346 Rules whereby Men may judge of Pfa. r30. doth nothing in vain : Had he not been willing to receive you, he would not have dealt with you fo far as he hath done.There is nothing then remains to firm your condition but a refolved Act ofyour own Wills in anfwering the mind and will of God. And by this fearch may the foul come to fatisfa&ion in this matter ; or at leali find out and difcover where the Rick is whence their uncertainty doth arife, and what is wanting to compleat their defiles. Again, this work may be difcovered by its Effcrs. There is fomething that is produced by it in the foul, which may alfo be confidercd either with refped unto its Being and Extftence, or unto its A }ings and Operations ; in the firft regard it is Spirit, Joh. 5.6. That which is born of tine Spirit, which is pro- duced by the effec`.ival operation of the Spirit ofGod, it it Spi- rit ; A new Creature, 2 Cor. 15. 17. He that is in Chri[t Jefiw, who is born again, is a newCreature, a new life, a fpiritual life, Gal. 2. 20. Epbef. 2. i. In brief, it is an habitual furnilhment ofall the faculties of the foul, with new fpiritual vital prin- ciples, enabling a perfon in all initances ofObedience, to lead a fpiritual life unto God. This principle is by this work pro- duced in the foul; and in refp.d of its Aii,lings, it conffts in all thegracious operations of the Mind, Will, Heart or Affcti- ons in the duties of Obedience which God hath rcquired of us. This is that which gives life unto our duties ( without which the bell ofour works are but dead works) and renders them acceptable unto the LivingGod. It is not my bufnefs at large to purfue and declare thefe things; I only mention them, that perlons who are kept back from a participation of the Confola- tion tendred from the forgivenefs that is with God, becaufe they cannot comfortably conclude that they are born again, as knowing that it is unto fuch perlons alone unto whom, thefe Confolations do truly and really belong, may know how to make a right judgement of themfelves. Let fuch perlons then rot flufftuate up and down in Generalsand Uncertainties, with 'warders complaints, which is the ruine of the.peace of their fouls , but let them really put things to the trial, by the exa- mination of the Caufes and Effects of the work they enquire after. It is by the ufe offuck- means whereby God will be pleat-ea
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