SPIRUTUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 319 ceive scme in a very formality would have it, (as if it must be one of their church customs, to satisfy the society of the fitness of each member before they will receive them;) but I would have Christians . that are fit to express their minds, to do it in season and with wis- dom ; especially those to whom God hath given any more eminent and notable experiments, which maybe of public use. Doubtless, God hath lost very much of the honor due to his name, and poor Christians much of the benefit which they might have received, (and may challengeby the mutual interest of fellowmembers) for . want of the public communication of the extraordinary and more notable experiences of some men. Those that write the ,lives of the holiest men when they are dead, cangive you but the outside and carcass of their memorials; the most observable passages are usually secret, known only to God and their own souls, which none but themselves are able to communicate. For my own part, I do sober& and seriously profess to you, that the experiences I have had of God's. special providences, and fatherly care, and specially of his hearing prayers, have been so strange, and great, and exceeding numerous, that they have done very much to the quietingof my spirit, and the persuading of my soul of God's love to me, and the silencing and shaming of.my unbelieving heart, and especially for the conquering of all temptations that lead to atheism or infidelity, to the denyingof special providence, or of the verity of the gospel, or of the necessity of holy prayer and worshipping of God. Yea, those passages that in the bulk of the thing seem to have no great matter in them, yet have come at such seasons, in such a manner, in evident answer to prayers, that they have done much to my confirmation. O happy afflictions and distresses ! Sufferings and danger force us to pray, and,force the cold and cus- tomary petitioner to seriousness and importunity. Importunate prayers bring evident returns ; such returns give us sensible expe- riences ; such experiences I<aise faith, love and thankfulness, kill unbelief and atheism, and encourage the soul, in all distresses, go the same way as when it sped so well. .I often pity the poor seduced infidels of this age, that deny Scripture and Christ himself, and doubt of the usefulness of prayer and holy worship; and I wish that they had but the experiences that I have had. O.how much more might it do than all their studies and disputes! Truly I have once or twice had motions in mymind, to have publicly and freely communicated my experiences in a relation of the more observable passages of my life; but I found that I was not able to do it to God's praise, as was meet, without a show of ostentation or vanity, and therefore I forbore. Direct. XVIII. Next, that you may yet further understand the true nature of assurance, faith, doubting and desperation, I would
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