it is more difficult to read impartially.---Many will probably be hurt in their Spirits, to find fo much that appertains to religious Affeaion, here condemned : And perhaps Indignation and Contemptwill be ex- ciled'in others, by finding fo much here juflified and approved. And it may be, fome will be ready to charge me with Inconfiftence with my felf, in fo much approving fome Things, and fo muchcondemning others ; as I have found,this has always been objeaed to me by fome, ever fence the Beginning of our late Controverfies about Religion. 'Tis a hard Thing to be a hearty zealous Friend of what has beengood and glorious, in the late extraordinary Appearances, and to rejoice much in it ; and at the fame Time, to fee the evil and pernicious Tendency of what has been bad, and earneftly to oppofe that. But yet, I am humbly, but fully perfwaded, we fhall never be in the' Way of Truth, nor go on in a Way acceptable to God, and tending to the Advancement of (Thrift's Kingdom, 'till we do fo. There is indeed fomething very myfterious in it, that fo much Good, and fo much Bad, fhould be mix'd together in the Church of God: 'As 'tis a myfte- rious Thing, and what has puzzled and amazed "many a good Chrif- tian, that there fhould be that which is fo divine and precious, as the faving Grace'of God, `and the new and divine Nature, dwelling in the fame Heart, with fo much Corruption, Hypocrify and Iniquity, in aparticular Saint. Yet neither of thefe, is more myfterious than real. And neither of 'em is a new or rare Thing. 'Tis no new Thing, that much falle Religion fhould prevail, at a Time of great reviving of true Religion ; and that at fuch a Time, Multitudes of Hypocrites fhould fpring up among true Saints. It was fo in that great Reformation, and Revival of Religion, that was in 7ofiah's Time ; as appears by 'pr. 3. ao. and 4. 3, 4. and allo by the great Apoftacy that there was in the Land, fo foon after his Reign. So it was in that great Out-pouring of the Spirit upon the yews, that was in the Days of `John the Baptill ; as appears by the great Apoftacy of that People, fo foon after fo general an Awakening, and the tempo- rary religious Comforts and Joys of many ; John 5. 35. Ye were wil- ling, for a Seafon, to rejoice in hisLight. So it was in thofe greatCom- motions that were among the Multitude, occafion'd by the Preach- ing of Jefus Chrift : Of the many that were then called, but few were chofen ; of the Multitude that were roufed and affected by his Preaching, and at one Time or other appeared mightily engaged, full of Admiration of Cbrift, and elevated with Joy, but few were true Difciples,that flood theShock of the greatTrials that came afterwards, and endured to the End : Many were like the ftony Ground, or thorny Ground ; and but few, comparatively, like the goodGround : Of the whole Heap that was gathered, great Part was Chaff, that the Wind afterwards drove away ; and the Heap of Wheat that was left, was comparatively finall ; as appears abundantly, by the Hiftory of the
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