The Distinguishing Marks of a Work of the Spirit of God

I appeal to every one in this Congregation, whether this is not the very Course they would take in Case of Exposedness to any great temporal Calamity? If any of you that are Heads of Families, saw one of your Children in an House that was all on Fire over it's Head, and in eminent Danger of being soon consumed in the Flames, that seemed to be very insensible of it's Danger, and neglected to escape, after you had often spake to it, and called to it, would you go on to speak to it only in a cold and indifferent Manner? Would not you cry aloud, and call earnestly to it, and represent the Danger it was in, and it's own Folly in delaying, in the most lively Manner you was ⟨p. 39⟩capable of? Would not Nature itself teach this, and oblige you to it? If you should continue to speak to it only in a cold Manner, as you are wont to do in ordinary Conversation about indifferent Matters, would not those about you begin to think you were bereft of Reason your self? This is not the Way of Mankind, nor the Way of any one Person in this Congregation, in temporal Affairs of great Moment, that require earnest Heed and great Haste, and about which they are greatly concerned, to speak to others of their Danger, and warn them but a little; and when they do it at all, do it in a cold indifferent Manner: Nature teaches Men otherwise. If we that have the Care of Souls, knew what Hell was, had seen the State of the Damned, or by any other Means, become sensible how dreadful their Case was; and at the same Time knew that the bigger Part of Men went thither; and saw our Hearers in eminent Danger, and that they were not sensible of their Danger, and so after being often warned neglected to escape, it would be morally impossible for us to avoid abundantly and most earnestly setting before them the Dreadfulness of that Misery they were in Danger of, and their great Exposedness to it, and Warning them to fly from it, and even to cry aloud to them.

I appeal to every one in this Congregation, whether this is not the very Course they would take in Case of Exposedness to any great temporal Calamity? If any of you that are Heads of Families, saw one of your Children in an House that was all on Fire over it's Head, and in eminent Danger of being soon consumed in the Flames, that seemed to be very insensible of it's Danger, and neglected to escape, after you had often spake to it, and called to it, would you go on to speak to it only in a cold and indifferent Manner? Would not you cry aloud, and call earnestly to it, and represent the Danger it was in, and it's own Folly in delaying, in the most lively Manner you was