The real Christian, or, A treatise of effectual calling wherein the work of God…

But yet a few words: Our Spirits bear witness: that our spirits may do so, there must be a concourse of the Spirit of God with our spirits to help them do so: […] course of God as the first cause in all Acts, qua Act, […] a special gracious concourse in this Act: for what […] the darkness, corruption, deceit, confusion, jealousy, fears arising from hence, our spirits, though renewed, will never be able to bear witness, that we are the children of God, as experience sufficiently declares: but when the Spirit doth by his concourse help our spirits to bear witness, this witness is formally the act of our spirits, and so far, we cannot call it special faith. But the question is, Whether besides this first witness (which I believe is the highest that most Christians attain to) is there another testimony of the Spirit, distinct from this concourse of his with our spirits, by which he enabled our spirits to witness, which is the testimony of him purely as the first cause, not making up the effect with the second cause, as he did in the witnessing of our spirits? This I perceive Mr. Bolton affirms; for he calls that secret voice the testimony of the Spirit. And, faith he, when our renewed Consciences have upon such and such grounds born witness, &c. then the Spirit of God, as another witness, secondeth and confirmeth this assurance by Divine Inspiration.

But yet a few words: Our Spirits bear witness: that our spirits may do so, there must be a concourse of the Spirit of God with our spirits to help them do so: 〈…〉 course of God as the first cause in all Acts, qua Act, 〈…〉 a special gracious concourse in this Act: for what 〈…〉 the darkness, corruption, deceit, confusion, jealousie, fears arising from hence, our spirits, though renewed, will never be able to bear witness, that we are the children of God, as experience sufficiently declares: but when the Spirit doth by his concourse help our spirits to bear witness, this witness is formally the act of our spirits, and so far, we cannot call it special faith. But the question is, Whether besides this first witness (which I believe is the highest that most Christians attain to) is there another testimony of the Spirit, distinct from this concourse of his with our spirits, by which he enabled our spirits to witness, which is the testimony of him purely as the first cause, not making up the effect with the second cause, as he did in the witnessing of our spirits? This I perceive Mr. Bolton affirms; for he calls that secret voice the testimony of the Spirit. And, faith he, when our renewed Consciences have upon such and such grounds born witness, &c. then the Spirit of God, as another witness, secondeth and confirmeth this assurance by Divine Inspiration.