influence; that the natural springs of the affections are so various and so secret; that so many things have oftentimes a joint influence on the affections and the imaginations;" it ought to make us examine ourselves, lest, after all, we should be only as the sounding brass and tinkling cymbal. "Indeed, the surprising concourse of affecting circumstances, the extraordinary coincidence of things in the course of our thoughts, the subtle management of invisible malicious spirits, are such, that nothing will be sufficient to guide us safely through this labyrinth and maze, without our closely following the clue given us in God's word." Let us proceed, then, to ask,

In the first place, whether our experience accords with the will and word of God? This is the true` balance in which all must be weighed. Whatever is deficient here, however it comes recommended, however specious, however it resembles the experience of the wise and good, must be rejected. The Bible is the only standard to which our experience, as well as principles, must be brought. Whatever we feel, whatever impressions or views we have, if they are not countenanced by the Scripture, we may suspect that they are not the effects of the operations of the Spirit. It is a sad sign, therefore, when professors are guided by their own fancies, by the opinions of others, or merely by some impressions, rather than by the word of God; and still worse when they grow confident, have no doubts, but seem full of assurance and certainty about the

genuineness of their experience, while they neglect the rule, or are unwilling to be tried by it. Now, if our experience be genuine, if our views and feelings arise from a right source, we shall be willing to submit to this test. We shall not use it partially. We shall be fearful of being deceived. We shall pray to God to search us and try us. Here, then, we observe a difference between a deluded professor and a real Christian. One is guided by a rule of his own making, the other willingly submits to that which is made for him. One follows his own will and imagination; the other is guided by the directions and decisions of the holy Scriptures.

Secondly let us ask, Whether our experience tends to promote humility? Professions of humility, indeed, may be common where there is none in reality. "There are many (says Mr. Edwards) that are full of expressions of their own vileness, who yet expect to be looked upon as eminent and bright saints by others, as their due; and it is dangerous for any so much as to hint the contrary, or to carry it towards them any otherwise than as if we looked upon them as some of the chief of Christians. There are many that are crying out about their wicked hearts, and their great shortcomings and unprofitableness, and speaking as though they looked on themselves as the meanest of the saints, who yet, if a minister should seriously tell them the same things in private, and should signify that he feared they were very low and weak Christians, and thought

they had reason solemnly to consider of their great barrenness and unprofitableness, and falling so much short of many others, it would be more than they would digest; they would think themselves highly injured, and there would be a danger of a rooted prejudice in them against such a minister." But if our experience be of a right kind, we shall not seem to be humble only, but shall actually be so. Observe what effects the discoveries and experience of the most eminent saints had on them. "I have heard of thee (says Job) by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore, I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes." Job xlii. 5, 6. "Behold (says the psalmist), I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." Ps. li. 5. 66 Surely (says Agur) I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man." Prov. xxx. 2. And the great apostle Paul calls himself the chief of sinners. Eph. iii. 8, 1 Tim. i. 15.

Now, if what we feel or have discovered, if what we call our experience, tends to make us think highly of ourselves or to boast of our attainments, we may be assured this is not of God. There is much talk by many persons of deep experience; but I know of no deep experience that is not deep in humility. Humility is highly spoken of in the Scriptures. It is the grand tendency of the whole system of divine revelation to humble man; and where there is no humility there is nothing of God,

of sound experience, of true religion. Does our experience, then, promote this in us? Are we more and more self-abased under a view of the holiness of God, the spirituality of the law, the excellences of the Saviour, and the depravity of our hearts? Do we, the more we know, the more experience we have, the longer we live, think less of ourselves? Are we lying in the dust, and, notwithstanding all our progress, still saying, God be merciful to me a sinner? Are we so humbled as to be glad to be anywhere, or be anything, for God? Do we remember our ways, and all our doings, and loathe ourselves in our own sight, for all the evils we have committed? Ezek. xxxvi. 26, 27. Then, indeed, we have reason to believe that we are not deceived, that we are divinely taught; for the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart he will not despise. Thus saith the Lord, the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy, I dwell in the high and holy place; with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." Isa. lvii. 15, Ps. li. 17.

Further: let us ask, Whether our experience teaches us to bear with others? To talk of happy communion with God, of enlargements of mind, and animation of soul in his service, of fresh discoveries of the perfections of God, of the extensive views we have of his word and providences, and yet to be contracted and bigoted as it respects others, is a

strange thing. "The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy." James iii. 17. What shall we say, then, of those who are perpetually rail; ing against others, and that because they do not happen to agree with them in every inferior circumstance? What can we think of the experience of those who are ready to exclude every body from the kingdom of heaven but those of their own party? Can their experience of divine love be very great who take a pleasure in searching out and talking of the infirmities of others? Let us not deceive ourselves; if the spirit of malignity, envy, illiberality, opposition, predominate in us, however we may talk of our intercourse with heaven, we evidently manifest we are still of the earth. These are not the dispositions of the Gospel; "for the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." Gal. v. 22, 23. The more communion we have with God, the more we shall pity the weakness, and bear with the infirmities, of his people. Reader, if thou art a poor bigoted soul, speaking well of nothing but what is of thine own party, taking pleasure in puzzling the weak with unnecessary and useless subjects, and quarrelling about trifles, how dwelleth the love of God in thee? Where is that mildness, that quiet and peaceable behavior, that tenderness to others, that liberality