DireEt. X. f Sanm1 zcation. 173 that no true believers, can call God Father, by the guidance of the Spirit, but only thofe few that are fo fure of their own fincerety, that by reflecting up- on it, they can ground an at of faith 'concerning their own intereft in Chritt : no, furely. Therefore we may judge rather, that the Spirit worketh this in us, by giving us faring faith itfelf, by the direct aFt of which all true believers are enabled to truft affuredly on Chrift for the enjoyment of the adop- tion of children, and all his falvation according to the free promife of God : and to call God. Father, without reflecting on any good qualifications in themfeives ; for the Spirit is received by the direct act of faith, Gal iii. 2. and fo he is the Spirit of a. doption, and comfort, to all that receive him. They that alfert, that the Spirit witneffeth our adoption, only by alluring us of the fincerety of our faith, love, and other gracious qualifications, and by the reflex act, of faith, do teach alfó commonly, that you mutt again try, whether the fpirit thus witnetfing, be the fpirit of truth, or of delufion, by fearching narrow- ly, whether our inward grace be fincere or counter- feit: fo that hereby the testimony of the Spirit is ren- dered fo hard to be difcerned, that it ftandeth us in no Read, but all our aß'urance is made at lait to de- pend onour own certain knowledge of our own fin- cerity. There are feveral other evidences to Phew, that believers generally were perfuaded of their fal- vation in the apoftles time. They loved and waited for the coming of Chrift to judge the world, i Cor. i. 7. 2 Tim. iv. 8. They loved all the faints for the hope that was laid up for them in heaven, Col. i. 3, 4, 5. The Corinthians, that were very carnal, and but babes in Chrift, were perfuaded that they fhould judge the world, and angels, and that their bodies were members of Chrift, and the temples of the Ho- ly Ghoft, i Cor. vi. 2, 3, 15, 19. The very firtt coin- ing of the gofpel to the Thesfalonians, was in the Ho- y Ghoft, and much aifurance ; fo that they received
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