26 A View of tbe DEisr IcAL. Writers. Let. 2.

ſcience to che uprightneſs of his own iatentions, and that he is not actuated by pride and vain-glory, by an affectation of ſingu- larity, or any worldly ſiniſter ends and views; and if he is ſa- tisfied, upon the moſt diligent and impartial examination, that what he hath advanced is both true, and of great importance to mankind, and is only afraid of the oppoſition it may meet with; I think, in ſuch a caſe, eſpecially if he hath alſo the advice of good and judicious friends concerning it, he hath ſufficient grounds to proceed upon, and doth not need a par- ticular ſign from heaven to determine him. This ſeems to be a putting it on a wrong foot, ſince God hath not in his word given us any ground to expect that he will anſwer ſuch a re- queſt; nor is there any reaſon to expect it from the nature of the thing. His Lordſhip himſelf ſeems to have ſuſpected that ſuch an addreſs and expectation was not regular, when he begs of God to Hardon it, as being a greater requeſt than a finner ought to make. I believe it will be acknowleged, that fudden impreſſions, or ſuppoſed ſigns from heaven, like that upon which Lord Herbert ſeemeth to lay ſo great a ſtreſs, are very equivocal, and not much to be depended upon for infor- mation in truth, or direction in duty. They may lay perſons open to miſtake and deluſion. It cannot be denied, that, in ſuch caſes, men are in danger of being impoſed upon by the warmth of their own imaginations, eſpecially if they be wrought up to a ſtrong deſire and expectation of an extraordinary ſign from heaven, in favour of a deſign which they heartily wiſh eed. is evident from his own account of it, that this was Lord Herbert's cafe. His mind was full of his book, highly prepoſſeſſed in favour of its truth and uſefulneſs. He ſeems not to have been diffident of the truth and goodneſs of the book tſelf, but only to have been in doubt about the expediency of its publication; and he took a very extraordinary way to obtain direction concerning it. Nothing leſs would ſatisfy him, than a ſign from heaven; and it is plain that he was big with expect- ation. His imagination was warmed with the hope of a fign that ſhould be a mark of the divine approbation. It is not to be wondered at, that a mind thus prepared ſhould be diſpoſed to interpret any incident that ſnould happen, in favour of its Own prepoſſeſſions, and as countenancing the purpoſe he had entertained in his own breaſt. Taking it in this view, nothing happened, but what may reaſonably enough be accounted for, without ſuppoſing any thing ſupernatural in the caſe. He doth not mention any articulate voice, or words ſpoken to him as rom

ſnould ſucc

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