Precious faith considered in its nature, working, and growth

Cornelius a Lapide, as one under a necessity, confesses this Testimony certain in it self; but as a Salvo to the Doctrine of doubting, adds, That it is not certain to us. But this is to forget the Apostles words, That the Spirit witnesseth it in and with our spirit; and withal absurdly to say, That the Spirit indeed witnesseth, but would not be believed; or rather, That it witnesseth, and witnesseth not, because an unheard Testimony is as none. Bellarmine saith, The Spirit witnesseth not by an express word, but ⟨p. 409⟩by an Experiment of internal peace and suavity, which begets but a conjectural certainty. I answer, It's true, that it is not by an express word; but, as Learned Dr. Ward well observes, The Question is not de modo Testandi, but de Re. It is certain, there is such a Testimony, and that proceeding from the Spirit of Truth must be infallible; and being made to our spirit must be known to us, and so beget a true certainty in our hearts. Nevertheless, to illustrate this Point, I shall a little consider the Modus of it: The Spirit bears witness to ours, partly by an application of the Promises to the heart, partly by an irradiation of the Graces there: These two make up the sealing of the Spirit of Promise given after believing, Ephes. 1.13.

The Spirit applies the Promises to the Heart, that is, one part of the Seal. As the spirit of bondage applies threatenings, and thereby makes a kind of Hell in Conscience, so the Spirit of Adoption applies Promises, and by it makes a kind of Heaven there. The same Spirit, which indited the Promises of Pardon, and put them into Scripture; Seals and in a way of appropriation puts them upon the Heart; as if it should say; This and that Promise is thine; like that in the Prophet, Speak to her heart, that her iniquity is pardoned, Isa. 40.2. Now, when the Promises come so close and pour out their sweetness into the heart, the Believer may not guess only, but know, that true Faith and Repentance are there. God and his Promise speak peace only to Saints, and not a comfortable