4.
PEOPLE’S IMAGINATIONS ARE AFFECTED
It is no argument that an operation on people’s minds is not the work of the Spirit of God, that many who are subject to it have great impressions made on their imaginations. That people have many impressions on their imaginations does not prove that they have nothing else.
It is easy to account for there being much of this nature among a people, where a great many, of all kinds, have their minds engaged with intense thought and strong feelings about invisible things. Indeed, it would be strange if this did not happen. Such is our nature that we cannot think about invisible things without a degree of imagination. I dare appeal to any man, of the greatest powers of mind, whether he is able to fix his thoughts on God or Christ, or the things of another world, without imaginary ideas attending his meditations? And the more engaged the mind is, and the more intense the contemplation and affection, still the more lively and strong the imaginary idea will ordinarily be; especially when attended with surprise. And this is the case when the mental prospect is very new, and takes strong hold of the passions, such as fear or joy; and when the state and views of the mind suddenly changes from a contrary extreme, such as from that which was extremely dreadful to that which is extremely delightful. And it is no wonder that many people do not easily distinguish between that which is imaginary and that which is intellectual and spiritual; and that they are apt to lay too much weight on the imaginary part, and are most ready to speak of that in the account they give of their experiences, especially people of less understanding and distinguishing capacity.
The imagination is a God-given faculty
As God has given us such a faculty as the imagination, and so made us that we cannot think of things spiritual and invisible without some exercise of this faculty; so it appears to me that such is our state and nature that this faculty is really subservient and helpful to the other faculties of the mind, when a proper use is made of it; though often, when the imagination is too strong, and the other faculties weak, it overbears, and disturbs them in their exercise. It seems clear to me, in many instances with which I have been acquainted, that God has really made use of this faculty to truly divine purposes; especially in some that are more ignorant. God seems to condescend to their circumstances, and deal with them as babes; as of old he instructed his church, whilst in a state of ignorance and minority, by types and outward representations. I can see nothing unreasonable in such a position. Let others who have much occasion to deal with souls in spiritual concerns, judge whether experience does not confirm it.
It is no argument that a work is not of the Spirit of God, that some who are the subjects of it have been in a kind of ecstasy, in which they have had their minds transported into a train of strong and pleasing imaginations, and a kind of visions, as though they were rapt up to heaven, and there saw glorious sights. I have been acquainted with some such instances, and I see no need of bringing in the help of the devil into the account that we give of these things, nor yet of supposing them to be of the same nature as the visions of the prophets, or St Paul’s rapture into paradise. Human nature, under these intense exercises and affections, is all that need be brought into the account.
The whole soul is ravished
If it may be well accounted for, that people under a true sense of the glorious and wonderful greatness and excellence of divine things, and soul-ravishing views of the beauty and love of Christ, should have the strength of nature overpowered, as I have already shown that it may; then I think it is not at all strange that amongst great numbers that are thus affected and overborne, there should be some persons of particular constitutions that have their imaginations effected like this. The effect is no other than what bears a proportion and analogy to other effects of the strong exercise of their minds. It is no wonder, when the thoughts are so fixed, and the affections so strong – and the whole soul so engaged, ravished, and swallowed up – that all other parts of the body are so affected as to be deprived of their strength, and the whole frame ready to dissolve. Is it any wonder that, in such a case, the brain in particular (especially in some constitutions), which we know is most especially affected by intense contemplations and exercises of mind, should be so affected that its strength and spirits should be diverted for a while, and taken off from impressions made on the organs of external sense, and wholly employed in a train of pleasing delightful imaginations, corresponding with the present frame of the mind? Some people are ready to interpret such things wrongly, and to lay too much weight on them, as prophetic visions, divine revelations, and sometimes indications from heaven of what is to happen (which, in some instances I have known, have been disproved in the event). But yet it appears to me that such things are evidently sometimes from the Spirit of God, though indirectly; that is, their extraordinary frame of mind, and that strong and lively sense of divine things which is the occasion of them, is from his Spirit; and also as the mind continues in its holy frame, and retains a divine sense of the excellence of spiritual things even in its rapture; which holy frame and sense is from the Spirit of God, though the imaginations that attend it are only accidental, and therefore there is commonly something or other in them that is confused, improper, and false.