PART II. to d inguifh Affeelions. 47 nor yet properly from the Corruptions of their own Hearts, but from fome Influence of the Spirit of God with the Word, and yet have nothing of the Nature of true and faving Religion in them. Thus the flony- ground Hearers had great Joy from the Word ; yea which is reprefented as arifing from the Word, as Growth from a Seed ; and their Affections had, in. their Appearance, a very great and ex- act Refemblance with thofe reprefented by the Growth on the good Ground, the Difference not appearing, 'till it was difcovered by the Confquences, in a Time of Trial : And yet there was no faving Religion in thefe Affections. VI. 'Tis no Evidence that religious Affections are faving, or that they are otherwife, that there is an Appearance of Love in them. There are no profeffing Chriffians who pretend, that this is an Ar- gument againll the Truth and laving Nature of religious Affecticrs, But on the other Hand, there are fome who fuppofe, it is a good E- vidence that Affeaions are from the faDaifying and Paving, Influences of the Holy Ghoff. Their Argument is, that Satan cannot Love ; this AffèGfion being diredfly contrary to the Devil, whofe very Nature is Enmity and Malice. And it is true, that nothing is more excel- lent, heavenly and divine than a Spirit of true chriftian Love to God and Men : 'Tis more excellent than Knowledge, or Prophecy, or Mi- racc>, or f caking with the Tongue of Men and Angels. 'Tis the chief of the Graces of God's Spirit, and the Life, Ef fence and Sum of all true Religion ; and that by which we are moll conformed to Heaven, and moff contrary to Hell and the Devil. But yet it is ill arguing from hence, that there are noCounterfeits of it. It may be obferved, that the more excellent any Thing is, the more will be the Counter- feits of it. Thus there are many more Counterfeits of Silver and Gold, than of Iron and Copper : There are many falle Diamonds and Rubies, but who goes about to counterfeit common Stones ? Tho' the more excellent Things are, the more difficult it is to make any Thing that Ihall be like them, in their effential Nature and in- ternal Virtue ; yet the more manifold will the Counterfeits be, and the more will Art and Subtilty be exercifed and difplayed, in an exadl Imitation of the outward Appearance. Thus there is the fl Mr. Stoddard, in his Guide to Chr, fpeaks of it as a common Thing, for Perfons while in a natural Condition, and before they have ever truly accepted ofChr , to have Scripture Promifes come to them, with a great deal ofRefrefhing ; which they take as To- kens of God's Love, and hope that God has accepted them; and fo are confident of their good Eftate, Pape 8, 9. Impreffion Anno 1735. grateff
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