314 EXTRAORDINARY WITNESS OF TIM SPIELT. may in some measurebe made out to others ; but the extraordi- nary witness of the Spirit is like the relate stone ofabsolution, and the new name written in it; Rev. ii. 17. which nose knows but he that receives it. It is like hidden manna, with which God, at special seasons, may feed his children in secret. 4. The extraordinary witness of the Spirit fills the soul with great and exceeding joy, and brings it, as it were, within the confines of heaven ; It is joy unspeakable, and gloried ; as the apostle Peter calls it; 1 ?eter i. 8. The other maintains the soul in sucha degree ofpeace, comfort, and well grounded hope, as carries the christian onward through the difficulties and duties of life, though without such raptures of inward joy. There is an unknown sensation of heavenly light and love, which runs through the spirit of a christian, under suchextraordinary assurances of divine love ; and it has been with a saint at such a time as it was with Peter in the mount, when he said, Lord; it is good for us. to be here; Mát. xvii. 4. When he was over- whelmed with revelation and pleasure, such a soul hasfelt more than feeble nature was able to bear, and has cried out, " it is enough, Lord ; or, it is too muets for a state of flesh and blood ; Lord, either withhold thycomforts, or enlarge the vessel ; fór I cannot bear these joys." 5. This extraordinarywitness of the Spirit Both not belong to everysaint. Many a christian, it may be, passes the whole course of his life, and practisesa regular faith and holiness for many years, without this excess of joy, this assurance of God's love. Believers are generally led on in a rational way of evi- dence and hope; and walking in the paths of holiness, having good hope through grace, hold fast anhumble confidence unto the end. The extraordinarywitness is_exceeding rare and uncom- mon, at least in our days. I proceed now to finish this discourse, by offering to your thoughts a few advices concerning these witnessings of the Spirit of God, both in his ordinary and extraordinaryways. 1. Though you have never felt any such immediate influences of the Spirit of God, giving you an extraordinary assurance of your interest in his love, yet have a care of ridiculing and re- proaching these peculiar and uncommon operations of the Holy Spirit: Take heed of pronouncing them all at once, the delu- sions of the devil, the visions of an heated fancy, or vain and idle dreams. It is certain that God has bestowed some such favours on men in theprimitive days ofChristianity. It is certain also, that there is no place of scripture that declares, that these influences are utterly ceased, or that God will bestow no more such divine favours. It is certain yet further, that wise, and judicious, and holy men, have had very extraordinary impres- siòns of this kind made on their souls so that they.were almost
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