high they are raised. If they are qualified as mentioned
Sometimes the vehemence of the motion of the animal spirits under great affections, is owing in considerable measure, to experiences being partial in this way. I have known in several instances, that people have been greatly affected with the dying love of Christ, and with their consideration of the happiness of enjoying him in heaven, and other things of that nature. At the same time, their animal spirits have been in a great commotion; but in the midst of it, they gave them a deep sense of the awful, holy majesty of God. And that has at once composed them and quieted their animal nature, without diminishing their comfort; it only made it of a better and more solid nature. Once they had a sense of both the majesty and grace of God, the one balanced the other, and caused a happier sedateness and composure of body and mind.
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From these things we may learn how to judge experiences, and estimate their goodness. The best experiences are not always the ones attended with the most violent affections, and the most vehement motions of the animal spirits, or that have the greatest effects on the body. Nor are they the ones that most dispose people to abound in talking to others, and speaking in the most vehement manner (though these things often arise from the greatness of spiritual experiences). But those experiences are the most excellent, which are qualified as follows:
1. They have the least mixture, or are the most purely spiritual. 2. They are the least deficient and partial; i.e., the diverse things that pertain to Christian experience, are proportionate to one another. And, 3. They are raised to the highest degree. It doesn't matter how high they are raised. If they are qualified as mentioned earlier, then the higher the better. Experiences thus qualified will be attended with the most amiable behavior, and they will produce the most solid and sweet fruits, be the most durable, and have the greatest effect on the abiding temper of the soul.
If God is pleased to carry on this work, and it should prove to be the dawning of a general revival of the Christian church, then it may be expected that the time will soon come when the experiences of Christians will be much more generally qualified in this way. We must expect green fruits before we have ripe ones. It is probable that hereafter, the discoveries which the saints have of divine things, will be in a much higher degree than have yet occurred. But they will be so ordered by an infinitely wise and all sufficient God, that they will not have so great a effect on the body, proportionally, and they will be less oppressive to nature. The outward manifestations will rather be like Stephen's when he was full of the Holy Ghost, when all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face, as if it had been the face of an angel. Their inward fulness of the Spirit of God in his divine, amiable, and sweet influences, will shine forth in a heavenly aspect and manner of speech and behavior.
But there is another thing concerning experiences of Christians, which it is of even greater importance to be aware of, than either of the preceding. And that is the degenerating of experiences. What I mean is something different from the mere decay of experiences, or their gradually vanishing by people losing their sense of things. I mean people's experiences are growing worse and worse by degrees, in their kind; more and more partial and deficient; more and more out of due proportion. They also have more and more of a corrupt mixture; the spiritual part decreases, and the other useless and hurtful parts greatly increase. There is such a thing. It is very frequent, as experience abundantly evidences. I've seen it in very many instances, and the mischiefs that have arisen through lack of being more aware of it, are great.
As I observed before, in high experiences, besides what is spiritual, there is commonly a mixture of three things: natural or common affections; workings of the imagination; and a degree of selfrighteousness or spiritual pride. Now it often comes to pass, that by not distinguishing the wheat from the chaff, and for lack of watchfulness and humble jealousy of themselves, and by laying great weight on the natural and imaginary part — yielding to it and
indulging it — that part grows and increases, and the spiritual part decreases. The devil sets in and works in the corrupt part, and cherishes it to his utmost, until at length the experiences of some people who began well, come to little else than violent motions of carnal affections. They have great heats of the imagination, and a great degree of enthusiasm, and a swelling of spiritual pride. It is very much like some fruits which bud, blossom, and kernel well, but afterwards they are destroyed by excessive moisture. Though the bulk is monstrously great, there is little else in it except what is useless and unwholesome. It appears to me very probable that many of the heresies that have arisen, and the sects that appeared in the Christian world in one age or another, with wild enthusiastic notions and practices, began by this means. The same degenerating of experiences first gave rise to them, or at least it led the way to them.
There is nothing in the world that so much exposes us to this degenerating of experiences, as unheeded spiritual pride and selfconfidence, and people being conceited about their own stock — without a humble, daily, and continued dependence on God. This very thing seems to be typified of old, by the corrupting of the manna. Some of the children of Israel, because they had gathered a store of manna, trusted in it. They apprehended that the store which they had gathered and laid up was sufficient, without humbly looking to heaven, and stooping to the earth for daily supplies. The consequence was that their manna bred worms and stank, Exo 16.20. Pride, above all things, promotes this degeneracy of experiences, because it grieves and quenches the Spirit of the Lamb of God. And so it kills the spiritual part, and cherishes the natural part; it inflames the carnal affections, and heats the imagination.
The unhappy person who is the subject of such a degeneracy of experiences is not sensible of his own calamity, for the most part. But because he finds himself still violently moved, and has greater heats of zeal, and more vehement motions of his animal spirits, he thinks he is fuller of the Spirit of God than ever. But indeed, he is like the apostle says of the Galatians, Gal 3.3, "Having begun in the Spirit, they are made perfect by the flesh."
By the mixture of common affection with love toward God, the love of true Christians is liable to degenerate. It is liable to be built more and more on the foundation of a supposition of being His high and peculiar favorites, and less and less on an apprehension of the excellency of God's nature, as He is in himself. So the joy of Christians is liable to degenerate because of the mixture of common affection with spiritual joy, coming at last to be little else than joy in self — joy in a person's own supposed eminency and distinction from others in the favor of God. So the zeal that at first might be spiritual in great part, through long-continued opposition and controversy, may degenerate more and more into proud human passion; it may come to bitterness, and even to a degree of hatred. And so, love for the brethren may by degrees come to little else than fondness, and a zeal for party. Indeed, through a mixture of natural love for the opposite sex, it may degenerate more and more, until it results in what is criminal and gross. I leave it with those who are better acquainted with ecclesiastical history, to inquire whether such a degeneracy of affections as this might not be the first thing that led the way, and gave occasion to the rise of the abominable notion of some sects that have arisen, concerning the community of women. However that may be, certainly the mutual embraces and kisses of people of different sexes, under the notion of Christian love and holy kisses, are utterly to be disallowed and abominated, as having the most direct tendency to quickly turn Christian love into unclean and brutish lust. That will not be better, but ten times worse for being christened with the name of "Christian love."
I should also think it advisable that meetings of young people, of both sexes, in the evening, by themselves, without a minister or any elder people among them, even though for religious exercises, should be avoided. For the present, while their minds are greatly solemnized with lively impressions, and a deep sense of divine things, there may appear no ill consequence. Yet we must look to the further end of things, and guard against future dangers and advantages that Satan might gain against us. As a lively, solemn sense of divine things on the minds of young people may gradually decay, so there will be
danger that a bad use of these meetings may gradually prevail. Even if there is no unsuitable behavior while together in the meetings, when they break up to go home, they may naturally consort together in couples, for other than religious purposes. And it may at last come to young people going to such meetings, chiefly for the sake of having an opportunity for company-keeping.
There is sometimes a defect in the experiences of Christians, as well as the mixture they have, which exposes them to degenerate. Deficient maimed experiences sometimes become more and more so. The mind, being wholly intent upon those things that are in view, and neglecting those that are most lacking, there is less and less of them. And so the gap grows wider and wider for corruption to come in. Commonly, both these causes of the degenerating of experiences, operate together.
We need to be jealous over ourselves with a godly jealousy, as the apostle was over the Christian Corinthians, lest somehow, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so our minds might be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. (2Cor 11.2-3) God indeed will never allow his true saints to totally and finally fall away. Yet He may punish their pride and self-confidence by allowing them to be long led by the subtle serpent into a dreadful wilderness, to the great wounding of their own souls, and the interest of religion.
Before I dismiss this topic of the degenerating of experiences, I would mention one thing more that tends to it. And that is people's aiming in their experience, to go beyond the rule of God's word, i.e., aiming at that which is indeed beyond the rule in some respect. Thus some people have endeavored to utterly root out and abolish all natural affection, or any special affection or regard for their near relations. They do so under a notion that no other love ought to be allowed but spiritual love; and that all other love is to be abolished as carnal; and that it becomes Christians to love no one on account of anything but the image of God. Therefore, they say, love should go out to one another only in that proportion in which the image of God is seen in them. They might as well argue that a man should utterly disallow, and endeavor to abolish all love or appetite for his daily
food, under a notion that it is a carnal appetite, and no other appetite should be tolerated but spiritual appetites. Why should the saints strive for that as a high attainment in holiness? The apostle mentions it in Rom 1.31 as one instance in which the heathen came to that most horrid pass in wickedness: namely, being without natural affection.
Some have doubted whether they should pray for the conversion and salvation of the souls of their children, any more than for the souls of others, because the salvation of the souls of others would be as much to God's glory as the salvation of their children. They suppose that praying most for their own would show a selfish disposition. So they have been afraid to tolerate a compassionate grief and concern for their nearest friends, for fear it would argue for a lack of resignation to God.
It is true, there is great danger of people setting their hearts too much on their earthly friends. Our love to earthly friends should be under the government of the love of God, and should be attended with a spirit of submission and resignation to His will, and everything should be subordinated to his glory. But that's no argument for these affections being entirely abolished, which the Creator of the world has put within mankind for the good of mankind. This is because He saw they would be necessary for them, as they must be united in society in the present state, and are of great use when kept in their proper place. To endeavor to totally root them out, would be to reproach and oppose the wisdom of the Creator. These natural inclinations, if well regulated, are not inconsistent with any part of our duty to God, nor any argument for a sinful selfishness — any more than the natural abhorrence in the human nature to pain, and our natural inclination to ease, that was in the man Christ Jesus himself.
It is the duty of parents to be more concerned, and to pray more for the salvation of their children, than for the children of their neighbors. It is as much the duty of a minister to be more concerned for the salvation of the souls of his flock, and to pray more for them, than those of other congregations, because they are committed to his
care. So our near friends are more committed to our care than others, and our nearby neighbors, than those who live at a great distance. And the people of our land and nation are in some sense more committed to our care than the people of China. So we ought to pray more for them, and be more concerned that the kingdom of Christ should flourish among them, than those in another country, where it would be as much, and no more for the glory of God. Compassion ought to be especially exercised towards friends, Job 6.14.66 Christ did not frown upon a special affection and compassion for near friends, but countenanced and encouraged it, from time to time, in those who, in the exercise of such an affection and compassion, applied to Him for relief for their friends. Take the instance of the woman of Canaan, Jairus, Mary and Martha, the centurion, the widow of Nain,67 and many others. The Apostle Paul, was a man as much resigned and devoted to God, and under the power of His love, as perhaps any mere man who ever lived. Yet he had a peculiar concern for his countrymen, the Jews, who on that account were his brethren and kinsmen according to the flesh. He had a very high degree of compassionate grief for them, insomuch that he tells us he had a great heaviness and a continual sorrow of heart for them, and could wish himself accursed from Christ for them. (Rom 9.3)
There are many things that are proper for the saints in heaven, that are not suitable to the state that God has set us in here in this world. For Christians in these and other instances, to affect to go beyond the present state of mankind, and what God has appointed as fit for it, is an instance of what the wise man calls, being overly righteous. (Ecc 7.16) It has a tendency to open a door to Satan, and to cause religious affections to degenerate into something very unbecoming of Christians.
Thus, as I proposed, I have taken notice of some things with regard to the INWARD experiences of Christians, by which Satan has an advantage.
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(2) I now proceed in the second place, to take notice of something with regard to the EXTERNAL effects of experiences, which also give Satan an advantage. What I regard here, is the secret and unaccountable influence that custom has on people, with respect to the external effects and manifestations of the inward affections of the mind. By custom, I mean both a person's being accustomed to something in himself — in his own common, allowed, and indulged practice — and also the countenance and approval of others among whom he dwells, by their general voice and practice. It is well known, and it appears sufficiently by what I have said already in this treatise and elsewhere, that I am far from ascribing all the late uncommon effects and outward manifestations of inward experiences to custom and fashion, as some do. I know it to be otherwise, if it is possible for me to know anything of this nature by the most critical observation, under all manner of opportunities to observe it. Yet this too is exceedingly evident by experience: that custom has a strange influence in these things. I know it by the different manners and degrees of external effects and manifestations of great affections and high discoveries in different towns, according to what people are gradually led into and insensibly habituated to by example and custom — and also in the same place, at different times, according to the conduct they have.
If some person is among them to conduct them, who greatly countenances and encourages these kinds of outward manifestations of great affections, they naturally and insensibly prevail, and unavoidably grow by degrees. But when afterwards they come under another kind of conduct, the manner of external appearances will strangely alter. Yet it seems to be without any proper design or contrivance by those in whom this alteration occurs. It is not properly affected by them; rather, the influence of example and custom is secret and insensible to the people themselves. These things have a vast influence in the manner of people manifesting their joys, whether with smiles or an air of lightness, or with more solemnity and reverence. And so they have a great influence as to the disposition that people have under high affections, to abound in talk;
and also as to the manner of their speaking — the loudness and vehemence of their speech. Yet it would be exceedingly unjust, and against all the evidence of fact and experience, and the reason of things, to lay to custom all the dispositions that people have to speak much to others, and to speak in a very earnest manner. It is manifest that example and custom have in some way or other, a secret and unsearchable influence on those actions that are involuntary. This is apparent by the difference that exists in different places, and in the same places at different times, according to the diverse examples and conduct they have.
Therefore, it would be very unreasonable and prejudicial to the interest of religion, to frown upon all these extraordinary external effects and manifestations of great religious affections; for a measure of them is natural, necessary, and beautiful. The effect is in no way disproportioned to the spiritual cause, and it is of great benefit to promote religion. Yet I think they greatly err, who think these things should be wholly unlimited, and that everyone should be encouraged to go to the utmost length in these things, as they feel inclined to do. The consequence of this will be very bad. There ought to be a gentle restraint held upon these things; and prudent care should be taken of people in such extraordinary circumstances. They should be moderately advised, at proper times, not to make more ado than is needed, but rather restrain their inclinations. Otherwise, extraordinary outward effects will grow upon them. They will be more and more natural and unavoidable. The extraordinary outward show will increase, without any increase in the internal cause. People will find themselves under a kind of compulsion to make a great ado, with less and less affection of soul, until at length almost any slight emotion will set them off. They will be more and more intense and boisterous, and will grow louder and louder, until their actions and behavior become indeed very absurd. Experience proves these things.
Thus I have taken notice of the more general causes from which the errors that have attended this great revival of religion have risen, and