g92 Book.lV. Part. v. Looking unto Jiftu. Chap. 2.Se&·4 .. ading of fome graces , or fuch like; and by this we may know that the teiltmony is true, and proceeds from the ~pint of God. 2. With argumentation, and that is when the Spirit brings in the teftimony of blood, and water; I may call it a·rdl:imony of faith, and other graces of the Spirit written in our hearts, and brought out by the Spirit in a way of argument; as thus-He that beleeveth, hath ever/4ffing l1je, but 1 be/ave. Ergo. The firft propofition is the Gofpel, and in this way it is the fitft work of the Spirit to open our eyes, for the underftanding thereof. The fecond propofition is thy cafe, or mJ cafe; and here the Spirit enlightens the foul to fee it felfe under that condition, but I belreve. Indeed many times this is notfo eafily done, and therefore the Spirit doth clicite and draw torth rhe foul to an aifent by a further evidence of argument. True (fayesthe foul) he that l>c!eeves hath ev~ri4Hng life, but I am no;u of thc.(e bt!uvers, 11nd therefore what doth this promife concerne [uch an unbeleeving wretch as I am? In this cafe now the S pirirs work is longer, or thorter, even as he pleafeth; i( it will be no better, the Spirit is f~ine to produce fome other proofes ofScripture, as evidence fa it h in the fubject in whom it is; fuch as purifying the hm; !eve to God, hu 1M)ef, hu people, &c. and poi1ibly it goes further yer, and proves thofe graces to be it:J the foul by further markes. --I know fome object, if the Spirit fay, thou art a beleever, becaufe thoa hafi love, the foul may doubt ftdl whether it have love or no; and if the Spirit fay, thou hail: love becaufe thou delig!Jtrft in God>. commnndrment.r, the quefrion may be llill, whether that delight be lincere, or counterfeit; pure, or mixed; and therefore fay they, there can be no judgement of a m;tm juflificatim by hu (anClification ; or of hu fan{fijication by the operation ofparticular gracts. I anfwer, it is .true, that whiles I endeavour to difcover thefe graces meerely by rrafon, they may be frill fubjeCl: to quefiion, :and fo they can m keno firme alfurance . but in the foul that ii gracio~!fly.aifured this way ,t~e Spirit ofGod refis the heart upon <ln ttlrimum quodfie : he convinceth the foul by that which i; rnoft vifible in him, and io flops the mouth ofcavilling reaion from perplexing the quefiion any more. Indeed it is a fine sk,ill to know whether a true aifurance l]e .meedy rational, or from the
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