It is to be feared that the Conversions of some have no ⟨p. iii⟩better Foundation than this, viz. That after they have been under some Concern for their Souls a while, and it may be manifested some very great and uncommon Distress and Agonies, they have on a sudden, imagined they saw CHRIST in some Posture or other, perhaps on the Cross bleeding and dying for their Sins; or it may be smiling on them and thereby signifying his Love to them. And that these and the like Things tho' mere Imaginations, which have nothing spiritual in them, have instantly removed all their Fears and Distresses, filled them with Raptures of Joy, and made them imagine they loved Christ with all their Hearts; when the Bottom of all was nothing but Self Love. For when they imagined that Christ had been so good to them as to save them and as it were to single them out of all the World; they could not but feel some Kind of natural Gratitude to him although they never had any spiritual View of his Divine Glory, Excellency and Beauty, and consequently never had any Love to him for Himself.—Or that, instead of having some such imaginary View of Christ as has been mentioned; in Order to remove their Distress and give them Joy, some having had a Passage or perhaps many Passages of Scripture brought to their Minds with Power, (as they express it) such as that, Son be of good Cheer thy Sins be forgiven thee, and the like; they have immediately applied these Passages to themselves, supposing that God hereby manifested his peculiar Favour to them as if mentioned by Name: never considering that they are now giving Heed to new Revelations; there being no such Thing revealed in the Word of God as that this or that particular Person has, or ever shall have his Sins forgiven: nor yet remembering that Satan can with a great Deal of seeming Pertinency (and perhaps also with considerable Power) bring Scripture to the Minds of Men as he did to Christ himself. And thus these rejoice upon having some Scripture suddenly suggested to them, or impressed upon their Minds; supposing they are now the Children of God; just as did ⟨p. iv⟩the other upon their imaginary Views of Christ.— And 'tis said that some speak of seeing a great Light which filled all the Place where they were and dispelled all their Darkness, Fears and Distresses, and almost ravished their Souls;
It is to be feared that the Conversions of some have no ⟨p. iii⟩better Foundation than this, viz. That after they have been under some Concern for their Souls a while, and it may be manifested some very great and uncommon Distress and Agonies, they have on a sudden, imagined they saw CHRIST in some Posture or other, perhaps on the Cross bleeding and dying for their Sins; or it may be smiling on them and thereby signifying his Love to them. And that these and the like Things tho' mere Imaginations, which have nothing spiritual in them, have instantly removed all their Fears and Distresses, fill'd them with Raptures of Joy, and made them imagine they lov'd Christ with all their Hearts; when the Bottom of all was nothing but Self Love. For when they imagin'd that Christ had been so good to them as to save them and as it were to single them out of all the World; they could not but feel some Kind of natural Gratitude to him although they never had any spiritual View of his Divine Glory, Excellency and Beauty, and consequently never had any Love to him for Himself.—Or that, instead of having some such imaginary View of Christ as has been mentioned; in Order to remove their Distress and give them Joy, some having had a Passage or perhaps many Passages of Scripture brought to their Minds with Power, (as they express it) such as that, Son be of good Cheer thy Sins be forgiven thee, and the like; they have immediately apply'd these Passages to themselves, supposing that God hereby manifested his peculiar Favour to them as if mentioned by Name: never considering that they are now giving Heed to new Revelations; there being no such Thing revealed in the Word of God as that this or that particular Person has, or ever shall have his Sins forgiven: nor yet remembring that Satan can with a great Deal of seeming Pertinency (and perhaps also with considerable Power) bring Scripture to the Minds of Men as he did to Christ himself. And thus these rejoice upon having some Scripture suddenly suggested to them, or impress'd upon their Minds; supposing they are now the Children of God; just as did ⟨p. iv⟩the other upon their imaginary Views of Christ.— And 'tis said that some speak of seeing a great Light which fill'd all the Place where they were and dispell'd all their Darkness, Fears and Distresses, and almost ravish'd their Souls;
