~btllence.s. · To what purpofe then is affurance by the fenfc arid Evidence of imperfect grace? Object. cloth not this derogate from that relymg act offatth, and from the promtfe ofgrace, as if they were not enough ? . . . A ,r; :No, in no wife; we preferre faith of dcpendance,~nd adherence, and bcltef m the "1»'· promifc, as a more noble, ~nd excellent way ;_ and yet the Eviden.ce of graces m us is not in vain; for tt hath pleafed God to multtply thofc thmgs whtch may confitme our faith. Thus, although every word of God bath immutable venty m tt, yet he c;_,onfinnetl italfo with an oath, after the manner of men, to end all thofe controvcrucs, which diffidence and dill:rufl: may raife between God and us, Heb. 6. 6. and although Go.l hath given us his promife, and nothingcan be farcr then that, yet he :tddet)! fetvanrs to feale and eonfirme hts pronnf~ to us; fo although we do well, chiefly to depend and rC!ye immediately. on Chritl; yet there is great ufefulncffe of the reflex a<'l: of faith, arid of all other Evtdences. For, 4 .. We mull eye the teftimony ofthe Spirit, witneffing with Oltr fpirit, _that we are the Rom. B. 16, childrm•fGod: As God hath fet up a frame of holineffe in every Believer, fo he hath Kivw tenra m the earneft ofthe Spirit : .The graces of the Spirit arc a real ca:·nejl· of the • Cor. S· 5• Spirit, yet they are not alwaycs a, Ev•den11al carnrft, therefore an carncft ts often fuperadded tu our Graces. There is a threefold work of this Spirit. 1. To convey and plant grace in the foul. z. To act and help us to exerciTe the Graces which are planted thete. 3· To lhine upon and enlighten thofe Graces, or to give an earneft ofthofc gra– ces. This lali work the Spirit fulfils two ways; 1. By Arguments and Inferences, which is a mediate work. 2. By prefence and influence, which is an immediate worke. Thefc the Apofl:le calls Witnrffe-bearing; the Spirit brings i~ the wimeffe of the water,. 1 ]o/Jn. s. a and of the blood, which is his mediate work; but beftdes and above thefe, he gives a· diil:inct witneffe of his uwn, which is his immediate work, and is in :1 way of peculiarity and trunfcendency, called, The witneffe of the Spirit: concerning both is that of f1e Apotlle, We havereceiwd, not the sp;rit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, ICOY· ~. 12 • that !VC may f0ow the thiitgs that arcfree~ygiven us ofGod. The things freely given us, may be received by us, and yet the receipt of them not known to us ; therefore the Spirit for our further confolation, cloth (as it were) put his hand and feal to our re– ceipts; whence he is faid, To feal tu tep unto the day of RedeniptiorJ. B~tt how may a man difccrn between the teftimony of the Spirit, and tht i/lujion of Sa– tan. Epb. 4 P• 0_uft. · I Aofwcr, There is ever an harmony and fwect accord between the inward and out- . ward tcil:imony, between the Spirit of God, a)ld .the Word of God and therefore we Anfiv. may difcern the tefl:imony of the Spirit by the Word. Thus in the Old TeJ:ament, all RevehtionS"\vere to be examined by"the Vvord,Deut. I 3· r. !fa.S.zo. rind in the 1;!ew- :rctlament our Saviour reUs us, That the Spirit j/:a/1 leai you mto all truth : How fo ? J ohn , 6 • 13 • lS that whtch the[peak_ ofhimfeif, but what heJhalt hear, thatJha!L hefpcak._: And what For he .fha/1 not Spirit heareth, is it not that \vhich is already contained "in the Scnptures? · . Nay then _(jay fome) the credit of the voyce of the Spirit ''luft depend upon the Word, bu;thu m~tjf not be a/lotVed, that any thingJh•uld be offuch credit, asto give c;·edit to-the Sptrtr! I anfwer,, Why not? the Scripture we kno\v is already known and received as the Word ofGod, and therefore what cometh after itPlftlull: needs borrow credit from it: Indeed, the truth of what the Spirit fpe:tketh doth not depend upon the \ Vord, yet the credit of tt doth. object. Dr. Cri[ps af-. furan".offi~:rb Sol. Bat there is no mmEvidences (fay they) fave one!y the revealing Evidence,the Spirit Object. . . . ofChn{t,_ and thereceiving Evidence, which isfaith; the Spirit withill theefaith, Thy Dr. CII/P '""! fin IS forgtven thee,_and Fartb receiveth it, and fits down fati.ified; notv hrre ;; thy Evi- · dence, if thou haft only_ thefe two, thOit haft thy portion, thou needeft no more. I Anfwer: 1. In thts way, what profane pcrfon is there in this world, which may not concludcfor himfclf, if he will but force upon himfelf this pcrfwafion, That the Spmt fatt_h .'t, tftd I believe it? 2. The rcrvealiltg and receiving Evidence (i.) the \Vord ofthe Spmt, and the fubfcription of Faith, do not lay the ground of perfect peace, exccn Sol.
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