+00 EXTRAORDINARY LvITNESS 017.-THE SPIRIT. [DISC. )FIIy of those who had it, with the assurance. of God's pardon and acceptance. See Miscellanea Sacra Essay, i. p. 117, 126, 134. IIId Consideration. There is no evidence from rea- son or scripture, that all such immediate divine favours are ceased ; and though there is not the same occasion for the frequency ,of them as there was in the beginning of christìanrty, yet the Spirit of God is a free and uncon- fined agent ; and since it is plain from scripture, that he doth still dwell in his people, and carry on his .divine work among the churches of Christ in all ages, to the end of the world, why may he not sometimes discover his power and grace in an extraordinary manner, above and beyond his ordinaryand usual operations ? IVth Consideration. Some special. seasons and occa- sions may arise, and indeed have arisen, wherein the blessed Spirit of God has thought it proper vastly to exceed the measuresand rules of his ordinary operations, in the exercise of his offices of illumination and sanctifi- cation ? And why may it not be allowed in his consola- tions also ? 1. There may be some reason'for extraordinary acts of his illumination ; as when persons are not able to read the holy scriptures, or when the bible is with-held from them, and when they have enjoyed but very poor and insufficient ministrations of the gospel ; the blessed Spirit may sometimes shine into humble souls with some uncommon: rays of divine truth, and they may enjoy more sensible teachings of the Holy Spirit : Or some- times a person of low- parts, and weak understanding, may have been illuminated in the knowledge of some scriptural doctrine, beyond what the mere exercises of their own feeble reasonupon scripture would have at- tained to in so short a time : And perhaps some Chris- tians of better capacities may have enjoyed this favour also. Luther, that extraordinary servant of God in the reformation, is said to have oftentimes learned, more of the gospel on his knees in prayer, than in his laborious studies. Q. There may be, and, there have been, instances ofan extraordinary work of sanctification. To what glorious degrees of piety, virtue, and true 'holiness, have some . persons been raised in a very short time ? A most asto-
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