24. *Suppose, for instance, it were proposed to a reasonable man, to marry, or to enter into a new business: in order to know, whether this is the will of God, being assured, “It is the will of God concerning me, that I should be as holy and do as much good as I can,” he has only to inquire, “In which of these states can I be most holy, and do the most good?” And this is to be determined, partly by reason, and partly by experience. Experience tells him what advantages he has in his present state, either for being or doing good: and reason is to shew, what he certainly or probably will have in the state proposed. By comparing these, he is to judge, which of the two may most conduce to his being and doing good: and as far as he knows this, so far he is certain, what is the will of God.
25. *Meantime, the assistance of his Spirit is supposed, during the whole process of the inquiry. Indeed ’tis not easy to say, in how many ways, that assistance is conveyed. He may bring many circumstances to our remembrance, may place others in a stronger and clearer light; may insensibly open our mind to receive conviction, and fix that conviction upon our heart. And to a concurrence of many circumstances of this kind, in favour of what is acceptable in his sight, he may superadd such an unutterable peace of mind, and so uncommon a measure of his love, as will leave us no possibility of doubting, That this even this, is his will concerning us.
26. *This is the plain, scriptural, rational way to know, what is the will of God in a particular case. But considering how seldom this way is taken, and what a flood of Enthusiasm must needs break in, on those who endeavour to know the will of God, by unscriptural, irrational ways: it were to be wished, that the expression itself, were far more sparingly used. The using it, as some do, on the most trivial occasions, is a plain breach of the third commandment. It is a gross way of taking the name of God in vain, and betrays great irreverence toward him. Would it not be far better then, to use other expressions, which are not liable to such objections? For example. Instead of saying, on any particular occasion, “I want to know what is the will of God.” Would it not be better to say, “I want to know, what will be most for my improvement: and, what will make me most useful.” This way of speaking is clear and unexceptionable. It is putting the matter on a plain scriptural issue, and that without any danger of Enthusiasm.
27. A third very common sort of Enthusiasm (if it does not co-incide with the former) is that of those who think to attain the end without using the means, by the immediate power of God. If indeed those means were providentially with-held, they would not fall under this charge. God can, and sometimes does, in cases of this nature, exert his own immediate power. But they who expect this when they have those means, and will not use them, are proper Enthusiasts. Such are they who expect to understand the holy scriptures, without reading them and meditating thereon: yea, without using all such helps as are in their power, and may probably conduce to that end. Such are they who designedly speak in the public assembly, without any premeditation. I say designedly: because there may be such circumstances, as at some times make it unavoidable. But whoever despises that great means of speaking profitably, is so far an Enthusiast.
28. *It may be expected that I should mention what some have accounted, a fourth sort of Enthusiasm, namely, The imagining those things to be owing to the providence of God, which are not owing thereto. But I doubt. I know not what things they are, which are not owing to the providence of God: in ordering, or, at least, in governing of which, this is not either directly or remotely concerned, I except nothing but sin: and even in the sins of others, I see the providence of God to me. I do not say, his general providence; for this I take to be a sounding word, which means just nothing. And if there be a particular providence, it must extend to all persons and all things. So our Lord understood it, or he could never have said, Even the hairs of your head are all numbred. And, Not a sparrow falleth to the ground, without the will of your Father which is in heaven. But if it be so, if God presides universis tanquam singulis, et singulis tanquam universis; over the whole universe as over every single person, over every single person as over the whole universe: what is it (except only our own sins) which we are not to ascribe to the providence of God? So that I cannot apprehend, there is any room here, for the charge of Enthusiasm.
29. *If it be said, The charge lies here: “when you impute this to providence, you imagine yourself the peculiar favourite of heaven.” I answer, you have forgot some of the last words I spoke, Præsidet universis tanquam singulis. His providence is over all men in the universe, as much as over any single person. Don’t you see, that he who believing this, imputes any thing which befalls him to providence, does not therein make himself any more the favourite of heaven, than he supposes every man under heaven to be? Therefore you have no pretence, upon this ground, to charge him with Enthusiasm.
30. Against every sort of this, it behoves us to guard, with the utmost diligence: considering the dreadful effects it has so often produced, and which indeed naturally result from it. Its immediate offspring is pride; it continually increases this source from whence it flows, and hereby it alienates us more and more, from the favour and from the life of God. It dries up the very springs of faith and love; of righteousness and true holiness. Seeing all these flow from grace. But God resisteth the proud and giveth grace only to the humble.
31. Together with pride there will naturally arise an unadvisable and unconvincible spirit. So that into whatever error or fault the Enthusiast falls, there is small hope of his recovery. For reason will have little weight with him (as has been justly and frequently observed) who imagines he is led by an higher guide, by the immediate wisdom of God. And as he grows in pride, so he must grow in unadvisableness and in stubbornness also. He must be less and less capable of being convinced, less susceptible of persuasion; more and more attached to his own judgment and his own will, ’till he is altogether fixt and immovable.
32. Being thus fortified both against the grace of God, and against all advice and help from man, he is wholly left to the guidance of his own heart, and of the king of the children of pride. No marvel then that he is daily more rooted and grounded in contempt of all mankind, in furious anger, in every unkind disposition, in every earthly and devilish temper. Neither can we wonder at the terrible outward effects, which have flowed from such dispositions in all ages: even all manner of wickedness, all the works of darkness, committed by those who called themselves Christians, while they wrought with greediness such things, as were hardly named even among the Heathens.
Such is the nature, such the dreadful effects, of that many-headed monster Enthusiasm! From the consideration of which, we may now draw some plain inferences, with regard to our own practice.