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to me, and I have been
at a loss about them. For, though it has been exceeding evident to me,
by many things that appeared both then and afterwards, that they indeed
had a greater sense of the spiritual excellency of divine things
accompanying them, yet I have not been able well to satisfy myself
whether their imaginary ideas have been more than could naturally arise
from their spiritual sense of things. However, I have used the utmost
caution in such cases; great care has been taken both in public and in
private to teach persons the difference between what is spiritual and
what is merely imaginary. I have often warned persons not to lay the
stress of their hope on any ideas of any outward glory, or any external
thing whatsoever, and have met with no opposition in such instructions.
But it is not strange if some weaker persons, in giving an account of
their experiences, have not so prudently distinguished between the
spiritual and imaginary part; of which some who have not been well
affected to religion might take advantage.
There has been much talk in many parts of the country, as though the
people have symbolized with the Quakers, and the Quakers themselves have
been moved with such reports; and some came here, once and again, hoping
to find good waters to fish in, but without the least success, and have
left off coming. There have also been reports spread about the country,
as though the first occasion of so remarkable a concern was an
apprehension that the world was near to an end; which was altogether a
false report. Indeed, after this concern became so general and
extraordinary, as related, the minds of some were filled with
speculation what so great a dispensation of Divine Providence might
forbode; and some reports were heard from abroad, as though certain
divines and others thought the conflagration was nigh; but such reports
were never generally looked upon worthy of notice.
The work which has now bee
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