4-56 Of the Teffimony of the Spirit, Vol. 11. truth effectual ? No Man in reafon can doubt of the poflì.bility of thefe. But the queftion is, what reafon we have to afrt this, or that particular manner ? and what neceflity and convenience there is from experience, or evidence of Scripture, fo to do? Erg ofall, There feems no neceffiry of affecting the firfl,; tho' I will not ',con- tend with any Man that (hall. For if this be true,' that our Underltanditrgs are naturally endowed with a fuftìcient Power to affent to any truth that is fuffici= ently propounded to them ; then there can be no neceflity to aflèrt, that the Spirit of God doth in the work of Faith, raife and elevate our Uuderflandings above their natural Pitch. But I think it may eafily be proved, that our Underfland- ings are naturally endowed with a fufftcient power to affent to any truth that is fufficiently propounded to them ; and that in fuch a cafe nothing hinders the affent of Men, but their own Petverfenefs and Obftinacy, which ufually. proceeds from oppofition of their Lufts, or Paflìons, or intereft, to the truth which is propound- ed to them. For if Mens Underftandingsbe not naturally endowed with a (uffici- ent power toyield affent to theGofpel, when it is fufficiently propounded to them, how can it be Mens Duty to believe it ? or what Juftice can condemn them for Unbelief ? But tho' there be no neceffity of afferting, that God doth always ftrengthen and elevate the Underftanding of thofe who believe ; yet there is no reafon to deny, but that God may do this when he pleafeth, and poffibly he often Both it. God is laid in Scripture, to enlighten the eyes of our Vuderfiandings, which we may, if we pleafe, undedtand in this Senfe ; altho' that may be done by pro- pounding fuch Truths to us as we were ignorant of before, and could not have discovered, unlefs they had been revealed. Secondly, The Second way whereby the Spirit of God may be conceived to work Faith in us, is by enlighrning and difcovering the Object, or thing to be believed. In the Cafe we are (peaking of, the Object or thing tobe believed, ,is the Gofpel: now we may imagine the Spirit of God may work a Faith or Perfwafion of this in us, by revealing or difcovering to us this Propofition, that the Gofpel is true. But this I need not fpeak much to, becaufe I do not know any that pretend ro have a particular and immediate Revelation fromGod, that the Gofpel is true. So that tho' God may do this when he pleafeth, yet I do not know any who affett this to be the way whereby Faith is wrought in Men, Thirdly, The Spirit of God may be conceived to work Faith in us, by pro- pounding and offering to usfuch Arguments and Evidence, as are apt to perfwade us of the truth of the Gofpel. And- this the Spirit of God, which infpired the Writers of the Scripture, doth mediately by the Scriptures, and thofe Characters of Divinity which are in the Doftrines contained in.them ; and by thofe Miracles, which are there credibly related to be wrought by the Spirit of God, -for the con- firmation of that Doctrine. And befides this, the Spirit of God may, when he pleafeth, and probably, often cloth, immediately fuggeft thofe Arguments to our Minds, and bring them to our remembrance. Fourthly, TheSpirit of God may be conceived to workFaith in us, by holding our Minds intent upon this Evidence, till it hath wrought its Effe& upon us. And this I do not doubt., but the Spirit of God, out of his abundant Grace and Goodnefs to Men, often doth ; and I believe many Men have found their Minds kept intent upon fuch Confederations, as have mightily prevail'd upon them, and ,been effectual to perfwade them to entertain and obey the Gofpel- 5 and muff ac- knowledge that their Minds were awakened by fuch Conlderacions, and made at-. tentive to them, beyond their own Inclinations to think upon fuch things ; and in fuch a ftrange and unaccountable Manner, as they cannot in reafon but attribute to fume Luperiour Influence, riz. to the Holy Spirit -of -God. Fifthly, By removing the Impediments which hinder our effectual silent to the Gotpel. And in this and the laft particular, I conceive, the work of the Spirit of God in the producingof Faith, principally to confift ; I fay in thefe principally, not abfolutely excluding the former. The great Impediment to the Belief and Entertainment of the Gofpel, is the Prejudice which the Minds.ufMen are apt to conceive
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