Thus the heart of a good man will experience the most pleasurable sensations, when he finds, and find it he will, the pearl of great price, the living energetic gospel, lodg ed, by divine grace, in the sanctuary of his bosom. He will be filled with all joy in believing; and thus EXPERI ENCING the efficacy of the Christian religion, he can entertain no doubt of its truth, its divine original. The real difficulties and obscurities of the scriptures give him little trouble, much less the cavils of sceptics. He has the witness in himself, that the gospel is the word of God, the incorruptible seed† of holiness, and such felicity as the world never gave, and cannot take away. He cannot adequately describe his state. It is an unSPEAKABLE gift. He feels it; and is grateful.

The excellent Norris, after having spent many years in the usual studies of academics, in logic, metaphysics, and other, what he calls, unconcerning curiosities, comes to the following resolution:

"I think," says he, "I shall now chiefly apply my"self to the reading of such books as are rather persua"sive than instructive; such as are sapid, pathetic, and "divinely relishing; such as warm, kindle, and enlarge "the interior, and awaken the divine sense (or feeling). "of the soul; as considering with myself, that I have now, after so much reading and speculation, more need "of HEAT than of light. Though if I were for more "Hight still, I think this would prove the best method of "illumination; and when all is done, the love of God is "the best light of the soul. For I consider with the "excellent CARDINAL BONA, that a man may have

THOMAS A KEMPIS thus attempts to describe the happy state, imperfectly indeed, but devoutly: "Frequens Christi visita“tio cum bomine interno, dulcis sermocinatio, grata consolatio, multa "pax," &c.

"knowledge without love; but he that loves, although "he wants sciences, humanly acquired, yet he will know "more than human wisdom can teach him, because he. "has that master within him, who teaches man know"ledge*."

If other students and teachers were to follow his example in this instance, there would be much more true devotion and sincere piety in the world; and few would be infidels, except among the desperately profligate, who harden their hearts, and cloud their understandings by habitual vice and intemperance; who fear Christianity should be true, and therefore, with fool-hardy presumption, resolve to deny it.

SECTION XXXII.

On the Seasons of Grace.

THERE

HERE are times when the mind seems sensible of a peculiar serenity; the understanding is clear to discern spiritual things, and the heart glows with sentiments of Christian piety and general benevolence. At those times, man appears to be exalted above the common level of mortality. All pure, all peace, all love, all joy, his nature endeavours to soar above the earth, and to reach the source of all excellence. A sweet complacency, in those moments, diffuses itself over the soul, and an internal satisfaction is experienced, which no language can describe: but which renders him who feels it as happy as it is possible to become in a sublunary existence.

These are the halcyon times which may be termed the seasons of grace; the seasons, when the God of

* Via Compend. ad Deum.

mercy, compassionating the weary pilgrim, sends down the cup of comfort to exhilarate and reward him; displays the lamp of heaven, to illuminate his path as he travels in the valley.

These favours, as I firmly believe, are offered to all the sons of Adam who do not presumptuously and repeatedly and knowingly offend the donor; for that man may grieve the Spirit and quench the Spirit, we are told in the strong language of scripture.

But a proper reception of this divine benefit will secure its frequency and continuance. Our own endeavours must be exerted with vigilance and constancy, to preserve the divine frame of mind which it may have produced. Nothing can effect this but the avoidance of habitual vice and impurity, and the practice of virtue. But if, after all, there should be seasons of insensibility and coldness, it must not be concluded that the spiritual assistance is withdrawn in displeasure. For even in the darkest valley, an unseen hand can support and guide the pilgrim in his progress; and after the clouds shall have prevailed their time, the sun will break forth with all its warmth and lustre.

It appears to me to be the first object of CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHY to secure the duration and frequent recurrence of the seasons of grace. In order to accomplish this end, whatever conduces to the moral improvement of the heart must be pursued with ardour. The fine morality, discovered by the light of nature and the feelings of the heart, probably assisted, among the heathens, by divine interposition, may and ought to be called in to add something to the work of Christian improvement; for the best heathen ETHICS are founded on truth, and therefore immutably valuable. A state of grace without morality, I firmly believe, is not permitted by him who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity.

But the man who is blessed with the visitations of the divine Spirit, feels his heart spontaneously inclined to every thing that is lovely and of good report. Virtue appears to him amiable, and easy to be practised; and vice disgustful, at once the pollution and the misery of his nature. All the angry passions subside in him; the gentle and benevolent affections grow in their place, and man becomes what he was before the lapse of Adam, and what the gospel revelation was designed to render him, a being little lower than the angels.

SECTION XXXIII.

Of mistaking the Effects of Imagination for the Seasons off Grace.

THERE are many who will scarcely allow the

existence of any thing which they cannot subject to the notice of the senses. They must literally see the truth of every thing which requires their assent, or they will doubt its reality. To them, whatever is said on the subject of a spiritual world, or an invisible agency on the soul of man, appears to be the effusion of fancy, and the sick man's dream.

And indeed the experience of mankind justifies great caution in distinguishing between the actual operation of the Holy Spirit, and the delirious effects of a too lively imagination. The imagination heated by the devotional flame, has often kindled a destructive fire. It is indeed the parent of fanaticism, in all its extremities, and all its evil consequences. As, therefore, the real agency of the Holy Spirit is to be invited and cherished, so the mere imagination of it is to be most studiously avoided.

That the whole doctrine is not imaginary, is evident to him who reads and believes the gospel. Such opera

tions are there plainly spoken of and promised as the greatest blessings to the human race. Their effects are described as great and sudden, in affording both comfort, holiness, and illumination.

The reality of seasons of grace cannot be questioned but by him who at the same time questions the whole system of revelation. And a rational man, it is to be believed, will find no difficulty in satisfying himself that he is not deluded by his imagination, when he feels himself particularly virtuous, pure, benevolent, and open to celestial influence.

But as all men are not governed by reason, and none are governed by it uniformly, it certainly is probable that the delusions of imagination may often be mistaken for supernatural assistance. A few cautionary suggestions on the subject may not, therefore, be superfluous.

Since it is possible that the best-intentioned may be. thus deluded, let every man try his spirit by the fruits it produces; not by a sudden or momentary fruit, but by the frequency and abundance of its productions. If it habitually produces peace, joy, purity, piety, and benevolence, let no man attribute it to his imagination; but give the glory to God, and be grateful.

But if it display itself in pride, self-conceit, and contempt of others, in acts of violence, in disturbing good order, in any behaviour which seems to argue an opinion of peculiar inspiration from heaven, of a partial commission, delegated to reform the world by irregular, uncharitable and offensive interposition; if it pretends to visions and illuminations unexperienced by the best and wisest of men; if it assumes the privilege of actually conversing IN PERSON with Jesus Christ, and talks of the hour and moment when the Holy Ghost rushed upon the bosom; it is time to beware of the infatuation of a deluded fancy. There is certainly every reason to believe that such a temper of mind is not from God.