PART III. Of gracious Affee s. Ids Letters and Words written in a Book ; that is to have an external and imaginary Idea of fuchKind of Things as we fometimes perceive byour bodily Eyes. And when we have the Ideas- of that Kind of Things which we perceive by any of the otherSenfes, as of anySounds or Voices, or Words fpóken ; this is only to have ideas of outward Things, viz. of fuch Kind of Things as are perceived by the external Senfe of Hearing, and fo that alto is Imagination : and when thefe Ideas are livelily imprefs'd, almoft as if they were really heard with the Ears, this is to have an Impteffion on the Imagination. And fo I might go on, and lnflance in the Ideas of Things: appertaining to the other three Senfes of Smelling, `railing and Feeling. Many who have had fuch Things have very ignorantly fuppofed them to be of the Nature of fpiritual Difcoveries. They have had lively Ideas of fome external Shape, and beautiful Form of Counte- nance ; and this they call fpiritually feeing Chrift. Some have had imprefs'd upon them Ideas of a great outward Light ; and this they call a fpiritual Difcovery of God's or Chrift'sGlory. Some have had Ideas of Chrift's hanging on the Crofs, and his Blood running from his Wounds ; and this they call a fpiritual Sight of Chrift crucify'd, and the Way of Salvation by his Blood. Some have feen him with hisArms open ready to embrace them ; and this they call a Difcovery of the Sufficiency of Chrift's Grace and Love. Some have had live- ly Ideas of Heaven, and of Chrift on his Throne there, and fhiniug Ranks of Saints and Angels ; and this they call feeing Heaven open'd to them. Some from Time to Time have had a lively Idea of a Perfon of a beautiful Countenance fmiling upon them ; and this they call a. fpiritual Difcovery of the Love of Chrift to their Souls, and tatting the Love of Chrift. And they look upon it a fufficient Evi- dence that thefe Things are fpiritual Difcoveries, and that they fee them fpiritually, becaufe they fay they don't fee thefe Things with their bodily Eyes, but in their Hearts ; for they can fee them when their Eyes are shut. And in like Manner, the Imaginations of fore have been imprefs'd with Ideas of the Senfe of Hearing ; they have had Ideas of Words, as if they were fpoke to them ; fometimes they are the Words of Scripture, and fometimes otherWords : They have had Ideas of Chrift's fpeaking comfortable .Words to them. Thefe Things they, have called having the inward Call of Chrift, hearing the Voice of Chrift fpiritually in their Hearts, having the Witnefs of the Spirit, and the inward Teftimony of the Love of Chrift, &c. - -- The common, and lets confederate and underftanding Sort of Peo- ple, are the more eafily led into Apprehenfions that thefe Things are fpiritual Things, becaufe fpiritual Things being invifible, and not Things that can be pointed forth with the Finger,- we are forced to ufe figurative Expretiions in fpeaking of them, and to borrow Names from external and fenfible Objects to fignify them by Thus we call a
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