78 What are no Signs PART II. to maintain the bright Sun-Thine in the Air, when the Sun is gone down. Distant Experiences, when darken'd by prefent prevailing Luft and Corruption, will never keep alive a gracious Confidence and Affurance ; but that Sickens and Decays upon it, as need-rarity as a little Child by repeated Blows on the Head with the Hammer. Nor is it at all to be lamented that Perfons doubt of their State in fuch Circumstances ; but on the contrary, 'tis defireable and every Way belt that they fhould. 'Tis agreeable to that wife and merciful Conflitution of Things, which God bath ettablifhed, that it should be fo. For fo hath God contrived and conftituted Things, in his Difpenfations towards his own People, that when their Love decays, and the Exercifes of it fail, or become weak, Fear fhould arife ; for then they need it to refrain them from Sin, and to exercife 'em to care for the Good of their Souls, and fo to Dir them up to tchful- nefs &Diligence inReligion : ButGod bath fo order'd that whenLove rites, and is in vigorous Exercife, then Fear should vanifh, and be driven away ; for then they need it not, having a higher and more excellent Principle in exercife, to restrain 'em from Sin, and fir 'em up to their Duty. There are no other Principles, which humane Nature is under the Influence of, that will ever make Men confcien- tious, but one of thefe two, Fear or Love : And therefore, if one of thefe fhould not prevail, as the other decay'd, God's People when fallen into dead and carnal Frames, when Love is asleep, would be lamentably expofed indeed. And therefore God has wifely ordained, that thefe two oppofite Principles of Love and Fear, fhould rife and fall, like the two oppofite Scales of a Balance ; when one riles, the o- ther finks. As Light and Darknefs, neceflàrily and unavoidably fuc- ceed each other ; if Light prevails, fo much does Darknefs ceafe, and no more ; and if Light decays, fo much does Darknefs prevail ; fo it is in the Heart of a Child of God : If divine Love decays and falls a- sleep, and Luff prevails, the Light andJoy of Hope goes out, and dark Fear and Doubting arifes ; and if on the contrary, divine Love pre- vails, and comes, into lively Exercife, this brings in the Brightnefs of Hope, and drives away black Luff, and Fear with it. Love is the Spirit of Adoption, or the Childlike Principle ; if that Slumbers, Men fall under Fear, which is the Spirit ofBondage, or the fervile Princi- ple : And fo on the contrary. And if it be fo, that Love, or the Spi- rit of Adoption, be carried to a great Height, it quite drives away all Fear,: and gives full Affurance ; agreeable to that of the Apoftle,. i John , 18. There is no Fear in Love, but perfect Love ca/is out Fear. Thefe two opposite Principles of Luff and holy Love, bringHope and Fear into the Hearts of God'sChildren, in Proportion as they prevail; that is, when left to their own natural Influence, without fomething adventitious, or accidental intervening ; as the Diftemper of Melan- chally,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=