not take away. He cannot adequately defcribe his* ftate. It is an UNSPEAKABLE gift. He feels it; and is grateful.

The excellent Norris, after having spent many years in the ufual ftudies of academics, in logic, metaphyfics, and other, what he calls, unconcerning curiofities, comes to the following refolution : "I think," fays he, "I fhall now chiefly ap"ply myself to the reading of such books as are "rather perfuafive than inftructive; fuch as are fapid, pathetic, and divinely relishing; fuch as "warm, kindle, and enlarge the interior, and "awaken the divine fenfe (or feeling) of the foul; as confidering with myself, that I have now, "after fo much reading and fpeculation, more"need of HEAT than of light. Though if I were "for more light ftill, I think this would prove the

beft method of illumination; and when all is done, "the love of God is the best light of the foul. "For I confider, with the excellent CARDINAL "BONA, that a man may have knowledge without

love; but he that loves, although he wants "sciences, humanly acquired, yet he will know 86 more than human wisdom can teach him, be"cause he has that master within him, who teaches "man knowledge +."

If other ftudents and teachers were to follow his example in this inftance, there would be much more true devotion and fincere 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 in

* THOMAS A KEMPIS thus attempts to defcribe the happy ftate, imperfectly indeed, but devoutly: "Frequens Chrifti vifitatio cum "homine interno, dulcis fermocinatio, grata confolatie, multa pax,” &c.— Via Compend. ad Deum.

temperance

temperance; who fear Chriftianity should be true, and therefore, with fool-hardy prefumption, refolve to deny it.

SECTION XXXII.

On the Seafons of Grace.

HERE are times when the mind feems fenfible T of a peculiar ferenity; the understanding is clear to discern spiritual things, and the heart glows with fentiments of Chriftian piety and general benevolence. At thofe times, man appears to be exalted above the common level of mortality. All pure, all peace, all love, all joy, his nature endeavours to foar above the earth, and to reach the fource of all excellence. A fweet complacency, in those moments, diffuses itself over the foul, and an internal fatisfaction is experienced, which no language can defcribe; but which renders him who feels it as happy as it is poffible to become in a fublunary existence.

Thefe are the halcyon times which may be termed the seasons of grace; the feafons, when the God of mercy, compaffionating the weary pilgrim, fends down the cup of comfort to exhilarate and reward him; difplays the lamp of heaven, to illuminate his path as he travels in the valley *.

Thefe

"We sometimes find our understandings clear to difcern the "fubjects of divinity, to look forward into futurity, perceiving "things there with the lively colours of prefent objects, having an "unconfufed, though incomplete, conception of goodness, of equity, ❝ of universal providence, rejoicing in its protection, satisfied with H 4

❝ its

Thefe favours, as I firmly believe, are offered to all the fons of Adam who do not prefumptuously, and repeatedly, and knowingly offend the donor; for that man may grieve the Spirit and quench the Spirit, we are told in the ftrong language of fcrip

ture.

But a proper reception of this divine benefit will fecure its frequency and continuance. Our own endeavours must be exerted with vigilance and conftancy, to preferve 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 fhould be feafons of infenfibility and coldnefs, it must not be concluded that the fpiritual affiftance is withdrawn in difpleasure. For even in the darkest valley, an unfeen hand can support and guide the pilgrim in his progrefs; and after the clouds fhall have prevailed their time, the fun will break forth with all its warmth and luftre.

It appears to me to be the first object of CHRIST1AN PHILOSOPHY to fecure the duration and frequent recurrence of the feafons of grace. In order to accomplish this end, whatever conduces to the moral improvement of the heart must be purfued with ardour. The fine morality, discovered by the light of nature and the feelings of the heart, probably affifted, among the heathens, by divine interpofition, may and ought to be called in to add fomething to the work of Chriftian improvement; for the best heathen ETHICS are founded on truth,

its proceedings, earnest to perform laudable actions, going through ❝our duties with TASTE AND PLEASURE; THESE I TAKE TO "BE THE SEASONS OF GRACE."

TUCKER'S (or SEARCH's) Light of Nature pursued.

and

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 bleffed with the vifitations of the divine Spirit, feels his heart, in confequence of it, fpontaneously inclined to every thing that is lovely and of good report. Virtue appears to him amiable, and easy to be practifed; and vice difguftful, at once the pollution and the misery of his nature. All the angry paffions fubfide in him; the gentle and benevolent affections grow in their place, and man becomes what he was before the lapfe of Adam, and what the gospel revelation was defigned to render him, a being little lower than the angels.

SECTION XXXIII.

Of miftaking the Effects of Imagination for the SeaJons of Grace.

HERE are many who will fcarcely allow the Texistence of any thing which they cannot fubject to the notice of the fenfes. They must literally fee the truth of every thing which requires their affent, or they will doubt its reality. To them, whatever is faid on the fubject of a fpiritual world, or an invifible agency on the foul of man, appears to be the effufion of fancy, and the fick man's dream.

And indeed the experience of mankind justifies great caution in diftinguishing between the actual operation

H 5

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 deftructive fire. It is indeed the parent of fanaticism, in all its extremities, and all its evil confequences. As, therefore, the real agency of the Holy Spirit is to be invited and cherished, fo 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 operations are there plainly spoken of and promised as the greatest bleffings to the human race. Their effects are defcribed as great and sudden, in affording both comfort, holinefs, and illumination.

The reality of feafons of grace cannot be queftioned but by him who at the fame time questions the whole fyftem of revelation. And a rational man, it is to be believed, will find no difficulty in fatisfying 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 delufions of imagination may often be mistaken for fupernatural affiftance. A few cautionary fuggeftions on the subject may not, therefore, be fuperfluous.

Since it is poffible that the best-intentioned may be thus deluded, let every man try his spirit by the fruits it produces; not by a fudden or momentary fruit, but by the frequency, abundance, and permanency 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.