58 What are no Sign; PART II. tions of their aacual Sins, who truly have none. They tell how their Sins are let inOrder before 'em,they fee 'em $and encompaiìîng tJaa round in a Row, with a dreadful frightful Appearance ; when really they have not fo much as one of the Sins they have been guilty of in the Courfe of their Lives, coming into View, that they are affc&ed with the Aggravations of. And if Perfons have had greatTerror, which really have been from the awakening and convincin.rInfluences of the Spirit of God, it don't thence foIl;ow that their Terrors muff needs iílùe in true Comfort. The unmortify'd Corruption of the Heart may quench the Spirit of God (after he has been firiving) by leading Men to prefumptuous, and felf-exalting Hopes and Joys, as well as otherwife. 'Tis not e- very Woman who is really inTravail, that brings forth a real Child ; hut it may be a monftrous Produaio.n, without any Thing of the Form or Properties of human Nature belonging to it. Pharaoh's chiefBaker, after he had lain in the Dungeon with yofeph, had a Vi- lion that railed his Hopes, and he was lifted up out of the Dungeon, as well as the chief Butler ; but it was to be hanged. But if Comforts and Joys do not only come after great Terrors and Awakenings, but there be an Appearance of firth preparatory Convictions and Humiliations, and brought about very diffin&ly, by fuch Steps, and in fuch a Method, as has frequently been obfervable in true Converts; this is no certain Sign that the Light and Comforts which follow are true and faving. And for thefe following Reafons, î'irjl, As the Devil can counterfeit all the Paving Operations and Graces of the Spirit of God, fo he can counterfeit thole Operations that are preparatory to Grace. If Satan can counterfeit thofe Efleas of God'sSpirit which are fpecial, divine and fanéifying ; fo that there (hall be a very great Refemblance, in all that can be oblerved by o- thers ; much more eafily may he imitate thofe Works of God's Spi- rit which are common, and which Men, while they are yet his own Children,are theSubjeas of. ThefeWorks are in no wife fo much a- bove him as the other. There are no Works of God that are fo high and divine, and above the Powers of Nature, and out of the Reach of the Power of all Creatures, as thole Works of his Spirit, whereby he forms the Creature in his own Imae, and makes it to be a Partaker of the divine Nature. But if the Devil can be the Author of fuch Refemblances of thefe as have been fpoken of, without doubt he may of thofe that are of an infinitely inferiourKind. And it is abundantly evident in Faa, that there are falfeHumiliations, and falfeSubmiflîons, as well as falfe Comforts *. How far was Saul brought, tho' a very wicked The venerable Stoddard obferves, " A Man may fay, that now " he can juffify God however he deals with him, and not be 64 brought
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