AUTHOR'S PREFACE
THERE is no question whatsoever, that is of greater importance to mankind, and that it more concerns every individual person to be well resolved in, than this, What are the distinguishing qualifications of those that are in favor with God, and entitled to his eternal rewards? Or, which comes to the same thing, What is the nature of true religion? and wherein do lie the distinguishing notes of that virtue and holiness, that is acceptable in the sight of God.
But though it be of such importance, and though we have clear and abundant light in the Word of God to direct us in this matter, yet there is no one point, wherein professing Christians do more differ one from another. It would be endless to reckon up the variety of opinions in this point, that divide the Christian world; making manifest the truth of that of our Savior, "Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, that leads to life, and few there be that find it."
The consideration of these things has long engaged me to attend to this matter, with the utmost diligence and care, and exactness of search and inquiry, that I have been capable of: it is a subject on which my mind has been peculiarly intent, ever since I first entered on the study of divinity. But as to the success of my inquiries, it must be left to the judgment of the reader of the following treatise.
I am sensible it is much more difficult to judge impartially of that which is the subject of this discourse, in the midst of the dust and smoke of such a state of controversy, as this land is now in, about things of this nature: as it is more difficult to write impartially, so it is more difficult to read impartially.
Many will probably be hurt in their spirits, to find so much that appertains to religious affection, here condemned: and perhaps indignation and contempt will be excited in others, by finding so much here justified and approved. And it may be, some will be ready to charge me with inconsistence with myself, in so much approving some things, and
so much condemning others; as I have found, this has always been objected to me by some, ever since the beginning of our late controversies about religion.
'Tis a hard thing to be a hearty zealous friend of what has been good and glorious, in the late extraordinary appearances, and to rejoice much in it; and at the same time, to see the evil and pernicious tendency of what has been bad, and earnestly to oppose that. But yet, I am humbly, but fully persuaded, we shall never be in the way of truth, nor go on in a way acceptable to God, and tending to the advancement of Christ's kingdom, till we do so.
There is indeed something very mysterious in it, that so much good, and so much bad, should be mixed together in the church of God: as 'tis a mysterious thing, and what has puzzled and amazed many a good Christian, that there should be that which is so divine and precious, as the saving grace of God, and the new and divine nature, dwelling in the same heart, with so much corruption, hypocrisy and iniquity, in a particular saint. Yet neither of these, is more mysterious than real. And neither of 'em is a new or rare thing.
'Tis no new thing, that much false religion should prevail, at a time of great reviving of true religion; and that at such a time, multitudes of hypocrites should spring up among true saints. It was so in that great reformation, and revival of religion, that was in Josiah's time; as appears by Jeremiah 3:10 and Jeremiah 4:3–4 and also by the great apostasy that there was in the land, so soon after his reign. So it was in that great outpouring of the Spirit upon the Jews, that was in the days of John the Baptist; as appears by the great apostasy of that people, so soon after so general an awakening, and the temporary religious comforts and joys of many; John 5:35, "Ye were willing, for a season, to rejoice in his light."
So it was in those great commotions that were among the multitude, occasioned by the preaching of Jesus Christ: "Of the many that were then called, but few were chosen"; of the multitude that were roused and affected by his preaching, and at one time or other appeared mightily engaged, full of admiration of Christ, and elevated with joy, but few were true disciples, that stood the shock of the great trials that came afterwards, and endured to the end: many were like the stony ground, or thorny ground; and but few, comparatively, like the good ground: of the whole heap that was gathered, great part was chaff, that the wind afterwards drove away; and the heap of wheat that was left, was comparatively small; as appears abundantly, by the history of the New Testament. So it was
in that great outpouring of the Spirit that was in the Apostle's days; as appears by Matthew 24:10–13, Galatians 3:1 and Galatians 4:11, Galatians 4:15; Philippians 2:21 and 3:18–19. And the two Epistles to the Corinthians, and many other parts of the New Testament.
And so it was in the great Reformation from Popery. It appears plainly to have been in the visible church of God, in times of great reviving of religion, from time to time, as it is with the fruit trees in the spring; there are a multitude of blossoms; all of which appear fair and beautiful, and there is a promising appearance of young fruits; but many of 'em are but of short continuance, they soon fall off, and never come to maturity.
Not that it is to be supposed that it will always be so: for though there never will, in this world, be an entire purity; either in particular saints, in a perfect freedom from mixtures of corruption; or in the church of God, without any mixture of hypocrites with saints, and counterfeit religion, and false appearances of grace, with true religion and real holiness: yet, 'tis evident, that there will come a time of much greater purity in the church of God, than has been in ages past; it is plain by those texts of Scripture, Isaiah 52:1; Ezekiel 44:6–7, 9; Joel 3:17; Zechariah 14:21; Psalms 69:32, 35–36; Isaiah 35:8, 10; ch. 4:3–4; Ezekiel 20:38; Psalms 37:9–11, 29.
And one great reason of it will be, that at that time, God will give much greater light to his people, to distinguish between true religion and its counterfeits; Malachi 3:3, "And he shall sit as a refiner, and purifier of silver; and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver; that they may offer to the Lord an offering in righteousness." With v. Malachi 3:18, which is a continuation of the prophecy of the same happy times, "then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God, and him that serveth him not."
'Tis by the mixture of counterfeit religion with true, not discerned and distinguished, that the devil has had his greatest advantage against the cause and kingdom of Christ, all along, hitherto. 'Tis plainly by this means, principally, that he has prevailed against all revivings of religion, that ever have been, since the first founding of the Christian church. By this, he hurt the cause of Christianity, in, and after the apostolic age, much more than by all the persecutions of both Jews and heathens: the apostles, in all their Epistles, show themselves much more concerned at the former mischief, than the latter.
By this, Satan prevailed against the
Reformation, begun by Luther, Zwingli, etc. to put a stop to its progress, and bring it into disgrace; ten times more, than by all those bloody, cruel, and before, unheard-of persecutions of the Church of Rome. By this principally, has he prevailed against revivals of religion, that have been in our nation since the Reformation. By this he prevailed against New England, to quench the love, and spoil the joy of her espousals, about an hundred years ago.
And I think, I have had opportunity enough to see plainly, that by this, the devil has prevailed against the late, great revival of religion in New England, so happy and promising in its beginning: here most evidently has been the main advantage Satan has had against us; by this he has foiled us; 'tis by this means, that the daughter of Zion in this land, now lies on the ground, in such piteous circumstances, as we now behold her; with her garments rent, her face disfigured, her nakedness exposed, her limbs broken, and weltering in the blood of her own wounds, and in no wise able to arise; and this, so quickly after her late great joys and hopes: Lamentations 1:17, "Zion spreadeth forth her hands, and there is none to comfort her: the Lord hath commanded concerning Jacob, that his adversaries shall be round about him: Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman among them."
I have seen the devil prevail the same way, against two great revivings of religion in this country. Satan goes on with mankind, as he began with them: he prevailed against our first parents, and cast 'em out of Paradise, and suddenly brought all their happiness and glory to an end, by appearing to be a friend to their happy paradisaic state, and pretending to advance it to higher degrees. So the same cunning serpent, that beguiled Eve through his subtlety, by perverting us from the simplicity that is in Christ, hath suddenly prevailed to deprive us of that fair prospect, we had a little while ago, of a kind of paradisaic state of the church of God in New England.
After religion has revived in the church of God, and enemies appear, people that are engaged to defend its cause, are commonly most exposed, where they are least sensible of danger. While they are wholly intent upon the opposition that appears openly before 'em, to make head against that, and do neglect carefully to look all round 'em, the devil comes behind 'em, and gives a fatal stab unseen; and has opportunity to give a more home stroke, and wound the deeper, because he strikes at his leisure, and according to his pleasure, being obstructed by no guard or resistance.
And so it is likely ever to be in the church, whenever religion
revives remarkably, till we have learned well to distinguish between true and false religion, between saving affections and experiences, and those manifold fair shows, and glistering appearances, by which they are counterfeited; the consequences of which, when they are not distinguished, are often inexpressibly dreadful. By this means, the devil gratifies himself, by bringing it to pass, that that should be offered to God, by multitudes, under a notion of a pleasing acceptable service to him, that is indeed above all things abominable to him.
By this means, he deceives great multitudes about the state of their souls; making them think they are something, when they are nothing; and so eternally undoes 'em: and not only so, but establishes many, in a strong confidence of their eminent holiness, who are in God's sight, some of the vilest of hypocrites.
By this means, he many ways, damps and wounds religion in the hearts of the saints, obscures and deforms it by corrupt mixtures, causes their religious affections woefully to degenerate, and sometimes for a considerable time, to be like the manna, that bred worms and stank; and dreadfully ensnares and confounds the minds of others of the saints, and brings 'em into great difficulties and temptation, and entangles 'em in a wilderness, out of which they can by no means extricate themselves.
By this means, Satan mightily encourages the hearts of open enemies of religion, and strengthens their hands, and fills them with weapons, and makes strong their fortresses; when at the same time, religion and the church of God lie exposed to 'em, as a city without walls. By this means, he brings it to pass, that men work wickedness under a notion of doing God service, and so sin without restraint, yea with earnest forwardness and zeal, and with all their might.
By this means, he brings in, even the friends of religion, insensibly to themselves, to do the work of enemies, by destroying religion, in a far more effectual manner, than open enemies can do, under a notion of advancing it. By this means the devil scatters the flock of Christ, and sets 'em one against another, and that with great heat of spirit, under a notion of zeal for God; and religion by degrees, degenerates into vain jangling; and during the strife, Satan leads both parties far out of the right way, driving each to great extremes, one on the right hand, and the other on the left, according as he finds they are most inclined, or most easily moved and swayed, till the right path in the middle, is almost wholly neglected.
And in the midst of this confusion, the devil has great opportunity to advance his own interest, and make it strong in ways innumerable, and get
the government of all into his own hands, and work his own will. And by what is seen of the terrible consequences of this counterfeit religion, when not distinguished from true religion, God's people in general have their minds unhinged and unsettled, in things of religion, and know not where to set their foot, or what to think or do; and many are brought into doubts, whether there be anything at all in religion; and heresy, and infidelity, and atheism greatly prevail.
Therefore, it greatly concerns us to use our utmost endeavors, clearly to discern, and have it well settled and established, wherein true religion does consist.
Till this be done, it may be expected that great revivings of religion, will be but of short continuance: till this be done, there is but little good to be expected, of all our warm debates, in conversation and from the press, not knowing clearly and distinctly, what we ought to contend for.
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