Ver.4. their Condition in repea ofInherent Grace. RULE II. 343 Ifyou are docrbtfú11 concerning your "fate andcondition, do n,t expo an extraordinary determination of it by an Immediate Te- fiimony of the Spirit of God. l. do grant that God doth fometimes by this means bring in peace and fatisfa&ion unto the foul ; he gives his own Spirit immediately to bear witnefs with ours, that we are the children of God, both upon the account of Regene- ration and Adoption. He doth fo, but as far as we can ob= ferve in a way ofSoveraignty, when and to whom he pleafeth. Befides, that men may content and fatisfie themfelves with his ordinary Teachings, Confolations and Communications of his Grace, he bath left the nature of that peculiar Teftinnony of the Spirit very dark and difficult to be found out, few agreeing wherein it doth confifl, or what is the nature of it : No ogle mans Experience is a Rule unto others. And an undue Appre- henfion of it, is a matter ofgreat danger. Yet it is certain that humble fouls in extraordinary cafes may have recourfeunto it with benefit and relief thereby. This then you may defire, you may pray for, but not with filch a frame of fpirit as to refute that other fatisfadion which in the waits of Truth and Peace. you may find. This is the putting of the h.:nd into the fide of çkrifl, but bl,fedare they who believe, and yet have not teen. RULE III. Ifyou have at any timeformerly received any e#rcial or Imme- diate pledge or teflimony_ofGodgiven untoyour fouls as unto their Sincerity, and confequently their Regeneration, labour to recover it, and to revive a fenfe of it upon your Spirits now in your dark - neß andtrouble. I am perfwaded there are but few Believers, . but that God doth at one timeor other, in one duty or other, entring into, or coming out ofone Temptation or another, give force fingular Teffimony unto their own fouls and confciencc.s concerning their Sincerity, and his Acceptance of them. Some- times he doth this in a duty wherein he hath enabled the foul to make fo near an approach unto him, as that it huh been X x 3 warmed,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=