Edwards - BX7230 .E4 1746

FART II. to dflinguift 4feaions. 41 But if there be indeed a Power, entirely different from and beyond our Power, or the Power of all Means and Inftruments, and above the Power of Nature, which is requifite in order to the Produaion offaving Grace in the Heart, according to the general Profeflion of the Country ; Then certainly, it is in no wife unreafonahie to fup- pofe, that this Effect fhould very frequently be produced after fuch a Manner, as to make it very manifeft, apparent, and fenfible that it is fo. If Grace be indeed owing to the powerful and efficacious Opera- tion of an extrinfick Agent, or divine Efficient out of our felves, why is it unreafonable to fuppofe, it fhould feem to be fo, to them who are the Subjects of it ? Is it a ftrange Thing, that it fhould feem to be as it is ? When Grace in the Heart, indeed is not produced by our Strength, nor is the Effea of the natural Power of our own Fa- culties, or any Means or Inftruments, but is properly the Workman- fnip and Produaion of the Spirit of the Almighty, Is it a ftrange and unaccountable Thing, that it fhould feem to themwho are Subjedts of it agreable to Truth, and not right contrary to Truth, fo that if. Perfons tell of Effects that they are confcious to in their own IVlinds, that feem to them not to be from the natural Power or Operation of their Minds, but from the fupernatural Power of fame other Agent, it fhould at once be look'd upon as a fure Evidence of their being under a Delufion, becaufe Things feem to them to be as they are ? For this is the Objection which is made 'Tis look'd upon as a clear Evidence that the Apprehenfions and Afftaions that many Perfons have, are not really from fuch a Caufe, becaufe they feem to them to be from thatCaufe : They declare that what they are confcious of,feems to them evidently not to be from themfelves, but from the' mighty Power of the Spirit of God ; and others from -hence condemn 'em, and determine what they experience is not from the Spirit of. God, but from themfelves, or from the Devil. Thus unreafonably are Multitudes treated at this Day, by their Neighbours. If it be indeed fo, as the Scripture abundantly teaches, that Grace in the Soul, is fo the Effea of God's Power, that it is fitly compared to thofe Effects, which are fartheft from being owing to any Strength in the Subje&, fuch as a Generation, or a being begotten, and Refurrec- ticn, or a being raifed from the Dead, and' Creation, or`a being brought' out of nothing into Being, and that it is an Effea wherein the mighty Power of God is greatly glorified, and the exceeding Greatnefs of his Power is manifefted ; -f- then what Account can be given of it, that the Almighty, in fo great a Work of his Power, should fo carefully hide his Power,that the Subje&s of it fhould be able todifcern nothing of it ? Or what Reafon or Revelation have any to determine that he .0`Eph. Y. 17, 18, 19, 2O4

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