Signs of Godliness
The folio notebook entitled “Signs of Godliness,” published here for the first time, is an early effort on the part of Northampton’s young assistant preacher to isolate the Scripture signs of true sainthood. From Edwards’ own remarks in the notebook, it is clear that even at this early date, well before the awakening period, he envisioned a larger work on the subject. The notebook generally consists of statements of particular signs, for example, “Bringing forth fruit” or “Keeping Christ’s commandments,” followed by proof-texts from Scripture, though in several places Edwards includes what amount to short essays on the signs, their usefulness and limitations, and their relation to depraved human faculties. As such, the document shows Edwards’ interest in this topic very early on in his career, resulting possibly from the cumulative effects of his father’s and grandfather’s preaching and counsel, his own meditations on his spiritual experience, and perhaps even his participation in the minor awakening that followed the earthquake of October 1727. It also represents a foundation for such later works as Distinguishing Marksand Religious Affectionsand provides significant comparisons with Edwards’ mature thought on the subject.
Edwards began what grew into a twenty-page notebook only a few months before he became the full pastor of Northampton, in February 1729. In a short time he filled in to the top of page four in a minute, round hand and dark brown ink, which, according to the chronology established by Thomas A. Schafer, dates from late 1728 or very early 1729. The following three entries on page four were made in the middle of 1729. He then filled the rest of page four and nearly all of page five during the late spring or summer of 1730. Apparently from the conception of the notebook, Edwards began connecting the entries with cue marks. The majority of the following entries are written in a lighter brown ink and in a larger, more open hand, though still very neat, probably dating from the early 1730s. Toward the end of the notebook the entries become more sparse, less elaborate, and separated by varying amounts of blank space, indicating that Edwards anticipated adding to them.
Whatever his intentions, Edwards neglected the notebook during the years around and including the awakening of 1734 and 1735. However, beginning in the late 1730s and through the 1740s, he made additions to it, either within or at the end of previous entries or as separate entries scattered throughout the notebook. This fact suggests that the awakening itself, beyond making added demands on his time that took him away from the notebook, may have caused Edwards to reappraise his earlier formulations. For example, where entries from the early 1730s, before the awakening, tend to place all the various Scripture signs on an equal footing, entries added after the awakening emphasize persevering Christian behavior as the most important sign.1 Even so, from the outset Edwards is skeptical of making “others’ experiences” the guide in judging the signs of godliness.
The notebook, in the Edwards Collection at Yale’s Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, is composed of five folio-sized double leaves stitched into a coarse brown cover, which is inscribed “Signs of Godliness” four times, front and back, by Edwards. The watermarks on the signatures, as identified by Schafer, are: 1–2) English GRwr, 3) London/GR (R), 4) London/GR (L), 5) English/GRwr. While utilitarian and practical in its original conception, the notebook in its final form is complex and convoluted because of Edwards’ practice of adding to previous entries through the use of cue marks, thereby giving the text a labyrinthine quality. The edited text presented here follows the edition’s standards in relocating passages according to Edwards’ instructions, but, in order to retain distinctions between earlier and later entries, an effort has been made in the annotations to alert the reader to the relocations and to changes in ink and handwriting.
1. A similar shift is evident in “Directions for Judging of Persons’ Experiences” (printed below) and in “Miscellanies” and sermons from the 1730s. See “Editor’s Introduction,” in Works, 18, 18–24; and the sermon from Sept. 1736 entitled Persevering Faith, in Works, 19, 595–608.
signs of godliness Bring2 forth fruit, and keeping Christ’s commandments and doing good works. Matt. 13:23, “He that received seed into good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; and bringeth forth” the fruit of it. Matt. 13:26, “But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.” The tares were not distinguishable from the wheat till they brought forth fruit, and then it appeared what they were. Matt. 7:16–19, “Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.” Which shows that this is a Scripture way of judging, to judge by fruits. John 15:2, “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.” Luke 6:44–45, “Every tree is known by its fruit. . . . A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of his heart his mouth speaketh.” Which shows that good fruit in both words and actions are a good sign. John 15:8, “Bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” II Pet. 1:10, “For if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.” It distinguishes from them that have only common illuminations. Heb. 6:7, with context.
Keeping Christ’s commandments. Matt. 7:24–27, “Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doth them, I will liken him to a wise man, which built his house upon a rock. . . . And every one that heareth these
2. JE deleted an initial paragraph with a diagonal line, which reads: “SIGNS OF GRACE. I would here inquire what are the true Scripture signs of grace. One is that they understand the word of God. Matt. 13:23, ‘But he that receiveth the seed into good ground is he that heareth the word and understandeth it.’ Knowing God and Christ. I John 2:3, ‘Hereby do we know that we know him,’ etc. ‘He that saith, I know him’ (v. 4). I John 3:6, ‘He hath neither seen him, nor known him.’”
sayings of mine, and doth them not, shall be likened to a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand.” Vv. 21–23, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many shall say unto me, Lord, Lord, [. . .] and I will profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye workers of iniquity.” And so we are told from time to time that hereafter, when hypocrites shall seek to be owned and accepted of Christ, he will deny and reject because workers of iniquity. I John 1:6–7, “If we say we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin.” I John 2:3–6, “Hereby do we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. [. . .] He that keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby we know that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought also to walk, as he walked.” Which last clause shows that following Christ’s example,3 as well as keeping his commandments, is a sign. John 14:21, “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me.” It is spoken with such an emphasis, as if this were the great and most distinguishing sign of loving Christ. V. 23, “If any man love me, he will keep my words.” V. 24, “He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings.” V. 15, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” John 15:10, “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love.” V. 14, “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.” I John 5:3, “This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.” The promises are almost everywhere in the Old Testament made to keeping God’s commandments. I John 3:3–10, “Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. Whosoever sinneth transgresseth the law [. . .]. And ye know that he was manifested to take away sin; and in him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, nor known him. Little children, let no man deceive you” (vid. note on v. 7):4 “he that doth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil [. . .] Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin [. . .]. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil.”
3. At virtually the same time that JE began the “Signs” notebook (late 1728 or early 1729), he also created a separate manuscript entitled “Christ’s Example” (printed below), the purpose of which was to delineate true Christian behavior on the basis of the life of Jesus.
I John 2:29, “Ye know that every one that doth righteousness is born of him.” III John 1:11, “He that doth good is of God: but he that doth evil hath not seen God.” I John 5:18, “We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not.” II Tim. 2:19, “Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” They must keep those that more especially are called Christ’s commandments, as well as other of God’s commandments: such as loving brethren, forgiving injuries, doing good for evil, not hating them that hate us, being much merciful, etc.; such as are Christ’s Sermon on the Mount: these special commandments are included, as appears by the twentieth verse of the fifth chapter of Matthew—“Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven”; and then Christ goes on to tell wherein—and by the last verses of this sermon. Vid. sermon on Matt. 7:21, specially last use.5
Doing good works. Gal. 5:6, “Faith that worketh by love.” Jas. 2:14, “What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he have faith, and have not works? can faith save him?” V. 18, “Yea, a man may say, I have faith and thou hast works; show me thy faith without thy works, and I must show thee my faith by my works.” Jas. 1:25, “He that is not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” We are often told [we] must be judged according to our works; and are particularly told how, Matt. 25, where keeping Christ’s commandments is given as a sign of godliness. It does not mean all sorts of holy exercises of heart, for then keeping Christ’s commandments would only be a sign of itself; that which is given as a sign of faith would be faith, and the sign of knowing God would be knowing him, and of loving God loving him. This appears by Christ’s discourse with the rich young man, Matt. 19:16. Heb. 6:9–11, “Beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation [. . .]. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work of faith and labor of love [. . .], in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope to the end.” Good works of charity are often especially insisted on as evidential. See Love of Brethren.6
5. The sermon on Matt. 7:21 (176), from late 1730 or early 1731, is on doing the will of God by keeping the commandments of God. The last use, of warning, provides ways to judge the state of one’s soul. JE warns his hearers that they should not think they are going to heaven unless they keep their bodies under subjection, have a spirit to suffer for God’s commandments, discontinue the practice of any known sin, repent after special transgressions, refuse to gratify any lust, and bridle their tongues.
Good works. Rev. 3:1, “I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead”; and v. 15, “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot.” Job 23:10–12.7
Man’s actions may be distinguished into two kinds. First, there are those acts which consist in the mere immanent exercise of the inclination and spirit of the mind, and it proceeds no further, but the actions remain and are complete in that without the consideration of anything produced by ’em. They begin and end in a simple exercise of the inclination or spirit of the mind. They have no preceding act of the will that is the immediate cause of ’em, neither in the action is included any fruit of this exercise. Such are the internal breathings of love to God and exercises of faith in Christ. These may be a sure evidence of sincerity and are that sort of evidence spoken of [below],8 viz. having the spirit of Christ and the witness of the Spirit.
2. Properly voluntary actions, that is, those acts, whether internal or external, that are immediately caused by preceding acts of the inclination and will, at whose command it arises: whether this act be in doing some positive thing or in voluntary omitting, for omitting may be as much from the spirit or will as doing something positive; whether those voluntary actions or omissions are external, or whether they are internal, voluntary thinking, or voluntary allowing of thoughts or refraining from thoughts: all the voluntary inward endeavors, labors, and strivings and effects of the mind about its own thoughts and exercises or allowing and neglecting or restraining acts of the mind; anything whatsoever that is the proper fruit of a man’s inclination that is not the immediate first acting of that inclination itself. These are that sort of acts which in Scripture are chiefly meant by works, when we are directed to try our sincerity by our works and are told that we shall be judged by them at the great day. In these last sort of actions is considered, beside the mere inclination of the soul, some effect produced.
Men will be judged at the great day by their actions, and not by the spirit of their actions, for the spirit of their actions is a thing that is to be made to appear; whether what they have done be with a gracious spirit and with love to God, etc. is a thing that will be then to be tried by something more plain: it will be tried by their works, by which their own consciences and the world will be convinced. For the end of judgment is not that God may be determined himself, but for the conviction of men’s own consciences and to make things appear to the world.
Those good works mentioned are those actions that hypocrites may do a while and not continue in, as is evident by the frequent promises to perseverance in obedience and well-doing. When continuance in good works or obedience is given as a sign of sincerity, and not continuing a sign of want of sincerity, such things is doubtless meant by good works as men sometimes fall from.
When obedience is given as a sign of sincerity, the sincerity or spirit of the obedience is not included in the sign. That which withered in the stony ground is the same that continued and bore the heat of the sun in the good ground; the righteousness that some fall from and some continue in, mentioned in the eighteenth [chapter] of Ezekiel, is the same righteousness.
An universal and persevering obedience is given in Scripture as the distinguishing sign of sincerity, rather than the experience of particular exercises of soul, and manner of influence of the Spirit of God in conversion and at other times, in bringing men off from their own righteousness, and the nature and manner of the exercises of faith in Christ, because such things are not so plain and easy to the understanding or capacities of the ordinary rank of men; they would be abundantly more liable to mistake. But every man’s conscience tells him when he proves false and treacherous to God.
God will judge men hereafter by the same things that he proves ’em by here. God is often in Scripture said to try men or to prove them, that he may know whether they will walk in his ways, and know what is in their hearts, and the like, when he brings them into difficulties. Now men are proved by difficulties, as it thereby appears whether the righteousness which they perform at other times will hold at such times. Now God don’t prove men that he may determine within himself what they are, for he knows what is in men; but he proves them that he may thereby determine before their consciences and before the world as a judge.
A cleaving to God in those things that are visible perseveringly through all trials and difficulties, especially those that are remarkable, is an evidence of faith, or else how can believers be said to be witnesses of the truth and faithfulness of God in so doing (Heb 12:1)? A believer can give testimony to this no other wise than as he manifests his assurance of it. Therefore, such a persevering adherence to God is a manifestation of an assurance of God’s truth and faithfulness.
There can be no objection against that second sort of actions mentioned above (which are properly voluntary actions) being those works which are given in Scripture as signs of sincerity, and which we shall be judged by, from the insufficiency of this sort of actions to distinguish sincere from insincere: for the Scripture directs us to try our sincerity by our works, and tells us that we are to be judged by them. Now it is certain that our works are of that kind of acts. Therefore, this kind of acts are sufficiently distinguishing.
The fruits of grace in the life must needs be the proper evidences of it. What can be the proper evidence of a person’s loving God above all but his actually preferring him, or preferring him indeed when it comes to a trial? What can be the proper evidences of the heart’s forsaking all for Christ, or of his willingness to forsake all for him, than his actually doing of it, as there is occasion? What can be the proper evidence of trusting in the promises of God, than his actually running the venture of their truth when it comes to a trial? The act of the man must be the proper evidence of the act of the heart. The will must be shown by the voluntary actions. We find the promises of God sometimes made to conversion and sometimes to perseverance: ’tis because perseverance is but the actual fulfillment of that which is virtually done in conversion, and the accomplishment is the proper evidence of the virtual accomplishment. When two things are set before a man to see which he will choose, the proper evidence which he chooses, is which he takes. So is practice the evidence of sincerity, and the fruit that by which the tree is known.9 (Vid. “Miscellanies” no. 790.)1 Surely the proper evidence of a man’s heart’s being prepared to cleave to Christ above all, is his actually doing it; the proper manifestation of choice is act.2
’Tis true it is the heart that God looks at; godliness lies in the disposition of the heart, but godliness consists not in an heart to purpose to ful- fill God’s commandments, but in an heart actually to do it. The children of Israel had an heart to purpose to keep all God’s commands. They say, “All that the Lord hath said, we will hear, and do.” But God says, “O that there were such a heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always” [Deut. 5:27, 29]. But their actually doing God’s
9. The remainder of the paragraph is a later addition, dating from the late 1730s. 1. “Miscellanies” no. 790 (c. 1739) is a lengthy entry (possibly contemporaneous with this later addition to the notebook) on the “Signs of Godliness,” in which JE gives preeminence to good works and keeping Christ’s commandments as the chief signs. See Works, 18, 18–24.
commandments must needs be the proper evidence whether they have a heart actually to do God’s commandments, and not only a heart to purpose and intend to do them.3
To the like purpose is that representation of sincere godliness of God’s law’s being written on the heart [Rom. 2:15, II Cor. 3:2–3], which signifies that true godliness consists in an heart to do God’s commands, or perform God’s law.4
God’s commands must be kept universally. If one member only be corrupt, if we don’t cut it off, it will carry us to hell. I John 3:3–10, “Every one that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. . . . Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not [. . .]” ([see] I John 5:18). “He that doth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil,” etc. Jas. 2:10–11, “He that keeps the whole law, and offends in one point, is guilty of all. For the same God that said, Don’t commit adultery, said also, Don’t kill.” I Cor. 6:9, “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators,” etc. Luke 14:28, “Count the cost.” John 15:14, “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.”5
Universal obedience. Saul was commanded to slay all the sinners, the Amalekites, but he saved alive Agog the king of ’em, which proved his ruin; so if men part with their sins but save only one lust that is most dear to them, and has the chief place in their hearts and holds the place of king. The Samaritans worshipped the God of Israel and served their own gods. Christ tells us we cannot serve God and Mammon: we must not set up one idol with the God of Israel in his temple, for which Manasseh was so greatly blamed (II Chron. 33:7). If we bridle all our lusts, it is a sign that we are true and upright Christians. Jas. 3:2, “The same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.” Gal. 5:19–21, “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God”; which is as much as to say, they that do any sort of wickedness. Matt. 5:19, “Whosoever shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven.” Deut. 1:36, “Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him will I give the land that he hath trodden upon, and to his children, because he hath wholly followed the Lord.” Ps. 119:3, “They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.6
Universal obedience. Job 31:3–7, “Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity? Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps? If I have walked with vanity, or my foot hath hasted to deceit; let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity. If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to my hands.” Mark 6:20, “For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.” He did many things, but would not divorce his beloved Herodias, as we are told in the context. Deut. 5:29, “O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!” II Kgs. 5:17–18, “Thy servant will not offer burnt offering nor sacrifice to any other god but to the Lord. In this thing the Lord pardon thy servant, when the lord goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon.” Ps. 125:4–5, “Do good, O Lord, unto those that be good, and to them that are upright in their hearts. As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity.” I Tim. 5:8, the Apostle, speaking of them that did not provide for their needy parents, says, “If any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an in- fidel.” See “Notes on Scripture” no. 390.7 Ezek. 33:14–16, “Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right; if the wicked restore the pledge, yield again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die. None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.8 See also chs. 18, 19, 33.
6. The following paragraph (written in the late 1730s) is inserted here at JE’s direction from MS p. 7.
I Tim. 2:15, “She shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.” Heb. 3:6, “Whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and rejoicing of hope firm unto the end.” [V.] 14, “We are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end.”
John 8:31, “Ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed.” Rom. 2:7, “To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life.” Rom. 11:22, “Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but towards thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.” Col. 1:21–23, “You [. . .] hath he reconciled [. . .], to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: if ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel.” Gal. 6:9, “We shall reap, if we faint not.”
This obedience is a persevering obedience. The stony-ground hearers dared for a while, but in time of temptation fell away. The thorny-ground hearers dared for a while, till the thorns choked the Word. But we are told, Luke 8:15, that “the good ground are they” that receive the Word into “good and honest hearts, and keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.” Matt. 24:13, “He that endureth to the end, shall be saved.” Heb. 10:36, 38–39, “For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. [. . .] Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But ye are not of them that draw back unto perdition; but of them that believeth to the saving of the soul.” Luke 14:29–30, “Lest haply, when he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all that behold it begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.”9
Persevering through temptations and difficulties. Deut. 1:36, “Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him will I give the land that he hath trodden upon, and to his children, because he hath wholly followed the Lord”; or, as it is in the original, “hath fulfilled to go after the Lord.” Jas. 1:25, “Whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, shall be blessed in his deed.” See what blessings are promised to him that overcomes in the second and third chapters of Revelation, and ch. 21:7. See also [the] twenty-third chapter of Ezekiel. Heb. 6:12, “But followers of them who through faith and patience” (or perseverance) “inherit the promises.” Rev. 2:10, “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” Luke 12:43, “Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.” Ezek. 18:24–32(and ch. 23:12–49, 3:20–21), “And when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, . . . shall he live?” etc. Gen. 22:12, “For now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.” Deut. 8:2, “And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee those forty years in the wilderness, . . . to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, to know whether thou wouldest keep his commandments or no.” The trial of Job’s uprightness, which God allowed for the conviction of Satan. For this very reason, difficulties and opposition are called temptations or trials.
Perseverance is often in Scripture mentioned as a note of sincerity. Not that there is anything in the nature of the thing that should hinder but that it should so happen that an insincere man that holds on in a way of religion and in the outward performance of duty, may to the end of his life. He that holds on five years, may ten; and he that holds ten, may twenty. “Joash did that that was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest” (II Chron. 24:2); and if Jehoiada had lived, he might, for ought we know, have gone on as long as he lived. So Uzziah, he sought the Lord all the days of Zechariah (II Chron. 26:5). If Zechariah had lived as long as he, he might have sought the Lord as long as he lived. But ’tis God’s manner so to order that all persons making profession of godliness, shall first or last have such trials as shall discover whether their goodness be of the lasting sort. John 15:16, “I have chosen and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain.” Matt. 25, the wise virgins provided for the worst, that in case the bridegroom should tarry longer than was expected, that yet they might have wherewithal to keep their lamps burning to the end; the foolish virgins had no oil, and so their lamps went out. Luke 22:28–29, “Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations. And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me.” Ps. 78:57, “But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.” Ps. 78:34–37, “When he slew them, then they sought him; and they returned and inquired early after God. And they remembered that God was their rock, and the most high God their Redeemer. Nevertheless they did flatter with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues. For their heart was not right with him, neither were they steadfast in his covenants.” Ps. 78:8, “Who set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not steadfast with God.”1
Perseverance. The expression of keeping God’s or Christ’s commandments, doth sometimes especially signify persevering in obedience. So it signifies, John 15:10, “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.” The expression naturally denotes continuing in obedience. He that continues in obedience, he holds and keeps the commandments; but he that leaves off to obey, he lets go or casts away the commandments. If one should commit any treasure to the care of another to keep, and should promise him that if he kept, he should have such a reward, such a promise would be [by] everybody understood in such a sense, that if he to whom the treasure was committed, should after a while lose it or cast it away, that then he did not fulfill the condition and forfeited the promised reward, though he kept it for a while. Deut. 5:29, “O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and their children for ever!” Ps. 125:4–5, “Do good, O Lord, unto those that are good, and to them that are upright in their hearts. As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity.”2God is wont purposely to exercise persons with trials of their perseverance, and if they persevere through those trials, they approve themselves upright; but when those trials that God lays in their way prove stumbling blocks to them, at which they fall, it proves their insincerity. This is evident by Ezek. 3:20, “Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die”; together with Is. 8:14–15 and Hos. 14:9, “The ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.” By a “stumbling” is meant a temptation, as in Rev. 2:14 and other places. See also “Notes on Scripture” no. 390.3
II Tim. 4:4–8, “And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. For I am ready now to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” I John 2:24–26, “Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. And this is the promise that he has promised us, even eternal life. These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.”4 As ’tis often said that we shall judged at the last day by our works, so [it] is evident that we shall be especially judged by our adhering to Christ under trials, difficulties and sufferings. I Pet. 1:6–7, “Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearance of Jesus Christ.” So true grace is distinguished from the false religion of hypocrites, in that it is gold tried in the fire. Rev. 3:17–18, “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased in goods, . . . and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor . . . : I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire”; i.e. that thou mayst be rich indeed, that thou mayst not only have that which has the color of gold and appearance of riches, but that will stand the fire like gold, and is indeed riches. Ps. 106:3, “Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doth righteousness at all times.” Note this text shows the meaning of the Scripture phrase, keeping God’s commandments.5
Mortifying our sensual and fleshly lusts. Matt. 5:29, “And if thy right eye offends thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: and it is better for thee that one of thy members should perish, than that thy whole body should be cast into hell.” Rom. 8:13, “If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.” I Cor. 9:27, “I keep under my body, [. . .] lest [. . .] I should be a castaway.” Gal. 5:24, “They that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” Jas. 1:26–27, “If any man seem to be religious, and bridleth not [his tongue], he deceiveth his own heart, his religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled . . . is to keep himself unspotted from the world.” The city of Abel was required to cut off the head of Sheba and to cast it to Joab over the wall, in order to Joab’s and his army’s retiring from the city. See note on II Sam. 20:15–22.6
So Joseph would not suffer his brethren to see his face unless their younger brother, the only one that was kept back, was brought. See notes on the story.7
Denying ourselves and selling all for Christ. Matt. 10:37–39, “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me [. . .]. And he that taketh not up his cross, and followeth after me is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.” Luke 14:26–27, “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and his mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.” Matt. 13:44–46, “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hid in a field; which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all he hath, and buyeth that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: who, when he had found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it.” Matt. 19:16– 22, Christ told the young man that asked him what he should do that he might have eternal life, that he should sell all, and come and follow him, and he should have treasure in heaven. Matt. 8:20, he tried another that told he would follow him wherever he went by telling of him that “the foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.” I John 5:4, “Whosoever is born of God overcometh the world.” Luke 14:28, “For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?” [V.] 33, “So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.” The gate is said to be strait and the way narrow [Matt. 7:14]. The entrance into the kingdom of heaven is compared to the eye of a needle [Matt. 19:24]. Gen. 22:12, “Now I know that thou fearest God, seeing that thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son Isaac.” God would teach this by it: that that is a sign of the truth of grace, when men have a preparedness of mind to part with their Isaac, that is, that which is dearest to them of all things earthly, for God’s sake. We are told how one and another of the disciples, when Christ called them, rose up and left all and followeth him; ’tis to give us this instruction, that those that are Christ’s true followers do leave all for his sake.8
7. In the “Blank Bible” note on Gen. 41:40 ff., JE maintains that Benjamin represents that which the other brothers “were tender of,” and so unwilling to give up. “So oftentimes sinners, when they begin to seek salvation, keep back something that is dear and tender in their eyes, and flatter themselves that they ben’t obliged to deliver it up . . . but God will surely look upon ’em as enemies till all is delivered up and nothing kept back.”
Denying ourselves and selling all for Christ. II Tim. 2:12, “If we suffer, we shall also reign with him”; and Rom. 8:17, “If so be that we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified together.” I Pet. 4:13–14, “But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are made partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye are reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye”; and 3:14, “If ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye.” See the promises to them that overcome in Revelation.9 Matt. 10:32, “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven”; and so Luke 12:8 and 9:26, and Mark 8:38. Ittai the Gittite, who from a Philistine became an Israelite, left his own country for David’s sake, was a type of a true follower of the spiritual David; who cleaved to David when his affairs were in low and dark circumstances, and told the king, when he would have excused him from going with him, II Sam. 15:21, “As the Lord liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant be.” Rev. 14:4, “These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth.” Luke 9:61–62, “And another said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go [bid them farewell], which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” Ananias and Sapphira, they kept back a part, they did not sell all for Christ: and we see what was the fatal issue [Acts 5:1–10]. Vid. notes on Matt. 24:17–18.1 See also many texts under the head of Perseverance.2
Abraham, when he was called, left his own country and his kindred and his father’s house to follow God, “not knowing whither he went.” He went into a land in which God gave him “none inheritance, no, not so much as to set his foot on” (Gen. 12:1–4, Heb. 11:8, and Acts 7:2–5). See how persons’ cleaving to Christ in their practice or works under difficulties and sufferings, is the proper evidence of sincerity, sermon on Matt. 13:6, prop. IV.3
9. See Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21; 21:7. 1. In the “Blank Bible” note on Matt. 24:17–18, JE writes, “Flying out of Jerusalem is a type of flying out of a state of sin,” represented in the disciples of Christ, who left their worldly business to follow him; and by Elisha, who when Elijah bid him come with him, did not bid farewell to his family but instead slew the oxen with which he was working.
Bridling and well-using our tongues. Jas. 1:26, “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain”; and ch. 3:2, “If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.” In the following verses we are told it is like a bridle, and like a rudder of a ship; the whole ship goes as that goes (see note on third verse).4 Christ says, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh” (Matt. 12:34); and v. 37, “By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” Luke 6:44–45, “Every tree is known by his own fruit. . . . A good man out of the good treasure bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.”5
Bridling the tongue. Prov. 13:3, “He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life.” Prov. 18:21, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit of it.” Prov. 15:4, “A wholesome tongue is a tree of life.”6 Ps. 17:3, “Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.” See Manton on James, pp. 356–57.7 See Common Place Book to the Holy Scripture, concerning duties of believers with respect to words, p. 162.8
Signs of Godliness 485
cerity consists in choosing Christ before anything else, particularly in times of difficulty and trial. JE refers to this same passage in “Miscellanies” nos. 859–60. Works, 20, 84–85.
With the beginning of the next paragraph, we return to MS p. 2. 4. JE’s reference is uncertain; neither the “Blank Bible” nor the “Notes on Scripture” contain an entry on Jas. 3:3. There is a “Blank Bible” note on Jas. 3:2 in which JE compares it to Matt. 12:37, Prov. 18:21, and Ps. 17:3. 5. The following paragraph (probably dating from the early 1730s) is inserted here at JE’s direction from MS p. 16.
6. The remainder of the paragraph is a later addition, written in a black ink characteristic of the late 1730s and early ’40s.
7. Thomas Manton, A Practical Commentary, or an Exposition with Notes on the Epistle of James (London, 1651). On p. 356, writing on Jas. 3:2, Manton states: “To be able to bridle the tongue, is an argument of some growth and happy progress in grace.” On p. 357, regarding speech, Manton continues: “’Tis the best discovery of the heart; speech is the express image of it.” Noting that all of us are apt to use our tongues in offensive ways, he concludes: “’Tis a sin into which we usually and easily fall, partly by reason of that quick intercourse that is between the tongue and the heart, we sin in an instant. . . . Such natural actions are performed without thinking of the weight and consequences of them.”
(Doubtful.)9 Strictly obeying in those instances where we are particularly exposed to temptation. Luke 3:12–14, the publicans asked him, “What shall we do? And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you. And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.”
Believing the difficult, the spiritual and abasing doctrines of Christianity. Thus when Nathaniel came to him and wondered that he said he saw him under the fig tree, Christ told him he should “see greater things than these,” that he should “see the heavens opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man” (John 1, latter end). And when Nicodemus came to him, Christ tried him with another strange doctrine. John 3:2–3, “The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God.” He makes a high profession of believing Christ to be a divine teacher. Christ immediately tries him with the doctrine of regeneration: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” So when the multitude were so taken with Christ after he had fed them with five loaves and two fishes that they would feign make him a king, Christ tried them by telling of them that “except they eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drank his blood, they had no life in them,” and so he drove them away from him [ John 6:53]. Christ says to Thomas, “Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed” [John 20:29]. John 11:25, “He that believeth on me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? And she said unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.” Hereby Christ separated those that were really his people from others before the destruction of Jerusalem; he told them that when they saw Jerusalem compassed with armies, then they might know the desolation of it was near: and let him that is in Jerusalem flee to the mountains, and let him not turn back to take anything out of his house [Luke 21:20–21]. They that had a dependence on Christ’s word accordingly fled without turning back; others that did not believe were destroyed with the city. Some doctrines are difficult because of their incomprehensibleness by human reason and seeming opposition to reason. Some are difficult because of their spirituality and remoteness from anything like sensible objects. Some are difficult because they are so against natural pride and selfishness. Christ tried his followers with each sort. Some events are difficult because they are strange and unusual: so was that which Christ tried Nicodemus with, viz. his seeing heaven opened, etc. [ John 3:11–21]; so was that prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem that Christ separated believers in Jerusalem from unbelievers by [Luke 21:20–21]. Some events are difficult because of the greatness of them, and the difficulties and obstacles that lie in the way, and the seeming impossibility of them.
Hungering and thirsting after spiritual good. “Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled” [Matt. 5:6]. “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” [I Pet. 2:2]. Ps. 4: 6–7, “There be many that say, Who will show us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. Thou hast put gladness into my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.” Ps. 27:4, “One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.” Ps. 42:1–2, “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?” Ps. 63:1–2, “O God, thou art my God: early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; to see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.” Ps. 73:25, “Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee.”1
Hungering and thirsting after spiritual good. Ps. 84:1–3, “How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. Yea, even the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altar, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my God.” Ps. 130:6, “My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say more than they that watch for the morning.” Ps. 143:6–7, “My soul thirsteth after thee, as [a] thirsty land.” Cant. 3:1–2, “By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and [in] the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth.” Cant. 5:6, 8, “I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer. . . . I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved, that ye tell him that I am sick of love.” Is. 26:8–9, “The desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee. With my soul I have desired thee in the night; with my spirit within me will I seek thee early.” Rev. 21:6, “I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.”
Having the spirit of Christ. Rom. 8:9, “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his”; and v. 14, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” I John 3:24, “Hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit that he hath given us”; and 4:13, “Hereby know we that we dwell in him, because he hath given us of his Spirit.” Therefore, believers are said to be sealed by the Spirit and to have the earnest of the Spirit. II Cor. 1:22, “Who hath also sealed us, and given us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts”; and ch. 5:5, “He who hath wrought for this selfsame thing is God, who hath also given us the earnest of the Spirit.” Eph. 1:13–14, “Ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our future inheritance”; and 4:30, “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” The Spirit is called the firstfruits, Rom. 8:23.
Now the having Christ’s Spirit is known by our being of Christ’s temper and disposition. To have Christ’s Spirit and to be of a Christian spirit are the same thing. Therefore, when the disciples desired that fire might be called for from heaven to destroy the Samaritans,2 they knew not what spirit they were of [Luke 9:51–55]. So we read of a meek and quiet spirit, which must be the same as to be of a meek and quiet temper.
We know that we have the Spirit immediately by feeling that divine, holy, humble, amiable disposition and motion in us, whereby we are assured that we must be God’s children. Vid. “Miscellanies” no. 375.3
2. MS: “samaritans that.” 3. In “Miscellanies” no. 375, “SPIRIT’S WITNESS That We Are God’s Children” (late 1728 or early 1729), JE argues that a person cannot simultaneously be the object of God’s hatred and also experience “those holy, sweet, humble dispositions and motions of heart which are a participation of the divine nature.” The entry has a corresponding cross-reference to the Signs notebook. See Works, 13, 447–48.
We know whether we have the Spirit of Christ by the fruits of it. We are told what they be. Gal. 5:18–25, “If ye are led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest; adulteries, fornications uncleanness, lascivousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they that do these things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” Eph. 5:9, “For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth.” Jas. 3:17, “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.” Col. 3:12, “Put ye on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering,” etc. I Cor. 13:4, “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up.” See also the Beatitudes in the fifth chapter of Matthew.
Particularly a meek and forgiving spirit and practice.4 See some texts mentioned under the head of the Fruits of the Spirit.5 Ps. 22:26, “The meek shall eat and be satisfied.” Ps. 25:9, “The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach in his way.” Ps. 37:11, “The meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” Ps. 76:9, “When God arose to judgment, to save all the meek of the earth.” Ps. 147:6, “The Lord lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground.” Is. 29:19, “The meek shall increase their joy in the Lord.” Matt. 5:5, “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth”; and v. 9, “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” Col. 3:12–13, “Put ye on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, . . . meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one another, forgiving one another.” Matt. 6:14–15, “If ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matt. 18:23,
4. The remainder of the paragraph (written in the early 1730s) is inserted here at JE’s direction from MS p.10. At the beginning of the inserted passage he repeats the topic: “A meek, peaceable and forgiving spirit and practice.”
“Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. . . . And one was brought unto him, that owed him ten thousand talents,” etc., “and he forgave him all the debt.” But he refused to forgive his fellow servant that owed him an hundred pence. Therefore his Lord “delivered him to the tormenters, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise,” says Christ, “shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.” Is. 61:1. “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek.”
Love and charity is the primary fruit of the Spirit. See Reflections.6 I Cor. 13, “Though I speak with the tongue of men and angels, and have not charity,” etc. I John 4:16, “God is love; he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.” I John 5:2, “By this we know that we love the children of God, that we love God.”
Love of brethren is particularly given as a sign of grace. See Christ’s discourse with the rich young man [Matt. 19:16–24]. John 13:35, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love to one another.” I John 2:10, “He that loveth his brother abideth in the light and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.” I John 3:14, “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren”; and [vv.] 18– 19, “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.” [Vv.] 23–24, “Let us love one another, as he gave us commandment. 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 that he hath given us.” Ch. 4:7, “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.” Vv. 12–13, “If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. Hereby we know that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.” Heb. 6:9–11 (see this under the head of Good Works);7 Matt. 25, latter end. Luke 3:10–11, “And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then? He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.” Jas. 1:27, “Pure religion and undefiled before God the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”8
Love of brethren. I Pet. 1:22–23, “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.”9 See what was the distinguishing character of Isaac’s spouse, the type of the church and the mother of Christ [Gen. 24]. Matt. 10:41, “He that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.” Gen. 12:3, “I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee.” So ch. 27:29, and Num. 24:9.
A merciful spirit and practice. Matt. 5:7, “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.” Is. 57:1, “The righteous perisheth, . . . the merciful men are taken away.” Col. 3:12, “Put on, as the elect of God, bowels of mercies, kindness.”
Mercy and liberality to the poor. Ps. 37:21, “The righteous showeth mercy, and giveth”; and [v.] 26, “He is ever merciful, and lendeth.” And Ps. 112:5, “A good man showeth favor, and lendeth”; and v. 9, “He hath dispersed abroad, and given to the poor.” And Prov. 14:31, “He that honoreth God hath mercy on the poor.” II Cor. 8:8, “I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.”
Jas. 2:13–16, “For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath showed no mercy. . . . What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and hath not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto him, Depart in peace, be you warmed and filled; notwithstanding if ye give them not those things that are needful for the body; what doth it profit?” Prov. 21:26. “The righteous giveth and spareth not.” I John 3:17–19, “But whoso hath this world’s goods, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.” Matt. 25:34–46, “Come, ye blessed
[. . .]. For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat,” etc. “Depart from me, ye cursed, [. . .] for I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat.”1
A merciful spirit and practice. Jer. 22:16, “He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well with him: was not this to know me? saith the Lord.” Jas. 1:27, “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” Hos. 6:6, “For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.”2
See texts in sermon from Deut. 15:7–11, in the application.3
Really believing and being heartily convinced that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior of the world. I John 5:1, “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.” Ch. 4:1–2, “Try the spirits whether they be of God [. . .]. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God.” V. 15, “Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.” I Cor. 12:3, “No man can say that Jesus is Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.”
Being4 faithful to God in our own sphere, our particular calling, in that which God has assigned as our particular work. Luke 3:12–14, the publicans asked him, “What shall we do? And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.” And the soldiers asked him, “What shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content in your wages.” The Parable of the Talents, Matt. 25:14–30.
Particularly in the gospel ministry. Matt. 24:45–46, “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.” Dan. 12:3, “They that turn
492 Signs of Godliness
1. The following paragraph (written in the early 1730s) is inserted here at JE’s direction from MS p. 16.
2. The final sentence of the paragraph is a later addition, in a black ink characteristic of the late 1730s and early ’40s.
3. The sermon on Deut. 15:7–11, dated Jan. 1732/33 and published under the title The Duty of Charity to the Poor in Works, 17, 369–404, has the doctrine, “’Tis the most absolute and indispensable duty of a people of God to give bountifully and willingly for the supply of the wants of the needy.” In the fourth head under the second use of the Application (pp. 381–83), JE states that the Scripture teaches this duty three ways: God will deal by us as we deal by others (Matt. 5:7, Jas. 2:13–15); such is the character of a godly man (Ps. 37:21, 112:5; Prov. 14:31; Is. 57:1 ff.; II Cor. 8:8); and judgment will be passed according to works in this respect (Matt. 25:34).
many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.” I Pet. 5:4, “And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.”
See sermon on Ps. 119:2.5
An6 universal observance of outward moral duties was a more evident sign of sincerity under the Old Testament, before future rewards and punishments were clearly revealed, than it is now: for if men had not the love of God, they had nothing to make them universally moral, in thoughts and in secret actions, in aims and ends, and those things which were not liable to human cognizance.7
These passages seem to show that by works in Scripture are meant both internal exercises of grace or corruption, as well as external; and indeed, all those acts that are rewardable or punishable. I Kgs. 8:39, “Give to 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 other parallel texts that speak of God’s searching the heart, and rendering to every one according to his works. So the places that speak of our not being justified by works of the law, i.e. by any goodness of our own, whereby we are conformed to the law of God. So we are by loving God and our neighbor in our hearts. In this extent works are spoken of, “Enemies in your mind by wicked works” [Col. 1:21]; and Heb. 6:1, “Repentance from dead works”; and ch. 9:14.
By not continuing in sin, but walking in newness of life, and not serving sin; yielding obedience to God and being servants of righteousness; and bringing forth the fruits of righteousness. The Apostle in Rom. 6 has a special respect to external works that are performed, because he particularly explains it by sin’s not reigning in our mortal bodies; and yielding our members as “instruments of righteousness unto God”; and yield-
5. The sermon on Ps. 119:2 (146), from early 1730, has the doctrine, “The way to receive the blessed fruits of religion is to practice it with our whole hearts.” To practice religion with the whole heart, JE states, is to do it with the whole consent of all our faculties, and to do it of free choice and with a conviction of the reality of spiritual things. In the application, he characterizes those who do not practice religion with their whole heart as those whose obedience is neither universal nor persevering.
ing our members as “servants of righteousness unto holiness” (see vv. 1, 3, 6, 12, 13, 16, 18, 19). So the Apostle in ch. 12:1 insists upon it. By good works and keeping God’s commandments and bringing forth fruit, when spoken of as signs of sincerity, are chiefly intended properly voluntary behavior; because the same is expressed by walking before God and being perfect, walking before him in truth and with a perfect heart, running a race, fighting a good fight.8
By good works is meant something properly distinguished from knowing or apprehending things of religion, from that text, “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them” [ John 13:17], and also from believing so far as an act of the judgment is intended; as appears by what James says about faith and works [ Jas. 2].
There are two sorts of signs of godliness. First, there are those things that are mentioned in Scripture as that wherein godliness doth more primarily and radically consist, such as seeing and knowing God and spiritually understanding divine things; believing the reality of divine things; loving God, fearing God, trusting in God; repentance; believing in Christ; choosing and resting in God and Christ and spiritual and eternal good as a portion; hungering and thirsting after spiritual good. These are signs of a good estate, and may be known directly by reflecting upon ourselves and inquiring what we experience within ourselves.
As is evident by the frequent professions that are made of these things in Scripture by the saints. We have often instances of profession of faith. Christ asks persons from time to time whether they believe, and they profess it. So he asked Peter whether he loved him: he answers, “Yea, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee” [John 21:17]. How often are love to God, trusting in God and choosing him for a portion, resting in him, longing after him, professed in the Psalms.
Second, there are those things that the Scripture mentions as signs of these signs of faith and love, etc.: such as bringing forth fruit, doing good works, keeping God’s and Christ’s commandments universally and perseveringly, mortifying our lusts, denying ourselves and selling all for Christ, bridling our tongues, believing difficult doctrines, being of a Christian temper and behavior towards ourselves and our fellow creatures. These are expressly given in Scripture as signs by which we are to try our sincer-
The following paragraph, written in a later hand (late 1730s at the earliest), is inserted here at JE’s direction from MS p. 16.
ity by, and by which we are to try whether we indeed have those things wherein godliness more radically consists.9
Trusting in God. Scarcely anything is more frequently mentioned in the Old Testament as the distinguishing character of a godly man than trusting in God. See what is meant in the Old Testament by trusting in God, in sermon on Jer. 17:5–6, where is described what it is to trust in a creature; and sermons on the two following verses, where is described what it is to trust in God.1
Choosing and resting in God and Christ and spiritual and eternal good as our portion. This is implied in trusting in God, that is often mentioned as a characteristic of a godly man, as above, as is shown in the sermons there referred to. See also the texts quoted under the head of Denying Ourselves and Selling All for Christ.2 Ps. 4:6–7, “There be many that say, Who will show us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.” Ps. 16:5–6, “The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.” Ps. 27:4, “One [thing] have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.” Ps. 73:25, “Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth whom I desire besides thee.” Ps. 119:57, “Thou art my portion, O Lord”; and 142:5, “Thou art my portion in the land of the living.” Lam. 3:24, “The Lord is my portion, saith my soul.” Hab. 3:17–19, “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: yet will I rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.” Luke 10:42, “Mary hath chosen the good part that shall not be taken away from her.” Phil. 3:7–9, “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.”
Fearing God is very often mentioned as a characteristic of a godly man in Scripture. It is so mentioned in both Old Testament and New; vid. Common Place Book.3 By which one main thing intended, is having a dread of displeasing and provoking God, as appears by the following texts. Ex. 1:17–18, “But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them.” Lev. 19:14, “Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor cast a stumblingblock before the blind, but shalt fear thy God.” Job, when he is arguing his sincerity, declares how carefully he avoided sin; for says he, Job 31:23, “Destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of [his] highness I could not endure.” Ps. 36:1, “The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, there is no fear of God before his eyes.” Ps. 76:7, “Thou, even thou, art to be feared: and who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry?” Is. 8:12–13, “Neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid. Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.” Is. 66:2, “But to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.” Ezra 9:4, “Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of those that had been carried away”; and 10:3, “According to the counsel of my lord, and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God.” Is. 66:5, “Hear ye the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, and cast you out for my name’s sake, said, The Lord be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.” Ps. 119:120, “My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments.” Matt. 10:28, “Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him that is able to destroy both body and soul in hell.” Luke 12:5, “But I will forewarn you whom you shall fear: fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.” Heb. 12:28–29, “Let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: for our God is a consuming fire.”
There must be a change made in man; he in heart, nature and life must be changed from sin to God. All are under sin and must be converted. Rom. 3:9–19, “What then? are we any better than they? No, in no wise:
for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; as it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none doth good, no, not one.” And there the Apostle shows by passages quoted from the Old Testament that everyone is universally corrupt in every part, proving it of the several distinct members: their throat, their tongues, their lips, their mouths, their feet. It is shown that each of these is desperately corrupt, in that “their throat is an open sepulcher,” that “with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: their feet are swift to shed blood.” These are horrid crimes. The meaning is, that there are the seeds of the most atrocious wickedness naturally in every man. And all that is good is denied of them in the following verses: “Destruction and misery are in their ways: and the way of peace they have not known: there is no fear of God before their eyes. Now we know that whatsoever things the law saith, it saith to them that are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and that all the world may become guilty before God.” Rom. 5:12, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” Gal. 3:22, “But the scripture hath concluded all under sin.” Ps. 51:5, “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.” Job 11:12, “Vain man would be wise, though man be born like the wild ass’ colt,” i.e. ignorant, perverse and untractable, going astray as soon as he is born. In the original it is, “Though man is born a wild ass’ colt.” As Mr. Hubbard in the Berry Street Sermons paraphrases it, “Utterly averse to be under the law and rule of God, headstrong and furiously bent on his own will and ways.”4 Compare the verse with the foregoing. Job 14:1–4, “Man that is born of woman is of few days,” etc. “Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.” Ps. 58:3–5, “The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies. Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear,” etc. Matt. 3:4, “O generation of vipers.” Gen. 8:21, “The imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth.” Job 15:14–16, “What is man,
4. Faith and Practice Represented in Fifty-Four Sermons on the Principle Heads of the Christian Religion; Preached at Berry Street, 1733. By I. Watts, D. Neal, J. Guyse, S. Price, D. Jennings, J. Hubbard (2 vols., London, 1735). John Hubbard’s sermon on “The Fall of Man, and Original Sin; with Man’s Inability to Recover Himself” is in vol. I, sermon X. The quote appears on p. 219: “Of Man in general it is affirm’d, that he is vain and born like a wild Ass’s Colt, Job xi. 12. utterly averse to be under the Law and Rule of God, strong and furiously bent on his own lawless Will and Ways.”
that he should be clean? and he that is born of a woman, that he should be righteous? . . . How much more abominable and filthy is man, who drinketh iniquity like water?” Jer. 17:9 (compared with Job 14:4, “Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one”), “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Matt. 10:16–17, “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: . . . But beware of men.” Luke 11:13, “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts.” John 15:19, “Because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.” Tit. 3:3–5, “For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after the kindness and love of God our Savior towards men appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost.” Eph. 4:22–24, “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your minds; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” In the beginning of the sixth chapter of Romans, this follows, and is introduced by the Apostle’s discourse of original sin in the latter end of the fifth chapter: “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead, so we should walk in newness of life. For if we have planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin,” etc. Ezek. 16:3– 4, “Thus saith the Lord God unto Jerusalem; Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite. And as for thy nativity, in the day that thou wast born thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee; thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all.” V. 6, “And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live.” Eph. 2:1–5, “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience; among whom also we allhad our con- versation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace ye are saved), and hath raised us up together.” Vv. 8–10, “For by grace ye are saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”5
All are under sin and must be converted or have their hearts and lives changed from sin to God. Deut. 30:6, “And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live” (see note concerning circumcision on Gen. 17:10).6 Ezek. 11:19–20, “And I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: that they may walk in my statutes, and keep my ordinances, and do them.” Jer. 31:31–33, “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and the house of Judah: . . . This shall be the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.” Ezek. 36:26–27, “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.” Rom. 2:29, “But he is a Jew, that is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter.” Phil. 3:2–3, “Beware of the concision. For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh”; i.e. have no confidence in such external things as the Jewish circumcision, as being that worship that is acceptable to God, because ’tis not in the Spirit. Col. 2:11–13, “In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him.” Col. 3:9–10, “Seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.” II Cor. 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are past away; behold, all things are become new.” Gal. 6:15, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.” John 3:3, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” [Vv.] 5–6, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” [V.] 8, “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.” Matt. 18:3, “Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” John 1:12– 13, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of flesh, nor of the will of men, but of God.” Jas. 1:18, “Of his own will begat he us by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.” I Pet. 1:21–23, “Who by him do believe in God, who raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.” And it there follows, in the continuation of the same argument, in the second verse of the next [chapter]: “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.” Luke 13:2–5, “Suppose ye that those Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans . . . I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen,” etc. I John 3:13, “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.” These words imply that we all originally are in death and remain so ‘till there be a great change in us. Gen. 5:1–3, “In the likeness of God made he him; . . . Adam begat a son in his own likeness.”7
It is plainly taught that the world of mankind are corrupt and wicked, and also that all are wicked; and8 that ’tis by regeneration only that men are made otherwise. I John 5:17–19, “All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death. We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.” And9 by ch. 2, last, and ch. 3, at the beginning, it is exceeding manifest that [they who] are before or without regeneration, whereby they are born of God, are impure, wicked and the children of the devil; and that they are changed and purified by regeneration, or a being born of God; and that the world are wicked and enemies to holiness and the children of, and naturally abide in, death (i.e. in sin and wickedness); and that by regeneration their state is changed and they are passed from death to life. “If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doth righteousness is born of him. Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God . . . And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” V. 5, “Ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins.” Vv. 8–10, “He that committeth sin is of the devil; . . . For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.” [Vv.] 13–14, “Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death” (i.e. “remains still in death,” implying that he is naturally in a state of death).
This part of holy Scripture is exceeding full of evidence of the doctrine of original sin, and affords a multitude of arguments for it.1
Job 28:13, “Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living,” together with the last verse, “And unto man he said, The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is under-
8. MS: “but only they that are born of God &.” The phrase “that men” that appears later in the sentence indicates that JE apparently changed the wording mid-sentence without going back to delete or revise the annotated clause.
standing.” Prov. 22:15, “Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child.” Prov. 20:9, “Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?” This supposes that everybody originally has sin, everybody is first polluted: for “making clean” is an expression which is relative and has reference to an antecedent, to uncleanness; and the latter expression, “Who can say I am pure from my sin,” supposes everyone has sin of his own. II. Cor. 5:14–15, “If one died for all, then were all dead: and that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him who died for them, and rose again.”
Ps. 94:11, “The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity,” compared with Gen. 8:21.
Humility, a broken and contrite heart, a being poor in spirit, sensibleness of our own vileness and unworthiness, self-abasement before God, disclaiming all worthiness and glory, mourning for sin.
Job 22:29, “When men are cast down then, thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.” Ps. 34:18, “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” Ps. 51:17, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” Ps. 138:6, “Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect to the lowly.” Prov. 3:34, “He giveth grace to the lowly.” Is. 57:15, “Thus saith the high and lofty One who inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” Is. 66:1–2, “Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: . . . but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.” Mic. 6:8, “He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to do justly, to love mercy, and walk humbly with thy God?” Is. 61:1–2, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted, . . . and to comfort those that mourn.” Matt. 5:3, “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for their’s is the kingdom of heaven”; and v. 4, “Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.” Matt. 18:3–4, “Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Mark 10:15, “Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.” Luke 18:9–14, “And he spake this parable unto certain that trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others,” etc. “The publican, standing afar off, would not so much as lift up his eyes to heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” Luke 15:18–19, the prodigal son said, “I will arise and go to my father, and I will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thine hired servants.” Matt. 15:26–27, Christ granted not the request of the woman of Canaan till she said, “Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table,” and she submitted to Christ in that repulse he gave her, “’Tis not meet to take the children’s bread, and cast it to dogs,” and did as it were own that she was worthy to be called a dog. Whereupon Christ says unto her, “O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt.” So the centurion that we have an account of, Luke 7, he acknowledged that he was not worthy that Christ “should enter under my roof,” and that he was “not worthy to come to thee.” See the manner of the woman’s coming to Christ that was a sinner, Luke 7:37–50, “And behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, and stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and anointed them with the ointment.” And Jesus pardoned and accepted her, and says to her, “Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.” Vid. note on Mark 14:3.2 The thief on the cross says to the other, Luke 23:40–41, “Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds.” I Cor. 11:31, “For if we would judge ourselves we should not be condemned with the world.” Col. 3:12, “Put on, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, . . . humbleness of mind.” Lev. 26:40–42, “If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they have trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary to me; and that I also have walked contrary to them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they accept of the punishment of their iniquity: then will I remember my covenant with Jacob,” etc. Job 33:27–28, “If any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not; he will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light.” Ps. 32:5, “I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin.” Prov. 28:13, “He that confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall have mercy.” Jer. 3:13, “Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God,” etc. Hos. 5:15, “I will go and return unto my place, till they acknowledge their offense.” Joel 2:12–13, “Turn unto me with all your heart, with weeping, and with mourning; and rent your heart, and not your garments.” Luke 22:61–62, “And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord,” etc. “And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.” I John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Jas. 4:9–10, “Be afflicted, mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” Jer. 31:18– 20, “Surely I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; thou art the Lord my God. Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth.” Zech. 12:10, “And I will pour out upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look on me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for an only son,” etc. Ezek. 20:41–43, “I will accept you with your sweet savor, when I bring you out from the people,” etc. “And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed.” Ezek. 36:26– 27, 31, “A new heart also will I give unto you . . . And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes,” etc. “Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations.” Gen. 24:64–65, Rebekah, when she comes to Isaac, lights off her camel and takes a veil and covers herself; so those that come truly to Christ, come humbly. Matt. 28:9, “‘And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.” See concerning the circumstances of Paul’s conversion [Acts 9:1–22].
To3 show in this essay how that the Scripture is a more sure guide in this matter than experience; that many, by making others’ experiences their guide in this matter, are misled—others that are accounted godly are not so. And how shall we know whose experience to make our rule, unless it be by the Scripture? So that if we must judge of experience by Scripture, then Scripture is the highest rule: for experience is a subordinate rule that is to be tried by it, and by which we are to judge of it.
Boldly confessing Christ before men, when we shall expose ourselves to the odium, reproach and persecution of men. Matt. 10:32–33, “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven”; and Luke 12:8– 9, the like words. Mark 8:38, “Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” John 12:42–43, “Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.” Rom. 10:10, “With the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” II Tim. 2:12, “If we suffer, we shall also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us.” Rev. 2:13, “I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.”
Spiritually4 seeing and knowing God and Christ and understanding divine things. John 17:3, “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” V. 6, “I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the
3. At the top of MS p. 12, the handwriting is neat and round, and the ink brown, as in the late 1720s or very early 1730s. 4. Text skips to top of MS p. 14 because of JE’s shifting of passages. The hand and ink date from no later than the early 1730s.
world.” Matt. 11:25–27, “At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.” Ps. 9:10, “They that know thy name will put their trust in thee.” Jer. 31:33–34, “I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” I Cor. 15:34, “Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.” Jer. 9:24, “But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth.” Jer. 22:16, speaking of Josiah, “He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well with him: was not this to know me? saith the Lord.” John 15:21, “But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.” John 8:19, “Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.” John 16:3, “And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.” I Cor. 2:14, “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” John 6:40, “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one that seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.” John 12:44–46, “Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me. I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.” John 14:17, “Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” I John 3:6, “Whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.” I John 2:3–5, “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby we know that we are in him.” I John 4:7–8,
“Every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” III John 1:11, “He that doth good is of God: but he that doth evil hath not seen God.” I John 2:13, “I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known [him] that is from the beginning. . . . I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.” V. 14, “I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning.” II Cor. 3:18, “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” Ch. 4:3–4, “But if our gospel be hid, ’tis hid to them that are lost: in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” V. 6, “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” Phil. 3:8, “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: . . . and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.” Prov. 2, at the beginning, “If thou criest after knowledge,” etc., “Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord giveth wisdom; out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.” Jer. 24:7, “And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the Lord: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.” Matt. 13:19, “When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one,” etc. Matt. 13:23, “But he that receiveth the seed into good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it,” etc. John 14:21, “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” This is to explain what he said before in the nineteenth verse, that the disciples should see him when the world should see him no more. Gal. 1:15–16, “But when it pleased God . . . to reveal his Son in me . . .” Deut. 29:4, “Yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day.” Ps. 25:14, “The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will show them his covenant.” Matt. 13:11, “It is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.”
Spiritual knowledge. John 6:45, “It is written in the Prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.” Eph. 1:17–19, “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance, in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,” etc. Eph. 3:17–19, “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge.” Judg. 2:10, “There arose another generation after them, that knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.” I Sam. 2:12, “The sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the Lord.” Is. 6:9–10, “Hear ye indeed, but understand not; see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and convert, and be healed.” Jer. 2:8, “They that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me.” Jer. 4:22, “My people is foolish, they have not known me.” Dan. 11:32–33, “But the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. And they that do understand among the people shall instruct many.” Hos. 4:1, “The Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.” Hos. 6:3, “Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord.” Hos. 6:6, “For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.” Hos. 14:9, “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 in them.” Col. 1:9–10, “And to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.” Col. 3:10, “And put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.” II Pet. 1:2, “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and Jesus our Lord.” II Pet. 3:18, “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” I John 3:1, “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed on us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.” I John 4:6, “He that knoweth God heareth us.” Eph. 4:21, “If so be ye have heard him, and have been taught by him.”
Relishing,5 savoring and delighting in the Word of God. This is spoken of in the Psalms, in places too many to be enumerated.
Taking complacency in the awful attributes of God, as well as those that are more winning and drawing; delighting in the absolute sovereignty and vindictive justice of God, as well as in his mercy and goodness. This was the spirit and temper of Jesus Christ. Matt. 11:25–27, “At that time Jesus rejoiced in spirit and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.” And so it is the spirit of all the true followers of Christ. It appears to be the spirit and temper of the saints to rejoice in God’s sovereignty and justice by their songs: as particularly the song of Moses at the Red Sea, the song of Deborah and the song of Hannah, and the song of the Virgin Mary. It is the spirit of the saints in heaven, as is evident by their often ascribing dominion and power to God in their songs, and praising him on the occasions of the executions of his wrath, in the Revelation.6
A disposition to praise God. ’Tis the breathing of an holy spirit to be ready to praise God, as appears by innumerable places in the Psalms.
A delighting and rejoicing in God. Ps. 9:2, “I will be glad and rejoice in thee.”7
That which is naturally imported by these Scripture expressions, so often used to signify a gracious sincerity, of turning to God and seeing God, and loving and serving him with the whole heart and with a perfect heart, and all the heart: see use of examination in sermon on II Cor. 8:5.8
Signs of Godliness 509
5. At this point, the text skips from MS p. 15 to the top of MS p. 17 because of JE’s shifting of passages. The ink and hand are of early composition.
6. The next two entries, which are all that appear on MS p. 18, are early. 7. The next two entries, which are all that appear on MS p. 19, are later additions, dating from 1739 or later (see next note). 8. The sermon on II Cor. 8:5, July 1739, has as its doctrine, “We ought to give ourselves to Jesus Christ.” The first Use is of self-examination, in which JE asks his hearers whether they have indeed given their whole heart to God. “Have you in your heart alienated yourself as it were from yourself?” JE goes on to state that people may deceive themselves about their own experiences, or may be deceived about others’ experiences, but God is not deceived.
See also sermon [on] Ps. 119:2.9 See many places in the Concordance under the words heart, with all and perfect heart.1
The grand secret of being real, thorough Christians lies in these two things: in cleaving to Christ as our only portion, so as therein to renounce the world; and in trusting in Christ as our only Savior, in a renunciation of our own righteousness. See “Miscellanies” no. 862.2
See3 Ps. 119, which seems to be throughout a profession of his sincerity. See the many signs of sincerity that are there professed.
See Common Place Book on the Holy Scripture, the chapter concerning sincerity and zeal, p. 183.4
510 Signs of Godliness
9. See above, p. 493, n. 5. 1. Cruden, A Complete Concordance to the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament. 2. “Miscellanies” no. 862, “Humiliation” (c. 1740), which appears to be virtually simultaneous with this entry in the “Signs” notebook, begins, “’Tis necessary that persons should be brought to forsake the world as well as their own righteousness in order to a saving closing with Christ.” Two ways of being brought off from the world include having one’s heart “forced off” the world by afflictions and trial, or having it drawn off by being shown something better. See Works, 20, 86–91. 3. The final two entries in the notebook, on the bottom of MS p. 20, appear to be contemporary with the entries made in the middle of MS p. 16 (above, p. 485), which, as here, also include a reference to the Common Place Book.
4. Locke, Common Place Book to the Holy Bible, ch. XVI, “Of the Duties of Believers.” Pp. 183– 89 list texts for the duty, “To walk with God heartily, uprightly, sincerely, and to follow him fully and zealously: The reasons thereof.”
Notes
4. The “Blank Bible” note on I John 3:7 reads: “The Apostle still has respect to those seducers that he spoke of in the latter end of the foregoing chapter. He is here insisting on the same rule, whereby they might discern them that were wolves in sheep’s clothing that Christ gave (Matt. 7:15–16), and which the Apostle gave to Gaius in his third epistle, 11th verse.”
6. The following paragraph is inserted here at JE’s direction from MS p. 4.
7. The following ten paragraphs are inserted here at JE’s direction from MS p. 5. 8. MS: “spoken of before.” Because of JE’s shifting of passages, the entries on “Having the spirit of Christ” appear below, pp. 488–89.
2. The following paragraph (written in the late 1730s) is inserted here at JE’s direction from MS p. 12.
3. The next paragraph is inserted here at JE’s direction from the bottom of MS p. 13 as a continuation of the previous addition from MS p. 12.
4. Here we return to MS p. 1. 5. The following paragraph is inserted here at JE’s direction from MS p. 4.
7. “Notes on Scripture” no. 390, on Exodus, chs. 6–11 and 14, concerns “Pharaoh’s hardness of heart and obstinacy in refusing to let the children of Israel go, and the manner of God’s dealing with him.” See Works, 15, 379–83.
8. The final sentence of the paragraph is a later addition.
9. The following two paragraphs are inserted here at JE’s direction from MS p. 4.
1. The following paragraph (written in the late 1730s) is inserted at JE’s directions from MS p.7.
2. The remainder of the paragraph is in a darker ink, and represents a later addition. 3. For “Notes on Scripture” no. 390, see above, p. 478, n. 7, and Works, 15, 379–82. The following paragraph (written in the early 1730s) is inserted here at JE’s direction from MS p. 6, though the citation of the Scripture note follows the reference to the shifted passage.
4. The remainder of the paragraph is in a later hand and ink, probably from the 1740s. 5. With the beginning of the next paragraph we return to the top of MS p. 2. 6. In the “Blank Bible” note on II Sam. 20:15–22, JE draws a spiritual lesson from the story of the siege of Abel by Joab. The city itself represents a person, Sheba the rebel represents sin, and Joab and his army represent the wrath of God: “So the wrath of God will stand against us with all its army and seek our destruction till we destroy and give up sin.”
8. The following paragraph (written in the late 1730s) is inserted here at JE’s direction from MS p. 7.
2. See above, pp. 479–82. The following paragraph (dating from the early 1740s; see next note) is inserted here at JE’s direction from MS p. 6, though the final reference to “the head of Perseverance” is written after the cue to the shifted passage.
3. I.e. sermon on Matt. 13:3–6 (on the Parable of the Sower), preached in Nov. 1740, prop. IV, “The difficulties that attend religion are the proper trials of sincerity.” JE exhorts that sin-
8. John Locke, A Common Place Book of the Holy Bible: or, the Scriptures Sufficiency Practically Demonstrated (London, 1697; 3d ed. 1725). In ch. XVI (pp. 162–65), Locke considers “the Duties of Believers, such as profess to be Saints.” The section beginning on p.162is headed, “To take heed to our Lips, that our Words be not rash, but true, seasonable, well ordered, and savoury.” With the beginning of the next paragraph, we return to MS p. 2.
9. This is the first of two instances in the notebook where JE later (though still in the early 1730s) interlineated the word “doubtful” above an entry (he deleted the other; see below p.492, n. 4), indicating that he had second thoughts about what he had written.
1. The following paragraph (written in the early 1730s) is inserted here at JE’s direction from MS p. 7.
5. See above, p. 476.
6. “Reflections” is JE’s early term for the “Miscellanies.” This is probably a reference to “Miscellanies” no. 375 (see above, p. 488, n. 3, and Works, 13, 447–48).
7. See above, p. 473.
8. MS: “see to the like purpose Jer 22 . 16.” The following paragraph (written in the early 1730s) is inserted here at JE’s direction from MS p. 15. 9. The remainder of the paragraph (written in the late 1730s) is a later addition in blank ink, probably contemporary with the bottom of MS p. 12.
4. JE interlineated and then delineated the word “doubtful” above the paragraph.
6. At this point, the text skips from the middle of MS p. 4 to the bottom of MS p. 5 because of JE’s shifting of passages. The minute hand of the original composition ends, and the hand becomes larger and more open.
7. The following two paragraphs (dating from the mid- to late 1730s) are inserted here at JE’s direction from MS p. 12.
8. See the texts referred to below, p. 510, n. 1, and Heb. 12:1, I Cor. 9:24–26, I Tim. 6:12, and II Tim. 4:7.
9. At this point, the text skips from MS p. 6 to the top of MS p. 8 because of JE’s shifting of passages.
1. The sermons on Jer. 17:5–6 (122) and 17:7–8 (123) date from the summer or fall of 1729. 2. See above, pp. 483–84.
3. Locke, Common Place Book to the Holy Bible, ch. XVI, “Of the Duty of Believers.” Pp. 140–44 list verses under the duty to “Fear God.”
5. The following paragraph (written in the early 1730s) is inserted here at JE’s direction from MS p. 13.
6. In the “Blank Bible” note on Gen. 17:10, JE states that circumcision is “an evidence of original sin . . . and we are taught that the foreskin represents sin or lust.”
7. The four following paragraphs are inserted here at JE’s direction from MS p. 20, which is written in a later ink and hand, probably of the mid- to late 1740s.
9. MS: “And tis manifest.” Deleted to prevent redundancy. 1. The first two sentences of the following paragraph, i.e. the references to Job 28:13and Prov. 22:15, are written in a black ink, but the remainder of the paragraph is in the gray ink that precedes.
2. The “Blank Bible” note on Mark 14:3 presents a typological interpretation of the woman’s pouring oil on Christ’s feet. The act itself is a type of the believer’s exercising love to Christ, the box out of which the oil was poured represents the believer’s heart poured forth in love to Christ, and the fact that the box was broken shows that true Christian grace flows only from a broken and contrite heart.