True grace, distinguished from the experience of devils; in a sermon, preached before the…

We see how the infallible Spirit of GOD, in the Text, plainly represents the Things the Devils are the Subjects of, as no sure Sign of Grace. And we have now, in some Instances, observed how far the Devils, and damned Men go, and will go in their Experience, their Knowledge of divine Things, their Belief of Truth, their Awakenings and Terrors of Conscience, their Conviction of Guilt, and of the Justice of GOD, in their eternal dreadful Damnation, their Longings after Salvation, their Sight of the external Glory of CHRIST, and heavenly Things; their Sense of the vast Importance of the Things of ⟨p. 31⟩Religion, and another World; their Sense of the awful Greatness and terrible Majesty of GOD, yea, of all GOD's Attributes. These Things may well put us on serious Self-Examination, whether we have any Thing to Evidence our good Estate, beyond what the Devils are the Subjects of. CHRIST said to his Disciples, Except-your Righteousness exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no Case, enter into the Kingdom of Heaven: So the Spirit of CHRIST, in his Apostle James, does in Effect, say, in my Text, except what you Experience in your Souls, go beyond the Experiences of Devils, ye shall, in no Case, enter into the Kingdom of GOD.

Here, it may be, some will be ready to say, I have something besides all these Things, which have been mentioned; I have Things which the Devils have not, even Love and Joy.

I answer, you may have something besides the Experiences of Devils, and yet, nothing beyond them. Tho' the Experience be different, yet it may not be owing to any different Principle, but only the different Circumstances, under which these Principles are exercised. The Principles, from whence the forementioned Things in Devils and damned Men do arise, are these two, natural Understanding, and Self-Love. 'Tis from natural Understanding or Reason, that they have such a Degree of Knowledge in divine Things, and such a Belief of them. 'Tis from these Principles of natural Understanding and Self-Love, as exercised about their own Dispositions and Actions, and GOD as their Judge, that they have natural Conscience; and have such Convictions of Conscience, as have been spoken of. 'Tis from these Principles, that they have such a Sense of the Importance of the Things of Religion, and the eternal World, and such Longings after Salvation. 'Tis for the joint Exercise of these two Principles, that they are so sensible of the awful Majesty of GOD, and of all the Attributes of the divine Nature, and so greatly affected with them. And it is from these Principles, joined with external Sense, the Wicked, at the Day of Judgment, will have so great an Apprehension of, and will be so greatly affected by the external Glory of