PART I. in holy 4ffi'clion:. 25 There feems to be too much of a Difpofition this Way, prevailing in this Land at this Time. Becaufe many who, in the late extraor- dinary Seafon, appeared to have great religious Affcetions, did not manifeft a right Temper of Mind, and run into many Errors, in the Time of their Affeétion, and the Heat of their Zeal ; and becaufe the highAffeaions of many feem to be fo loon come to nothing, and fome who feemed to be mightily railed and fwallowed with Joy and Zeal, for a While, feem to have returned like the Dog to his Vomit : Hence religious Affe&ions in general are grown out of Credit, with great Numbers, as tho' true Religion did not at all confift in them. Thus we eafily, and naturally run from one Extreme to another. A little while ago we were in the other Extreme; there was a preva- lent Difpofition to look upon all high religious Affections, as eminent Exercifes of true Grace, without much inquiring into the Nature and Source of thofe Affections, and the Manner in which they arofe : If Perfons did but appear to be indeed very much moved and railed, fo as to be full of religious Talk, and exprefs themfelves with great Warmth and Earneftnels, and to be frll'd, or to be very full, as the Phrafes were ; it was too much the Manner, without further Exami- nation, to conclude fuch Perfons were full of the Spirit of God, and had eminent Experience of his gracious Influences. This was the Extreme which was prevailing three or four Years ago. But of late, inftead of Jleeming and admiring all religious AJeetions, without Dif- tinétion, it is a Thingmuch more prevalent, to reject and difcard all without Dif}inétion. Herein appears the Subtilty of Satan. While he law that A :ections were much in Vogue, knowing the greater Part of the Land were not verfed in fuch Things, and had not had much Experience of great religious Aections, to enable them to judge well of 'em, and diftinguifh between true and falle ; then he knew he could belt play his Game, by fowing Tares amongít the Wheat, and mingling falfe Affetiions with the Works of God's Spirit: He knew this to be a likely Way to delude and eternally ruin many Souls, and greatly to wound Religion in the Saints, and entangle them in a dreadful Wildernefs, and by and by, to bring all Religion into Dif- repute. But now, when the ill Confequences of therefalfe Affecîions appear, and 'tis become very apparent, that fome of thofe Emotions which made a glaring Shew, and were by many greatly admired, were in RealityNothing ; the Devil fees it to be for his Intereft to go another Way to work,and to endeavour to his utmoft to propagate and eftablifh a Perfwafion, that all Affeaions and fenfible Emotions of the Mind, in Things of Religion, are nothing at all to be regarded, but are rather to be avoided, and carefully guarded againft, as Things of a pernicious Tendency. This he knows is the Way to bring all Re- ligion to a meer lifelefs Formality, and effe&tually {hut out the Power of Godlinefs, and every Thing which is fpiritual, and to have all true Chriftianitc
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=