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training up of Perfons for the Prophetic Office, where they were educated in great Abstraction from the World, in the Government of their Paffions and the Mortification of their natural Propenfions, that being fo difengaged from the common Im-: pediments of a holy Life, they might be more at Liberty for Devotion and the Contemplation of heavenly things, and by fuch previous Exercises become fit Inftruments for the Holy Spirit and more receptive of heavenly Wisdom. Thus came they out holy Enthufiafts, Men of God furnished to every good Word and Work, Scribes, well inftructed unto the Kingdom of Heaven, and fearless of giving Offence in the Way of Duty, even before Kings, being no lefs qualified for Reproof and Correction than for Doctrine and Inftruction in Righteoufnefs, Patterns these for all Perfons of a Re-d ligious Character, whether they live in Colleges or are in Kings Houfes; whether they attend on those who go clothed in Purple and fine Linen and fare fumptuously every Day, or are called forth to a more promiscuous Employment of their Office: for tho' the Difpenfation of Prophecy as it refpects the foretelling

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foretelling future Events, has of a long Time ceafed in the Church, yet the Character of Prophets in the Capacity of Expounders and Declarers of God's Word and Will, and as Denouncers of his Judgments on all impenitent, even the moft dignified, Offenders, is never to ceafe in it, neither is the Lord's Hand fhortened that it cannot extend Comfort and Courage, Light and Direction for thefe Purposes now as formerly: But alas! our Hearts are ftraitned that they cannot receive it as they ought, and we are fo entangled, as to many of us, with fuch an evil Covetousness after the Things of of this Life, fo ftudious to feek the Honour that cometh of Man more than the Honour that cometh of God, that we want Boldness to hold the Faith of our Lord Jefus Chrift without refpect of Perfons: For let Men be never fo highly titled or charactered, let their Pretenfions to Learning be what they will, and their Acquaintance with Creeds, Canons and Commentators never. fo extenfive, yet fo long as they continue Men of this World, and follow the Things of it, fo long as their Affections are fet on Things beneath, and their Hearts unfurrendered to God, they are no better

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than dry Bones as to the divine Life, without Marrow or Moisture; and as they cannot in fuch a State receive the Things of the Spirit of God: not having fpiritual Senses exercised thereto, fo will these things of course appear Foolishness unto them in others, and they will fpeak Evil of that which they know not.

A diftinct Confideration of the Nature of Enthusiasm is at this Time the more requifite, inasmuch as the anonymous Author before referred to, in his Work on this Subject, has not distinguished the different Kinds of it, but confounded Truth and Error, Light and Darkness in one promifcuous Huddle, that he might with a fuller Hand fling the Dirt of his Reproach upon experimental Religion, at the fame time ridicu ling the Infirmities and aggravating the Blemishes of many pious Chriftians of different Communions, both among the Living and the Dead, in order to form distorted Comparisons for the Sport of Buffoons and Infidels. To inftance in what he says of those two different States of Mind which Christian People, who attend to what paffes within them, make frequent Mention of, viz. as being at certain Times exercifed

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with Doubts and Fears about the Condition of their Souls, and under a total Abfence of fpiritual Comfort; at others, highly transported with grateful Refentments of the divine Love and Favour, and filled with great Joy and Peace in believing. Now he can fee nothing more in these than the common Effects refulting from the Mechanism of the animalOeconomy: "The Force "of Diftemper and bodily Disorder, says "he, will account for fuch dark and difcon"folate Thoughts" (in the former Cafe;) and as to the latter, he refolves it into Enthufiasm," a kind of Drunkenness (these are his Words)" filling and intoxicating the Brain "with the heated Fumes of fpirituous Par"ticles." And in order to compleat his Parallel betwixt those two States of the Mind and a common Debauch, he adds: "No fooner do the Inebriation and Inca"lefcence go off, but a finking of the Spi"rits, a Coldness and Dullness take place, " and the lower is the Depreffion in Propor❝tion to the preceding Elevation!"

How fhall we answer fuch Treatment of fpiritual Things without Rebuke! What fhall we fay, when one who owns himself a Minifter, is not ashamed to reflect fo dif

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gracefully on religious Matters! Let us fuppose then (if fuch be his Character) that une under his Charge should apply to him for Direction and Comfort under great Diftrefs of Mind, complaining of uncommon Abatements of the Love of God in his Soul, and of great Deadness in Prayer; that he took no Satisfaction in the Way of Ordinances and Duties as ufual, but on the contrary found in himself a Backwardness to all religious Exercises, and a total Infenfibility of Comfort from them. Would he tell fuch, a one that he ought to make no account of these things; that it was all owing to the finking of the animal Spirits, and that be might find his Relief from riding out or cheerful Company, only taking in the Paroxyfm of the Fit, (as he is pleafed to exprefs it) q. f. of Spirit of Harts-horn? Suppose again, that some such disconsolate Perfon were fo happy as to receive Benefit from fome of his Difcourfes, (if we may fuppofe him to have any fuitable to fuch a Cafe) and fhould come to thank him as the Inftrument of his Confolation, telling him withal, that the Cloud which before intercepted his Light and Comfort was removed, and that he no longer doubted his State of Accept

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