Looking unto Jesus a view of the everlasting gospel, or, the souls eying of…

2. How may we know when the Angels speak to us? I confess it is an hard question, and easily it cannot be solved; only some conjecture we may have; as in a case of evil; thou art in a way of sin, and near to fall into it, it may be on a sudden thou hearest within thee some contrary whisperings, which also are above the whisperings of a natural conscience, common to the wicked; or in case of good, it may be on a sudden thou hearest within thee some independent, supernatural persuasions, and reasonings to this or that good, or to this or that object, which may more easily lead thee to choose the good: in these cases thou mayest conjecturally think, that these whisperings or ⟨p. 211⟩motions are of the Angels of God. Bodin tells a story of one who desired of God a guidance, and assistance of an Angel; and accordingly he had sensible manifestations of a Spirit that assisted him, and followed him till his death; if in company he spake any unwary words, he was sure to be advertised, and reproved for it by a dream in the night; or if he read any Book that was not good, the Angel would strike upon the book, to cause him to leave it.

2. How may we know when the Angels speak to us? I confess it is an hard question, and easily it cannot be solved; only some conjecture we may have; as in a case of evil; thou art in a way of sin, and near to fall into it, it may be on a sudden thou hearest within thee some contrary whisperings, which also are above the whisperings of a natural conscience, common to the wicked; or in case of good, it may be on a sudden thou hearest within thee some independent, supernatural perswasions, and reasonings to this or that good, or to this or that object, which may more easily lead thee to chuse the good: in these cases thou mayest conjecturally think, that these whisperings or ⟨p. 211⟩motions are of the Angels of God. Bodin tells a story of one who desired of God a guidance, and assistance of an Angel; and accordingly he had sencible manifestations of a Spirit that assisted him, and followed him till his death; if in company he spake any unwary words, he was sure to be advertised, and reproved for it by a dream in the night; or if he read any Book that was not good, the Angel would strike upon the book, to cause him to leave it.