398 BXTR.IORDINARY WITNESS; OF THE SPIRIT. had ; though he was known to be a close walker with God, and an eminent saint, and a lively preacher of the blessed gospel of Christ." VI. There have been several learned andjudicious divines, who have declared their firm beliefofsuch extraordinarymanifes- tations and witnessings of the blessed Spirit ; which belief has arisen from their acquaintance with the scriptures, and their ob- servations ofthe dealings of God with the spirits of his people, in some uncommon cases, though they have not possessed any such experiences of their own. So the worthy and pious Mr. Caryll, on Job. x. The Spirit brings in the witnessof the water and the blood, which is his mediate work. Butbesides and above these, he sometimes gives a distinct witness ofhis own, which is his im- mediate work ; and is, in a way of peculiarity and transcendency, Balled the witness of the Spirit. The learned and venerable Dr. Owen, in his Treatise of Communion with God, page 293, saith, "'There are are two ways whereby the Spirit worketh thisjoy in the heart of believers. 1. He doth it immediately by himself, Without the consideration of any other acts or works ofhis, or the interpositionsof any rea- sonings, ordeductions and conclusions. This does not arise from our reflex conslderatietiof the love of God, but rather givesocca- sion thereunto. He so sheds abroad the love of God in our hearts, and fills them with gladness by an immediate act and ope- ration. 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 sor- rows, 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 mediately by his other works towards us, &c. These are after the common or ordinary manner." That great and evangelical divine Dr. Goodwin, in vol. iv. part 2, pages 95, 96, declares, " That besides the tes- timony ofthe water and blood, that is, faith in the deathof Christ and sanctification, there is a third testimony, and that is theHoly Ghost himself, which is immediate ; that is, though it backs and confirms what the other two said, yet it quotes them not, builds not its testimony on them, but raises the heart to see its adoption and sonship, by- an immediate discovery of God's mind and love." And a little after he adds, " This witness is not a testimony fetched out of aman's self; or the common work of the Spirit in man, as theothers were, but he speaks from himself : As whenthe broad seal is put to by a king, he writes teste meipso, sodoth the spirit speak in the language of a king, teste meipso, witness myself ; and receives and borrows no witness from what is in us, but makes his own abundantly satisfy." The late pious and judicious expositor of scripture, Mr.
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