The Manner of Conversion Various, yet Bearing a Great Resemblance

I thekefoke proceed to give an account of the manner of persons lpeiii,if wrouihl upon: and here there is a vast variety, perhaps as manifold as the subjects of the operation; but yet in many things there is a great analogy in all.

Persons are first awakened with a sense of their miserable condition by nature, the danger they are in of perishing eternally, and that it is of great importance to them that they speedily escape, and get into a better state. Those that before were secure and senseless, are made sensible how much they were in the way to ruin in their former courses. Some are more suddenly seized with convictions; it may be by the news of others’ conversion, or something they hear in public or in private conference; their consciences are suddenly smitten as if their hearts were pierced through with a dart: Others have awakenings that come upon them more gradually; they begin at first to be something more thoughtful and considerate, so as to come to a conclusion in their minds, that it is their best and wisest way to delay no longer, but to improve the present opportunity; and have accordingly set themselves seriously to meditate on those things that have the most awakening tendency, on puipose to obtain convictions; and so their awakenings have increased, till a sense of their misery, by God’s Spirit setting in therewith, has had fast hold of them. Others that, before this wonderful time, had been somewhat religious and concerned for their salvation, have been awakened in a new manner, and made sensible that their slack and dull way of seeking was never like to attain their purpose, and so have been roused up to a greater violence for the kingdom of heaven.

These awakenings, when they have first seized on persons, have had two effects: one was, that they have brought them immediately to quit their sinful practices, and the looser sort have been brought to forsake and dread their former vices and extravagancies. When once the Spirit of God began to be so wonderfully poured out in a general way through the town, people had soon done with their old quarrels, backbitings, and intermeddling with other men’s matters; the tavern was soon left empty, and persons kept very much at home; none went abroad, unless on necessary business, or on some religious account, and every day seemed in many respects like a sabbath day. And the other effect was, that it put tl.em on earnest application to the means of salvation, reading, prayer, meditation, the ordinances of God’s house, and private conference; their cry was, “What shall we do to be saved?” The place of resort was now altered; it was no longer the tavern, but the minister’s house, that was thronged far more than ever the tavern had been wont to be.

I’here is a very great variety as to the degree of fear and trouble that persons are exercised with before they obtain any comfortable evidences of pardon and acceptance with God: some are from the beginning carried on with abundantly more encouragement and hope than others: some have had ten times less trouble of mind than others, in whom yet the issue seems to be the same. Some have had such a sense of the displeasure of God, and the great danger they were in of damnation, that they could not sleep at night; and many have said that when they have laid down, the thoughts of sleeping in such a condition have been frightful to them, and they have scarcely been free from terror while they have been asleep, and they have awaked with fear, heaviness, and distress still abiding on their spirits. It has been very common that the deep and fixed concern that has been on person’s minds has had a painful influence on their bodies, and has given disturbance to animal nature.

The awful apprehensions persons have had of their misery, have for the most part been increasing, the nearer they have approached to deliverance; though they often pass through many changes and alterations in the frame and circumstances of their minds. Sometimes they think themselves wholly senseless, and fear that the Spirit of God has left them, and that they are given up to judicial hardness; yet they appear very deeply exercised about that fear, and are in great earnest to obtain convictions again.

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Together with those fears, and that exercise of mind which is rational, and which they have just ground for, they have often suffered many needless distresses of thought, in which Satan probably has a great hand, to entangle them and block up their way; and sometimes the distemper of melancholy has been evidently mixed; of which, when it happens, the tempter seems to make great advantage, and puts an unhappy bar in the way of any good effect. One knows not how to deal with such persons; they turn every thing that is said to them the wrong way, and most to their own disadvantage; and there is nothing that the devil seems to make so great a handle of, as a melancholy hmnor, unless it be the real corruption of the heart.

But it has been very remarkable that there has been far less of this mixture in this time of extraordinary blessing than there was wont to be in persons under awakenings at other times; for it is evident that many that before had been exceedingly involved in such difficulties seemed now strangely to be set at liberly. Some persons that had before, for a long time, been exceedingly cxtangled with peculiar temptations, of one sort or other, and unprofitable and hurtful distresses, were soon helped over former stumbling blocks, that hindered any progress toward saving good; and convictions have wrought more kindly, and they have been successfully carried on in the way to life. And thus Satan seemed to be restrained, till towards the latter end of this wonderful time, when God’s Spirit was about to withdraw.

Many times persons under great awakenings were concerned, because they thought they were not awakened, but miserable, hard-hearted, senseless, sottish creatures still, and sleeping upon the brink of hell. The sense of the need they have to be awakened, and of their comparative hardness, grows upon them with their awakenings; so that they seem to themselves to be very senseless, when indeed most sensible. There have been some instances of persons that have had as great a sense of their danger and misery as their natures could well subsist under, so that a little more would probably have destroyed them; and yet they have expressed themselves much amazed at their own insensibility and sottishness, in such an extraordinary time as it then was.

Persons are sometimes brought to the borders of despair, and it looks as black as midnight to them a little before the day dawns in their souls; some few instances there have been of persons who have had such a sense of God’s wrath for sin, that they have been overborne and made to cry out under an astonishing sense of their guilt, wondering that God suffers such guilty wretches to live upon earth, and that he doth not immediately send them to hell: and sometimes their guilt does so glare them in the face that they are in exceeding terror for fear that God will instantly do it; but more commonly the distresses under legal awakenings have not been to such a degree. In some, these terrors do not seem to be so sharp, when near comfort, as before; their convictions have not seemed to work so much that way, but they seem to be led further down into their own hearts, to a further sense of their own universal depravity, and deadness in sin.

The corruption of the heart has discovered itself in various exercises in the time of legal convictions; sometimes it appears in a great struggle, like something roused by an enemy, and Satan, the old inhabitant, seems to exert himself, like a serpent disturbed and enraged. Many in such circumstances have felt a great spirit of envy towards the godly, especially towards those that are thought to have been lately converted, and most of all towards acquaintance and companions, when they are thought to be converted. Indeed, some have felt many heart-risings against God, and murmurings at his ways of dealing with mankind, and his dealings with themselves in particular. It has been much insisted on, both in public and private, that persons should have the utmost dread of such envious thoughts, which, if allowed, tend exceedingly to quench the Spirit of God, if not to provoke him finally to forsake them. And when such a spirit has much prevailed, and persons have not so earnestly strove against it as they ought to have done, it has seemed to be exceedingly to the hindrance of the good ol their souls; but in some other instances, where persons have been much terrified at the sight of such wickedness in their hearts, God has brought good to them out of evil; and made it a means of convincing them of their own desperate sinfulness, and bringing them off fiom all self-confidence.

The drift of the Spirit of God in his legal strivings with persons, has seemed most evidently to be, fo make way for, and to bring to, a conviction of their absolute dependence on his sovereign powder and grace, and a universal necessity of a Mediator, by leading them more and more to a sense of their exceeding wickedness and guiltiness in his sight; the pollution and insufficiency of their own righteousness, that they can in no wise help themselves, and that God would be wholly just and righteous in rejecting them, and all that they do, and in casting them off forever: though there be a vast variety, as to the manner and distinctness of persons’ c6nvictions of these things.

As they are gradually more and moic convinced of the corruption and wickedness of their hearts, they seem to themselves to grow worse and worse, harder and blinder, and more desperately wicked, instead of growing better; they are ready to be discourged by it, and oftentimes never think themselves so far off from good, as when they are nearest. Under the sense which the Spirit of God gives them of their sinfulness, they often think that they differ from all others; their hearts are ready to sink with the thought that they are the worst of all, and and that none ever obtained mercy that were so wicked as they.

When awakenings first begin, their consciences are commonly most exercised about their outward vicious course, or other acts of sin; but afterwards are much more burdened with a sense of heart-sins, the dreadful corruption of their nature, their enmity against God, the pride of their hearts, their unbeHef, their rejection of Christ, the stubbornness and obstinacy of their wills; and the like. In many, God makes much use of their own experience, in the course of their awakenings and endeavors after saving good, to convince them of their own vileness and universal depravity.

Very often under first awakenings, when they are l:r jught to reflect on the sin of their past lives, and have something of a terrifying sense of God’s anger, they set themselves to walk more strictfy, and confess their sins and perform many religious duties, with a secret hope of appeasing God’s anger and making up for the sins they have committed: and oftentimes, at first setting out, their affections are moved, and they are full of tears in their confessions and prayers, which they are ready to make very much off as though they were some atonement, and had power to move coriespondent aflfectiong in God too: and hence they are for a while big with expectation of what God will do for them; and conceive that they grow better apace, and shall sooti be thoroughly converted. But these affections are but short lived; they quickly find that they fail, and then they think themselves to be grown worse again: they don’t find such a prospect of being soon converted, as they thought: instead of being nearer, they seem to be farther off; their hearts they think are grown harder, and by this means their fears of perishing greatly increase. But though they are disappointed, they renew their attempts again and again; and still as their attempts are multiplied so are their disappointments; i fails, they see no token of having inclined God’s heart to them, they don’t see that he hears their prayers at all, as they expected he would; and sometimes there have been great temptations arising hence to leave off seeking, and to yield up the case. But as they are still more terrified vvithfears of perishing, and their former hopes of prevailing on God to be merciful tothemina great measure fail; sometimes their religious affections have turned into heart-risings against God, because that he does net pily them, and seems to have little regard to their distress, and piteous cries, and to all the pains that they take; they think of the mercy that God has shown to others how soon, and how easily others have obtained comfort, and those too that were worse than they, and have not labored so much as they have done, and sometimes they have had even dreadful blasphemous thoughts, in these circumstances.

But when they reflect on these wicked workings of heart against God, if their convictions are continued, and the Spirit of God is not provoked utterly to forsake them, they have more distressing apprehensions of the anger of God towards those whose hearts work after such a sinful maner about him; and it may be have great fears that they have committed the unpardonable sin, or that God will surely never show mercy to them that are such vipers; and are often tempted to leave off in despair. But then perhaps, by something they read or heard of the infinite mercy of God, and all-sufficiency of Christ for the chief of sinners, they have some encouragement and hope renewed; but think that as yet they are not fit to come to Christ; they were so wicked that Christ will never accept of them: and then it may be they set themselves upon a new course of fruitless endeavors in their own strength to make themselves better, and still meet with new disappointments. They are earnest to inquire what they shall do? They do not know but there is something else to be done in order to their obtaining converting grace, that they have never done yet. It may be they hope that they are something better than they were; but then the pleasing dream all vanishes again. If they are told that they trust too much to their own strength and righteousness, they go about to strive to bring themselves off from it, and it may be think they have done it, when they only do the same thing under a new disguise, and still find no appearance of any good, but all looks as dark as midnight to them. Thus they wander about from mountain to hill, seeking rest and finding none; when they are beat out of one refuge they fly to another, till they are as it were debilitated, broken, and subdued with legal humblings; in which God gives them a conviction of their own utter helplessness and insufllciency, and discovers the true remedy.

When they begin to seek salvation, they are commonly profoundly ignorant of themselves; they are not sensible how blind they are, and how little they can do towards bringing themselves to see spiritual things aright, and towards putting forth gracious exercises in their own souls: they are not sensible how remote they are from love to God, and other holy dispositions, and how dead they are in sin. When they see unexpected pollution in their own hearts, they go about to wash away their own defilements, and make themselves clean; and they weary themselves in vain, till Gcd shows them that it is in vain, and their help is not where they have sought it, but elsewhere.

But some persons continue wandering in such a kind of labyrinth ten times as long as others, before their own experience will convince them of their insufficiency; and so it appears not to be their own experience only, but the convincing influence of God’s Spirit with their experience, that attains the effect: and God has of late abundantly shown that he does not need to wait to have men convinced by long and often repeated fruitless trials; for in multitudes of instances he has made a shorter work of it: he has so awakened and convinced persons’ consciences, and made them so sensible of their exceedingly great vileness, and given them such a sense of his wrath against sin, as has quickly overcome all their vain self-confidence, and borne them down into the dust before a holy and righteous God.

There have been some who have not had great terrors, but haye had a very quick work. Some of those that have not had so deep a conviction of these things before their conversion, have, it may be, much more of it afterwards. God has appeared far from limiting himself to any certain method

lii his pioceedings with sinners under legal convictions. In some instances it seems easy for our reasoning powers to discern the methods of Divine Wisdom, in his dealings with the soul under awakenings: in others his footsteps cannot be traced, and his ways are past finding out: and some that are less distinctly wrought upon in what is preparatory to grace, appear no less eminent in gracious experiences afterwards.

There is in nothing a greater difference, in different persons, than with respect to the time of their being under trouble; some but a few days, and others for months or years. There were many in this town, that had been, before this effusion of God’s Spirit upon us, for years, and some for many years, concerned about their salvation; though probably they were not thoroughly awakened, yet they wTre concerned to such a degree as to be very uneasy, so as to live an vmcomfortable, disquieted life, and so as to continue in a way of taking considerable pains about their salvation, but had never obtained any comfortable evidence of a good state, who now, in this extraordinary time, have received light; but many of them were some of the last. They first saw multitudes of others rejoicing, and with songs of deliverance in their mouths, who seemed wholly careless and at ease, and in pursuit of vanity, while they had been bowed down with solicitude about their souls: yea, some had lived licentiously, and so continued till a little before they were converted, and grow up to a holy rejoicing in the infinite blessings God had bestowed upon them.

And whatever minister has the like occasion to deal with souls, in a flock under such circumstances as this was in the last 5’ear, I cannot but think he will soon find himself under a necessity, greatly to insist upon it with them, that God is under no mannei” of obligation to show mercy to any natural man, whose heart is not turned to God; and that a man can challenge nothing, either in absolute justice, or by free promise, from any thins: he docs before he ha? believed on Jesus

58 MANJN’£R OF CONVERSION VAftlOLS.

Christ, or has true repentance begun in him. It appears to me, that if I had taught those that came to me under trouble, any other doctrine, I should have taken a most direct course utterly to have undone them. I should have directly crossed what was plainly the drift of the Spirit of God in his influence upon them; for if they had believed what I said, it would either have promoted self-flattery and carelessness, and so put an end to their awakenings, or cherished and established their contention and strife with God, concerning his dealings with them and others, and blocked up their way to that humiliation, before the Sovereign Disposer of life and death, whereby God is wont to prepare them for his consolations. And yet those that have been under awakenings, have oftentimes plainly stood in need of being encouraged, by being told of the infinite and all-sufficient mercy of God in Christ; and that it is God’s manner to succeed diligence, and to bless his own means, that so awakenings and encouragements, fear and hope, may be duly mixed, and proportioned to preserve their minds in a just medium between the two extremes of self-flattery and despondence, both which tend to slackness, and negligence, and in the end, to security. I think I have found that no discourses have been more remarkably blessed, than those in which the doctrine of God’s absolute sovereignty with regard to the salvation of sinners, and his just liberty with regard to his answering the prayers or succeeding the pains of natural men, continuing such, have been insisted on. I never found so much immediate saving fruit, in any measure, of any discourses I have offered to my congregation, as some from those words, Rom. iii. 19.; “That every mouth may be stopped;” endeavoring to show fnjm thence that it would be just with God forever to reject and cast off mere natural men.

In those in whom awakenings seem to have a saving issue, commonly the first thing that appears after their legal troubles, is a conviction of the justice of God in their con-

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demnation, in a sense of their own exceeding sinfulness, and the vileness of all their performances. In giving account of this, they expressed themselves very variously; some, that God was sovereign, and might receive others and reject them: some, that they were convinced that God might justly bestow mercy on every person in the town, and on every person in the world, and damn themselves to all eternity; some, that they see that God may justly have no regard to all the pains they have taken, and all the prayers they have made; some, that they see that if they should seek and take the utmost pains, all their lives, God might justly cast them into hell at last, because all their labors, prayers, and tears cannot make an atonement for the least sin, nor merit any blessing at the hands of God; some have declared themselves to be in the hands of God, that he can and may dispose of them just as he pleases; some, that God may glorify himself in their damnation, and they wonder that God has suffered them to live so long, and has not casi them into hell long ago.

Some are brought to this conviction by a great sense of their sinfulness in general, that they are such vile, wicked creatures, in heart and life: others have the sins of their lives in an extraordinary manner set before them, multitudes of them coming just then fresh to their memories, and being set before them with their aggravations; some have their minds especially fixed on some particular wicked practice they have indulged; some are especially convinced by a sight of the corruption and wickedness of their hearts; some, from a view they have of the horridness of some particular exercises of corruption which they have had in the time of their awakenings, whereby the enmity of the heart against God has been manifested; some are convinced especially by a sense of the sin of unbelief, the opposition of their hearts to the way of salvation by Christ, and their obstinacy in rejectino; Iiim and his irrare.

GO MANNER or CONVERSION VARIOUS

There is a great deal of difference as to persons’ distinctness here; some, that have not so clear a sight of God’s justice in their condemnation, yet mention things that plainly imply it. They find a disposition to acknowledge God to be just and righteous in his threatenings, and that they are deserving of nothing. And many times, though they had not so particular a sight of it at the beginning, they have very clear discoveries of it soon afterwards, with great humblings in the dust befoie God.

Commonly persons’ minds immediately before this discovery of God’s justice, are exceedingly restless, and in a kind of struggle and tumult, and sometimes in mere anguish: but generally as soon as they have this conviction, it immediately brings their minds to a calm, and a before unexpected quietness and composure: and most frequently, though not always, then the pressing weight upon their spirits is taken away, and a general hope arises that some time or other God will be gracious, even before any distinct and particular discoveries of mercy; and often they then come to a conclusion within themselves, that they will lie at God’s feet, and wait his time; and they rest in that, not being sensible that the Spirit of God has now brought them to a frame whereby they are prepared for mercy; for it is remarkable that persons when they first have this sense of the justice of God, rarely in the time of it think any thing of its being that humihation that they have often heard insisted on, and that others’ experience.

In many persons, the first conviction of Ihe justice of God in their condemnation, which they take particulor notice of, and probably the first distinct conviction of it that they have is of such a nature as seems to be above any thing merely legal: though it be after legal humblings, and much of the sense of their own helplessness, and of the insufficiency of their own duties; yet it does not appear to be forced by mere legal terrors and convictions; but rather from a high exercise of grace, in saving repentance and evangelical humiliation:

MANNER or CONVERSION VARIOUS, 01

for there is in it a sort of complacency of soul in the attribute of God’s justice, as displayed in his threatenings of eternal damnation to sinners. Sometimes at the discovery of it, they can scarcely forbear crying out, His just! His just! Some express themselves, that they see the glory of God would shine bright in their own condemnation; and they are ready to think that if they are damned, they could take i)art with God against themselves, and would glorify his justice therein. And when it is thus, they commonly have some evident sense of free and all-sufficient grace, though they give no distinct account of it; but it is manifest by that great degree of hope and encouragement that they then conceive, though they were never so sensible of their own vileness and ill-deservingSj as they were at that time.

Some, when in such circumstances, have felt that sense of the excellency of God’s justice, appearing in the vindictive exercises of it against such sinfulness as theirs was, and have had such a submission of mind in their idea of this attribute, and of those exercises of it, together with an exceeding loathing of their own unworthiness, and a kind of indignation against themselves, that they have sometimes almost culled it a willingness to be damned; though it must be owned they had not clear and distinct ideas of damnation, nor does any word in the Bible require such self-denial as this. But the truth is, as some have clearly expressed it, that salvation has appeared too good for them, that they were worthy of nothing but condemnation, and they could not tell how to think of salvation’s being bestowed upon them, fearing it was inconsistent with the glory of God’s majesty, that they had so much contemned and affronted.

That calm of spirit that some persons have found after their legal distresses, continues some time before any special and delightful manifestation is made to the soul, of the grace of God, as revealed in the gospel; but very often some comfortable and sweet view of a merciful God, of a sufficient Redeemer, or of some great and joyful things of the gospel, immediately follows, or in a very little time: and in some, the first sight of their just desert of hell, and God’s sovereignty with respect to their salvation, and a discovery of all-sufficient grace, are so near that they seem to go as it were together.

Tl)ese gracious discoveries that are given, whence the first special c nforts are derived, are in many respects very vaviou; more frequently Christ is distinctly made the object of the mind, in his all-sufficiency and willingness to save sinners: but some have their thoughts more especially fixed on God, in some of his sweet and glorious attributes manifested in the gospel, and shining forth in the face of Christ. Some view the all-sufficiency of the mercy and grace of God; some, chiefly the infinite power of God, and his ability to save them, and to do all things for them; and some look most at the truth and faithfulness of God: in some, the truth and certainty of the gospel in general is the first joyful discovery they have; in others, the certain truth of some particular promises; in some, the grace and sincerity of God in his invitations, very commonly in some particular invitation in the mind, and it now appears real to them that God does indeed invite them. Some are struck with the glory and wonderfulness of the dying love of Christ; and some with the sufficiency and preciousness of his blood, as offered to make an atonement for sin; and others with the value and glory of his obedience and righteousness. In some, the excellency and Joveliness of Christ, chiefly engages their thoughts; in some, his divinity, that he is indeed the Son of the living-God; and in others, the excellency of the way of salvation by Christ, and the suitableness of it to their necessities.

Some have an apprehension of these things so given, that it seems more natural to them to express it by sight or discovery; others think what they experience better expressed by the realizing conviction, or a lively or feeling sense of heart; meaning, as I suppose, no other difference but wlint ismerelv circumstantial or crradual,

3IANNER OF CONVERSION VARIOUS. 63

There is often in the mind some particular text of scripture, holding forth some evangelical ground of consolation; sometimes a multitude of texts, gratious invitations, and promises, flowing in one after another, filling the soul more and more with comfort and satisfaction; and comfort is given to some while reading some portion of scripture; but in some it is attended with no particular scripture at all, either in reading or meditation. In some, many divine things seem to be discovered to the soul as it were at once; others have their minds especially fixing on some one thing at first, and afterwards a sense is given of others; in some with a swifter, and others a slower succession, and sometimes with interruptions of much darkness.

The way that grace seems sometimes first to appear, after legal humihation, is in earnest longings of soul after God and Christ, to know God, to love him, to be humbled before him, to have communion with Christ in his benefits, which longings, as they express them, seem evidently to be of such a nature as can arise from nothing but a sense ot the superlative excellency of divine things, with a spiritual taste and relish of them, and an esteem of them as their highest happiness and best portion. Such longings as I speak of are commonly attended with firm resolutions to pursue this good forever, together with a hoping, waiting disposition. When persons have begun in such frames, commonly other experiences and discoveries have soon followed, which have yet more clearly manifested a change of heart.

It must needs be confessed that Christ is not always distinctly and exphcitly thought of in the first sensible act of grace (though most commonly he is); but sometimes he is the object of the mind only implicitly. Thus sometimes when persons have seemed evidently to be stript of all their own righteousness, and to have stood self-condemned as guilty of death, they have been comforted with a joyful and satisfying view that the mercy and grace of God is sufficient for them: that their sins, though never so great, shall be no hindeiance to their being accepted; that there is mere enough in God for the whole world, and the like, when they give no account of any particular or distinct thought of Christ; but yet when the account they give is duly weighed, and they are interrogated about it, it appears that the revelation of the mercy of God in the gospel is the ground of this their encouragement and hope; and that it is indeed the mercy of God through Christ that is discovered to them, and that it is depended on in him, and not in any wise moved by any thing in them.

So sometimes disconsolate souls among us have been revived and brought to rest in God, by a sweet sense given of his grace and faithfulness, in some special invitation or promise, in which is no particular mention of Christ, nor is it accompanied with any distinct thought of him in their minds; but yet it is not received as out of Christ, but as one of the invitations or promises made of God to poor sinners through his Son Jesus, as it is indeed; and such persons have afterwards had clear and distinct discoveries of Christ, accompanied with lively and special actings of faith and love towards him.

It has more frequently been so among us that when persons have first had the gospel ground of relief for lost sinners discovered to them, and have been entertaining their minds with the sweet prospect, they have thought nothing at that time of their being converted; to see that there is such an all-sufficieucy in God, and such plentiful provision made in Christ, after they have been borne down and sunk with a sense of their guilt and fears of wrath, exceedingly refreshes them; the view is joyful to them, as it is in its own nature glorious, and gives them quite new and more delighful ideas of God and Christ, and greatly encourages them to seek conversion, and begets in them a strong resolution to give up themselves, and devote their whole lives to God and his Son, and patiently to wait till God shall see fit to make all eflootiial; and very often they entertain a strong persuasion that he will in his own time do it for them.

There is wrought in them a holy repose of soul in God through Christ, and a secret disposition to fear and love him, and to hope for blessings from him in this way; and yet they have no imagination that they are now converted; it does not so much as come into their minds: and very often the reason is, that they do not see that they do accept of this sufficiency of salvation that they behold in Christ, having entertained a wrong notion of acceptance; not being sensible that the obedient and joyful entertainment which their hearts give to this discovery of grace, is a real acceptance of it. They know not that the sweet complacence they feel in the mercy and complete salvation of God, as it includes pardon and sanctification, and is held forth to them only through Christ, is a true receiving of this mercy, or a plain evidence of their receiving it. They expected I know not what kind of act of soul, and perhaps they had no distinct idea of it themselves.

And indeed it appears very plainly in some of them that before their own conversion they had very imperfect ideas what conversion was. It is all new and strange, and what there was no clear conception of before. It is most evident, as they themselves acknowledge, that the expressions that were used to describe conversion, and the graces of God’s Spirit, such as a spiritual sight of Christ, faith in Christ, poverty of spirit, trust in God, resignedness to God, <fcc., were expiiessions that did not convey those special and distinct ideas to their minds which they were intended to signify, in some respects, no more than the names of colors are to convey the ideas to one that is blind from his birth.

This town is a place where there has always been a great deal of talk of conversion and spiritual experiences; and therefore people in general had before foimed a notion in their own minds what these things were; but when they come to be the subjects of them themselves, they found themselves much confounded in their notions, and overthrown in many of their former conceits. And it has been very observable, that persons of the greatest understanding, and that had studied most about things of this nature, have been more confounded than others. Some such persons that have lately been converted, declared that all their former wisdom is brought to nought, and they appear to have been mere babes, who knew nothing. It has appeared that none have stood more in need of enlightening and instruction, even of their fellow-Christians, concerning their own circumstances and difficulties, than they: and it has seemed to have been with delight, that they have seen themselves thus brought down and become nothing, that free grace and divine power may be exalted in them.

It was very wonderful to see after what manner persons’ affections were sometimes moved and wrought upon, when God did, as it were, suddenly open their eyes, and let into their minds a sense of the greatness of his grace, and the fullness of Christ, and his readiness to save; who before were broken with apprehensions of divine wrath, and sunk into an abyss under a sense of guilt, which they were ready ta think was beyond the mercy of God; their joyful surprise has caused their hearts as it were to leap, so that they have been ready to break forth into laughter, tears often at the same time issuing like a flood, and intermingling a loud weeping: and sometimes they have not been able to forbear crying out with a loud voice, expressing their great admimtion. In some, even the view of the glory of God’s sovereignty in the exercises of his grace has surprised the soul with such sweetness as to produce the same effects. 1 remember an instance of one, who, reading something concerning God’s sovereign way of saving sinners, as being self-moved, and having no regard to men’s own righteousness as the motive of his grace, but as magnifying himself and abasing man, or to that purpose, felt such a sudden rapture of jov and delight in the consideration of it: and yet he then sirspected himself to be in a Christless condition, and had been long in great distress for fear that God would not have mercy on him.

Many continue a long time in a course of gracious exercises and experiences, and do not think themselves to be converted, but conclude themselves to be otherwise; and none knows how long they would continue so, were they not helped by particular instruction. There are undoubted instances of some that have lived in this way for many years together; and continuing in these circumstances of being converted and not believing it, has had various consequences with various persons, and with the same persons at various times; some continue in great encouragement and hope, that they shall o]:>tain mercy in a steadfast resolution to persevere in seeking it, and in a humble waiting for it at God’s foot; but very often, when the lively sense of the sufficiency of Christ, and the riches of divine grace begins to vanish upon a withdrawment of the influence of the Spirit of God, they return to greater distress than ever; for they have now a far greater sense of the misery of a natural condition than before, being in a new manner sensible of the reality of eternal things, and the greatness of God, and his excellency, and how dreadful it is to be separated from him, and to be subject to his wrath; so that they are sometimes swallowed up with darkness and amazement. Satan has a vast advantage in such cases to ply them with various temptations, which he is not wont to neglect. In such a case, [)ersons do very much need a guide to lead them to an understanding of what we are taught in the word of God of the nature of grace, and to help them to apply it to themselves.

1 have been much blamed and censured by many, that I should make it my practice, when I have been satisfied concerning persons’ good state, to signify it to them: which thing has been greatly misrepresented abroad, as innumerable other things concerning us, to prejudice the country against the whole affair. But let it be noted that what I have undertaken to judge of, lifts rather been qnalificalions, and declared experiences, than persons: not but that I have thought it ray duty as a pastor to assist and instruct persons in applying scripture rules and characters to their own case (in doing of which, I think many greatly need a guide); and have, where I thought the case plain, used freedom in signifying my hope of them, to others; but have been far from doing this concerning all that I have had some hopes of; and I believe have used much more caution than many have supposed. Yet I should account it a great calamity to be deprived of the comfort of rejoicing with those of my flock, that have been in great distress, whose circumstances I have been acquainted with, when there seems to be good evidence that those that were dead are alive, and those that were lost are found. I am sensible the practice would have been safer in the hands of one of a riper judgment, and greater experience; but yet there has seemed to be an absolute necessity of it on the forementioned accounts; and it has been found to be that which God has most remarkably owned and blest among us, both to the persons themselves and others.

Grace in many persons, through this ignorance of their state, and their looking on themselves still as the objects of God’s displeasure, has been like the trees in winter, or like seed in the spring suppressed under a hard clod of earth; and many in such cases have labored to their utmost to divert their minds from the pleasing and joyful views they have had, and to suppress those consolations and gracious affections that arose thereupon. And when it has once come into their minds to inquire whether or no this was not true grace, they have been much afiaid lest they should be deceived with common illuminations and flashes of affection, and eternally undone with a false hope. But when they have been better instructed, and so brought to allow of hope, this has awakened the gracious disposition of their hearts into life and vigor, as the warm beams of (he sun in the spring have quickened the seeds and productions of the earth: grace, being now at Uberty, and cherished with hope, has soon flowed out to their abundant satisfaction and increase.

There is no one thing that I know of that God has made such a means of promoting his work among us as the news of others’ conversion; in the awakening of sinners, and engaging them earnestly to seek the same blessing, and in the quickening of saints. Though I have thought that a minister’s declaring his judgment about particular persons’ experiences might from these things be justified, yet 1 am often signifying to my people how unable otie man is to know another’s heart, and how unsafe it is depending merely on the judgment of ministers or others, and have abundantly insisted on it with them, that a manifestation of sincerity i n fruits brought forth is better than any manifestation they can make of it in words alone, can be; and that without this, all pretenses to spiritual experiences are vain; as all my congregation can witness. And the people in general, in this late extraordinary time, have manifested a very great dread of being deceived, being exceedingly fearful lest they should build wrong, and some of them backward to receive hope, even to a great extreme.

Conversion is a great and glorious work of God’s power, at once changing the heart, and infusing life into the dead soul; though that grace that is then implanted does more gradually display itself in some than in others. But as to fixing on the precise time when they j)ut forth the very first act of grace, there is a great deal of diOerence in diflerent persons; in some it seems to be veiy discernible when the very time of this was; but others are more at a loss. In this respect there arc very many that do not know the time, (as has already been observed,) that when they have the first exercises of grace, do not know that it is the grace of conversion, and sometimes do not think it to be so till a long time after: and many, even when they come to entertain great hope that they are converted, if they remember what they

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experience in the first, exercises of grace, they are at a loss whether it was any thing more than a common illumination; or whether some other more clear and remarkable experience that they had afterwards was not the first that was of a saving nature. And the manner of God’s work on the soul is (sometimes especially) very mysterious, and it is with the kingdom of God as to its manifestation in the heart of a convert, as is said, Mark iv. 26, 27, 28. “So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground, and should sleep, and rise, night and day, and the seed should spring, and grow up he knoweth not how; for the earth bringeth forth of herself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear.”

In some, converting light is like a glorious brightness suddenly shining in upon a person, and all around him: they are in a remarkable manner brought out of darkness into marvelous light. In many others it has been like the dawning of the day, when at first but a Ifttle light appears, and it may be is presently hid with a cloud; and then it appears again, and shines a little brighter, and gradually increases with intervening darkness, till at length, perhaps, it i)reaks forth more clearly from behind the clouds. And many are, doubtless, ready to date their conversion wrong, throwing by those lesser degrees of light that appeared at first dawning, and calling some more remarkable experience they had afterwards, their conversion, which often in great measure arises from a wrong understanding of what they have always been taught, that conversion is a great change, wherein “old things are done away, and all things become new,” or at least from a false arguing from that doctrine.

Persons commonly at first conversion, and afterwards, have had many texts of scripture brought to their minds, that are exceeding suitable to their circumstances, which often come with great power, and as the word of God or Christ indeed; and many have a multitude of sweet invitations, promises, doxologies, flowing in one after another, bringing great light and comfort with them, filling the soul brinifull, enlarging the heart, and opening the mouth in religion. And it seems to me necessary to suppose that there is an immediate inliuence of the Spirit of God oftentimes in bringing texts of scripture to the mind; not thai I suppose it is done in a way of immediate revelation, without any manner of use of the memory, but yet there seems plainly to be an immediate and extraordinary influence in leading their thoughts to such and such passages of scripture, and exciting them in the memory. Indeed, in some God seems to bring texts of scripture to their minds no otherwise than by leading them into such frames and meditations as harmonize with those scriptures; but in many persons there seems to be something more than this. Those that, while under legal convictions, have had the greatest terrors, have not always obtained the greatest light and comfort; nor have they always light most suddenly communicated; but yet, I think, the time of conversion has generally been most sensible in such persons. Oftentimes the first sensible change after the extremity of terrors, is a calmness, and then the light gradually comes in; small glimpses at first, after their midnight darkness, and a word or two of comfort, as it were, softly spoken to them. They hav3 a little taste of the sweetness of divine grace, and the love of a Savior, when terror and distress of conscience begins to be turned into a humble, meek sense of their own unworthiness before God; and there is felt inwardly, perhaps, some disposition to piaise God; and after a little while the light comes in more clearly and powerfully. But yet, I think, more frequently, great terrors have been followed with more sudden and great light and comfort; when the sinner seems to be as it were subdued and brought to a calm, from a kind of tumult of mind, then God lets in an extraordinary sense of his great mercy through a Redeemer.

The converting influences of God’s Spirit very commonly bring an extraordinary conviction of the reality and certainty of the great things of religion; (though in some this is much greater, some time after conversion, than at first;) they have that sight and taste of the divinity, or divine excellency, that there is in the things of the gospel, that is more to convince them than reading many volumes of arguments without it. It seems to me that in many instances among us, when the divine excellency and glory of the things of Christianity have been set before persons, and they have at the same time as it were seen, and tasted, and felt the divinity of them, they have been as far from doubting of the truth of them, as they are from doubting whether there be a sun, when their eyes are open upon it in the midst of a clear hemisphere, and the strong blaze of his light overcomes all objections against his being. And yet many of them, if we should ask them why they believed those things to be true, would not be able well to express or communicate a sufficient reason to satisfy the inquirer, and perhaps would make no other answer but that they see them to be true: but a person might soon be satisfied, by a particular conversation with them, that what they mean by such an answer is, that they have intuitively beheld, and immediately felt, most illustrious works, and powerful evidence of divinity in them.

Some are thus convinced of the truth of the gospel in general, and that the scriptures are the word of God: others have their minds more especially fixed on some particular great doctrine of the gospel, some particular truths that they are meditating on; or arc in a special manner convinced of the divinity of the things they are reading of, in some portion of the scripture. Some have such convictions in a much more remarkable manner than others; and there are some that never had such a special sense of the certainty of divine things impressed upon them with such inward evidence and strength, who have yet very clear exercises of grace, such as love to God, repentance, and holiness. And if they be more particularly examined, they appear plainly

3IANxVER or CONVERSION VARIOUS. 73

to Iiave ail inward, firm persuasion of the reality of divine things, such as they did not use to have before their conversion. And those that have the most clear discoveries of divine truth, in the mtmner that has been spoken of, cannot have this always in view. When the sense and relish of the divine excellency of these things fades, on a withdrawment of the Spirit of God, they have not the medium of the conviction of their truth at command: in a dull frame, they cannot recall the idea and inward sense they had, perfectly to mind; things appear very dim to what they did before; and though there still remains an habitual strong persuasion, yet not so as to exclude temptations to unbelief, and all possibility of doubting, as before; but then at particular times, by God’s help, the same sense of things revives again, like fire that lay hid in ashes.

I suppose the grounds of such a conviction of the truth of divine things to be just and rational, but yet in some God makes use of their own reason much more sensibly than in others. Oftentimes persons have (so far as could be judged) received the first saving conviction from reasoning which they have heard from the pulpit; and often in the course of reasoning which they are led into in their own meditations.

The arguments are the same that they have heard hundreds of times; but the force of the arguments, and their conviction by them, is altogether new; they come with a new and before unexperienced power: before, they heard it was so, and they allowed it to be so; but now they see it to be so indeed. Things now look exceedingly plain to them, and they wonder that they did not see them before.

They are so greatly taken with their new discovery, and things appear so plain and rational to them, that they are often at first ready to think they can convince others, and are apt to engage in talk with every one they meet with, almost to this end; and when they are disappointed, are

74 IyIA^J^£R ojt’ conversion various

ready to wonder tlmt their reasonings seem to make no more impression.

Many fall under such a mistake as to be ready to doubt of their good state, because there was so much use made of their own reason in the convictions they have received: they are afraid that they have no illumination above the natural force of their own faculties: and many make that an objection against the spirituahty of their convictions, that it is so easy to see things as they now see them. They have often heard that conversion is a woik of mighty power, manifesting to the soul what no man or angel can give such a conviction of; but it seems to them that the things that they see are so plain, and easy, and rational, that any body can see them; and if they are inquired of why they never saw so before, they say, it seems to them it was because they never thought of it. But very often these difficulties arc soon removed by those of another nature; for when God withdraws, they find themselves as it were blind again; they for the present lose their realizing sense of those things that looked so plain to them, and by all that they can do they cannot recover it, till God renews the influences of his Spirit.

Persons after their conversion often speak of things of religion as seeming new to them; that preaching is a new thing; that it seems to them they never heard preaching before; that the Bible is a new book: they find there new chapters, new psalms, new histories, because they see them in a new light. Here was a remarkable instance of an aged woman that had spent most of her days under Mr. Stoddard’s powerful ministry, who, reading in the New Testament concerning Christ’s suOerings for sihners, seemed to be surprised and astonished at what she read, as at a thing that was real and very wonderful, but quite new to her, insomuch that at first, before she had time to turn her thoughts, she wondered within herself that she had never heard of it iDfcfore; but then immediately recollected herself, and thought (hat she had often heard of it and read it, but never till now saw it as a thing real; and then cast in her mind how wonderful this was, that the Son of God should undergo such things for sinners, and how she had spent her time in ungratefully sinning against so good a God, and such a Savior; though she was a person, as to what was visible, of a very blameless and inoffensive life. And she was so overcome by these considerations that her nature was ready to fail under them. Those that were about her, and knew not what was the matter, were surprised, and thought she was dying.

Many have spoken much of their hearts being drawn out in love to GocJ and Christ; and their minds being wrapt up in delightful contemplation of the glory and wonderful, grace of God, and the excellency and dying love of Jesus Chiist; and of their souls going forth in longing desires after God and Christ. Several of our young children have expressed much of this, and have manifested a willingness to leave father and mother, and all things in the world, to go to be with Christ. Some persons have had longing desires after Christ, which have risen to that degree as to take away their natural strength. Some have been so overcome with a sense of the dying love of Christ to such poor, wretched, and unworthy creatures, as to v. eaken the body. Several persons have had so great a sense of the glory of God and excellency of Christ, that nature and life have seemed almost to sink under it; and in all probability, if God had showed them a little more of himself, it would have dissolved their frame. I have seen some, and been in conversation with them in such frames, who have certainly been perfectly sober and very remote from any thing like enthusiastic wildness: and have talked, when able to speak, of the glory of God’s perfections, and the wonderfulness of his grace in Christ, and their own unworthiness, in such a manner that cannot be perfectly expressed after them. Their sense of their exceeding littleness and vileness, and their disposition to abase themselves before God, has appeared to be sreat in

proportion to their light and joy. Such persons among us as have been distinguished with the most extraordinary discoveries of God, have commonly in nowise appealed with the assuming, and self-conceited, and self-sufficient airs of enthusiasts, but exceedingly the contrary; and are eminent for a spirit of meekness, modesty, self-diffidence, and low opinion of themselves. No persons seem to be so sensible of their need of instruction and so eager to receive it as some of them are. Those that have been thought to be converted among us have generally manifested a longing to lie low and in the dust before God: withal complaining of their not being able to lie low enough. They very often speak much of their sense of the excellency of the way of salvation by free and sovereign grace, through the righteousness of Christ alone: and how it is with delight that they renounce their own righteousness, and rejoice in having no account made of it. Many have expressed themselves to this purpose, that it would lessen the satisfaction they hope for in heaven to have it by their own righteousness, or in any other way than as bestowed by free grace, and for Christ’s sake alone. They speak much of the inexpressibleness of what they experience, how their words fail, so that they can in nowise declare it: and particularly speak with exceeding admiration of the superlative excellency of that pleasure and delight of soul wiich they sometimes enjoy; how a little of it is sufficient to pay- them for the pains and trouble they have gone through in seeking salvation, and how far it exceeds all earthly pleasures; and some express much of the sense which these spiritual views give them of the vanity of earthly enjoyments, how mean and worthless all these things appear to them.

Many, while their minds have been filled with spiritual delights, have as it were forgotten their food; their bodily ap- lytAle has failed, while their minds have been entertained with meat to eat that others know not of. The light and comfort which some of them enjov, gives a now relish to

MANNER OP CONVERSION VARIOLs«. ‘7t

iheir common blessings, and causes all things about them to appear as it were beautiful, sweet, and pleasant to them. All things abroad, the sun, moon, and stars, the clouds and sky, the heavens and earth, appear as it were with a cast of divine glory and sweetness upon them. The sweetest joy that these good people among us express is not that which consists in a sense of the safety of their own state, and that now they are out of the danger of hell; frequently in times of their highest spiritual entertainment this seems to be as it were forgotten. The supreme attention of their minds is to the glorious excellencies of God and Christ which they have in view; not but there is very often a ravishing sense of God’s love accompanying a sense of his excellency, and they rejoice in a conviction of the faithfulness of God’s promises as they respect the future eternal enjoyment of God.

The joy that many of them speak of, as that to which none is to be paralleled, is that which they find when they are lowest in the dust, emptied most of themselves, as it were annihilating themselves before God, when they are nothing and God is all; thus seeing their own unworthiness, depending not at all on themselves but alone on Christ, and ascribing all glory to God: then their souls are most in the enjoyment of satisfying rest, excepting that, at such times, they apprehend themselves to be not sufficiently self-abased; for then above all times do they long to be lower. Some speak much of the exquisite sweetness and rest of soid that is to be found in the exercise of a spirit of resignation to God, and humble submission to his will. Many express earnest longings of soul to praise God; but at the same time complain that they cannot praise him as they would do, and ihey want to have others help them in praising him: they want to have every one praise God, and are ready to call upon every thing to praise him. They express a longing desire to live to God’s glory, and to do something to his honor; but at the same time cry out of their insufficiency and barrenness: that they are poor, impotent creatures, can “S MANNER OF CONVERSION VARIOUS.

do nothing of themselves, and are utterly insufficient to glorify their Creator and Redeemer.

While God was so remarkably present among us by his Spirit, there was no book so delighted in as the Bible; especially the book of Psalms, the prophecy of Isaiah, and the New Testament. Some, by reason of their esteem and love to God’s word, h:.ve at some times been greatly and wonderfully delighted and affected at the sight of a Bible: and then also, there was no time so prized as the Lord’s day, and no place in this world so desired as God’s house. Our converts then appeared remarkably united in dear affection to one another, and many have expressed much of that spirit of love which they felt toward all mankind; and particularly to those that had been least friendly to them. Never, I believe, was so much done in confessing injuries, and making up differences, as the last year. Persons after their own conversion have commonly expressed an exceeding desire for the conversion of others: some have thought that they should be willing to die for the conversion of any soul, though of one of the meanest of their fellow- creatures, or of their worst enemies; and many have indeed been in great distress with desires and longings for it. This work of God bad also a good effect to unite the people’s affections much to their minister.

There are some persons that I have been acquainted with, but more especially two, that belong to other towns, that have been swallowed up exceedingly with a sense of the awful greatness and majesty of God; and both of them told me to this purpose, that if they in the time of it had had the least fear that they were not at peace with this so great a God, they should instantly have died.

It is to be remarked, that some persons by their conversion seem to be greatly helped as to their doctrinal notions of religion; it was particularly remarkable in one, who having been taken captive in his childhood, was trained up in Canada, in the Popish religion; and some years since returned to this his native place, and was in a measure brought off from Popery: but seemed very awkward and dull of receiving any true and clear notion of the Protestant scheme, till he was converted; and then he was remarkably altered in this respect.

There is a vast difference, as has been observed, in the degree and also in the particular manner of persons’ experiences both at and after conversion; some have grace working more sensibly in one way, others in another. Some speak more fully of a conviction of the justice of God in their condemnation; others more of their consenting to the way of salvation by Christ; some, more of the actings of love to God and Christ: some, more of acts of affiance, in a sweet and assured conviction of the truth and faithfulness of God in his promises: others more of their choosing and resting in God as their whole and everlasting portion, and of their ardent and longing desires after God, to have communion with him; others more of their abhorrence of themselves for their past sins, and earnest longings to live to God’s glory for the time to come. Some have thtir mind fixed more on God; others on Christ, as I have observed before; but it seems evidently to be the same work, the same thing done, the same habitual change v7rou’.mt in the heart; it all tends the same way, and to the same end; and it is plainly the same Spirit that breathes and acts in various persons. There is an endless variety in the particular manner and circumstances in which persons are wrought on; and an opportunity of seeing so much of such a work of God, will show that God is further from confining himself to certain steps and a particular method in his work on souls, than it may be some do imagine. I believe it has occasioned some good people among us, that were before too ready to make their own experiences a rule to others, to bo loss censorious and more extended in their charity. The work of God has been glorious in its variety; it has the )Uore displayed the manifold ness and unsearchableness of the wisdom of God, and wrought more charity among his people.

There is a great difference among those that are converted; as to the degree of hope and satisfaction that they have concerning their own state. Some have a high degree of satisfaction in this matter ahnost constantly; aad yet it is rare that any do enjoy so full an assurance of their interest in Christ, that self-examination should seem needless to them; unless it be at particular seasons, while in the actual enjoyment of some grctit discovery, that God gives of his glory and rich grace in Christ, to the drawing forth of extraordinary acts of grace. But the greater part, as they sometimes fall into dead frames of spirit, are frequently exercised with scruples and fears concerning their condition.

They genenlly have an awful apprehension of the dreadfulness and fatal nature of a false hope; and there has been observable in most a great caution lest in giving an account of their experiences, they should say too much, and use too strong terms: and many, after they related their experiences, have been greatly afflicted with fears lest they have played the hypocrite, and used stronger terms than their case would fairly allow of; and 3’et could not find how they could correct themselves.

I think that the main ground of the doubts and feai-s which persons, after their conversion, have been exercised with about their own state, has been that they found so much corruption remaining in their hearts. At first their souls seem to be all alive, their hearts arc fixed, and their affections flowing; they seem to live quite above the world, and meet with but little ditTiculty in religious exercises; and they are ready to ihink it will always be so: though they are truly abased under a sense of their vileness by reason of former acts of sin, yet they are not then sufficiently sensible what corruption still remains in their hearts; and therefore are surprised when they find that they begin to be in dull and dead frames, to be troubled with wandering thoughts in the time of public and piiyate worship, and to be iitteiiy unable to keep themselves from them; also when they find themselves, unaftected at seasons in which they think there is the greatest occasion to be affected; and when they feel worldly dispositions working in them, and it may be piide, and envy, and stirrings of revenge, or some ill spirit towards some person that has injured them, as well as other workings of indwelling sin: Their hearts are almost sunk with the disappointment; and they are ready presently to think that all which they have met with is nothing, and that they are mere hypocrites.. They are ready to argue that if God had indeed done such great things for them as they hoped, such ingratitude is inconsistent with it: they cry out of the hardness and wickedness of their hearts; and say there is so much corruption, that it seems to them impossible that there should be any goodness there; and many of tlienj seem to be much more sensible how corrupt their hearts are than ever they were before they were converted; and some have been too ready to be impressed with fear, that instead of becoming better, they are grown much worse, and make it an argument against the goodness of their state. But in truth the case seems plainly to be, that now they feel the pain of their own wound; they have a watchful eye upon their hearts, that they did not use to have: they take more notice what sin is there, and sin is now more burthensome to them; they strive more against it, and feel more of the strength of it.

They are somewhat surprised that they should in’’this respect find themselves so different from the idea that they generally had entertained of godly persons; for though grace be indeed of a far more excellent nature than they imagined, yet those that are godly have much less of it, and much more remaining corruption than they thought. They never realized it, that persons were wont to meet with such difficulties after they were once converted. When they are thus exercised with doubts about their state, through the dea<lness of their frames of spirit, as lonji’ as these frames last,

U they are commonly unable to satisfy themselves of the truth of their grace, by all their self-examination. When they hear of the signs of grace laid down for them to try themselves by, they are often so clouded, that they do not know how to apply them: they hardly know whether they have such and such things in them or not, and whether they have experienced them or not; that which was sweetest, and best; and most distinguishing in their experiences, they cannot recover a sense or idea of.

But on a return of the influences of the Spirit of God to revive the lively actings of grace, the light breaks through the cloud, and doubting and darkness soon vanish away.

Persons are often revived out of their dead and dark frames, by religious conversation: while they are talkitig of divine things, or ever they are aware, their souls are carried away into holy exercises with abundant pleasure. And oftentimes while they are relating their past experiences to their Christian brethren, they have a fresh sense of them revived, and the aame experiences in a degree again renewed. Sometimes while persons are exercised in mind with several objections against the goodness of their state, they have scriptures, one after another, coming to their minds, to answer their scrUples and unravel their difficulties, exceedingly apposite and proper to their circumstances; by which means their darkness is scattered; and often before the bestowment of any new remarkable comforts, especially after long continued deadness and ill frames, there are renewed humblings in a great sense of their own exceeding vileness and unworthiness, as before their first comforts were bestowed.

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