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(1703-1758) |
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"Personal
Narrative" |
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An account
of his early years and testimony to his own saving faith in Christ. |
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I had a variety
of concerns and exercises about my soul from my childhood; but had two more
remarkable seasons of awakening, before I met with that change by which I was
brought to those new dispositions, and that new sense of things, that I have
since had. The first time was when I was a boy, some years before I went to
college, at a time of remarkable awakening in my father's congregation. I was
then very much affected for many months, and concerned about the things of
religion, and my soul's salvation; and was abundant in duties. I used to pray
five times a day in secret, and to spend much time in religious talk with
other boys; and used to meet with them to pray together. I experienced I know
not what kind of delight in religion. My mind was much engaged in it, and had
much self-righteous pleasure; and it was my delight to abound in religious
duties. I with some of my schoolmates joined together, and built a booth in a
swamp, in a very retired spot, for a place of prayer. And besides, I had
particular secret places of my own in the woods, where I used to retire by
myself; and was from time to time much affected. My affections seemed to be
lively and easily moved, and I seemed to be in my element when engaged in
religious duties. And I am ready to think, many are deceived with such
affections, and such a kind of delight as I then had in religion, and mistake
it for grace. |
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But in
process of time, my convictions and affections wore off; and I entirely lost all
those affections and delights and left off secret prayer, at least as to any
constant performance of it; and returned like a dog to his vomit, and went on
in the ways of sin. Indeed I was at times very uneasy, especially towards the
latter part of my time at college; when it pleased God, to seize me with a
pleurisy; in which he brought me nigh to the grave, and shook me over the pit
of hell. And yet, it was not long after my recovery, before I fell again into
my old ways of sin. But God would not suffer me to go on with any quietness;
I had great and violent inward struggles, till, after many conflicts with
wicked inclinations, repeated resolutions, and bonds that I laid myself under
by a kind of vows to God, |
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I was
brought wholly to break off all former wicked ways, and all ways of known
outward sin; and to apply myself to seek salvation, and practice many
religious duties; but without that kind of affection and delight which I had
formerly experienced. My concern now wrought more by inward struggles and
conflicts, and self-reflections. I made seeking my salvation the main
business of my life. But yet, it seems to me, I sought after a miserable
manner; which has made me sometimes since to question, whether ever it issued
in that which was saving; being ready to doubt, whether such miserable
seeking ever succeeded. I was indeed brought to seek salvation in a manner
that I never was before; I felt a spirit to part with all things in the
world, for an interest in Christ. My concern continued and prevailed, with
many exercising thoughts and inwards struggles; but yet it never seemed to be
proper to express that c concern by the name of terror. |
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From my
childhood up, my mind had been full of objections against the doctrine of
God's sovereignty, in choosing whom he would to eternal life, and rejecting
whom he pleased; leaving them eternally to perish, and be everlastingly
tormented in hell. It used to appear like a horrible doctrine to me. But I
remember the time very well, when I seemed to be convinced, and fully
satisfied, as to this sovereignty of God, and his justice in thus eternally
disposing of men, according to his sovereign pleasure. But never could give
an account, how, or by what means, I was thus convinced, not in the least
imagining at the time, nor a long time after, that there was any
extraordinary influence of God's Spirit in it; but only that now I saw
further, and my reason apprehended the justice and reasonableness of it.
However, my mind rested in it; and it put an end to all those cavils and
objections. And there has been a wonderful alteration in my mind, in respect
to the doctrine of God's sovereignty, from that day to this; so that I scarce
ever have found so much as the rising of an objection against it, in the most
absolute sense, in God's strewing mercy to whom he will shew mercy, and
hardening whom he will. God's absolute sovereignty and justice, with respect
to salvation and damnation, is what my mind seems to rest assured of, as much
as of any thing that I see with my eyes; at least it is so at times. But I
have often, since that first conviction, had quite another kind of sense of
God's sovereignty than I had then. I have often since had not only a
conviction, but a delightful conviction. The doctrine has very often appeared
exceeding pleasant, bright, and sweet. Absolute sovereignty is what I love to
ascribe to God. But my first conviction was not so. |
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The first
instance that I remember of that sort of inward, sweet delight in God and
divine things that I have lived much in since, was on reading those words, I
Tim. 1:17. Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God,
be honour and glory for ever and ever, Amen. As I read the words, there came
into my soul, and was as it were diffused through it, a sense of the glory of
the Divine Being; a new sense, quite different from any thing I ever
experienced before Never any words of scripture seemed to me as these words
did. I thought with myself, how excellent a Being that was, and how happy I
should be, if I might enjoy that God, and be rapt up to him in heaven, and be
as it were swallowed up in him for ever! I kept saying, and as it were
singing over these words of scripture to myself; and went to pray to God that
I might enjoy him, and prayed in a manner quite different from what I used to
do; with a new sort of affection. But it never came into my thought, that
there was any thing spiritual, or of a saving nature in this. |
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From about
that time, I began to have a new kind of apprehensions and ideas of Christ.
and the work of redemption, and the glorious way of salvation by him. An
inward, sweet sense of these things, at times, came into my heart; and my
soul was led away in pleasant views and contemplations of them. And my mind
was greatly engaged to spend my time in reading and meditating on Christ, on
the beauty and excellency of his person, and the lovely way of salvation by
free grace in him. I found no books so delightful to me, as those that
treated of these subjects. Those words Cant. 2:1, used to be abundantly with
me, I am the Rose of Sharon, and the Lilly of the valleys. The words seemed
to me, sweetly to represent the loveliness and beauty of Jesus Christ. The
whole book of Canticles used to be pleasant to me, and I used to be much in
reading it, about that time; and found, from time to time, an inward
sweetness, that would carry me away, in my contemplations. This I know not
how to express otherwise, than by a calm, sweet abstraction of soul from all
the concerns of this world; and sometimes a kind of vision, or fixed ideas
and imaginations, of being alone in the mountains, or some solitary
wilderness, far from all mankind, sweetly conversing with Christ, and wrapt
and swallowed up in God. The sense I had of divine things, would often of a
sudden kindle up, as it were, a sweet burning in my heart; an ardor of soul,
that I know not how to express. |
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Not long
after I first began to experience these things, I gave an account to my
father of some things that had passed in my mind. I was pretty much affected by
the discourse we had together; and when the discourse was ended, I walked
abroad alone, in a solitary place in my father's pasture, for contemplation.
And as I was walking there, and looking up on the sky and clouds, there came
into my mind so sweet a sense of the glorious majesty and grace of God, that
I know not how to express. I seemed to see them both in a sweet conjunction;
majesty and meekness joined together; it was a sweet, and gentle, and holy
majesty; and also a majestic meekness; an awful sweetness; a high, and great,
and holy gentleness. |
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After this
my sense of divine things gradually increased, and became more and more
lively, and had more of that inward sweetness. The appearance of every thing
was altered; there seemed to be, as it were, a calm sweet cast, or appearance
of divine glory, in almost every thing. God's excellency, his wisdom, his
purity and love, seemed to appear in every thing; in the sun, moon, and
stars; in the clouds, and blue sky; in the grass, flowers, trees; in the water,
and all nature; which used greatly to fix my mind. I often used to sit and
view the moon for continuance; and in the day, spent much time in viewing the
clouds and sky, to behold the sweet glory of God in these things; in the mean
time, singing forth, with a low voice my contemplations of the Creator and
Redeemer. And scarce any thing, among all the works of nature, was so sweet
to me as thunder and lightning; formerly, nothing had been so terrible to me.
Before, I used to be uncommonly terrified with thunder, and to be struck with
terror when I saw a thunder storm rising; but now, on the contrary, it
rejoiced me. I felt God, so to speak, at the first appearance of a thunder
storm; and used to take the opportunity, at such times, to fix myself in
order to view the clouds, and see the lightnings play, and hear the majestic
and awful voice of God's thunder, which oftentimes was exceedingly
entertaining, leading me to sweet contemplations of my great and glorious
God. While thus engaged, it always seemed natural to me to sing, or chant for
my mediations; or, to speak my thoughts in soliloquies with a singing voice. |
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I felt
then great satisfaction, as to my good state; but that did not content me. I
had vehement longings of soul after God and Christ, and after more holiness,
wherewith my heart seemed to be full, and ready to break; which often brought
to my mind the words of the Psalmist, Psal. 119:28. My soul breaketh for the
longing it hath. I often felt a mourning and lamenting in my heart, that I
had not turned to God sooner, that I might have had more time to grow in
grace. My mind was greatly fixed on divine things; almost perpetually in the
contemplation of them. I spent most of my time in thinking of divine things,
year after year; often walking alone in the woods, and solitary places, for
meditation, soliloquy, and prayer, and converse with God; and it was always
my manner, at such times, to sing forth my contemplations. I was almost
constantly in ejaculatory prayer, wherever I was. Prayer seemed to be natural
to me, as the breath by which the inward burnings of my heart had vent. The
delights which I now felt in the things of religion, were of an exceeding
different kind from those before mentioned, that I had when a boy; and what I
then had no more notion of, than one born blind has of pleasant and beautiful
colors. They were of a more inward, pure, soul animating and refreshing
nature. Those former delights never reached the heart; and did not arise from
any sight of the divine excellency of the things of God; or any taste of the
soul-satisfying and life-giving good there is in them |
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My sense
of divine things seemed gradually to increase, until I went to preach at |
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The heaven
I desired was a heaven of holiness; to be with God, and to spend my eternity in
divine love, and holy communion with Christ. My mind was very much taken up
with contemplations on heaven, and the enjoyments there; and living there in
perfect holiness, humility and love: And it used at that time to appear a
great part of the happiness of heaven, that there the saints could express
their love to Christ. It appeared to me a great clog and burden, that what I
felt within, I could not express as I desired. The inward ardor of my soul,
seemed to be hindered and pent up, and could not freely flame out as it
would. I used often to think, how in heaven this principle should freely and
fully vent and express itself. Heaven appeared exceedingly delightful, as a
world of love; and that all happiness consisted in living in pure, humble,
heavenly, divine love. |
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I remember
the thoughts I used then to have of holiness; and said sometimes to myself,
"I do certainly know that I love holiness, such as the gospel
prescribes." It appeared to me that there was nothing in it but what was
ravishingly lovely; and highest beauty and amiableness ... a divine beauty;
far purer than any thing here upon earth; and that every thing else was like
mire and defilement, in comparison of it. |
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Holiness,
as I then wrote down some of my contemplations on it, appeared to me to be of
a sweet, pleasant, charming, serene, calm nature; which brought an
inexpressible purity, brightness, peacefulness and ravishment to the soul. In
other words, that it made the soul like a field or garden of God, with all
manner of pleasant flowers; all pleasant, delightful, and undisturbed:
enjoying a sweet calm. and the gently vivifying beams of the sun. The soul of
a true Christian, as I then wrote my meditations, appeared like such a little
white flower as we see in the spring of the years; low and humble on the
ground, opening its bosom to receive the pleasant beams of the sun's glory;
rejoicing as it were in a calm rapture; diffusing around a sweet flagrancy;;
standing peacefully and lovingly, in the midst of other flowers round about;
all in like manner opening their bosoms, to drink in the light of the sun.
There was no part of creature holiness, that I had so great a sense of its
loveliness, as humility, brokenness of heart and poverty of spirit; and there
was nothing that I so earnestly longed for. My heart panted after this, to
lie low before God, as in the dust; that I might be nothing, and that God
might be all, that I might become as a little child. |
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While at
New York, I was sometimes much affected with reflections of my past life, considering
how late it was before I began to be truly religious; and how wickedly I had
lived till then; and once so as to weep abundantly, and for a considerable
time together. |
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On |
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I had,
then, abundance of sweet, religious conversation, in the family where I
lived, with Mr. John Smith, and his pious mother. My heart was knit in affection,
to those, in whom were appearances of true piety; and I could bear the
thoughts of no other companions, but such as were holy, and the disciples of
the blessed Jesus. I had great longings, for the advancement of Christ's
kingdom in the world; and my secret prayer used to be, in great part, taken
up in praying for it. If I heard the least hint, of any thing that happened,
in any part of the world, that appeared, in some respect or other, to have a
favourable aspect, on the interests of Christ's kingdom, my soul eagerly
catched at it; and it would much animate and refresh me. I used to be eager
to read public news-letters, mainly for that end; to see if I could not find
some news, favourable to the interest of religion in the world. |
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I very
frequently used to retire into a solitary place, on the banks of |
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I came
away from New York in the month of April, 1723, and had a most bitter parting
with Madam Smith and her son. My heart seemed to sink within me, at leaving
the family and city, where I had enjoyed so many sweet and pleasant days. I
went from New York to Wethersfield, by water; and as I sailed away, I kept
sight of the city as long as I could. However, that night after this
sorrowful parting, I was greatly comforted in God at Westchester, where we
went ashore to lodge: and had a pleasant time of it all the voyage to
Saybrook. It was sweet to me to think of meeting dear Christians in heaven,
where we should never part more. At Saybrook we went ashore to lodge on
Saturday, and there kept the Sabbath; where I had a sweet and refreshing
season, walking alone in the fields. |
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After I
came home to Windsor, I remained much in a like frame of mind, as when at New
York; only sometimes I felt my heart ready to sink, with the thoughts of my
friends at New York. My support was in contemplations on the heavenly state;
as I find in my Diary of May 1, 1723. It was a comfort to think of that
state, where there is fullness of joy; where reigns heavenly, calm, and
delightful love, without alloy; where there are continually the dearest
expressions of this love; where is the enjoyment of the persons loved,
without ever parting; where those persons who appear so lovely in this world,
will really be inexpressibly more lovely, and full of love to us. And how
sweetly will the mutual lovers join together, to sing the praises of God and
the Lamb! How will it fill us with joy to think, that this enjoyment, these
sweet exercises, will never cease, but will last to all eternity ... I
continued much in the same frame, in the general, as when at New York, till I
went to New Haven, as Tutor of the College: particularly, once at Bolton, on
a journey from Boston, while walking out alone in the fields. After I went to
New Haven, I sunk in religion; my mind being diverted from my eager pursuits
after holiness, by some affairs, that greatly perplexed and distracted my
thoughts. |
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In
September, 1725, I was taken ill at New Haven, and while endeavouring to go
home to Windsor, was so ill at the North Village, that I could go no farther,
where I lay sick, for about a quarter of a year. In this sickness, God was pleased
to visit me again, with the sweet influences of his Spirit. My mind was
greatly engaged there, on divine and pleasant contemplations, and longings of
soul. I observed, that those who watched with me, would often be looking out
wishfully for the morning; which brought to my mind those words of the
Psalmist, and which my soul with delight made its own language, My soul
waiteth for the Lord, more than they that watch for the morning; I say, more
than they that watch for the morning; and when the light of day came in at
the window, it refreshed my soul, from one morning to another. It seemed to
be some image of the light of God's glory. |
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I
remember, about that time, I used greatly to long for the conversion of some,
that I was concerned with; I could gladly honour them, and with delight be a
servant to them, and lie at their feet, if they were but truly holy. But some
time after this, I was again greatly diverted with some temporal concerns,
that exceedingly took up my thoughts, greatly to the wounding of my soul; and
went on, through various exercises, that it would be tedious to relate, which
gave me much more experience of my own heart, than I ever had before.... |
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Since I
came to this town [i.e. Northampton], I have often had sweet complacency in
God, in views of his glorious perfections and the excellency of Jesus Christ.
God has appeared to me a glorious and lovely Being, chiefly on account of his
holiness. The holiness of God has always appeared to me the most lovely of
all his attributes. The doctrines of God's absolute sovereignty, and free
grace, in strewing mercy to whom he would shew mercy; and man's absolute
dependence on the operations of God's Holy Spirit, have very often appeared
to me as sweet and glorious doctrines. These doctrines have been much my
delight. God's sovereignty has ever appeared to me, great part of his glory.
It has often been my delight to approach God, and adore him as a sovereign
God, and ask sovereign mercy of him. |
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I have
loved the doctrines of the gospel; they have been to my soul like green
pastures. The gospel has seemed to me the richest treasure; the treasure that
I have most desired, and longed that it might dwell richly in me. The way of
salvation by Christ has appeared, in a general way, glorious and excellent,
most pleasant and most beautiful. It has often seemed to me, that it would in
a great measure spoil heaven, to receive it in any other way. That text has
often been affecting and delightful to me, Isa. 32:2, A man shall be an
hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest, etc. |
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It has
often appeared to me delightful, to be united to Christ; to have him for my
head, and to be a member of his body; also to have Christ for my teacher and
prophet. I very often think with sweetness, and longings, and partings of
soul, of being a little child, taking hold of Christ, to be led by him
through the wilderness of this world. That text, Matt. 18:3, has often been
sweet to me, except ye be converted and become as little children, etc. I
love to think of coming to Christ, to receive salvation of him, poor in
spirit, and quite empty of self, humbly exalting him alone; cut off entirely
from my own root, in order to grow into, and out of Christ; to have God in
Christ to be all in all; and to live by faith in the Son of God, a life of
humble, unfeigned confidence in him. That scripture has often been sweet to
me, Psal. 95:1, Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give
glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake. And those words of Christ,
Luke 10:21, In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O
Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the
wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: Even so, Father, for so
it seemed good in thy sight. That sovereignty of God which Christ rejoiced
in, seemed to me worthy of such joy; and that rejoicing seemed to shew the
excellency of Christ. and of what spirit he was. |
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Sometimes,
only mentioning a single word caused my heart to burn within me; or only seeing
the name of Christ, or the name of some attribute of God. And God has
appeared glorious to me, on account of the Trinity. It has made me have
exalting thoughts of God, that he subsists in three persons; Father, Son and
Holy Ghost. The sweetest joys and delights I have experienced, have not been
those that have arisen from a hope of my own good estate; but in a direct
view of the glorious things of the gospel. When I enjoy this sweetness, it
seems to carry me above the thoughts of my own estate; it seems at such times
a loss that I cannot bear, to take off my eye from the glorious, pleasant
object I behold without me, to turn my eye in upon myself, and my own good
estate. |
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My heart
has been much on the advancement of Christ's kingdom in the world. The
histories of the past advancement of Christ's kingdom have been sweet to me.
When I have read histories of past ages, the pleasantest thing in all my
reading has been, to read of the kingdom of Christ being promoted. And when I
have expected, in my reading, to come to any such thing, I have rejoiced in
the prospect, all the way as I read. And my mind has been much entertained
and delighted with the scripture promises and prophecies, which relate to the
future glorious advancement of Christ's kingdom upon earth. |
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I have
sometimes had a sense of the excellent fullness of Christ, and his meekness
and suitableness as a Saviour; whereby he has appeared to me, far above all,
the chief of ten thousands. His blood and atonement have appeared sweet, and
his righteousness sweet; which was always accompanied with ardency of spirit;
and inward strugglings and breathings, and groanings that cannot be uttered,
to be emptied of myself, and swallowed up in Christ. |
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Once, as I
rode out into the woods for my health, in 1737, having alighted from my horse
in a retired place, as my manner commonly has been, to walk for divine
contemplation and prayer, I had a view that for me was extraordinary, of the
glory of the Son of God, as Mediator between God and man, and his wonderful,
great, full, pure and sweet grace and love, and meek and gentle
condescension. This grace that appeared so calm and sweet, appeared also
great above the heavens. The person of Christ appeared ineffably excellent
with an excellency great enough to swallow up all thought and conception ...
which continued as near as I can judge, about an hour; which kept me the
greater part of the time in a flood of tears, and weeping aloud. I felt an
ardency of soul to be, what I know not otherwise how to express, emptied and
annihilated; to lie in the dust, and to be full of Christ alone; to love him
with a holy and pure love; to trust in him; to live upon him; to serve and
follow him; and to be perfectly sanctified and made pure, with a divine and
heavenly purity. I have, several other times, had views very much of the same
nature, and which have had the same effects. |
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I have
many times had a sense of the glory of the third person in the Trinity, in his
office of Sanctifier; in his holy operations, communicating divine light and
life to the soul. God, in the communications of his Holy Spirit, has appeared
as an infinite fountain of divine glory and sweetness; being full, and
sufficient to fill and satisfy the soul; pouring forth itself in sweet
communications; like the sun in its glory, sweetly and pleasantly diffusing
light and life. And I have sometimes had an affecting sense of the excellency
of the word of God, as a word of life; as the light of life; a sweet,
excellent life-giving word; accompanied with a thirsting after that word,
that it might dwell richly in my heart. |
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Often,
since I lived in this town, I have had very affecting views of my own
sinfulness and vileness; very frequently to such a degree as to hold me in a
kind of loud weeping, sometimes for a considerable time together; so that I
have often been forced to shut myself up. I have had a vastly greater sense
of my own wickedness, and the badness of my heart, than ever I had before my
conversion. It has often appeared to me, that if God should mark iniquity
against me, I should appear the very worst of all mankind; of all that have
been, since the beginning of the world to this time; and that I should have
by far the lowest place in hell. When others, that have come to talk with me
about their soul concerns, have expressed the sense they have had of their
own wickedness, by saying that it seemed to them, that they were as bad as
the devil himself; I thought their expressions seemed exceeding faint and
feeble, to represent my wickedness. |
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My
wickedness, as I am in myself, has long appeared to me perfectly ineffable,
and swallowing up all thought and imagination; like an infinite deluge, or
mountain over my head. I know not how to express better what my sins appear
to me to be, than by heaping infinite upon infinite, and multiplying infinite
by infinite. Very often, for these many years, these expressions are in my
mind, and in my mouth, "Infinite upon infinite ... Infinite upon infinite!"
When I look into my heart, and take a view of my wickedness, it looks like an
abyss infinitely deeper than hell. And it appears to me, that were it not for
free grace, exalted and raised up to the infinite height of all the fullness
and glory of the great Jehovah, and the arm of his power and grace stretched
forth in all the majesty of his power, and in all the glory of his
sovereignty, I should appear sunk down in my sins below hell itself; far
beyond the sight of every thing, but the eye of sovereign grace, that can
pierce even down to such a depth. And yet it seems to me, that my conviction
of sin is exceeding small, and faint; it is enough to amaze me, that I have
no more sense of my sin. I know certainly, that I have very lime sense of my
sinfulness. When I have had turns of weeping and crying for my sins I thought
I knew at the time, that my repentance was nothing to my sin. |
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I have
greatly longed of late, for a broken heart, and to lie low before God; and,
when I ask for humility, I cannot bear the thoughts of being no more humble
than other Christians. It seems to me, that though their degrees of humility
may be suitable for them, yet it would be a vile self-exaltation in me, not
to be the lowest in humility of all mankind. Others speak of their longing to
be "humbled to the dust;" that may be a proper expression for them,
but I always think of myself, that I ought, and it is an expression that has
long been natural for me to use in prayer, "to lie infinitely low before
God." And it is affecting to think, how ignorant I was, when a young
Christian, of the bottomless, infinite depths of wickedness, pride, hypocrisy
and deceit, left in my heart. |
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I have a
much greater sense of my universal, exceeding dependence on God's grace and
strength, and mere good pleasure, of late, than I used formerly to have; and
have experienced more of an abhorrence of my own righteousness. The very
thought of any joy arising in me, on any consideration of my own amiableness,
performances, or experiences, or any goodness of heart or life, is nauseous
and detestable to me. And yet I am greatly afflicted with a proud and
self-righteous spirit, much more sensibly than I used to be formerly. I see
that serpent rising and putting forth its head continually, every where, all
around me. |
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Though it
seems to me, that, in some respects, I was a far better Christian, for two or
three years after my first conversion, than I am now; and lived in a more
constant delight and pleasure; yet, of late years, I have had a more full and
constant sense of the absolute sovereignty of God, and a delight in that
sovereignty; and have had more of a sense of the glory of Christ, as a
Mediator revealed in the gospel. On one Saturday night, in particular, I had
such a discovery of the excellency of the gospel above all other doctrines,
that I could not but say to myself, "This is my chosen light, my chosen
doctrine;" and of Christ, "This is my chosen Prophet." It
appeared sweet, beyond all expression, to follow Christ, and to be taught,
and enlightened, and instructed by him; to learn of him, and live to him.
Another Saturday night, (January 1739) I had such a sense, how sweet and
blessed a thing it was to walk in the way of duty; to do that which was right
and meet to be done, and agreeable to the holy mind of God; that it caused me
to break forth into a kind of loud weeping, which held me some time, so that
I was forced to shut myself up, and fasten the doors. I could not but, as it
were, cry out, "How happy are they which do that which is right in the
sight of God! They are blessed indeed, they are the happy ones!" l had,
at the same time, a very affecting sense, how meet and suitable it was that
God should govern the world, and order all things according to his own
pleasure; and I rejoiced in it, that God reigned, and that his will was done.
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