II. 1. And yet those _who can discern the face of the sky, cannot discern the signs of the times_. Yet those who are esteemed wise men do not know, that God is now reviving his work upon earth. Indeed concerning some of these the reason is plain; they _know_ not, because they _think_ not of it. Their thoughts are otherwise employed; their minds are taken up with things of quite a different nature. Or perhaps, they may think of it a _little_ now and then, when they have nothing else to do; but not seriously, or deeply; not with any closeness or attention of thought. They are too much in haste to _weigh_ the facts whereof we speak, and to draw the just inference therefrom: nor is the conviction which they may sometimes feel, suffered to sink into their hearts: but things that have a larger share in their affections soon destroy the very traces of it.
2. True it is, that there are some who think more deeply, who are accustomed to consider things from the foundation, and to lay circumstances together, that they may judge of nothing before they have full evidence: and yet even some of these appear to be _in doubt_, concerning the present work. Now, supposing it to be a work of God, how can this be accounted for? That they who so diligently inquire concerning it, do not know the time of their visitation? Perhaps, because of the deeply rooted _prejudice_ which they brought with them to the enquiry; and, which still hanging on their minds, makes it scarce possible for them to form an impartial judgment. Perhaps, even a slight _prepossession_ might occasion their stumbling on some of those rocks of _offence_, which by the wise permission of God, always did and always will attend any revival of his work. Nay, it may be, their very caution was carried to excess. They would not judge before they had such evidence as the nature of the thing would _not_ admit, or at least, God did not see fit to give.
3. All this is very easy to conceive. But it may at first appear surprising, to find men of renown, men supposed to be endowed with knowledge, and with abilities of every kind, flatly, openly, peremptorily _denying_, that there has been any _unusual_ work of God at all! Yea, a late eminent writer goes farther yet, accounts it an instance of downright _Enthusiasm_, to _imagine_, that there is any _extraordinary_ work now wrought upon the earth.¹
¹ _Observations_, part III.
It avails not to say, “no, he does not deny this, but he denies it to be the work of God”. This is palpably trifling: for the work under consideration, is of such a nature (namely, the conversion of men from all manner of sins, to holiness of heart and life) that if it be at any time wrought at all, it must be the work of God: seeing it is God alone and not any child of man, who is able _destroy the works of the devil_.
* Yet neither is this difficult to be accounted for, if we consider things more closely: for the same _prejudice_ which keeps some _in doubt_, may easily be conceived so to influence others, as to make them wholly _deny_ the work of God. And this it may do in several ways: it may either bring them to question the facts related, and hinder their endeavouring to be more fully informed; or prevent their drawing such inferences from those facts, as they would otherwise see to be plain and undeniable. Yea, and it will give ten-fold weight to the _offences_ which must come, so as to over-ballance all evidence whatsoever.
4. This also may account for the behaviour of those, who not content to suspend their judgment, or to _deny_ the work of God, go farther still, even to the length of _contradicting_ and _blaspheming_. Nay, some of these have expressed a deeper abhorrence, and shewn a stronger enmity against this, than they were ever known to do against popery, infidelity, or any heresy whatsoever. Some have _persecuted_ the _instruments_ whom it pleased God to use herein, only _not to the death_: and others have treated in the same manner, all those whom they termed their _followers_. A few instances of this it may be proper to mention, out of very many which might be recited.
5. On the 20th of _June, 1743_, a great multitude of people gathered together, chiefly from _Walsal_, _Darlaston_ and ♦_Bilston_, in _Wensbury_ church yard, _Staffordshire_. They went from thence (when, by sounding a horn they had gathered their whole company together) to Mr. _Eaton_’s house, in the middle of the town, who was at that time _constable_. He went to the door with his constable’s staff, and began reading the act of parliament against riots; but the stones flew so thick about his head, that he was forced to leave off reading and retire. They broke all his windows, the door of his house, and a large clock in pieces. They went then to above fourscore houses, in many of which there were not three panes of glass left.
♦ “Dilston” replaced with “Bilston” per Errata