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_.