſure Sign of Grace.

Damned Men are like the Devils; are conformed to 'em in Nature and State. They have nothing better in them than the Devils; have no higher Principles in their Hearts; experience nothing, and do nothing of a more excellent Kind: As they are the Children and Servants of the Devil; and as ſuch ſhall dwell with him, and be Partakers with him, of the ſame Miſery. As CHRIST ſays, concerning the Saints, in their future State; Matt. xxii. 30. That they ſhall be as the Angels of GOD in Heaven: So it may be ſaid concerning ungodly Men, in their future State; that they ſhall be as the fallen, wicked Angels in Hell.

Each of the forementioned Reaſons, given to ſhew the Truth of the Doctrine, with Reſpect to Devils, hold good with Reſpect to damned Men. Damned Men have no Degree of Holineſs: And therefore, thoſe Things, which are nothing beyond what they have, cannot be holy Experiences. So it is true, that the damned Men, are not only abſolutely deſtitute of all true Holineſs, but they have not ſo much as any common Grace. And laſtly, 'tis unreaſonable to ſuppoſe, that a Perſon's being in any Reſpect, as the damned in Hell are, ſhould be a certain Sign, that they are very unlike and oppoſite to them, and hereafter, ſhall not have their Portion with them.

II. We may hence infer, that no Degree of ſpeculative Knowledge of Things, of Religion, is any certain Sign of ſaving Grace. The Devil, before his Fall, was among thoſe bright and glorious Angels of Heaven, which are repreſented as Morning Stars, and Flames of Fire, that excel in Strength and Wiſdom. And tho' he be now become ſinful, yet his Sin has not aboliſhed the Faculties of the angelick Nature; as when Man fell, he did not loſe the Faculties of the human Nature. Sin deſtroys ſpiritual Principles, but not the natural Faculties. 'Tis true, Sin, when in full Dominion, entirely prevents the Exerciſe of the natural Faculties, in holy and ſpiritual Underſtanding; and lays many Impediments in the Way of their proper Exerciſe in other Reſpects: It lays the natural Faculty of Reaſon, under great Diſadvantages, by the many and ſtrong Prejudices, which the Mind is brought under the Power of: And in fallen Men, the Faculties of the Soul, are, doubtleſs, greatly impeded in their Exerciſe, through that great Weakneſs and Diſorder of the corporeal Organ, which it is ſtrictly united to; which is the Conſequence of Sin. But there ſeems to be nothing in the Nature of Sin, or moral Corruption, that has any Tendency to deſtroy the natural Capacity; or even to diminiſh it, properly ſpeaking. If Sin were of ſuch a Nature, as neceſſarily to have that Tendency and Effect; then it might be expected, that wicked Men, in a future State, where they are given up entirely to the unreſtrained Exerciſe of their Corruptions and Luſts, and Sin is, in all Reſpects, brought to its greateſt Perfection in them, would have the Capacity of their Souls greatly diminiſhed: Which we have no Reaſon to ſuppoſe; but rather, on the contrary; that their Capacities are greatly enlarged, and that their actual Knowledge is vaſtly increaſed; and that even with Reſpect to the Divine Being, and the Things of Religion, and the great Concerns of the immortal Souls of Men; and that, with Regard to theſe Things, the Eyes of wicked Men are open'd; and they, in ſome Reſpects, emerge out of Darkneſs into clear Light, when they go into another World.

The Greatneſs of the Abilities of the Devils, may be argued, from the Repreſentation in Eph. vi. 12, We wreſtle not againſt Fleſh and Blood, but againſt Principalities, againſt Powers, &c. The ſame may alſo be argued, from what the Scripture ſays of Satan's Subtilty. Gen. iii. 1. 2 Cor. xi. 3. Acts xiii. 10.

And as the Devil has a Faculty of Underſtanding of large Capacity, ſo he is capable of a great ſpeculative Knowledge, of the Things of GOD, and the inviſible and eternal World, as well as other Things; and muſt needs, actually, have a great Underſtanding of theſe Things; as theſe are the Things which have always been chiefly in his View; and as his Circumſtances, from his firſt Exiſtence, have been ſuch as have tended chiefly to engage Him to attend to theſe Things. Before his Fall, he was one of thoſe Angels, who continually beheld the Face of the Father, which is in Heaven. And Sin has no Tendency to deſtroy the Memory: And therefore, has no Tendency to blot out of it, any ſpeculative Knowledge that was formerly there.

As the Devil's Subtilty, ſhews his great Capacity; ſo the Way in which his Subtilty is exerciſed and manifeſted; which is principally in his artful Management, with Reſpect to Things of Religion; his exceeding ſubtil Repreſentations, Inſinuations, Reaſonings, and Temptations, concerning theſe Things, demonſtrates his great actual Underſtanding of them. As in order to the being a very artful Diſputant in any Science, tho' it be only to confound and deceive ſuch as are converſant in the Science; a Perſon had need to have a great and extenſive Acquaintance with the Things, which pertain to that Science.

Thus the Devil has, undoubtedly a great Degree of ſpeculative Knowledge in Divinity; having been, as it were, educated in the beſt Divinity School in the Univerſe, viz. The Heaven of Heavens. He muſt needs have ſuch an extenſive and accurate Knowledge, concerning the Nature and Attributes of GOD, as WE, Worms of the Duſt, in our preſent State, are not capable of. And he muſt have a far more extenſive Knowledge of the Works of GOD; as of the Work of Creation in particular; for he was a Spectator of the Creation of this viſible World: He was one of thoſe Morning-Stars that we read of, Job xxxviii. 4, 5, 6, 7. who ſang together, and of thoſe Sons of GOD, that ſhouted for Joy, when GOD laid the Foundations of the Earth, and laid the Meaſures thereof, and ſtretched the Line upon it. And ſo he muſt have a very great Knowledge of GOD's Works of Providence: He has been a Spectator of the Series of theſe Works from the Beginning: He has ſeen how GOD has governed the World in all Ages: He has ſeen the whole Train of GOD's wonderful ſucceſſive Diſpenſations of Providence towards his Church, from Generation to Generation. And He has not been an indifferent Spectator; but the great Oppoſition, which there has been between GOD and him, in the whole Courſe of thoſe Deſpenſations; has neceſſarily, greatly engaged his Attention, in the ſtricteſt Obſervation of them. He muſt have a great Degree of Knowledge, concerning JESUS CHRIST, as the Saviour of Men; and the Nature and Method of the Work of Redemption, and the wonderful Wiſdom of GOD in this Contrivance. 'Tis that Work of GOD, wherein, above all others, GOD has acted in Oppoſition to him; and in which he has chiefly ſet himſelf in Oppoſition to GOD. 'Tis with Relation to this Affair, that that mighty Warfare has been maintained, which has been carried on between Michael and his Angels, and the Devil and his Angels, through all Ages, from the Beginning of the World; and eſpecially, ſince Chriſt appeared in the World. The Devil has had enough to engage his Attention, to the Steps of Divine Wiſdom in this Work; for 'tis to that Wiſdom he has oppoſed his Subtilty: And he has ſeen, and found, to his great Diſappointment, and unſpeakable Torment; how divine Wiſdom, as exerciſed in that Work, has baffled and confounded his Devices. He has a great Knowledge of the Things of another World; for the Things of that World, are in his immediate View. He has a great Knowledge of Heaven; for he has been an Inhabitant of that World of Glory: And he has a great Knowledge of Hell, and the Nature of its Miſery; for he is the firſt Inhabitant of Hell; and above all the other Inhabitants, has Experience of its Torment, and has felt them conſtantly, for more than Fifty-ſeven Hundred Years. He muſt have a great Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures; for 'tis evident, he is not hindred from knowing what is written there, by the Uſe he made of the Words of Scripture, in his Temptation of our Saviour. And if he can know, he has much Opportunity to know, and muſt needs have a Diſpoſition to know, with the greateſt Exactneſs; that he may, to greater Effect, prevent and wreſt the Scripture, and prevent ſuch an Effect of the Word of GOD on the Hearts of Men, as ſhall tend to Overthrow his Kingdom. He muſt have a great Knowledge of the Nature of Mankind, their Capacity, their Diſpoſitions, and the Corruptions of their Hearts; for he has had long and great Obſervation and Experience. The Heart of Man, is what he has had chiefly to do with, in his ſubtil Devices, mighty Efforts, 〈◊〉 and indefatigable Operations and Exertions of himſelf, from the Beginning of the World. And 'tis evident, that He has a great ſpeculative Knowledge of the Nature of experimental Religion, by his being able to imitate it ſo artfully, and in ſuch a Manner, as to transform himſelf into an Angel of Light.

Therefore it is manifeſt, from my Text and Doctrine, that no Degree of ſpeculative Knowledge of Things of Religion, is any certain Sign of true Piety. Whatever clear Notions a Man may have of the Attributes of GOD, and Doctrine of the Trinity; the Nature of the two Covenants, the OEconomy of the Perſons of the Trinity, and the Part which each Perſon has in the Affair of Man's Redemption; if he can Diſcourſe never ſo excellently of the Offices of CHRIST, and the Way of Salvation by him, and the admirable Methods of divine Wiſdom; and the Harmony of the various Attributes of GOD in that Way; if he can talk never ſo clearly and exactly of the Method of the Juſtification of a Sinner, and of the Nature of Converſion, and the Operations of the Spirit of GOD, in applying the Redemption of CHRIST; giving good Diſtinctions, happily ſolving Difficulties, and anſwering Objections; in a Manner tending greatly to the enlightning the Ignorant, to the Edification of the Church of GOD, and the Conviction of Gainſayers; and the great Increaſe of Light in the World: If he has more Knowledge of this Sort than Hundreds of true Saints, of an ordinary Education, and moſt Divines; yet all is no certain Evidence of any Degree of ſaving Grace in the Heart.

'Tis true, the Scripture often ſpeaks of Knowledge of divine Things, as what is peculiar to true Saints; as in John, xvii. This is eternal Life, that they might know thee, the only true GOD, and JESUS CHRIST, whom thou haſt ſent. Matt. xii. 27. No man knoweth the Son but the Father; neither knoweth any Man the Father, ſave the Son, and he to whomſoever the Son will reveal him. Pſ. ix. 10. They that know thy Name, will put their Truſt in Thee. Philip. iii. 8. I count all Things but Loſs, for the Excellency of the Knowledge of CHRIST JESUS my Lord. But then, we muſt underſtand it of a different Kind of Knowledge, from that ſpeculative Underſtanding, which the Devil has to ſo great a Degree. It will alſo be allowed, that the ſpiritual ſaving Knowledge of GOD, and divine Things, greatly promotes ſpeculative Knowledge; as it engages the Mind in its Search into Things of this Kind, and much aſſiſts to a diſtinct Underſtanding of them; ſo that, other Things being equal, they that have ſpiritual Knowledge, are much more likely than others, to have a good doctrinal Acquaintance with Things of Religion; but yet, ſuch Acquaintance may be no diſtinguiſhing Characteriſtic of true Saints.

III. It may alſo be inferr'd from what has been obſerv'd, that for Perſons meerly to yield a ſpeculative Aſſent to the Doctrines of Religion as true, is no certain Evidence of a State of Grace. My Text tells us, that the Devils believe, and as they believe that there is one GOD, ſo they believe the Truth of the Doctrines of Religion in general. The Devil is orthodox in his Faith; he believes the true Scheme of Doctrine; he is no Deiſt, Socinian, Arian, Pelagian, or Antinomian; the Articles of his Faith are all found, and what he is thoroughly eſtabliſhed in.

Therefore, for a Perſon to believe the Doctrines of Chriſtianity, meerly from the Influence of Things ſpeculative, or from the Force of Arguments, as diſcerned only by Speculation, is no Evidence of Grace.

Tho' 'tis probably a very rare Thing, for unregenerate Men, to have a ſtrong Perſuaſion of the Truth of the Doctrines of Religion, eſpecially, ſuch of 'em as are very myſterious, and much above the Comprehenſion of Reaſon: Yea, 'tis manifeſt, that we have no Warrant to determine, that it can never be ſo, or to look upon ſuch a Perſuaſion, as an infalliable Evidence of Grace; and that no Perſon can ſafely determine his State to be good from ſuch an Evidence. Yet if He, not only Himſelf, ſeems to be very confident of the Truth of Chriſtianity and its Doctrines, but is able to argue moſt ſtrongly for the Proof of them; yet in this, he goes nothing beyond the Devil; who, doubtleſs, has a great Knowledge of the rational Arguments, by which the Truth of the Chriſtian Religion, and its ſeveral Principles are evinced.

And therefore, when the Scripture ſpeaks of believing that Jeſus is the Son of GOD, as a ſure Evidence of Grace, as in 1. John v. 1. and other Places, it muſt be underſtood, not of a meer ſpeculative Aſſent, but of another Kind and Manner of Believing, which is called the Faith of GOD's Elect. Tit. i. 1. There is a ſpiritual Conviction of the Truth, which is, a believing with the whole Heart, peculiar to true Saints; of which I would ſpeak particularly by and by.

IV. It may be infer'd, from the Doctrine which has been inſiſted on, that 'tis no certain Sign, that Perſons are ſavingly converted; that they have been Subjects of very great Diſtreſs and Terrors of Mind, through Apprehenſions of GOD's Wrath, and Fears of Damnation.

That the Devils are the Subjects of great Terrors, through Apprehenſions of GOD's Wrath, and Fears of future Effects of it, is implied in my Text; which ſpeakes not only of their Believing, but Trembling. It muſt be no ſmall Degree of Terror, which ſhould make thoſe Principalities and Powers, thoſe mighty, proud and ſturdy Beings, to tremble.

There are many Terrors, that ſome Perſons, who are concerned for their Salvation, are the Subjects of, which are not from any proper Awakenings of Conſcience, or Apprehenſions of Truth; but from melancholy, or frightful Impreſſions on their Imagination; or ſome groundleſs Apprehenſions, and the Deluſions, and falſe Suggeſtions of Satan. But if they have had never ſo great, and long continued Terrors, from real Awakenings, and Convictions of Truth, and Views of Things as they are; this is no more than what is in the Devils, and will be in all wicked Men, in another World. However ſtupid and ſenſeleſs moſt ungodly men are now, all will be effectually awaken'd at laſt: There will no ſuch Thing as ſlumbering in Hell. There are many that cannot be awaken'd by the moſt ſolemn Warnings, and awfu • Threatnings of the Word of GOD; the moſt alarming Diſcourſes from the Pulpit, and the moſt awakening and awful Providences; but all will be thoroughly awaken'd, by the Sound of the laſt Trumpet, and the Appearance of CHRIST to Judgment; and all ſorts will then be fill'd with moſt amazing Terrors, from Apprehenſions of Truth, and ſeeing Things as they be; when the Kings of the Earth, and the great Men, and the rich Men, and the chief Captains, and the mighty Men, (ſuch as were the moſt lofty and ſtouthearted, moſt ready to treat the Things of Religion with Contempt) ſhall hide themſelves in the Dens, and in the Rocks of the Mountains; and ſay to the Mountains and Rocks, fall on us, and hide us from the Face of him, that ſitteth on the Throne, and from the Wrath of the Lamb; for the great Day of his Wrath is come; and who ſhall be able to ſtand? Rev. vi. 15, 16, 17.

Therefore, if Perſons have firſt been awakened, and then afterwards have had Comfort and Joy, 'tis no certain Sign, that their Comforts are of the right Kind, that they were preceded by very great Terrors.

V. It may be further infer'd from the Doctrine, that no Work of the Law on Men's Hearts, in Conviction of Guilt, and juſt Deſert of Puniſhment, is a ſure Argument, that a Perſon has been ſavingly converted.

Not only, are no Awakenings and Terrors, any certain Evidence of this, but no meer legal Work whatſoever; tho' carried to the utmoſt Extent that it can be; Nothing wherein there is no Grace or ſpiritual Light, but only the meer Conviction of natural Conſcience, and thoſe Acts and Operations of the Mind, which are the Reſult of this; and ſo are, as it were, meerly forced by the clear Light of Conſcience, without the Concurrence of the Heart and Inclination with that Light: I ſay theſe Things are no certain Sign of the ſaving Grace of GOD, or that a Perſon was ever ſavingly converted.

The Evidence of this, from my Text and Doctrine, is demonſtrative; becauſe the Devils are the Subjects of theſe Things; and all wicked Men that ſhall finally periſh, will be the Subjects of the ſame. Natural Conſcience is not extinguiſhed in the damned in Hell; but on the contrary, remains, and is there in its greateſt Strength, and is brought to it's moſt perfect Exerciſe; moſt fully to do its proper Office, as GOD's Vicegerent in the Soul, to condemn thoſe Rebels againſt the King of Heaven and Earth, and manifeſt GOD's juſt Wrath and Vengeance, and by that Means to torment them; and be as a never-dying Worm within them. Wretched Men find Means in this World, to blind the Eyes, and ſtop the Mouth of this Vicegerent of a Sin-revenging GOD; but they ſhall not be able to do it always. In another World, the Eyes and Mouth of Conſcience will be fully open'd. GOD will hereafter, make wicked Men to ſee and know theſe Things, which now they induſtriouſly hide their Eyes from; Iſai. xxxvi. 10, 11. Let Favour be ſhewed to the Wicked, yet will he not learn Righteouſneſs; in the Land of Uprightneſs he will dead unjuſtly, and will not behold the Majeſty of the Lord. Lord, when thy Hand is lifted up, they will not ſee: But they ſhall ſee, and be aſhamed for their Envy at the People; ye the Fire of thine Enemies ſhall devour them. We have this Expreſſion often annexed to GOD's Threatnings of Wrath to his Enemies; And they ſhall know, that I am the Lord: This ſhall be accompliſhed by their woful Experience, and clear Light in their Conſciences, whereby they ſhall be made to know, whether they will or not; how great and terrible, holy and righteous a GOD JEHOVAH is; whoſe Authority they have diſpiſed: And they ſhall know, that he is righteous and holy in their Deſtruction. This all the Ungodly will be convinced of, at the Day of Judgment, by the bringing to Light all their Wickedneſs of Heart and Practice; and ſetting all their Sins, with all their Aggravations, in order, not only in the View of others, even of the whole World, but in the View of their own Conſciences. This is threaten'd, Pſ. 1. 21. Theſe Things haſt thou done, and I kept Silence: Thou thoughteſt that I was altogether ſuch an One as thy ſelf. But I will reprove thee, and ſet them in order before thine Eyes. Compare this with the four firſt Verſes of the Pſalm.—The End of the Day of Judgment, is not to find out what is juſt, as it is with human Judgments, but 'tis to manifeſt what is juſt; to make known GOD's Juſtice in the Judgment which he will execute, to Men's own Conſciences, and to the World. And therefore, that Day is called the Day of Wrath, and Revelation of the righteous Judgment of GOD. Rom. ii. 5. Now Sinners often cavil againſt the Juſtice of GOD's Diſpenſations, and particularly, the Juſtice of the Puniſhment, which GOD threatens for their Sins; excuſing themſelves, and condemning GOD: But when GOD comes to manifeſt their Wickedneſs in the Light of that Day, and to call them to an Account, they will be Speechleſs; Matt. xxii. 11, 12. And when the King came to ſee the Gueſts, he ſaw there, a Man which had not on a wedding Grrment: And be ſaith unto him, Friend, how cameſt thou in hither, not having a wedding Garment? And he was Speechleſs. When the King of Heaven and Earth comes to Judgment, their Conſciences will be ſo perfectly enlighten'd and convinced, by the All-ſearching Light, they ſhall then ſtand in; that their Mouths will be effectually ſtopped, as to all Excuſes for themſelves, all Pleading of their own Righteouſneſs, to excuſe or juſtify them; and all Objections againſt the Juſtice of their Judge; that their Conſcience will condemn them only, and not GOD.

Therefore, it follows from the Doctrine, that it can be no certain Sign of Grace, that Perſons have had great Convictions of Sin; have had their Sins of Life, with their Aggravations remarkably ſet before them, ſo as greatly to affect and terrify them; and withal, have had a great Sight of the Wickedneſs of their Hearts, and been convinced of the Greatneſs of the Sin of Unbelief, and of the Unexcuſeableneſs and Heniouſneſs of their moſt ſecret ſpiritual Iniquities; and have been brought to be convinced of the utter Inſufficiency of their own Righteouſneſs; and to deſpair of being recommended to GOD by it; have been as much brought off from their own Righteouſneſs, as ever any are, under a meer legal Humiliation; have been convinced that they are wholly without Excuſe before GOD, and deſerve Damnation; and that GOD would be juſt, in executing the threaten'd Puniſhment upon them, tho' it be ſo dreadful. All theſe Things, will be in all the Ungodly at the Day of Judgment, when they ſhall ſtand with Devils, at the Left Hand, and ſhall be doomed as accurſed, to everlaſting Fire, with them.

Indeed there will be no Submiſſion in them. Their Conſcience will be convinced, that GOD is juſt in their Condemnation; but yet their Wills will not be bowed to GOD's Juſtice. There will be no Acquieſcence of Mind, in that divine Attribute; no yielding of the Soul to GOD's Sovereignty, but the higheſt Degree of Enmity and Oppoſition. A true Submiſſion of the Hear and Will, to the Juſtice and Sovereignty of GOD, is therefore allowed to be ſomething peculiar to true Converts, being ſomething which the Devils and damned Souls are, and ever will be far from; and which a meer Work of the Law, and Convictions of Conſcience, however great and clear, will never bring Men to.

When Sinners are the Subjects of great Convictions of Conſcience, and a remarkable Work of the Law; 'tis only a tranſacting the Buſineſs of the Day of Judgment, in the Conſcience before Hand: GOD ſits inthroned in the Conſcience, as at the laſt Day, he will ſit inthroned in the Clouds of Heaven; the Sinner is arraigned, as it were, at GOD's Bar; and GOD appears in his awful Greatneſs, as a juſt and holy, Sin-hating and Sin-revenging GOD, as He will the • . The Sinners Iniquities are brought to Light; his Sins ſet in Order before him; the hidden Things of Darkneſs, and the Counſels of the Heart are made manifeſt; as it will be then: Many Witneſſes do, as it were, riſe up againſt the Sinner under Convictions of Conſcience; as they will againſt the Wicked, at the Day of Judgment: And the Books are open'd, particularly the Book of GOD's ſtrict and holy Law, is open'd in the Conſcience, and its Rules applied for the Condemnation of the Sinner; which is the Book that will be open'd at the Day of Judgment, as the grand Rule of Judgment, to all ſuch Wicked Men as have lived under it: And the Sentence of the Law is pronounced againſt the Sinner; and the Juſtice of the Sentence made manifeſt; as it will be at the Day of Judgment. The Conviction of a Sinner at the Day of Judgment, will be a Work of the Law, as well as the Conviction of Conſcience in this World: And the Work of the Law (if the Work be meerly legal) beſure, is never carried further in the Conſciences of Sinners now, that it will be at that Day, when it's Work will be perfect, in thoroughly ſtopping the Sinner's Mouth. Rom. iii. 19. Now we know, that what Things ſoever the Law ſaith, it ſaith to them that are under the Law; that every Mouth may be ſtopped, and all the World may become guilty before GOD. Every Mouth ſhall be ſtopped by the Law, either now or hereafter; and all the World ſhall become ſenſibly guilty before GOD; guilty of Death, deſerving of Damnation.—And therefore, if Sinners have been the Subjects of a great Work of the Law, and have thus become guilty, and their Mouths have been ſtopp'd; it is no certain Sign that ever they have been converted.

Indeed the Want of a thorough Senſe of Guilt, and Deſert of Puniſhment, and Conviction of the Juſtice of GOD, in threatning Damnation, is a good Negative Sign; 'tis a Sign that a Perſon never was converted, and truly brought, with the whole Soul, to embrace CHRIST as a Saviour from this Puniſhment: For 'tis eaſily demonſtrable, that there is no ſuch Thing as entirely and cordially accepting an Offer from GOD, of a Saviour, from a Puniſhment that HE threatens, which we think we don't deſerve. But the having ſuch a Conviction, is no certain Sign, that Perſons have true Faith, or have ever truly received CHRIST as their Saviour. And if Perſons have great Comfort, Joy, and Confidence, ſuddenly let into their Minds, after great Convictions, of ſuch a Kind as has been mention'd; 'tis no infallible Evidence that their Comforts are built on a good Foundation.

'Tis manifeſt, therefore, that too much Streſs has been laid by many Perſons, on a great Work of the Law, preceding their Comforts: Who ſeem not only to have look'd on ſuch a Work of the Law, as neceſſary to precede Faith, but alſo to have eſteem'd it as the chief Evidence of the Truth and Genuineſs of ſucceeding Faith and Comforts. By this Means it is to be fear'd, very many have been deceiv'd, and eſtabliſh'd in a falſe Hope. And what is to be ſeen in the Event of Things, in Multitudes of Inſtances, confirms this. It may be ſafely allowed, not to be ſo uſual for great Convictions of Conſcience, to prove abortive, and fail of a good Iſſue, as for leſſer Convictions; and that more generally, when the Spirit of GOD proceeds ſo far with Sinners, in the Work of the Law, as to give 'em a great Sight of their Hearts, and of the Heniouſneſs of their ſpiritual Inquities; and to convince 'em that they are without Excuſe and that all their Righteouſneſs can do nothing to merit GOD's Favours; but that they lie juſtly expoſed to GOD's eternal Vengeance without Mercy; a Work of ſaving Converſion follows. But we can have no Warrant to ſay, it is univerſally ſo, or to lay it down as an infallible Rule, that when Convictions of Conſcience have gone thus far, ſaving Faith, and Repentance will ſurely follow. If any ſhould think they have Ground for ſuch a Determination, becauſe they can't conceive what End GOD ſhould have, in carrying a Work of Conviction to ſuch a Length, and ſo preparing the Heart for Faith; and after all, never giving ſaving Faith to the Soul; I deſire it may be conſidered, where will be the End of our Doubts and Difficulties, if we think ourſelves ſufficient to determine, ſo poſitively and particularly concerning GOD's Ends and Deſigns in what he does. It may be aſked ſuch an Objector, what is GOD's End in giving a Sinner any Degree of the Strivings of his Spirit, and Conviction of Conſcience; when he afterwards ſuffers it to come to nothing, and to prove in vain? If He may give ſome Degree that may finally be in vain; who ſhall ſet the Bounds, and ſay how great the Degree ſhall be? Who can, on ſure Grounds, determine, that when a Sinner has ſo much of that Conviction, which the Devils and damned in Hell have; true Faith and eternal Salvation, will be the certain Conſequence. This we may certainly determine, that, if the Apoſtle's Argument in the Text be good, not any Thing whatſoever, that the Devils have, is certainly connected with ſuch a Conſequence. Seeing Sinners, while ſuch, are capable of the moſt perfect Convictions, and will have them at the Day of Judgment, and in Hell; who ſhall ſay, that GOD never ſhall cauſe Reprobates to anticipate the future Judgment and Damnation in that Reſpect? And if He does ſo, who ſhall ſay to Him, what doeſt Thou? Or call him to Account concerning his Ends in ſo doing. Not but that many poſſible wiſe Ends might be thought of, and mention'd, if it were needful, or I had now Room for it.—The Spirit of GOD, is often quenched, by the Exerciſe of the Wickedneſs of Men's Hearts, after he has gone far in a Work of Conviction; ſo that their Convictions never have a good Iſſue. And who can ſay that Sinners, by the Exerciſe of their Oppoſition and Enmity againſt GOD, (which is not at all mortified by the greateſt legal Convictions, neither in the Damned in Hell, nor Sinners on Earth) may not provoke GOD to take his Spirit from them, even after He has proceeded the greateſt Length in a Work of Conviction? Who can ſay, that GOD never is provoked to deſtroy ſome, after he has brought 'em, as it were, through the Wilderneſs, even to the Edge of the Land of Reſt? As he ſlew ſome of the Iſraelites, even in the Plains of Moab.

And let it be conſidered, where is our Warrant in Scripture, to make uſe of any legal Convictions, or any Method or Order of ſucceſſive Events in a Work of the Law; and conſequent Comforts, as a ſure Sign of Regeneration. The Scripture is abundant, in expreſsly mentioning Evidences of Grace, and of a State of Favour with GOD, and Characteriſticks of the true Saints: But where do we ever find ſuch Things as theſe, amongſt thoſe Evidences? Or where do we find any other Signs inſiſted on, beſides Grace itſelf, it's Nature, Exerciſes and Fruits? Theſe were the Evidences that Job relied upon; Theſe were the Things that the Pſalmiſt, every where inſiſts upon, as Evidences of his Sincerity: And particularly in the cxix Pſalm, from the Beginning to the End. Theſe were the Signs that Hezekiah truſted to, in his Sickeneſs.

Theſe were the Characteriſticks given of thoſe that are truly happy, by our Saviour, in the Beginning of his Sermon in the Mount. Theſe are the Things that CHRIST mentions, as the true Evidences of being his real Diſciples, in his laſt, and dying Diſcourſe to his Diſciples, in the xiv. xv. and xvi. Chapters of John; and in his interceſſary Prayer, Chap. xvii. Theſe are the Things which the Apoſtle Paul, often ſpeaks of, as Evidences of his Sincerity, and ſure Title to a Crown of Glory. And theſe are the Things he often mentions to others, in his Epiſtles, as the proper Evidences of real Chriſtianity; a juſtified State, and a Title to Glory. He inſiſts on the Fruits of the Spirit; Love, Joy, Peace, Long-ſuffering, Gentleneſs, Goodneſs, Faith, Meekneſs, Temperance, as the proper Evidences of being CHRIST's, and living in the Spirit: Gal. v. 22.—25. 'Tis that Charity, or divine Love, which is pure, peaceable, gentle, eaſy to be intreated, full of Mercy, &c. that he inſiſts on, as the moſt eſſential Evidence of true Godlineſs; without which, all other Things are Nothing. Such are the Signs which the Apoſtle James inſiſts on, as the proper Evidence, of a truly wiſe and good Man: Jam. iii. 17. The Wiſdom that is from above, is firſt pure, then peaceable, gentle, eaſy to be intreated, full of Mercy and good Fruits, without Partiality, and without Hypocriſy. And ſuch are the Signs of true Chriſtianity, which the Apoſtle John inſiſts on, throughout his Epiſtles. And we never have any where in the Bible, from the Beginning to the End of it, any other Signs of Godlineſs given, than ſuch as theſe. If Perſons have ſuch Things as theſe apparently in them, it ought to be determin'd, that they are truly converted, without its being inſiſted, that it be firſt known, what Steps or Method the Spirit of GOD took, to introduce theſe Things into the Soul; which oftentimes, is altogether untraceable. All the Works of GOD, are, in ſome Reſpects, unſearchable: But the Scripture, often repreſents the Works of the Spirit of GOD, as peculiarly ſo; Iſai. xl. 13. Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his Counſellor, hath taught Him? Eccleſ. xi. 5. As thou knoweſt not what is the Way of the Spirit; nor how the Bones do grow in the Womb of her that is with Child; ſo thou knoweſt not the Works of GOD, who maketh All. John iii. 8. The Wind bloweth where it liſteth; and thou heareſt the Sound thereof; but canſt not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth; ſo is every One that is born of the Spirit.

VI. It follows from my Text and Doctrine, that it is no certain Sign of Grace, that Perſons have earneſt Deſires and Longings after Salvation.

The Devils, doubtleſs, long for Deliverance from the Miſery they ſuffer, and from that greater Miſery which they expect. It they tremble through Fear of it, they muſt, neceſſarily, earneſtly deſire to be delivered from it. Wicked Men, are in Scripture, repreſented as longing for the Privileges of the Righteous, when the Door is ſhut, and they are ſhut out from among them: They come to the Door, and cry, Lord, Lord, open to us. Therefore, we are not to look on all Deſires, or all Deſires that are very earneſt and vehement, as certain Evidences of a pious Heart. There are earneſt Deſires of a religious Nature, which the Saints have, that are the proper Breathings of a new Nature, and diſtinguiſhing Qualities of true Saints: But there are alſo Longings, which unregenerate Men may have, which are often miſtaken for Marks of Godlineſs: They think they hunger and thirſt after Righteouſneſs; and have earneſt Deſires after GOD and CHRIST, and long for Heaven; when indeed, all is to be reſolved into Deſires of Salvation, from Self-love; and ſo is a Longing which ariſes from no higher Principles, than the earneſt Deſires of Devils.

VII. It may be infer'd from what has been obſerved; that Perſons who have no Grace, may have a great Apprehenſion of an external Glory, in Things heavenly and divine; and of whatſoever is external, pertaining to Things of Religion.

If Perſons have impreſs'd ſtrongly on their Minds, Ideas of that ſort, which are obtain'd by the external Senſes; whether they are of that Kind that enter by the Ear, as any Kind of Sound; whether it be the moſt pleaſant Muſick, or Words ſpoken of excellent Signification; Words of Scripture, or any other, immediately ſuggeſted, as tho' they were ſpoken, tho' they ſeem to be never ſo ſuitable to their Caſe, or adapted to the Subject of their Meditations: Or whether they are of that Kind, that are obtained by the Eye, as Ideas of a viſible Beauty and Glory; a ſhining Light, an external Glory of Heaven; golden Streets, Walls and Gates of precious Stone; ſplendid Palaces; glorious Inhabitants, ſhining fort' as the Sun; a moſt magnificent Throne, ſurrounded by Angels and Saints, in ſhining Ranks: Or any Thing external, belonging to JESUS CHRIST; either in his humbled State, as of JESUS hanging on the Croſs, with his Crown of Thorns, his Wounds open, and Blood trickling down; or in his glorified State, with awful Majeſty, or raviſhing Beauty and ſweetneſs in his Countenance; his Face ſhining above the Brightneſs of the Sun, and the like: Theſe Things are no certain Signs of Grace.

Multitudes that are now in Hell, will have Ideas of the external Glory, that pertains to Things heavenly, far beyond what ever any have in this World. They will ſee all that external Glory and Beauty, in which CHRIST will appear at the Day of Judgment, when the Sun ſhall be turned into Darkneſs before him; which, doubtleſs, will be Ten Thouſand Times greater than ever was impreſſed on the Imagination of either Saints or Sinners, in this preſent State, or ever was conceived by any mortal Man.

VIII. It may be infer'd from the Doctrine, that Perſons who have no Grace, may have a very great and affecting Senſe of many divine Things on their Hearts.

The Devil has not only great ſpeculative Knowledge, but he has a Senſe of many divine Things, which deeply affects him, and is moſt ſtrongly impreſs'd on his Heart. As

1. The Devils and damned Souls, have a great Senſe of the vaſt Importance of the Things of another World. They are in the inviſible World, and they ſee and know how great the Things of that World are: Their Experience teaches 'em in the moſt affecting Manner. They have a great Senſe of the Worth of Salvation, and the Worth of immortal Souls, and the vaſt Importance of thoſe Things, that concern Men's eternal Welfare. The Parable in the latter End of the xvi. Chap. of Luke, teaches this, in repreſenting the rich Man in Hell, as intreating that Lazarus might be ſent to his five Brothers, to teſtify unto them, leſt they ſhould come to that Place of Torment. They who endure the Torments of Hell, have, doubtleſs, a moſt lively and affecting Senſe of the Vaſtneſs of an endleſs Eternity; and of the comparative. Momentarineſs of this Life, and the Vanity of the Concerns and Enjoyments of Time. They are convinced effectually, that all the Things of this World, even thoſe that appear greateſt and moſt important to the Inhabitants of the Earth, are diſpicable Trifles, in Compariſon of the Things of the eternal World. They have a great Senſe of the Preciouſneſs of Time, and of the Means of Grace, and the ineſtimable Value of the Privileges which they enjoy, which live under the Goſpel. They are fully ſenſible of the Folly of thoſe that go on in Sin; neglect their Opportunities; make Light of the Counſels and Warnings of GOD; and bitterly lament their exceeding Folly, in their own Sins; by which they have brought on themſelves ſo great and remedileſs Miſery. When Sinners, by woful Experience, know the dreadful Iſſue of their evil Way; they will mourn at the laſt, ſaying, how have I hated Inſtruction, and my Heart deſpiſed Reproof, and have not obeyed the Voice of my Teachers, nor inclined mine Ear to them that inſtructed me! Prov. iv. 11, 12, 13.

Therefore, however, true Godlineſs is now attended with a great Senſe of the Importance of divine Things; and 'tis rare, that Men that have no Grace, do maintain ſuch a Senſe, in any ſteady and perſevering Manner; yet 'tis manifeſt, thoſe Things are no certain Evidences of Grace. Unregenerate Men may have a Senſe of the Importance of the Things of Eternity, and the Vanity of the Things of Time; the Work of immortal Souls; the Preciouſneſs of Time and Means of Grace, and the Folly of the Ways of allowed Sin: And may have ſuch a Senſe of theſe Things, as may deeply affect them, and cauſe 'em to mourn for their own Sins, and be much concerned for others. Tho' it be true, they have not theſe Things in the ſame Manner, and in all Reſpects, from the ſame Principles and Views, as godly Men have them.

2. Devils and damned Men, have a ſtrong and moſt affecting Senſe of the awful Greatneſs and Majeſty of GOD. The awful Majeſty of GOD, are greatly made manifeſt in the Executions of divine Wrath, which they are the Subjects of. The making this known, is one Thing GOD has in Deſign, in his Vengeance on his Enemies. Rom. ix. 22. What, if GOD willing to ſhew his Wrath, and to make his Power known, endured with much long ſuffering the Veſſels of Wrath, fitted to Deſtruction? The Devils tremble before this great and terrible GOD, and under a ſtrong Senſe of his awful Majeſty. 'Tis greatly manifeſted to them, and damned Souls now; but ſhall be manifeſted in a further Degree, in that Day, when the Lord Jeſus ſhall be revealed from Heaven, in flaming Fire, to take Vengeance upon them; and when they ſhall earneſtly deſire to fly, and be hid from the Face of Him that ſits on the Throne, (which ſhall be, becauſe of the Glory of His Majeſty. Iſai. ii. 10.) and when they ſhall be puniſhed with everlaſting Deſtruction, from the Preſence of the Lord, and from the Glory of his Power. When CHRIST comes, at the laſt Day, in the Glory of his Father, every Eye ſhall ſee him in that Glory, (in this Reſpect, that they ſhall ſee his terrible Majeſty) and they alſo that pierced Him: Rev. i. 7. Both thoſe Devils, and wicked Men, which tormented and inſulted Him, when he appeared in Meanneſs and Ignominy, ſhall then ſee him in the Glory of his Father.

'Tis evident, therefore, that a Senſe of GOD's terrible Majeſty, is no certain Evidence of ſaving Grace: For we ſee that wicked Men, and Devils are capable of it: Yea, many wicked Men in this World have actually had it. This is a Manifeſtation, which GOD made of Himſelf, in the Sight of that wicked Congregation at Mount Sinai, which they ſaw, and were deeply affected with; ſo that all the People that were in the Camp trembled.

3. Devils and damned Men have ſome kind of Conviction and Senſe of all the Attributes of GOD, both natural and moral, that is ſtrong and very affecting.

The Devils know GOD's almighty Power: They ſaw a great Manifeſtation of it, when they ſaw GOD lay the Foundation of the Earth, &c. and were much affected with it. And they have ſeen innumerable other great Demonſtrations of his Power; as in the univerſal Deluge, the Deſtruction of sodom, the Wonders in Egypt, at the Red Sea, and in the Wilderneſs; the cauſing the Sun to ſtand ſtill in Joſhua's Time; and many others. And they had a very affecting Manifeſtation of GOD's mighty Power on themſelves, in caſting all their Hoſts down from Heaven into Hell; and have continual affecting Experience of it, in GOD's reſerving them in ſtrong Chains of Darkneſs, and in the ſtrong Pains they feel; and will hereafter, have far more affecting Experience of it, when they ſhall be puniſhed from the Glory of GOD's Power, with that mighty Deſtruction, which they now tremble in Expectation of. So the Devils have a great Knowledge of the Wiſdom of GOD: They have had unspeakably, more Opportunity and Occaſion to obſerve it, in the Work of Creation, and alſo in the Works of Providence, then any mortal Man has ever had; and have been themſelves the Subjects of innumerable affecting Manifeſtations of it, in GOD's diſappointing and confounding them in their moſt ſubtil Devices, in ſo wonderful and amazing a Manner. So they ſee and find the infinite Purity and Holineſs of the divine Nature, in the moſt affecting Manner, as this appears in his infinite Hatred of Sin, in what they feel of the dreadful Effects of that Hatred. They know already, by what they ſuffer, and will know hereafter to a greater Degree, and far more affecting Manner, that ſuch is the Oppoſition of GOD's Nature to Sin, that it is like a conſuming Fire, that burns with infinite Vehemence againſt it: They will feel the vehement Heat of that Fire, in a very dreadful Manner. They alſo will ſee the Holineſs of GOD, as exerciſed in his Love to Righteouſneſs and Holineſs, in what they will ſee of the Reward of the Righteouſneſs of CHRIST, and the Holineſs of his People, in the Glory of CHRIST and his Church; which alſo will be very affecting to Devils, and wicked Men. And the exact Juſtice of GOD, will be manifeſted to them in the cleareſt and ſtrongeſt, moſt convincing and moſt affecting Light, at the Day of Judgment. When they will alſo ſee great and affecting Demonſtrations of the Riches of his Grace, in the marvellous Fruits of his Love to the Veſſels of Mercy; when they ſhall ſee them at the right Hand of CHRIST, ſhining as the Sun, in the Kingdom of their Father, and ſhall hear the bleſſed Sentence pronounced upon them; and will be deeply affected with it; as ſeems naturally implied in the xiii. Chap. of Luke, 28, 29, Verſes. The Devils know GOD's Truth; and therefore, they believe his Threatnings, and tremble in Expectation of their Accompliſhment. And wicked Men that now doubt his Truth, and dare not truſt his Word; will hereafter, in the moſt convincing affecting Manner, find his Word to be true, in all that he has threatned; and will ſee that he is faithful to his Promiſes, in the Rewards of his Saints. Devils and damned Men, know that GOD is eternal and unchangeable; and therefore, they deſpair of there ever being an End to their Miſery.

Therefore 'tis manifeſt, that meerly Perſons having an affecting Senſe of ſome, or even of all GOD's Attributes, is no certain Sign, that they have the true Grace of GOD in their Hearts.

Object. Here poſſibly, ſome may object againſt the Force of the foregoing Reaſoning. That ungodly Men in this World, are in exceeding different Circumſtances, from thoſe which the Devils are in; and from thoſe which wicked Men will be in, at the Day of Judgment. Thoſe Things which are viſible and preſent to theſe, are now future and inviſible to the other. And wicked Men in this World, are in the Body, that clogs and hinders the Soul, and are encompaſſed with Objects that blind and ſtupify 'em. And therefore, it don't follow, that, becauſe the Wicked in another World, have a great Apprehenſion and lively Senſe of ſuch and ſuch Things, without Grace, that ungodly Men, in their preſent State may have the ſame.

Anſ. To this I anſwer: 'Tis not ſuppoſed, that ever Men in this Life have all thoſe Things which have been; mentioned, to the ſame Degree that the Devils and Damned have them. None ſuppoſes that ever any in this Life have Terrors of Conſcience to an equal Degree with them. 'Tis not to be ſuppoſed, that any mortal Man, whether Godly or Ungodly, has an equal Degree of ſpeculative Knowledge with the Devil. And, as was juſt now obſerved, the Wicked, at the Day of Judgment, will have a vaſtly greater Idea of the external Glory of CHRIST, than ever any have in the preſent State. So, doubtleſs, they will have a far greater Senſe of GOD's awful Greatneſs and terrible Majeſty, than any could ſubſiſt under in this frail State. So we may well conclude, that the Devils, and wicked Men in Hell, have a greater and more affecting Senſe of the Vaſtneſs of Eternity, and (in ſome Reſpects) a greater Senſe of the Importance of the Things of another World, than any here have. And they have alſo Longings after Salvation to an higher Degree than any wicked Men in this World.

But yet, it is evident, that Men in this World, may have Things of the ſame Kind with Devils and damned Men. The ſame ſort of Light in the Underſtanding; the ſame Views, and the ſame Affections; the ſame Senſe of Things, the ſame Kind of Impreſſions on the Mind, and on the Heart. If the Objection is againſt the Concluſiveneſs of the Reaſoning that has been made uſe of to prove this; 'tis againſt the Concluſiveneſs of that Reaſoning which is the Apoſtle's, more properly than mine. The Apoſtle judged it, a concluſive Argument, againſt ſuch as thought their believing there was one GOD, an Evidence of their being gracious; that the Devils believed the ſame. So the Argument is exactly the ſame, againſt ſuch as think they have Grace, becauſe they believe GOD is a holy GOD, or becauſe they have a Senſe of the awful Majeſty of GOD. The ſame may be obſerved of other Things that have been mentioned. My Text has Reference not only to the Act of the Underſtandings of Devils in believing, but to that Affection of their Hearts, which accompanies the Views they have: As trembling is an Effect of the Affection of the Heart. Which ſhews, that if Men have both the ſame Views of Underſtanding, and alſo the ſame Affections of Heart, that the Devils have, it is no Sign of Grace.

And as to the particular Degree, to which theſe Things may be carried in Men, in this World, without Grace; it appears not to be ſafe, to go about ſo to aſcertain and fix it, as to make uſe of it as an infallible Rule to determine Men's State. I know not where we have any Rule to go by, to fix the preciſe Degree, in which GOD by his Providence, or his common Influences on the Mind, will excite in wicked Men in this World, the ſame Views and Affections, which the Wicked have in another World; which 'tis manifeſt, the former are capable of as well as the latter, having the ſame Faculties and Principles of Soul; and which Views and Affections, it is evident, they often are actually the Subjects of in ſome Degree; ſome in a greater, and ſome in a leſs Degree. The infallible Evidences of Grace, which are laid down in Scripture, are of another Kind: They are all of a holy and ſpiritual Nature; and therefore, Things of that Kind, which a Heart that is wholly carnal and corrupt, cannot receive, or have any Experience of. 1. Cor. ii. 14.

I might alſo here add, that Obſervation and Experience, in very many Inſtances, ſeems to confirm what Scripture and Reaſon teaches in theſe Things.

The ſecond U S E may be of Self-Examination.

Let the Things which have been obſerved, put all on examining themſelves, and enquiring whether they have any better Evidences of ſaving Grace, than ſuch as have been mentioned.

We ſee how the infallible Spirit of GOD, in the Text, plainly repreſents the Things the Devils are the Subjects of, as no ſure Sign of Grace. And we have now, in ſome Inſtances, obſerved how far the Devils, and damned Men go, and will go in their Experience, their Knowledge of divine Things, their Belief of Truth, their Awakenings and Terrors of Conſcience, their Conviction of Guilt, and of the Juſtice of GOD, in their eternal dreadful Damnation, their Longings after Salvation, their Sight of the external Glory of CHRIST, and heavenly Things; their Senſe of the vaſt Importance of the Things of Religion, and another World; their Senſe of the awful Greatneſs and terrible Majeſty of GOD, yea, of all GOD's Attributes. Theſe Things may well put us on ſerious Self-Examination, whether we have any Thing to Evidence our good Eſtate, beyond what the Devils are the Subjects of. CHRIST ſaid to his Diſciples, Except-your Righteouſneſs exceed the Righteouſneſs of the Scribes and Phariſees, ye ſhall in no Caſe, enter into the Kingdom of Heaven: So the Spirit of CHRIST, in his Apoſtle James, does in Effect, ſay, in my Text, except what you Experience in your Souls, go beyond the Experiences of Devils, ye ſhall, in no Caſe, enter into the Kingdom of GOD.

Here, it may be, ſome will be ready to ſay, I have ſomething beſides all theſe Things, which have been mentioned; I have Things which the Devils have not, even Love and Joy.

I anſwer, you may have ſomething beſides the Experiences of Devils, and yet, nothing beyond them. Tho' the Experience be different, yet it may not be owing to any different Principle, but only the different Circumſtances, under which theſe Principles are exerciſed. The Principles, from whence the forementioned Things in Devils and damned Men do ariſe, are theſe two, natural Underſtanding, and Self-Love. 'Tis from natural Underſtanding or Reaſon, that they have ſuch a Degree of Knowledge in divine Things, and ſuch a Belief of them. 'Tis from theſe Principles of natural Underſtanding and Self-Love, as exerciſed about their own Diſpoſitions and Actions, and GOD as their Judge, that they have natural Conſcience; and have ſuch Convictions of Conſcience, as have been ſpoken of. 'Tis from theſe Principles, that they have ſuch a Senſe of the Importance of the Things of Religion, and the eternal World, and ſuch Longings after Salvation. 'Tis for the joint Exerciſe of theſe two Principles, that they are ſo ſenſible of the awful Majeſty of GOD, and of all the Attributes of the divine Nature, and ſo greatly affected with them. And it is from theſe Principles, join'd with external Senſe, the Wicked, at the Day of Judgment, will have ſo great an Apprehenſion of, and will be ſo greatly affected by the external Glory of CHRIST and his Saints. And that you have a Kind of Love or Gratitude and Joy, which Devils and damned Men have not, may poſſibly not ariſe from any other Principles in your Heart, different from theſe two, but only from theſe Principles, as exerciſed in different Circumſtances. As for Inſtance; your being a Subject of the reſtraining Grace of GOD, and being under Circumſtances of Hope, and the Receipt of Mercy. The natural Underſtanding and Self-love of Devils, poſſibly might affect them in the ſame Manner, if they were in the ſame Circumſtances. If your Love to GOD, has it's firſt Source from Nothing elſe than a ſuppoſed immediate divine Witneſs, or any other ſuppoſed Evidence, that CHRIST died for you in particular, and that GOD loves you; it ſprings from no higher Principles than Self-love; which is a Principle that reigns in the Hearts of Devils. Self-love is ſufficient, without Grace, to cauſe Men to love thoſe that love them, or that they imagine love them, and make much of them; Luke vi. 32. For if ye love them which love you, what thank have you? For Sinners alſo love thoſe that love them. And would not the Hearts of Devils be fill'd with great Joy, if they, by any Means, ſhould take up a confident Perſuaſion that GOD had pardon'd them, and was become their Friend, and that they ſhould be delivered from that Wrath which they now are in trembling Expectation of. If the Devils go ſo far as you have heard, even in their Circumſtances, being totally caſt off, and given up to unreſtrain'd Wickedneſs, being without Hope, knowing that GOD is, and ever will be their Enemy, they ſuffering his Wrath without Mercy: How far may we reaſonably ſuppoſe they might go, in Imitation of Grace and pious Experience, if they had the ſame Degree of Knowledge, as clear Views, and as ſtrong Conviction, under Circumſtances of Hope, and Offers of Mercy; and being the Subjects of common Grace, reſtraining their Corruptions, and aſſiſting and exciting the natural Principles of Reaſon, Conſcience, &c? Such Things as Devils are the Subjects of; ſuch great Conviction of Conſcience; ſuch a Senſe of the Importance of eternal Things; ſuch affecting Views of the awful Majeſty, Greatneſs, Power, Holineſs, Juſtice, and Truth of GOD, and ſuch a Senſe of his great Grace to the Saints, if they, or any Thing like 'em, ſhould be in the Heart of a Sinner, in this World; at the ſame Time that he, from ſome ſtrong Impreſſion on his Imagination, of CHRIST apearing to him, or ſweet Words ſpoken to him, or by ſome other Means, has ſuddenly, after great Terrors, imbibed a ſtrong Confidence, that now, this Great GOD, is his Friend and Father, has releaſed, him from all the Miſery he feared, and has promiſed him eternal Happineſs: I ſay, ſuch Things would, doubtleſs, vaſtly heighten his Extaſy of Joy, and raiſe the Exerciſe of natural Gratitude, (that Principle from whence Sinners love thoſe that love them) and would occaſion a great Imitation of many Graces, in ſtrong Exerciſes. Is it any Wonder then, that Multitudes under ſuch a ſort of Affection, are deceived? Eſpecially when they have Devils to help forward the Deluſion, whoſe great Subtilty, has chiefly been exerciſed in deceiving Mankind, through all paſt Generations.

Enquiry. Here poſſibly, ſome may be ready to enquire, If there may be ſo many Things, which Men may experience from no higher Principles than are in the Minds and Hearts of Devils; what are thoſe Exerciſes and Affections, that are of a higher Nature, which I muſt find in my Heart, and which I may juſtly look upon as ſure Signs of the ſaving Grace of GOD's Spirit?

Anſ. I anſwer, Thoſe Exerciſes and Affections which are good Evidences of Grace, differ from all that the Devils are the Subjects of, and all that can ariſe from ſuch Principles as are in their Hearts, in two Things; viz. their Foundation and their Tendency.

1. They differ in their Foundation, or in that belonging to them, which is moſt fundamental in them, and the Foundation of all the reſt, which pertains to 'em; viz. An Apprehenſion, or Senſe of the ſupreme holy Beauty, and Comlineſs of divine Things, as they are in themſelves, or in their own Nature.

This the Devils, and Damned in Hell are, and forever will be entirely deſtitute of. This the Devils once had, while they ſtood in their Integrity; but this they wholly loſt, when they fell: And this is the only Thing that can be mention'd, pertaining to the Devil's Apprehenſion and Senſe of the divine Being, that he did loſe. Nothing elſe belonging to the Knowledge of GOD, can be deviſed, that he is deſtitute of. It has been obſerved, that there is no one Attribute of the divine Nature, but what he is ſenſible of, and knows, and has a ſtrong and very affecting Conviction of; and this I think is evident, and undeniable. But the ſupream Beauty of the divine Nature, he is altogether blind to: He ſees no more of it, than a Man born perfectly blind does of Colours. The great Sight he has of the Attributes of GOD, gives him an Idea, and ſtrong Senſe of his awful Majeſty, but no Idea of his Beauty and Comlineſs. Tho' he has ſeen ſo much of GOD's wonderful Works of Power, Wiſdom, Holineſs, Juſtice and Truth, and his wonderful Works of Grace to Mankind, this ſo many Thouſand Years, and has had Occaſion to obſerve them with the ſtrongeſt Attention: Yet all ſerves not to give him the leaſt Senſe of his divine Beauty. And tho' the Devils ſhould continue to exerciſe their mighty Powers of Mind, with the ſtrongeſt Intention; and ſhould take Things in all poſſible Views, in every Order and Arrangement; yet they never will ſee this. So little akin, is the Knowledge they have to this, that the great Degrees of that Knowledge, bring them no nearer to it. Yet, the more Knowledge they have of GOD, of that Kind, the more do they hate GOD. That wherein the Beauty of the divine Nature, does moſt eſſentially conſiſt, viz. his Holineſs, or moral Excellency, appears, in their Eyes, furtheſt from Beauty: 'Tis on that very Account chiefly that he appears hateful to 'em. The more Holineſs they ſee in him, the more hateful he appears: The greater their Sight is of his Holineſs, the higher is their Hatred of him raiſed. And becauſe of their Hatred of his Holineſs, they hate him the more, the more they ſee of his other Attributes. They would hate a holy Being, whatever his other Attributes were; but they hate ſuch a holy Being the worſe, for his being infinitely wiſe, and infinitely powerful, &c. more than they would do, if they ſaw in him leſs Power, and leſs Wiſdom.

The Wicked, at the Day of Judgment, will ſee every Thing elſe in CHRIST, but his Beauty and Amiableneſs. There is no one Quality or Property of his Perſon, that can be Thought of, but what will be ſet before them, in the ſtrongeſt Light at that Day, but only ſuch as conſiſt in this. They will ſee him coming in the Clouds of Heaven, in Power, and great Glory, in the Glory of his Father. They will have that View of his external Glory, which is vaſtly beyond what we can have any Imagination of: And they will have the ſtrongeſt and moſt convincing Demonſtrations of all his Attributes and Perfections. They will have a Senſe of his great Majeſty, that will be, as it were, infinitly affecting to them. They ſhall be made to know effectually, That he is the Lord. They ſhall ſee what he is, and what he does: His Nature and Works, ſhall appear in the ſtrongeſt View. But his holy and infinite Beauty and Amiableneſs, which is all in all, and without which every other Quality and Property is Nothing, and worſe than Nothing, they will ſee Nothing of.

Therefore, 'tis a Sight or Senſe of this that, is the Thing, wherein does fundamentally conſiſt, the Difference between thoſe Things in which the ſaving Grace of GOD's Spirit conſiſts, and the Experiences of Devils and damned Souls. This is the Foundation of every Thing elſe that is diſtinguiſhing in true Chriſtian Experience. This is the Foundation of the Faith of GOD's Elect. This gives the Mind a ſaving Belief of the Truth of divine Things. 'Tis a View of the Excellency of the Things exhibited in the Goſpel, or Senſe of the divine Beauty, and Amiableneſs of the Scheme of Doctrine there exhibited, that ſavingly convinces the Mind, that it is indeed divine, or of GOD. This Account of the Matter is plainly implied: 2 Cor. iv. 3, 4. But if our Goſpel be hid, it is hid to them that are loſt; in whom the GOD of this World hath blinded the Minds of them that BELIEVE NOT; leſt the Light of the glorious Goſpel of CHRIST, who is the Image of GOD, ſhould ſhine into them, And, v. 6. For GOD, who commanded the Light to ſhine out of Darkneſs, hath ſhined in our Hearts, to give the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of GOD, in the Face of JESUS CHRIST. 'Tis very evident that a ſaving Belief of the Goſpel, is here ſpoken of by the Apoſtle, as ariſing from a View of the divine Glory or Beauty of the Things it exhibits. 'Tis by this View, that the Soul of a true Convert is enabled ſavingly, to ſee the Sufficency of CHRIST for his Salvation. He that has his Eyes open'd to behold the divine ſuperlative Beauty and Lovelineſs of JESUS CHRIST, is convinced of his Sufficiency, to ſtand as a Medator between Him, a guilty Hell-deſerving Wretch, and an infinitely holy GOD, in an exceeding different Manner than ever he can be convinced by all the Arguments that are made Uſe of, by the excellent Authors or Preachers.

When he once comes to ſee CHRIST's divine Lovelineſs, he wonders no more that he is thought worthy by GOD the Father, to be accepted for the vileſt Sinner. Now it is not difficult for him to conceive, how the Blood of CHRIST ſhould be eſteem'd by GOD ſo precious, as to be worthy to be accepted as a Compenſation for the greateſt Sins. The Soul now properly ſees the Preciouſneſs of CHRIST, and ſo does properly ſee and underſtand the very Ground and Reaſon of his Acceptableneſs to GOD, and the Value GOD ſets on his Blood, Obedience and Interceſſion. This ſatisfies the poor guilty Soul, and gives it Reſt; when the fineſt and moſt elaborate Diſcourſes, about the Sufficency of CHRIST, and Suitableneſs of the Way of Salvation, would not do it. When a Man then comes to ſee the proper Foundation of Faith and Affiance, with his own Eyes, then he believes ſavingly. He that ſeeth the Son, and believeth on Him, hath everlaſting Life. John. vi. 40. when CHRIST thus MANIFESTS GOD's NAME to Men, then they believe that all Things whatſoever GOD has given to CHRIST are of him, and believes that CHRIST was ſent of GOD. John xvii. 6, 7, 8. And they that thus know CHRIST's Name will truſt in him. Pſ. ix. 10. In order to true Faith in JESUS CHRIST, the Son of GOD, is REVEAL'D IN MEN. Gal. i. 15. 16. And 'tis this Sight of the divine Beauty of CHRIST, that bows the Wills, and draws the Hearts of Men. A Sight of the Greatneſs of GOD in his Attributes, may overwhelm Men, and be more than they can endure; but the Enmity and Oppoſition of the Heart, may remain in its full Strength, and the Will remain inflexible; whereas, one Glimpſe of the moral and ſpiritual Glory of GOD, and ſupreme Amiableneſs of JESUS CHRIST, ſhining into the Heart, overcomes and aboliſhes this Oppoſition, and inclines the Soul to CHRIST, as it were, by an omnipotent Power: So that now, not only the Underſtanding, but the Will, and the whole Soul receives and embraces the Saviour. This is moſt certainly the Diſcovery, which is the firſt internal Foundation of a ſaving Faith in CHRIST, in the Soul of the true Convert; and not on having of it immediately ſuggeſted and revealed to the Soul, by a Text of Scripture, or any immediate outward or inward Witneſs, that CHRIST loves him, or that he died for him in particular, and is his Saviour; ſo begetting Confidence and Joy, and a ſeeming Love to CHRIST, becauſe he loves Him: By which ſort of Faith and Converſion, (demonſtrably vain and counterfeit) Multitudes have been deluded. The Sight of the Glory of GOD, in the Face of JESUS CHRIST, works true ſupreme Love to GOD: This is a Sight of the proper Foundation of ſupreme Love to GOD, viz. The ſupreme Lovelineſs of his Nature; and a Love to him on this Ground, is truly above any Thing that can come from a meer Principle of Self-love, which is in the Hearts of Devils, as well as Men. And this begets true ſpiritual and holy Joy in the Soul, which is indeed Joy in GOD, and glorying in him, and not rejoycing in ourſelves.

This Sight of the Beauty of divine Things, will excite true Deſires and Longings of Soul, after thoſe Things; not like the Longings of Devils, or any ſuch forced Deſires, as thoſe of a Man in great Danger of Death, after ſome bitter Medicine, that he hopes will ſave his Life; but natural free Deſires, the Deſires of Appetite; the Thirſtings of a new Nature; as a new-born Babe deſires the Mother's Breaſt; and as a hungry Man longs for ſome pleaſant Food he thinks of; or as the thirſty Hart pants after the cool and clear Stream.

This Senſe of divine Beauty, is the firſt Thing in the actual Change made in the Soul, in true Converſion, and is the Foundation of every Thing elſe belonging to that Change; as is evident by thoſe Words of the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. iii. 18. But we all with open Face, beholding as in a Glaſs, the Glory of the Lord, are changed into the ſame Image, from Glory to Glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

2. Truly gracious Affections and Exerciſes of Mind differ from ſuch as are counterfeit, which ariſe from no higher Principles than are in the Hearts of Devils, in their Tendency: And that in theſe two Reſpects.

(1.) They are of a Tendency and Influence very contrary to that, which was eſpecially the Devil's Sin, even Pride. That Pride was in a peculiar Manner the Devil's Sin, is manifeſt from 1 Tim. iii. 6. Not a Novice left, being lifted up with Pride, he fell into the Condemnation of the Devil. Falſe and deluſive Experiences evermore tend to this; tho' oftentimes under the Diſguiſe of great and extraordinary Humility. Spiritual Pride, is the prevailing Temper, and general Character of Hypocrites, deluded with falſe Diſcoveries and Affections. They are in general, of a Diſpoſition directly contrary to thoſe two Things belonging to the Chriſtian Temper, directed to by the Apoſtle; the One in Rom. xii. 16. Be not wiſe in your own Conceit; and the other in Philip. ii. 3. Let each eſteem others better than themſelves. Falſe Experience is conceited of itſelf, and affected with itſelf. Thus he that has falſe Humility, is much affected to think, how he is abaſed before GOD: He that has falſe Love, is affected, when he thinks of the Greatneſs of his Love. The very Food and Nouriſhment of falſe Experience, is to view itſelf, and take much Notice of itſelf; and it's very Breath and Life is to talk much of itſelf, or ſome Way to be ſhewing it ſelf. Whereas truly gracious Views and Affections, are of a quite contrary Tendency: They nouriſh no Self-Conceit; no exalting Conceit of the Man's own Righteouſneſs, Experience, or Privileges; no high Conceit of his Humiliations. They incline to no Oftentation, nor Self-Exaltation, under any Diſguiſe whatſoever. But that Senſe of the ſupreme, holy Beauty and Glory of GOD and CHRIST, which is the Foundation of them, and that only, mortifies Pride, and truly humbles the Soul. It not only cuts off ſome of the outermoſt Branches (cauſing many Branches to grow out, where but one was before) but it ſtrikes at the very Root of Pride; it alters the very Nature and Diſpoſition of the Heart. The Light of GOD's Beauty, and that alone truly ſhews the Soul its own Deformity, and effectually inclines it to exalt GOD, and abaſe itſelf.

(2.) Theſe gracious Exerciſes and Affections, differ from the other in their Tendency, to deſtroy Satan's Intereſt. 1ſt In the Perſon himſelf, in their Tendency, to cauſe the Soul to hate every Evil, and falſe Way, and to produce univerſal Holineſs of Heart and Life; diſpoſing him to make the Service of GOD, and the promoting his Glory, and the Good of Mankind, the very Buſineſs of his Life. Whereas thoſe falſe Diſcoveries and Affections, have not this Effect. There may indeed, be great Zeal, and a great deal of what is called Religion; but it is not a truly Chriſtian Zeal; 'tis not a being zealous of good Works: Their Religion is not the Service of GOD; 'tis not a ſeeking and ſerving GOD; but indeed, a ſeeking and ſerving themſelves. Tho' there may be a Change of Life, 'tis not a Change from every wicked Way, to a uniform Chriſtian Life and Practice; but only a turning the Stream of Corruption from one Channel to another. Thus the Apoſtle James diſtinguiſhes, in our Context, a true Faith, from the Faith of Devils: James ii. 19, 20. Thou believeſt there is one GOD. The Devils alſo believe and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain Man, that Faith without Works is dead? And thus the Apoſtle John diſtinguiſhes true Communion with GOD. 1 John, i. 6, 7. If we ſay that we have Fellowſhip with Him, and walk in Darkneſs, we lie, and do not the Truth. But if we walk in the Light, or he is in the Light, we have Fellowſhip one with another, and the Blood of CHRIST cleanſeth us from all Sin. By this he diſtinguiſhes true ſpiritual Knowledge, Chap. ii. 3, 4. Hereby we do know, that we know Him, that we keep his Commandments. He that ſaith, I know him, and keepeth not his Commandments, is a Liar, and the Truth is not in him. And hereby the ſame Apoſtle diſtinguiſhes true Love. Chap. iii. 18, 19. Let us not love in Word and in Tongue, but in Deed, [in Work, as the Word ſignifies] and in Truth. And hereby we know that we are of the Truth, and ſhall aſſure our Hearts before him.

2. Truly gracious Experiences, have a Tendency to deſtroy Satan's Intereſt in the World.

Falſe Religion, conſiſting in the Counterfeits of the Operations of the Spirit of GOD, and in high Pretences and great Appearances of inward experimental Religion; when this prevails among a People, tho' for the preſent it may ſurprize many, and may be the Occaſion of alarming and awakening ſome Sinners; yet in the final Iſſue of Things, tends greatly to wound and weaken the Cauſe of vital Religion, and to ſtrengthen the Intereſt of Satan, deſperately to harden the Hearts of Sinners, exceedingly to fill the World with Prejudice, againſt the Power of Godlineſs, to promote Infidelity, and licentious Principles and Practices, to build up, and make ſtrong the Devil's Kingdom in the World, more than open Vice and Profaneneſs, or profeſſed Atheiſm, or publick Perſecution; and perhaps, more than any Thing elſe whatſoever.

But it is not ſo with true Religion, in it's genuine Beauty. That, if it prevails in great Power, will doubtleſs, excite the Rage of the Devil, and many other Enemies of Religion: However, it gives great Advantage to it's Friends, and exceedingly ſtrengthens their Cauſe; and tends to convince or confound Enemies. True Religion, is a divine Light in the Souls of the Saints; and as it ſhines out in the Converſation before Men, it tends to induce others to glorify GOD. There is Nothing like it, (as to Means) to awaken the Conſciences of Men, to convince Infidels, and to ſtop the Mouths of Gainſayers. Tho' Men naturally hate the Power of Godlineſs; yet, when they ſee the Fruits of it, there is a Witneſs in their Conſciences in its Favour. He that ſerveth CHRIST in Righteouſneſs, and Peace, and Joy in the Holy Ghoſt, is acceptable to GOD, and approved of Man. Rom. xiv. 17, 18. The Prevailing of true Religion, ever tends to the Honour of Religion in the World; tho' it commonly is the Occaſion of great Perſecution. 'Tis a ſure Thing, the more it appears, and is exemplified in the View of the World, the more will its Honour, and the Honour of its Author be advanced. Philip. i. 11. Being filled with the Fruits of Righteouſneſs; which are by JESUS CHRIST, unto the Glory and Praiſe of GOD.

The third USE may be of Exhortation, to ſeek thoſe diſtinguiſhing Qualifications and Affections of Soul, which neither the Devil, nor any unholy Being, has, or can have.

How excellent is that inward Virtue and Religion, which conſiſts in theſe! Herein conſiſts the moſt excellent Experiences of Saints and Angels in Heaven. Herein conſiſts the beſt Experience of the Man, CHRIST JESUS; whether in his humbled, or glorified State. Herein conſiſts the Image of GOD: Yea, this is ſpoken of in Scripture, as a Communication of ſomething of GOD's own Beauty and Excellency, a Participation of the divine Nature; 2 Pet. i. 4. A: Partaking of his Holineſs; Heb. xii. 10. A Partaking of CHRIST's Fulneſs; John i. 16. Hereby the Saints are fill'd with all the Fullneſs of GOD; Eph. iii. 18, 19. Hereby they have Fellowſhip with, both the Father and the Son, (1 John i. 3.) that is, they communicate with them in their Happineſs. Yea, by Means of this divine Virtue, there is a mutual Indwelling of GOD and the Saints; 1 John, iv. 16. GOD is Love; and he that dwelleth in Love, dwelleth in GOD, and GOD in him.

This Qualification muſt render the Perſon that has it, excellent and happy indeed; and doubtleſs, is the higheſt Dignity, and Bleſſedneſs of any Creature. This is the peculiar Gift of GOD, which he beſtows only on his ſpecial Favourites. As to Silver, Gold, and Diamonds, earthly Crowns and Kingdoms, He often throws 'em out to thoſe that he eſteems as Dogs and Swine; but this is the peculiar Bleſſing of his dear Children: This is what Fleſh and Blood can't impart, and what all the Devils in Hell, can't work the leaſt Degree of in any Heart; 'tis GOD alone can beſtow it. This was the ſpecial Benefit, which CHRIST died to procure for his Elect, the moſt excellent Token of his everlaſting Love; the chief Fruit of his great Labours, and the moſt precious Purchaſe of his Blood.

By this, above all other Things, do Men glorify GOD. By this, above all other Things, do the Saints ſhine as Lights in the World, and are Bleſſings to Mankind. And this, above all Things, tends to their own Comfort; from hence ariſes that Peace with paſſeth all Underſtanding, and that Joy, which is unſpeakable, and full of Glory. And this is that which will moſt certainly iſſue in the eternal Salvation of thoſe that have it: 'Tis impoſſible, that the Soul, wherein it is, ſhould ſink and periſh: 'Tis an immortal Seed; 'tis eternal Life begun; and therefore, they that have it, can never die. 'Tis the Dawning of the Light of Glory. 'Tis the Day-Star riſen in the Heart, that is a ſure Fore-runner of that Suns riſing, which will bring on an everlaſting Day. This is that Water, which CHRIST gives, which is in him that drink's it, a Well of Water, ſpringing up into everlaſting Life: John iv. 14. 'Tis ſomething from Heaven, is of a heavenly Nature, and tends to Heaven. And thoſe that have it, however they may now Wander in a Wilderneſs, or be toſſed to and fro, on a tempeſtuous Ocean, ſhall certainly arrive in Heaven at laſt, where this heavenly Spark ſhall be increaſed, and perfected, and the Souls of the Saints, all be transformed into a bright and pure Flame, and they ſhall ſhine forth as the Sun, in the Kingdom of their Father.

AMEN.

APPLICATION.

The USE may be of Awakening to unconverted Perſons in this Congregation. This that you have heard is the Caſe of every one of you that are out of Chriſt. That World of Miſery, that Lake of burning Brimſtone is extended abroad under you. There is the dreadful Pit of the glowing Flames of the Wrath of GOD; there is Hell's wide gaping Mouth open; and you have nothing to ſtand upon, nor any Thing to take hold of: there is nothing between you and Hell but the Air; 'tis only the Power and meer Pleaſure of GOD that holds you up.

You probably are not ſenſible of this; you find you are kept out of Hell, but don't ſee the Hand of GOD in it, but look at other Things, as the good State of your bodily Conſtitution, your Care of your own Life, and the Means you uſe for your own Preſervation. But indeed theſe Things are nothing; if GOD ſhould withdraw his Hand, they would avail no more to keep you from falling, than the thin Air to hold up a Perſon that is ſuſpended in it.

Your Wickedneſs makes you as it were heavy as Load, and to tend downwards with great Weight and Preſſure towards Hell; and if GOD ſhould let you go, you would immediately ſink and ſwiftly deſcend and plunge into the bottomleſs Gulf, and your healthy Conſtitution, and your own Care and Prudence, and beſt Contrivance, and all your Righteouſneſs, would have no more Influence to uphold you and keep you out of Hell, then a Spider's Web would have to ſtop a falling Rock. Were it not, that ſo is the ſovereign Pleaſure of GOD, the Earth would not bear you one Moment; for you are a Burden to it; the Creation groans with you; the Creature is made ſubject to the Bondage of your Corruption, not willingly; the Sun don't willingly ſhine upon you to give you Light to ſerve Sin and Satan; the Earth don't willingly yield her Increaſe to ſatisfy your Luſts; nor is it willingly a Stage for your Wickedneſs to be acted upon; the Air don't willingly ſerve you for Breath to maintain the Flame of Life in your Vitals, while you ſpend your Life in the Service of GOD's Enemies. GOD's Creatures are good, and were made for Men to ſerve GOD with, and don't willingly ſubſerve to any other Purpoſe, and groan when they are abuſed to Purpoſes ſo directly contrary to their Nature and End. And the World would ſpue you out, were it not for the ſovereign Hand of him who hath ſubjected it in Hope. There are the black Clouds of GOD's Wrath now hanging directly over your Heads, full of the dreadful Storm, and big with Thunder; and were it not for the reſtraining Hand of GOD, it would immediately burſt forth upon you. The ſovereign Pleaſure of GOD, for the preſent, ſtays his rough Wind; otherwiſe it would come with Fury, and your Deſtruction would come like a Whirlwind, and you would be like the Chaff of the Summer threſhing Floor.

The Wrath of GOD is like great Waters that are dammed for the Preſent; they increaſe more and more, and riſe higher and higher, till an Outlet is given, and the longer the Stream is ſtop'd, the more rapid and mighty is it's Courſe, when once it is let looſe. 'Tis true, that Judgment againſt your evil Works, has not been executed hitherto; the Floods of GOD's Vengeance have been with-held; but your Guilt in the mean Time is conſtantly increaſing, and you are every Day treaſuring up more Wrath; the Waters are continually riſing, and waxing more and more mighty; and there is Nothing but the meer Pleaſure of GOD, that holds the Waters back, that are unwilling to be ſtopped, and preſs hard to go forward; if GOD ſhould only withdraw his Hand from the Flood-Gate, it would immediately fly open, and the fiery Floods of the Fierceneſs and Wrath of GOD, would ruſh forth with inconceivable Fury, and would come upon you with omnipotent Power; and if your Strength were ten Thouſand Times greater than it is, yea, ten thouſand Times greater than the Strength of the ſtouteſt, ſturdieſt Devil in Hell, it would be Nothing to withſtand or endure it.

The Bow of GOD's Wrath is bent, and the Arrow made ready on the String, and Juſtice bends the Arrow at your Heart, and ſtrains the Bow, and it is Nothing but the meer Pleaſure of GOD, and that of an angry GOD, without any Promiſe or Obligation at all, that keeps the Arrow one Moment from being made drunk with your Blood.

Thus are all you that never paſſed under a great Change of Heart, by the mighty Power of the SPIRIT of GOD upon your Souls; all that were never born again, and made new Creatures, and raiſed from being dead in Sin, to a State of new, and before altogether unexperienced Light and Life, (however you may have reformed your Life in many Things, and may have had religious Affections, and may keep up a Form of Religion in your Families and Cloſets, and in the Houſes of GOD, and may be ſtrict in it,) you are thus in the Hands of an angry GOD; 'tis Nothing but his meer Pleaſure, that keeps you from being this Moment ſwallowed up in everlaſting Deſtruction.

However unconvinced you may now be of the Truth of what you hear, by and by you will be fully convinced of it. Thoſe that are gone from being in the like Circumſtances with you, ſee that it was ſo with them; for Deſtruction came ſuddenly upon moſt of them, when they expected Nothing of it, and while they were ſaying, Peace and Safety: Now they ſee, that thoſe Things that they depended on for Peace and Safety, were Nothing but thin Air and empty Shadows.

The GOD that holds you over the Pit of Hell, much as one holds a Spider, or ſome loathſome Infect, over the Fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked; his Wrath towards you burns like Fire; he looks upon you as worthy of Nothing elſe, but to be caſt into the Fire; he is of purer Eyes than to bear to have you in his Sight; you are ten thouſand Times ſo abominable in his Eyes, as the moſt hateful venomous Serpent is in ours. You have offended him infinitely more than ever a ſtubborn Rebel did his Prince: And yet, 'tis Nothing but his Hand that holds you from falling into the Fire every Moment: 'Tis to be aſcribed to Nothing elſe, that you did not go to Hell the laſt Night; that you was ſuffer'd to awake again in this World, after you cloſed your Eyes to ſleep: And there is no other Reaſon to be given, why you have not dropped into Hell ſince you aroſe in the Morning, but that GOD's Hand has held you up: There is no other Reaſon to be given why you han't gone to Hell, ſince you have ſat here in the Houſe of GOD, provoking his pure Eyes by your ſinful wicked Manner of attending his ſolemn Worſhip: Yea, there is Nothing elſe that is to be given as a Reaſon why you don't this very Moment drop down into Hell.

O Sinner! Conſider the fearful Danger you are in: 'Tis a great Furnace of Wrath, a wide and bottomleſs Pit, full of the Fire of Wrath, that you are held over in the Hand of that GOD, whoſe Wrath is provoked and incenſed as much againſt you, as againſt many of the Damned in Hell: You hang by a ſlender Thread, with the Flames of divine Wrath flaſhing about it, and ready every Moment to ſinge it, and burn it aſunder; and you have no Intereſt in any Mediator, and Nothing to lay hold of to ſave yourſelf, Nothing to keep off the Flames of Wrath, Nothing of your own, Nothing that you ever have done, Nothing that you can do, to induce GOD to ſpare you one Moment.

And conſider he • e more particularly ſeveral Things concerning that Wrath that you are in ſuch Danger of.

1. Whoſe Wrath it is: It is the Wrath of the infinite GOD. If it were only the Wrath of Man, tho' it were of the moſt potent Prince, it would be comparatively little to be regarded. The Wrath of Kings is very much dreaded, eſpecially of abſolute Monarchs, that have the Poſſeſſions and Lives of their Subjects wholly in their Power, to be diſpoſed of at their meer Will. Prov. xx. 2. The Fear of a King is as the Roaring of a Lion: Whoſo provoketh him to Anger, ſinneth againſt his own Soul. The Subject that very much enrages an arbitrary Prince, is liable to ſuffer the moſt extream Torments, that human Art can invent, or human Power can inflict. But the greateſt earthly Potentates, in their greateſt Majeſty and Strength, and when cloathed in their greateſt Terrors, are but feeble deſpicable Worms of the Duſt, in Compariſon of the great and almighty Creator and King of Heaven and Earth: It is but little that they can do, wh • m moſt enraged, and when they have exerted the utmoſt of their Fury. All the Kings of the Earth before GOD, are is Graſhoppers, they are Nothing, and leſs than Nothing: Both their Love and their Hatred is to be deſpiſed. The Wrath of the great King of Kings, is as much more terrible than their's, as his Majeſty is greater. Luke xii. 4, 5. And I ſay unto you my Friends, be not afraid of them that kill the Body, and after that have no more that they can do: But I will forewarn you whom you ſhall fear; fear him, which after he hath killed, hath Power to caſt into Hell; yea, I ſay unto you, fear him.

2. 'Tis the Fierceneſs of his Wrath that you are expoſed to. We often read of the Fury of GOD; as in Iſai. lix. 18. According to their Deeds, accordingly he will repay Fury to his Adverſaries. So Iſai. lxvi, 15. For behold, the Lord will come with Fire, and with Chariots, like a Whirlwind, to render his Anger with Fury, and his Rebukes with Flames of Fire. And ſo in many other Places. So we read of GOD's Fierceneſs. Rev. xix. 15. There we read of the Wine-Preſs of the Fierceneſs and Wrath of Almighty GOD. The Words are exceeding terrible. If it had only been ſaid, the Wrath of GOD, the Words would have implied that which is infinitely dreadful: But 'tis not only ſaid ſo, but the Fierceneſs and Wrath of GOD: The Fury of GOD! the Fierceneſs of Jehovah! Oh how dreadful muſt that be! Who can utter or conceive what ſuch Expreſſions carry in them! But it is not only ſaid ſo, but the Fierceneſs and Wrath of ALMIGHTY GOD. As tho' there would be a very great Manifeſtation of his almighty Power, in what the Fierceneſs of his Wrath ſhould inflict, as tho' Omnipotence ſhould be as it were enraged, and exerted, as Men were wont to exert their Strength in the Fierceneſs of their Wrath. Oh! then what will be the Conſequence! What will become of the poor Worm that ſhall ſuffer it! Whoſe Hands can be ſtrong? And whoſe Heart endure? To what a dreadful, inexpreſſible, inconceivable Depth of Miſery muſt the poor Creature be ſunk who ſhall be the Subject of this!

Conſider this, you that are here preſent, that yet remain in an unregenerate State. That GOD will execute the Fierceneſs of his Anger, implies, that he will inflict Wrath without any Pity: When GOD beholds the ineffable Extremity of your Caſe, and ſees your Torment to be ſo vaſtly diſproportion'd to your Strength, and ſees how your poor Soul is cruſhed and ſinks down, as it were into an infinite Gloom; he will have no Compaſſion upon you, he will not forbear the Executions of his Wrath, or in the leaſt lighten his Hand; there ſhall be no Moderation or Mercy, nor will GOD then at all ſtay his rough Wind; he will have no Regard to your Welfare, nor be at all careful leſt you ſhould ſuffer too much, in any other Senſe, than only that you ſhall not ſuffer beyond what ſtrict Juſtice requires: Nothing ſhall be with-held, becauſe it's ſo hard for you to bear. Ezek. viii. 18. Therefore will I alſo deal in Fury; mine Eye ſhall not ſpare, neither will I have Pity; and tho' they cry in mine Ears with a loud Voice, yet I will not hear them. Now GOD ſtands ready to pity you; this is a Day of Mercy; you may cry now with ſome Encouragement of obtaining Mercy: But when once the Day of Mercy is paſt, your moſt lamentable and dolorous Cries and Shrieks will be in vain; you will be wholly loſt and thrown away of GOD as to any Regard to your Welfare; GOD will have no other Uſe to put you to, but only to ſuffer Miſery; you ſhall be continued in being to no other End; for you will be a Veſſel of Wrath fitted to Deſtruction; and there will be no other Uſe of this Veſſel but only to be filled full of Wrath: GOD will be ſo far from pitying you when you cry to him, that 'tis ſaid he will only Laugh and Mock, Prov. i. 25, 26. &c.

How awful are thoſe Words, Iſai, lxiii. 3. which are the Words of the great GOD, I will tread them in mine Anger, and will trample them in my Fury, and their Blood ſhall be ſprinkled upon my Garments, and I will ſtain all my Raiment. 'Tis perhaps impoſſible, to conceive of Words that carry in them greater Manifeſtations of theſe three Things▪ viz. Contempt, and Hatred, and Fierceneſs of Indignation. If you cry to GOD to pity you, he will be ſo far from pitying you in your doleful Caſe, or ſhewing you the leaſt Regard or Favour, that inſtead of that, he'll only tread you under Foot: And tho' he will know, that you can't bear the Weight of Omnipotence treading upon you, yet he won't Regard that, but he will cruſh you under his Feet without Mercy; He'll cruſh out your Blood, and make it fly, and it ſhall be ſprinkled on his Garments, ſo as to ſtain all his Raiment. He will not only hate you, but he will have you in the utmoſt Contempt; no Place ſhall be thought fit for you, but under his Feet, to be trodden down as the Mire of the Streets.

3. The Miſery you are expoſed to, is that which GOD will inflict to that End, that he might ſhew what that Wrath of JEHOVAH is. GOD hath had it on his Heart to ſhew to Angels and Men, both how excellent his Love is, and alſo how terrible his Wrath is. Sometimes earthly Kings have a Mind to ſhew how terrible their Wrath is, by the extream Puniſhments they would execute on thoſe that provoke 'em. Nebuchadnezzar, that mighty and haughty Monarch of the Chaldean Empire, was willing to ſhew his Wrath, when enraged with Shadrach, Meſhech, and Abednego; and accordingly gave Order, that the burning fiery Furnace ſhould 〈◊◊〉 ſeven Times hotter than it was before; doubtleſs, it was raiſed to the utmoſt Degree of Fierceneſs, that humane Art could raiſe it: But the great GOD is alſo willing to ſhew his Wrath, and magnify his awful Majeſty and mighty Power in the extream Sufferings of his Enemies. Rom. xix. 22. What if God willing to ſhew HIS Wrath, and to make his Power known, endured with much Long-ſuffering, the Veſſels of Wrath fitted to Deſtruction? And ſeeing this is his Deſign and what he has determined, to ſhew how terrible the unmixed, unreſtrained Wrath, the Fury and Fierceneſs of JEHOVAH is, he will do it to Effect. There will be ſomething accompliſhed and brought to paſs, that will be dreadful with a Witneſs. When the great and angry GOD, hath riſen up and executed his awful Vengeance on the poor Sinner; and the Wretch is actually ſuffering the infinite Weight and Power of his Indignation, then will GOD call upon the whole Univerſe to behold that awful Majeſty and mighty Power, that is to be ſeen in it. Iſai. xxxiii. 12, 13, 14. And the People ſhall be as the burning of Lime, as Thorns cut up ſhall they be burnt in the Fire. Hear ye that are far off, what I have done; and ye that are near, acknowledge my Might. The Sinners in Zion are afraid, Fearfulneſs hath ſurprized the Hypocrites, &c.

Thus it will be with you that are in an unconverted State, if you continue in it; the infinite Might, and Majeſty and Terribleneſs of the OMNIPOTENT GOD ſhall be magnified upon you, in the ineffable Strength of your Torments: You ſhall be tormented in the Preſence of the holy Angels, and in the Preſence of the Lamb; and when you ſhall be in this State of Suffering, the glorious Inhabitants of Heaven ſhall go forth and look on the awful Spectacle, that they may ſee what the Wrath and Fierceneſs of the Almighty is, and when they have ſeen it, they will fall down and adore that great Power and Majeſty. Iſai. lxvi. 23, 24. And it ſhall come to paſs, that from one new Moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, ſhall all Fleſh come to Worſhip before me, ſaith the Lord; and they ſhall go forth and look upon the Carcaſſes of the Men that have tranſgreſſed againſt me; for their Worm ſhall not die, neither ſhall their Fire be quenched, and they ſhall be an abhorring unto all Fleſh.

4. 'Tis everlaſting Wrath. It would be dreadful to ſuffer this Fierceneſs and Wrath of Almighty GOD one Moment; but you muſt ſuffer it to all Eternity: There will be no End to this exquiſite horrible Miſery: When you look forward, you ſhall ſee a long Forever, a boundleſs Duration before you, which will ſwallow up your Thoughts, and amaze your Soul, and you will abſolutely deſpair of ever having any Deliverance, any End, any Mitigation, any Reſt at all; you will know certainly, that you muſt wear out long Ages, Millions of Millions of Ages, in wreſtling and conflicting with this almighty mercileſs Vengeance, and then, when you have ſo done, when ſo many Ages have actually been ſpent by you in this Manner, you will know, that all is but a Point to what remains. So that your Puniſhment will indeed be infinite. Oh who can expreſs what the State of a Soul in ſuch Circumſtances is! All that we can poſſibly ſay about it, gives but a very feeble ſaint Repreſentation of it; 'tis inexpreſſible and inconceivable: For who knows the Power of GOD's Anger?

How dreadful is the State of thoſe that are daily and hourly in Danger of this great Wrath, and infinite Miſery! But this is the diſmal Caſe of every Soul in this Congregation, that has not been born again, however moral and ſtrict, ſober and religious they may otherwiſe be. Oh that you would conſider it, whether you be Young or Old. There is Reaſon to think, that there are many in this Congregation now hearing this Diſcourſe, that will actually be the Subjects of this very Miſery to all Eternity. We know not who thy are, or in what Seats they ſit, or what Thoughts they now have: It may be, they are now at Eaſe, and he •• all theſe Things without much Diſturbance, and are now flattering themſelves that they are not the Perſons, promiſing themſelves that they ſhall eſcape. If we knew that there was one Perſon, and but one, in the whole Congregation, that was to be the Subject of this Miſery, what an awful Thing would it be to think of! 〈◊〉 we knew who it was, what an awful Sight would it be to ſee ſuch a Perſon! How might all the Reſt of the Congregation lift up a lamentable and bitter Cry over him! But alas! inſtead of one, how many is it likely, will remember this Diſcourſe in Hell? And it would be a Wonder, if ſome that are now preſent, ſhould not be in Hell in a very ſhort Time, before this Year is out. And it would be no Wonder if ſome Perſons, that now ſits here in ſome Seats of this Meeting-Houſe in Health, and quiet and ſecure, ſhould be there before To-morrow Morning. Thoſe of you that finally continue in a natural Condition, that ſhall keep out of Hell longeſt, will be there in a little Time! your Damnation don't ſlumber; it will come ſwiftly, and in all Probability, very ſuddenly upon many of you▪ You have Reaſon to wonder, that you are not already in Hell. 'Tis doubtleſs the Caſe of ſome that heretofore you have ſeen and known, that never deſerved Hell more than you, and that heretofore, appeared as likely to have been now alive as you: Their Caſe is paſt all Hope; they are crying in extream Miſery and perfect Deſpair; but here you are in the Land of the Living, and in the Houſe of GOD, and have an Opportunity to obtain Salvation. What would not thoſe poor damned hopeleſs Souls, give for one Day's ſuch Opportunity as you now enjoy!

And now you have an extraordinary Opportunity, a Day wherein CHRIST has ſlung the Door of Mercy wide open; and ſtands in the Door, calling and crying with a loud Voice to poor Sinners; a Day wherein many are flocking to him, and preſſing into the Kingdom of GOD; many are daily coming from the Eaſt, Weſt, North and South; many that were very lately in the ſame miſerable Condition that you are in, are now in an happy State, with their Hearts filled with Love to Him, that has loved them, and waſhed them from their Sins in his own Blood, and rejoycing in Hope of the Glory of GOD. How awful is it to be left behind at ſuch a Day! To ſee ſo many others feaſting, while you are pining and periſhing! To ſee ſo many rejoycing and ſinging for Joy of Heart, while you have Cauſe to mourn for Sorrow of Heart, and howl for Vexation of Spirit! How can you reſt one Moment in ſuch a Condition? Are not your Souls as precious as the Souls of the People atThe next neighbour Town. Suffield, where they are flocking from Day to Day to Chriſt?

Are there no • many here that have lived long in the World, that are not to this Day born again, and ſo are Aliens from the Common-Wealth of Iſrael, and have done Nothing ever ſince they have lived, but treaſure up Wrath againſt the Day of Wrath? Oh Sirs, your Caſe in an eſpecial Manner is extreamly dangerous; your Guilt and Hardneſs of Heart is extreamly great. Don't you ſee how generally Perſons of your Years are paſs'd over and left, in the preſent remarkable and wonderful Diſpenſation of GOD's Mercy? You had need to conſider your ſelves, and wake thoroughly out of Sleep; you cannot bear the Fierceneſs and Wrath of the infinite GOD.

And you that are young Men, and young Women, will you neglect this precious Seaſon that you now enjoy, when ſo many others of your Age are renouncing all youthful Vanities, and flocking to CHRIST? You eſpecially have now an extraordinary Opportunity; but if you neglect it, it will ſoon be with you, as it is with thoſe Perſons that ſpent away all the precious Days of Youth in Sin, and are now come to ſuch a dreadful Paſs in Blindneſs and Hardneſs.

And you Children, that are unconverted, don't you know that you are going down to Hell, to bear the dreadful Wrath of that GOD, that is now angry with you every Day, and every Night? Will you be content to be the Children of the Devil, when ſo many other Children in the Land are converted, and are become the holy and happy Children of the King of Kings?

And let every one that is yet ou • of CHRIST, and hanging over the Pit of Hell, whether they be old Men and Women, or middle Aged, or young People, or little Children, now hearken to the loud Calls of GOD's Word and Providence. This acceptable Year of the LORD, that is a Day of ſuch great Favour to ſome, will doubtleſs be a Day of as remarkable Vengeance to others. Men's Hearts harden, and their Guilt increaſes apace at ſuch a Day as this, if they neglect their Souls: And never was there ſo great Danger of ſuch Perſons being given up to hardneſs of Heart, and blindneſs of Mind. GOD ſeems now to be haſtily gathering in his Elect in all Parts of the Land; and probably the bigger Part of adult Perſons that ever ſhall be ſaved, will be brought in now in a little Time, and that it will be as it was on the great Out-pouring of the SPIRIT upon the Jews in the Apoſtle's Days, the Election will obtain, and the reſt will be blinded. If this ſhould be the Caſe with you, you will eternally curſe this Day, and will curſe the Day that ever you was born, to ſee ſuch a Seaſon of the pouring out of GOD's Spirit; and will wiſh that you had died and gone to Hell before you had ſeen it. Now undoubtedly it is, as it was in the Days of John the Baptiſt, the Ax is in an extraordinary Manner, laid at the Root of the Trees, that every Tree that brings not forth good Fruit, may be hewn down, and caſt into the Fire.

Therefore, let every one that is out of CHRIST, now awake and fly from the Wrath to come. The Wrath of almighty GOD, is now undoubtedly hanging over a great Part of this Congregation: Let every one fly out of Sodom: Haſte and eſcape for your Lives, look not behind you, eſcape to the Mountain, leſt you be conſumed.