474 ORDINARY" WITNESS OP THE SPIRIT. DISC.'Xt, were called in an uncommon manner, to undertake ser- vices of uncommon difficulty. But the words of my text seem rather chiefly to refer to that more ordinary and usual testimony.which the Spirit of God gives to. our son-. ship, by assisting our own spirits to attain the knowledge of this privilege. Inorder to improve,these words, I shall endeavour I. To lead your thoughts on in a few propositions, to- wards a plain and easy notion of this ordinary or assist- ing witness of the Spirit of God. II. Shew what methods the Holy Spirit generally takes in this work. III. Propose some advices concerning it. And then .1V. I shall give my thoughts also concerning the ex traordinary witness of the Spirit. First, I would open the way toward a plain and easy notion of this ordinary or assisting witness of the Spirit of God with our own spirits, in a few propositions Ist. Prop. God, in his word, has given us the descrip- tion and the characters of his children. This is evident, and beyond dispute. Many scriptures there are that evince it. He has told us what we are by nature ; viz. children of wrath ; and laid down the character of sin- ful men in an unregenerate state, who are called the children of the devil. He has acquainted us with what we are by grace; viz. his own children, born again, or born of God ; and has laid down various marks of that privilege also, that so we might distinguish between good and evil, between saints and sinners. The marks of the children of God in scripture, are chiefly such as these: 1. They believe in Christ Jesus; John i. 12. To as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the children of God; even to as many as believed in his name ; 1 John v. L You have the same thing expressed in other words- : Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God : Whosoever so believes_ him to be the Messiah, as to receive hirn for a Saviour from sin and hell, according to his commission to save. 2. They are such as do not willingly indulge sin, that -do not make sin their practice. See 1 John iii. 9. He that is born of God sinnèth not : He Both not drink in iniquity with greediness, as others do; he has still a set-
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