Sunday, May 16, 2010

Satisfied beyond all doubt

“The strong and lively exercises of a spirit of childlike, evangelical, humble love to God, give clear evidence of the soul's relation to God as his child; which does very greatly and directly satisfy the soul . . . the saint stands in no need of multiplied signs, or any long reasoning upon them . . . the saint sees and feels plainly the union between his soul and God; it is so strong and lively, that he cannot doubt of it . . . the Spirit of God gives the evidence by infusing and shedding abroad the love of God, the spirit of a child, in the heart, and our spirit, or our conscience, receives and declares this evidence for our rejoicing.

“Many have been the mischiefs that have arisen from that false and delusive notion of the witness of the Spirit, that it is a kind of inward voice, suggestion, or declaration from God to man, that he is beloved of him, and pardoned, elected, or the like, sometimes with, and sometimes without a text of Scripture; and many have been the false and vain (though very high) affections that have arisen from hence. And it is to be feared that multitudes of souls have been eternally undone by it.” ~ Jonathan Edwards in A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections

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