PART M. of gracious ilfdiions. 18 z If Perfons keep no Guard at thefe Avenues of Satan, by'which he has Accefs to the Soul, to tempt and delude it, they will be likely to have enough of him. And efpecially, if, inftead of guarding a- gainff him, they lay themfelves open to him, and leek and invite him, becaufe he appears as an Angel of Light, and counterfeits the Illuminations and Graces of the Spirit of God, by inward Whifpers, and immediate Suggeflions of Fa&s and Events, pleafant Voices', beautiful Images, and other Impreflions on the Imagination. There are many who are deluded by fuck Things, and are lifted up with them, and feek after them, that have a continued Courfe of them, and can have 'em almoft when they will ; and efpecially when their Pride and Vain-glory has molt Occafion for 'ern, to make a Shew of 'em before Company. 'Tis with them, fomething as 'tis with thofe who are Profeffors of the Art of telling where loft Things are to be found, by lmprefons made on theirImaginations ; they laying them- felves open to the Devil, he is always at Hand to give them the de- fired Imprefon. Before I finifh what I would fay on this Head of Imaginations, counterfeiting fpiritual Light, and Affé&ions arifing from them, I would renewedly (to prevent Mifunderflanding of what has been faid) defire it may be obferved, that I am far from determining that no Affe&ions are fpiritual which are attended with imaginary Ideas. Such is the Nature of Man, that he can fcarcely think of any Thing intenfely, without fome Kind of outward Ideas. They arife and interpofe themfelves unavoidably, in the Courfe of a Man's Thoughts ; tho' oftentimes they are very confufed, and are not what the Mind regards. When the Mind is much engaged, and the Thoughts intenfe, oftentimes the Imagination is more ftrong, and the outward Idea more lively ; efpecially in Perfons of fome Confi - -- tutions of Body. But there is a great Difference between thefe two Things, viz. Lively Imaginations arifing from flrong llffeéiions, and Strong 1AfeRions arifing from lively Imaginations. The former may be, and doubtlefs often is, in Cafe of truly gracious Affe&ions. The Affe &ions don't arife from theImagination, nor have any Dependance upon it ; but on the contrary, the Imagination is only the accidental Effe&, or Confequent of the Affe&ion, thro' the Infirmity of hu- mane Nature. But when the latter is the Cafe, as it often is, that the Affe&ion arifes from the Imagination, and is built upon it, as its Foundation, inftead of a fpiritual Illumination or Difcovery ; then is the Affe&ion, however elevated, worthlefs and vain. And thiseis the Drift of what has been now faid, of Impreffions on the Imagina- tion. Having obferved this, I proceed to another Mark of gracious 4ffe6tions. N 3 V< Truly
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