A55299:488
An answer to the discourse of Mr. William Sherlock, touching the knowledge of Christ,…
An answer to the discourse of Mr. William Sherlock, touching the knowledge of Christ, and our union and communion with him by Edward Polhill ..., Esquire.
London: printed for Ben. Foster, 1675
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The testimony of the Spirit concerns the general adoption of Christians for the sons of God, 1not to testify to any particular man, that he is a good Christian, or in the estate of Grace: It is not a private, but a public testimony given to the whole Christian Church: That holy Spirit, which God bestowed upon the Apostles and Primitive Christians, which enabled them to work Miracles, speak Languages and Prophesy, was a plain argument to all the World, that God ⟨p. 567⟩now owned the Christians, not the Jews, for his chosen and elect people; for his sons and children: For this was the great dispute of those days, whether Jews or Christians were the sons of God? whether God now owned the Jewish or Christian Religion? and the Apostles decide this Controversy by the Testimony of the Spirit; for God could not give a greater Testimony to the Christian Church, than the gift of the holy Spirit; for it was a plain argument, that he owned them for his sons, when he bestowed the Spirit of his Son on them, as the Apostle argues, Galat. 3.2. Received ye the Spirit by the Works of the Law, or by the hearing of Faith? that is, did God bestow his Spirit on you, while you were Jews, or upon your conversion to Christianity? For if God bestowed his spirit on Christians: This is a sufficient seal to the Christian Religion: This is plain and intelligible, the Testimony of the Spirit assures us, that all Christians are the Sons of God, and Heirs of the Promises; and every mans conscience will tell him, whether he be a Christian, whether he heartily believe and obey the Gospel; and herein consists our Union to Christ, and fellowship with him; let us then leave those other dim notions ⟨p. 568⟩to men, who can believe, what no man can understand, who despise every thing, that can be understood, as if it were no better than carnal reason.
The testimony of the Spirit concerns the general adoption of Christians for the sons of God, 1not to testifie to any particular man, that he is a good Christian, or in the estate of Grace: It is not a private, but a publick testimony given to the whole Christian Church: That holy Spirit, which God bestowed upon the Apostles and Primitive Christians, which enabled them to work Miracles, speak Languages and Prophesie, was a plain argument to all the World, that God