The sound believer, or, A treatise of evangelical conversion discovering the work of Christs…The sound beleever, or, A treatise of evangelicall conversion discovering the work of Christs…

5. If such a testimony should be the first ground of faith, then no man should believe but he that hath such a testimony antecedent to his faith; but this is cross to the Scripture; Isaiah 50.10. He that sits in darkness, and sees no light, let him stay himself upon his God. When Jonah is cast out of Gods sight to his own feeling, yet he is bound to look again unto the Temple.

5. If such a testimony should be the first ground of faith, then no man should beleeve but he that hath such a testimony antecedent to his faith; but this is crosse to the Scripture; Esay 50.10. He that sits in darknesse, and sees no light, let him stay himselfe upon his God. When Ionah is cast out of Gods sight to his owne feeling, yet he is bound to look againe unto the Temple.

6. This absolute testimony is either the testimony of the Word, or of the Spirit; Not of the Word, as is proved; If of the Spirit, then let it be considered, whether that can be the testimony of the Spirit which is not according to the Word, nay contrary to the Word, for the Word to say none are justified before faith; for the Spirit to testify some are justified before faith. If it be said, that the Spirit doth not witness these to any man before and without faith; but yet it is without respect unto, or showing a man his faith, (for those that exclude Sanctification from being any evidence, they mean Faith as well as any other renewed work of holiness, and so exclude that also) then I say the testimony of the Spirit (which of it self is exceeding clear) is an obscure and dark testimony, because it clears up the predicate of ⟨p. 233⟩this Proposition, thou believer art justified, it witnesseth to a man thou art justified; but clears not up the subject of it: viz. thou believer, it makes a man believe a testimony without understanding the full meaning of it; for the Spirit testifying to any man thou art justified; his meaning is, thou believer art justified: and I do beseech the God and Father of all lights, that his poor people may be led into the truth in this particular; for want of establishment here, you little think how many delusions you may fall into about your spiritual condition; I remember that when Satan came to overthrow the Faith of Christ in his second temptation,