DISC. XII.. EXTRAORDINARY WITNESS OF THE SPIRIT. of the dealings of God with the spirits of his people, in some uncommon cases, though they have not professed` any such experiences of their own. So the worthy and pious Mr. Cary11, on Job x. The Spirit brings in the witness of the water, and the blood, which is his me- diate work. But besides and above these, be sQmetinies, gives a distinct witness of his own, which is his immediate work ; and is, in a wayof peculiarity and transcendency,; called the witness of the Spirit. The learned and venerable Dr. Owen, "in hisTreatise. of Communion with God, page 293, saith, There a,r6 two ways whereby the Spirit worketli thisjoy in the heart of believers. 1. He doth it immediately by himself,' without the consideration of any other acts or \rorks.of his, or the interposition of any reasonings,' or deductibis, and conclusions. This does not arise from our reflex consideration of the love of God, but rather gives oc casion thereunto. He so sheds abroad the love of God in our hearts, and fills them with gladness by an imme- diate act and operation. Of this joy there is no account to be given, but that the Spirit worketh it when and how he will : He secretly infuseth and distils it into the soul, prevailing against all fears and sorrows, 'filling it with gladness, exultations, and sometimes with unspeakable raptures of the mind." To this the Doctor adds, " 2. The Spirit works this joy also rrkediately, by his other works towards us, (S.c. These are after the corn- mon or ordinary manner." That great and evangelical divine Di: Goodwin, in; vol. iv. part 2, pages 95, 96, declares; " That, besides . the testimonyof the water and the blood, that is, faith the death of Christ and sanctification, there is a third testimony, and that is the Holy Ghost himself, which, is immediate ; that is, though it backs and confirms what the other two said, yet it quotes them not, builds not his testimony on them, but raises the heart to see, its adop- tion and sonship, by an immediate discovery of .God's mind and love." And a little after he adds, " This wit- ness is not a testimony fetched out of a man's self, or the. common work of the Spirit in man, as the others were,, but he speaks from himself: As when the broad seal.is, put to by a king, he writes, Teste .meipso ; so dotty the Spirit, speak in the language of a king, Teste nieipsq, wi't
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