The almost Christian discovered, in some sermons on Acts 26, 28 with a blow…

I shall give you but this one discriminating Character of it: See whether your abilities be greater in the things that belong to Grace and Holiness, than they are to natural things. A Child of God who is but of weak parts as to the things of the World, that can scarce give you a rational account of such affairs, when propounded to him. Why, bring him but to the things of God, and how admirably will he be able to unfold, even the very mysteries that are hid from the wise and prudent of the World, but put him upon any common discourse, how broken and incoherent is he, but engage him in Prayer, how doth he expatiate and enlarge, and what a Torrent of Divine Rhetoric will he then pour into the Bosom of God; Is this from nature that he is able to exceed and go beyond himself? No certainly; It is very observable concerning the ways of God what the Prophet speaks, Isa 53.8. A high way shall be there, and it shall be called a way of holiness, the unclean shall not pass over it.

I shall give you but this one discriminating Character of it: See whether your abilities be greater in the things that belong to Grace and Holiness, than they are to natural things. A Child of God who is but of weak parts as to the things of the World, that can scarce give you a rational account of such affairs, when propounded to him. Why, bring him but to the things of God, and how admirably will he be able to unfold, even the very mysteries that are hid from the wise and prudent of the World, but put him upon any common discourse, how broken and incoherent is he, but engage him in Prayer, how doth he expatiate and inlarge, and what a Torrent of Divine Rhetorick will he then pour into the Bosom of God; Is this from nature that he is able to exceed and go beyond himself? No certainly; It is very observable concerning the ways of God what the Prophet speaks, Isa 53.8. A high way shall be there, and it shall be called a way of holiness, the unclean shall not pass over it.

Though they wander and err in every other way, though they do not take the right way to be rich, and great, and honourable ⟨p. 73⟩in the World; yet these that are fools in every thing else they shall not err from the way of Holiness, and therein lies the only Wisdom. But now take a mere carnal Man, that hath eminent abilities in earthly things; usually, he is never weaker than when he is engaged in that which is holy and spiritual; at least his chiefest excellency doth not lie there, though he doth perform the Duty well, yet he doth not do it beyond what he doth in ordinary and natural things. Now how is it with you? Do you find your selves carried much beyond the rate and size of your natural abilities, that you never so much exceed your selves, nor do so well as when you are about some holy and spiritual employment, that you are not so artificial in any thing as in holy performances; this is a good sign, that it is from the Power of Grace, and not only the Power of Nature, that carries you forth to the Profession of Religion you make. I take the extraordinary gifts bestowed upon unregenerate Men in a vast disproportion from their natural abilities, to be long ago ceased.