fi94_ EXTRAORDINARY WITNESS OF THE SPIRIT. [DISC. XII. mess. myself; and receives and borrows no witness from `Oat is in us, but makes his own abundantly satisfy." The. late pious and judicious expositor of scripture,` Mr: Samuel Clark, has written in the defence of this extraordinarywitness of the Spirit, and describes it thus " When the Spirit of God, without consideration of, or reflecting upon, any of those gracious qualifications he has formerly wrought in the soul, does, by his own im- mediate power, imprint this persuasion upon the heart, Thou art a childOf God ; and by an inward and secret, yet powerful voice, Both say to the soul, Thou art a be- liever, thy sins are pardoned, or to that purpose; and so satisfies the soul concerning its state and condition. I proceed in the second place, to consider the special seasons and occasions wherein such favours have been bestowed on Well. The Spirit of God has in a more immediate man- ner; made extraordinary impressions of the love of God . On the soul, when persons have been called to great and anddifficult services in the church, or to uncommon suf- feríügs for the sake'oíChrist. St. Paul was in labours more abundant, and in sufferings above measure, be- yond the rest Of the apostles ; he had need of eminent support: IIe was assured by a vision, 'that he was a cho- sen vessel : He was taken into heaven before-hand, and had a sight and taste' of unseen future glories, to encou- ragebis zeal and patience ; Cor. xii. And ifwe read the history of the martyrs,. even in later as well as in ancient times, we can hardly forbear to believe this truth, when they have exulted 'under a sense of divine love, in the Midst of racks and flames. When the teinptations of some humble souls have been extraordinary, and their afflictions above measure, pressing and overwhelming; when hurry and tumult of their spirits have not suffered them to recollect in a calm and rational way, the evidences of their adoption, the Spirit of God may see fit to give a saint such a divine cordial to keep him from sinking. When 'a christian has been long contesting 'with doubts and darknesses, and been oppressed with many fears, the. blessed Spirit has . Sometimes let a sudden light into the heart, and with or rvïtheu't some'word of scripture, has given surprising con - solation. Mi. S. Clark tells us ofa-minister,'who haves
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