Thoughts Concerning the Present Revival of Religion in New England, Part 4 (3 of 3)

Thoughts Concerning the Present Revival of Religion in New England · Part 4 (3 of 3)

p. 280If GOD is pleased to carry on this Work, and it should prove to be the Dawning of a general Revival of the Christian Church, it may be expected that the Time will come before long, when the Experiences of Christians shall be much more generally thus qualified. We must expect green Fruits before we have ripe ones. 'Tis probable that hereafter the Discoveries which the Saints shall have of divine Things, will be in a much higher Degree than yet have been; but yet shall be so ordered of an infinitely wise and all-sufficient GOD, that they shall not have so great an Effect, in Proportion, on the Body, and will be less oppressive to Nature; and that the outward Manifestations will rather be like those that were in Stephen, when he was full of the Holy Ghost, when all that sat in the Council, looking sted fastly on him, saw his Face, as it had been the Face of an Angel. p. 281Their inward Fulness of the Spirit of GOD, in his divine, amiable and sweet Influences shall as it were shine forth in an heavenly Aspect, and Manner of Speech and Behaviour. But

3. There is another Thing concerning Experiences of Christians, of which it is of yet greater Importance that we should be aware, than either of the preceding, and that is the degenerating of Experiences. What I mean is something diverse from the meer Decay of Experiences, or their gradually vanishing, by Persons losing their Sense of Things; 'Tis Persons Experiences growing by Degrees worse and worse in their Kind, more and more partial and deficient, in which Things are more out of due Proportion; and also have more and more of a corrupt Mixture, the spiritual Part decreases, and the other useless and hurtful Parts greatly increase. There is such a Thing, and it is very frequent, as Experience abundantly evidences: I have seen it in very many Instances; and great are the Mischiefs that have risen through want of being more aware of it.

There is commonly, as I observed before, in high Experiences, besides that which is spiritual, a Mixture of three Things, viz. Natural or common Affections and Workings of the Imagination, and a Degree of Self-righteousness or spiritual Pride. Now it often comes to pass, that through Persons not distinguishing the Wheat from the Chaff, and for want of Watchfulness and humble Jealousy of themselves, and laying great Weight on the natural and Imaginary Part, and yielding to it, & indulging of it, that Part grows & increases, p. 282and the spiritual Part decreases; the Devil sets in, and works in the corrupt Part, and cherishes it to his utmost; 'till at length the Experiences of some Persons, who began well, come to but little else, but violent Motions of carnal Affections, with great Heats of the Imagination, and a great Degree of Enthusiasm, and swelling of spiritual Pride; very much like some Fruits which bud, blossom and kernel well, but afterwards are blasted with an Excess of Moisture; so that tho' the Bulk is monstrously great, yet there is little else in it but what is useless and unwholsome. It appears to me very probable, that many of the Heresies that have arisen, & Sects that have appeared in the Christian World, in one Age and another, with wild enthusiastical Notions and Practices, began at first by this Means, that it was such a Degenerating of Experiences that first gave Rise to 'em, or at least led the Way to 'em.

There is nothing in the World that does so much expose to this degenerating of Experiences, as an unheeded spiritual Pride & Self-Confidence, and Persons being conceited of their own Stock, without an humble, daily & continual Dependance on GOD. And this very Thing seems to be typified of old, by the corrupting of the Manna. Some of the Children of Israel, because they had gathered a Store of Manna, trusted in it, there being, as they apprehended, sufficient in the Store they had gather'd and laid up, without humbly looking to Heaven, and stooping to the Earth for daily Supplies; and the Consequence was, that their Manna bred Worms and stank, Exod. 16. 20. p. 283Pride above all Things promotes this Degeneracy of Experiences, because it grieves & quenches the Spirit of the Lamb of GOD, and so kills the spiritual Part; and it cherishes the natural Part, it inflames the carnal Affections, and heats the Imagination.

The unhappy Person that is the Subject of such Degeneracy of Experiences, for the most Part, is not sensible of his own Calamity; but because he finds himself still violently moved, and greater Heats of Zeal, and more vehement Motions of his animal Spirits, thinks himself fuller of the Spirit of GOD than ever. But indeed it is with him, as the Apostle says of the Galatians, Gal. 3. 3. Having begun in the Spirit, they are made perfect by the Flesh.

By the Mixture there is of common Affection with Love to GOD, the Love of true Christians is liable to degenerate, and to be more and more built on the Foundation of a Supposition of being his high and peculiar Favourites, and less and less on an Apprehension of the Excellency of GOD's Nature, as he is in himself. So the Joy of Christians, by Reason of the Mixture there is with spiritual Joy, is liable to degenerate, and to come to that at last, as to be but little else but Joy in Self, Joy in a Person's own supposed Eminency, and Distinction from others in the Favour of GOD. So Zeal, that at first might be in great Part spiritual, yet through the Mixture there is, in a long Continuance of Opposition and Controversy, may degenerate more and more into human and proud Passion, and may come to Bitterness, and even a p. 284Degree of Hatred. And so Love to the Brethren may by Degrees come to but little else but Fondness, and Zeal for a Party; yea, thro' a Mixture of a natural Love to the opposite Sex, may degenerate more and more, 'till it issues in that which is criminal and gross. And I leave it with those who are better acquainted with Ecclesiastical History, to enquire whether such a Degeneracy of Affections as this, might not be the first Thing that led the Way, and gave Occasion to the Rise of the abominable Notions of some Sects that have arisen, concerning the Community of Women. However that is, yet certainly the mutual Embraces and Kisses of Persons of different Sexes, under the Notion of Christian Love & holy Kisses, are utterly to be disallowed and abominated, as having the most direct Tendency quickly to turn Christian Love into unclean & bruitish Lust, which won't be the better, but ten Times the worse, for being christen'd by the Name of Christian Love. I should also think it adviseable, That Meetings of young People, of both Sexes, in the Evening, by themselves, without a Minister, or any elder People amongst them, for religious Exercises, should be avoided: For tho' for the present, while their Minds are greatly solemnized with lively Impressions, & a deep Sense of divine Things, there may appear no ill Consequence; yet we must look to the further End of Things, and guard against future Dangers & Advantages that Satan might gain against us. As a lively, solemn Sense of divine Things on the Minds of young Persons may gradually decay, so there will be Danger that an ill p. 285Improvement of these Meetings may gradually prevail; if not in any unsuitable Behaviour while together in the Meeting, yet when they break up to go Home, they may naturally consort together in Couples, for other than religious Purposes; and it may at last come to That, that young Persons may go to such Meetings, chiefly for the Sake of such an Opportunity for Company-keeping.

The Defect there sometimes is in the Experiences of Christians exposes 'em to degenerate, as well as the Mixture that they have. Deficient maimed Experiences do sometimes become more and more so: The Mind being wholly intent upon those Things that are in View, and those that are most wanting being neglected, there is less and less of them, and so the Gap for Corruption to come in grows wider and wider. And commonly both these Causes of the degenerating of Experiences operate together.

We had need to be jealous over our selves with a godly Jealousy, as the Apostle was over the Christian Corinthians, lest by any Means, as the Serpent beguiled Eve thro' his Subtilty, so our Minds should be corrupted from the Simplicity that is in CHRIST. GOD indeed will never suffer his true Saints totally and finally to fall away, but yet may punish their Pride and Self-Confidence, by suffering them to be long led into a dreadful Wilderness, by the subtle Serpent, to the great wounding of their own Souls, and the Interest of Religion.

And before I dismiss this Head of the Degenerating of Experiences, I would mention one Thing more that tends to it; and that is Person's aiming p. 286in their Experience to go beyond the Rule of GOD's Word, i. e. aiming at that, which is indeed, in some Respect, beyond the Rule. Thus some Persons have endeavoured utterly to root out and abolish all natural Affection, or any special Affection or Respect to their near Relations, under a Notion that no other Love ought to be allowed, but spiritual Love, and that all other Love is to be abolished as carnal, and that it becomes Christians to love none upon the Account of any Thing else, but the Image of GOD; and that therefore Love should go out to one and another only in that Proportion in which the Image of GOD is seen in them. They might as well argue that a Man ought utterly to disallow of, and endeavour to abolish all Love or Appetite to their daily Food, under a Notion that it is a carnal Appetite, and that no other Appetite should be tolerated but spiritual Appetites. Why should the Saints strive after that, as an high Attainment in Holiness, which the Apostle in Rom. 1. 31. mentions as one Instance wherein the Heathen had got to the most horrid Pass in Wickedness, viz. A being without natural Affection?

Some have doubted whether they might pray for the Conversion and Salvation of the Souls of their Children, any more than for the Souls of others; because the Salvation of the Souls of others would be as much to GOD's Glory, as the Salvation of their Children; and they have supposed that to pray most for their own, would shew a selfish Disposition. So they have been afraid to tolerate a compassionate Grief and Concern for their nearest p. 287Friends, for Fear it would be an Argument of want of Resignation to GOD.

And 'tis true, there is great Danger of Persons setting their Hearts too much upon their earthly Friends; our Love to earthly Friends ought to be under the Government of the Love of GOD, and should be attended with a Spirit of Submission and Resignation to his Will, and every Thing should be subordinated to his Glory: But that is no Argument that these Affections should be entirely abolished, which the Creator of the World has put within Mankind, for the Good of Mankind, and because he saw they would be needful for them, as they must be united in Society, in the present State, and are of great Use, when kept in their proper Place; and to endeavour totally to root them out, would be to reproach and oppose the Wisdom of the Creator. Nor is the Being of these natural Inclinations, if well regulated, inconsistent with any Part of our Duty to GOD, or any Argument of a sinful Selfishness, any more than the natural Abhorrence that there is in the human Nature of Pain, and natural Inclination to Ease that was in the Man CHRIST JESUS himself.

'Tis the Duty of Parents to be more concern'd, and to pray more for the Salvation of their Children, than for the Children of their Neighbours; as much as it is the Duty of a Minister to be more concerned for the Salvation of the Souls of his Flock, and to pray more for them, than those of other Congregations, because they are committed to his Care; so our near Friends are more committed to our Care than others, and our near p. 288Neighbours, than those that live at a great Distance; and the People of our Land and Nation are more in some Sense, committed to our Care than the People of China, and we ought to pray more for them, and to be more concerned that the Kingdom of CHRIST should flourish among them, than in another Country, where it would be as much, and no more for the Glory of GOD. Compassion ought to be especially exercised towards Friends, Job. 6. 14. CHRIST did not frown upon a special Affection and Compassion for near Friends, but countenanced and encouraged it, from Time to Time, in those that in the Exercise of such an Affection and Compassion, applied to him for Relief for their Friends; as in the Instance of the Woman of Canaan, Jairus, Mary and Martha, the Centurion, the Widow of Nain, and many others. The Apostle Paul, tho' a Man as much resigned and devoted to GOD, and under the Power of his Love, perhaps as any meer Man that ever lived, yet had a peculiar Concern for his Country men the Jews, the rather on that Account, that they were his Brethren and Kinsmen according to the Flesh; he had a very high Degree of compassionate Grief for them, insomuch that he tells us he had great Heaviness and continual Sorrow of Heart for them, and could with himself accursed from CHRIST for them.

There are many Things that are proper for the Saints in Heaven, that are not suitable to the State GOD has set us in, in this World: And for Christians, in these and other Instances, to affect to go beyond the present State of Mankind, and what p. 289GOD has appointed as fit for it, is an Instance of that which the wise Man calls a being righteous over-much, and has a Tendency to open a Door for Satan, and to cause religious Affections to degenerate into something very unbecoming of Christians.

Thus I have, as I proposed, taken Notice of some Things with Regard to the inward Experiences of Christians, by which Satan has an Advantage. I now proceed in the

2d. Place, to take Notice of something with Regard to the external Effects of Experiences, which also gives Satan an Advantage. What I have Respect to, is the secret and unaccountable Influence that Custom has upon Persons, with respect to the external Effects and Manifestations of the inward Affections of the Mind. By Custom I mean, both a Person's being accustomed to a Thing in himself, in his own common, allowed and indulged Practice, and also the Countenance and Approbation of others amongst whom he dwells, by their general Voice and Practice. It is well known, & appears sufficiently by what I have said already in this Treatise and elsewhere, that I am far from ascribing all the late uncommon Effects and outward Manifestations of inward Experiences to Custom & Fashion, as some do; I know it to be otherwise, if it be possible for me to know any Thing of this Nature by the most critical Observation, under all Manner of Opportunities of observing. But yet, this also is exceeding evident by Experience, that Custom has a strange Influence in these Things: I know it by the different Manners p. 290and Degrees of external Effects & Manifestations of great Affections and high Discoveries, in different Towns, according to what Persons are gradually led into, and insensibly habituated to, by Example and Custom; and also in the same Place, at different Times, according to the Conduct that they have: If some Person is among them to conduct them, that much countenances & encourages such Kind of outward Manifestations of great Affections, they naturally and insensibly prevail, & grow by Degrees unavoidable; but when afterwards they come under another Kind of Conduct, the Manner of external Appearances will strangely alter: And yet it seems to be without any proper Design or Contrivance of those in whom there is this Alteration; 'tis not properly affected by them, but the Influence of Example and Custom is secret and insensible to the Persons themselves. These Things have a vast Influence in the Manner of Persons manifesting their Joys, whether with Smiles & an Air of Lightness, or whether with more Solemnity and Reverence; and so they have a great Influence as to the Disposition Persons have under high Affections to abound in Talk; and also as to the Manner of their speaking, the Loudness and Vehemence of their Speech; (Tho' it would be exceeding unjust, & against all the Evidence of Fact and Experience, and the Reason of Things, to lay all Dispositions Persons have to be much in speaking to others, and to speak in a very earnest Manner, to Custom.) 'Tis manifest that Example and Custom has some Way or other, a secret and unsearchable Influence on those Actions that are involuntary, p. 291by the Difference that there is in different Places, and in the same Places at different Times, according to the diverse Examples and Conduct that they have.

Therefore, tho' it would be very unreasonable, and prejudicial to the Interest of Religion, to frown upon all these extraordinary external Effects and Manifestations of great religious Affections, (for a Measure of them is natural, necessary and beautiful, and the Effect in no wise disproportion'd to the spiritual Cause, and is of great Benefit to promote Religion;) yet I think they greatly err who think that these Things should be wholly unlimited, and that all should be encouraged in going in these Things to the utmost Length that they feel themselves inclined to: The Consequence of this will be very bad: There ought to be a gentle Restraint held upon these Things, and there should be a prudent Care taken of Persons in such extraordinary Circumstances, and they should be moderately advised at proper Seasons, not to make more Ado than there is Need of, but rather to hold a Restraint upon their Inclinations; otherwise extraordinary outward Effects will grow upon them, they will be more and more natural and unavoidable, and the extraordinary outward Show will increase, without any Increase of the internal Cause; Persons will find themselves under a Kind of Necessity of making a great Ado, with less and less Affection of Soul, 'till at length almost any slight Emotion will set them going, and they will be more and more violent and boisterous, and will grow louder and louder, 'till their Actions and p. 292Behaviour becomes indeed very absurd. These Things Experience proves.

Thus I have taken Notice of the more general Causes whence the Errors that have attended this great Revival of Religion have risen, & under each Head have observed some particular Errors that have flowed from these Fountains. I now proceed as I proposed in the

Second Place, to take Notice of some particular Errors that have risen from several of these Causes: in some perhaps they have been chiefly owing to one, and in others to another, and in others to the Influence of several, or all conjunctly. And here the

1st Thing I would take Notice of is censuring others that are professing Christians, in good Standing in the visible Church, as unconverted. I need not repeat what I have elsewhere said to shew this to be against the plain and frequent and strict Prohibitions of the Word of GOD: It is the worst Disease that has attended this Work, most contrary to the Spirit and Rules of Christianity, & of worst Consequences. There is a most unhappy Tincture that the Minds of many, both Ministers & People, have received that Way. The Manner of many has been, when they first enter into Conversation with any Person, that seems to have any Shew or make any Pretences to Religion, to discern him, or to fix a Judgment of him, from his Manner of talking of Things of Religion, whether he be converted, or experimentally acquainted with vital Piety or not, and then to treat him accordingly, & freely to express their Thoughts of him to others, especially those p. 293that they have a good Opinion of as true Christians, and accepted as Brethren and Companions in CHRIST; or if they don't declare their Minds expresly, yet by their Manner of speaking of them, at least to their Friends, they'll show plainly what their Thoughts are. So when they have heard any Minister pray or preach, their first Work had been to observe him on a Design of discerning him, whether he be a converted Man or no; whether he prays like one that feels the saving Power of GOD's Spirit in his Heart, & whether he preaches like one that knows what he says. It has been so much the Way in some Places, that many new Converts don't know but it is their Duty to do so, they know no other Way. And when once Persons yield to such a Notion, and give in to such a Humour, they'll quickly grow very discerning in their own Apprehension, they think they can easily tell a Hypocrite: And when once they have pass'd their Censure, every Thing seems to confirm it, they see more and more in the Person that they have censured, that seems to them to shew plainly that he is an unconverted Man. And then, if the Person censured be a Minister, every Thing in his publick Performances seems dead and sapless, and to do them no Good at all, but on the contrary to be of deadning Influence, and poisonous to the Soul; yea it seems worse and worse to them, his Preaching grows more & more intolerable: which is owing to a secret, strong Prejudice, that steals in more and more upon the Mind, as Experience plainly and certainly shows. When the Spirit of GOD was wonderfully poured out in this Place, p. 294more than seven Years ago, and near thirty Souls in a Week, take one with another, for five or six Weeks together, were to Appearance bro't Home to CHRIST, and all the Town seem'd to be alive and full of GOD, there was no such Notion or Humour prevailing here; when Ministers preached here, as very many did at that Time, young and old, our People did not go about to discern whether they were Men of Experience or not: They did not know that they must: Mr. Stoddard never brought 'em up in that Way; it did not seem natural to 'em to go about any Thing of that Nature, nor did any such Thing enter into their Hearts; but when any Minister preached, the Business of every one was to listen and attend to what he said, and apply it to his own Heart, and make the utmost Improvement of it. And 'tis remarkable, that never did there appear such a Disposition in the People, to relish, approve of, and admire Ministers preaching as at that Time: Such Expressions as these were frequent in the Mouths of one and another, on Occasion of the preaching of Strangers here, viz. That they rejoyced that there were so many such eminent Ministers in the Country; and they wonder'd they never heard the Fame of 'em before: They were thankful that other Towns had so good Means; and the like. And scarcely ever did any Minister preach here, but his preaching did some remarkable Service; as I had good Opportunity to know, because at that Time I had particular Acquaintance, with most of the Persons in the Town, in their Soul Concerns. That it has been so much otherwise of late in many Places in the p. 295Land, is another Instance of the secret and powerful Influence of Custom and Example.

There has been an unhappy Disposition in some Ministers toward their Brethren in the Ministry in this Respect, which has encouraged and greatly promoted such a Spirit among some of their People. A wrong Improvement has been made of CHRIST's scourging the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple; it has been expected by some, that CHRIST was now about thus to purge his House of unconverted Ministers, and this has made it more natural to them to think that they should do CHRIST Service, and act as Co-workers with him, to put to their Hand, and endeavour by all Means to cashier those Ministers that they thought to be unconverted. Indeed it appears to me probable that the Time is coming, when awful Judgments will be executed on unfaithful Ministers, and that no Sort of Men in the World will be so much exposed to divine Judgments; but then we should leave that Work to CHRIST, who is the Searcher of Hearts, and to whom Vengeance belongs; and not without Warrant, take the Scourge out of his Hand into our own. There has been too much of a Disposition in some, as it were to give Ministers over as Reprobates, that have been look'd upon as Wolves in Sheep's Clothing; which has tended to promote and encourage a Spirit of Bitterness towards them, and to make it natural to treat them too much as if they knew GOD hated them. If GOD's Children knew that others were Reprobates, it would not be required of them to love them; we may hate those that we know p. 296GOD hates; as 'tis lawful to hate the Devil, and as the Saints at the Day of Judgment will hate the Wicked.—Some have been too apt to look for Fire from Heaven upon particular Ministers; and this has naturally excited that Disposition to call for it, that CHRIST rebuked in his Disciples at Samaria. For my Part, tho' I believe no Sort of Men on Earth are so exposed to spiritual Judgments as wicked Ministers, yet I feel no Disposition to treat any Minister as if I supposed that he was finally rejected of GOD; for I can't but hope that there is coming a Day of such great Grace, a Time so appointed for the magnifying the Riches and Sovereignty of divine Mercy, beyond what ever was, that a great Number of unconverted Ministers will obtain Mercy. There was no Sort of Persons in CHRIST's Time that were so guilty, and so harden'd, and towards whom CHRIST manifested such great Indignation, as the Priests and Scribes, and there were no such Persecutors of CHRIST and his Disciples as they; and yet in that great Out-pouring of the Spirit that began on the Day of Pentecost, tho' it began with the common People, yet in the Progress of the Work, after a-while, a great Company of Priests in Jerusalem were obedient to the Faith, Act. 6. 7. And Saul, one of the most violent of all the persecuting Pharisees, became afterwards the greatest Promoter of the Work of GOD that ever was. I hope we shall yet see in many Instances a Fulfilment of that in Isa. 29. 24. They also that erred in Spirit shall come to Understanding, and they that murmured shall learn Doctrine.

p. 297Nothing has been gain'd by this Practice. The End that some have aim'd at in it has not been obtain'd, nor is ever like to be. Possibly some have openly censured Ministers, and encouraged their People's Uneasiness under them, in Hopes that it would soon come to That, that the Uneasiness would be so general, and so great, that unconverted Ministers in general would be cast off, and that then Things would go on happily: but there is no Likelihood of it. The Devil indeed has obtain'd his End; this Practice has bred a great deal of Unhappiness among Ministers and People, has spoil'd Christians Enjoyment of Sabbaths, and made 'em their most uneasy, uncomfortable and unprofitable Days, and has stir'd up great Contention, and set all in a Flame; and in one Place & another where there was a glorious Work of GOD's Spirit begun, it has in a great Measure knock'd all in the Head, and their Ministers hold their Places. Some have aim'd at a better End in censuring Ministers; they have supposed it to be a likely Means to awaken them: Whereas indeed, there is no one Thing has had so great a Tendency to prevent the Awakening of disaffected Ministers in general: And no one Thing has actually had such Influence to lock up the Minds of Ministers against any good Effect of this great Work of GOD in the Land, upon their Minds, in this Respect: I have known Instances of some that seem'd to be much moved by the first Appearance of this Work, but since have seem'd to be greatly deaden'd by what has appear'd of this Nature. And if there be one or two Instances of Ministers that have been awaken'd by it, p. 298there are ten to one on whom it has had a contrary Influence. The worst Enemies of this Work have been inwardly eased by this Practice; they have made a Shield of it to defend their Consciences, and have been glad that it has been carried to so great a Length; at the same Time that they have look'd upon it, and improv'd it, as a Door open'd for 'em to be more bold in opposing the Work in general.

There is no such dreadful Danger of natural Men's being undone by our forbearing thus to censure them, and carrying it towards them as visible Christians; it will be no bloody, Hell-peopling Charity, as some seem to suppose, when it is known that we don't treat 'em as Christians, because we have taken it upon us to pass a Judgment on their State, on any Trial, or Exercise of our Skill in examining and discerning them, but only as allowing them to be worthy of a publick Charity, on their Profession and good external Behaviour; any more than Judas was in Danger of being deceived, by CHRIST's treating him a long Time as a Disciple, and sending him forth as an Apostle, (because he did not then take it upon him to act as the Judge and Searcher of Hearts, but only as the Head of the visible Church.) Indeed such a Charity as this may be abused by some, as every Thing is, and will be, that is in its own Nature proper, and of never so good Tendency. I say nothing against dealing thoroughly with Conscience, by the most convincing & searching Dispensation of the Word of GOD: I don't desire that that Sword should be sheath'd, or gently handled p. 299by Ministers; but let it be used as a two-edged Sword, to pierce, even to the dividing asunder Soul and Spirit, Joints and Marrow; let Conscience be dealt with, without any Complements; let Ministers handle it in flaming Fire, without having any more Mercy on it, than the Furnace has on those Metals that are tried in it. But let us let Men's Persons alone: Let the Word of GOD judge them, but don't let us take it upon us 'till we have Warrant for it.

Some have been ready to censure Ministers because they seem, in Comparison of some other Ministers, to be very cold and lifeless in their ministerial Performances. But then it should be considered that for ought we know, GOD may hereafter raise up Ministers of so much more excellent and heavenly Qualifications, and so much more spiritual & divine in their Performances, that there may appear as great a Difference between them, and those that now seem the most lively, as there is now between them, and others that are called dead and sapless; and those that are now called lively Ministers may appear to their Hearers, when they compare them with others that shall excel them, as wretchedly mean, and their Performances poor, dead, dry Things; and many may be ready to be prejudiced against them, as accounting them good for nothing, and it may be calling them Soul-Murderers. What a poor Figure may we suppose, the most lively of us, and those that are most admired by the People, do make in the Eyes of one of the Saints of Heaven, any otherwise than p. 300as their Deadness, Deformity &Rottenness is hid by the Veil of Christ's Righteousness?

Another Thing that has been supposed to be sufficient Warrant for openly censuring Ministers as unconverted, is their opposing this Work of GOD that has lately been carried on in the Land. And there can be no Doubt with me but that Opposition against this Work may be such, as to render either Ministers or People, truly scandalous, and expose 'em to publick Ecclesiastical Censure; and that Ministers hereby may utterly defeat the Design of their Ministry, (as I observed before;) and so give their People just Cause of Uneasiness: I should not think that any Person had Power to oblige me, constantly to attend the Ministry of one, who did from Time to Time, plainly pray and preach against this Work, or speak reproachfully of it frequently in his publick Performances, after all Christian Methods had been used for a Remedy, and to no Purpose.

But as to determining how far opposing this Work is consistent with a State of Grace, or how far, and for how long Time, some Persons of good Experience in their own Souls, through Prejudices they have receiv'd from the Errors that have been mix'd with this Work, or through some peculiar Disadvantages they are under to behold Things in a right View of them, by Reason of the Persons they converse with, or their own cold and dead Frames, is, as Experience shows, a very difficult Thing; I have seen that which abundantly convinces me that the Business is too high for me; I am glad the: GOD has not committed such a difficult p. 301Affair to me; I can joyfully leave it wholly in his Hands, who is infinitely fit for it, without meddling at all with it my self.—We may represent it as exceeding dangerous to opposed is Work, for this we have good Warrant in the Word of GOD; but I know of no Necessity we are under to determine whether it be possible for these that are guilty of it to be in a State of Grace or no.

GOD seems so strictly to have forbidden this Practice, of our judging our Brethren in the visible Church, not only because he knew that we were too much of Babes, infinitely too weak, fallible and blind, to be well capacitated for it, but also because he knew that it was not a Work suited to our proud Hearts; that it would be setting us vastly too high, and making us too much of Lords over our Fellow-Creatures. Judging our Brethren and passing a condemnatory Sentence upon them, seems to carry in it an Act of Authority, especially in so great a Case, to sentence them with respect to that State of their Hearts, on which depends their Liableness to eternal Damnation; as is evident by such Interrogations as those, (to hear which from GOD's Mouth, is enough to make us shrink into Nothing with Shame and Confusion, and Sense of our own Blindness and Worthlesness) Rom. 14. 4. Who art thou that judgest another Man's Servant? To his own Master he standeth or falleth. And Jam. 4. 12. There is one Law giver that is able to save and to destroy; who art thou that judgest another? Our wise and merciful Shepherd has graciously taken Care not to lay in our Way such a Temptation to Pride; he has cut up all such Poison out of our p. 302Pasture; and therefore we should not desire to have it restored. Blessed be his Name, that he has not laid such a Temptation in the Way of my Pride! I know that in order to be fit for this Business, I must not only be vastly more knowing, but more humble than I am.

Tho' I believe some of GOD's own Children have of late been very guilty in this Matter, yet by what is said of it in the Scripture, it appears to me very likely, that before these Things which GOD has lately begun, have an End, GOD will awfully rebuke that Practice; may it in sovereign and infinite Mercy be prevented, by the deep and open Humiliation of those that have openly practised it.

As this Practice ought to be avoided, so should all such open, visible Marks of Distinction & Separation that imply it; as particularly, distinguishing such as we have judged to be in a converted State with the Compellations of Brother or Sister; any further than there is a visible Ecclesiastical Distinction. In those Places where it is the Manner to receive such, and such only to the Communion of the visible Church, as recommend themselves by giving a satisfying Account of their inward Experiences, there Christians may openly distinguish such Persons, in their Speech and ordinary Behaviour, with a visible Separation, without being inconsistent with themselves: And I don't now pretend to meddle with that Controversy, whether such an Account of Experience be requisite to Church-Fellowship: But certainly, to admit Persons to Communion with us as Brethren in the p. 303visible Church, & then visibly to reject them, and to make an open Distinction between them and others, by different Names or Appellations, is to be inconsistent with our selves; 'tis to make a visible Church within a visible Church, and visibly to divide between Sheep and Goats, setting one on the right Hand, and the other on the left.

This bitter Root of Censoriousness must be totally rooted out, as we would prepare the Way of the Lord. It has nourished and upheld many other Things contrary to the Humility, Meekness and Love of the Gospel. The Minds of many have receiv'd an unhappy Turn, in some Respects, with their Religion: There is a certain Point or Sharpness, a Disposition to a Kind of Warmth, that does not favour of that meek, Lamb-like, sweet Disposition that becomes Christians: Many have now been so long habituated to it, that they don't know how to get out of it; but we must get out of it; the Point & Sharpness must be blunted, and we must learn another Way of manifesting our Zeal for GOD.

There is a Way of reflecting on others, and censuring them in open Prayer, that some have; which tho' it has a fair Shew of Love, yet is indeed the boldest Way of reproaching others imaginable, because there is implied in it an Appeal to the most high GOD, concerning the Truth of their Censures and Reflections.

And here I would also observe by the Way, that some have a Way of joining a Sort of Imprecations with their Petitions for others, tho' but conditional ones, that appear to me wholly needless p. 304and improper: They pray that others may either be converted or removed. I never heard nor read of any such Thing practiced in the Church of GOD 'till now, unless it be with Respect to some of the most visibly and notoriously abandon'd Enemies of the Church of GOD. This is a Sort of cursing Men in our Prayers, adding a Curse with our Blessing; whereas the Rule is Bless and curse not. To pray that GOD would kill another, is to curse him with the like Curse wherewith Elisha cursed the Children that came out of Bethel. And the Case must be very great and extraordinary indeed to warrant it, unless we were Prophets, and did not speak our own Words, but Words indited by the immediate Inspiration of the Spirit of GOD. 'Tis pleaded that if GOD has no Design of converting others, 'tis best for them, as well as best for others, that they should be immediately taken away and sent to Hell before they have contracted more Guilt. To which I would say, that so it was best that those Children that met Elisha, seeing GOD has no Design of converting them, should die immediately as they did; but yet Elisha's imprecating that sudden Death upon them, was cursing them; and therefore would not have been lawful for one that did not speak in the Name of the LORD as a Prophet.

And then if we give Way to such Things as these, where shall we stop? A Child that suspects he has an unconverted Father and Mother, may pray openly that his Father and Mother may either be converted, or taken away and sent to Hell now quickly, before their Guilt is greater. (For unconverted p. 305Parents are as likely to poison the Souls of their Family in their Manner of training them up, as unconverted Ministers are to poison their People.) And so it might come to That, that it might be a common Thing all over the Country, for Children to pray after this Manner concerning their Parents, and Brethren and Sisters concerning one another, & Husbands concerning their Wives, and Wives concerning Husbands; and so for Persons to pray concerning all their unconverted Friends and Neighbours; and not only so, but we may also pray concerning all those Saints that are not lively Christians, that they may either be enliven'd or taken away; if that be true that is often said by some at this Day, that these cold dead Saints do more Hurt than natural Men, and lead more Souls to Hell, and that it would be well for Mankind if they were all dead.

How needless are such Petitions or Imprecations as these? What Benefit is there of them? Why is it not sufficient for us to pray that GOD would provide for his Church, and the Good of Souls, and take Care of his own Flock, and give it needful Means and Advantages for its spiritual Prosperity? Does GOD need to be directed by us in what Way he shall do it? What need we ask of GOD to do it by killing such and such Persons, if he don't convert them? Unless we delight in the Thoughts of GOD's answering us in such terrible Ways, and with such awful Manifestations of his Wrath to our Fellow-Creatures.

And why don't Ministers direct Sinners to pray for themselves, that GOD would either convert p. 306them or kill them, and send them to Hell now, before their Guilt is greater? In this Way we should lead Persons in the next Place to Self-Murther: For many probably would soon begin to think that That which they may pray for, they may seek, and use the Means of.

Some with whom I have discoursed about this Way of praying, have said, that the Spirit of GOD, as it were, forces them to utter themselves thus, as it were forces out such Words from their Mouths, when otherwise they should not dare to utter them. But such a Kind of Impulse don't look like the Influence of the Spirit of GOD. The Spirit of GOD sometimes strongly inclines Men to utter Words; but not by putting Expressions into the Mouth, and urging to utter them; but by filling the Heart with a Sense of divine Things, and holy Affections; and those Affections and that Sense inclines the Mouth to speak. That other Way of Men's being urged to use certain Expressions, by an unaccountable Force, is very probably from the Influence of the Spirit of the Devil.

2. Another Thing I would take Notice of, in the Management of which there has been much Error and Misconduct, is Lay-Exhorting; about which there has been abundance of Disputing, Jangling, and Contention.

In the midst of all the Disputes that have been, I suppose that all are agreed as to these two Things, viz. 1. That all exhorting one another of Laymen is not unlawful or improper, but on the contrary, that some Exhorting is a Christian Duty. p. 307And 2. I suppose also, all will allow that there is something that is proper only for Ministers; that there is some Kind or Way of Exhorting & Teaching or other, that belongs only to the Office of Teachers. All will allow, that GOD has appointed such an Office as that of Teachers in the Christian Church, and therefore doubtless will allow that something or other is proper and peculiar to that Office, or some Business of Teaching that belongs to it, that don't belong as much to others as to them.

If there be any Way of Teaching that is peculiar to that Office, then for others to take that upon them, is to invade the Office of a Minister; which doubtless is very sinful, and is often so represented in Scripture. But the great Difficulty is to settle the Bounds, and to tell exactly, how far Lay-men may go, and when they exceed their Limits; which is a Matter of so much Difficulty, that I don't wonder if many in their Zeal have transgress'd. The two Ways of Teaching & Exhorting, the one of which ought ordinarily to be left to Ministers, and the other of which may and ought to be practised by the People, may be express'd by those two Names of Preaching, and Exhorting in a Way of Christian Conversation. But then a great deal of Difficulty & Controversy arises to determine what is Preaching, and what is Christian Conversation. However I will humbly offer my Thoughts concerning this Subject of LayExhorting, as follows.

1. The common People in exhorting one another ought not to cloath themselves with the like p. 308Authority with that which is proper for Ministers. There is a certain Authority that Ministers have, and should exercise in teaching, as well as governing the Flock. Teaching is spoken of in Scripture as an Act of Authority, 1 Tim. 2. 12. In order to a Man's preaching, special Authority must be committed to him. Rom. 10. 15. How shall they preach, except they be sent? Ministers in this Work of Teaching & Exhorting are cloath'd with Authority, as CHRIST's Messengers, (Mal. 2. 7.) and as representing him, and so speaking in his Name, and in his Stead, 2 Cor. 5. 18, 19, 20. And it seems to be the most honourable Thing that belongs to the Office of a Minister of the Gospel, that to him is committed the Word of Reconciliation, and that he has Power to preach the Gospel, as CHRIST's Messenger, and speaking in his Name. The Apostle seems to speak of it as such, 1 Cor. 1. 16, 17. Ministers therefore in the Exercise of this Power, may cloath themselves with Authority in speaking, or may teach others in an authoritative Manner. Tit. 2. 15. These Things speak and exhort, and rebuke with all Authority: Let no Man despise thee. But the common People in exhorting one another, ought not thus to exhort in an authoritative Manner. There is a great deal of Difference between teaching as a Father amongst a Company of Children, & counselling in a brotherly Way, as the Children may kindly counsel and admonish one another. Those that are meer Brethren, ought not to assume Authority in exhorting, tho' one may be better, and have more Experience than another. Lay-men p. 309ought not to exhort as tho' they were the Ambassadors or Messengers of CHRIST, as Ministers do; nor should they exhort and warn and charge in his Name, according to the ordinary Import of such an Expression, when applied to Teaching. Indeed in one Sense, a Christian ought to do every Thing he does in Religion in the Name of Christ, i. e. He ought to act in a Dependance on him as his Head and Mediator, and do all for his Glory: But the Expression as it is usually understood, when applied to Teaching or Exhorting, is speaking in CHRIST's Stead, & as having a Message from him.

Persons may cloath themselves with Authority in speaking, either by the authoritative Words they make Use of, or in the Manner, and authoritative Air of their speaking: Tho' some may think that this latter is a Matter of Indifferency, or at least of small Importance, yet there is indeed a great deal in it: a Person may go much out of his Place, and be guilty of a great Degree of Assuming, in the Manner of his speaking those Words, which as they might be spoken, might be proper for him: The same Words spoken in a different Manner, may express what is very diverse: Doubtless there may be as much Hurt in the Manner of a Person's speaking, as there may in his Looks; but the wise Man tells us, that an high Look is an Abomination to the Lord, Prov. 21. 4. Again, a Man may cloath himself with Authority, in the Circumstances under which he speaks; as for Instance, if he sets himself up as a publick Teacher. Here I would have it observed, that I don't suppose that a Person is guilty of this, meerly because he speaks in the p. 310Hearing of many: Persons may speak, and speak only in a Way of Conversation, and yet speak in the Hearing of a great Number, as they often do in their common Conversation about temporal Things, at Feasts and Entertainments, where Women as well as others, do converse freely together about worldly Things, in the hearing of a considerable Number; and it may happen to be in the Hearing of a great Number, and yet without Offence: And if their Conversation on such Occasions should turn on spiritual Things, & they should speak as freely and openly, I don't see why it would not be as harmless. Nor do I think, that if besides a great Number's being present, Persons speak with a very earnest and loud Voice, this is for them to set up themselves as publick Teachers, if they do it from no Contrivance or premeditated Design, or as purposely directing themselves to a Congregation or Multitude, and not speaking to any that are composed to the Solemnity of any publick Service; but speaking in the Time of Conversation, or a Time when all do freely converse one with another, they express what they then feel, directing themselves to none but those that are near 'em, and fall in their Way, speaking in that earnest and pathetical Manner, to which the Subject they are speaking of, and the affecting Sense of their Souls naturally leads them, and as it were constrains them: I say, that for Persons to do thus, tho' many happen to hear them, yet it don't appear to me to be a setting themselves up as publick Teachers: Yea, if this be added to these other Circumstances, that all this happens to p. 311be in a Meeting-House; I don't think that meerly its being in such a Place, much alters the Case, provided the Solemnity of publick Service and divine Ordinances be over, and the solemn Assembly broke up, and some stay in the House for mutual religious Conversation; provided also that they speak in no authoritative Way, but in an humble Manner, becoming their Degree & Station, tho' they speak very earnestly and pathetically.

Indeed Modesty might in ordinary Cases, restrain some Persons, as Women, and those that are young, from so much as speaking, when a great Number are present; at least, when some of those present are much their Superiours, unless they are spoken to: And yet the Case may be so extraordinary, as fully to warrant it. If something very extraordinary happens to Persons, or if they are in extraordinary Circumstances: as if a Person be struck with Lightning, in the midst of a great Company, or if he lies a dying, it appears to none any Violation of Modesty, for him to speak freely, before those that are much his Superiours. I have seen some Women and Children in such Circumstances, on religious Accounts, that it has appear'd to me no more a transgressing the Laws of Humility and Modesty, for them to speak freely, let who will be present, than if they were dying.

But then may a Man be said to set up himself as a publick Teacher, when he in a set Speech, of Design, directs himself to a Multitude, either in the Meeting-House or elsewhere, as looking that they should compose themselves to attend to what he has to say; and much more when this is a contrived p. 312& premeditated Thing, without any thing like a Constraint, by any extraordinary Sense or Affection that he is then under; and more still, when Meetings are appointed on Purpose to hear Lay-Persons exhort, and they take it as their Business to be Speakers, while they expect that others should come, and compose themselves, and attend as Hearers; when private Christians take it upon them in private Meetings, to act as the Masters or Presidents of the Assembly, and accordingly from Time to Time to teach and exhort the rest, this has the Appearance of authoritative Teaching.

When private Christians, that are no more than meer Brethren, exhort and admonish one another; it ought to be in an humble Manner, rather by Way of Intreaty, than with Authority; and the more, according as the Station of Persons is lower. Thus it becomes Women, and those that are young, ordinarily to be at a greater Distance from any Appearance of Authority in speaking than others: Thus much at least is evident by that in 1 Tim. 2. 9, 11, 12.

That Lay-Persons ought not to exhort one another as cloathed with Authority, is a general Rule but it can't justly be supposed to extend to Head of Families in their own Families. Every Christian Family is a little Church, and the Heads of it are its authoritative Teachers and Governours. Not can it extend to School-Masters among his Scholars; and some other Cases might perhaps be mention'd, that ordinary Discretion will distinguish, where a Man's Circumstances do properly cloath him with Authority, and render it fit and suitable p. 313for him to counsel and admonish others in an authoritative Manner.

2. No Man but only a Minister that is duely appointed to that sacred Calling, ought to follow Teaching and Exhorting as a Calling, or so as to neglect that which is his proper Calling. An having the Office of a Teacher in the Church of GOD implies two Things, 1. A being invested with the Authority of a Teacher; and 2. A being called to the Business of a Teacher, to make it the Business of his Life. Therefore that Man that is not a Minister, that takes either of these upon him, invades the Office of a Minister. Concerning assuming the Authority of a Minister I have spoken already. But if a Lay-man don't assume Authority in his Teaching, yet if he forsakes his proper Calling, or doth so at least in a great Measure, & spends his Time in going about from House to House, to counsel and exhort, he goes beyond his Line, and violates Christian Rules. Those that have the Office of Teachers or Exhorters, have it for their Calling, and should make it their Business, as a Business proper to their Office; and none should make it their Business but such. Rom. 12. 3, 4, 5, 7, 8. For I say, through the Grace given unto me, to every Man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as GOD hath dealt to every Man the Proportion of Faith. For as we have many Members, in one Body, and all Members have not the same Office; so we being many, are one Body in Christ.—He that teacheth, let him wait on Teaching, or he that exhorteth, on Exhortation. p. 3141 Cor. 12. 29. Are all Apostles? Are all Prophets? Are all Teachers? 1 Cor. 7. 20. Let every Man abide in the same Calling wherein he was called. 1 Thes. 4. 11. And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own Business, and to work with your own Hands, as we commanded you.

It will be a very dangerous Thing for Lay-men, in either of these Respects, to invade the Office of a Minister; if this be common among us we shall be in Danger of having a Stop put to the Work of GOD, and the Ark's turning aside from us, before it comes to Mount Zion, and of GOD's making a Breach upon us; as of old there was an unhappy Stop put to the Joy of the Congregation of Israel, in bringing up the Ark of GOD, because others carried it besides the Levites: And therefore David, when the Error was found out, says, 1 Chron. 15. 2. None ought to carry the Ark of GOD, but the Levites only; for them hath the Lord chosen to carry the Ark of God, and to minister unto him for ever. And because one presumed to touch the Ark that was not of the Sons of Aaron, therefore the Lord made a Breach upon them, and covered their Day of Rejoicing with a Cloud in his Anger.

Before I dismiss this Head of Lay-Exhorting, I would take Notice of three Things relating to it, upon which there ought to be a Restraint.

1. Speaking in the Time of the solemn Worship of GOD, as publick Prayer, Singing, or Preaching, or Administration of the Sacrament of the Holy Supper; or any Duty of social Worship: This should not be allowed. I know it will be said, that in some Cases, when Persons are exceedingly p. 315affected, they cannot help it; and I believe so too: but then I also believe, and know by Experience, that there are several Things that contribute to that Inability, besides meerly and absolutely the Sense of divine Things they have upon their Hearts. Custom and Example, or the Thing's being allowed, have such an Influence, that they actually help to make it impossible for Persons under strong Affections to avoid speaking. If it was disallowed, and Persons at the Time that they were thus disposed to break out, had this Apprehension, that it would be a very unbecoming, shocking Thing for 'em so to do, it would be a Help to 'em, as to their Ability to avoid it: Their Inability arises from their strong and vehement Disposition; and so far as that Disposition is from a good Principle, it would be weaken'd by the coming in of this Tho't to their Minds, viz. "What I am going to do, will be for the Dishonour of CHRIST and Religion: And so that inward Vehemence, that pushed 'em forward to speak, would fall, and they would be enabled to avoid it. This Experience confirms.

2. There ought to be a moderate Restraint on the Loudness of Persons talking under high Affections; for if there be not, it will grow natural and unavoidable for Persons to be louder and louder, without any Increase of their inward Sense; 'till it becomes natural to 'em, at last, to scream and hallow to almost every one they see in the Streets, when they are much affected: But this is certainly a Thing very improper, and what has no Tendency to promote Religion. The Man CHRIST JESUS when he was upon Earth, had doubtless as great a p. 316Sense of the infinite Greatness and Importance of eternal Things, and the Worth of Souls, as any have now-a-days; but there is not the least Appearance in his History, of his taking any such Course, or Manner of exhorting others.

3. There should also be some Restraint on the abundance of Persons Talk, under strong Affections; for if Persons give themselves an unbounded Liberty, to talk just so much as they feel an Inclination to, they will increase and abound more and more in Talk, beyond the Proportion of their Sense or Affection; 'till at length it will become ineffectual on those that hear them, and by the Commonness of their abundant Talk, they will defeat their own End.

One Thing more I would take Notice of before I conclude this Part, is the Mismanagement that has been in some Places of the Duty of singing Praises to GOD. I believe it to have been one Fruit of the extraordinary Degrees of the sweet and joyful Influences of the Spirit of GOD that have been lately given, that there has appear'd such a Disposition to abound in that Duty, & frequently to fall into this divine Exercise; not only in appointed solemn Meetings, but when Christians occasionally meet together at each other's Houses. But the Mismanagement I have Respect to, is the getting into a Way of performing it, without almost any Appearance of that Reverence and Solemnity with which all visible, open Acts of divine Worship ought to be attended; it may be two or three in a Room singing Hymns of Praise to GOD, others that are present talking at the same Time, others p. 317about their Work, with little more Appearance of Regard to what is doing, than if some were only singing a common Song, for their Amusement and Diversion. There is Danger, if such Things are continued, of its coming to that by Degrees, that a meer Nothing be made of this Duty, to the great Violation of the third Commandment. Let Christians abound as much as they will in this holy, heavenly Exercise, in GOD's House and in their own Houses; but when it is performed, let it be performed as an holy Act, wherein they have immediately and visibly to do with GOD. When any social open Act of Devotion, or solemn Worship of GOD is performed, GOD should be reverenced as visibly present, by those that are present. As we would not have the Ark of GOD depart from us, nor provoke GOD to make a Breach upon us, we should take Heed that we handle the Ark with Reverence.

With Respect to Companies singing in the Streets, going to, or coming from the Place of publick Worship, I would humbly offer my Thoughts in the following Particulars.

1. The Rule of CHRIST concerning putting new Wine into old Bottles, does undoubtedly take Place in Things of this Nature, supposing it to be a Thing that in it self is good, but not essential, and not particularly enjoin'd or forbidden. For Things, so very new & uncommon, and of so open and publick a Nature, to be suddenly introduced and set up & practised, in many Parts of the Country, without the Matter's being so much as first proposed to any publick Consideration, or giving p. 318any Opportunity for the People of GOD to weigh the Matter, or to consider any Reasons that might be offered to support it, is putting new Wine into old Bottles with a Witness; as if it were with no other Design than to burst them directly. Nothing else can be expected to be the Consequence of this, than Uproar and Confusion, and great Offence, and unhappy mischievous Disputes, even among the Children of GOD themselves: Not that that which is good in it self, and is new, ought to be forborn, 'till there is no Body that will dislike it; but it ought to be forborn 'till the visible Church of GOD is so prepared for it, at least, that there is a Probability that it will not do more Hurt than Good, or hinder the Work of GOD more than promote it; as is most evident from CHRIST's Rule, and the Apostles Practice. If it be brought in, when the Country is so unprepared, that the Shock and Surprize on Persons Minds, and the Contention and Prejudice against Religion, that it is like to be an Occasion of, will do more to hinder Religion, than the Practice of it is like to do to promote it, then the Fruit is pick'd before 'tis ripe. And indeed, such an hasty Endeavour to introduce such an Innovation, supposing it to be good in it self, is the likeliest Way to retard the effectual Introduction of it; it will hinder its being extensively introduced, much more than it will promote it, and so will defeat its own End. But

2. As to the Thing it self, If a considerable Part of a Congregation have Occasion to go in Company together to a Place of publick Worship, and they should join together in singing Praises to GOD, p. 319as they go, I confess, that after long Consideration, and endeavouring to view the Thing every Way, with the utmost Deligence and Impartiality I am capable of, I cannot find any valid Objection against it. As to the common Objection from Mat. 6. 5. And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the Hypocrites are; for they love to pray standing in the Synagogues, and in the Corners of the Streets, that they may be seen of Men. It is strong against a single Person's singing in the Streets, or in the Meeting-House, by himself, as offering to GOD personal Worship; but as it is brought against a considerable Company, their thus publickly worshipping GOD, it appears to me to have no Weight at all; to be sure it is of no more Force against a Company's thus praising GOD in the Streets, than against their praising him in the Synagogue or Meeting-House, for the Streets& the Synagogues are both put together in these Words of our Saviour, as Parallel in the Case that he had Respect to. 'Tis evident that CHRIST speaks of personal, and not publick Worship. If to sing in the Streets be oftentatious, then it must be because it is a publick Place, and it can't be done there without being very open; but it is no more publick than the Synagogue or Meeting-House is when full of People. Some Worship is in its Nature private, as that which is proper to particular Persons, or Families, or private Societies, & has Respect to their particular Concerns: But that which I now speak of, is performed under no other Notion than a Part of GOD's publick Worship, without any Relation to any private, separate Society, or any chosen or p. 320pick'd Number, and in which every visible Christian has equal Liberty to join, if it be convenient for him, and he has a Disposition, as in the Worship that is perform'd in the Meeting-House. When Persons are going to the House of publick Worship, to serve GOD there with the Assembly of his People, they are upon no other Design than that of putting publick Honour upon GOD, that is the Business they go from Home upon, and even in their walking the Streets on this Errand, they appear in a publick Act of Respect to GOD; and therefore if they go in Company with publick Praise, 'tis not a being publick when they ought to be private. 'Tis one Part of the Beauty of publick Worship, that it be very publick; the more publick it is, the more open Honour it puts upon GOD; and especially is it beautiful in that Part of publick Worship, viz. publick Praise; For the very Notion of publick praising of GOD, is to declare abroad his Glory, to publish his Praise, to make it known, and proclaim it aloud, as is evident by innumerable Expressions of Scripture. 'Tis fit that GOD's Honour should not be concealed, but made known in the great Congregation, and proclaimed before the Sun, and upon the House-Tops, before Kings, and all Nations, and that his Praises should be heard to the utmost Ends of the Earth.

I suppose none will condemn singing GOD's Praises, meerly because 'tis performed in the open Air, and not in a close Place: And if it may be performed by a Company in the open Air, doubtless they may do it moving, as well as standing p. 321still. So the Children of Israel praised GOD, when they went to Mount Zion, with the Ark of GOD; and so the Multitude praised CHRIST, when they entred with him into Jerusalem, a little before his Passion; and so the Children of Israel were wont, from Year to Year, to go up to Jerusalem, when they went in Companies, from all Parts of the Land, three Times in the Year, when they often used to manifest the Engagedness of their Minds, by travelling all Night, and manifested their Joy and Gladness, by singing Praises, with great Decency and Beauty, as they went towards GOD's holy Mountain; as is evident by Isa. 30. 29. Ye shall have a Song, as in the Night, when a holy Solemnity is kept, and Gladness of Heart; as when one goeth with a Pipe, to come into the Mountain of the Lord, to the mighty One of Israel. And Psal. 42. 4. When I remember these Things, I pour out my Soul in me; for I had gone with the Multitude, I went with them to the House of God, with the Voice of Joy and Praise, with a Multitude that kept holy Day. Psal. 100. 4. Enter into his Gates with Thanksgiving, and into his Courts with Praise. When GOD's People are going to his House, the Occasion is so joyful to a Christian in a lively Frame, (the Language of whose Heart is, Come, let us go up to the House of the Lord, and who is glad when it is so said to him,) that the Duty of singing Praises seems to be peculiarly beautiful on such an Occasion. So that if the State of the Country was ripe for it, and it should be so that there should be frequent Occasions for a considerable Part of a Congregation to go together to the Places of publick p. 322Worship, and there was in other Respects a proportionable Appearance of Fervency of Devotion, it appears to me that it would be ravishingly beautiful, if such Things were practised all over the Land, and would have a great Tendency to enliven, animate and rejoice the Souls of GOD's Saints, and greatly to propagate vital Religion. I believe the Time is coming when the World will be full of such Things.

3. It seems to me to be requisite that there should be the Consent of the governing Part of the worshipping Societies, to which Persons have join'd themselves, and of which they own themselves a Part, in order to the introducing of Things in publick Worship, so new & uncommon, and not essential, nor particularly commanded, into the Places where those worshipping Societies belong: The Peace and Union of such Societies seems to require it; seeing they have voluntarily united themselves to these worshipping Societies, to that End, that they might be one in the Affairs of GOD's publick Worship, and obliged themselves in Covenant to act as Brethren & mutual Assistants, and Members of one Body, in those Affairs, & all are hereby naturally and necessarily led to be concern'd with one another, in Matters of Religion and GOD's Worship; and seeing that this is a Part of the publick Worship, & Worship that must be perform'd from Time to Time in the View of the whole, being performed at a Time when they are meeting together for mutual Assistance in Worship, and therefore that which all must unavoidably be in some Measure concerned in, so at least as to p. 323shew their Approbation & Consent, or open Dislike and Separation from them in it; I say it being thus, Charity and a Regard to the Union and Peace of such Societies, seems to require a Consent of the governing Part, in order to the introducing any Thing of this Nature; (unless they think those Societies unworthy that they should be join'd to them any longer, and so first renounce them, as the worshipping Societies of which they are Members.) Certainly if we are of the Spirit of the Apostle Paul, and have his Discretion, we shall not set up any such Practice without it: He for the Sake of Peace, conformed, in Things wherein he was not particularly forbidden, to the Jews, when among them; and so when among those that were without the Law, conformed to them, wherein he might.—To be sure those go much beyond proper Limits, who coming from abroad, do immediately of their own Heads, in a strange Place, set up such a new and uncommon Practice among a People.

In introducing any Thing of this Nature among a People, their Minister especially ought to be consulted, and his Voice taken, as long as he is own'd for their Minister. Ministers are Pastors of worshipping Societies, & their Heads & Guides in the Affairs of publick Worship. They are called in Scripture, those that rule over them, and their People are commanded to obey them, because they watch for their Souls, as those that must give Account. If it belongs to these Shepherds & Rulers to direct and guide the Flock in any Thing at all, p. 324it belongs to 'em so to do, in the Circumstantials of their publick Worship.

Thus I have taken particular Notice of many of those Things that have appeared to me to be amiss, in the Management of our religious Concerns, relating to the present Revival of Religion, and have taken Liberty freely to express my Thoughts upon them. Upon the whole it appears manifest to me, that Things have as yet, never been set a-going in their right Channel; if they had, and Means had been bless'd in Proportion as they have been now, this Work would have so prevailed, as before this Time to have carried all afore it, and have triumph'd over New-England as its Conquest.

The Devil in driving Things to these Extremes, besides the present Hindrance of the Work of GOD, has, I believe, had in View, a two-fold Mischief hereafter, in the Issue of Things; one with Respect to those that are more cold in Religion; to carry Things to such an Extreme, that People in general, at length, having their Eyes open'd, by the great Excess, & seeing that Things must needs be wrong, he might take the Advantage to tempt them entirely to reject the whole Work, as being all nothing but Delusion and Distraction. And another is with Respect to those that have been very warm and zealous, of GOD's own Children, that have been out of the Way, to sink them down in Unbelief and Darkness. The Time is coming I doubt not, when the bigger Part of them will be convinced of their Errors; and then probably the Devil will take Advantage to p. 325lead them into a dreadful Wilderness, & to puzzle and confound them about their own Experiences, and the Experiences of others; and to make them to doubt of many Things that they ought not to doubt of, and even to tempt them with atheistical Thoughts. I believe if all true Christians all over the Land, should now at once have their Eyes open'd, fully to see all their Errors, it would seem for the present to damp Religion: The dark Thoughts, that it would at first be an Occasion of, and the inward Doubts, Difficulties and Conflicts that would rise in their Souls, would deaden their lively Affections and Joys, and would cause an Appearance of a present Decay of Religion. But yet it would do GOD's Saints great Good in their latter End; it would fit them for more spiritual and excellent Experiences, more humble and heavenly Love, and unmix'd Joys, and would greatly tend to a more powerful, extensive and durable Prevalence of vital Piety.

I don't know but we shall be in Danger by and by, after our Eyes are fully open'd to see our Errors, to go to contrary Extremes. The Devil has driven the Pendulum far beyond its proper Point of Rest; and when he has carried it to the utmost Length that he can, and it begins by its own Weight to swing back, he probably will set in, and drive it with the utmost Fury the other Way; and so give us no Rest; and if possible prevent our settling in a proper Medium. What a poor, blind, weak and miserable Creature is Man, at his best Estate! We are like poor helpless Sheep; the Devil is too subtle for us: What is our p. 326Strength! What is our Wisdom! How ready are we to go astray! How easily are we drawn aside, into innumerable Snares, while we in the mean Time are bold and confident, and doubt not but that we are right and safe! We are foolish Sheep, in the midst of subtle Serpents and cruel Wolves, and don't know it. Oh! how unfit are we to be left to our selves! And how much do we stand in Need of the Wisdom, the Power, the Condescension, Patience, Forgiveness and Gentleness of our good Shepherd!