A Treatise concerning Religious Affections

The Consideration of these Things has long engaged me to attend to this Matter, with the utmost Diligence and Care, and Exactness of Search and Enquiry, that I have been capable of: It is a Subject on which my Mind has been peculiarly intent, ever since I first entered on the Study of Divinity.—But as to the Success of my Enquiries, it must be left to the Judgment of the Reader of the following Treatise.

The Consideration of these Things has long engaged me to attend to this Matter, with the utmost Diligence and Care, and Exactness of Search and Enquiry, that I have been capable of: It is a Subject on which my Mind has been peculiarly intent, ever since I first entred on the Study of Divinity.—But as to the Success of my Enquiries, it must be left to the Judgment of the Reader of the following Treatise.

I am sensible it is much more difficult to judge impartially of that which is the Subject of this Discourse, in the midst of the Dust and Smoke of such a State of Controversy, as this Land is now in, about Things of this Nature: As it is more difficult to write impartially, so ⟨p. ii⟩it is more difficult to read impartially.—Many will probably be hurt in their Spirits, to find so much that appertains to religious Affection, here condemned: And perhaps Indignation and Contempt will be excited in others, by finding so much here justified and approved. And it may be, some will be ready to charge me with Inconsistence with my self, in so much approving some Things, and so much condemning others; as I have found, this has always been objected to me by some, ever since the Beginning of our late Controversies about Religion. 'Tis a hard Thing to be a hearty zealous Friend of what has been good and glorious, in the late extraordinary Appearances, and to rejoice much in it; and at the same Time, to see the evil and pernicious Tendency of what has been bad, and earnestly to oppose that. But yet, I am humbly, but fully persuaded, we shall never be in the Way of Truth, nor go on in a Way acceptable to God, and tending to the Advancement of Christ's Kingdom, 'till we do so. There is indeed something very mysterious in it, that so much Good, and so much Bad, should be mixed together in the Church of God: As 'tis a mysterious Thing, and what has puzzled and amazed many a good Christian, that there should be that which is so divine and precious, as the saving Grace of God, and the new and divine Nature, dwelling in the same Heart, with so much Corruption, Hypocrisy and Iniquity, in a particular Saint. Yet neither of these, is more mysterious than real. And neither of 'em is a new or rare Thing. 'Tis no new Thing, that much false Religion should prevail, at a Time of great reviving of true Religion; and that at such a Time, Multitudes of Hypocrites should spring up among true Saints. It was so in that great Reformation, and Revival of Religion, that was in Josiah's Time; as appears by