SERMONS UPON GENESIS 24:63

And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the even-tide. Gen. 24: 63.

I shall not wholly divert from the subject in hand, though I shall a little interrupt the method of it. My purpose is now to speak of that meditation that is proper to the sacrament.
The main part of that worship is dispatched in thoughts. Here we come to put reason to the highest and most sublime use, to be an instrument and servant to faith and love.
But now the thoughts proper to the Lord's supper are many. There are an union of mysteries, yea, so many, that they are a burden to some Christians, and a snare to those that are most scrupulous. It will be necessary therefore to give you some directions how you may guide yourselves in this duty for your best advantage. It is a matter of great profit to be wise and skilful in duties. Many that know the general nature of them know not how to manage them. David saith, Ps. 119:27, 'Make me to understand the way of thy precepts, so shall I talk of thy wondrous works;' intimating that then we perform duties with most success when we go about them with most wisdom and understanding; and when we are skilled in the way of God's precepts, we shall understand those marvellous acts of grace which he vouchsafed to his people.
Now it is good that every one according to his talent should help one another's joy, and therefore I shall now speak a little to this purpose, and the rather because it will much conduce to the opening of the doctrine of meditation in the general.
My method shall be this—
(1.) I will show the usual defects of Christians in this service, with their necessary remedies ;
(2.) I shall handle some cases.
First, The usual defects and faults of people in this duty, I mean so far as they concern meditation, and they are four— barrenness, stupidity, roving of thoughts, a lazy formality.
1. Barrenness. This is a great trouble to Christians, when their understandings are unfruitful, and they cannot enlarge themselves in pertinent and necessary thoughts. Now how shall we do to get our hearts to be fruitful in holy thoughts ?
[1.] There must be a solemn preparation for this service. It is good to breathe ourselves in some religious exercises beforehand, that we may run the more freely without fainting. Spiritual dispositions do not come on us of a sudden; Christians are deceived that look for rapt and sudden motions; there must be a time to put off the shoes off our feet when we come upon holy ground to converse with God in so sweet a service; we must lay aside the distractions of the world, and not come reeking from the world into God's presence. There must be a time to raise the soul into a zealous height and ardour; there must be a blowing of the fire, for here you come to flame, your thoughts are to flame out in great and raised ascents: Song of Solomon 1:12 'While the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof.' Wood doth not blaze and flame as soon as it is laid on.
[2.] Those solemn and preparative thoughts are chiefly to be spent in these two things—the nature of the supper, and the love of Christ in the institution of it.
(1.) The nature of the supper. You are to consider the great things that are offered to you, and the great blessings and benefits which God cometh to represent, exhibit, and seal up to your souls: Matt. 11:7, ' What went ye out into the wilderness for to see ? ' Christ examineth the grounds of their resort and concourse to him. It is good to consider what we are about, and the dainties of the banquet we are invited to, what assurance the outward signs are to give you, what communion we have with Christ and his graces. We are barren, because we do not consider our work, and the nature and importance of it.
(2.) The love of Christ in the institution of it.
(1.) The time when it was instituted: 1 Cor. 11:23, ' The Lord Jesus Christ the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread.' The Lord Jesus Christ had thoughts of the greatest good to man when man was executing the greatest spite and malice against him. And the rather because it is an act of mercy that Christ frequently useth to surprise sinners in the midst of their wickedness. When Saul was breathing out threatenings against the disciples, God had a design of love to him, and smites him from his horse. Some are smitten with conviction in the height of provocations. We read in ecclesiastical story of a young man that came to stab St John who was converted by him; so many come to jeer and catch at a sermon, and have been converted by it.
(2.) The rights which he instituted, appointing bread and wine, symbols of pleasure and delight. As a physician conveys health to us in a golden pill, so doth Christ convey spiritual nourishment to us by those elements which we take pleasure in. The outward observance is comfortable. God doth not require us to lance ourselves, and to exercise the body with whips and cords ; the rites are not bloody, as in circumcision, but bread and wine. And yet this is nothing to the inward sweetness, meat and drink which the world knows not off: John 4:32, ' I have meat to eat which ye know not of.'
(3.) The advantage and relief that faith has from these things of sense. God speaketh to you now, not by words, but things. He doth as it were embody religion, and represent it to the senses ; Gal. 3:1, ' O foolish Galatians! who hath bewitched you, that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth crucified among you ?' that is, in the word or sacraments ; here God doth as it were hold forth Christ dying before your eyes. It is a pleasure to see things by picture, though we know the person; so though we have an image of Christ in the word, and may know his person there, yet it is a great relief to us to see Christ in the supper by these outward symbols, where sense may teach faith what strength of grace and what sweetness of comfort to expect from Christ. These thoughts through the blessing of God will raise the soul into a frame of religion, that when you come to this ordinance you will not be so dry and barren.
2. Wandering when the heart is prepared and set towards God, how shall we do to keep it from roving, and prevent those excursions which are apt to carry away the heart.
[1.] Get an awe and dread of God. Labour to have the deepest apprehensions of the presence of God as possibly may be. Strong affections, especially fear, lock up the mind, and do not suffer it to flit abroad. Now fear is not unseasonable to this duty, but rather proper, because of the excellent mysteries by which God condescendeth and approacheth us. Chrysostom calls it terribilis mystica mensa, the dreadful mysterious table, and therefore now our apprehensions should be most aweful. When Jacob had a sight of God, says he, Gen. 28:7, ' How dreadful is this place!' And the psalmist saith, Ps. 68:35, ' O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places.' Mixed affections do best in the sweetest worship: Ps. 2:11, ' Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling;' Hosea 3:5, ' They shall fear the Lord' and his goodness in the latter days.' Here we are to have distinct thoughts of his holiness and goodness, and therefore we should fear before him, lest we forget ourselves to be poor guilty creatures and fear confineth the soul, and will not suffer it to run abroad.
[2.] Chide the heart for your vain excursions. Christians might have more command over their hearts if they would but hold the reins a little straiter, and check their souls; they are not so sadly sensible of the idle roving of the brain, which do not so directly carry them after the evil, though they make them to neglect the good. Take up yourselves, as David doth about his lumpishness: Ps. 42:5, 'Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me?' Did I come hither to think of anything but Christ and heaven? Did I come to think of news, vanity, business, and lust? My work is to discern the Lord's body, not to think of worldly toys. Is this to remember and fruitfully to insist upon his death? Look, as Christ did chide his disciples, Matt. 26:40, ' What, could ye not watch with me one hour ? ' so chide your heart. Cannot I keep my heart free for God a little while? In heaven duty will be my constant work, and if my heart wander now, how shall I be able to hold it forever? In the supper God ties my soul by outward rites; lest my eyes should carry away my heart, God would exercise my eyes. Certainly if you would chide your souls the heart would not steal so many glances. But usually our hearts do not steal away; we dismiss them, and let them go. God gave reason a command of your thoughts at first, and we might exercise it more than we do.
3. Stupidness. Many times the soul is surprised with deadness and amazement; it neither actually thinks of evil nor of good, but is at a dead pause and stay. For this I shall urge a double help.
[1.] By earnest ejaculations call in the help of the Spirit: Song of Solomon. 4:16, ' Awake, O north-wind, and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out.' Desire God to breathe upon the soul with a fresh gale and excitement; that he would take a coal from his own altar, that the perfume might burn bright. Censers must not be kindled with strange fire. Oh ! raise and quicken this dead soul! Remember 'the first Adam was made a living soul, the last Adam was made a quickening spirit,¡¯ 1 Cor, 15:45.
[2.] Call upon your own hearts. It is a mistake of Christians to think they are only to call upon God ; you are also to call upon yourselves, and to deal with your own souls by way of quickening : Ps. 57:8,' Awake up, my glory ; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early.' Charge your souls, awake to the consideration of heavenly mysteries. Speak to your own hearts, as David lays a charge upon himself: Ps. 103:1, ' Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me bless his holy name.' The children of God are brought in speaking to themselves, Oh ! my drowsy, blockish heart! how coldly dost thou think of Christ! 'This dead heart will not become the service of the living God.
4. A lazy formality. Either we cannot get the soul to this worship, or we perform it slightly. We content ourselves with a few careless glances, and lazy barren thoughts. To remedy this, consider, in so sweet a duty God doth not only require affection, but height of affection, an holy ardour, earnestness and raisedness of spirit: Song of Solomon 4:6, ' Until the day break and the shadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense;' an allusion to the censers used in the Levitical worship. God requires such thoughts as will comfort, revive, and quicken our souls. Such thoughts as end in affection. Leave not off till you can say as the spouse. Song of Solomon 2:5, ' Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples, for I am sick of love.' Do not leave meditating of Christ till you can bring your souls to a holy ravishment, and your hearts are wounded with impatient desires after communion with Christ. No thoughts will work but those that are serious.
Secondly, I will propound some cases, which shall not only concern the duty of the Lord's supper, but some of them the duty of meditation in general.
Case 1. How can we do, because of variety of matter that is to be meditated upon, that plenty makes us barren ? And in such straits of time, how can we run through all? I shall answer to this in three propositions.
1. The mind of man is energes, working, and much may be done by thoughts in a short time. The mind's motion is not so slow as that of the body, which is burdened with a mass and clod of flesh, and therefore must have time for its action, but the soul is quick. There are two sorts of meditations in the supper, as indeed in all other matters —pregnant apprehensions and enforcing reasons.
(1.) Pregnant apprehensions, suitable to each circumstance of the duty. Now these are absolutely necessary ; as in blessing the elements, and setting them aside for this use, think of the eternal decrees of God, by which Christ was separated to the office of mediator. In breaking the bread, your thoughts must act afresh on the sorrows of Christ's cross, and those bruises wherewith he was broken for our iniquities. Thus it is good to follow every part of the duty with some devout and religious thoughts.
(2.) Enforcing reasons, when we pitch upon one matter, and inculcate it, and whet it upon the soul according to our present distress and exigencies, which is a pleading with our own hearts from the main design and end of the duty.
2. It is not good to skip from matter to matter hastily ; partly because a light touch leaves very little impression, and therefore, as long as milk cometh, suck on the breasts of consolation. Hold reason and faith to its work; when things drop thus on their own accord, they are sweetest, as life-honey that drops of itself from the comb, or as marrow, that the bone droppeth of its own accord ; as the lamb sucks the dam's dugs till they cease dropping. When thoughts come, freely entertain them. Partly because we cannot think of all at once; one thought would but intrude and thrust out another ere we have received comfort and profit, and in a throng and crowd of thoughts there is little good done. And besides it would draw a tediousness upon the soul if every time we should renew the same thoughts; God appointed this variety for our relief, not our burden.
3. There must be a wise choice in such variety of matter according to your necessities and wants: Job 5:27, ' Hear it, and know thou it for thy good.' Things that nearly concern us do most affect us, and thoughts in season are most affecting; while we are here in the world we are always humbled with some present want. Now these wants are known by search and trial, and therefore is examination appointed as a preparative to receiving, that we may know our wants.
Case 2. Is it good to bind ourselves to such or such a meditation ? Will not this hinder much sweetness, which we should otherwise reap by the duty? and will it not exclude other thoughts which God by his spirit might raise up in our minds? and so we shall defraud ourselves of much sweetness and comfort in the duty. To this I answer—
1. In every particular duty a Christian should have one main particular aim, either the removing of such a doubt the relieving of such a want, the beating down of such a corruption, or the receiving of such a grace. Upon a trial you will find some special need for the supply of which you wait upon God. And there are several reasons why it is good for a Christian to be thus particular; partly because it discovers sincerity, and prevents much guile; partly because one case may be best managed and carried on at one time, either in prayer, by wrestling with God, or in meditation by argument and pleading with ourselves; partly because the comfort and success will be most sensible, as a needle that toucheth but in one point entereth sooner than a blunt thick piece of iron that toucheth many, so particular things are most sensible, and leave a quicker and smarter sense upon the soul; partly because when you are thus particular it will make you come with fresh and renewed affections. It is good to drive on, this main care, and the bent and design of your thoughts must run that way: 2 Cor. 11:8, ' And for this thing I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me.'
2. God usually comes in over and above our aims and expectations : Eph. 3:20, ' He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.' Solomon asked wisdom, and God gave him riches and honour in great abundance. Jacob desired of God to be kept in the way, and God made him two bands. The prodigal comes with a modest request, Make me a hired servant, and the father puts on him the best robe, and entertains him with the fatted calf. We seek to subdue such a lust, and the Lord comes in with an overflow of comfort. He would have such a doubt removed, and it may be the Lord comes in with a high tide of sensible appearance to his soul and increase of grace.
3. You should do in the Lord's supper as in prayer. You meditate in prayer, but not to exclude supervenient thoughts and sudden motions; so here, you meditate on your own wants and needs, and leave the Spirit to his free assistance. When we use the most prudent course, it is no straitening to the Spirit of God. In all preparations we leave ourselves at a liberty to receive his free breathings and coming into our souls, We keep matter ready at hand to kindle our thoughts to feed our confessions and petitions, so it is good to keep matter ready at hand to feed our meditations, and to drive on the main care, waiting for supervenient assistances.
Case 3. Whether there be required of a Christian a fixing of the soul in a steady view and contemplation of God in quietness and silence, without any variety of discourse ? Or whether God doth now raise and heighten the soul to a sole act of vision and intuition without any discourse, or the traverses of reason, in the supper or any other ordinance?
That you may understand the case, you must know that the school-men and other writers of devotion usually distinguish between consideration, meditation, and contemplation.
Consideration is a thinking of truth, and a rolling of it in the understanding and memory.
Meditation is an enforcing of truth upon the soul by discourse or variety of pressing arguments.
Contemplation is the fruit and perfection of meditation; and this they make a supernatural elevation of the mind, by which it adhereth to God, and pauseth in the sight of God and glory without any variety of discourse; the soul being dazzled with the majesty of God, or the glory of heaven, and transported into a present joy, the use of reason is for a time suspended, and the soul is cast into a kind of sleep and quietness of intuition, staring and gazing with ravishing sweetness upon the divine excellences and the glory of our hopes. In short, contemplation is a ravishing sight without discourse, the work of reason not discoursing, but raised and ecstasied into the highest way of apprehension.
Now it is inquired whether there be any such thing required of a Christian ? or whether there be any such dispensation in these latter times of the gospel ? As, for instance, Paul had the glory of God and Christ presented to him ; he did not barely think of these things by the apprehensions of the mind, or discourse of these things by the enforcement of reason, but he had an intuition, a steady view or sight of these things, such as did, as it were, ravish his soul from his body. Doth God use such a dispensation now ? I answer in these propositions—
1. In the primitive times these dispensations and raptures were more usual. We read of John's rapture, Rev. 1:10, ' I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day.' Mark, he doth not say the Spirit was in him, as it is present in the heart of every child of God; but he was 'in the Spirit', which intimateth height and plenty of revelations. So we read of Peter's rapture while he was praying: Acts 10:10, ' He fell into a trance,' epepesen ep auton ekstasis, a trance fell upon him, noting that those raptures are things of dispensation rather than choice and duty ; they fall upon us, we do not work ourselves into them. So we read of Paul's rapture : 2 Cor. 12:2, ' I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago (whether in the body I cannot tell, or whether out of the body I cannot tell, God knoweth), such an one caught up to the third heaven.' Whether these things were framed by way of representation to the soul, or whether the soul were for a time separated from the body and was transported into heaven, Paul himself was at a loss, and could not determine and resolve the case.
2. These dispensations may still be, though not in the same height and manner which the apostles enjoyed. God may do it still, for he is left to the liberty and sovereignty of his own dispensations; and though sight, and the beatifical vision and contemplation be the happiness of the next world, yet in some measure God may begin it here, that his children may enter into their inheritance by degrees, and may be beforehand led into the suburbs of heaven. As a father gives the child not only a part of the estate, but sometimes the liberty of the whole house, so God may give us here in this world not only those more temperate enjoyments of peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, and the first-fruits of the Spirit, but he may lead us into the suburbs of heaven, and put us above the clouds into the glory of the world to come. Though there may be such a dispensation, yet not in the same manner that the apostles enjoyed it, for that was peculiar to them; and therefore when the apostle Paul had reported his rapture, he pleaded that he had the sign of an apostle: 2 Cor. 12:12, 'Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.' With these raptures there was a concomitant revelation of the will of God. And they were for other ends; these raptures were not so much excesses of religion, but revelations for the great ends of the gospel. John's rapture was to receive the visions of God for the comfort of the churches; Peter's to go to the Gentiles; Paul's that he might have commission for the apostleship, and the mark and sign of an apostle. Therefore though God may use some such dispensation (for we know not what he may do out of sovereignty), yet not in the same way, and for the same end.
3. Those raptures and transportations, which the children of God now feel sometimes, proceed from strong pangs and ecstasies of love, which for a while do suspend and forbid the distinct use of reason, and cast the soul into a quiet silent gaze. Observe that love, where it is moderate, venteth itself in thoughts and words, and it is a great help to make the inward sense more acute and sharp; but where it is vehement and strong, it is contented with itself, and satisfied with its own heat, ardour, and intenseness, therefore there is not such a distinct actual discourse. As when a man huggeth and embraceth a friend, the closer he huggeth him, the less distinctly doth he behold and take a view of him; so in the embraces of love, when the soul falleth into the arms of Christ, and claspeth about Christ with the arms of its own love, it hindereth the distinct exercise of reason, and those offices of discourse by which the soul would otherwise reflect upon him. A man that desireth a precious jewel, at first he vieweth it with greediness and delight, but afterwards he layeth it up in his bosom, and wholly pleaseth himself in the possession of it; so the soul that thirsts after Christ pleaseth itself in the consideration of his beauty and perfection, and dwells upon it with religious thoughts, but afterwards love growing very strong, and being heightened unto the utmost degree, shutteth the eyes of our souls, and. we only please ourselves in a more intimate feeling, and in the sweetness of our embraces. Great and high affections must needs hinder the use of reason, because all our strength and vigour runneth out into one faculty, and then such a poor limited creature as man is cannot attend other offices and employments of the soul. It is very notable in the whole life of Christ that he had no ecstasy, propter maximam capacitatem supernaturalem animae, because of the extraordinary perfection of his person, and the large capacity of his soul; he had a transfiguration, yet all the while in the midst of that he had a temperate use of reason, Matt. 17. The disciples were indeed surprised by those glimpses and emissions of his glory; they were overwhelmed, so that ' they fell on their faces, and were sore afraid,¡¯ ver. 6. Poor man, being of a lesser capacity, cannot suffer such a feeling and high tide of affection without some transportation and ravishment beyond the support of reason, for the strength and vigour of his soul is melted out to Christ in love. Now the soul being of a limited power and capacity, the more strongly it attendeth one office and function, the less can it serve others. Look, as a flame, when it ascendeth, endeth in a point, and groweth narrower and thinner, so such high flames and such glorious ascents of affection usually mind but one thing, and do not permit the soul any variety of discourse, but fix it in one thought, and in one steady and deliberate gaze.
4. Usually such experiences of God's children are given in to them in the most social duties. As in the time of prayer; Peter's trances fell upon him in prayer. Ordinary ecstasies carry some proportion with that which is extraordinary, and usually the soul flames out to God, and breaks forth in religious accents in the time of prayer. And so such strong affection oversets the soul in the time of the Lord's supper: Song of Solomon 5:1, 'Eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved." Be drunk with loves. That whole song concerneth our communion with Christ in heaven and in the ordinances; above all, in the ordinance of the supper, which is the pledge of heaven. So also in the height of meditation ; when the soul hath been spent and much exercised itself in that work, after the labour of meditation God giveth in this silence and rest in the steady contemplation of his love and glory, and the mind being inflamed and heightened with spiritual thoughts and exercises, suffereth a kind of transportation. It is very notable that those ravishments that were between Christ and the spouse were in the palm-tree: Song of Solomon 7:8, 'I said, I will go up to the palm-tree, I will take hold of the boughs thereof; now also thy breasts shall be as clusters of the vine, and the smell of thy nose like apples," There Christ would satisfy himself with the church's breasts, and there she should be satisfied with his love. The palm-tree hath a long naked bark, and carrieth all its leaves, branches and fruits upwards; it noteth the religious ascent of the soul in spiritual exercises, when the thoughts do not run out in underwood and lower branches, in earthly thoughts and carnal distractions. Well, then, in the top of the palm-tree there we taste the sweetness of Christ, and the soul is ravished and spiritually made drunk with the clusters of his grapes.
5. These experiences, where God seeth fit to give them, are given to persons of much holiness and religion : Matt. 5:8, ' Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.' Those bright and clear souls are more fit to enjoy the sight of God; when by constant and daily exercise the heart hath been subdued to a religious frame, the Lord may then give in those ravishing sweets, and those gazes upon his beauty and glory. There are degrees in the sense of God's love. Hypocrites have but a taste and a little sip, as the merchant that selleth wine will give a taste to those that do but cheapen it. Christians whose spirits are not defecated or cleared from the clouds of passion or purged from the dregs of carnal interests seldom meet with those sweet and rich experiences; to such an intimate discerning the senses had need be exercised. The lute had need be rightly strung and tuned that maketh a ravishing melody ; easy, lazy, and gross hearts feel none of these rapt motions and strong qualms of affection: God usually gives them to those that are purged and purified.
6. These rich experiences are very fleeting and vanishing, and but now and then bestowed. We have not such high experiences under lock and key, and at the command of our own endeavours. God gives them when he seeth fit, and when he pleaseth they pass away again. If they were constant, and God should continually pour in, the vessel would break, and the soul could not sustain itself under the burden of it. The disciples in the transfiguration were astonished and fell down for fear, they could not bear the glory, though but for a little while: Matt.17:6, ' And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces, and were sore afraid.' Our present state is not capable of these transports long ; the soul is not extended and enlarged to such a capacity and fitness, neither is the body qualified. We are in the animal state now, the deliberate contemplation is our portion in heaven, when sin and weakness is done away, and when we have that which the apostle calls a spiritual body, 1 Cor. 1 5:44 ; that is, a body fit for those high communications, and for the continual presence of God. This is an extraordinary indulgence, which, if continued, would destroy and abrogate the economy and dispensation of grace. This pause of reason upon the majesty of God and the glory of heaven is somewhat like the sun's standing still in Joshua's time, which, if it were so always, would burn up the frame of nature; therefore God hath ordained that it should roll hither and thither. Motion and change is fitter for this state to which God hath subjected us.
7. Such ravishing experiences are not to be sought for, but referred to the good pleasure of God. We cannot pray for them in faith, having no promise of them, and we must not be too hasty to eat of the fruits of paradise before our time. It is enough for us to go to heaven in the usual roadway, and not like Elijah, in a fiery chariot. Look, as in outward things we are not to desire riches, but a competency ; if God casteth them in upon our endeavours, we should be thankful; so in meditation we must mind those enjoyments which are more temperate, and leave other things to God. It is good to content ourselves with grace, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, though we have not those transports and high ecstasies of love and affection. We must not tempt God with immodest requests and expectations, but sit down humbly and quietly, and if the master of the feast bid us to sit higher, and call us to a more choice dispensation, well and good. These experiences are not to be ranked among duties, but among enjoyments; we shall not be called to an account for the want of them, for we are not obliged to pursue them; they are acts of God's magnificence and indulgence to the soul. Many times Christians oppress their souls by their indiscreet aims; it is good to keep an even hand, that we may not vex ourselves with the disappointment of a rash and foolish trust. Some are altogether careless, and content themselves with any frame of spirit in worship; others are not satisfied but with ecstatic and rapt motions. Look, as it is with a lute-string, if it be too slack, it doth not sound at all, if it be too high stretched, it is hoarse and screeching; go it is with our souls in duty; when we are careless, there is no melody made to God, but if we be too high strained, then the soul is oppressed with its own aims, and with a pursuit of things above our reach; the temperate middle way should be our aim.
8. Upon all such experiences we should be careful and watch our hearts, because many times herein we delude ourselves; we call that a rapture which is but the suppositions of a troubled fancy, or some fanatic delusions by which Satan abuseth an over-credulous and superstitious soul. Dotage many times passeth under the pretence of vision, and the extravagances of a wild zeal seemeth rapture. Always observe their end and scope; if they end in pride, and prove a temptation, they are from the devil, and not from God. Experiences from God enlarge our hearts for service, and make us more humble, as the highest flames tremble most. These souls that are called to the highest enjoyments are most humble. It is true we are apt to be puffed up with a revelation from God, as Paul was puffed up with the abundance of revelations, but there was a subsequent dispensation, some cross to humble him: 2 Cor. 12:7, 'And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, the re was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.' This is through the corruption of our nature, which God preventeth in his children by such dispensations. But if it tendeth to make us neglect piety, and to be above duties, it is against the nature of religion, which presseth us to wait upon God with the more encouragement, because we have already discerned his beauty and glory: Ps. 63:2, ' To see thy power and glory so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.'
Thus I have done with this case, in which I have been in the high mountains. I shall come to the valleys, which, as they are more easy of access, so usually they are more fruitful. What follows will be more plain.
 
ÀÚ·áÃâóhttp://www.newblehome.co.uk/manton/vol17gen24-d.html