Profession, Talk, Experiences
No. 277
The profession that persons make of the divine gifts they have received from God, and their declaring their experiences abroad, is like the wind that accompanies a cloud. The fruit that they bring forth is like the rain, as is evident by Proverbs 25:14, "Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift, is like clouds and wind without rain." If there be a cloud arising that by its appearance promises a shower, yet we see if there be abundance of wind, there commonly is but little or no rain; the cloud does as it were spend itself in wind. So if professors place religion very much in religious discourse, and abound very much in talking of their own experiences, it is a wonder if their religion don't spend itself that way, so that [there] should be but little fruit in good works. And by this means true Christians will be too much like false professors, whom the Apostle, for their being much in declaring their own goodness, compares to clouds without water carried about of winds, Jude 12. This superabundant talk of experiences is like suckers at the root of a tree, which though they appear very flourishing and abound with leaves, yet draw away the sap of the tree from going up into the fruitful branches, there to bring forth fruit. - WJE 20:210
NOTECARDS
None
TERMS & REFERENCES
Term Set A: profession talk talked talking declaring
Term Set B: experiences
Max Distance Between Terms = 6
Reference List A/B
WJEO 2:137 - Religious Affections
WJEO 2:183 - Religious Affections
WJEO 2:322 - Religious Affections
WJEO 2:411 - Religious Affections
WJEO 2:461 - Religious Affections
WJEO 4:174 - The Great Awakening
WJEO 4:541 - The Great Awakening
WJEO 7:510 - The Life of David Brainerd
WJEO 12:322 - Ecclesiastical Writings
WJEO 12:370 - Ecclesiastical Writings
WJEO 13:411 - The "Miscellanies," a-500
WJEO 16:107 - Letters and Personal Writings
WJEO 16:377 - Letters and Personal Writings
WJEO 19:142 - Sermons and Discourses, 1734-1738
WJEO 19:542 - Sermons and Discourses, 1734-1738
WJEO 19:554 - Sermons and Discourses, 1734-1738
WJEO 20:210 - The "Miscellanies," 833-1152
WJEO 22:257 - Sermons and Discourses, 1739-1742
Reference List B/A
WJEO 2:408 - Religious Affections
WJEO 2:416 - Religious Affections
WJEO 4:270 - The Great Awakening
WJEO 4:541 - The Great Awakening
WJEO 12:311 - Ecclesiastical Writings
WJEO 12:366 - Ecclesiastical Writings
WJEO 12:369 - Ecclesiastical Writings
WJEO 14:91 - Sermons and Discourses, 1723-1729
WJEO 16:107 - Letters and Personal Writings
WJEO 19:402 - Sermons and Discourses, 1734-1738
WJEO 19:554 - Sermons and Discourses, 1734-1738
WJEO 20:210 - The "Miscellanies," 833-1152
WJEO 22:257 - Sermons and Discourses, 1739-1742