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two places; but I will mention two others which are SERM. more unquestionable, Acts v. 32. where Peter and the rest of the apostles tell the high priests and their officers, what evidence they had for what they preached concerning the refurrection and ascension of CHRIST. "We are his witnesses of these things; " and so is also the holy Ghost, whom God hath "given to them that obey him." Not only they $themselves had seen what they preached: but to confirm their testimony, the holy Ghost was poured fourth upon them in miraculous gifts. And Heb. ii. 3, 4. " how shall we escape, if we neglect so great " salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by "the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them " that heard him; God also bearing them witness, " both with signs and wonders, and with divers mi"racles, and gifts of the holy Ghost, according to " his own will?" So the holy Ghost gave teftimony to the truth of the doctrine which the apostles preached, by those gifts which he endowed them withal, and those miracles which he enabled them to work.

And I doubt not but with relation to the testimony which the Spirit of God gave to CHRIST by the miracles he wrought by CHRIST and his apostles, I fay, I doubt not, but that with relation to his teftimony it is, that the apostle faith he was " justified " in the Spirit." 1 Tim. iii. 16. "Great is the " mystery of godliness: GOD was manifest in the

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flesh, justified in the Spirit." That is, the miraculous power of the Spirit which appeared in him, and did accompany his doctrine, did justify him to the world, and vindicate him from being an impostor and deceiver.

From all which it appears, that the teftimony

SERM. which the holy Spirit gives to CHRIST and his docCCXXIII. trine, was the miracles which he and his apostles

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wrought by the Spirit of God: and if we will take our forms of speaking from fcripture, this is that which may most properly be called the teftimony of the Spirit to the truth of the gospel. But I deny not but befides this outward evidence, which the Spirit of God gives to the truth of the gospel, with respect to which the faith of the gospel is in a peculiar man ner attributed to the Spirit of God; there is likewise an inward efficacy and operation of the Spirit of GOD upon the minds of men. Therefore,

Secondly, faith is in a peculiar manner attributed to the Spirit of GOD, in respect of the inward efficacy and operation of the divine Spirit upon the hearts and minds of those who fincerely and effectually believe and entertain the gospel; I say, who fincerely and effectually believe and entertain the gospel; that is, who so believe and entertain the gospel as to obey it, and comply with it in their hearts and lives. For I doubt not but that there is so much evidence for the truth and divine authority of the gospel, as is in itself fufficient, without any peculiar operation of the Spirit of God, to filence all opposers, and to convince them so far as that they cannot have any fufficient reason to difbelieve it: but withal, I do not think that this faith doth become an abiding and effectual perfuafion in any person, without the special operation of the holy Ghost. Now that the Spirit of GOD can work this effectual perfuafion in the mind of man, cannot be doubted by any man who confiders the vast power and influence which the Spirit of God, who made our fouls, and knows the frame of them, can have upon the mind of man: all the difficulty is about the manner of it; how this faith is wrought

:

wrought in us by the Spirit of God. Now although SERM. it were fufficient for us to know the thing, though CCXXHI we were ignorant of the manner how it is done, and we might very well rest satisfied in this, that the Spirit of GOD works this faith in us, though we did not know how it does it, yet because many have taken upon them to state and determine the particular manner how it is done, it will be requisite, in order to the rectifying some mistakes about it, to enquire more particularly into this matter.

Now all the ways that have been assigned, or which, I think, we can easily imagine, may be reduced to one of these six heads. When we say the Spirit of GOD works faith in us, we must conceive it to be done, fome or all of these ways.

1. By ftrengthning the faculty, that is, raising and enabling our understanding to yield affent to the gofpel. Or,

2.- By enlightening and discovering the object, that is, the conclufion to be believed.

3. By propounding to us the arguments, or evidence, whereby we may be perfuaded of it. Or,

4. By holding our minds intent upon this evidence, till it have wrought it's effect upon us. Or,

5. By removing the impediments which hinder our affent. Or,

6. By furthering and helping forward the efficacy of this perfuafion upon our hearts and lives.

That the Spirit can work faith in us, any, or all of these ways, fo far as they are confiftent with one another, I make not the least doubt. For what man who believes the infinite power of the divine Spirit, can make the least question, whether it can raise and heighten our faculties above their natural and ordinary pitch? or whether it can discover an object to

us,

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SERM. us, with the greatest clearness and fatisfaction? or whether it can offer to our minds the best arguments, and the highest evidence that a thing is capable of? or whether it can hold our minds intent upon the confideration of any thing? or whether it can remove all hindrances and impediments ? or whether it can make the perfuafion of any truth effectual ? no man in reason can doubt of the possibility of these. But the question is, what reason we have to affert this, or that particular manner? and what necessity and convenience there is from experience, or evidence of scripture, so to do?

First of all, there seems no necessity of asserting the first; though I will not contend with any man that shall. For if this be true, that our understandings are naturally endowed with a sufficient power to afsent to any truth that is sufficiently propounded to them; then there can be no necessity to assert, that the Spirit of God doth, in the work of faith, raise and elevate our understandings above their natural pitch. But I think it may easily be proved, that our understandings are naturally endowed with a fufficient power to affent to any truth that is sufficiently propounded to them; and that in such a cafe no. thing hinders the affent of men, but their own perverseness and obstinacy, which usually proceeds from opposition of their lufts, or paffions, or interest, to the truth which is propounded to them. For if men's understandings be not naturally endowed with a sufficient power to yield assent to the gospel, when it is sufficiently propounded to them, how can it be men's duty to believe it? or what justice can condemn them for unbelief? But though there be no necessity of asserting, that God doth always strengthen and elevate the understanding of

those

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those who believe; yet there is no reason to deny, SERM.
but that God may do this when he pleaseth, and
possibly he often doth it.

God is faid in fcripture " to enlighten the eyes of
" our understandings," which we may, if we please,
understand in this sense; although that may be done
by propounding such truths to us as we were igno-
rant of before, and could not have discovered, unless
they had been revealed.

Secondly, the second way whereby the Spirit of God may be conceived to work faith in us, is by enlightning and difcovering the object, or thing to be believed. In the cafe we are speaking of, the object, or thing to be believed, is the gospel: now we may imagine the Spirit of God may work a faith or perfuafion of this in us, by revealing or discovering to us this proposition, that the gospel is true. But this I need not speak much to, because I do not know any that pretend to have a particular and immediate revelation from God, that the gospel is true. So that though God may do this when he pleaseth, yet I do not know any who. affert this to be the way whereby faith is wrought in men.

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Thirdly, the Spirit of God may be conceived to work faith in us, by propounding and offering to us such arguments and evidence, as are apt to perfuade us of the truth of the gospel. And this the Spirit of Gon, which inspired the writers of the scripture, doth mediately by the scriptures, and those characters of divinity which are in the doctrines contained in them; and by those miracles, which are there credibly related to be wrought by the Spirit of God, for the confirmation of that doctrine. And befides this, the Spirit of God may, when he pleaseth, and probably often doth, immediately suggest those arVOL. XI. guments

CCXXIII.

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