testing this work, whether it is a work of the Spirit of God or not;
PART I.
Showing that the extraordinary work that has of late
been going on in the land, is a glorious work of God.
The error of those who have had ill thoughts 2 about the great religious operations on the minds of men, that have been carried on of late in New England (so far as the ground of such an error has been in the understanding, and not in the disposition), seems to fundamentally lie in three things:
First. Judging this work a priori. 3
Secondly. Not taking the holy Scriptures as a whole rule by which to judge such operations. Thirdly. Not justly separating and distinguishing the good from the bad.
1. They have greatly erred in the way in which they have gone about testing this work, whether it is a work of the Spirit of God or not; namely, in judging it a priori — from the way it began, the instruments employed, the means made use of, and the methods taken and succeeded in carrying it on. To the contrary, if we duly consider the matter, it will appear evident that such a work is not to be judged a priori, but a posteriori.4 We are to observe the effect wrought; and if upon examination of it, it is found to be agreeable to the word of God, we are bound, without more ado, to rest in it as God's work. We will likely be rebuked for our arrogance, if we refuse to do so, till God explains to us how he has brought this effect to pass, or why he has made use of such and such means in doing it. These texts are enough to cause us to forbear with trembling, such a way of proceeding in judging a work of God's Spirit:
Isa 40.13-14, "Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being His counsellor has taught Him? With whom did He take counsel? And who instructed Him, and taught Him in the path of judgment, and taught Him knowledge, and showed Him the way of understanding?"
Joh 3.8, "The wind blows where it wishes; and you hear the sound of it; but cannot tell where it comes from, and where it goes."
We hear the sound, we perceive the effect, and from there we judge that the wind does indeed blow, without waiting before we pass this judgment — first to be satisfied what the cause is of the wind's blowing from such a part of the heavens, and then how it comes to pass that it blows in such a manner, at such a time.
To judge a priori, is a wrong way to judge any of the works of God. We are not to resolve that we will first be satisfied how God brought this or the other effect to pass, and why he has made it thus, or why it pleased him to take such a course, and to use such and such means, before we will acknowledge His work, and give Him the glory for it. This is too much for the clay to take upon itself with respect to the Potter.
God does not give an account of His matters. His judgments are a great deep. He has his way in the sea, and his path in the great waters, and his footsteps are not known; and who will teach God knowledge, or enjoin him in his way, or say to him, what are you doing? We don't know what is the way of the Spirit, nor how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child; even so, we don't know the works of God, who makes all.
It is no wonder, therefore, if those who go to work in this forbidden way, in judging the present wonderful operation, are perplexed and confounded. We ought to take heed that we don't expose ourselves to the calamity of those who pried into the ark of God, when God mercifully returned it to Israel after it had departed from them.
Indeed, God has not taken that course, nor made use of those means, to begin and carry on this great work, which men in their wisdom would have thought most advisable if He had asked their counsel; but quite the contrary. But it appears to me that the great God has worked like Himself in the manner of carrying on this work, so as to very much show his own glory, and exalt his own sovereignty, power, and all-sufficiency, and pour contempt on all that human strength, wisdom, prudence, and sufficiency which men are prone to trust and
to glory in. He has worked so as to greatly cross, rebuke, and chastise the pride and other corruptions of men, in a fulfilment of Isa 2.17: "The loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day." God does it by intermingling in His providence, so many stumbling-blocks with this work; in allowing so much of human weakness and infirmity to appear; and in ordering so many things that are mysterious to men's wisdom. By pouring out his Spirit chiefly on the common people, and bestowing his greatest and highest favors upon them — allowing them to draw nearer to himself than the great, the honorable, the rich, and the learned — it is agreeable to that prophecy in Zec 12.7: "The Lord will save the tents of Judah first, so that the glory of the house of David, and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, do not surpass that of Judah." Those who dwelled in the tents of Judah were the common people, who dwelt in the country, and were of inferior rank. The inhabitants of Jerusalem were their citizens, their men of wealth and figure. And Jerusalem was also the chief place of the habitation or resort of their priests, and Levites, and their officers and judges; there sat the great Sanhedrim. Those of the house of David were the highest rank of all, the royal family, and the great men who were around the king. It is evident by the context, that this prophecy regards something more than saving the people from the Babylonian captivity.
God in this work has begun at the lower end. He has made use of the weak and foolish things of the world to carry on His work. Some of the ministers who have been chiefly employed, have been mere babes in age and standing. Some of them have not been so high in reputation among their fellows as many others. And God has allowed their infirmities to appear in the sight of others, so as to greatly displease them. At the same time, it pleased God to employ them, and to greatly succeed them, while he has not so succeeded others who are generally reputed to be vastly their superiors. Yes, there is reason to think that it pleased God to make use of the infirmities and sins of some whom He employed and succeeded —in particular, their imprudent and rash zeal, and censorious spirit — in order to chastise