A discourse of the work of the Holy Spirit in prayer with a brief…

But suppose that those who assert these Devotions and Enjoyments of God in their own Experience, are not false pretenders unto what they profess, nor design to deceive; but are persuaded in their own minds of the reality of what they endeavour to declare, yet neither will this give us the least security of their Truth. For it is known that there are so many ways, partly natural, partly Diabolical, whereby the Fancies and Imaginations of persons may be so possessed with false images and apprehensions of things, and that with so vehement an efficacy as to give them a confidence of the Truth and Reality, that no assurance of them can be given by a persuasion of the sincerity of them by whom they are pretended. And there are so many ways ⟨p. 202⟩whereby men are disposed unto such a frame and actings, or are disposed to be imposed on by such delusions, especially where they are prompted by Superstition, and are encouraged doctrinally to an Expectation of such imaginations, that it is a far greater wonder that more have not fallen into the same Extravagances, than that any have so done. We find by Experience that some have had their imaginations so fixed on things evil and noxious by Satanical delusions, that they have confessed against themselves, things and crimes that have rendered them obnoxious unto Capital punishments; whereof they were never really and actually guilty. Wherefore seeing these acts or Duties of Devotion are pretended to be such as wherein there is no sensible actuation of the mind or understanding, and so cannot rationally be accounted for, nor rendered perceptible unto the understanding of others, it is not unreasonable to suppose that they are only fond imaginations of deluded Fancies, which superstitious, credulous Persons have gradually raised themselves unto, or such as they have exposed themselves to be imposed on withal by Satan, through a groundless, unwarrantable desire after them, or Expectation of them.

But suppose that those who assert these Devotions and Enjoyments of God in their own Experience, are not false pretenders unto what they profess, nor design to deceive; but are perswaded in their own minds of the reality of what they endeavour to declare, yet neither will this give us the least security of their Truth. For it is known that there are so many ways, partly natural, partly Diabolical, whereby the Fancies and Imaginations of persons may be so possessed with false images and apprehensions of things, and that with so vehement an efficacy as to give them a confidence of the Truth and Reality, that no assurance of them can be given by a perswasion of the sincerity of them by whom they are pretended. And there are so many wayes