Book II. THE H 0 L y s p I R I T A w I T N E s s THE H 0 L Y S P I .k I T A W I T N E S S. It is the Holy Spirit that beareth Witnefs, becaufe the Spirit is '!'mth. He that beli!> eth on the Son of God, bath the Witnefs within himfelf, r John v. 6, ro. <.Ihe Spirit itfelf beareth Witnejs with our Spirit, &c. Ram. viii. r6. J\1y Confcience a!fo beareth me Witnefs in tbe Holy Ghofl, &c. Ram. ix. I . A Witnefs is abfolutrly ~ecelfary for the keeping up of J uftice, deciding all Mat– ters of Moment, or to the putting an end to Controverfies that may arife be– tween Parties; and for the confirming and EO:ablilhment of Truth. METAPHOR. I. WITNESS imports famething to be done, that is to be attefred when it fl1all be re– quired, or when there is need of it. PARALLEL. I. THERE is fomethin g done by Chriil: for us, and in us, which it is needful there be a Witncf> of, to confirm and eil:ablirh both. ( 1.) Whatever the Lord Jefus did in the Days of his Flerh, as the Sent-one of the Father, was borne Witnefs to by the Holy Spirit, by thofc mighty Works which were done by the Means and Power thereof. (2.) The Lord Jefus hath alfo done great Things in thofe who do believe the Trurh, of which the Holy Spirit beareth Witnefs. II. A good Witnefs is a juil: and impartial Perfon, one that will tell only the Truth. Ill. A good and faithful Wit– nefs decides and ends Controver– Jies upon Trial the right Way. II. The Holy Spirit is a jt;il: and impartial Wit– nefs. '!'he Spirit beareth Witnefs, becaufe tbe Spirit is 'I'rutb, I John v. 6. Ill. So the Holy Spirit decides and ends the great Doubt that arifes in the Heart about the Work of Grace being the right Way; will not fpeak Peace to him to whom it doth nor apper– tain; will not clear the Guilty, viz. him that bdieveth n0t, notwithfranding his teem – ing Zeal, Holinefs, &c. nor condemn the holy and fincere Perfon, notwithfranding the Weakne!fes and Infirmities of his Life. IV. One Witnefs is not fufficiIV. So in the great Cafe of lntereil: or no Jnent to the deciding of fame Diffetereft in Jefus Chrift, or about Faith and Hegeo ren,ces, in fome Cafes there flwuld neration, rhere muft be two or three \Vimelfes, be more than one Witnefs. In tbe no more is required. Fir 0:, the Spirit of God. Mouth of two or three Witnejfes, And fecondly, Our Spirit, or the Tt!limony of jh£!! every Word be eflablijhed. our own Confcience. '!'be Spirit itfe!f benretb V. A Witnefs is highly efteem– ed, and his Tefrimony prized by a Man falfely accufed, when his Life lies at ftake thereby; efpecia)ly when fuch clear Evidence is given in for the Defendant, that tends to the clearing up his Innocency and abfolutely to acquit him, and to his greatHonor, let him at Liberty, notwithil:anding thofe cruel and falfe Accufations of his Enemy. Wit11cjs with rmr Spirir, tl,at we a•-e rl'e Cbildrm of God, Ram. viii. 16. V. When the Spirit of God , with a Man's own Confcience, gives in Evidence for him touching his Sinceriry, when accufed by' ~atan and by wicked Men, and flandered as a vile Hypo– crite, as Job was, it doth clear him and makes his Heart light ; and how cloth he prize and eil:eem , fuch a Friend ? A Ios ! had not a Chrifrian the Vi'irne(, in himftif, to clear and bear up his Soul, he would fink down many Times into utter Def– pondency: But this made holy Job ro triumph over all his Enemies ; Behold, my Witmfs is ill Heaven, and my Record is on, higb, Job xvi, I9· As much as if he lhould fay, though many Wirneffes are againfr me, yet I will keep my Confcience clear, I will not have my own Heart to charge me, or witnefs againlt me as long as I live. VI. A good Witnefs m?.ny Times gives in fuch clear Proof and Cir– cumfrances, to the deciding ofCon– uoyerftes and ending Differences, VI. So the Holy Ghofr gives in fuch clear De– monil:ration and Proof to the clearing up of a Man's Evidence for Heaven, that when all Cafes are clearly confidered, a poor Sain't, though doubt- - ful
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