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EkTRAORDIN,tRY
WITIPESB
OP THE
SPIRtT.
289
III.
Shew
how
it
may be
distinguished
from
delusions
of
Satan,
and
from
the mere ferments and
vivacity
of
animal
nature, or a disordered
fancy.
IV. Represent
some
other characters
of
it,
and shew
wherein it
differs
from the
ordinary
witness
of
the Spirit.
And
then
V.
Conclude
with a
few
directions relating to
it.
I.
I,et
me offer
some proofs
that
there
is
such an
ex-
traordinary
witness
of
the Spirit.
Now
that
this
is
not the language
of
wild
enthusiasm,
or a mere fantastic notion
of
the brain,
will
appear
from
these
few
considerations
:
I.
The great God, the
Father of
spirits, can reveal
a
truth
to the mind
of
his
creature,
with such
life,
and
power, and
evidence,
that
the
mind
cannot
dissent from
it,
or refuse
to believe
it;
the overpowering light
may
be
so
divine
and
convincing,
that
the
creature
may be
fully
and
justly persuaded
it
is
a
divine
truth. Those
who
be-
lieve
the
prophets and apostles
divinely inspired,
can
have no
reasonable
doubt about
this
proposition.
IId
Consideration.
It
has
pleased the
great and
blessed
God
to
give
such immediate assurance
of
his
own
love to
some
of
his
favourites
of
old,
by visions
and
voices,
and
the message
of
angels,
and
by
inward
im-
pressions
on
their
minds by
his own
Spirit.
Thus Abra-
ham
was
assured
that God
was his
God, and
would be
"
his
exceeding
great
reward
;"
Gen. xv. I.
Thus con-
cerning
Moses,
it
was
made
known
that
he
was
the
"
friend
of God
;"
Eì.
xxxiii.
11.
Thus Daniel,
was
often informed
that
he was
a man greatly
beloved ;"
Dan.
ix. 23.
and
x. 11, 19.
Mary Magdalene,
and some
others,
who
conversed
with
Christ, when he
was
here
oil
earth,
had
a particular assurance
that their
sins
were
forgiven
them.
Paul
was
assured
that
he
was
a chosen
Vessel.
And indeed,
all
the apostles
had
sufficient
evi-
dence
of
their acceptance
with
God, and
their interest
in
the love
of
Christ,
by
the
extraordinary
communica-
tions
of
the
Holy Ghost.
It
is
the opinion
of a
late
ingenious
writer,
that not
only the
apostles themselves,
but
even all
the
primitive
christians,
that
were
truly con-
verted
by
their
ministry,
received
these
extraordinary
gifts
of
the Holy
Ghost
in some
degree;
which did
not
only
witness
to the christian religion,
but
to the
comfort
vol..
IIr.
ü