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Papers of the Winthrop Family, Volume 4

Propositions Concerning Evidence of God's Love1
Allen, Rev. John (d. 1671) Weld, Thomas Eliot, John Burr, Jonathan Mather, Richard Phillips, John Shepard, Thomas Wilson, John

1640-09-23

1: A Christian may have (vpon the manifestation of Gods free grace in the offer of the Gospell) some Comfort and staye of heart, by restinge vpon it: alltho he hath as yet no grace in himself.

2: A man can have no Evidence or Assurance of Gods special loue to his soule before he doe beleeve in Christ.

3: After a man dothe beleeve there is a testimony of Gods spirit touching a mans good estate.

4: This testimony of the spirit is given only to beleevers, and suche as are adopted by Faith.

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5: The most vsuall Testimony of the Spirit is togither with our Spirits, or by the sight of Graces.

6: A Christian not doubting but supposing and takinge it for granted that he hath Grace in himself, may have Testimony of Gods love by the Spirit, without present actuall reasoninge or mindinge of his Graces.

7: To a Christian doubtinge of his Grace or not knowinge it, there is no Testimony of Gods loue by the Spirit, without cleeringe vp in some measure of the truth of his Graces allso, either precedent or concommitant togither with the wittnesse of Gods love.

8: A Christian (by neare and immediate revelation of Gods love to him) dothe not thereby see his faith and sanctification, without experience by the helpe of the Word and Spirit of the truethe of their worke in his soule.

9: That the Testimony of Gods love which is not conferred by following Grace is not the wittness of Gods Spirit but a delusion.

10: There is no testimony of the Spirit in illegible that is without the word, either in the lettre or sence thereof.

11: When the Spirit wittnesses Gods loue by the word in the sence of it, yet this testimony is to be tryed by the written word: that so it may be discerned to be indeed a testimony of the Spirit, and not a delusion. We conceive that these are agreeable to the truthe.

Jo: Philipps Tho: Weld Jo: Allen Tho: Sheppard Rich. Mather Jo: Burre Jo: Willson Jo: Eliot Roxbury (7) 23. 40

Endorsed by Governor Winthrop: About Evidence etc.

1.

W. 4. 168; 5 Collections , I. 490–491. This document, including the signatures, is a copy in the handwriting of Governor Winthrop.