15 j. The Covenant of Worst Chap, 2 t which God gives in hzs,Spirit as an honorarium,or glorious reward up- on v: ciory obtained. Here first by way of concefiion it is not to he denied that God in a more then ordinary meafure doth many times manifeft the gift of his Spirit for this work of Affurance, & that upon thefe occafions here laid down , the foul bath many cheering con- folations nigh unto raptures, The Spoufe hath not like converfe with the Bridegrooms at all times; fometimes the walked with him in the Galleries ; fometimes the ïs trial him in the wine fellers; fome- times the can fay in a way of exultation, My beloved is mine, and 1 am his. But thefe limits in the inftances before laid down, feem to me to be a full deniall inftead of proofe,that it is thus immedi- ate, without all reflex upon our graces. Thefe being means fan- &ified ofGod,to flirre up the habit of grace by his Spirit wrought within us ; and to bring them forth into a&ion which God then farther honours with a greater meafure of light, to difcerne his own workwrought in us. Our fpirits being got into fuch a _ pofture, are in an aptitude to witneffe with us ; and God is then pleafed to come in by his Spirit to joyne in Evidence; fo that fill the conditional promifes are not only a fate", but the alone way, in which through the help of the Spirit we get Affurance that we Ihail be faved. They that go about to a %rt an immediate thffe in any will never fecure the foul from delulion ; Satan will loon finde an artifice to counterfeit this teftimony , and bear witneffe in the Spirits ftead;and when we think we have the Spirit of truth to affure, we Ihall have the father of lies to deceive. A gappe will be opened to all licentious prefumption; Children of Gtifobedience will foon heed vaine words, that the wrath of God /hall not come upon them ; Neither will it be to purpofe to demand how the Prophets were affured that it was the word of the Lord that came to them, and no delufion, and to affirme that the fame way we have Affurance of the truth of the Spirits witneffe ;- feeing Gods extraordinary way of difcovery of himfelf in vifions,dreams, or what other way himfelf pleafed to chufe , is not the fame with his .ordinary way o-f difcoverie unto us , we no more underftand that, then we do the way in which by power received, they wrought miracles. As for Do&rines, which men are apt to ob- trude upon the Spirit; fo for teftimonies, in order to our adopti- on and falvation ,. we inuit go to the Law , and to the 'eftimaah .
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