Precious faith considered in its nature, working, and growth

Again, there being an infallible Connection between truth of Grace and Pardon, and also between Perseverance in Grace and Salvation, a Believer may be assured of the truth of his Graces, and so of his Pardon; and again he may be assured of his Perseverance in Grace, and so of his Salvation: These two demonstrated will make good the Point. First I say, A Believer may be assured of the truth of his Graces, and so of his Pardon, which cannot but be where those are. And for the truth of Grace a double Testimony may be vouched, one from Conscience, the other from the holy Spirit; the Apostle mentions both; The spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit, Rom. 8.16. [Greek or Hebrew], it co-witnesseth with ours, and in the mouth of two such Witnesses there must needs be establishment: Hence St. Chrysostom on these words breaks out, [Greek or Hebrew]? What scruple can remain after such a Testimony? I shall begin with the testimony of Conscience. Conscience is a spy in our bosom, which marks every thing; a spiritual Echo, which returns our actions, and makes them sound again after they are past and gone from us: By it the Soul turns its eyes in ward, and becomes a Speculum or Looking-glass to it self, representing to it self its own acts: By it it bends back the beams of general Truths, and applies them to Particulars. That Righteousness and Virtue should be followed is an universal Truth, but Conscience can reflect it back upon us and bids us do so in particular; and if we indeed do it, ⟨p. 405⟩Conscience will say Euge, this or that is well done by us. The Testimony of Conscience was of great repute among Pagans; Plato calls it his Daemon, and Menander a God, [Greek or Hebrew], saith he, Conscience is a God to Mortals. And Seneca, Deus in humano corpore hospitans, God dwelling in an humane body. Hence came Pythagoras's [Greek or Hebrew], or self-reverence. And Sextius his parley with himself every night, what Vice he had in the day resisted, and Virtue promoted. And the Satirists complaint touching the neglect of the reflexive faculty, Ut nemo in sese tentat descendere, nemo, few or none would descend into themselves. Among Christians the Testimony of Conscience must needs be sacred; their Consciences not lying, as the Pagans, in their blood or natural pollution, but being purified by the precious Blood and Spirit of Christ;

Again, there being an infallible Connexion between truth of Grace and Pardon, and also between Perseverance in Grace and Salvation, a Believer may be assured of the truth of his Graces, and so of his Pardon; and again he may be assured of his Perseverance in Grace, and so of his Salvation: These two demonstrated will make good the Point. First I say, A Believer may be assured of the truth of his Graces, and so of his Pardon, which cannot but be where those are. And for the truth of Grace a double Testimony may be vouched, one from Conscience, the other from the holy Spirit; the Apostle mentions both; The spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit,