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The 3d and last, namely, the teftimony of the Spirit. This Spirit, as it affifts us in our examination, fo it ratifies and confirms our fentence by its fuffrage, fortifying our affurance, and increafing our joy. All this the fcripture exprefly teaches us; for the Spirit is called, The earnest of our inheritance, the feal of our redemption, Eph. i. 13, 14. Eph. iv. 30, 31. 2 Cor. ii. 10. 2 Cor. v. And tho' it be not improbable, but that these, and fuch like places, may relate more immediately to the Spirit of promise which was confpicuous in miracles, and feems to have accompanied all that believed in the infancy of the Church, according to those words of our Saviour, And thefe figns fhall follow them that believe; in my name they fhall caft out devils, &c. Mark xvi. 17. Yet there are texts enough which affure us, that the Spirit of God fhould be imparted to believers through all fucceeding ages, and that this fhould be one effect of it to comfort us, and be a pledge to us of the divine favour: thus, Rom. xv. 13. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghoft. And Rom. viii. 15, 16. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba Father; the Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we

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are the children of God; and if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Chrift. If it be here demanded what this teftimony of the Spirit is: I anfwer, 'tis a powerful energy of the bleffed Spirit, fhed"ding abroad and increafing the love of God in our hearts, Rom v. Tribulation worketh patience, patience experience, and experience hope, and hope makes not afbamed, because the love of God is foed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghoft which is given unto us. This is the spirit of adoption, the fpirit of obfignation, the fpirit of glory, and the fpirit of love; happy is he who is partaker of it, he has attained the maturity of Perfection and pleafure. I can fcarce forbear going in with fome of the fathers, who thought that such as these could never finally fall. I can scarce forbear applying to fuch, thofe words, Rev. xx. 6. Bleffed and holy is he that hath part in the firft refurrection; on fuch the fecond death hath no power. Thus far I have confidered affurance as it relates to the present time. But,

2. Afurance may regard the time to come; and it conduces very little lefs to the peace and pleasure of a Chriftian to be affured that he fhall perfevere in a good state, than that he is now in one. Let us therefore in the next place examine what grounds the perfect man may have for fuch a perfuafion: Now thefe are likewise three.

First,

First, The propenfion and favour of God for the perfect man:

Secondly, The fufficiency of divine afiftance. And,

Thirdly, The conscience of his own integrity.

1. The favour of God. I need not go about to prove that God will be ever ready to affift the perfect man; I need not prove that his eyes are always upon the righteous, and that his ears are always open to their prayers; that they are the dear objects of his delight and love: reafon and scripture both do abundantly atteft this, and the repeated promifes of God to good men, encourage them to hope from God whatever beloved children may from a tender and kind father. Is not this enough then to infpire the perfect man with great and confident hopes? He knows, not only, that God is an immutable God, free from all levity and inconftancy; and therefore, that nothing less than prefumption and obftinacy, habitual neglect or wickednefs, can tempt him to recall his gifts, or repent him of his favours: he knows not only that God is faithful, and will not suffer bim to be tempted above what he is able; but he knows alfo, that he has a powerful Interceffor at the right-hand of God, an Advocate with the Father, who cannot but

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prevail. Nor is this all yet; he has a great many things that plead for him with God: there are his tears which are bottled up; there are his prayers and alms which are gone up for a memorial before God; there is a book of remembrance written, wherein all his pious difcourfes are regiftred; and God is faithful, and cannot forget his works and labour of love. The Spirit of God will not foon quit the bofom that it fo long refided in; it will not fuffer itself to be divided from that perfon, with whom it had entred into fo close an union, that it feemed as it were inanimated or incorporated with him, and become effential to his Being: whence it is that the Spirit is faid to be grieved when he is forced and compelled to retire.

2. The fecond ground of affurance for the time to come, is the fufficiency of divine af fiftance. The good man is well assured, that God will never refufe the protection of his Providence, or the aid of his Spirit: and what can be too difficult for fuch a one? Providence can prevent a temptation, or remove it; the Spirit can fupport him under it, and enable him to vanquish it; nay, it can enable him to extract new ftrength and vigour from it; my grace is fufficient for thee, 2 Cor. xii. 9. the truth of which affertion has been illuftriously proved by the victories of martyrs and confeflors, who

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triumphed over the united force of men and devils. Tho' then the confcience of human frailty may awaken in the best of men fear and caution, the affurance of divine affiftance cannot but beget in them an holy confidence; the fnares and temptations. of the world, the fubtilty and vigilance of the devil may juftly create a follicitude in the best of men; but when they confider themselves encompaffed with the divine favour, they can have no reason to defpond.

3. The confcience of his own integrity is a third ground of a good man's confidence; he knows that nothing but crying provocations can quench the fpirit, and oblige God to defert him; and he has reafon to hope, that this is that he cannot be guilty of. He is fure, that prefumptuous wickedness is not only repugnant to his principles; but to the very bent of his nature, to all the inclinations and paffions of his foul: I fpeak here of the perfect man; can be ever wilfully dishonour and disobey God, who loves him above all things, and has done fo long? Can he forfake, and betray his Saviour, who has long rejoiced and gloried in him; who has been long accustomed to look upon all the glories and fatisfactions of this life, as dung and drofs in comparifon of him? Can be, in one word, ever be feduced to renounce and hate religion,

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