On the other hand, there are alfo counterfeit graces, common or imperfect operations of the Spirit, which do not iffue in a real converfion and favag change. This it will be proper to keep in mind, and perhaps, alfo, to attend a little to the proofs of it both from fcripture and experience. That the word of God has foine effect even upon those who continue unrenewed, is plain from many examples recorded in the facred volume. We read of a Felix trembling at the thoughts of a judgment to come: "And as he "reafoned of righteoufnefs, temperance, and judgment "to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way "for this time, when I have a convenient feafon I will call for thee."* But we are not informed that he ever found that convenient feafon, or defired to hear any more of fuch words.

In the parable of the fower we have a character defcribed of those who not only," heard" the word, but "received" it with joy, and on whom it had an immediate and vifible, though only a temporary effect. "Some fell "Some fell upon ftony

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places, where they had not much earth, and forthwith "they sprung up, because they had no deepnefs of earth; "and when the fun was up they were fcorched, and, be"cause they had not root, they withered away. He that "received the feed into ftony places, the fame is he that "heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; yet "hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while for "when tribulation or perfecution arifeth because of the "word, by and by he is offended." We read also of a Herod, who not only heard the word gladly, but did many things." For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man, and an holy, and obferved him, and when he “heard him he did many things, and heard him gladly."|| Nay, we fee even Ahab, the profane prince of Ifrael, humbling himself, and putting on fackcloth, under the denun ciation of divine wrath. Neither have we any reafon, from the circumstances of the ftory, to believe that this was wholly hypocritical, but the contrary. "And it came to

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Acts xxiv. 25. † Matt. xiii. 5, 6.

Mark vi. 20.

Ibid. ver. 20, 21.

pass when Ahab heard these words, that he rent his clothes, "and put fackcloth on his flefh, and fafted, and lay in "fackcloth, and went foftly."* These things, and all others of the fame kind, even in wicked men, are reprefented as the effect of the operation of the Spirit, in many paffages of fcripture. I fhall only mention one, which is pretty remarkable, and well merits our attention. "For it is impoffible for those who were once enlightened, and "have tafted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers "of the Holy Ghoft, and have tafted the good word of God, "and the power of the world to come, if they fhould fall "away, to renew them again to repentance, feeing they "crucify to themfelves the Son of God afresh, and put "him to an open fhame."†

The fame thing indeed appears plainly from the ftate of the world, and in a particular manner from that variety of partial characters which I have formerly defcribed. There are many things which have a religious appearance, and are taken by the deluded poffeffor for religion, when at bottom there is no real religion at all; and "mene "tekel" fhall be written upon them in the day of trial. There is a long gradation of characters between the openly profane finner, with a hardened heart, a feared confcience, and a fhameless countenance, on the one hand; and the refined, felf-deceiving hypocrite, with his duties and his forms, on the other: between thofe who are fu rious, violent, and malignant enemies to religion in profeffion and practice; and thofe, who answer discreetly with the young man in the gospel; and of whom it may be faid, as our Saviour fays of him, that they "are not "far from the kingdom of God." This fhews at once the importance and difficulty of pointing out the great and diftinguifhing characters of real religion, and fhewing how it effentially differs from all counterfeits.

But now, from the account given above of the nature of regeneration, and what hath been further added in illuftration of it, we may fee how this diftinction is to be made, as far as it can be made by any, excepting the t Heb. vi. 4.

1 Kings xxi. 27

great Searcher of hearts. I'apprehend, that the great and diftinguishing mark of the truth and fincerity of religion in general, and of every gracious difpofition in particular, arifes from comparing it with its oppofite. It is "the pre"vailing interest of God and the Redeemer in the heart, "above the intereft of inferior good; the habitual compa""rative preference we give to his fervice and enjoyment, "before every other object of defire." This must be proved by its effects daily. And agreeably to this, our bleffed Lord fays, "He that loveth father or mother more "than me, is not worthy of me; and he that loveth fon แ or daughter more than me, is not worthy of me; and he "that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not "worthy of me."* And again, in yet ftronger terms, "If any man come to me, and hate not his father and mo"ther, and wife and children, and brethren and fisters; xc yea, and his own life alfo, he cannot be my difciple."† Would you therefore know whether you are born again? Are you in doubt, when you find the spirit lufting against the flesh, and the flesh against the spirit? Try, by diligent and univerfal examination, which of them is, upon the whole, the ftrongeft; which of them habitually yields to the other, when they come in competition. Into this all other marks and figns of religion refolve themselves at last; and from the evidence they give of the prevalence of the love of God in the heart, they derive all their worth and value. Every holy difpofition must be examined, not by its abfolute, but its comparative ftrength; and the true knowledge of our state arifes from the conclufion and refult of the whole.

There were, in the last age, many and great debates among men of piety and learning, whether fpecial and common grace differ effentially in their nature, or if they differ only in degree. What I have juft now faid may, perhaps, be thought by the intelligent reader, to imply my embracing the laft of thefe opinions. My judgment of this question is the fame I have formed of many others, that it is unneceflary, or even hurtful. It has perhaps, if

* Mait. x. 37, 33. † Luke xiv. 26.

examined to the bottom, no diftinct meaning at all; but if it has any meaning, I am afraid it is a queftion which it is impoffible for us to refolve. That it may be made plain to perfons of common understanding, the queftion is, whether it is moft proper to fay, that a wicked man, or an unrenewed perfon, let his behavior be ever fo unexceptionable, or his experiences ever fo comfortable, can have no true love to God; no, not in the leaft degree: or whether we ought not rather to fay, his love to God is lefs than his love to the creature. I confefs, I think it is beft to fay, in the words of the Holy Ghoft, that "he loveth the crea"ture more than the Creator”. -that "he loveth the "praife of man more than the praife of God;" and for this reafon, he hath no "true" love, either to God or man.

In the preceding part of this treatife, I have affirmed, with fufficient clearness, that there must be an effential change in order to falvation; and that, till this be wrought, the perfon is in fin, and can do nothing but fin. The reafon of this is very plain; that the fupreme and governing motive of all his actions is wrong, and therefore every one of them muft be fo, upon the whole. I fuppofe, if they were to explain themfelves fully, this is chiefly meant by thofe who infift that there is an effential difference between fpecial and common grace. And in this view, no doubt, it is not only certainly true, but a truth of very great importance. It appears, however, on the other hand, equally certain and undeniable, that when we obferve good dif pofitions and good actions in one character, and fee the fame appearances in another, we have no way by which we can difcover the difference, but by their perfeverance, and their comparative effects. Neither, indeed, has the perfon himself any other rule by which they can be judged. For which reafon, I would be very willing to affirm both fides of the above queftion; to fay that an unregenerate perfon has no true love to God or his neighbor, and at the fame time, that this is only becaufe no love but that which is fupreme and prevalent is true, or will be accepted as fincere.

Unless we take up the matter in this light, we are in danger of doing great hurt on both hands. On the one

hand, it is ready to alarm the pious, humble, and timorous foul, if we fay, that fpecial grace differs effentially from common grace, and that there must be fomething quite different in its kind, as to every gracious difpofition, than what ever refided in hypocrites. Alas! will the fearful perfon fay, I have feen fome who have gone great lengths, who have been well efteemed, and well received among all serious people; and yet have made fhipwreck of the faith, difhonored their profeffion, and opened the mouths of adverfaries to blafpheme. They had all the appearance of as much love to God, as much delight in his fervice, as much zeal for his glory, as much strictness, and as much usefulness of converfation; nay, more than I can pretend to. What then am I to think of this? Muft all my gracious difpofitions be effentially different from theirs? And how is this difference to be made appear? To all fuch I would fay, thofe unhappy perfons, by their conduct, and that alone, plainly difcover, that they have either been wholly impoftors and deceivers of the world, or that they have loved fome object of carnal affection; fome luft, of one kind or another, more than they loved God. The ftrength of their affections in one way, has been over-balanced by the dominion of corruption in another. And that corruption which has been long difguifed or refrained, at laft breaks out with fo much the greater violence, and the greater noise.

Again, on the other hand, by affirming that there is a difference in kind between fpecial and common grace; and that a hypocrite or unrenewed perfon cannot have the least measure of the fame fort of love to God or man with a child of God, we are apt to make fome flaves to fin, upon examining themselves judge amifs in their own favor. They cannot help thinking that they have a real unfeigned affection for that which is good in many respects; as indeed they have, when it doth not stand in competition with their reigning or darling luft. To give an example of this; it is frequently made a mark of true religion, to love the people of God; and indeed, it is one of the best, and when taken in the fenfe I have mentioned above, as a fupreme