284 / 652
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.
In
order
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-