Edwards - BX7230 .E4 1746

PART III. of gracious Afefions. 199 3. Perfons may feem to have their Belief of the Truth of the Things of Religion greatly increafed, when the Foundation of it is only a Perfwafion they have received, of their Intereft in 'em. They firft, by fome Means or other, take up a Confidence that, if there be a Chrift and Heaven, they are their's ; and this prejudices 'em more in favour of the Truth Of 'em. When they hear of the great and glorious Things of Religion, 'tis with this Notion, that all thefe Things belong to them ; and hence eafily become confident that they are true : They look upon it to be greatly for their Intereft that they Mould be true. 'Tis very obvious what a ftrong Influence Men's Intereft and Inclinations have on their Judgments. While a natural Man thinks that, if there he a Heaven and Hell ; the Latter, and not the Former, belongs to him ; then he'll be hardly perfwaded that there is a. Heaven or Hell : But when he comes to be perfwaded, that Hell belongs only to other Folks, and not to him ; then he can eafily allow the Reality of Hell, and cry out of others Senfeleffnefs and Sottifhnefs in negleIting Means of Efcape from it : And being confident that he is a Child of God, and that God has promifed Hea- ven to him, he may feem ftrong in the Faith of it's Reality, and may have a great Zeal againft that Infidelity which denies it. But I proceed to another diftinguifhing Sign of gracious Affealons. VI. Gracious Affections are attended with evangelical Humi- liation. Evangelical Humiliation is a Sonic that a Chriftian has of his own utter Infufficiency, Defpicablenefs, and Odioufnefs, with an anfwera- ble Frame ofHeart. There is aDiftinction to be made between a legal & evangelical Hu- miliation. TheFormer is whatMen may be theSubjeas of,while they are vet in a State of Nature,ancl have no gracious Affeaion ; the Lat- ter is peculiar to true Saints : The Former is from the common In- fluence of the Spirit of God, aíl;ifting natural Principles, and efpecially natural Confcience ; the Latter is from the fpecial Influences of the Spirit ofGod, implanting and exercizing fupernatural and divine Prin- ciples : The Former is from the Mind's being afiifted to a greater Senfe of the Things of Religion, as to their natural Properties and Q alities, and particularly of the natural Perfeaions of God, fuch as his Greatnefs, terrible Majefty, Es'c. which were manifefted to the Congregation of Ifrael, in giving the Law at Mount Sinai ; the Latter is from a Senfe of the tranfcendent Beauty of divine Things in their moral Qualities : In the Former a Senfe of the awful Greatnefs, and natural Perfections of God, and of the Stricctnefs ofhis Law, convinces Men that they are exceeding finful, and guilty, and expofed to the Wrath of God, as it will wicked Men and Devils at the Day of Judgment ; but they don't fee their own OdiouJ-zefs on the Account O4. of

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=