deprived of the comfort of rejoicing with those of my flock who have
been in great distress, whose circumstances I have been acquainted with,
when there seems to be good evidence that those who were dead are alive,
and that those who were lost are found. I am sensible the practice would
have been safer in the hands of one of a riper judgment and greater
experience: but yet, there seems to be an absolute necessity of it on
the forementioned accounts; and it has been found what God has most
remarkably owned and blessed amongst us, both to the persons themselves,
and to others. Grace in many persons, through this ignorance of their
state, and their looking on themselves still as the objects of God's
displeasure, has been like the trees in winter, or like seed in the
spring suppressed under a hard clod of earth. Many in such cases have
labored to their utmost to divert their minds from the pleasing and
joyful views they have had, and to suppress those consolations and
gracious affections that arose thereupon. And when it has once come into
their minds to inquire, whether or not this was not true grace, they
have been much afraid lest they should be deceived with common
illuminations and flashes of affection, and eternally undone with a
false hope. But when they have been better instructed, and so brought to
allow of hope, this has awakened the gracious disposition of their
hearts into life and vigor as the warm beams of the sun in the spring
have quickened the seeds and productions of the earth. Grace being now
at liberty, and cherished with hope, has soon flowed out to their
abundant satisfaction and increase.
There is no one thing that I know of which God has made such a means of
promoting His work amongst us, as the news of others' conversion. This
has been owned in awakening sinners, engaging them earnestly to seek the
same blessing, and in quickening saints
.
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