Exposition of Romans 8-11, Chapter 8 · Verse 16
VERSE 16. The Spirit it ſelfe beareth witneſſe with our ſpirit, that we are the Children of God.
THe Sonnes of God cry Abba Father: here is the Ground of ſuch praying: which is the witneſſe of the Spirit with our ſpirits, that we are the Children of God. This is the very roote, from whence ſpringeth confidence in Prayer to God: and the more or leſſe wee heare and feele this witneſſe, the more or leſſe aſſurance hauehave we and boldneſſe in Prayer.
Here are two things. 1. The witneſſes: which are two: 1. Gods Spirit, which performes two Offices. 1. It ſeales vp our hearts in aſſurance that we are Children: then it opens our mouthes to pray. 2. Our Spirit, which is our Regenerate part. Theſe witneſſes are two, that we might be the more confirmed.
2. The Thing witneſſed: That wee are the Children of God.
The Spirit it ſelfe: that is, the Holy Ghoſt.
So witneſſeth: Not by an outward voice, as God of Chriſt: nor by an Angell, Mat. 3. Luke 1.as to the Virgin Mary: but by an inward and ſecret inſpiration, raiſing in our hearts a Confidence and perſwaſion that God is our Father, and we his Children.
With our ſpirit: Not to our eares: but to our ſpirit: 1. Theſ. 5.23.nor this onelyonly, but with our ſpirit: Our Spirit is a witneſſe, whoſe teſtimonie is then good when confirmed by the Holy Ghoſt. Our Spirit: not our Soule, but our Regenerate part ſo called.
The witneſſe of the Holy Ghoſt is the worke of Faith: Reu. 2.17.the witneſſe of our ſpirits the ſenſe of Faith wrought. This is better felt by experience, then expreſſed by words: known altogether, and onelyonly to them which hauehave it: for mee to ſpeake of this to them which hauehave it not, were as if I ſhould ſpeake a ſtrange language.
That we are the Children of God. Not that wee ſhall bee, or may be: but are; in the preſent Tenſe.
doctrine The Holy Ghoſt witneſſeth with them which are Regenerate, that they are the Children of God, 2. Cor. 1.21. 1. Ioh. 3.21. Epheſ. 1.13. & 4.30.
Vſe 1.The ſtate of Gods Children is full of ſweet certainty and aſſurance. He that hauing a cauſe to be tryed, hath two ſufficient witneſſes, doubts not of the day. Now Gods Children hauehave two witneſſes, omni exceptione maiores: 1. Their owne Spirit, which is not to be contemned: (for if Conſcience a naturall thing be a thouſand witneſſes: much more the Spirit, which is a ſupernaturall power giuen of God.) 2. The Holy Ghoſt, which cannot deceiue, or be deceiued, witneſſeth with our ſpirits.
It is maruellous then that the Church of Rome denyeth aſſurance to Gods Children: What though ſome hauehave bragged of aſſurance, that hauehave beene deceiued? Doth it follow therefore that none are ſure? There bee ſome poore and baſe; are there therefore none rich? And what though my very name bee not written in the Scripture: Thou Thomas, Thou Iohn ſhalt be ſaued? It is not conuenient: What a huge Volume ſhould the Bible be, if eueryevery Saints name were there written? It is not neceſſary: becauſe all particulars are included in their Generals: As he that ſaith, All my Children are here: meanes eueryevery one in particular, though he name them not: So God, that ſaith All Beleeuers ſhall be ſaued: Meanes eueryevery one, as though they were named.
And yet the Scripture doth ſpeake in particular. If thou Confeſſeſt, &c. Thou ſhalt be ſaued. When the Law ſaith; Rom. 10.9.Thou ſhalt not Kill, Steale, &c. EueryEvery one is to take it ſpoken to himſelfe, as if he were named: Why ſhould not ſuch particulars in the Goſpell be alſo ſo taken? True, ſay the Papiſts: If you beleeue; you ſhall be ſaued: but where doth the Scripture ſay that you doe beleeue? Ridiculous! The Act of Faith is not ſet downe in the Scriptures, but the Obiect. The Faith which I beleeue is in the Bible. The Faith whereby I beleeue, is not in the Bible, but in my heart: and is not beleeued (for that were abſurd) but knowne by feeling. We doe not beleeue that we beleeue, but wee feele it: as Paul ſaith; 2. Tim. 1.I know in whom I hauehave beleeued: hee knew by feeling, and this witneſſe of the Holy Ghoſt in his heart with his Spirit.
Of all things of which the Holy Ghoſt witneſſeth with our ſpirits we may be certaine.
But the holy Ghoſt witneſſeth with our Spirits, both of our Preſent, and alſo of our Future eſtate. Therefore, &c.
The Minor is proued by Paul, who auoucheth that the things which are prepared for Gods Children, are reuealed to vsus by the Spirit, and: By the Spirit of God we know the things which are giuen to vsus of God. 1. Cor. 2.9,10.What things? Faith and Perſeuerance: Grace and Glory.
If Man ſhould witneſſe, or an Angell, there might bee doubt: but when there is ſuch a witneſſe as is the Spirit: wee ought not to doubt. The Fleſh will doubt. The Spirit doubts not, but ouercomes doubting: and this is the ſtate of Gods Children. They doubt from the Fleſh: but from the Spirit they are aſſured through Faith.
If a man of a weake braine, were on the top of ſome high Tower; and ſhould looke downe, it would make him wonderfully afraid: but when hee conſiders the Battlements or Rayles that keepe him from falling, his feare abates: So fares it with the Regenerate: when we looke on our ſinnes, and ſo downe and downe to Hell: Alas! whoſe heart quailes not? But when we conſider the brazen wall, of the louelove, truth, and promiſe of God in Chriſt, wee may be aſſured without feare. Looke vponupon thy defects, but forget not the truth and power of God.
Pretend not the Teſtimonie of the Holy Ghoſt, without thine owne ſpirit: nor contrarily, for they go together. Faith, Repentance, &c. are the Teſtimonie of Gods Spirit: if from theſe thy Spirit witneſſeth, then it is currant. But if thou beeſt a Drunkard, a Sabbath-breaker, vncleane, &c. and ſaiſt the Spirit witneſſeth thy Saluation: it is not Gods ſpirit: but a lying ſpirit: for ſuch workes are of the Diuell: Gods Spirit indeed witneſſeth; but the witneſſe is, that they which doe ſuch things, ſhall be damned.