S6 What are no Signs PART II. aE}ually been brought into extreme Diftrefs, by fuch Convi&ions, before they have received lavingConfolations : As the Multitude at ferufalem, who werepricked in their Heart, andfaid unto Peter, and the re/I ofthe 11pfiles, Men and Brethren, What jhall we do 2 And the Apoftle Paul, who trembled and wasaflonifhed, before he was comfort- ed ; and the .7ailor, when he calledfor aLight, andfprang in, and came trembling, andfell down hefore Paul and Silas, and faid, Sirs, What mu/IIdotobefaved2 From there Things it appears to be very unreafonable in profefliing Chriftians, to make this an ObjeStion againft the Truth and fpiritual Nature of the comfortable and joyful Affedions which any have, that they follow fuch awful Apprehenfions and Diftrefí'es, as have been mentioned. And on the other Hand, It is no Evidence that Comforts and Joys are right, becaufe they fucceed great Terrors, and amazing Fears of Hell t. This feems to be what fome Perfons lay great Weight upon ; efteeming great Terrors an Evidence of a great Work of the Law wrought on the Heart, well preparing the Way for folid Comfort : Not confidering that Terror, and a ConviStion of Con- fcience, are different Things. For tho' Convidions of Confcience do often caufe Terror ; yet they don't confift in it ; and Terrors do often arife from other Caufes. ConviStions of Confcience, thro' the Influences of God's Spirit, confift in ConviEtion of Sinfulnefs of Heart and PraStice, and of the Dreadfulnefs of Sin, as committed againft a God of terrible I'vlajefty, infinite Holinefs andHatred of Sin, and firiSt Juffice in punifhing of it. But there are fome Perfons that have frightful Apprehenfions of Hell, a dreadful Pit ready to fwallow them up, and Flames juft ready to lay hold of them, and Devils around them, ready to feize them ; who at the fame Time feem to have very little proper Enlightnings of Confcience, really convincing them of their Sinfulnefs of Heart and Life. The Devil, if permitted, can terrify Men as well as the Spirit of God : 'Tis a Work natural to him, and he has many Ways of doing it, in a Manner tending to no Good. He may exceedingly affright Perfons, by imprefiîng on them many external Images and Ideas, of aCountenance frowning, aSword drawn, black Clouds of Vengeance, Words of an awful Doom pro- Mr. Shepard fpeaks ofMen's " being caft down as low as Hell by Sorrow, and lying underChains, quaking in Apprehenfìon " of Terror to come, and then railed up to Heaven in Joy, " not able to live; and yet not rent from Luft, and fuch are 6e Objets of Pitynow, and are like to be the Objeéls of Terror at the great Day ", Parable ofthe ten T"rgins, P. I. p. 125. naunceda
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