Eon' todáfeense the ternonieofthefpiritfromprcft`rmp604 .1 r 9 on them,their vaineperfwafion vanifhethaway,and nothing rernainethbut doubting, which in the endbringeth them to utter defperation. But here the tempter will take occafion to difcourage the weak Chriflian, and to perfwadehim that hehath mot Gods fpirit,feeing he dothnot feele in himfelfe this firme perfwa- fionofGods loue andhiseleélion and faluation. To which we are toarifwer,that Godsfpirit doth throughly perfwade, although not at all times, neither in our prefent fenfe and feeling ; for immediatelie after our conuerfionwhenwe are newlie regenerate, and like newborne babes inChrifçthe motions ofthe fpirit are but weake invs,aud we are riot skil- full in vndcrf}anding this heauenlie language of the fpirit, wherewithwe hauebeen altogether vnacquainted ; but the fpirit waxing lironger in vs, and we growing to a ripe age in Chrifi, Both crie in ourhearts,Abba father, and teí}ifieth to our fpirits thatwe are the formes ofGod; whichwe thenbe- ing better acquainted with this heauenly fpeech,do well vn- derliand,andare throughlyperfwaded thereby.And fecond- 1 ,when the poore Chriffianwho hath receiued a great,tnea- ure ofthe fpirit is exercifed in the fTirituall confliCI, the hi- deous noife ofSatans temptations which like Cannon--fhot found in his cares, and the tumultuous outcriesofhis owne paffions doe fodiflurbe and wholly poffeffehim, that he can not heare the voiceofthe fpirit perfvading him that hee is the child ofGod ; till the skirmifh bee pall and thenoireof temptations ceafed,and then againe as in former times bee heareth to his comfort thefpirit ofGöd per<f wading him of Gods loue,and-hereby bee isagaine affiired thereof. So that wee arenot to iudge ofthe hauingofGods fpirit in the time ofour Chriflian infancie and fpirituall nonage, nor yet ac- cording to our relent fenfe in the time oftemptation, but whenwee are come to perk&age, andwhen thecon is of temptations is cea e . Secondlie, the teflimonicofGods fpirit erfvadin vs of his lone andour ele6tion,is knowne by the manner whereby wa et vs:namel ,it er wadeth vs heaeo ithargu- ments grounded upon Gods word, and dxawne not front any. g P f P fì fd F g f d h f y The prrfrafiot oftbegirit nrt alaaies elf iu oA.rfcn(e andfeeling.
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