🚀 go-pugleaf

In many others it has been
like the dawning of the day, when at first but a little light appears,
and it may be presently hid with a cloud; and then it appears again, and
shines a little brighter, and gradually increases, with intervening
darkness, till at length it breaks forth more clearly from behind the
clouds. And many are, doubtless, ready to date their conversion wrong,
throwing by those lesser degrees of light that appeared at first
dawning, and calling some more remarkable experience they had
afterwards, their conversion. This often, in a great measure, arises
from a wrong understanding of what they have always been taught, that
conversion is a great change, wherein old things are done away, and all
things become new, or at least from a false inference from that
doctrine.

Persons commonly at first conversion, and afterwards, have had many
texts of Scripture brought to their minds, which are exceeding suitable
to their circumstances, often come with great power, as the word of God
or of Christ indeed; and many have a multitude of sweet invitations,
promises, and doxologies flowing in one after another, bringing great
light and comfort with them, filling the soul brimful, enlarging the
heart, and opening the mouth in religion. And it seems to be necessary
to suppose that there is an immediate influence of the Spirit of God,
oftentimes, in bringing texts of Scripture to the mind. Not that I
suppose it is done in a way of immediate revelation, without any use of
the memory; but yet there seems plainly to be an immediate and
extraordinary influence, in leading their thoughts to such and such
passages of Scripture, and exciting them in the memory. Indeed in some,
God seems to bring texts of Scripture to their minds no otherwise than
by leading them into such frames and meditations as harmonize with th