Watts - Houston-Packer Collection BX5207.W3 S4x 1805 v.3

Q,06 EXT .AORD.INARY WITNESS OF THE SPIRIT. [DISC. XII. ness, Christ appeared to him, and shewed him the print of the nails in his hands, and the wound of the spear in his side : Upon which discovery, Thomas cries out with joy, my Lord, and my God ! It is possible that other occasions may arise in the course of divine providence, wherein the great and gra- cious God may see it necessary to bestow such peculiar and extraordinary favours on some of his people ; but there seems to have been sufficient evidence already given, that some of the wise and the learned, as well as some of the weaker rank of christians, have had heavenly experience of this uncommon witness of the Spirit. The third thing I proposed, was to skew how these extraordinary favours of heaven may be distinguished from the delusions of Satan, and from the mere ferments and fits of vivacity in animal nature, or a disordered fancy. It has been said indeed, though perhaps too rashly, that they who go about to assert an immediate testimony, will never secure the soul from delusion : Satan will soon find artifices to counterfeit this testimony, and bear wit- ness in the Spirit's stead ; and when we think we have the Spirit of truth to assure us, we shall have the father of lies to deceive us. But if christians are careful and watchful in this mat- ter, there are signs whereby the testimony of the spirit may be distinguished from his delusions. Some divines have supposed this testimony of the Spi- rit to be known as the sun is, by its own light; and a ;plan who bath seen the sun, can never mistake the moon for it; the very glory of the sun manifests itself, and convinces every beholder. And perhaps in the ancient inspiration of the prophets, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the days of the apostles, there was a divine self- distinguishing light that accompanied these heavenly favours, which we know not how to judge of at this distance of time: we who never have experienced what divine inspiration is. But the surest way of our discerning the extraordinary witnessings or joys of the Holy Spirit, is by the effects ; which are such as these. I. It fills the soul with great degrees of humility and self. abasement, under a sense of its own vileness, guilt,

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