their minds, but from the supernatural power of some other agent, it should at once be looked upon as a sure evidence of their being under a delusion, because things seem to them to be as they are? For this is the objection which is made: it is looked upon as a clear evidence, that the apprehensions and affections that many persons have are not really from such a cause, because they seem to them to be from that cause: they declare that what they are conscious of seems to them evidently not to be from themselves, but from the mighty power of the Spirit of God; and others from hence condemn them, and determine what they experience is not from the Spirit of God, but from themselves, or from the devil. Thus unreasonably are multitudes treated at this day by their neighbours. If it be indeed so, as the scripture abundantly teaches, that grace in the soul is so the effects of God's power, that it is fitly compared to those effects which are farthest from being owing to any strength in the subject, such as a generation, or a being begotten and resurrection, or a being raised from the dead and creation, or a being brought out of nothing into being, and that it is an effect wherein the mighty power of God is greatly glorified, and the exceeding greatness of his power is manifested, then what account can be given of it, that the Almighty, in so great a work of his power, should so carefully hide his power that the subjects of it should be able to discern nothing of it? or what reason or revelation have any to determine that it does so ? If we may judge by the scripture this is not agreeable to God's manner in his operations and dispensations; but, on the contrary, it is God's manner, in the great works of his power and mercy, which he works for his people. To order things so as to make his hand visible and his power conspicuous, and mens dependence on him most evident, that no flesh should glory in his presence, that God alone might be exalted, 9 and that the excellency of the power might be of God and not of man, || and that Christ's power might + Eph. i. 17-20. Isa. . 11. 17. lll 2 Cor. iv. 7. be manifested in our weakness, and none might say, mine own hand hath saved me. So it was in most of these temporal salvations which God wrought for Israel of old, which were types of the salvation of God's people from their spiritual enemies. So it was in the redemption of Israel from their Egyptian bondage; he redeemed them with a strong hand and an outstretched arm; and that his power might be the more conspicuous he suffered Israel first to be brought into the most helpless and forlorn circumstances. So it was in the great redemption of Gideon: God would have his army diminished to a handful, and they without any other arms than trumpets, and lamps, and earthen pitchers. So it was in the deliverance of Israel from Goliath, by a stripling with a sling and a stone. So it was in the great work of God, his calling the Gentiles and converting the heathen world after Christ's ascension, after that the world by wisdom knew not God, and all the endeavours of philosophers had proved in vain, for many ages, to reform the world, and it was by every thing become abundantly evident that the world was utterly helpless by any thing else but the mighty power of God. And so it was in most of the conversions of particular persons we have an account of in the history of the New Testament: they were not wrought on in that silent, secret, gradual, and insensible manner which is now insisted on; but with those manifest evidences of a supernatural power, wonderfully and suddenly causing a great change, which, in these days, are looked upon as certain signs of delusion and enthusiasm. The apostle, in Eph. i. 18, 19. speaks of God's enlightening the minds of Christians, and so bringing them to believe in Christ, to the end that they might know the exceeding greatness of his power to them who believe. The words are, “ The eyes . of your understanding being enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward, who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,” &c. Now when the apostle speaks of their a being thus the subjects of his power, in their enlightening and effectual calling, to the end that they might know what his mighty power was to them who believe, he can mean nothing else than " that they might know by experience.” But if the saints know this power by experience, then they feel it, and discern it, and are conscious of it; as sensibly distinguishable from the natural operations of their own minds, which is not agreeable to a notion of God's operating so secretly and undiscernibly that it can not be known that they are the subjects of the influence of any extrinsic power at all, any otherwise than as they may argue it from scripture assertions, which is a different thing from knowing it by experience. So that it is very unreasonable and unscriptural to determine that affections are not from the gracious operations of God's Spirit; because they are sensibly not from the persons themselves that are the subjects of them. On the other hand, it is no evidence that affections are gracious, that they are not purposely produced by those who are the subjects of them, or that they arise, in their minds, in a manner that they can not account for. There are some who make this an argument in their own favour; when speaking of what they have experienced, they say “I am sure I did not make it myself; it was a fruit of no contrivance or endeavour of mine; it came when I thought nothing of it; if I might have the world for it, I can not make it again when I please.” And hence they determine, that what they have experienced, must be from the mighty influence of the Spirit of God, and is of a saving nature; but very ignorantly and without grounds. What they have been the subjects of may indeed not be from themselves directly, but may be from the operation of an invisible agent, some spirit besides their own: but it does not thence follow that it was from the Spirit of God. There are other spirits who have influence on the minds of men besides the Holy Ghost. We are directed not to believe every spirit, but to try the spirits, whether they be of God. There are many false spirits exceed . ingly busy with men, who often transform themselves into angels of light, and do in many wonderful ways, with great subtilty and power, mimic the operations of the Spirit of God. And there are many of Satan's operation, which are very distinguishable from the voluntary exercises of mens own minds. They are so in those dreadful and horrid suggestions and blasphemous injections with which he follows many persons, and in vain and fruitless frights and terrors which he is the author of. And the power of Satan may be as immediate, and as evident in false comforts and joys, as in terrors and horrid suggestions, and oftentimes is so in fact. It is not in mens power, to put themselves into such raptures as the Anabaptists in Germany, and many other raving enthusiasts like them, have been the subjects of. And besides, it is to be considered, that persons may have those impressions on their minds which may not be of their own producing, nor from an evil spirit, but from the Spirit of God, and yet not be from any saving, but a common influence of the Spirit of God: and the subjects of such impressions may be of the number of those we read of, Heb. vi. 4, 5. “that are once enlightened, and taste of the heavenly gift, and are made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and taste the good word of God, and the power of the world to come;" and yet may be wholly unacquainted with those better things that accompany salvation,” spoken of ver. 9. And, where neither a good nor evil spirit have any immediate hand, persons, especially such as are of a weak and vapoury habit of body, and the brain weak, and easily susceptive of impressions, may have strange apprehensions and imaginations, and strong affections attending them, unaccountably arising, which are not voluntarily produced by themselves. We see that such persons are liable to such impressions about temporal things, and there is equal reason why they should about spiritual things. As a person who is asleep has dreams that he is not the voluntary author of, so may such persons, in like manner, be the subjects of involuntary impressions when they are awake. V. It is no sign that religious affections are truly holy and spiritual, or that they are not, that they come with texts of scripture remarkably brought to the mind, a It is no sign that affections are not gracious that they are occasioned by scriptures so coming to mind; provided it be the scripture itself, or the truth which the scripture so brought contains and teaches, that is the foundation of the affection, and not merely or mainly the sudden unusual manner of its coming to the mind. But on the other hand, neither is it any sign that affections are gracious, that they arise on occasion of scriptures brought suddenly and wonderfully to the mind, whether those affections be fear or hope, joy or sorrow, or any other. Some seem to look upon this as a good evidence that their affections are saving, especially if the affections excited are hope or joy, or any other which are pleasing and delightful. They will mention it as an evidence that all is right, that their experience came with the word, and will say, “ There were such and such sweet promises brought to my mind: they came suddenly as if they were spoke to me: I had no hand in bringing such a text to my own mind: I was not thinking of any thing leading to it; it came all at once, so that I was surprised I had not thought of it a long time before; I did not know at first that it was scripture; I did not remember that ever I had read it.” And it may be they will add, “ One scripture came flowing in after another, and so texts all over the Bible, the most sweet and pleasant, and the most apt and suitable which could be devised, and filled me full as I could hold: I could not but stand and admire; the tears flowed: I was full of joy and could not doubt any longer.” And thus they think they have undoubted evidence that their affections must be from God, and of the right kind, and their state good: but without any manner of grounds. How come they by any such rule, as that if any affections or experiences arise with promises, and comfortable texts of scripture, unaccountably brought to mind, without their recollection, or if a great number of sweet texts follow one another in a chain, that this is a certain evidence their experiences are saving? Where is any such rule to be found in the Bible, the great and only sure directory in things of this nature? What deceives many of the less understanding and considerate |