and Abominations? Are our Defires raifed after Chrift, his fanctifying Grace, and his justifying Righteousness ? Are we hereby stirred up to flee to Christ, to depend upon him, to feek after a Conformity to him, and to love him as one altogether lovely? In a Word, are we, by the Means of Grace, drawn off from Self, Senfe, and Sin, unto Chrift Jefus, for Righteoufnefs and Strength? If there be fuch Motions as these produced or excited in our Hearts, in Reading, Hearing, or Prayer, it is evident, that the Graces of the Spirit are exercised. And although, under an Ordinance, where fuch Experiences are felt, there may be much of natural Sympathy or Impreffion; yet we have no Reason to question the Operations of Grace, because of the Workings of Nature; but rather fhould blefs God, that he is pleased to turn the natural Affections into a fpiritual Channel, or to make them a Means of promoting what is truly fpiritual and evangelical. But, in order to prevent all Mistakes upon this Head, that we might not be deceived with counterfeit for real Graces, it will be needful to make one more Inquiry:

4. Whether thefe Motions of Affection have an holy Tendency, and produce an holy Effect upon our Hearts and Lives. Thefe Workings of Soul under Ordinances, let them be ever fo ftrong, ever fo pleasant, or in Appear ance ever so evangelical, are certainly delufive, if they have not the Stamp of Holiness upon them. If these pleafing Impreffions tend to make us less watchful against Sin, or lefs careful to perform our Duty; if they fill us with a pleafing Imagination, that we need not be fa much afraid of finning, or need not be fo diligent in Duty, because all is fafe; this Turn of Thought, inclu ded in these Motions of Affection, is an infallible Mark that the Experience is delufive, detrimental, and diabo

lical. But, if thefe Workings of Soul tend to increase our Hatred of Sin, and our Watchfulness against it, and. to promote our Love to Chrift and true Holiness; if they leave such a Savour behind them upon our Spirits, as imbitters Sin, and gives us a Relifh for and Delight in the Ways of the Lord; if they promote our Reverence for God's Name, and our Love to his People, his Ordinances, and his Precepts; we may then be certain that they are of a spiritual and faving Nature.

Let us now collect the Whole together, and apply it by a few Remarks, for Inftruction and Examination.

1. Hence learn, that there is no Grace of the Spirit, but has its Counterfeit. Nature can mimic a true Faith by a notional Belief, can mimic a true Hope' by a prefuming upon the Enjoyment of Gofpel-Privileges, can mimic a true Love by a Love to the Means of Grace upon natural Principles, can mimic a true godly Sorrow. by a fympathetic Weeping under an affecting Discourse, can mimic a true Joy in the Lord by a Delight in Gofpel-Ordinances upon felf-righteous and carnal Principles.

2. Hence learn, that to judge of the Degree of our profiting under an Ordinance, by the Degree of Affection, is a deceitful Way of judging. We may be most profited when leaft affected, and leaft profited when most affected. For it is not the Degree, but the Nature and Kind of the Impreffion, that we are to attend to, when: examining whether the Word is profitable to us or no, This Thought, if properly regarded, will afford Mat ter for the Conviction of fome, and for the Confolation of others. Art thou often delighted with, and melted into Tears under, an Ordinance? Don't immediately conclude, that thou art a thriving Christian; for most, if not the whole of this Experience may arife only from a natural Softness of Temper, or from the natural Impreffions

Impreffions made upon thee by the Liveliness of the Preacher, or the Beauty of his Stile. On the contrary, art thou seldom affected in a lively Manner, or to any fenfible Degree, under an Ordinance? Don't therefore at once difcourage thyfelf; for, notwithstanding this Defect, thou mayeft have a folid Love to Chrift, Hatred of Sin, and Defire after Holiness, promoted and confirm'd And, if this be thy Cafe, thou art no forgetful Hearer, but a Doer of the Word, altho' thou mayeft not be so affectionate as fome others are.

3. Hence learn how to put proper Questions to yourfelves, to know whether you are truly advantaged by any divine Ordinances. When you reflect back upon any Means. of Grace you have enjoy'd, or upon any spiritual Duties you have performed, converse with your Souls in fome fuch Manner as this: "O my Soul, thou haft been "now engaged in a precious Duty, enjoying a fpiritual "Privilege, but how has it been with me under it? "Have I been totally stupid, or have I not been, in ❝ fome Measure, affected, impreft, or delighted? If I « have been abfolutely unaffected in Hearing, or Prayer, “&c. fure I have great Reason to be humbled and a"fhamed, that my Heart has been fo hard, and the

Powers of my Soul fo fadly wandering, or fo inactive " and unemploy'd, when Things of infinite Importance "have been tranfacting. But, if I have been melted, "pleased, or impreft, have I not ftill fome Reafon to be

jealous over myself, left what has pass'd in my Soul "should be what is merely natural, instead of being cc truly fpiritual? Let me then come to a close and se"rious Examination. What was that which made me "weep or rejoice, that pleased me or impreft me? Did "thofe glorious Truths that were delivered in Preach"ing, or those important Concerns I tranfacted with

"God

"God in Prayer, affect my Mind? Was I enabled, "under the Ordinance, to apply these Things to my

own Cafe? Was I affected with my own Intereft in "them, or my own Concern with them? And did these Impreffions ftir me up to go out of myself, and caft "my Soul upon Chrift for Righteoufnefs? Were my "Affections of Hope or Fear, of Joy or Sorrow, fo ex"cited as to draw me off from Self and Sin, to Chrift is and his Grace? And had thefe Experiences any thing "of a holy Stamp upon them, and have they left a Sa

vour behind them to make me more defirous after "Chrift and Holinefs, and to be delivered from the "Power, Pollution, and Practice of Sin? If this be my "Cafe, I have great Caufe to blefs God for the Pre"fence of his Grace and the Influences of his Spirit; " and fo far as I find my Experience defective in these

Particulars, fo far I am call'd upon to humble myself "before God for the Barrennefs and Unfruitfulness of "my Heart in thefe fpiritual Duties."

Thus, upon the Whole, we may fee how to diftinguish between the Workings of natural Affection, and the Exercife of fpiritual Grace. But let me intreat you to be earnest for the Teachings of the Holy Spirit, which are abfolutely neceffary to apply what has been laid out to your own Hearts, and to enable you to pafs a right Judgment for yourselves in a Cafe so spiritual and Lo important.

What

What Methods must a Christian in declining Circumftances, take to recover a healthful and vigorous Frame of Soul, fo as to be able to maintain real and clofe Communion with God amidst the Hurries and Bufineffes of this World?

This Question is formed from the following Letter: Have, through a great Multiplicity of worldly Af

I fairs, and a deep Engagement in them, loft that

"Savour and Relifh for divine Things I once experienced, " and am become a fad Stranger to that real Commu«nion with God, which was heretofore my chief Joy; “and I am so greatly declin❜d in the Chriftian Life, "that I can fometimes omit the Duties of fecret Prayer

and Meditation, and at other Times I perform them with Formality and Coldnefs, and yet am no ways fuitably affected with my fad Defections. Indeed, fometimes I have been helped to bemoan my "fad Cafe before God, and to plead with the blessed Jefus, the great and good Physician, to heal and help But alas! Things remain with me as before; " and, if there be any Alteration in my Cafe, I really "think it is for the worse."

"me.

THIS is a Question, which, I doubt not, is T fuitable to the Cafes of many of God's People in the prefent dark and degenerate Day, when there are fo many Temptations and Difficulties to cool their Zeal, damp their Joy, and fill them with Formality and Indifferency of Spirit, in the

Service