olume XII. of the Testimony of the Spirit; not as an Argument whereby a perfwafion of a Divine Revelation, viz. That the Scriptures are the Word of God, is wrought; but also as he is the Author and efficient Cause of it. I do moft readily grant the great Influence that the Spirit of God hath upon the minds of men in this work of Faith, as well as in every Spiritual Act: But it is to be enquired, how the Spirit of God may be faid to work this Faith in us; whether by ftrengthning the Faculty; or by holding the mind intent upon the Argument, whereby this perfwafion is wrought; or difcovering the Object; or removing the Impediments; or farthering and helping forward the efficacy of it upon our Hearts and Lives. But of this, God willing, in my next Difcourfe. SER. SERMON V. Of the Teftimony of the Spirit, to the Truth of the Gospel. Sermon The Fifth Sermon on this Text. HEB. XI. 6. But without Faith it is impoffible to please God. I N difcourfing of the Faith or Perfwafion of a Divine Revelation, I came to enquire, In what refpects this may be call'd a Divine Faith. To which my Anfwer was, that it is a Divine Faith, not only with refpect to the Object of it, and the Argument whereby it is wrought, and the Effect of it: But likewife in Volume refpect of the Author and Efficient of XII. it, which is the Divine Spirit._ I proceed therefore to confider the Tetimony of the Divine Spirit, not only as an Argument whereby a Perfwafion of a Divine Revelation, viz. That the Scriptures are the Word of God, is wrought: But alfo as he is the Author and efficient Cause of it. The Scripture doth in a peculiar manner afcribe the belief of Divine Revelation, especially of the Revelation of the Gospel, to the Spirit of God. In this fenfe the Scripture faith, That no man can fay, that Jefus is the Chrift, but by the Spirit of God. And tho' every good perfwafion that we have, be in fome fort or other to be ascribed to God; yet I obferve it to be the Phrafe of the New Teftament, to attribute the belief of the Gofpel, in a more peculiar manner, to the Spirit of God. When any Man believes the Principles of Natural Religion, that there is a God, that the Soul is immortal, and that there are Rewards after this Life, as the Heathens did even this is from God, who hath planted thefe Principles in our Na tures; V. tures; or, which comes all to one, M hath given us fuch Faculties, by the Sermor Ufe and Improvement of which, we may come to the knowledge of these Principles but it is not ufual in the phrafe of Scripture, to attribute this Natural Knowledge in fuch a peculiar manner to the Spirit of God. When any man believes the mat ters of Divine Revelation, for Inftance, the Doctrines contained in the Gofpel; this Faith is to be attributed to the Spirit of God; but not as immediately perfwading us of the truth of thefe Doctrines, but by perfwading us, that the Gofpel which contains these Truths, is a Divine Revelation; or which is all one, that the Lord Jefus Chrift, who delivered thefe Doctrines to the World, was a Divine Person, and came from God: and if we once firmly believe and entertain this, that Jefus was the Meffias, and fent from God to acquaint the World with his Mind and Will ; we can make no doubt of the truth of any thing which he hath delivered So that the Faith which the Scripture doth in a peculiar manner attribute to the the Spirit of God, is this perfwafion, Volume that Jefus is the Chrift; that is, that XII. he was the true Meffias, and fent from God. So that the Queftion is: How the Spirit of God doth concur to the begetting of this Faith or Perfwafion? Or why this Faith is in fuch a peculiar manner attributed to the Spirit of God? I answer upon these two Accounts. First, In refpect of the outward evidence which the Spirit of God gives us to perfwade us to believe. Secondly, In refpect of the inward efficacy and operation of the Spirit of God upon the Minds of Men in believing. First, In refpect of the outward evidence, which the Spirit of God gives us to perfwade us to believe. And if this be not that which Divines mean by the testimony of the Spirit in this matter, yet I think it is that which may most properly be fo called. Now the TO |