The DoEirineand llfefulneff ofSignr. S H C T. I. attributed to our reafon and underftanding, but unto Godonly. ThePapift in- deed makes theft experimental works ofgrace within us to be onely mbral con. jettures, and probable indications ofGodsSpirit dwelling inus: onely they fay, it is fuch a certainty as may morallyexclude all doubting, for they inftance,that wemaybe asfure that we arein the Rate of grace, as that there is fuch a City as Rome or Conf1antinople(ifwe havenot feen thofe places) but this is not enough, becaufe they deny them to bethe infalliblewitneffe of GodsSpirit. Doubt 3. A third Doubt, Are not evidences ofGrace6j figns nfeleffe , teeing the Spirit of God doth immediately *akin our hearts aßrong Affurance offaith ? and having this Affurance, What need'Weany other ? Ifwe have the Sun, whatneed is thereof a candle ? Hencefome have reduced the whole Do@tine of evidences to two heads ; a. The revealingevidence, and that theymake animmediate Revelati- on madebyGods Spirit to the foul. Even as when the Sun-beams are immedi- ately darted into a dark room. And the lecond is a receiving evidence, and that theyCrake faith, andyou know it bath formerly been generally received, That Faith oe a full perfwafïon of Gods love to a mans felf in particular ; which iffo, the whole bufinetTe of evidence leemeth to beaccomplifhed before we come to any lignee. Anf. r. But to anfwer fiat, It may :veil he gaseftToned , Whether out of the Scripture there can be proved anyfuch immediate voice poksnbyGods Spirit tea man, that hú fins areforgiven him, and heú in theftate of grace'? So that although they take this for granted, that God dothimmediately comeinto the foul, and witneffe usato it, yet we fee by theTexts openedbefore, that its more confonant to Scri- pture, to maketheScriptures tel1imonyalive in refped of the effe?ts and fruits thereof: Some Divines donot indeed deny the pofiibilityof fuch an immediate Teftiruony, but yet they conclude the ordinary and f fe way, is, to look for that Teftimony, which is by the effecìs, and fruits of Gods Spirit. Therefore whenwe fpeakofthe Spirit of God revealing, which isoften mentioned in the Scripture, we mayeitherconceive of it, as it did reveal in anEssthotjiafticoel man- ner by an immediate influence, orelle that the Spirit ofGod doda enlighten the underftandingto fee groundsand reafons, why itihouldbeperfwaded fo. And here is a valt difference between thefe two ; wemay explain this about the Scri- pture, Abeliever is fully perfwaded of the Divine Authority of the Scripture, through theSpirit of God revealing this to him ; now this may be underftood twowaies, either by immediateDifiatesof theSpirit, telling the foul it is fo, or elfe by enlightning the underftanding to fee thofe implanted arguments in it, and bythemtoperfwadeof the Authority thereof. As it is thus for the Word, fo for the workofGodsSpirit in us, we come tobe perfwaded ofGods love CO us, andalfuredof it, not becaufeofan Authority teftifying this immediately, but becaufe Gods Spiritdothfo efficiently enlighten the heart, thatfeeing fuchgra- cious operations there, we come confidently perfwaded of Gods love to us: Thus theSumacrnanílel'teth ic fell ro betheSunne by the light that cometh from it. A learned man proverb himfelf to be learned by the learning he Movers, and thus the Spirit ofGodby and with the holy operations thereof, manifefis it (etIco hethe Spirit of Goddwelling inus, Argumenteinfra, non extrinfecue af- fumpto ; but of this more in time. a. Secondly, It ought tobedenied, thatfaith is fuch a full perfwafion. The Scri- Faith not afull paurewordswhich expceffe faith, fpeakof it as Affiance and Adherence, rather petfwabon then aPerfwafon, for thatisa reflex All inthe foul, wherebyweknow that we do know (as theApoftlefohnexpreffeth it) and that we do truly repent and be- lieve. 3. Thirdly, Seeppofe fuch evidenceswere granted, yet this by Way offggnes Were not in vain, for it loathpleafedfiod to mseltiply thofe things Whichmay confirm our faith. Thus although everywordofGod bath immutable verityin it, Tee he confirmed it alfe Withan oath, after the mannerofmen, toend all thofecontrovertieswhich diffi- .
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