Some select cases resolved. Specially, tending to the right ordering of the heart, that…

How far this is the present State of Religion in some Places, and how much Stress is laid by many upon some Things, as being Effects and Evidences of exalted Degrees of Religion, when they are so far from being of any Importance in it, that they are really irreligious, a Mixture of self Love, Imagination and spiritual Pride, or perhaps the Influence of Satan transformed into an Angel of Light; I say, how much Stress is laid upon these Things by many I shall not undertake to determine. But 'tis much to be feared, that while God was carrying on a glorious Work of Grace, and undoubtedly gathering an Harvest of Souls to himself; (which we should always remember with Thankfulness.) Numbers of others have at the same Time been fatally deluded by the Devices of Satan and their own corrupt Hearts.

How far this is the present State of Religian in some Places, and how much Stress is laid by many upon some Things, as being Effects and Evidences of exalted Degrees of Religion, when they are so far from being of any Importance in it, that they are really irreligious, a Mixture of self Love, Imagination and spiritual Pride, or perhaps the Influence of Satan transformed into an Angel of Light; I say, how much Stress is laid upon these Things by many I shall not undertake to determine. But 'tis much to be fear'd, that while God was carrying on a glorious Work of Grace, and undoubtedly gathering an Harvest of Souls to himself; (which we should always remember with Thankfulness.) Numbers of others have at the same Time been fatally deluded by the Devices of Satan and their own corrupt Hearts.

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