divinity of this work, is not taking the Holy Scripture as a whole, and
the deadness, negligence, earthly mindedness, and vanity that have been found among ministers in recent times of general declension and deadness; times in which wise virgins, and foolish ministers and people, have sunk into such a deep sleep. These things in ministers of the gospel, who go forth as the ambassadors of Christ, and have the care of immortal souls, are extremely abominable to God. They are vastly more hateful in His sight than all the imprudence and intemperate heats, the wildness and distraction (as some call it) of these zealous preachers. A supine carelessness, and a vain, carnal, worldly spirit in a minister of the gospel, is the worst madness and distraction in the sight of God. In this day, God may also make use of the unchristian censoriousness of some preachers, to more humble and purify some of His own children and true servants who have been wrongfully censured, in order to fit them for more eminent service, and the future honor that He designs for them.
2. Another foundational error of those who do not acknowledge the divinity of this work, is not taking the Holy Scripture as a whole, and in itself, a sufficient rule by which to judge such things. Those who have one certain and consistent rule to judge by, are likely to come to some clear determination. But for those who have half a dozen different rules to make the thing they would judge agree to, it's no wonder that instead of justly and clearly determining the truth, they only perplex and darken themselves and others. Those who would learn the true measure of anything, and yet have many different measures to test it by, and wish to find conformity to it, have a task that they will not accomplish.
Those I am speaking about, will indeed make some use of Scripture, so far as they think it serves their turn. But they don't make use of it alone, as a sufficient rule by itself. Rather, they make as much, and a great deal more use of other things, diverse and wide from it, by which to judge this work. In particular:
(1) Some make philosophy, instead of the Holy Scriptures, their rule for judging this work — particularly the philosophical notions that they entertain about the nature of the soul, its faculties and
affections. Some are ready to say, "There is but little sober, solid religion in this work. It is little else but flash and noise. Religion now-a-days runs out into transports, and high flights of the passions and affections." In their philosophy, the affections of the soul are something different from the will — not pertaining to the noblest part of the soul, but the meanest principles that it has. These belong to man as part of his animal nature, and what he has in common with the brute creation, rather than anything by which he is conformed to angels and pure spirits. Though they acknowledge that a good use may be made of the affections in religion, they suppose that the substantial part of religion doesn't consist in those, but rather, they are to be seen as something adventitious and incidental in Christianity.
I cannot help but think that these gentlemen labor under great mistakes, both in their philosophy and their divinity. It's true, a distinction must be made in affections or passions. There is a great difference between high affections, and raised affections, which must be distinguished by the skill of the observer. Some are much more solid than others. There are many exercises of the affections that are very flashy, and little to be depended on. Often there is a great deal that pertains to them, or rather that is the effect of them, that has its seat in the animal nature, and is very much owing to the constitution and frame of the body; and what sometimes gets the special name of passion, is nothing solid or substantial. But it is false philosophy to suppose that this is the case with all exercises of affection in the soul, or with all great and high affections. And it is false divinity to suppose that religious affections don't pertain to the substance and essence of Christianity. On the contrary, it seems to me that the very life and soul of all true religion consists in them.
I humbly conceive that the affections of the soul are improperly distinguished from the will, as though they were two separate faculties in the soul. All acts of the affections of the soul are in some sense acts of the will, and all acts of the will are acts of the affections. All exercises of the will are in some degree or other, exercises of the soul's appetite or aversion; or (which is the same thing) of its love or
hatred. The soul wills one thing rather than another, or chooses one thing rather than another, no differently than it loves one thing more than another. But love and hatred are affections of the soul. And therefore, all acts of the will are truly acts of the affections; though the exercises of the will are not termed passions, unless the will, either in its aversion or opposition, is exercised to a high degree, or in a vigorous and lively manner.
All will concede that true virtue or holiness has its seat chiefly in the heart, rather than in the head. It therefore follows from what has been said already, that it consists chiefly in holy affections. The things of religion take place in men's hearts, no further than they are affected by them. The informing of the understanding is all vain, any further than it affects the heart; or which is the same thing, it influences the affections. 5
Those gentlemen who make light of these raised affections in religion, will doubtless allow 6 that true religion and holiness, as it has its seat in the heart, is capable of very high degrees and high exercises in the soul. For instance, they will doubtless allow that the holiness of the heart or will, is capable of being raised to a hundred times as great a degree of strength as it is in the most eminent saint on earth; or being exerted a hundred times as strong and vigorous as the exercises of the heart. Yet it will still be true religion or holiness, except in a higher degree. Therefore, I would now ask them, by what terms will they call these high and vigorous exercises of the will or heart? Are they not high affections? What can they consist in, if not high acts of love; strong and vigorous exercises of benevolence and complacence;7 high, exalting, and admiring thoughts of God and his perfections; strong desires for God, etc.? And now, what have we come to if not high and raised affections? Yes, those very same high and raised affections that they previously objected to, or made light of, as worthy of little regard?
I further suppose that all will allow that there is nothing but solid religion in heaven — except that there, religion and holiness of heart are raised to an exceedingly great height, to strong, high, exalted
exercises of heart. Now, what other kinds of such exceedingly strong and high exercises of the heart, or of holiness — as it has its seat in their hearts — can we devise for these, if not holy affections, high degrees of actings of love to God, rejoicing in God, admiring of God, etc.? Therefore, these things in the saints and angels in heaven, are not to be despised and dismissed by terms like "great heats" and "transports of the passions."
Doubtless it will be further allowed that the more eminent the saints are on earth, and the stronger their grace is, and the higher its exercises, the more they are like the saints in heaven; i.e., (by what was just now observed) the more they have high or raised affections in religion.
Though there are false affections in religion — affections that in some respects are raised high, and are flashy 8 — undoubtedly there are also true, holy, and solid affections. And the higher these true ones are raised, the better. If they are raised to an exceedingly great height, they are not to be thought badly of, or suspected, merely because of their great degree. On the contrary, they are to be esteemed and rejoiced in. Charity or divine love is represented in Scripture as the sum of all the religion of the heart (Rom 13.10); this is nothing but a holy affection. Therefore, in proportion to how firmly this is fixed in the soul, and raised to a great height, the more eminent a person is in holiness. Divine love or charity is represented as the sum of all the religion of heaven; it is what the religion of the church will mainly consist in, in its more perfect state on earth— when knowledge, tongues, and prophesying will cease. And therefore, the higher this holy affection is raised in the church of God, or in a gracious soul, the more excellent and perfect is the state of the church, or of a particular soul.
If we take the Scriptures for our rule then, the greater and higher the exercises of love to God are — delight and complacence in God; desires and longings after God; delight in the children of God; love to mankind; brokenness of heart; abhorrence of sin, and selfabhorrence for sin; the peace of God which surpasses all
understanding; joy in the Holy Ghost; joy unspeakable and full of glory; admiring thoughts of God; exulting and glorifying in God — that much higher Christ's religion, or that virtue which He and his apostles taught, is raised in the soul
It causes some to stumble, that religious affections should seem so powerful, or that they should be so violent in some people (as they express it). They are therefore ready to doubt whether it can be the Spirit of God, or whether this vehemence isn't rather a sign of the operation of an evil spirit. But why should such a doubt arise from no other ground than this? What is represented in Scripture, as more powerful in its effects than the Spirit of God? It is therefore called the power of the Highest, Luk 1.35. Its saving effect in the soul is called the power of godliness, 2Tim 3.5. So we read in 1Cor 2.4, of the demonstration of the Spirit, and of power. It is said to operate in the minds of men with the exceeding greatness of divine power, and according to the working of God's mighty power, Eph 1.19. So we read of the effectual working of His power, Eph 3.7; and of the power that works in Christians, 3.20. And of the glorious power of God in the operations of the Spirit, Col 1.11. And of the work of faith being wrought with power, 2The 1.11. In 2Tim 1.7, the Spirit of God is called the spirit of power, and love, and of a sound mind. So too, the Spirit is represented by a mighty wind, and by fire (Act 2.2; Mat 3.11) — things that are most powerful in their operation.
(2) Many are guilty of not taking the holy Scriptures as a sufficient and whole rule by which to judge whether this work is the work of God. They judge by those things which the Scripture does not give as any signs or marks by which to judge one way or the other. And therefore they judge by things which in no way belong to the Scripture rule; namely, the effects that religious exercises and affections of mind have upon the body. Scripture rules respect the state of the mind, and people's moral conduct, and voluntary behavior, and not the physical state of the body. The design of the Scripture is to teach us divinity, not physicality and anatomy. Ministers are made the watchmen of men's souls, not of their bodies. Therefore, the great rule which God has committed into their hands,
is to make them divines, and not physicians. Christ knew better than we do, what instructions and rules his church would need. And if he had seen it needful for the church's safety, he doubtless would have given ministers rules to judge bodily effects; and he would have told them how the pulse should beat under such and such religious exercises of mind — when men should look pale; when they should shed tears; when they should tremble; whether or not they should ever be faint or cry out; or whether the body should ever convulse. He would probably have put some book into their hands, to make them excellent anatomists and physicians. But he hasn't done that, because he didn't see it as needed. He judged that if ministers did their duty thoroughly as watchmen and overseers of the state and frame of men's souls, and of their voluntary conduct, according to the rules he had given, his church would be well provided for as to its safety in these matters.
And therefore those ministers of Christ and overseers of souls, who busy themselves and are full of concern about the involuntary motions of the fluids and solids of men's bodies, and from there are full of doubts and suspicions about the cause, when nothing appears except that the state and frame of their minds and their voluntary behavior is good and agreeable with God's word — I say, such ministers step out of the place Christ has set them in, and they leave their proper business. It is like judging who is under the influence of the Spirit, by their looks or their gait. I cannot see in what way we are in danger, or how the devil is likely to get any notable advantage against us, if we but thoroughly do our duty with respect to those two things: (1) the state of people's minds, and (2) their moral conduct — seeing to it that they are maintained in accord with the rules that Christ has given us. If things are kept right in these two respects, then our fears and suspicions arising from extraordinary bodily effects seem wholly groundless.
The most specious thing that is alleged against these extraordinary effects on the body, is that the body is impaired, and health is wronged. It is hard to think that God, in the merciful influences of his Spirit on men, would wound their bodies and impair their health.
But even if this were fairly common, or in multiplied instances (which I don't suppose it is) people received a lasting wound to their health by extraordinary religious impressions made upon their minds, it is too much for us to determine that God will never bring an outward calamity in bestowing a vastly greater spiritual and eternal good.
Jacob did his duty in wrestling with God for the blessing. And while God was striving with him, Jacob suffered a great outward calamity from God's hand, at the same time that he received the blessing from God. God impaired his body so that he never got over it as long as he lived. God gave him the blessing, but sent him away limping on his thigh, and he went lame all his life afterward (Gen 32.25). Yet this is not mentioned as if it were any diminution of the great mercy of God toward him when God blessed him. He received his name Israel, because like a Prince, he had power with God, and had prevailed.
But some say the operations of the Spirit of God are of a benign nature. Nothing is of a kinder influence on human nature, than the merciful breathings of God's own Spirit. But it has been generally supposed and allowed in the church of God till now, that there is such a thing as being lovesick toward Christ, or having our bodily strength weakened by strong and vigorous exercises of love towards him. (Song 2.5) But however kind to human nature the influences of the Spirit of God are, nobody doubts that divine and eternal things, as they may be revealed, might overpower the nature of man in its present weak state. And therefore the body in its present weakness, is not equipped for the views, pleasures, and employments of heaven. If God revealed but a little of what is seen by the saints and angels in heaven, our frail natures would sink under it. Indeed, I don't know what people may now deny, to defend themselves in a cause in which they have long engaged their spirits; but I know these things never used to be denied or doubted. Let us rationally consider what we profess to believe about the infinite greatness of the things of God, the divine wrath, the divine glory, the divine infinite love and grace in Jesus Christ, and the vastness and infinite importance of the things of eternity. Now consider how reasonable it is to suppose that
if it pleased God to draw back the veil a little, and let light into the soul, and give somewhat of a view of the great things of another world in their transcendent and infinite greatness — that our human nature (which is like the grass, a shaking leaf, a weak and withering flower) might totter under such a revelation. Such a bubble is too weak to bear the weight of a view of things that are so vast. Alas! what is such dust and ashes, that it should support itself under a view of the awful wrath, or the infinite glory and love of Jehovah?
Therefore, it is no wonder that it is said, No man can see me and live (Exo 33.20), and flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God (1Cor 15.50). The external glory and majesty of Christ which Daniel saw, when no strength remained in him and his vigor was turned into frailty, Dan. 10.6-8; and that glory which the apostle John saw, when he fell at his feet as if dead (Rev 1.17), was but an image or shadow of that spiritual glory and majesty of Christ, which will be manifested in the souls of the saints in another world. And sometimes, in some degree, it is manifested to the soul in this world, by the influences of the Spirit of God. If beholding the image and the external representation of this spiritual majesty and glory, so overpowered human nature, then is it unreasonable to suppose that the sight of the spiritual glory itself — which is the substance of that which was but a shadow — might have so powerful an effect? The prophet Habakkuk spoke of the awful manifestations God made of his majesty and wrath at the Red Sea; and in the wilderness; and at Mount Sinai where He gave the Law; and of the merciful influence and strong impression that God caused it to have on him. This was to the end that Habakkuk might be saved from that wrath, and rest in the day of trouble. Hab 3.16, "When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice; rottenness entered my bones; I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble." This is much the same effect that the revelation of the same majesty and wrath, in the same awful voice from Mount Sinai, had upon many in these recent days. And it is for the same purposes: to give them rest in the day of trouble, and to save them from that wrath. The Psalmist also speaks of that same effect that I have often seen on people under religious
affections lately: Psa 119.131, "I opened my mouth and panted, for I longed for your commandments."
God is pleased sometimes, in distributing spiritual blessings to his people in some respect, to exceed the capacity of the vessel in its present scantiness. He not only fills it full, but he makes their cup run over, as in Psa 23.5. And He sometimes pours out a blessing in such a manner and measure, that there isn't room enough to receive it, Mal 3.10. He gives them more riches than they can carry away. He did this to Jehoshaphat and his people in a time of great favor. It came by the word of his prophet Jehaziel in answer to earnest prayer, when the people blessed the Lord in the valley of Berachah, 2Chr 20.14-26. It was so with the disciples of Christ, when for a long time, a time of great emptiness on spiritual accounts, they had gone hungry, and been toiling in vain during a dark season, a time of night for the church of God. It was so with the disciples of old, when they toiled all night for something to eat, and caught nothing, Luk 5.5, and Joh 21.3. But now, the morning has come. Jesus appears to his disciples, and takes a compassionate notice of their wants, and says to them. Children, do you have any food? He gives some of them such an abundance of food, that they are not able to draw in their net. Indeed, their net breaks and their vessel is overloaded, and it begins to sink. Thus it was with the disciples of old, Luk 5.6-7 and Joh 21.3-7.
We cannot determine that God will never give anyone so much of a revelation of Himself, as to not only weaken their body, but take away their lives. It is supposed by very learned and judicious divines, that Moses's life was taken away in this manner. And this was also supposed to be the case with some other saints. Indeed, I don't see any solid and sure grounds that anyone has to determine that God will never make such strong impressions on the mind by his Spirit, that it impairs the frame of the body and particularly the brain, that people are deprived of their use of reason. As I said before, it is too much for us to determine that God will not bring an outward calamity in bestowing spiritual and eternal blessings. So too, it is too much for us to determine how great an outward calamity He will
bring. If God gives a great increase of revelations of Himself, and out of love for Him, the benefit is infinitely greater than the calamity. This is true even if the life were quickly taken away afterward — yes, even if the soul were not immediately taken to heaven, but lay for some years in a deep sleep, and then was taken to heaven — or much the same, if a soul were deprived of the use of its faculties, and inactive and unserviceable, laying as if in a deep sleep for some years, and then passed into glory. We cannot determine how great a calamity distraction9 is, when considered with all its consequences, and all that might have been consequent if the distraction had not happened. Nor indeed can we determine whether (thus considered) it may be any calamity at all, or whether it is instead a mercy — by preventing some great sin, or some more dreadful thing if it had not happened.
It is a great fault in us to limit a sovereign, all-wise God, whose judgments are a great deep, and his ways past finding out, where He has not limited Himself; and to limit Him in things concerning which He has not told us what his way will be. It is remarkable, considering the multitude of instances, and how great a degree the frame of the body has been overpowered of late, that people's lives have notwithstanding been preserved. It's remarkable that the instances of those who have been deprived of reason have been so very few, and of those, perhaps all of them, people were under the peculiar disadvantage of a weak, nervous habit of body. A merciful and careful divine hand is very manifest in it, that in so many instances where the ship has begun to sink, it has yet been upheld, and hasn't totally sunk. The instances of those who have been deprived of reason are so few, that certainly they are not enough to cause us to be in any way frightened, as though this work that has been carried on in the country, was likely to have a harmful influence — not unless we are disposed to gather up all that we can to darken it, and to set it forth in such frightful colors.
There is one particular kind of exercise and concern of mind that has overpowered many, and especially caused some to stumble. And that is the deep concern and distress they've been in for the souls of
others. I am sorry that anyone would put us to the trouble of doing what seems so needless as defending such a thing as this. It seems like mere trifling in so plain a case, to enter into a formal and particular debate, in order to determine whether there is anything in the greatness and importance of the case that will correspond to, and bear a proportion to the greatness of the concern that some have manifested. Men may be allowed, from no higher a principle than common decency and humanity, to be very deeply concerned and greatly exercised in mind, at seeing others in great danger of no greater a calamity than drowning, or being burned up in a house fire. If so, then doubtless it will be allowed to be equally reasonable, if they saw them in danger of a calamity ten times greater, and were much more concerned. And even more so if the calamity was vastly greater. Why then should it be thought unreasonable, and looked at with a suspicious eye, as if it must come from some bad cause, when people are extremely concerned at seeing others in very great danger of suffering the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God unto all eternity? Besides, it will doubtless be allowed that those who have very great degrees of the Spirit of God, who is a spirit of love, may well be supposed to have vastly more of love and compassion for their fellow creatures, than those who are influenced only by common humanity. Why should it be thought strange that those who are full of the spirit of Christ, should be proportionately like Christ, in their love for souls? He had so strong a love for them and concern for them, as to be willing to drink the dregs of the cup of God's fury for them? (Isa 51.22; Luk 22.44). And at the same time that he offered up his blood for souls, he also offered up, as their high priest, strong crying and tears (Heb 5.6-7), with extreme agony, in which the soul of Christ was, as it were,10 in travail for the souls of the elect. And therefore, in saving them he is said to see the travail of his soul (Isa 53.11).
As the spirit of Christ is a spirit of love to, and concern for souls, so it is the spirit of the church. Therefore, in desiring and seeking that Christ might be brought forth in the world, and in the souls of men, the church is represented in Rev 12.2, as a "woman crying, travailing
in birth, and pained to be delivered." The spirit of those who have been in distress for the souls of others, so far as I can discern, doesn't seem to be different from that of the apostle, who travailed for souls, and was ready to wish himself accursed from Christ for others (Rom 9.3). Or that of the Psalmist, in Psa 119.53, "Horror has taken hold of me, because of the wicked who forsake your Law." And 119.136, "Rivers of waters run down from my eyes, because they do not keep your Law." Or that of the prophet Jeremiah, Jer 4.19, "My bowels! My bowels! 11 I am pained in my very heart! My heart pounds in me! I cannot hold my peace! Because you have heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war!" So too in Jer 9.1; 13.17, 14.17; and Isa 22.4. We read of Mordecai, that when he saw his people in danger of being destroyed with a temporal destruction, Est 4.1, "He tore his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and bitter cry." Why then should people be thought distracted, when they cannot keep from crying out at the consideration of the misery of those who are going to eternal destruction?
(3) Another thing that some make their rule to judge this work by, instead of the Holy Scriptures, is history, or prior observation. They err in two ways by this:
First, if there is anything new and extraordinary in the circumstances of this work, that was not observed in former times, it is their rule to reject this work as not the work of God. In doing so, they make for their rule, what God has not given them for a rule. They limit God, where he has not limited himself. This is especially unreasonable in this case. For whoever has well weighed the wonderful and mysterious methods of divine wisdom in carrying on the work of the new creation, or in the progress of the work of redemption from the first promise of the seed of the woman to this time, they may easily observe that all along it has been God's way to open new scenes; to bring into view things that are new and wonderful, that eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor entered into the heart of man or angels (1Cor 2.9). This is to the astonishment of
heaven and earth, not only in the revelations that He makes of his mind and will, but also in the works of his hands.
The old creation was carried on through six days, appeared all complete, and settled in a state of rest on the seventh day. So the new creation, which is immensely the greatest and most glorious work, is carried on in a gradual progress, from the fall of man, to the consummation of all things at the end of the world. In the progress of the old creation, new things were still accomplished; new wonders appeared every day in the sight of the angels, who were the spectators of that work. While those morning stars sang together, new scenes were opened, or things that they had not seen before, till the whole was finished. So it is in the progress of the new creation. Thus comes the promise in Isa 64.4, "For since the beginning of the world, men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen, O God, besides you, what He has prepared for the one who waits for him." It had a glorious fulfilment in the days of Christ and the apostles, as the words are applied in 1Cor 2.9. Yet it always remains to be fulfilled, in things that are yet to come, until the new creation is finished at Christ's delivering up the kingdom to the Father (1Cor 15.24). And we live in those latter days, in which we may be especially warranted to expect that things will be accomplished, concerning which it will be said, Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? (Isa 66.8)
Besides this, those things in this work that have been chiefly complained about as "new," are not as new as generally imagined. Though they have been more frequent lately, in proportion to the uncommon degree, extent, swiftness, and other extraordinary circumstances of the work, yet they are not new in their kind. Rather, they are things of the same nature as found and well approved of before in the church of God, from time to time.
We have a remarkable instance in Mr. Robert Bolton (1572-1631), that noted minister of the church of England. Being awakened by the preaching of the famous Mr. William Perkins (1558-1602), minister of Christ in the University of Cambridge, he was subject to such terrors that they threw him to the ground, and caused him to roar
with anguish. The pangs of the new birth in him were such that he lay pale and without sense, like someone dead. We have an account of this in the Fulfilling of the Scripture, 5th edition, pages 103-104.12
We have an account on the same page of another whose comforts under the sunshine of God's presence were so great, that he could not forbear crying out in a transport of emotion, and expressing in exclamations, the great sense he had of forgiving mercy, and his assurance of God's love. We have a remarkable instance in the life of Mr. George Trosse (1631-1713), written by himself. He was a notoriously vicious 13 and profligate liver, who became an eminent saint and minister of the gospel. He described terrors, occasioned by awakenings of conscience, that so overpowered his body, as to deprive him for some time, of the use of reason.
Yes, such extraordinary external effects of inward impressions are not only to be found here and there in a single person, but there have also been times before, in which many have been thus affected in some particular parts of the church of God; and such effects have appeared in many congregations at once. So it was in the year 1625, in the west of Scotland, in a time of great outpouring of the Spirit of God. It was then a frequent thing for many to be so extraordinarily seized with terror in the hearing of the word, by the Spirit of God convincing them of their sin, that they fell down and were carried out of the church. Afterwards they proved to be most solid and lively Christians; as the author of the Fulfilling of the Scripture informs us, p. 185. The same author, on the preceding page, informs us of many in France who were so wonderfully affected with the preaching of the gospel, in the time of those famous divines, Farel and Viret,14 that for a time, they could not follow their secular business. And on p. 186, we are informed of many in Ireland, in a time of great outpouring of the Spirit there in the year 1628, who were so filled with divine comforts, and a sense of God, that they made little use of either food, drink, or sleep, and professed that they didn't feel the need for them. The same author gives an account of very much the same things in the case of Mrs. Catherine Brettergh of Lancashire in England (pages 391-392), that have been complained about here among us, as "wild
and distracted." He tells how, after great distress which very much affected her body, the sweat sometimes bursting out upon her, God so broke in upon her mind with light and revelations of Himself, that she was forced to burst out, crying,
"O the Joys, the Joys, the Joys, that I feel in my soul! O they are wonderful, they are wonderful! The place where I now am is sweet and pleasant! How comfortable is the sweetness I feel, that delights my soul! The taste is precious; don't you feel it? O so sweet as it is!"
And at other times,
"O my sweet Saviour, will I be one with you, as you are one with the Father? And do you so love me who am but dust, as to make me partaker of glory with Christ? O how wonderful is your love! And oh, that my tongue and heart were able to sound forth your praises as I should."
At another time she burst forth this way:
"Yes Lord, I feel your mercy, and I am assured of your love! And I am so certain of this, because you are that God of truth. Even so certainly, I know I am yours, O Lord my God; and my soul knows this right well!" She repeated these last words.
She said to a grave minister, one Mr. Harrison, who was then with her:
"My soul has been compassed with the terrors of death, the sorrows of hell were upon me, and a wilderness of woe was within me. But blessed, blessed, blessed be the Lord my God! He has brought me to a place of rest, even to the sweet running waters of Life. The way I now go in, is a sweet and easy way, strewn with flowers. He has brought me into a place sweeter than the garden of Eden. O the joy, the joy, the delights and joy that I feel! O how wonderful!"
Great outcries under awakenings were more frequently heard of in former times in the country, than they have been of late, as some aged people now living testify. Particularly, I think it fitting here to insert a testimony of my honored father, of what he remembers to have heard formerly.
"I well remember that one Mr. Alexander Allyn, a Scots gentleman of good credit, who dwelled formerly in this town, showed me a letter that came from Scotland. It gave an account of a sermon preached in the city of Edinburgh (as I remember), in the time of the sitting of the general assembly of divines in that kingdom. It so affected the people, that there was a great and loud cry made throughout the assembly. I have also been credibly informed — how often I cannot now say — that it was a common thing, when the famous Mr. John Rogers of Dedham in England was preaching, for some of his hearers to cry out. And by what I have heard, I conclude that it was usual for many who heard that very awakening and rousing preacher of God's word, to make a great cry in the congregation."
TIMOTHY EDWARDS.
WINDSOR, May 5, 1742.
Mr. John Flavel (1630-1691) gives a remarkable instance of a man that he knew, who was so wonderfully overcome with divine comforts. It is supposed he knew this, as the apostle Paul knew the man who was caught up to the third heaven. He relates,
"As the person was travelling alone, with his thoughts closely fixed on the great and astonishing things of another world, his thoughts began to swell higher and higher, like the water in Ezekiel's vision, until at last they became an overflowing flood. Such was the intenseness of his mind, such were the ravishing tastes of heavenly joys, and such was his full assurance of his interest in it, that he utterly lost all sight and sense of this world and its concerns. For some hours, he didn't know where he was, nor what he was about. But having lost a great quantity of blood at the nose, he found himself so faint, that it brought him around a little more to himself. After he had washed himself at a spring, and drank of the water for his refreshment, he continued to the end of his journey, which was thirty miles; and all this while he was scarcely sensible. He says he had several trances of considerable continuance. The same blessed frame was preserved all that night, and in a lower degree, a great
part of the next day. The night passed without one wink of sleep; and yet he declares he never had a sweeter night's rest in all his life. Still, adds the story, the joy of the Lord overflowed him, and he seemed to be an inhabitant of another world. And for many years after, he used to call that day one of the days of heaven. And he professed that he understood more about the life of heaven by it, than by all the books he ever read, or discourses he ever entertained about it."
There have been instances before now, of people crying out in transports of divine joy in New England. We have an instance in Capt. Clap's memoirs, published by the Rev. Mr. Prince, not of a silly woman or child, but of a man of solid understanding, who in a high transport of spiritual joy, was made to cry out aloud on his bed. His words on p. 9, are:
"God's Holy Spirit witnessed, I do believe, together with my spirit, that I was a child of God, and filled my heart and soul with such full assurance that Christ was mine, that it so transported me, as to make me cry out upon my bed, with a loud voice, He has come, He has come!"
There has been before now, both crying out and falling down in this town, under awakenings of conscience, and in the pangs of the new birth; and also in some of the neighboring towns. In one of them, more than seven years ago, a great number were together who cried out and fell down under convictions; in most of which, by good information, there was a hopeful and abiding good result. The Rev. Mr. Williams of Deerfield gave me an account of an aged man in that town, many years before that, who being awakened by his preaching, cried out aloud in the congregation. There have been many instances before now, in this and in some neighboring towns, of people fainting with joyful revelations made to their souls — once, several together in this town. And formerly, there have also been several instances here of people's flesh growing cold and numb, their hands clenched, even their bodies being set into convulsions, having been overpowered with a strong sense of the astonishingly great and excellent things of God, and the eternal world.
Secondly. Another way that some err in making history and former observation their rule to judge this work by, instead of the Holy Scripture, is in comparing some external, incidental circumstances of this work, with what has sometimes appeared in enthusiasts.15
Because they find an agreement in some of those things, they reject the whole work, or at least the substance of it, concluding it is mere enthusiasm. Such great use has been made to this purpose, of many things that are found among the Quakers — no matter how totally and essentially different in its nature this work is, and the principles that it is built upon, from the whole religion of the Quakers. So, to the same purpose, some external appearances that were found among the French prophets,16 and some other enthusiasts in former times, have been trumped up with great assurance and triumph of late.
(4) I propose that it be considered whether or not some, instead of making the Scriptures their only rule to judge this work by, make their own experience the rule, and reject those things which are now professed and experienced, because they never felt them themselves. Are there not many who chiefly on this ground, have entertained and vented suspicions, if not peremptory condemnations, of those extreme terrors, those great, sudden, and extraordinary revelations of the glorious perfections of God, and of the beauty and love of Christ — such vehement affections, such high transports of love and joy, such pity and distress for the souls of others; and exercises of mind that have such great effects on people's bodies — merely or chiefly because they knew nothing about them by experience? People are very ready to be suspicious of whatever they haven't felt themselves. It is to be feared that many good men have been guilty of this error; yet this doesn't make it less unreasonable. Perhaps there are some who, on this ground, not only reject these extraordinary things, but also all such convictions of sin, and revelations of the glory of God, and of the excellency of Christ, and the inward conviction of the truth of the gospel, by the immediate influence of the Spirit of God. These are all things that are now supposed to be necessary to salvation.