But fuppofing, as you fuppofe, that "fome of "the chief of thefe Preachers were very wicked "Men, who cloaked their evil Intentions under a "Shew of Zeal and extraordinary Piety, the bet66 ter to infnare poor unwary Souls into their De"lufions, to promote Divilions and Contentions "in the Land, and to compass their covert De"figns:" My Argument is, on this Suppofal, fo much the ftronger. Herein the Power and Love of the great Redeemer are fo much the more confpicuous, that he has out-fhot Satan with his own Bow; and overruled those Attempts, for the Promotion of his own Kingdom and Intereft, which were levelled against it. Nothing is more visible, than that great Numbers of poor Sinners have been awakened, and brought to fly to Chrift for Refuge. Nothing is more apparent than that the Confequence of this has (in numerous Instances) been the Renovation of their Lives, and their Converfion from a carelefs, finful, fenfual Life, to a Life of Holinefs, Righteoufnefs, Kindness and Charity.- In these therefore the Grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift is become glorious, whatever covered Defigns any of the Inftruments were acted by. If thefe preached Chrift even of Envy and Strife, What then? notwithstanding every Way, whether in Pretence or in Truth, Chrift was preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. It is remarkable, that the great Doctrines of the Gofpel, particularly touching the Mifery of our natural State, the Neceffity of an Intereft in Chrift, and the Way of Salvation by Faith in him, were preached by them all (whatever human Imaginations were mixed with them) and these had their Effect in a peculiar Manner. Our bleffed Saviour has therein bleffed his own Inftitutions, and accomplished the Deligns of his Grace, whoever and whatever were

the

the Inftruments by whom these glorious Effects have been produced. As far therefore as a fanctifying Change in the Hearts and Lives of Men has been effected, fo far must we acknowledge this to be a Work of God, and a Difplay of the divine Power of our bleffed Saviour. The Miracles of divine Grace, which might be wrought by Judas, were as bright a Discovery of the Redeemer's Power and Goodness, as those were which were wrought by the other Apostles.

But you tell me, that " many of thefe new Con"verts pretend to mighty Experiences of divine "Impulfes, Raptures, Extafies, and the like, but "fhew forth- no moral Virtues, nor true Love "either to God or Man." Well, Sir, what follows from this? Are there not many others who make no Pretenfion to fuch mighty Experiences of divine Impulfes, Raptures, &c. that do fhew forth all moral Virtues, and have a true Love both to God and Man?Is it a good Argument, that becaufe there are fome mere Enthufiafts, who pretend to fuch Experiences which the Scriptures do not make the Character of true Chriftians, therefore they are all mere Enthusiasts, even who pretend to fuch Experiences as the Scriptures do make the Character of all true Chriftians? What is Christianity concerned with the Extafies and Heats of fuch Men as you speak of? Where are thefe extatical Heats described in the Gofpel, as the Marks of the Children of God? Be their Experiences allowed to be according to their Pretences, what follows from thence, but that, if they have no moral Virtues, thefe Men's Religion is vain; it is all enthufiaftical, unfcriptural, and without any Foundation? But then, on the other Hand, the Experiences which I have before defcribed, are fuch as the Scriptures do make the Marks and Characters

of the Children of God; and many there are that make no Pretences to divine Impulfes, Raptures or Extafies, who profefs to have had thofe Experiences, and juftify their Profeffion by living in the Love both of God and Man. Now, I pray, how are fuch concerned in the Enthufiafm of which you complain? Don't the Experiences of these witnefs for them, as much as the Experiences of the other witness against them?Here is a vifible and effectual Change wrought in them (just such a Change as the Scriptures defcribe) by which they are brought into a Conformity to the divine Nature, and live worthy their Profeffion and Character.Chrift has promifed the Sanctification of the Spirit to his People, who depend upon him for it: And what greater Evidence can there be of the Faithfulness of the Promise, than to fee and feel its Accomplishment.

But you further obferve, that "the Demeanor "of many of these Pretenders to religious Expe"riences is directly contrary to that Morality, "Beneficence and Charity, which are the Orna❝ment and Glory of human Nature."--- And is not this a strong Confirmation of my Argument? I appeal to you yourself, Sir, whether you be not acquainted with many others, that pretend to the religious Experiences which I have defcribed, who are the brightest Patterns of thofe Graces and vir tues which are the Ornament and Glory of human Nature. Here then is a plain and visible Criteri on, by which it may be known whofe Experiences are, and whofe are not, from the Spirit of God.e

"They are (you say) indeed converted, but it is "to Pride and Vanity, to Self-Esteem and Self-Ap"plause." But are there not many others, who are converted to deep Humility, Self-loathing and Self-condemning!

"They

"They are changed (you fav) but it is to Bit"ternefs, Reviling, Centuring, and judging their "Neighbours, who are much better than they."

I allow this Charge to be agreeable to their pretended Experiences: But then, do not you fee (bleffed be God, I am fure I have feen) many others changed to Meeknefs. Kindness and Love, and brought to efteem others much better than themfelves?

"Their boafted Experiences (you add) only a "nimate them to Divifions, Factions, and Sepa"rations." -But is this the Cafe of all who make a Profeffion of religious Experiences? No: We have Caufe to be thankful, the Cafe is quite otherwife.

"They are you fay) often elated with rapturous "Joys and Exults, which feem to be the Produc "of nothing but Self-esteem, and an irregular "heated Imagination."-Here you inquire, " Mult "I efteem these to be the Joys of the Holy Ghoft, "of which your last Letter fpeaks? If not, how "fhall I know, that all Pretences of this Kind are "not equally fictitious and imaginary?"—— This (I confefs) deferves fome Attention: For perhaps no one Thing has raised fuch Prejudices in the Minds of Men against spiritual and religious Experiences, as thofe airy Raptures and caufetefs Exults, that in fome Inftances have been feen of late.

I would therefore observe to you, that your own Representation of thofe joyful Transports of which you complain, is fufficient to diftinguish them from thofe Joys of the Holy Ghoft, of which I wrote to you. You rightly obferve, that these false Raptures are the Product of an exalted Imagination.

But you have no room to conclude this to be the Cafe with Refpect to thofe fpiritual Joys and Comforts, of which I wrote in my laft. I have H 3

know

known a wretched despicable Beggar, cover'd with Rags and Vermin, who imagined himself a King's Son, and expected to be treated accordingly: But how vain and ludicrous foever his Imaginations were, I never thought it an Argument, that there are no King's Sons in the World. He might probably entertain more tranfporting Apprehenfions of his imagined Royalty, than they who really poffefs that Dignity, which he fo vainly pretended But must these latter be rejected as vain Pretenders, because of the craz'd Imagination of such a miferable Vagary!

to.

To apply this to the prefent Cafe, I readily allow, that all thofe Joys and Comforts which flow from the Imagination only, are always but airy and chimerical, falfe and delufive. Thus, for Inftance, fome will rejoice and triumph, from only imagining themselves Favourites of Heaven; fome from being able to paint upon their Imaginations the Miracles, Sufferings, Refurrection, or Afcenfion of Christ; fome from an imaginary Idea of the final Appearing of Chrift, and their own future Glory, and the like: Yet all this while the poor Souls forget, that there is one Thing wanting, in order to make their Joys reafonable and fubftantial, and that is, good Evidence of their Interest in that Saviour, and his glorious Salvation, of which they entertain fuch pleafing Imaginations. They who have this Evidence (in the Manner defcribed in my laft) have a fubftantial Foundation of Com. fort and joy, from having that Salvation actually begun in their Souls, which is the Pledge and Earneft of their eternal Inheritance; while the others are like to find themselves as much deluded in their Expectation of future Happiness, as they are in the Foundation of their Hopes.

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