Mather - Houston-Packer Collection BS478 .M3 1705

Tefament, in divers Manners. 19 that Satan did appear to give Satanical Dreams and Vitions, and the like, to fuch as were Godly : It is true, he did tempt them ; but in a more fpiritual manner, as he tempted David to number the people. Or by other outward means : As when the young Prophet, that carne f orn .Bethel was deceived by the old one. But whenSatan did infpire any with Dreams and Vifions, &e. it was done to wicked and ungodly men. As to Saul, when he raifed'up the Devil, he and the Witch faw the Gods, that is, Spirits, infernal Spirits, attending up out of the Earth. And to the falle prophets ofAhab, thole four hundred Idolaters ; they fpake as Prophets, and were acted by a Spirit ; but it was a lying Spirit, and they were lewd and wicked men: So that there was a great difference in the Perfn or Sribjeel recipient of Divine Revelations, and of Satanicah Delufions. 2. In Divine Difcoveries there was an holy Elevation of their Minds, when they did receive them ; but in the Organs and Inftruments ofSa- tan there was only a ftupetaaion and depreflion of them. As when j "ohn did receive the Revelation, he ma in the Spirit, chap. r. ro. Some- times they were fo far elevated,and railed, and a&ed by the Spirit, that they did not attend to any other thing ; but were tranfported above Senfe and fenfible things, to attend wholly to the Vifions and Revela- tions of God : So Peter fell into a Trance, Alts so. ro. Paul was bxe si Alis 22. 17, Hence oftentimes they fell upon their Fa-- ces, being attoniíh'd at the Majefty and Glory of the Lord ; both gra- cious and natural Fear concurring. Ezek. r. 28. Dan. to. 8, 9. Matth. 17. 6, 7. But this Ravifhment of Spirit was not a ftupefaáion, but an holy Elevation of their Minds, whereby they were taken offand lift- ed up above all there low things, to the higheft exercife of Faith and fpiritual Reafon, and fo better fitted and compofed to receive thofe Divine Irradiations and Manifeftations of 73od. So Daniel to. I. He unm derflood the thing, and had tinder'landing of the Vifaon : So Balaam, when the Lord was pleafed in an extraordinary cafe to as him after the man- ner ofa true Prophet, Numb. 24. 4, 16. falling into a trance, lint having ors eyes open. But on the contrary, fuch as wereaced by Satan, they had their ex. tatical Furies, wherein their Minds were fo difcompofed, that they were not compotes fan c tnentis, As force have 'written of the Sybils that when after their Prophefyings, they came to themfelves again, they had forgotten what they had faid,and fo could not review and cor- redwhat was written from them : But it was not fo with the Prophets of God, Yohn-wrote, and had Order to write his Apocalypfe : and fo the other Prophets. And when thofe to whom, and by whom the Devil D 7 fpke$

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