THE DISTINGUISHING MARKS OF A WORK OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD,
APPLIED TO THAT UNCOMMON OPERATION THAT HAS LATELY APPEARED
ON THE MINDS OF THE PEOPLE OF NEW ENGLAND:
WITH A PARTICULAR CONSIDERATION OF THE EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES
WITH WHICH THIS WORK IS ATTENDED.
by Jonathan Edwards. Boston, Nov. 20, 1741.
Excerpt from MR. W. COOPER’S PREFACE TO THE READER.
here are several dispensations,
or days of grace, which the church of God has been under from the beginning of
time. There is that under the patriarchs; that under the law of Moses; and there is that of the gospel of Jesus
Christ, under which we now are. This is the brightest day that ever shone, and exceeds the other, for peculiar
advantages. To us who are so happy as to live under the evangelical dispensation, may those words of our Saviour be
directed, which he spake to his disciples, when he was first setting up the Messiah’s kingdom in the world, and
gospel-light and power began to spread abroad: "Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see. For I tell
you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear
those things which ye hear, and have not heard them."
THE DISTINGUISHING MARKS OF A WORK OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD,
Jonathan Edwards
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone
out into the world. - 1 John iv. 1.
n the apostolic age,
there was the greatest outpouring of the Spirit of God that ever was; both as to his
extraordinary influences and gifts, and his ordinary operations, in convincing, converting, enlightening, and
sanctifying the souls of men. But as the influences of the true Spirit abounded, so counterfeits did also abound:
the devil was abundant in mimicking, both the ordinary and extraordinary influences of the Spirit of God, as is
manifest by innumerable passages of the apostles’ writings. This made it very necessary that the church of Christ
should be furnished with some certain rules, distinguishing and clear marks, by which she might proceed safely in
judging of the true from the false without danger of being imposed upon. The giving of such rules is the plain
design of this chapter, where we have this matter more expressly and fully treated of than any where else in the
Bible. The apostle, of set purpose, undertakes to supply the church of God with such marks of the true Spirit as may
be plain and safe, and well accommodated to use and practice; and that the subject might be clearly and sufficiently
handled, he insists upon it throughout the chapter, which makes it wonderful that what is here said is no more taken
notice of in this extraordinary day, when there is such an uncommon and extensive operation on the minds of people,
such a variety of opinions concerning it, and so much talk about the work of the Spirit.
The apostle’s discourse on this subject is introduced by an occasional mention of the indwelling of the Spirit, as
the sure evidence of an interest in Christ. "And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him;
and hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us." Whence we may infer, that the
design of the apostle is not only to give marks whereby to distinguish the true Spirit from the false, in his
extraordinary gifts of prophecy and miracles, but also in his ordinary influences on the minds of his people, in
order to their union to Christ, and being built up in him; which is also manifest from the marks themselves that are
given, which we shall hereafter notice.
The words of the text are an introduction to this discourse of the distinguishing signs of the true and false
Spirit.---Before the apostle proceeds to lay down these signs, he exhorteth Christians, first, against an over
credulousness, and a forwardness to admit every specious appearance as the work of a true Spirit. "Beloved, believe
not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God." And, second, he shows, that there were many
counterfeits, "because many false prophets were gone out into the world." These did not only pretend to have the
Spirit of God in his extraordinary gifts of inspiration, but also to be the great friends and favourites of heaven,
to be eminently holy persons, and to have much of the ordinary saving, sanctifying influences of the Spirit of God on
their hearts. Hence we are to look upon these words as a direction to examine and try their pretences to the Spirit
of God, in both these respects.
My design therefore at this time is to show what are the true, certain, and distinguishing evidences of a work of
the Spirit of God, by which we may safely proceed in judging of any operation we find in ourselves, or see in
others. And here I would observe, that we are to take the Scriptures as our guide in such cases. This is the great
and standing rule which God has given to his church, in order to guide them in things relating to the great concerns
of their souls; and it is an infallible and sufficient rule. There are undoubtedly sufficient marks given to guide
the church of God in this great affair of judging of spirits, without which it would lie open to woeful delusion, and
would be remedilessly exposed to be imposed on and devoured by its enemies. And we need not be afraid to trust these
rules. Doubtless that Spirit who indited the Scriptures knew how to give us good rules, by which to distinguish his
operations from all that is falsely pretended to be from him. And this, as I observed before, the Spirit of God has
here done of set purpose, and done it more particularly and fully than any where else: so that in my present
discourse I shall go no where else for rules or marks for the trial of spirits, but shall confine myself to those
that I find in this chapter.---But before I proceed particularly to speak to these, I would prepare my way by, FIRST,
observing negatively, in some instances, what are not signs or evidences of a work of the Spirit of God.
SECT. I.
Negative Signs; or,
What are no signs by which we are to judge of a work - and especially,
What are no evidences that a work is from the Spirit of God.
I. NOTHING can be certainly concluded from this, That a work is carried on in a way very unusual and
extraordinary; provided the variety or difference be such, as may still be comprehended within the limits of
scripture rules. What the church has been used to, is not a rule by which we are to judge; because there may be new
and extraordinary works of God, and he has heretofore evidently wrought in an extraordinary manner. He has brought
to pass new things, strange works; and has wrought in such a manner as to surprise both men and angels. And as God
has done thus in times past, so we have no reason to think but that he will do so still. The prophecies of Scripture
give us reason to think that God has things to accomplish, which have never yet been seen. No deviation from what
has hitherto been usual, let it be never so great, is an argument that a work is not from the Spirit of God, if it be
no deviation from his prescribed rule. The Holy Spirit is sovereign in his operation; and we know that he uses a
great variety; and we cannot tell how great a variety he may use, within the compass of the rules he himself has
fixed. We ought not to limit God where he has not limited himself.
Therefore it is not reasonable to determine that a work is not from God’s Holy Spirit because of the extraordinary
degree in which the minds of persons are influenced. If they seem to have an extraordinary conviction of the
dreadful nature of sin, and a very uncommon sense of the misery of a Christless condition---or extraordinary views of
the certainty and glory of divine things,--and are proportionably moved with very extraordinary affections of fear
and sorrow, desire, love, or joy: or if the apparent change be very sudden, and the work be carried on with very
unusual swiftness---and the persons affected are very numerous, and many of them are very young, with other unusual
circumstances, not infringing upon scripture marks of a work of the Spirit---these things are no argument that the
work is not of the Spirit of God.---The extraordinary and unusual degree of influence, and power of operation, if in
its nature it be agreeable to the rules and marks given in Scripture, is rather an argument in its favour; for by how
much higher the degree which in its nature is agreeable to the rule, so much the more is there of conformity to the
rule; and so much the more evident that conformity. When things are in small degrees, though they be really
agreeable to the rule, it is not so easily seen whether their nature agrees with the rule.
There is a great aptness in persons to doubt of things that are strange; especially elderly persons, to think that
to be right which they have never been used to in their day, and have not heard of in the days of their day, and have
not heard of in the days of their fathers. But if it be a good argument that a work is not from the Spirit of God,
that it is very unusual, then it was so in the apostles’ days. The work of the Spirit then, was carried on in a
manner that, in very many respects, was altogether new; such as never had been seen or heard since the world stood.
The work was then carried on with more visible and remarkable power than ever; nor had there been seen before such
mighty and wonderful effects of the Spirit of God in sudden changes, and such great engagedness and zeal in great
multitudes---such a sudden alteration in towns, cities, and countries; such a swift progress, and vast extent of the
work--and many other extraordinary circumstances might be mentioned. The great unusualness of the work surprised the
Jews; they knew not what to make of it, but could not believe it to be the work of God: many looked upon the persons
that were the subjects of it as bereft of reason; as you may see in Acts ii. 13. xxvi. 24. and 1 Cor. iv. 10.
And we have reason from scripture prophecy to suppose, that at the commencement of that last and greatest
outpouring of the Spirit of God, that is to be in the latter ages of the world, the manner of the work will be very
extraordinary, and such as never has yet been seen; so that there shall be occasion then to say, as in Isa. lxvi. 8.
"Who hath heard such a thing? Who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? Shall
a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children." It may be reasonably
expected that the extraordinary manner of the work then, will bear some proportion to the very extraordinary events,
and that glorious change in the state of the world, which God will bring to pass by it.
II. A work is not to be judged of by any effects on the bodies of men; such as tears, trembling, groans, loud
outcries, agonies of body, or the failing of bodily strength. The influence persons are under, is not to be judged
of one way or other, by such effects on the body; and the reason is, because the Scripture nowhere gives us any such
rule. We cannot conclude that persons are under the influence of the true Spirit because we see such effects upon
their bodies, because this is not given as a mark of the true Spirit; nor on the other hand, have we any reason to
conclude, from any such outward appearances, that persons are not under the influence of the Spirit of God, because
there is no rule of Scripture given us to judge of spirits by, that does either expressly or indirectly exclude such
effects on the body, nor does reason exclude them. It is easily accounted for from the consideration of the nature
of divine and eternal things, and the nature of man, and the laws of the union between soul and body, how a right
influence, a true and proper sense of things, should have such effects on the body, even those that are of the most
extraordinary kind, such as taking away the bodily strength, or throwing the body into great agonies, and extorting
loud outcries. There are none of us but do suppose, and would have been ready at any time to say it, that the misery
of hell is doubtless so dreadful, and eternity so vast, that if a person should have a clear apprehension of that
misery as it is, it would be more that his feeble frame could bear, and especially if at the same time he saw himself
in great danger of it, and to be utterly uncertain whether he should be delivered from it, yea, and to have no
security from it one day or hour. If we consider human nature, we must not wonder, that when persons have a great
sense of that which is so amazingly dreadful, and also have a great view of their own wickedness and God’s anger,
that things seem to them to forebode speedy and immediate destruction. We see the nature of man to be such that when
he is in danger of some terrible calamity to which he is greatly exposed, he is ready upon every occasion to think,
that now it is coming.--When persons’ hearts are full of fear, in time of war, they are ready to tremble at the
shaking of a leaf, and to expect the enemy every minute, and to say within themselves, now I shall be slain. If we
should suppose that a person saw himself hanging over a great pit, full of fierce and glowing flames, by a thread
that he knew to be very weak, and not sufficient to bear his weight, and knew that multitudes had been in such
circumstances before, and that most of them had fallen and perished, and saw nothing within reach, that he could take
hold of to save him, what distress would he be in! How ready to think that now the thread was breaking, that now,
this minute, he should be swallowed up in those dreadful flames! And would not he be ready to cry out in such
circumstances? How much more those that see themselves in this manner hanging over an infinitely more dreadful pit,
or held over it in the hand of God, who at the same time they see to be exceedingly provoked! No wonder that the
wrath of God, when manifested but a little to the soul, overbears human strength.
So it may easily be accounted for, that a true sense of the glorious excellency of the Lord Jesus Christ, and of
his wonderful dying love, and the exercise of a truly spiritual love and joy, should be such as very much to overcome
the bodily strength. We are all ready to own, that no man can see God and live, and that it is but a very small part
of that apprehension of the glory and love of Christ, which the saints enjoy in heaven, that our present frame can
bear; therefore it is not at all strange that God should sometimes give his saints such foretastes of heaven, as to
diminish their bodily strength. If it was not unaccountable that the queen of Sheba fainted, and had her bodily
strength taken away, when she came to see the glory of Solomon, much less is it unaccountable that she who is the
antitype of the queen of Sheba, (viz.) the Church, that is brought, as it were, from the utmost ends of the earth,
from being an alien and stranger, far off, in a state of sin and misery, should faint when she comes to see the glory
of Christ, who is the antitype of Solomon; and especially will be so in that prosperous, peaceful, glorious kingdom,
which he will set up in the world in its latter age.
Some object against such extraordinary appearances, that we have no instances of them recorded in the New
Testament, under the extraordinary effusions of the Spirit. Were this allowed, I can see no force in the objection,
if neither reason, nor any rule of Scripture, exclude such things; especially considering what was observed under the
foregoing particular. I do not know that we have any express mention in the New Testament of any person’s weeping,
or groaning, or sighing through fear of hell, or a sense of God’s anger; but is there any body so foolish as from
hence to argue, that in whomsoever these things appear, their convictions are not from the Spirit of God? And the
reason why we do not argue thus, is, because these are easily accounted for, from what we know of the nature of man,
and from what the Scripture informs us in general, concerning the nature of eternal things, and the nature of the
convictions of God’s Spirit; so that there is no need that any thing should be said in particular concerning these
external, circumstantial effects. Nobody supposes that there is any need of express scripture for every external,
accidental manifestation of the inward motion of the mind: and though such circumstances are not particularly
recorded in sacred history, yet there is a great deal of reason to think, from the general accounts we have, that it
could not be otherwise than that such things must be in those days. And there is also reason to think, that such
great outpouring of the Spirit was not wholly without those more extraordinary effects on persons’ bodies. The
jailer in particular, seems to have been an instance of that nature, when he, in the utmost distress and amazement,
came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas. His falling down at that time does not seem to be a designed
putting himself into a posture of supplication, or humble address to Paul and Silas; for he seems not to have said
anything to them then; but he first brought them out, and then he says to them, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
Acts xvi. 29, and 30. But his falling down seems to be from the same cause as his trembling. The psalmist gives an
account of his crying out aloud, and a great weakening of his body under convictions of conscience, and a sense of
the guilt of sin, Psal. xxxii. 3, 4. "When I kept silence my bones waxed old, through my roaring all the day long;
for day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer."--We may at least
argue so much from it, that such an effect of conviction of sin may well in some cases be supposed; for if we should
suppose any thing of an auxesis in the expressions, yet the psalmist would not represent his case by what would be
absurd, and to which no degree of that exercise of mind he spoke of, would have any tendency.--We read of the
disciples, Matt. xiv. 26. that when they saw Christ coming to them in the storm, and took him for some terrible
enemy, threatening their destruction in that storm, "they cried out for fear." Why then should it be thought
strange, that persons should cry out for fear, when God appears to them, as a terrible enemy, and they see themselves
in great danger of being swallowed up in the bottomless gulf of eternal misery? The spouse, once and again, speaks
of herself as overpowered with the love of Christ, so as to weaken her body, and make her faint. Cant. ii. 5. "Stay
my with flagons, comfort me with apples; for I am sick of love." And chap. v. 8. "I charge you, () ye daughters of
Jerusalem, if ye find my Beloved, that ye tell him that I am sick of love." From whence we may at least argue, that
such an effect may well be supposed to arise, from such a cause in the saints in some cases, and that such an effect
will sometimes be seen in the church of Christ.
It is a weak objection, that the impressions of enthusiasts have a great effect on their bodies. That the Quakers
used to tremble, is no argument that Saul, afterwards Paul, and the jailer, did not tremble from real convictions of
conscience. Indeed all such objections from effects on the body, let them be greater or less, seem to be exceeding
frivolous; they who argue thence, proceed in the dark, they know not what ground they go upon, nor by what rule they
judge. The root and course of things is to be looked at, and the nature of the operations and affections are to be
inquired into, and examined by the rule of God’s word, and not the motions of the blood and animal spirits.
III. It is no argument that an operation on the minds of people is not the work of the Spirit of God, that it
occasions a great deal of noise about religion. For though true religion be of a contrary nature to that of the
Pharisees--which was ostentatious, and delighted to set itself forth to the view of men for their applause--yet such
is human nature, that it is morally impossible there should be a great concern, strong affection, and a general
engagedness of mind amongst a people, without causing a notable, visible, and open commotion and alteration amongst
that people.--Surely, it is no argument that the minds of persons are not under the influence of God’s Spirit, that
they are very much moved: for indeed spiritual and eternal things are so great, and of such infinite concern, that
there is a great absurdity in men’s being but moderately moved and affected by them; and surely it is no argument
that they are not moved by the Spirit of God, that they are affected with these things in some measure as they
deserve, or in some proportion to their importance. And when was there ever any such thing since the world stood, as
a people in general being greatly affected in any affair whatsoever, without noise or stir? The nature of man will
not allow it.
Indeed Christ says, Luke xvii. 20. "The kingdom of God cometh not with observation." That is, it will not consist
in what is outward and visible; it shall not be like earthly kingdoms, set up with outward pomp, in some particular
place, which shall be especially the royal city, and seat of the kingdom; as Christ explains himself in the words
next following, "Neither shall they say, Lo here, or lo there; for behold the kingdom of God is within you." Not
that the kingdom of God shall be set up in the world, on the ruin of Satan’s kingdom, without a very observable,
great effect: a mighty change in the state of things, to the observation and astonishment of the whole world: for
such an effect as this is even held forth in the prophecies of Scripture, and is so by Christ himself, in this very
place, and even in his own explanation of these forementioned words, ver. 24. "For as the lightning that lightneth
out of one part under heaven, shineth unto another part under heaven, so shall also the Son of man be in his day."
This is to distinguish Christ’s coming to set up his kingdom, from the coming of false Christs, which he tells us
will be in a private manner in the deserts, and in the secret chambers; whereas this event of setting up the kingdom
of God, should be open and public, in the sight of the whole world with clear manifestation, like lightning that
cannot be hid, but glares in every one’s eyes, and shines from one side of heaven to the other. And we find, that
when Christ’s kingdom came, by that remarkable pouring out of the Spirit in the apostles’ days, it occasioned a great
stir every where. What a mighty opposition was there in Jerusalem, on occasion of that great effusion of the
Spirit! And so in Samaria, Antioch, Ephesus, Corinth, and other places! The affair filled the world with noise, and
gave occasion to some to say of the apostles, that they had turned the world upside down. Acts xvii. 6.
IV. It is no argument that an operation on the minds of a people, is not the work of the Spirit of God, that many
who are the subjects of it, have great impressions made on their imaginations. That persons have many impressions on
their imaginations, does not prove that they have nothing else. It is easy to be accounted for, that there should be
much of this nature amongst a people, where a great multitude of all kinds of constitutions have their minds engaged
with intense thought and strong affections about invisible things; yea, it would be strange if there should not.
Such is our nature, that we cannot think of things invisible, without a degree of imagination. I dare appeal to any
man, of the greatest powers of mind, whether he is able to fix his thoughts on God, or Christ, or the things of
another world, without imaginary ideas attending his meditations? And the more engaged the mind is, and the more
intense the contemplation and affection, still the more lively and strong the imaginary idea will ordinarily be;
especially when attended with surprise. And this is the case when the mental prospect is very new, and takes strong
hold of the passions, as fear or joy; and when the change of the state and views of the mind is sudden, from a
contrary extreme, as from that which was extremely dreadful, to that which is extremely ravishing and delightful.
And it is no wonder that many persons do not well distinguish between that which is imaginary and that which is
intellectual and spiritual; and that they are apt to lay too much weight on the imaginary part, and are most ready to
speak of that in the account they give of their experiences, especially persons of less understanding and of
distinguishing capacity.
As God has given us such a faculty as the imagination, and so made us that we cannot think of things spiritual and
invisible, without some exercise of this faculty; so, it appears to me, that such is our state and nature, that this
faculty is really subservient and helpful to the other faculties of the mind, when a proper use is made of it; though
oftentimes, when the imagination is too strong, and the other faculties weak, it overbears, and disturbs them in
their exercise. It appears to me manifest, in many instances with which I have been acquainted, that God has really
made use of this faculty to truly divine purposes; especially in some that are more ignorant. God seems to
condescend to their circumstances, and deal with them as babes; as of old he instructed his church, whilst in a state
of ignorance and minority, by types and outward representations. I can see nothing unreasonable in such a position.
Let others who have much occasion to deal with souls in spiritual concerns, judge whether experience does not confirm it.
It is no argument that a work is not of the Spirit of God, that some who are the subjects of it have been in a
kind of ecstasy, wherein they have been carried beyond themselves, and have had their minds transported into a train
of strong and pleasing imaginations, and a kind of visions, as though they were rapt up even to heaven, and there saw
glorious sights. I have been acquainted with some such instances, and I see no need of bringing in the help of the
devil into the account that we give of these things, nor yet of supposing them to be of the same nature with the
visions of the prophets, or St. Paul’s rapture into paradise. Human nature, under these intense exercises and
affections, is all that need be brought into the account. If it may be well accounted for, that persons under a true
sense of the glorious and wonderful greatness and excellency of divine things, and soul-ravishing views of the beauty
and love of Christ, should have the strength of nature overpowered, as I have already shown that it may; then I think
it is not at all strange, that amongst great numbers that are thus affected and overborne, there should be some
persons of particular constitutions that should have their imaginations thus affected. The effect is no other than
what bears a proportion and analogy to other effects of the strong exercise of their minds. It is no wonder, when
the thoughts are so fixed, and the affections so strong--and the whole soul so engaged, ravished, and swallowed
up--that all other parts of the body are so affected, as to be deprived of their strength, and the whole frame ready
to dissolve. Is it any wonder that, in such a case, the brain in particular,(especially in some constitutions,)
which we know is most especially affected by intense contemplations and exercises of mind, should be so affected,
that its strength and spirits should for a season be diverted, and taken off from impressions made on the organs of
external sense, and be wholly employed in a train of pleasing delightful imaginations, corresponding with the present
frame of the mind. Some are ready to interpret such things wrong, and to lay too much weight on them, as prophetical
visions, divine revelations and sometimes significations from heaven of what shall come to pass; which the issue, in
some instances I have known, has shown to be otherwise. But yet, it appears to me that such things are evidently
sometimes from the Spirit of God, though indirectly; that is, their extraordinary frame of mind, and that strong and
lively sense of divine things which is the occasion of them, is from his Spirit; and also as the mind continues in
its holy frame, and retains a divine sense of the excellency of spiritual things even in its rapture; which holy
frame and sense is from the Spirit of God, though the imaginations that attend it are but accidental, and therefore
there is commonly something or other in them that is confused, improper, and false.
V. It is no sign that a work is not from the Spirit of God, that example is a great means of it. It is surely no
argument that an effect is not from God, that means are used in producing it; for we know that it is God’s manner to
make use of means in carrying on his work in the world, and it is no more an argument against the divinity of an
effect, that this means is made use of, than if it was by any other means. It is agreeable to Scripture that persons
should be influenced by one another’s good example. The Scripture directs us to set good examples to that end, Matt.
v. 16. 1 Pet. iii. 1. 1 Tim. iv. 12. Titus ii. 7. and also directs us to be influenced by the good examples of
others, and to follow them, 2 Cor. viii. 1-7. Heb. vi. 12. Phil. iii. 17. 1 Cor. iv. 16. and chap. xi. 1. 2 Thess.
iii. 9. 1 Thess. i. 7. By which it appears, that example is one of God’s means; and certainly it is no argument that
a work is not of God, that his own means are made use of to effect it.
And as it is a scriptural way of carrying on God’s work, by example, so it is a reasonable way. It is no argument
that men are not influenced by reason, that they are influenced by example. This way of persons holding forth truth
to one another, has a tendency to enlighten the mind, and to convince reason. None will deny but that for persons to
signify things one to another by words, may rationally be supposed to tend to enlighten each other’s minds; but the
same thing may be signified by actions, and signified much more fully and effectually. Words are of no use any
otherwise than as they convey our own ideas to others; but actions, in some cases, may do it much more fully. There
is a language in actions; and in some cases, much more clear and convincing that in words. It is therefore no
argument against the goodness of the effect, that persons are greatly affected by seeing other so; yea, though the
impression be made only be seeing the tokens of great and extraordinary affection in others in their behaviour,
taking for granted what they are affected with, without hearing them say one word. There may be language sufficient
in such a case in their behaviour only, to convey their minds to others, and to signify to them their sense of things
more than can possibly be done by words only. If a person should see another under extreme bodily torment, he might
receive much clearer ideas, and more convincing evidence of what he suffered by his actions in his misery, than he
could do only by the words of an unaffected indifferent relater. In like manner he might receive a greater idea of
any thing that is excellent and very delightful, from the behaviour of one that is in actual enjoyment, than by the
dull narration of one which is inexperienced and insensible himself. I desire that this matter may be examined by
the strictest reason.--Is it not manifest, that effects produced in persons’ minds are rational, since not only weak
and ignorant people are much influenced by example, but also those that make the greatest boast of strength of
reason, are more influenced by reason held forth in this way, than almost any other way. Indeed the religious
affections of many when raised by this means, as by hearing the word preached, or any other means, may prove flashy,
and soon vanish, as Christ represents the stony-ground hearers; but the affections of some thus moved by example, are
abiding, and prove to be of saving issue.
There never yet was a time of remarkable pouring out of the Spirit, and great revival of religion, but that
example had a main hand. So it was at the reformation, and in the apostles’ days, in Jerusalem and Samaria, and
Ephesus, and other parts of the world, as will be most manifest to any one that attends to the accounts we have in
the Acts of the Apostles. As in those days one person was moved by another, so one city or town was influenced by
the example of another, 1 Thess. i. 7,8. "So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia, for
from you sounded out the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to
God-ward is spread abroad."
It is no valid objection against examples being so much used, that the Scripture speaks of the word as the
principal means of carrying on God’s work; for the word of God is the principal means, nevertheless, by which other
means operate and are made effectual. Even the sacraments have no effect but by the word; and so it is that example
becomes effectual; for all that is visible to the eye is unintelligible and vain, without the word of God to instruct
and guide the mind. It is the word of God that is indeed held forth and applied by example, as the word of the Lord
sounded forth to other towns in Macedonia, and Achaia, by the example of those that believe in Thessalonica.
That example should be a great means of propagating the church of God seems to be several ways signified in
Scripture: it is signified by Ruth’s following Naomi out of the land of Moab, into the land of Israel, when she
resolved that she would not leave her, but would go whither she went, and would lodge where she lodged; and that
Namomi’s people should be her people, and Namomi’s God, her God. Ruth, who was the ancestral mother of David, and of
Christ was undoubtedly a great type of the church; upon which account her history is inserted in the canon of
Scripture. In her leaving the land of Moab and its gods, to come and put her trust under the shadow of the wings of
the God of Israel, we have a type of the conversion not only of the Gentile church but of every sinner, that is
naturally an alien and stranger, but in his conversion forgets his own people, and fathers house, and becomes a
fellow-citizen with the saints and a true Israelite. The same seems to be signified in the effect the example of the
spouse, when she was sick of love, has on the daughters of Jerusalem, i.e. visible Christians, who are first
awakened, by seeing the spouse in such extraordinary circumstances, and then converted. See Cant. v. 8, 9. and vi.
1. And this is undoubtedly one way that "the Spirit and the bride say, come." Rev. xxii. 17. i.e. the Spirit in the
bride. It is foretold, that the work of God should be very much carried on by this means, in the last great
outpouring of the Spirit, that should introduce the glorious day of the church, so often spoken of in Scripture,
Zech. viii. 21-23. "And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before
the Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts: I will go also. Yea, many people, and strong nations, shall come to seek
the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, In those days it shall
come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of
him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you."
VI. It is no sign that a work is not from the Spirit of God, that many, who seem to be the subjects of it, are
guilty of great imprudences and irregularities in their conduct. We are to consider that the end for which God pours
out his Spirit, is to make men holy, and not to make them politicians. Is it no wonder that, in a mixed multitude of
all sorts--wise and unwise, young and old, of weak and strong natural abilities, under strong impressions of
mind--there are many who behave themselves imprudently. There are but few that know how to conduct them under
vehement affections of any kind, whether of a temporal or spiritual nature; to do so requires a great deal of
discretion, strength, and steadiness of mind. A thousand imprudences will not prove a work to be not of the Spirit
of God; yea, if there be not only imprudences, but many things prevailing that are irregular, and really contrary to
the rules of God’s holy word. That it should be thus may be well accounted for from the exceeding weakness of human
nature, together with the remaining darkness and corruption of those that are yet the subjects of the saving
influences of God’s Spirit, and have a real zeal for God.
We have a remarkable instance, in the New Testament, of a people that partook largely of that great effusion of
the Spirit in the apostles’ days, among whom there nevertheless abounded imprudences and great irregularities; viz.
the church at Corinth. There is scarcely any church more celebrated in the New Testament for being blessed with
large measures of the Spirit of God, both in his ordinary influences, in convincing and converting sinners, and also
in his extraordinary and miraculous gifts; yet what manifold imprudences, great and sinful irregularities, and
strange confusion did they run into, at the Lord’s supper, and in the exercise of church discipline! To which may be
added, their indecent manner of attending other parts of public worship, their jarring and contention about their
teachers, and even the exercise of their extraordinary gifts of prophecy, speaking with tongues, and the like,
wherein they spake and acted by the immediate inspiration of the Spirit of God.
And if we see great imprudences, and even sinful irregularities, in some who are great instruments to carry on the
work, it will not prove it not to be the work of God. The apostle Peter himself, who was a great, eminently holy,
and inspired apostle--and one of the chief instruments of setting up the christian church in the world--when he was
actually engaged in this work, was guilty of a great and sinful error in his conduct; of which the apostle Paul
speaks, Gal. ii. 11-13. "But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be
blamed; for before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles, but when they were come, he withdrew,
and separated himself, fearing them that were of the circumcision; and the other Jews dissembled likewise with him;
insomuch, that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation." If a great pillar of the christian
church--one of the chief of those who are the very foundations on which, next to Christ, the whole church is said to
be built--was guilty of such an irregularity; is it any wonder if other lesser instruments, who have not that
extraordinary conduct of the divine Spirit he had, should be guilty of many irregularities?
And in particular, it is no evidence that a work is not of God, if many who are either the subjects or the
instrument of it, are guilty of too great forwardness to censure others as unconverted. For this may be through
mistakes they have embraced concerning the marks by which they are to judge of the hypocrisy and carnality of others;
or from not duly apprehending the latitude the Spirit of God uses in the methods of his operations; or, from want of
making due allowance for that infirmity and corruption that may be left in the hearts of the saints; as well as
through want of a due sense of their own blindness and weakness, and remaining corruption, whereby spiritual pride
may have a secret vent this way, under some disguise, and not be discovered.--If we allow that truly pious men may
have a great deal of remaining blindness and corruption, and may be liable to mistakes about the marks of hypocrisy,
as undoubtedly all will allow, then it is not unaccountable that they should sometimes run into such errors as
these. It is as easy, and upon some accounts more easy to be accounted for, why the remaining corruption of good men
should sometimes have an unobserved vent this way, than most other ways; and without doubt(however lamentable) many
holy men have erred in this way.
Lukewarmness in religion is abominable, and zeal an excellent grace; yet above all other christian virtues, this
needs to be strictly watched and searched; for it is that with which corruption, and particularly pride and human
passion, is exceedingly apt to mix unobserved. And it is observable, that there never was a time of great
reformation, to cause a revival of zeal in the church of God, but that it has been attended, in some notable
instances, with irregularity, and a running out some way or other into an undue severity. Thus in the apostles’
days, a great deal of zeal was spent about unclean meats, with heat of spirit in Christians one against another, both
parties condemning and censuring one another, as not true Christians; when the apostle had charity for both, as
influenced by a spirit of real piety: "he that eats," says he, "to the Lord he eats, and giveth God thanks; and he
that eatheth not, to the Lord he eatheth not, and giveth God thanks." So in the church of Corinth, they had got into
a way of extolling some ministers, and censuring others, and were puffed up one against another: but yet these things
were no sign that the work then so wonderfully carried on, was not the work of God. And after this, when religion
was still greatly flourishing in the world, and a spirit of eminent holiness and zeal prevailed in the christian
church, the zeal of Christians ran out into a very improper and undue severity, in the exercise of church discipline
towards delinquents. In some cases they would by no means admit them into their charity and communion though they
appeared never so humble and penitent. And in the days of Constantine the Great, the zeal of Christians against
heathenism ran out into a degree of persecution. So in that glorious revival of religion, at the reformation, zeal
in many instances appeared in a very improper severity, and even a degree of persecution; yea, in some of the most
eminent reformers; as in the great Calvin in particular. And many in those days of the flourishing of vital
religion, were guilty of severely censuring others that differed from then in opinion in some points of divinity.
VII. Nor are many errors in judgment, and some delusions of Satan intermixed with the work, any argument that the
work in general is not of the Spirit of God. However great a spiritual influence may be, it is not to be expected
that the Spirit of God should be given now in the same manner as to the apostles, infallibly to guide them in points
of christian doctrine, so that what they taught might be relied on as a rule to the christian church. And if many
delusions of Satan appear, at the same time that a great religious concern prevails, it is not an argument that the
work in general is not the work of God, any more than it was an argument in Egypt, that there were no true miracles
wrought there, by the hand of God, because Jannes and Jambres wrought false miracles at the same time by the hand of
the devil. Yea, the same persons may be the subjects of much of the influences of the Spirit of God, and yet in some
things be led away by the delusions of Satan, and this be no more of paradox than many other things that are true of
real saints, in the present state, where grace dwells with so much corruption, and the new man and the old man
subsist together in the same person; and the kingdom of God and the kingdom of the devil remain for a while together
in the same heart. Many godly persons have undoubtedly in this and other ages, exposed themselves to woeful
delusions, by an aptness to lay too much weight on impulses and impressions, as if they were immediate revelations
from God, to signify something future, or to direct them where to go, and what to do.
VIII. If some, who were thought to be wrought upon, fall away into gross errors, or scandalous practices, it is
no argument that the work in general is not the work of the Spirit of God. That there are some counterfeits, is no
argument that nothing is true: such things are always expected in a time of reformation. If we look into church
history, we shall find no instance of any great revival of religion, but what has been attended with many such
things. Instances of this nature in the apostles’ days were innumerable; some fell away into gross heresies, others
into vile practices, though they seemed to be the subjects of a work of the Spirit--and were accepted for a while
amongst those that were truly so, as their brethren and companions--and were not suspected till they went out from
them. And some of these were teachers and officers--and eminent persons in the christian church--whom God had
endowed with miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost; as appears by the beginning of the 6th chapter of the Hebrews. An
instance of these was Judas, who was one of the twelve apostles, and had long been constantly united to, and
intimately conversant with, a company of truly experienced disciples, without being discovered or suspected, till he
discovered himself by his scandalous practice. He had been treated by Jesus himself, in all external things, as if
he had truly been a disciple, even investing him with the character of apostle, sending him forth to preach the
gospel, and enduing him with miraculous gifts of the Spirit. For though Christ knew him, yet he did not then clothe
himself with the character of omniscient Judge, and searcher of hearts, but acted the part of a minister of the
visible church; (for he was his Father’s minister;) and therefore rejected him not, till he had discovered himself by
his scandalous practice; thereby giving an example to guides and rulers of the visible church, not to take it upon
them to act the part of searcher of hearts, but to be influenced in their administrations by what is visible and
open.--There were some instances then of such apostates, as were esteemed eminently full of the grace of God’s
Spirit. An instance of this nature probably was Nicolas, one of the seven deacons, who was looked upon by the
Christians in Jerusalem, in the time of that extraordinary pouring out of the Spirit, as a man full of the Holy
Ghost, and was chosen out of the multitude of Christians to that office, for that reason; as you may see in Acts vi.
3, 5. Yet he afterwards fell away and became the head of a sect of vile heretics, of gross practices, called from his
name the sect of the Nicolaitans,[12] Rev. ii. 6, and 15.
So in the time of the reformation from popery, how great was the number of those who for a while seemed to join
with the reformers, yet fell away into the grossest and most absurd errors, and abominable practices. And it is
particularly observable, that in times of great pouring out of the Spirit to revive religion in the world, a number
of those who for a while seemed to partake in it, have fallen off into whimsical and extravagant errors, and gross
enthusiasm, boasting of high degrees of spirituality and perfection, censuring and condemning others as carnal. Thus
it was with the Gnostics in the apostles’ times; and thus it was with several sects at the reformation, as Anthony
Burgess observes in his book called Spiritual Refinings, Part I. Serm. 23. P. 132. "The first worthy reformers, and
glorious instruments of God, found a bitter conflict herein, so that they were exercised not only with formalists,
and traditionary papists on the one side, but men that pretended themselves to be more enlightened than the reformers
were, on the other side: hence they called those that did adhere to the Scripture, and would try revelations by it,
Literists and Vowelists, as men acquainted with the words and vowels of the Scripture, having nothing of the Spirit
of God: and wheresoever in any town the true doctrine of the gospel brake forth to the displacing of popery,
presently such opinions arose, like tares that came up among the good wheat; whereby great divisions were raised, and
the reformation made abominable and odious to the world; as if that had been the sun to give heat and warmth to those
worms and serpents to crawl out of the ground. Hence they inveighed against Luther, and said he had only promulgated
a carnal gospel."--Some of the leaders of those wild enthusiasts had been for a while highly esteemed by the first
reformers, and peculiarly dear to them.--Thus also in England, at the time when vital religion much prevailed in the
days of King Charles I, the interregnum, and Oliver Cromwell, such things as these abounded. And so in New England,
in her purest days, when vital piety flourished, such kind of things as these broke out. Therefore the devil’s
sowing such tares is no proof that a true work of the Spirit of God is not gloriously carried on.
IX. It is no argument that a work is not from the Spirit of God, that it seems to be promoted by ministers
insisting very much on the terrors of God’s holy law, and that with a great deal of pathos and earnestness. If there
be really a hell of such dreadful and never-ending torments, as is generally supposed, of which multitudes are in
great danger--and into which the greater part of men in christian countries do actually from generation to generation
fall, for want of a sense of its terribleness, and so for want of taking due care to avoid it--then why is it not
proper for those who have the care of souls to take great pains to make men sensible of it? Why should they not be
told as much of the truth as can be? If I am in danger of going to hell, I should be glad to know as much as
possibly I can of the dreadfulness of it. If I am very prone to neglect due care to avoid it, he does me the best
kindness, who does most to represent to me the truth of the case, that sets forth my misery and danger in the
liveliest manner.
I appeal to every one, whether this is not the very course they would take in case of exposedness to any great
temporal calamity? If any of you who are heads of families saw one of your children in a house all on fire, and in
imminent danger of being soon consumed in the flames, yet seemed to be very insensible of its danger, and neglected
to escape after you had often called to it--would you go on to speak to it only in a cold and indifferent manner?
Would not you cry aloud, and call earnestly to it, and represent the danger it was in, and its own folly in delaying,
in the most lively manner of which you was capable? If you should continue to speak to it only in a cold manner, as
you are wont to do in ordinary conversation about indifferent matters, would not those about you begin to think you
were bereft of reason yourself? This is not the way of mankind in temporal affairs of great moment, that require
earnest heed and great haste, and about which they are greatly concerned. They are not wont to speak to other of
their danger, and warn them but a little or in a cold and indifferent manner. Nature teaches men otherwise. If we
who have the care of souls, knew what hell was, had seen the state of the damned, or by any other means had become
sensible how dreadful their case was--and at the same time knew that the greater part of men went thither, and saw
our hearers not sensible of their danger--it would be morally impossible for us to avoid most earnestly setting
before them the dreadfulness of that misery, and their great exposedness to it, and even to cry aloud to them.
When ministers preach of hell, and warn sinners to avoid it, in a cold manner--though they may say in words that
it is infinitely terrible--they contradict themselves. For actions, as I observed before, have a language as well as
words. If a preacher’s words represent the sinner’s state as infinitely dreadful, while his behaviour and manner of
speaking contradict it--showing that the preacher does not think so--he defeats his own purpose; for the language of
his actions, in such a case, is much more effectual than the bare signification of his words. Not that I think that
the law only should be preached: ministers may preach other things too little. The gospel is to be preached as well
as the law, and the law is to be preached only to make way for the gospel, and in order that it may be preached more
effectually. The main work of ministers is to preach the gospel: "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness."
So that a minister would miss it very much if he should insist so much on the terrors of the law, as to forget his
Lord, and neglect to preach the gospel; but yet the law is very much to be insisted on, and the preaching of the
gospel is like to be in vain without it.
And certainly such earnestness and affection in speaking is beautiful, as becomes the nature and importance of the
subject. Not but that there may be such a thing as an indecent boisterousness in a preacher, something besides what
naturally arises from the nature of his subject, and in which the matter and manner do not well agree together. Some
talk of it as an unreasonable thing to fright persons to heaven; but I think it is a reasonable thing to endeavour to
fright persons away from hell. They stand upon its brink, and are just ready to fall into it, and are senseless of
their danger. Is it not a reasonable thing to fright a person out of a house on fire? The word fright is commonly
used for sudden, causeless fear, or groundless surprise; but surely a just fear, for which there is good reason, is
not to be spoken against under any such name.
SECT. II.
What are distinguishing scripture evidences of a work of the Spirit of God.
HAVING shown, in some instances, what are not evidences that a work wrought among a people, is not a work of the
Spirit of God, I now proceed, in the second place, as was proposed, to show positively, what are the sure,
distinguishing scripture evidences and marks of a work of the Spirit of God, by which we may proceed in judging of
any operation we find in ourselves, or see among a people, without danger of being misled.--And in this, as I said
before, I shall confine myself wholly to those marks which are given us by the apostle in the chapter wherein is my
text, where this matter is particularly handled, and more plainly and fully than any where else in the Bible. And in
speaking to these marks, I shall take them in the order in which I find them in the chapter.
I. When the operation is such as to raise their esteem of that Jesus who was born of the Virgin, and was crucified
without the gates of Jerusalem; and seems more to confirm and establish their minds in the truth of what the gospel
declares to us of his being the Son of God, and the Saviour of men; is a sure sign that it is from the Spirit of
God. This sign the apostle gives us in the 2d and 3d verses, "Hereby know ye the Spirit of God; and every spirit
that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God; and every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus
Christ is come in the flesh is not of God." This implies a confessing not only that there was such a person who
appeared in Palestine, and did and suffered those things that are recorded of him, but that he was Christ, i.e. the
Son of God, anointed to be Lord and Saviour, as the name Jesus Christ implies. That thus much is implied in the
apostle’s meaning, is confirmed by the 15th verse, where the apostle is still on the same subject of signs of the
true Spirit; "Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God." And it is
to be observed that the word confess, as it is often used in the New Testament, signifies more then merely allowing:
it implies an establishing and confirming of a thing by testimony, and declaring it with manifestation of esteem and
affection; so Matt. x. 32. "Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father
which is in heaven." Rom. xv. 9. "I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name." And Phil. ii.
11. "That every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." And that this is
the force of the expression, as the apostle John uses it in the place, is confirmed in the next chapter, ver. 1.
"Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God, and every one that loveth him that begat, loveth him
also that is begotten of him." And by that parallel place of the apostle Paul, where we have the same rule given to
distinguish the true Spirit from all counterfeits, 1 Cor. xii. 3. "Wherefore I give you to understand that no man
speaking by the Spirit of God, calleth Jesus accursed; (or will show an ill or mean esteem of him;) and that no man
can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost."
So that if the spirit that is at work among a people is plainly observed to work so as to convince them of Christ,
and lead them to him--to confirm their minds in the belief of the history of Christ as he appeared in the flesh--and
that he is the Son of God, and was sent of God to save sinners; that he is the only Saviour, and that they stand in
great need of him; and if he seems to beget in them higher and more honourable thoughts of him than they used to
have, and to incline their affections more to him; it is a sure sign that it is the true and right Spirit; however
incapable we may be to determine, whether that conviction and affection be in that manner, or to that degree, as to
be saving or not.
But the words of the apostle are remarkable; the person to whom the Spirit gives testimony, and for whom he raises
their esteem, must be that Jesus who appeared in the flesh, and not another Christ in his stead; nor any mystical
fantastical Christ; such as the light within. This the spirit of Quakers extols, while it diminishes their esteem of
and dependence upon an outward Christ--or Jesus as he came in the flesh--and leads them off from him; but the spirit
that gives testimony for that Jesus, and leads to him, can be no other than the Spirit of God.
The devil has the most bitter and implacable enmity against that person, especially in his character of the
Saviour of men; he mortally hates the story and doctrine of his redemption; he never would go about to beget in men
more honourable thoughts of him, and lay greater weight on his instructions and commands. The Spirit that inclines
men’s hearts to the seed of the woman, is not the spirit of the serpent that has such an irreconcileable enmity
against him. He that heightens men’s esteem of the glorious Michael, that prince of angels, is not the spirit of the
dragon that is at war with him.
II. When the spirit that is at work operates against the interests of Satan’s kingdom, which lies in encouraging
and establishing sin, and cherishing men’s worldly lusts; this is a sure sign that it is a true, and not a false
spirit. This sign we have given us in the 4th and 5th verses. "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome
them; because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world, therefore speak
they of the world, and the world heareth them." Here is a plain antithesis: it is evident that the apostle is still
comparing those that are influenced by the two opposite kinds of spirits, the true and the false, and showing the
difference; the one is of God, and overcomes the spirit of the world; the other is of the world, and speaks and
savours of the things of the world. The spirit of the devil is here called, "he that is in the world." Christ says,
"My kingdom is not of this world." But it is otherwise with Satan’s kingdom; he is "the god of this world."
What the apostle means by the world, or "the things that are of the world," we learn by his own words, in the 2d
chapter of this epistle, 15th and 16th verses. "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world: if any
man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him: for all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and
the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." So that by the world the
apostle evidently means every thing that appertains to the interest of sin, and comprehends all the corruptions and
lusts of men, and all those acts and objects by which they are gratified.
So that we may safely determine, from what the apostle says, that the spirit that is at work amongst a people,
after such a manner, as to lessen men’s esteem of the pleasures, profits, and honours of the world, and to take off
their hearts from an eager pursuit after these things; and to engage them in a deep concern about a future state and
eternal happiness which the gospel reveals--and puts them upon earnestly seeking the kingdom of God and his
righteousness; and the spirit that convinces them of the dreadfulness of sin, the guilt it brings, and the misery to
which it exposes; must needs be the Spirit of God.
It is not to be supposed that Satan would convince men of sin, and awaken the conscience; it can no way serve his
end, to make that candle of the Lord shine the brighter, and to open the mouth of that vicegerent of God in the
soul. It is for his interest, whatever he does, to lull conscience asleep, and keep it quiet. To have that, with
its eyes and mouth open in the soul, will tend to clog and hinder all his designs of darkness, and evermore to
disturb his affairs, to cross his interest, and disquiet him, so that he can manage nothing to his mind without
molestation. Would the devil, when he is about to establish men in sin, take such a course, in the first place, to
enlighten and awaken the conscience to see the dreadfulness of sin, and make them exceedingly afraid of it, and
sensible of their misery by reason of their past sins, and their great need of deliverance from their guilt? Would
he make them more careful, inquisitive, and watchful to discern what is sinful; and to avoid future sins; and so more
afraid of the devil’s temptations, and more careful to guard against them? What do those men do with their reason,
that suppose that the Spirit that operates thus, is the spirit of the devil?
Possibly some may say, that the devil may even awaken men’s consciences to deceive them, and make them think they
have been the subjects of a saving work of the Spirit of God, while they are indeed still in the gall of bitterness.
But to this it may be replied, that the man who has an awakened conscience, is the least likely to be deceived of any
man in the world; it is the drowsy, insensible, stupid conscience that is most easily blinded. The more sensible
conscience is in a diseased soul, the less easily is it quieted without a real healing. The more sensible conscience
is made of the dreadfulness of sin, and of the greatness of a man’s own guilt, the less likely is he to rest in his
own righteousness, or to be pacified with nothing but shadows. A man that has been thoroughly terrified with a sense
of his own danger and misery, is not easily flattered and made to believe himself safe, without any good grounds. To
awaken conscience, and convince it of the evil of sin, cannot tend to establish it, but certainly tends to make way
for sin and Satan’s being cut out. Therefore this is a good argument that the Spirit that operates thus, cannot be
the spirit of the devil; except we suppose that Christ knew not how to argue, who told the Pharisees--who supposed
that the Spirit by which he wrought, was the spirit of the devil--that Satan would not cast out Satan, Matt. xii. 25,
26.--And therefore, if we see persons made sensible of the dreadful nature of sin, and of the displeasure of God
against it; of their own miserable condition as they are in themselves, by reason of sin, and earnestly concerned for
their eternal salvation--and sensible of their need of God’s pity and help, and engaged to seek it in the use of the
means that God has appointed--we may certainly conclude that it is from the Spirit of God, whatever effects this
concern has on their bodies; though it cause them to cry out aloud, or to shriek, or to faint; or, though it throw
them into convulsions, or whatever other way the blood and spirits are moved.
The influence of the Spirit of God is yet more abundantly manifest, if persons have their hearts drawn off from
the world, and weaned from the objects of their worldly lusts, and taken off from worldly pursuits, by the sense they
have of the excellency of divine things, and the affection they have to those spiritual enjoyments of another world,
that are promised in the gospel.
III. The spirit that operates in such a manner, as to cause in men a greater regard to the Holy Scriptures, and
establishes them more in their truth and divinity, is certainly the Spirit of God. This rule the apostle gives us in
the 6th verse: "We are of God; he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us: hereby know we
the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error." We are of God; that is, "We the apostles are sent forth of God, and
appointed by him to teach the world, and to deliver those doctrines and instructions, which are to be their rule; he
that knoweth God, heareth us," etc.--The apostle’s argument here equally reaches all that in the same sense are of
God; that is, all thos that God has appointed and inspired to deliver to his church its rule of faith and practice;
all the prophets and apostles, whose doctrine God has made the foundation on which he has built his church, as in
Eph. ii. 20. in a word, all the penmen of the Holy Scriptures. The devil never would attempt to beget in persons a
regard to that divine word which God has given to be the great and standing rule for the direction of his church in
all religious matters, and all concerns of their souls, in all ages. A spirit of delusion will not incline persons
to seek direction at the mouth of God. To the law and to the testimony, is never the cry of those evil spirits that
have no light in them; for it is God’s own direction to discover their delusions. Isa. viii. 19, 20. "And when they
shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep and that mutter: should not
a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not
according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." The devil does not say the same as Abraham did,
"They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them:" nor the same that the voice from heaven did concerning
Christ, "Hear ye him." Would the spirit of error, in order to deceive men, beget in them a high opinion of the
infallible rule, and incline them to think much of it, and be very conversant with it? Would the prince of darkness,
in order to promote his kingdom of darkness, lead men to the sun? The devil has ever shown a mortal spite and hatred
towards that holy book the Bible: he has done all in his power to extinguish that light; and to draw men off from it:
he knows it to be that light by which his kingdom of darkness is to be overthrown. He has had for many ages
experience of its power to defeat his purposes, and baffle his designs: it is his constant plague. It is the main
weapon which Michael uses in his war with him: it is the sword of the Spirit, that pierces him and conquers him. It
is that great and strong sword, with which God punishes Leviathan, that crooked serpent. It is that sharp sword that
we read of, Rev. xix. 15. That proceeds out of the mouth of him that sat on the horse, with which he smites his
enemies. Every text is a dart to torment the old serpent. He has felt the stinging smart thousands of times;
therefore he is engaged against the Bible, and hates every word in it: and we may be sure that he never will attempt
to raise persons’ esteem of it, or affection to it. And accordingly we see it common in enthusiasts, that they
depreciate this written rule, and set up the light within or some other rule above it.
IV. Another rule to judge of spirits may be drawn from those compellations given to the opposite spirits, in the
last words of the 6th verse, "The spirit of truth and the spirit of error." These words exhibit the two opposite
characters of the Spirit of God, and other spirits that counterfeit his operations. And therefore, if by observing
the manner of the operation of a spirit that is at work among a people, we see that it operates as a spirit of truth,
leading persons to truth, convincing them of those things that are true, we may safely determine that it is a right
and true spirit. For instance, if we observe that the spirit at work makes men more sensible than they used to be,
that there is a God, and that he is a great and sin-hating God; that life is short, and very uncertain; and that
there is another world; that they have immortal souls, and must give account of themselves to God, that they are
exceeding sinful by nature and practice; that they are helpless in themselves; and confirms them in other things that
are agreeable to some sound doctrine; the spirit that works thus operates as a spirit of truth; he represents things
as they truly are. He brings men to the light; for whatever makes truth manifest is light; as the apostle Paul
observes, Eph. v. 13. "But all things that are reproved (or discovered, as it is in the margin) are made manifest by
the light; for whatsoever doth make manifest is light." And therefore we may conclude, that it is not the spirit of
darkness that doth thus discover and make manifest the truth. Christ tells us that Satan is a liar, and the father
of lies; and his kingdom is a kingdom of darkness. It is upheld and promoted only by darkness and error. Satan has
all his power of dominion by darkness. Hence we read of the power of darkness. Luke xxii. 53. And Col. i. 13. And
devils are called "the rulers of the darkness of this world." Whatever spirit removes our darkness, and brings us to
the light, undeceives us, and, by convincing us of the truth, doth us a kindness. If I am brought to a sight of
truth, and am made sensible of things as they really are, my duty is immediately to thank God for it, without
standing first to inquire by what means I have such a benefit.
V. If the spirit that is at work among a people operates as a spirit of love to God and man, it is a sure sign
that it is the Spirit of God. This sign the apostle insists upon from the 6th verse to the end of the chapter.
"Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God, and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God: he
that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love," etc. Here it is evident, that the apostle is still comparing
those two sorts of persons that are influenced by the opposite kinds of spirits; and mentions love as a mark by
which we may know who has the true spirit: but this is especially evident by the 12th and 13th verses. "If we love
one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us: hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us,
because he hath given us of his Spirit." In these verses love is spoken of as if it were that wherein the very
nature of the Holy Spirit consisted; or, as if divine love dwelling in us, and the Spirit of God dwelling in us, were
the same thing; as it is also in the last two verses of the foregoing chapter, and in the 16th verse of this
chapter. Therefore this last mark which the apostle gives of the true Spirit he seems to speak of as the most
eminent: and so insists much more largely upon it, than upon all the rest; and speaks expressly of both love to God
and men; of love to men in the 7th, 11th, and 12th verses; and of love to God, in the 17th, 18th, and 19th verses;
and of both together, in the last two verses; and of love to men, as arising from love to God, in these last two
verses.
Therefore, when the spirit that is at work amongst the people, tends this way, and brings many of them to high and
exalting thoughts of the Divine Being, and his glorious perfections; and works in them an admiring, delightful sense
of the excellency of Jesus Christ; representing him as the chief among ten thousand, and altogether lovely, and makes
him precious to the soul; winning and drawing the heart with those motives and incitements to love, of which the
apostle speaks in that passage of Scripture we are upon, viz. the wonderful, free love of God in giving his
only-begotten Son to die for us, and the wonderful dying love of Christ to us, who had no love to him, but were his
enemies; must needs be the Spirit of God, as ver. 9, 10. "In this was manifested the love of God towards us, because
God sent his only-begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love; not that we loved
God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." And ver. 16. "And we have known,
and believed, the love that God hath to us." And ver. 19. "We love him because he first loved us." The spirit that
excites to love on these motives, and makes the attributes of God as revealed in the gospel, and manifested in
Christ, delightful objects of contemplation; and makes the soul to long after God and Christ--after their presence
and communion, acquaintance with them, and conformity to them--and to live so as to please and honour them; the
spirit that quells contentions among men, and gives a spirit of peace and good will, excites to acts of outward
kindness, and earnest desires of the salvation of souls--and causes a delight in those that appear as the children
God, and followers of Christ; I say, when a spirit operates after this manner among a people, there is the highest
kind of evidence of the influence of a true and divine spirit.
Indeed there is a counterfeit love, that often appears among those who are led by a spirit of delusion. There is
commonly in the wildest enthusiasts, a kind of union and affection, arising from self-love, occasioned by their
agreeing in those things wherein they greatly differ from all others, and from which they are objects of the ridicule
of all the rest of mankind. This naturally will cause them so much the more to prize those peculiarities that make
them the objects of others’ contempt. Thus the ancient Gnostics, and the wild fanatics that appeared at the
beginning of the reformation, boasted of their great love one to another; one sect of them, in particular, calling
themselves the family of love. But this is quite another thing, than that christian love I have just described: it
is only the working of a natural self-love, and no true benevolence, any more that the union and friendship which
may be among a company of pirates, that are at war with all the rest of the world. There is enough said in this
passage of the nature of a truly christian love, thoroughly to distinguish it from all such counterfeits. It is love
that arises from apprehension of the wonderful riches of the free grace and sovereignty of God’s love to us, in
Christ Jesus; being attended with a sense of our own utter unworthiness, as in ourselves the enemies and haters of
God and Christ, and with a renunciation of all our own excellency and righteousness. See ver. 9, 10, 11, and 19.
The surest character of true divine supernatural love--distinguishing it from counterfeits that arise from a natural
self-love--is, that the christian virtue of humility shines in it; that which above all others renounces, abases, and
annihilates what we term self. Christian love, or true charity, is an humble love. 1 Cor. xiii. 4, 5. "Charity
vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily
provoked." When therefore we see love in persons attended with a sense of their own littleness, vileness, weakness,
and utter insufficiency; and so with self-diffidence, self-emptiness, self-renunciation, and poverty of spirit; these
are the manifest tokens of the Spirit of God. He that thus dwells in love, dwells in God, and God in him. What the
apostle speaks of as a great evidence of the true Spirit, is God’s love or Christ’s love; as ver. 12.--"his love is
perfected in us." What kind of love that is, we may see best in what appeared in Christ’s example. The love that
appeared in that Lamb of God, was not only a love to friends, but to enemies, and a love attended with a meek and
humble spirit. "Learn of me," says he, "for I am meek and lowly in heart."--Love and humility are two things the
most contrary to the spirit of the devil, of any thing in the world; for the character of that evil spirit, above all
things, consists in pride and malice.
Thus I have spoken particularly to the several marks the apostle gives us of a work of the true Spirit. There are
some of these things which the devil would not do if he could: thus he would not awaken the conscience, and make men
sensible of their miserable state by reason of sin, and sensible of their great need of a Saviour; and he would not
confirm men in the belief that Jesus is the Son of God, and the Saviour of sinners, or raise men’s value and esteem
of him: he would not beget in men’s minds an opinion of the necessity, usefulness, and truth of the Holy Scriptures,
or incline them to make much use of them; nor would he show men the truth, in things that concern their souls’
interest; to undeceive them, and lead them out of darkness into light, and give them a view of things as they really
are. And there are other things that the devil neither can nor will do; he will not give men a spirit of divine
love, or christian humility and poverty of spirit; nor could he if he would. He cannot give those things he has not
himself: these things are as contrary as possible to his nature. And therefore when there is an extraordinary
influence or operation appearing on the minds of a people, if these things are found in it, we are safe in
determining that it is the work of God, whatever other circumstances it may be attended with, whatever instruments
are used, whatever methods are taken to promote it; whatever means a sovereign God, whose judgments are a great deep,
employs to carry it on; and whatever motion there may be of the animal spirits, whatever effects may be wrought on
men’s bodies. These marks, that the apostle has given us, are sufficient to stand alone, and support themselves.
They plainly show the finger of God, and are sufficient to outweigh a thousand such little objections, as many make
from oddities, irregularities, errors in conduct, and the delusions and scandals of some professors.
But here some may object to the sufficiency of the marks given, what the apostle Paul says in 2 Cor. xi. 13, 14.
"For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ; and no marvel,
for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light."
To which I answer, that this can be no objection against the sufficiency of these marks to distinguish the true
from the false spirit, in those false apostles and prophets, in whom the devil was transformed into an angel of
light, because it is principally with a view to them that the apostle gives these marks; as appears by the words of
the text, "Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits, whether they are of God;" and this is the reason he gives,
because many false prophets are gone out into the world: viz. "There are many gone out into the world who are the
ministers of the devil, who transform themselves into the prophets of God, in whom the spirit of the devil is
transformed into an angel of light; therefore try the spirits by these rules that I shall give you, that you may be
able to distinguish the true spirit from the false, under such a crafty disguise." Those false prophets the apostle
John speaks of, are doubtless the same sort of men with those false apostles, and deceitful workers, that the apostle
Paul speaks of, in whom the devil was transformed into an angel of light: and therefore we may be sure that these
marks are especially adapted to distinguish between the true Spirit, and the devil transformed into an angel of
light, because they are given especially for that end; that is the apostle’s declared purpose and design, to give
marks by which the true Spirit may be distinguished from that sort of counterfeits.
And if we look over what is said about these false prophets, and false apostles, (as there is much said about them
in the New Testament,) and take notice in what manner the devil was transformed into an angel of light in them, we
shall not find any thing that in the least injures the sufficiency of these marks to distinguish the true Spirit from
such counterfeits. The devil transformed himself into an angel of light, as there was in them a show, and great
boast, of extraordinary knowledge in divine things; Col. ii. 8. 1. Tim. i. 6,7. and chap. vi..3--5. 2 Tim. ii. 14-18.
Tit. i. 10, 16. Hence their followers called themselves Gnostics, from their great pretended knowledge: and the
devil in them mimicked the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit, in visions, revelations, prophecies, miracles, etc.
Hence they are called false apostles, and false prophets: see Matt. xxiv. 24. Again, there was a false show of, and
lying pretensions to, great holiness and devotion in words: Rom. xvi. 17, 18. Ephes. iv. 14. Hence they are called
deceitful workers, and wells and clouds without water. 2 Cor. xi. 13. 2 Pet. ii. 17. Jude 12. There was also in them
a show of extraordinary piety and righteousness in their superstitious worship: Col. ii. 16-23. So they had a false,
proud, and bitter zeal: Gal. iv. 17, 18. 1 Tim. i. 6. and chap. vi. 4, 5. And likewise a false show of humility, in
affecting an extraordinary outward meanness and dejection, when indeed they were "vainly puffed up in their fleshly
mind:" and made a righteousness of their humility, and were exceedingly lifted up with their eminent piety: Col. ii.
18, 23. But how do such things as these in the least injure those things that have been mentioned as the
distinguishing evidences of the true Spirit?--Besides such vain shows which may be from the devil, there are common
influences of the Spirit, which are often mistaken for saving grace; but these are out of the question, because
though they are not saving, yet are the work of the true Spirit.
Having thus fulfilled what I at first proposed, in considering what are the certain, distinguishing marks, by
which we may safely proceed in judging of any work that falls under our observation, whether it be the work of the
Spirit of God or no; I now proceed to the APPLICATION.
SECT. III.
Practical inferences.
I. From what has been said, I will venture to draw this inference, viz. That the extraordinary influence that
has lately appeared, causing an uncommon concern and engagedness of mind about the things of religion, is
undoubtedly, in the general, from the Spirit of God. There are but two things that need to be known in order to such
a work’s being judged of, viz. Facts and rules. The rules of the word of God we have had laid before us; and as to
facts, there are but two ways that we can come at them, so as to be in a capacity to compare them with the rules,
either by our own observation, or by information from others who have had opportunity to observe them.
As to this work, there are many things concerning it that are notorious, and which, unless the apostle John was
out in his rules, are sufficient to determine it to be in general the work of God. The Spirit that is at work, takes
off persons’ minds from the vanities of the world, and engages them in a deep concern about eternal happiness, and
puts them upon earnestly seeking their salvation, and convinces them of the dreadfulness of sin, and of their own
guilty and miserable state as they are by nature. It awakens men’s consciences, and makes them sensible of the
dreadfulness of God’s anger, and causes in them a great desire and earnest care and endeavour to obtain his favour.
It puts them upon a more diligent improvement of the means of grace which God has appointed; accompanied with a
greater regard to the word of God, a desire of hearing and reading it, and of being more conversant with it than they
used to be. And it is notoriously manifest, that the spirit that is at work, in general, operates as a spirit of
truth, making persons more sensible of what is really true in those things that concern their eternal salvation: as,
that they must die, and that life is very short and uncertain; that there is a great sin-hating God, to whom they are
accountable, and who will fix them in an eternal state in another world; and that they stand in great need of a
Saviour. It makes persons more sensible of the value of Jesus who was crucified, and their need of him; and that it
puts them upon earnestly seeking an interest in him. It cannot be but that these things should be apparent to people
in general through the land; for these things are not done in a corner; the work has not been confined to a few
towns, in some remoter parts, but has been carried on in many places all over the land, and in most of the principal,
the populous, and public places in it. Christ in this respect has wrought amongst us, in the same manner that he
wrought his miracles in Judea. It has now been continued for a considerable time; so that there has been a great
opportunity to observe the manner of the work. And all such as have been very conversant with the subjects of it,
see a great deal more, that, by the rules of the apostle, does clearly and certainly show it to be the work of God.
And here I would observe, that the nature and tendency of a spirit that is at work, may be determined with much
greater certainty, and less danger of being imposed upon, when it is observed in a great multitude of people of all
sorts, and in various places, than when it is only seen in a few, in some particular place, that have been much
conversant one with another. A few particular persons may agree to put a cheat upon others, by a false pretence, and
professing things of which they never were conscious. But when the work is spread over great parts of a country, in
places distant from one another, among people of all sorts and of all ages, and in multitudes possessed of a sound
mind, good understanding, and known integrity; there would be the greatest absurdity in supposing, from all the
observation that can be made by all that is heard from and seen in them--for many months together, and by those who
are most intimate with them in these affairs, and have long been acquainted with them--that yet it cannot be
determined what kind of influence the operation they are under, has upon people’s minds, can it not be determined
whether it tends to awaken their consciences, or to stupify them; whether it inclines them more to seek their
salvation, or neglect it; whether it seems to confirm them in a belief of the Scriptures, or to lead them to deism;
whether it makes them have more regard for the great truths of religion, or less?
And here it is to be observed, that for persons to profess that they are so convinced of certain divine truths, as
to esteem and love them in a saving manner; and for them to profess, that they are more convinced or confirmed in the
truth of them, than they used to be, and find that they have a greater regard to them than they had before, are two
very different things. Persons of honesty and common sense, have much greater right to demand credit to be given to
the latter profession, than to the former. Indeed in the former, it is less likely that a people in general should
be deceived, than some particular persons. But whether persons’ convictions, and the alteration in their
dispositions and affections, be in a degree and manner that is saving, is beside the present question. If there be
such effects on people’s judgments, dispositions, and affections, as have been spoken of, whether they be in a degree
and manner that is saving or no, it is nevertheless a sign of the influence of the Spirit of God. Scripture rules
serve to distinguish the common influences of the Spirit of God, as well as those that are saving, from the influence
of other causes.
And as, by the providence of God, I have for some months past been much amongst those who have been the subjects
of the work in question; and particularly, have been in the way of seeing and observing those extraordinary things
with which many persons have been offended;--such as persons’ crying out aloud, shrieking, being put into great
agonies of body, etc.--and have seen the manner and issue of such operations, and the fruits of them, for several
months together; many of them being persons with whom I have been intimately acquainted in soul concerns, before and
since; so I look upon myself called on this occasion to give my testimony, that--so far as the nature and tendency of
such a work is capable of falling under the observation of a by-stander, to whom those that have been the subjects of
it have endeavoured to open their hearts, or can be come at by diligent and particular inquiry--this work has all
those marks that have been pointed out. And this has been the case in very many instances, in every article; and in
many others, all those marks have appeared in a very great degree.
The subjects of these uncommon appearances, have been of two sorts; either those who have been in great distress
from an apprehension of their sin and misery; or those who have been overcome with a sweet sense of the greatness,
wonderfulness, and excellency of divine things. Of the multitude of those of the former sort, that I have had
opportunity to observe, there have been very few, but their distress has arisen apparently from real proper
conviction, and being in a degree sensible of that which was the truth. And though I do not suppose, when such
things were observed to be common, that persons have laid themselves under those violent restraints to avoid outward
manifestations of their distress, that perhaps they otherwise would have done; yet there have been very few in whom
there has been any appearance of feigning or affecting such manifestations, and very many for whom it would have been
undoubtedly utterly impossible for them to avoid them. Generally, in these agonies they have appeared to be in the
perfect exercise of their reason; and those of them who could speak, have been well able to give an account of the
circumstances of their mind, and the cause of their distress, at the time, and were able to remember, and give an
account of it afterwards. I have know a very few instances of those, who, in their great extremity, have for a short
space been deprived, in some measure, of the use of reason; but among the many hundreds, and it may be thousands,
that have lately been brought to such agonies, I never yet knew one lastingly deprived of their reason. In some that
I have known, melancholy has evidently been mixed; and when it is so, the difference is very apparent; their
distresses are of another kind, and operate quite after another manner, than when their distress is from mere
conviction. It is not truth only that distresses them, but many vain shadows and notions that will not give place
either to Scripture or reason. Some in their great distress have not been well able to give an account of
themselves, or to declare the sense they have of things, or to explain the manner and cause of their trouble to
others, that yet I have had no reason to think were not under proper convictions, and in whom there has been
manifested a good issue. But this will not be at all wondered at, by those who have had much to do with souls under
spiritual difficulties: some things of which they are sensible, are altogether new to them; their ideas and inward
sensations are new, and what they therefore know not how to express in words. Some who, on first inquiry, said they
knew not what was the matter with them, have on being particularly examined and interrogated, been able to represent
their case, though of themselves they could not find expressions and forms of speech to do it.
Some suppose, that terrors producing such effects are only a fright. But certainly there ought to be a
distinction made between a very great fear, or extreme distress arising from an apprehension of some dreadful
truth--a cause fully proportionable to such an effect--and a needless, causeless fright. The latter is of two kinds;
either, first, when persons are terrified with that which is not the truth; (of which I have seen very few instances
unless in case of melancholy;) or, secondly, when they are in a fright from some terrible outward appearance and
noise, and a general notion thence arising. These apprehend, that there is something or other terrible, they know
not what; without having in their minds any particular truth whatever. Of such a kind of fright I have seen very
little appearance, among either old or young.
Those who are in such extremity, commonly express a great sense of their exceeding wickedness, the multitude and
aggravations of their actual sins; their dreadful pollution, enmity, and perverseness; their obstinacy and hardness
of heart; a sense of their great guilt in the sight of God; and the dreadfulness of the punishment due to sin. Very
often they have a lively idea of the horrible pit of eternal misery; and at the same time it appears to them that the
great God who has them in his hands, is exceedingly angry, and his wrath appears amazingly terrible to them. God
appears to them so much provoked, and his great wrath so increased; that they are apprehensive of great danger, and
that he will not bear with them any longer; but will now forthwith cut them off, and send them down to the dreadful
pit they have in view; at the same time seeing no refuge. They see more and more of the vanity of every thing they
use to trust to, and with which they flattered themselves, till they are brought wholly to despair in all, and to see
that they are at the disposal of the mere will of the God who is so angry with them. Very many, in the midst of
their extremity, have been brought to an extraordinary sense of their fully deserving that wrath, and the destruction
which was then before their eyes. They feared every moment, that it would be executed upon them; they have been
greatly convinced that this would be altogether just, and that God is indeed absolutely sovereign. Very often, some
text of Scripture expressing God’s sovereignty, has been set home upon their minds, whereby they have been calmed.
They have been brought, as it were, to lie at God’s feet; and after great agonies, a little before light has arisen,
they have been composed and quiet, in submission to a just and sovereign God; but their bodily strength much spent.
Sometimes their lives, to appearance, were almost gone; and then light has appeared, and a glorious Redeemer, with
his wonderful, all-sufficient grace, has been represented to them often, in some sweet invitation of Scripture.
Sometimes the light comes in suddenly, sometimes more gradually, filling their souls with love, admiration, joy, and
self-abasement: drawing forth their hearts after the excellent lovely Redeemer, and longings to lie in the dust
before him; and that others might behold, embrace, and be delivered by him. They had longings to live to his glory;
but were sensible that they can do nothing of themselves, appearing vile in their own eyes, and having much jealousy
over their own hearts. And all the appearances of a real change of heart have followed; and grace has acted, from
time to time, after the same manner that is used to act in those that were converted formerly, with the like
difficulties, temptations, buffetings, and comforts; excepting that in many, the light and comfort have been in
higher degrees than ordinary. Many very young children have been thus wrought upon. There have been some instances
very much like those (Mark i. 26. and chap. ix. 26.) of whom we read, that "when the devil had cried with a loud
voice, and rent them sore, he came out of them." And probably those instances were designed for a type of such
things as these. Some have several turns of great agonies, before they are delivered; and others have been in such
distress, which has passed off, and no deliverance at all has followed.
Some object against it as great confusion, when there is a number together in such circumstances making a noise;
and say, God cannot be the author of it; because he is the God of order, not of confusion. But let it be considered,
what is the proper notion of confusion, but the breaking that order of things, whereby they are properly disposed,
and duly directed to their end, so that the order and due connexion of means being broken, they fail of their end.
Now the conviction of sinners for their conversion is the obtaining of the end of religious means. Not but that I
think the persons thus extraordinarily moved, should endeavour to refrain from such outward manifestations, what they
well can, and should refrain to their utmost, at the time of their solemn worship. But if God is pleased to convince
the consciences of persons, so that they cannot avoid great outward manifestations, even to interrupting and breaking
off those public means they were attending, I do not think this is confusion, or an unhappy interruption, any more
than if a company should meet on the field to pray for rain, and should be broken off from their exercise by a
plentiful shower. Would to God that all the public assemblies in the land were broken off from their public
exercises with such confusion as this the next sabbath day! We need not be sorry for breaking the order of means, by
obtaining the end to which that order is directed. He who is going to fetch a treasure, need not be sorry that he is
stopped, by meeting the treasure in the midst of his journey.
Besides those who are overcome with conviction and distress, I have seen many of late, who have had their bodily
strength taken away with a sense of the glorious excellency of the Redeemer, and the wonders of his dying love; with
a very uncommon sense of their own littleness and exceeding vileness attending it, with all expressions and
appearances of the greatest abasement and abhorrence of themselves. Not only new converts, but many who were, as we
hope, formerly converted, have had their love and joy attended with a flood of tears, and a great appearance of
contrition and humiliation, especially for their having lived no more to God’s glory since their conversion. These
have had a far greater sight of their vileness, and the evil of their hearts, than ever they had; with an exceeding
earnestness of desire to live better for the time to come, but attended with greater self-diffidence than ever: and
many have been overcome with pity to the souls of others, and longing for their salvation.--And many other things I
might mention, in this extraordinary work, answering to every one of those marks which have been insisted on. So
that if the apostle John knew how to give signs of a work of the true Spirit, this is such a work.
Providence has cast my lot in a place where the work of God has formerly been carried on. I had the happiness to
be settled in that place two years with the venerable Stoddard; and was then acquainted with a number who, during
that season, were wrought upon under his ministry. I have been intimately acquainted with the experiences of many
others who were wrought upon under his ministry, before that period, in a manner agreeable to the doctrine of all
orthodox divines. And of late, a work has been carried on there, with very much of uncommon operations; but it is
evidently the same work that was carried on there, in different periods, though attended with some new
circumstances. And certainly we must throw by all talk of conversion and christian experience; and not only so, but
we must throw by our Bibles, and give up revealed religion; if this be not in general the work of God. Not that I
suppose the degree of the Spirit’s influence is to be determined by the degree of effect on men’s bodies; or, that
those are always the best experiences which have the greatest influence on the body.
And as to the imprudencies, irregularities, and mixture of delusion that has been observed; it is not at all to
be wondered at, that a reformation, after a long-continued and almost universal deadness, should at first, when the
revival is new, be attended with such things. In the first creation God did not make a complete world at once; but
there was a great deal of imperfection, darkness, and mixture of chaos and confusion, after God first said, "Let
there be light," before the whole stood forth in perfect form. When God at first began his great work for the
deliverance of his people, after their long-continued bondage in Egypt, there were false wonders mixed with the true
for a while; which hardened the unbelieving Egyptians, and made them to doubt of the divinity of the whole work.
When the children of Israel first went to bring up the ark of God, after it had been neglected, and had been long
absent, they sought not the Lord after the due order, 1 Chron. xv. 13. At the time when the sons of God came to
present themselves before the Lord, Satan came also among them. And Solomon’s ships, when they brought gold, and
silver, and pearls, also brought apes and peacocks. When day-light first appears after a night of darkness, we must
expect to have darkness mixt with light for a while, and not have perfect day and the sun risen at once. The fruits
of the earth are first green before they are ripe, and come to their proper perfection gradually; and so, Christ
tells us, is the kingdom of God. Mark iv. 26, 27, 28. "So is the kingdom of God; as if a man should cast seed into
the ground, and should sleep, and rise night and day; and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how: for
the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear."
The imprudences and errors that have attended this work, are the less to be wondered at, if it be considered, that
chiefly young persons have been the subjects of it, who have less steadiness and experience, and being in the heat of
youth, are much more ready to run to extremes. Satan will keep men secure as long as he can; but when he can do that
no longer, he often endeavours to drive them to extremes, and so to dishonour God, and wound religion in that way.
And doubtless it has been one occasion of much misconduct, that in many places, people see plainly that their
ministers have an ill opinion of the work; and therefore, with just reason, durst not apply themselves to them as
their guides in it; and so are without guides.--No wonder then that when a people are as sheep without a shepherd,
they wander out of the way. A people in such circumstances, stand in great and continual need of guides, and their
guides stand in continual need of much more wisdom than they have of their own. And if a people have ministers that
favour the work, and rejoice in it, yet it is not to be expected that either the people or ministers should know so
well how to conduct themselves in such an extraordinary state of things--while it is new, and what they never had any
experience of before, and time to see their tendency, consequences, and issue. The happy influence of experience is
very manifest at this day, in the people among whom God has settled my abode. The work which has been carried on
there this year, has been much purer than that which was wrought there six years before: it has seemed to be more
purely spiritual; free from natural and corrupt mixtures, and any thing savouring of enthusiastic wildness and
extravagance. It has wrought more by deep humiliation and abasement before God and men; and they have been much
freer from imprudences and irregularities. And particularly there has been a remarkable difference in this respect,
that whereas many before, in their comforts and rejoicings, did too much forget their distance from God, and were
ready in their conversation together of the things of God, and of their own experiences, to talk with too much
lightness; but now they seem to have no disposition that way, but rejoice with a more solemn, reverential, humble
joy, as God directs. (Psal. ii. 11.) Not because the joy is not as great, and in many instances much greater. Many
among us who were wrought upon in that former season, have now had much greater communications from heaven than they
had then. Their rejoicing operates in another manner; it abases them, breaks their hearts, and brings them into the
dust. When they speak of their joys, it is not with laughter, but a flood of tears. Thus those that laughed before,
weep now, and yet by their united testimony, their joy is vastly purer and sweeter than that which before did more
raise their animal spirits. They are now more like Jacob, when God appeared to him at Bethel, when he saw the ladder
that reached to heaven, and said, "How dreadful is this place!" And like Moses, when God showed him his glory on the
mount, when he made haste and "bowed himself unto the earth."
II. Let us all be hence warned, by no means to oppose, or do any thing in the least to clog or hinder, the work;
but, on the contrary, do our utmost to promote it. Now Christ is come down from heaven in a remarkable and wonderful
work of his Spirit, it becomes all his professed disciples to acknowledge him, and give him honour.
The example of the Jews in Christ’s and the apostles’ times, is enough to beget in those who do not acknowledge
this work, a great jealousy of themselves, and to make them exceeding cautious of what they say or do. Christ then
was in the world, and the world knew him not: he came to his own professing people, and his own received him not.
That coming of Christ had been much spoken of in the prophecies of Scripture which they had in their hands, and it
had been long expected; and yet because Christ came in a manner they did not expect, and which was not agreeable to
their carnal reason, they would not own him. Nay, they opposed him, counted him a madman, and pronounced the spirit
that he wrought by to be the spirit of the devil. They stood and wondered at the great things done, and knew not
what to make of them; but yet they met with so many stumbling-blocks, that they finally could not acknowledge him.
And when the Spirit of God came to be poured out so wonderfully in the apostles’ days, they looked upon it as
confusion and distraction. They were astonished by what they saw and heard, but not convinced. And especially was
the work of God then rejected by those that were most conceited of their own understanding and knowledge, agreeable
to Isa. xxix. 14. "Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work amongst this people, even a marvellous
work and a wonder; for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be
hid." And many who had been in reputation for religion and piety, had a great spite against the work, because they
saw it tended to diminish their honour, and to reproach their formality and lukewarmness. Some, upon these accounts,
maliciously and openly opposed and reproached the work of the Spirit of God, and called it the work of the devil,
against inward conviction, and so were guilty of the unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost.
There is another, a spiritual coming of Christ, to set up his kingdom in the world, that is as much spoken of in
scripture prophecy as that first coming, and which has long been expected by the church of God. We have reason to
think, from what is said of this, that it will be, in many respects, parallel with the other. And certainly, that
low state into which the visible church of God has lately been sunk is very parallel with the state of the Jewish
church, when Christ came; and therefore no wonder at all, that when Christ comes, his work should appear a strange
work to most; yea, it would be wonder if it should be otherwise. Whether the present work be the beginning of that
great and frequently predicted coming of Christ to set up his kingdom, or not, it is evident, from what has been
said, that it is a work of the same Spirit, and of the same nature. And there is no reason to doubt, but that the
conduct of persons who continue long to refuse acknowledging Christ in the work--especially those who are set to be
teachers in his church--will be in like manner provoking to God, as it was in the Jews of old, while refusing to
acknowledge Christ; notwithstanding what they may plead of the great stumbling-blocks that are in the way, and the
cause they have to doubt of the work. The teachers of the Jewish church found innumerable stumbling-blocks, that
were to them insuperable. Many things appeared in Christ, and in the work of the Spirit after his ascension, which
were exceeding strange to them; they seemed assured that they had just cause for their scruples. Christ and his work
were to the Jews a stumbling-block; "But blessed is he," says Christ, "whosoever shall not be offended in me." As
strange and as unexpected as the manner of Christ’s appearance was, yet he had not been long in Judea working
miracles, before all those who had opportunity to observe, and yet refused to acknowledge him, brought fearful guilt
upon themselves in the sight of God; and Christ condemned them, that though "they could discern the face of the sky,
and of the earth, yet they could not discern the signs of those times: and why," says he, "even of yourselves, judge
ye not what is right?" Luke xii. at the latter end.
It is not to be supposed that the great Jehovah had bowed the heavens, and appeared here now for so long a time,
in such a glorious work of his power and grace--in so extensive a manner, in the most public places of the land, and
in almost all parts of it--without giving such evidences of his presence, that great numbers, and even many teachers
in his church, can remain guiltless in his sight, without ever receiving and acknowledging him, and giving him
honour, and appearing to rejoice in his gracious presence; or without so much as once giving him thanks for so
glorious and blessed a work of his grace, wherein his goodness does more appear, than if he had bestowed on us all
the temporal blessings that the world affords. A long-continued silence in such a case is undoubtedly provoking to
God; especially in ministers. It is a secret kind a opposition, that really tends to hinder the work. Such silent
ministers stand in the way of the work of God, as Christ said of old, "He that is not with us is against us." Those
who stand wondering at this strange work, not knowing what to make of it, and refusing to receive it--and ready it
may be sometimes to speak contemptibly of it, as was the case with the Jews of old--would do well to consider, and to
tremble at St. Paul’s words to them, Acts xiii. 40, 41. "Beware therefore lest that come upon you, which is spoken of
in the prophets, Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish; for I work a work in your days, which you shall in no
wise believe, though a man declare it unto you." Those who cannot believe the work to be true, because of the
extraordinary degree and manner of it, should consider how it was with the unbelieving lord in Samaria, who said,
"Behold, if the Lord should make windows in heaven, might this thing be?" To whom Elisha said, "Behold, thou shalt
see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof." Let all to whom this work is a cloud and darkness--as the pillar
of cloud and fire was to the Egyptians--take heed that it be not their destruction, while it gives light to God’s Israel.
I would entreat those who quiet themselves, that they proceed on a principle of prudence, and are waiting to see
the issue of things--and what fruits those that are the subjects of this work will bring forth in their lives and
conversations--to consider, whether this will justify a long refraining form acknowledging Christ when he appears so
wonderfully and graciously present in the land. It is probable that many of those who are thus waiting, know not for
what they are waiting. If they wait to see a work of God without difficulties and stumbling-blocks, it will be like
the fool’s waiting at the river side to have the water all run by. A work of God without stumbling-blocks is never
to be expected. "It must need be that offences come." There never yet was any great manifestation that God made of
himself to the world, without many difficulties attending it. It is with the works of God, as with his word: they
seem at first full of things that are strange, inconsistent, and difficult to the carnal unbelieving hearts of men.
Christ and his work always was, and always will be, a stone of stumbling, and rock of offence, a gin and a snare to
many. The prophet Hosea, (chap. xiv.) speaking of a glorious revival of religion in God’s church--when God would be
as the dew unto Israel, who should grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon, whose branches should
spread, etc.--concludes all thus; "Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them?
for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein."
It is probable that the stumbling-blocks that now attend this work, will in some respects be increased, and not
diminished. We probably shall see more instances of apostacy and gross iniquity among professors. And if one kind
of stumbling-blocks are removed, it is to be expected that others will come. It is with Christ’s works as it was
with his parables; things that are difficult to men’s dark minds are ordered of purpose, for the trial of their
dispositions and spiritual sense; and that those of corrupt minds and of an unbelieving, perverse, cavilling spirit,
"seeing might see and not understand." Those who are now waiting to see the issue of this work, think they shall be
better able to determine by and by; but probably many of them are mistaken. The Jews that saw Christ’s miracles,
waited to see better evidences of his being the Messiah; they wanted a sign from heaven; but they waited in vain;
their stumbling-blocks did not diminish, but increase. They found no end to them, and so were more and more hardened
in unbelief. Many have been praying for that glorious reformation spoken of in Scripture, who knew not what they
have been praying for, (as it was with the Jews when they prayed for the coming of Christ,) and who, if it should
come, would not acknowledge or receive it.
This pretended prudence, in persons waiting so long before they acknowledged this work, will probably in the end
prove the greatest imprudence. Hereby they will fail of any share of so great a blessing, and will miss the most
precious opportunity of obtaining divine light, grace, and comfort, heavenly and eternal benefits, that God ever gave
in New England. While the glorious fountain is set open in so wonderful a manner, and multitudes flock to it and
receive a rich supply for the wants of their souls, they stand at a distance, doubting, wondering, and receiving
nothing, and are like to continue thus till the precious season is past.--It is indeed to be wondered at, that those
who have doubted of the work, which has been attended with such uncommon external appearances, should be easy in
their doubts, without taking thorough pains to inform themselves, by going where such things have been to be seen,
narrowly observing and diligently inquiring into them; not contenting themselves with observing two or three
instances, nor resting till they were fully informed by their own observation. I do not doubt but that if this
course had been taken, it would have convinced all whose minds are not shut up against conviction. How greatly have
they erred, who only from the uncertain reproofs of others, have ventured to speak slightly of these things! That
caution of an unbelieving Jew might teach them more prudence, Acts v. 38,39. "Refrain from these men and let them
alone; for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought; but if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow
it; lest haply ye be found to fight against God." Whether what has been said in this discourse be enough to produce
conviction, that this is the work of God or not; yet I hope that for the future, they will at least hearken to the
caution of Gamaliel, now mentioned; so as not to oppose it, or say any thing which has even an indirect tendency to
bring it into discredit, lest they should be found opposers of the Holy Ghost. There is no kind of sins so hurtful
and dangerous to the souls of men, as those committed against the Holy Ghost. We had better speak against God the
Father, or the Son, than to speak against the Holy Spirit in his gracious operations on the hearts of men. Nothing
will so much tend for ever to prevent our having any benefit of his operations on our own souls.
If there be any who still resolutely go on to speak contemptibly of these things, I would beg of them to take heed
that they be not guilty of the unpardonable sin. When the Holy Spirit is much poured out, and men’s lusts,
lukewarmness, and hypocrisy are reproached by its powerful operations, then is the most likely time of any, for this
sin to be committed. If the work goes on, it is well if among the many that show an enmity against it, some be not
guilty of this sin, if none have been already. Those who maliciously oppose and reproach this work, and call it the
work of the devil, want but one thing of the unpardonable sin, and that is, doing it against inward conviction. And
though some are so prudent, as not openly to oppose and reproach this work, yet it is to be feared--at this day, when
the Lord is going forth so gloriously against his enemies--that many who are silent and inactive, especially
ministers, will bring that curse of the angel of the Lord upon themselves, Judg. v. 23. "Curse ye Meroz, said the
angel of the Lord, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants therof; because they came not to the help of the Lord, to the
help of the Lord against the mighty."
Since the great God has come down from heaven, and manifested himself in so wonderful a manner in this land, it is
vain for any of us to expect any other than to be greatly affected by it in our spiritual state and circumstances,
respecting the favour of God, one way or other. Those who do not become more happy by it, will become far more
guilty and miserable. It is always so; such a season as proves an acceptable year, and a time of great favour to
them who accept and improve it, proves a day of vengeance to others. Isa. lix. 2. When God sends forth his word, it
shall not return to him void; much less his Spirit. When Christ was upon earth in Judea, many slighted and rejected
him; but it proved in the issue to be no matter of indifference to them. God made all that people to feel that
Christ had been among them; those who did not feel it to their comfort, felt it to their great sorrow. When God only
sent the prophet Ezekiel to the children of Israel, he declared that whether they would hear or whether they would
forbear, yet they should know that there had been a prophet among them; how much more may we suppose that when God
has appeared so wonderfully in this land, that he will make every one to know that the great Jehovah had been in New
England.--I come now, in the last place,
III. To apply myself to those who are the friends of this work, who have been partakers of it, and are zealous to
promote it. Let me earnestly exhort such to give diligent heed to themselves to avoid all errors and misconduct, and
whatever may darken and obscure the work; and to give no occasion to those who stand ready to reproach it. The
apostle was careful to cut off occasion from those that desired occasion. The same apostle exhorts Titus, to
maintain a strict care and watch over himself, that both his preaching and behaviour might be such as "could not be
condemned; that he who was of the contrary part might be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of them," Tit. ii. 7,
8. We had need to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. It is of no small consequence that we should at this
day behave ourselves innocently and prudently. We must expect that the great enemy of this work will especially try
his utmost with us; and he will especially triumph if he can prevail in any thing to blind and mislead us. He knows
it will do more to further his purpose and interest than if he prevailed against a hundred others. We had need to
watch and pray, for we are but little children; this roaring lion is too strong for us, and this old serpent too
subtle for us.
Humility and self-diffidence, and an entire dependence on our Lord Jesus Christ, will be our best defense. Let us
therefore maintain the strictest watch against spiritual pride, or being lifted up with extraordinary experiences and
comforts, and the high favours of heaven, that any of us may have received. We had need, after such favours, in a
special manner to keep a strict and jealous eye upon our own hearts, lest there should arise self-exalting
reflections upon what we have received, and high thoughts of ourselves, as being now some of the most eminent of
saints and peculiar favourites of heaven, and that the secret of the Lord is especially with us. Let us not presume,
that we above all are fit to be advanced as the great instructors and censors of this evil generation; and, in a high
conceit of our own wisdom and discerning, assume to ourselves the airs of prophets, or extraordinary ambassadors of
heaven. When we have great discoveries of God made to our souls, we should not shine bright in our own eyes. Moses,
when he had been conversing with God in the mount, though his face shone so as to dazzle the eyes of Aaron and the
people, yet he did not shine in his own eyes; "he wist not that his face shone." Let none think themselves out of
danger of this spiritual pride, even in their best frames. God saw that the apostle Paul (though probably the most
eminent saint that ever lived) was not out of danger of it, no not when he had just been conversing with God in the
third heaven: see 2 Cor. xii. 7. Pride is the worst viper in the heart; it is the first sin that ever entered into
the universe, lies lowest of all in the foundation of the whole building of sin, and is the most secret, deceitful,
and unsearchable in its ways of working, of any lusts whatever. It is ready to mix with every thing; and nothing is
so hateful to God, contrary to the spirit of the gospel, or of so dangerous consequence; and there is no one sin that
does so much let in the devil into the hearts of the saints, and expose them to his delusions. I have seen it in
many instances, and that in eminent saints. The devil has come in at this door presently after some eminent
experience and extraordinary communion with God, and has woefully deluded and led them astray, till God has
mercifully opened their eyes and delivered them; and they themselves have afterwards been made sensible that it was
pride that betrayed them.
Some of the true friends of the work of God’s Spirit have erred in giving too much heed to impulses and strong
impressions on their minds, as though they were immediate significations from heaven to them, of something that
should come to pass, or something that it was the mind and will of God that they should do, which was not signified
or revealed any where in the Bible without those impulses. These impressions, if they are truly from the Spirit of
God, are of a quite different nature from his gracious influences on the hearts of the saints: they are of the nature
of the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, and are properly inspiration, such as the prophets and apostles and others
had of old; which the apostle distinguishes from the grace of the Spirit, 1 Cor. xiii.
One reason why some have been ready to lay weight on such impulses, is an opinion they have had, that the glory of
the approaching happy days of the church would partly consist in restoring those extraordinary gifts of the Spirit.
This opinion, I believe, arises partly through want of duly considering and comparing the nature and value of those
two kinds of influences of the Spirit, viz. those that are ordinary and gracious, and those that are extraordinary
and miraculous. The former are by far the most excellent and glorious; as the apostle largely shows. (1 Cor. xii.
31, etc.) Speaking of the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, he says, "But covet earnestly the best gifts; and yet I
show you a more excellent way;" i.e. a more excellent way of the influence of the Spirit. And then he goes on, in
the next chapter, to show what that more excellent way is, even the grace of the Spirit, which summarily consists in
charity, or divine love. And throughout that chapter he shows the great preference of that above inspiration. God
communicates his own nature to the soul in saving grace in the heart, more than in all miraculous gifts. The blessed
image of God consists in that and not in these. The excellency, happiness, and glory of the soul, immediately
consists in the former. That is a root which bears infinitely more excellent fruit. Salvation and the eternal
enjoyment of God is promised to divine grace, but not to inspiration. A man may have those extraordinary gifts, and
yet be abominable to God, and go to hell. The spiritual and eternal life of the soul consists in the grace of the
Spirit, which God bestows only on his favourites and dear children. He has sometimes thrown out the other as it were
to dogs and swine, as he did to Balaam, Saul, and Judas; and some who, in the primitive times of the christian
church, committed the unpardonable sin. (Heb. vi.) Many wicked men at the day of the judgment will plead, "Have we
not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works." The
greatest privilege of the prophets and apostles, was not their being inspired and working miracles, but their eminent
holiness. The grace that was in their hearts, was a thousand times more their dignity and honour, than their
miraculous gifts. The things in which we find David comforting himself, are not his being a king, or a prophet, but
the holy influences of the Spirit of God in his heart, communicating to him divine light, love, and joy. The apostle
Paul abounded in visions, revelations, and miraculous gifts, above all the apostles; but yet he esteems all things
but loss for the excellency of the spiritual knowledge of Christ. It was not the gifts but the grace of the
apostles, that was the proper evidence of their names being written in heaven; in which Christ directs them to
rejoice, much more than in the devils being subject to them. To have grace in the heart, is a higher privilege than
the blessed Virgin herself had, in having the body of the second person in the Trinity conceived in her womb, by the
power of the Highest overshadowing her: Luke xi. 27, 28. "And it came to pass as he spake these things, a certain
woman of the company lift up her voice, and said unto him; Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps that thou
hast sucked! But he said, Yea, rather blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it." See also to the same
purpose, Matt. xii. 47, etc.--The influence of the Holy Spirit, or divine charity in the heart, is the greatest
privilege and glory of the highest archangel in heaven; yea, this is the very thing by which the creature has
fellowship with God himself, with the Father and the Son, in their beauty and happiness. Hereby the saints are made
partakers of the divine nature, and have Christ’s joy fulfilled in themselves.
The ordinary sanctifying influences of the Spirit of God are the end of all extraordinary gifts, as the apostle
shows, Ephes. iv. 11, 12, 13. They are good for nothing, any further than as they are subordinate to this end; they
will be so far from profiting any without it, that they will only aggravate their misery. This is, as the apostle
observes, the most excellent way of God’s communicating his Spirit to his church, it is the greatest glory of the
church in all ages. This glory is what makes the church on earth most like the church in heaven, when prophecy, and
tongues, and other miraculous gifts, cease. And God communicates his Spirit only in that more excellent way of which
the apostle speaks, viz. charity or divine love, "which never faileth." Therefore the glory of the approaching
happy state of the church does not at all require these extraordinary gifts. As that state of the church will be
nearest of any to its perfect state in heaven, so I believe it will be like it in this, that all extraordinary gifts
shall have ceased and vanished away; and all those stars, and the moon with the reflected light they gave in the
night, or in a dark season, shall be swallowed up in the sun of divine love. The apostle speaks of these gifts of
inspiration as childish things, in comparison of the influence of the Spirit in divine love; things given to the
church only to support it in its minority, till the church should have a complete standing rule established, and all
the ordinary means of grace should be settled; but as things that should cease, as the church advanced to the state
of manhood. 1 Cor. xiii. 11. "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child;
but when I became a man, I put away childish things;" compared with the three preceding verses.
When the apostle, in this chapter, speaks of prophecies, tongues, and revelations ceasing, and vanishing away in
the church--when the christian church should be advanced from a state of minority to a state of manhood--he seems to
have respect to its coming to an adult state in this world, as well as in heaven; for he speaks of such a state of
manhood, wherein those three things, Faith, Hope, and Charity, should remain after miracles and revelation had
ceased; as in the last verse, and "now abideth ([gk txt], remaineth) Faith, Hope, and Charity, these three." The
apostle’s manner of speaking here shows an evident reference to what he had just been saying before; and here is a
manifest antithesis, between remaining, and that failing, ceasing, and vanishing away, spoken of in the 8th verse.
The apostle had been showing how all those gifts of inspiration, which were the leading-strings of the christian
church in its infancy, should vanish away, when the church came to a state of manhood. Then he returns to observe,
what things remain after those had failed and ceased; and he observes that those three things shall remain in the
church, Faith, Hope, and Charity: and therefore the adult state of the church he speaks of, is the more perfect one
at which it shall arrive on earth, especially in the latter ages of the world. And this was the more properly
observed to the church at Corinth, upon two accounts; because the apostle had before observed to that church, that
they were in a state of infancy, chap. iii. 1, 2. And because that church seems above all others to have abounded
with miraculous gifts.--When the expected glorious state of the church comes, the increase of light shall be so great
that it will in some respect answer what is said, ver. 12. of seeing face to face. (See Isa. xxiv. 23. and xxv. 7.)
Therefore I do not expect a restoration of these miraculous gifts in the approaching glorious times of the church,
nor do I desire it. It appears to me, that it would add nothing to the glory of those times, but rather diminish
from it. For my part, I had rather enjoy the sweet influences of the Spirit, showing Christ’s spiritual divine
beauty, infinite grace, and dying love, drawing forth the holy exercises of faith, divine love, sweet complacence,
and humble joy in God, one quarter of an hour, than to have prophetical visions and revelations the whole year. It
appears to me much more probable that God should give immediate revelation to his saints in the dark times of
prophecy, than now in the approach of the most glorious and perfect state of his church on earth. It does not appear
to me that there is any need of those extraordinary gifts to introduce this happy state, and set up the kingdom of
God through the world; I have seen so much of the power of God in a more excellent way, as to convince me that God
can easily do it without.
I would therefore entreat the people of God to be very cautious how they give heed to such things. I have seen
them fail in very many instances, and know by experience that impressions being made with great power, and upon the
minds of true, yea eminent, saints--even in the midst of extraordinary exercises of grace, and sweet communion with
God, and attended with texts of Scripture strongly impressed on the mind--are no sure signs of their being
revelations from heaven. I have known such impressions fail, in some instances, attended with all these
circumstances. They who leave the sure word of prophecy--which God has given us as a light shining in a dark
place--to follow such impressions and impulses, leave the guidance of the polar star, to follow a Jack with a
lantern. No wonder therefore that sometimes they are led into woeful extravagancies.
Moreover, seeing inspiration is not to be expected, let us not despise human learning. They who assert that human
learning is of little or no use in the work of the ministry, do not well consider what they say; if they did, they
would not say it. By human learning I mean, and suppose others mean, the improvement of common knowledge by human
and outward means. And therefore to say, that human learning is of no use, is as much as to say that the education
of a child, or that the common knowledge which a grown man has more than a little child, is of no use. At this rate,
a child of four years old is as fit for a teacher in the church of God, with the same degree of grace--and capable of
doing as much to advance the kingdom of Christ, by his instruction--as a very knowing man of thirty years of age. If
adult persons have greater ability and advantage to do service, because they have more knowledge than a little child,
then doubtless if they have more human knowledge still, with the same degree of grace, they would have still greater
ability and advantage to do service. An increase of knowledge, without doubt, increases a man’s advantage either to
do good or hurt, according as he is disposed. It is too manifest to be denied, that God made great use of human
learning in the apostle Paul, as he also did in Moses and Solomon.
And if knowledge, obtained by human means, is not to be despised, then it will follow that the means of obtaining
it are not to be neglected, viz. study; and that this is of great use in order to a preparation for publicly
instructing others. And though having the heart full of the powerful influences of the Spirit of God, may at some
time enable persons to speak profitably, yea, very excellently, without study; yet this will not warrant us
needlessly to cast ourselves down from the pinnacle of the temple, depending upon it that the angel of the Lord will
bear us up, and keep us from dashing our foot against a stone, when there is another way to go down, though it be not
so quick. And I would pray, that method, in public discourses, which tends greatly to help both the understanding
and memory, may not be wholly neglected.
Another thing I would beg the dear children of God more fully to consider of, is, how far, and upon what grounds,
the rules of the Holy Scriptures will truly justify their passing censures upon other professing Christians, as
hypocrites, and ignorant of real religion. We all know that there is a judging and censuring of some sort or other,
that the Scripture very often and very strictly forbids. I desire that those rules of Scripture may be looked into,
and thoroughly weighed; and that it may be considered whether our taking it upon us to discern the state of
other--and to pass sentence upon them as wicked men, though professing Christians, and of a good visible
conversation--be not really forbidden by Christ in the New Testament. If it be, then doubtless the disciples of
Christ ought to avoid this practice, however sufficient they may think themselves for it, or however needful, or of
good tendency, they may think it. It is plain that the sort of judgment which God claims as his prerogative,
whatever that be, is forbidden. We know that a certain judging of the hearts of the children of men, is often spoken
of as the great prerogative of God, and which belongs only to him; as in 1 Kings viii. 39. "Forgive, and do, and
give unto every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of
all the children of men." And if we examine, we shall find that the judging of hearts which is spoken of as God’s
prerogative, relates not only to the aims and dispositions of men’s hearts in particular actions, but chiefly to the
state of their hearts as the professors of religion, and with regard to that profession. This will appear very
manifest by looking over the following scriptures; 1 Chron. xxviii. 9. Psal. vii. 9, 10, 11. Psal. xxvi. throughout.
Prov. xvi. 2. and xvii. 3. and xxi. 2. Job ii. 23, 24, 25. Rev. ii. 22, 23. That sort of judging which is God’s
proper business, is forbidden, as Rom. xiv. 4. "Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he
standeth or falleth." Jam. iv. 12. "There is one lawgiver that is able to save or destroy; who are thou that judgest
another?" 2 Cor. iv. 3, 4. "But with me it is a very small thing, that I should be judged of you, or of man’s
judgment; yea I judge not mine own self; but he that judgeth me is the Lord."
Again, whatsoever kind of judging is the proper work and business of the day of judgment, is what we are
forbidden, as in 1 Cor. iv. 5. "Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come; who both will bring to
light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the heart; and then shall every man have
praise of God." But to distinguish hypocrites, that have the form of godliness and the visible conversation of godly
men, from true saints; or, to separate the sheep from the goats, is the proper business of the day of judgment; yea
it is represented as the main business and end of that day. They therefore do greatly err who take it upon them
positively to determine who are sincere, and who are not--to draw the dividing line between true saints and
hypocrites, and to separate between sheep and goats, setting the one on the right hand and the other on the left--and
to distinguish and gather out the tares from amongst the wheat. Many of the servants of the owner of the field are
very ready to think themselves sufficient for this, and are forward to offer their service to this end; but their
Lord says, "May, lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together
until the harvest;" and in the time of the harvest I will take care to see a thorough separation made; as Matt. xiii.
28, 29, 30. Agreeably to that forementioned prohibition of the apostle, 1 Cor. iv. 5. "Judge nothing before the
time." In this parable, by the servants who have the care of the fruit of the field, is doubtless meant the same
with the servants who have the care of the fruit of the vineyard, Luke xx. and who are elsewhere represented as
servants of the Lord of the harvest, appointed as labourers in his harvest. These we know are ministers of the
gospel. Now is that parable in the 13th of Matthew fulfilled: "While men sleep," (during a long sleepy, dead time in
the church,) "the enemy has sowed tares;" now is the time "when the blade is sprung up," and religion is reviving;
and now some of the servants who have the care of the field say, "Let us go and gather up the tares."--I know there
is a great aptness in men who suppose they have had some experience of the power of religion, to think themselves
sufficient to discern and determine the state of others by a little conversation with them; and experience has taught
me that this is an error. I once did not imagine that the heart of man had been so unsearchable as it is. I am less
charitable, and less uncharitable than once I was. I find more things in wicked men that may counterfeit, and make a
fair show of, piety; and more ways that the remaining corruption of the godly may make them appear like carnal men,
formalists, and dead hypocrites, than once I knew of. The longer I live, the less I wonder that God challenges it as
his prerogative to try the hearts of the children of men, and directs that this business should be let alone till
harvest. I desire to adore the wisdom of God, and his goodness to me and my fellow-creatures, that he has not
committed this great business into the hands of such a poor, weak, and dim-sighted creature--one of so much
blindness, pride, partiality, prejudice, and deceitfulness of heart--but has committed it into the hands of one
infinitely fitter for it, and has made it his prerogative.
The talk of some persons, and the account they give of their experiences, is exceedingly satisfying, and such as
forbids and banishes the thought of their being any other than the precious children of God. It obliges, and as it
were forces, full charity; but yet we must allow the Scriptures to stand good that speak of every thing in the saint,
belonging to the spiritual and divine life, as hidden. (Col. iii. 3, 4.) Their food is the hidden manna; they have
meat to eat that others know not of; a stranger intermeddles not with their joys. The heart in which they possess
their divine distinguishing ornaments, is the hidden man, and in the sight of God only, 1 Pet. iii. 4. Their new
name, which Christ has given them, no man knows but he that receives it, Rev. ii. 17. The praise of the true
Israelites, whose circumcision is that of the heart, is not of men but of God, Rom. ii. 29. that is, they can be
certainly known and discerned to be Israelites, so as to have the honour that belongs to such, only of God; as
appears by the use of the like expression by the same apostle, 1 Cor. iv. 5. Here he speaks of its being God’s
prerogative to judge who are upright Christians, and what he will do at the day of judgment, adding, "and then shall
every man have praise of God."
The instance of Judas is remarkable; whom--though he had been so much amongst the rest of the disciples, all
persons of true experience, yet--his associates never seemed to have entertained a thought of his being any other
than a true disciple, till he discovered himself by his scandalous practice.--And the instance of Ahitophel is also
very remarkable; David did not suspect him, though so wise and holy a man, so great a divine, and had such a great
acquaintance with Scripture. He knew more than all his teachers, more than the ancients, was grown old in
experience, and was in the greatest ripeness of his judgment. He was a great prophet, and was intimately acquainted
with Ahitophel, he being his familiar friend, and most intimate companion in religious and spiritual concerns. Yet
David not only never discovered him to be a hypocrite, but relied upon him as a true saint. He relished his
religious discourse, it was sweet to him and he counted him an eminent saint; so that he made him above any other man
his guide and counsellor in soul matters; but yet he was not only no saint, but a notoriously wicked man, a
murderous, vile wretch. Psal. lv. 11-14. "Wickedness is in the midst thereof; deceit and guile depart not from her
streets: for it was not an open enemy that reproached me, then I could have borne it; neither was it he that hated
me, that did magnify himself against me, then I would have hid myself from him: but it was thou, a man mine equal, my
guide and mine acquaintance: we took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company."
To suppose that men have ability and right do determine the state of the souls of visible Christians, and so to
make an open separation between saints and hypocrites, that true saints may be of one visible company, and hypocrites
of another, separated by a partition that men make, carries in it an inconsistency: for it supposes that God has
given men power to make another visible church, within his visible church; for by visible Christians or visible
saints is meant, persons who have a right to be received as such in the eye of a public charity. None can have a
right to exclude any one of this visible church but in the way of that regular ecclesiastical proceeding, which God
has established in his visible church.--I beg of those who have a true zeal for promoting this work of God, well to
consider these things. I am persuaded, that as many of them as have much to do with souls, if they do not hearken to
me now, will be of the same mind when they have had more experience.
And another thing that I would entreat the zealous friends of this glorious work of God to avoid, is managing the
controversy with opposers with too much heat, and appearance of an angry zeal; and particularly insisting very much
in public prayer and preaching, on the persecution of opposers. If their persecution were ten times so great as it
is, me thinks it would not be best to say so much about it. If it becomes Christians to be like lambs, not apt to
complain and cry when they are hurt; it becomes them to be dumb and not to open their mouth, after the example of our
dear Redeemer; and not to be like swine, that are apt to scream aloud when they are touched. We should not be ready
presently to think and speak of tire from heaven, when the Samaritans oppose us, and will not receive us into their
villages. God’s zealous ministers would do well to think of the direction the apostle Paul gave to a zealous
minister, 2 Tim. ii. 24--26. "And the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach,
patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance, to the
acknowledging of the truth; and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive
by him at his will."
I would humbly recommend to those that love the Lord Jesus Christ, and would advance his kingdom, a good
attendance to that excellent rule of prudence which Christ has left us, Matt. ix. 16, 17. "No man putteth a piece of
new cloth into an old garment; for that which is put in to fill it up, taketh from the garment, and the rent is made
worse. Neither do men put new wine into old bottles; else the bottles break and the wine runneth out, and the
bottles perish. But they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved." I am afraid the wine is now
running out in some part of this land, for want of attending to this rule. For though I believe we have confined
ourselves too much to a certain stated method and form in the management of our religious affairs; which has had a
tendency to cause all our religion to degenerate into mere formality; yet whatever has the appearance of a great
innovation--that tends much to shock and surprise people’s minds, and to set them a talking and disputing--tends
greatly to hinder the progress of the power of religion. It raises the opposition of some, diverts the mind of
others, and perplexes many with doubts and scruples. It causes people to swerve from their great business, and turn
aside to vain jangling. Therefore that which is very much beside the common practice, unless it be a thing in its
own nature of considerable importance, had better be avoided. Herein we shall follow the example of one who had the
greatest success in propagating the power of religion. 1 Cor. ix. 20-23. "Unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I
might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
to them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under to Christ,) that I might gain
them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak. I am made all things to all
men, that I might by all means save some. And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with
you."
JONATHAN EDWARDS (1703–1758) lived in Stockbridge, Massachusetts where he served
as a missionary to the Indians. He preached his famous sermon,
"SINNERS IN THE HANDS OF AN ANGRY GOD," on July 8, 1741 in Enfield,
Connecticut. Hundreds were converted when they heard it.
It is understood that men hid under the pews to shield themselves from
God's wrath while they listened to its condemnation of those who refuse to repent.
Many went forward to ask for help being rid of their sin while the sermon was
not yet finished, and absent any invitation to do so.
It was this kind of preaching that produced the "Great Awakening,"
that revival of the eighteenth century that, under God, spared
the American Colonies the horrible holocaust and blood-bath that
France suffered during the French Revolution.
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