PART II. to dillinguifh Alfeclions. 43 Apoffle (peaks of their being thus the Subjed}s of his Power, in their enlightning and eff étual Calling, to the End, that they might know what his mighty Power was to them who believe, he can mean no- thing elfe, than that they might know by Experience. But if the Saints know this Power by Experience, then they feel it, and difcern it, and are confcious of it ; as ferfibly di(lingtnfhable from the natural Operations of their own Minds, which is not . greable to a Notion of God's operating fo fecretly,and undifcernably, that it can't be known that they are the Subjeas of the Influence of any extrinfick Power at all, any otherwife than as they may argue it from Scripture Afferti- ons ; which is a different Thing from knowing it by Experience. So that it is very unreafonable and unfcriptural, to determine that Affedlions are not from the gracious Operations of God's Spirit, be- caufe they are fenfibly not from the Perfons themfelves, that are the Subje1s of them. On theother Hand, it is no Evidence that Affeaions are gracious, that they are not purpofely produced by thofe who are the Subjedis of them, or that they arife in their Minds in a Manner they can't ac- count for. There are fome who make this an Argument in their own Favour, when fpeaking of what they have experienced, they fay, " I am lure St I did not make it myfelf: It was a Fruit of no Còntrivance or cc Endeavour of mine ; it came when I thought nothing of it ; if I cc might have the World for it, I can't make it again when I pleafe." And hence they determine, that what they have experienced, mull be from the mighty Influence of the Spirit of God, and is of a faving Nature ; but very ignorantly, and without Grounds. What they have been the SubjeEls of, may indeed, not be from themfelves di- realy, but may be from the Operation of an invifible Agent, fome Spirit befides their own : But it does not thence follow, that it was from the Spirit of God. There are other Spirits who have In- fluence on the Minds of Men, betides the Holy Ghoft. We are di- reaed not to believe every Spirit, but to try the Spirits, whether they be of God. There are many fal(e Spirits, exceeding bury with Men, who often transform themfelves into Angels of Light, and do in many wonderful Ways, with great Subtilty and Power, mimick the Opera- tions of the Spirit of God. And there are many of Satan's Opera- tions, which are very diflinguifhable from the voluntary Exercifes of Men's own Min's. They are fo, in thofe dreadful and horrid Sug- geílions, and bl,tfphemous Injec`licns with which he follows many Perfons ; and in vain and fruitlefs Frights and Terrors, which he is the Author of. And the Power of Satan may be as immediate, and as evident in falle Comforts and Joys, as in Terrors and horrid Sug geftions ; and oftentimes is fo in Fact, 'Tis not in Men's Power to put
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