310 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING. to prove that certainty of salvation is not common among true Christians; but that it is labor in vain, as to them, seeing experi- ence and their own ready confession doth witness it. Now, what is the use that I woul¡l have }tou makeof this? Why, it is this. If assurance of sincerity and justification (much more of salvation) be sg rare among true Christians, then you have no cause to think that the want of it proveth you tobe no true Chris- tian. You see, then, that a man may be in astate ofsalvation with- out it; and that it is not justifying faith, as some have imagined, nor yet anecessary concomitant of that faith. You see that you were mistaken in thinking that you had not the spirit of adoption, because you had no assuring witness Within you, effectively tes- tifying to you that you are the child of God. All God's chit- dren have the Spirit of adoption. (For because they are sons, therefore hath God sent the Spirit of his Son into their hearts, whereby they cry, ' Abba, Father ;' Gal. iv. ß.) But all God's children, have not assurance of their adoption; therefore the Spirit of adoptiondoth not always assure those of their adoption in ,whom it abideth. It is always a witness-bearer of their adop- tion ; but that is only objectively by his graces and operations in them, as a land-mark is a witness whose' land it is where it stand- eth; or as your sheep-mark witnesseth which be gout sheep; or rather as a sensible soul witnesseth a living creature, or a rational . soul witnesseth thatwe are.men. But efficiently it Both not always witness ; as a land-mark or sheep-mark is not always discerned ; and a. brute knows not itself to be a brute ; and a man is not always actually knowing his own humanity, nor canknow it at all in the womb, in infancy, in distraction, in.. an epilepsy, apoplexy, Or the like disease,which deprives himof the useof reason. Besides, it is no doubt but the apostlehad some respect to the eminent gift ofthe Spirit, for tongues, prophecies, miracles, and the like, which was proper to that age ; though still as including the Spirit of holiness. You see, then, that you need not be always in disgttiet when you want assurance. For else how disquiet a life should mostChris- tians live : I shall show you more anon, that all aman's comforts depend not so on his assurance, but that he may live a comfortable life without it. Trouble of mind may be overcome ; conscience may be quieted ; true peace obtained; yea, a man may have that joy in the Holy Ghost, wherein thekingdom of God is said to con- sist, without certainty of salvation. (If there . be any passages in my Book of Rest, part iii., pressing to get assurance, which seem contrary to this, I desire that they may be reduced to this sense, and nootherwise understood.) This shall be further opened anon, and other grounds of comfort manifested, besides assurance. Direct. XV. Yea, thus much moreI would here informyou of,.
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