Evidence for Heaven, Treatise · Part 11
Spirits witness with our spirits.
Rom. 8.16.
The Spirit it self, beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.
THis is the last, but not the least evidence, that a child of God hath in this life, for Heave…s eternity; of this▪ I …ay say, as David said of … sword, There is none like that, give it me; There is no testimony to that of the Spirit of God, witnessing with our spirits, to satisfie conscience, to resolve all doubts, remove all scruples, and end all controversies, about our eternall estate.
When the Spirit of God beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God (to wit,) by grace and adoption, the soul then enjoys heaven upon earth, and hath meat to eat, that the world knoweth not of; It is sealed unto the day of redemption, indeed with a seal of Confirmation, and it knoweth that it is so.
The Spirit it self, beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: Hence it is evident.
That no mans own spirit,Note. can truly ass…re him, of the love of God towards him, nor … his adoption, unless the Spirit of God concur, and bear witness with his spirit, no more than a mans own Deed or Seal, can assure him of what is delegated or assigned unto him by another.
Neither is it the Spirit of God alone, simply and singly considered, that doth this, but it is the Spirit of God concurring with our spirits, the Spirit bearing witness with our spirit, that doth assure us of the love of God, and our adoption.
When the Spirit of God by a speciall work of his upon our soules, convinces them of the speciall love of God towards us, of our Justification, and Sanctification, and we by faith assent thereunto, then doth the Spirit bear witness with our spirit, according to the meaning of this Text (as I conceive) then is the soul sealed unto the day of redemption, with a seal of Confirmation.
And this is that seal, which I am now to speak of, and that which this Text points at; This may be called Gods privy seal, sealing a soul unto the day of redemption; Of this seal the Apostle speakes, Eph…s. 1.13. In whom after ye believed, ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise, &c.
Before I speak of the appearances of this seal of the Spirit of God, I shall here note two or three things.
Note.This seal of Confirmation, God sets upon some of his people, but this he doth not set upon all his people; the Spirit of God doth …hus bear witness with our spirits in some of Gods children, but it doth not thus bear witness with our spirits, in all Gods children. Neither doth it thus bear witness, at all times in those in whom it doth at some: the Scriptures afford frequent examples of this.
2. This testimony or witness of the Spirit of God, in whomsoever it is, proceedeth from, and dependeth on free grace, and is a token of royall favour, to whomsoever it is granted; it is Christs golden Scepter held up to the soul.
3. This seal or testimony of the holy Spirit of God, though it be the ratifier of our Redemption, and Salvation in our hearts, yet it is not the meritorious cause of it, neither is it absolutely necessary unto salvation.
4. This seal of the holy Spirit of God, on whomsoever it is set, is an earnest, and but an earnest, of that inheritance, which he shall one day be possessed of, with the adopted children of God in heaven: This is evident by the language of the Apostle, Eph. 1.14.
Obj. But Satan doth sometimes coun…erfeit this seal too, he perswades the soul, that it is in a good condition, and highly favoured of the Lord, and draws the soul to presume upon it, when as it is indeed in the very gall of bitterness, and bonds of iniquity: How shall I then discern a true and wellgrounded perswasion, and the testimony of Gods Spirit, from a presumptuous concei…, and the Devils delusion.
Answ. We must try the Spirits, try the testimony that we have (if any,) so saith the Apostle, 1 Ioh. 4.1. Believe not every Spirit, but try the Spirits, whether they are of God.
Object. But how shall I do that? How shall I try the testimony that I have, whether it be of God or no?
Answ. By the rule of faith, the written word of God, as the Lord directeth, Isa. 8.20. Luk 16.29. The written word of God (to wit) the holy Scriptures, is the only true touch-stone that we have, to try the Spirits, and their testimony by. And it affirms,
Joh. 16.13, 14, 15.First, That a true testimony of the holy Spirit of God, is ever agreeable, and exactly answerable unto the written word of God: Gods witnesses do never disagree in their testimony, the word of God, and the Spirit of God speak the same thing; As a pair of Indentures do exactly answer one another, so doth the testimony of the Spirit of God, exactly answer to the testimony of the word, the word of God and the Spirit of God speak the same thing; To the law, and to the testimony, saith the Lord, if they speak not according to this word▪ it is because ther… is no Life in them, Isa. 8.20. He…ce it is evident, That if the written word of God, do not concur with the testimony that thou hast, that testimony is not the testimony of the holy Spirit of God, but a meer delusion of Satan, a dead and counterfeit thing; it is not a sealing unto the day of redemption, but a sealing unto the day of destruction.
Secondly, The word affirms, that whosoever is sealed by the holy Spirit of God, with this seal of Confirmation, is first sealed by him with a seal of Demonstration; this seal of the holy Spirit of God is not an antecedent to, but a subsequent of the other seal of Demonstration, it doth not precede, but follow after faith and sanctification; In whom after ye believ…d, ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise, saith the Apostle, speaking of this seal, Eph. 1.13. Hence it is evident, That a man is first a true believer, he hath first a true faith, a true and reall interest in Christ; He is justified, and sanctified, and made a new Creature, before thus sealed by the holy Spirit of God. Here I desire the Reader to note two or three things.
First, That it is a true believer only,Note. that is capable of this seal of the holy Spirit of God, He that believeth on the Sonne of God hath the witness in himself, 1 Joh. 5.10. He only that believeth aright, hath this witness of the Spirit of God in himself, he only that hath a justifiing faith, is thus sealed by the Spirit of God.
Secondly note, That this testimony of the Spirit of God is one of the kisses of Christs mouth, which the Church prayes for, Cant. 1.2. But Christ doth not thus kiss and embrace his Children, when they be all filthy and nasty, he doth first cleanse them by his blood, and by his Spirit, justifie them and sanctifie them, renew and heavenlize them.
Thirdly note this, That the Spirit, and the water and the blood, do concur in their testimony, where the Spirit of God doth be…r witness, so saith the Scripture, 1 Ioh. 5.8. There are three which bear witness in the earth, the Spirit, and the water and the blood, and these three agree in one.
Fourthly note, That the blood and the water may, and sometimes do, bear witness, where the Spirit of God doth not thus bear witness with our spirits, that we are the adopted children of God: But the Spir…t of God doth never thus bear witness, where the blood, and the water do not bear witness. Christs blood doth satisfie for sinne, and his Spirit cleanse from sinne, wheresoever his Spirit doth thus bear witness; He therefore that thinks he is sealed by the Spirit of God with a seal of Confirmation, and yet is not sealed with the seal of Demonstration, is but deluded and bewitched by Satan, and in a fools Paradice.
In the third place, whomsoever the holy Spirit of God doth seal, with a seal of Confirmation, whomsoever he doth assure of the fatherly love of God towards him, he doth qualifie with the disposition of a son (to wit) love to his heavenly Father, fear of offending him, desire, care, and endeavour to walk before him in all wel-pleasing, obeying his voice out of love,All Gods adopted Children, have Hannah's portion, love, speciall love, but all of them have not Be…jamin's double portion (to wit) love, and the assurance of it; This is a choice favour, a high priviledg. mourning for its offences, and depending on God its heavenly Father for all things.
The soul thus sealed apprehends much love in God, and this generates much love in it towards God again, and the things of God; this, saith this soul, is no common favour, but a singular; all of my Brethren eat not of this bread, wear not this raiment; this is Benjamin's portion, and it calls for much love from me, much filial fear and care, more duty and better done. And hence it comes to pass, that this soul grows not careless and fearless, but more carefull and conscionable in duty, and tender of doing any thing that may displease God, grieve the holy Spirit of God, whereby he is sealed; quench the motions thereof, or cause him to suspend his testimony.
The soul thus sealed by the holy Spirit of God, is never better pleased with it self, than when it can weep over Christ, whom it hath pierced, and find Christ bleed over it; it is never well, but when in this frame, it desires nothing more than such a frame of spirit, as cannot look upon sinne, but it sighs for sorrow, nor upon its Saviour, but it smiles for joy.
When Christ thus imparts himself to the soul, this soul speaks to Christ, as God once spake to Abraham, Now I know that thou lovest me, seeing thou hast not with-held from me, thy sonne, thine only sonne, whom thou lovest, said God to Abraham: So saith this soul to Christ, now I know that thou lovest me, seeing thou hast not with-held from me this grace that is so lovely in thy sight, but when it cannot find Christ thus present with it, it is troubled.
Fourthly, The soul that hath this seal,He hath the spirit ofprayer, though not the gift of prayer or testimony of the Spirit of God, hath a spirit of prayer; in whomsoever the Spirit of God is a Spirit of adoption, he is also a Spirit of supplication; whomsoever the Spirit of God doth assure of the fatherly love of God towards him, he enables to cry Abba, Father, and maketh request for him with unutterable Rhetorick; he enables the soul to pour it self forth to God, in supplication and thanksgiving; this is evident by Gal. 4.6. Rom. 8.15, 26.
The soul thus sealed by the Spirit of God, longs after, and delights in, approaches to God, and God approaches to it in all his holy Ordinances; Let me see his countenance, let me hear his voice, saith the soul thus sealed, for sweet is his countenance, and his voice pleasant, it delights to meditate on, and walk with its God, it doth not leave off duty, but performs it more conscionably and spiritually.
In the fift place, sound assurance produces fruitfullness; the soul that is by the Spirit of God, assured of the grace and favour of God towards it, is usu…lly the fru…tfullest in righteousness, as is ev…dent by the language of the Apostle, Col. 1.6. After the Colossians knew the grace of God in truth, they were more fruitfull in righteousness, than ever.
Sound assurance of the love of God, produces care and industry, in the work and wayes of God, as is evident by the language of the Apostle, 2 Cor. 5.1, 8. We know, we are confident, saith he of himself, and other Believers; and what follows? Therefore we labour, that whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him, ver. 9. These mens assurance produced not carelesness and sloth, but care and industry, and it is the property of good assurance so to do.
This condemns that Popish Tenet, That assurance of salvation is the destroyer of all piety and charity.Note. And it condemns that assurance that is fruitless or careless.
In the sixt place, Sound assurance produces joy, 1 Pet. 1.8. Faith of evidence and joy, are inseperably united, they are Twins born at once, and if assurance die, joy dies with it; In whomsoever the Spirit of God is a Spirit of Confirmation, he is a Spirit of Consolation; the soul that is assured of the love of God towards it, cannot but rejoyce in it; spiritual Consolation doth not spring so naturally from any thing, as it doth out of the witness of the Spirit; joy may be (I mean some kind of joy) where assurance is wanting, but assurance never goes without joy, spirituall joy.
There is a generation (as Solomon tels us) which in the midst of laughter, their heart is sad; and there is a generation, which in the midst of sadnesse, their heart rejoyceth; And those which are thus sealed by the holy Spirit of God are they, such is the power of sound assurance, that it will make (I mean instrumentally) the heart to joy, whilst the outward man sorrows; it will fill the heart, with joy unspeakable, and full of glory, whilst the outward man is filled with shame and contempt; yea▪ sound assurance is for the most part, then strongest, and shews it self with most vigor and light somenesse within, when the greatest damp of outward discomforts, lye upon the person, and the world most frowns upon him, or persecutes him, for his frowardnesse and faithfulnesse, in the cause of God. When Paul and Silas had much cause to sigh, for their usage amongst men, they then sang and rejoyced, Act. 16.25. When the Apostles did suffer shame for Christ, then did they most rejoyce, Act. 5.41. When the People of God were spoiled of their goods, and spoiled in their persons, then did they rejoyce; and whence sprang their joy in this disconsolate condition, but from their assurance? They took joyfully the spoiling of their goods [knowing] that they had in Heaven, a better, and induring substance, Heb. 10.34.
Assurance of Gods favour, produceth joy according to its measure and degree, assurance of hope, produceth joy, assurance of faith, produceth more joy; The riches of the full assurance of understanding, most of all.
The joy that springs from assurance, is a heart strengthening joy, a life lenghtening joy, and a joy that no man can take from us, it is a soul inlarging, a shame despising, a God-glorifying, a world-overcoming, and a sin-overcoming grace.
In the seventh place, Sound assurance produceth humility; this seal of confirmation, when set by the Spirit of God, doth work the soul to more humility of mind, then usually is in others; The Apostle Paul is a notable instance hereof, he was thus sealed by the holy Spirit of God, when he said, I am perswaded that neither Death nor Lfe, Angels, Principalities, nor Powers, nor any other thing, shall be able to separate me, from the Love of God, which is in Christ Iesus our Lord; and then did be serve the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, as himself saith, Act 20.19. Sound assurance is heart-humbling, heart-molifying.
Sound assurance, leaves not the soul without a holy jelousie of it self, nor without a Christian watch; This is evident in the Apostle Paul, Rom. 8.38, 39. compared with 1 Cor. 9.26, 27. I am perswaded (saith he) that neither Dea…h, nor Life, nor any other Creature, shall be able to separate me from the Love of God, &c. Yet was he not hereby taken off from, but rather incited to a holy jealousie of, and watchfulnesse over himself and all his wayes, as appears by the forecited place.
Note.Sound assurance, and holy jealousie may well stand together; and he whose assurance is void of holy jealousie and watchfulnesse, hath great cause to be jealous of his assurance.
Sound assurance is not the destroyer, but the Nurse of holy jealousie and watchfulnesse; Neither is holy jealousie an enemy to, but a preserver of sound assurance.
In the ninth place, Sound assurance works the heart to more contempt of the world, and the things of the world, then others usually attain to, and it doth mightily quicken and spur forward the soul to more holinesse, hatred of sinne, and zeal, and courage in the cause of God; Moses and Paul are pregnant examples of this; of the effects of this seal in Moses, we may read in Heb. 11. v. 24, 25, 26, 27. Exod. 32.31, 32 and in Paul, Phil. 3. v. 7, to 15. Act. 20. v. 19, to 25.
In the tenth place, Sound assurance will bide the trial, and it is willing to be tried; it shuns not the light, but comes to the light, that its reality might be made manifest.
Sound assurance is not usually injoyed long without some buffetings of Satan; the soul that is t…us sealed by the Spirit of God, hath u…ually some thorne in the flesh, some messenger (or other) of Satans to exercise it, and humble it: thus it was with the Apostle Paul, when thus sealed by the holy Spirit of God, as appears by 2 Cor. 12.7. and thus it is with other of the Children of God, who are thus sealed by the Spirit of God, as each mans experience will witnesse; to this I set a probatum est.
Sound assurance of the Love of God, makes the soul long for the full fruition of it;Sound assurance makes the soul to triumph over death the king of terrors, as appears in Paul, Rom. 8.38 39. & 1 Cor. 15.55. this seal of the holy Spirit of God, moves the soul nothing more, to desire to be dissolved, to be with God; how long, Lord? saith this soul, come Lord Iesus, come quickly: I have a desire to depart, and to be with Christ, saith a soul thus sealed, Phil. 1.23.
The soul thus sealed by the Spirit of God, longs to be with God, yet labours to wait patiently for him, all the daies of his appointed time; Iob was thus sealed by the Spirit of God, when he said, I know that my Redeemer liveth; he was assured that Christ was his Redeemer, and he longed to be with him, yet patiently waits for him, not a day or two, but all the daies of his appointed time, Iob 14.14.
He that presumeth, many times makes more haste, than good speed; But he that beleeveth maketh not haste.
Finally, He that is thus sealed by the Spirit of God, is also led by the Spirit of God, (mark that) He is led by the Spirit of God, after a speciall manner, As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the Sonnes of God, saith the Text, Rom. 8.14. so many as are led by the Spirit of God as a sanctifier, (and no more, have good ground to conclude) they are the Children of God, by this rule of the Apostle, and so consequently to conclude, That the testimony that they have of their adoption (if any) is the testimony of the Spirit of God.
Having thus briefly spoken of this feal of confirmation, set by the Spirit of God, and severall appearances of it, I shall here desire the Reader to take notice.
Note.That this seal of confirmation, on whomsoever it is set by the Spirit of God, is usually the resolution of many doubts, the blessing of many prayers and teares, the fruit of a strong and well grounded faith, or the rich reward of long patience in suffering evill, for doing good and eschewing evill, or the victory and triumph of a sore spirituall warre, or the fragrant flower of a well-dressed garden, the rich crop of a well-manured field, or the Pearl purchased, with the adventure of all the glory and Crown, of high degrees in grace and holinesse, the blessing of much acquaintance with, and experience of the Word and Waies of God, and exact walking therein, the begining of Heaven upon earth, a cordiall to keep from fainting under some great burden, the frui…ion of sweet submission unto Christs yoke, or a stock put into our hands by God, for some great after-trading for God,Some singular doing or suffering for God, or from God, by means of sin, or Satans or men. in doing or suffering: In a word, it is the most secret, sweet, and soul-ravishing manifestation of the Love of Christ, that the Spouse of Christ is capable of on earth.
This is that hidden Manna, and new name mentioned▪ Rev. 2.17. which no man knoweth, …ut he that hath it.
This Christ promised to his Church, in the day of her sufferings for his sake, as a speciall means to support her under, and carry her through, and above all the troubles, that she should meet with in the world for her close cleaving to his Word and Will, At that day (saith he) ye shall know, that I am in the Father, and you in me, and I in you, John 14.20.
Having spoken somewhat of the signs and demonstrations of these seales of the holy Spirit of God severally: I will only add a word or two concerning such signs and effects, as are proper to them both, joyntly considered, and so conclude this Manuscript.
The soul that is thus sealed by the holy Spirit of God (to wit) with the seal of demonstration, and the seal of Confirmation.
1. Doth earnestly long, and desire to be more sealed; He or she, that hath truth of grace, doth earnestly long for, and indeavour after, more grace, higher degrees of grace; He still presses towards the mark, Phil. 3.13. He prayes for, and indeavours after, what Christ hath promised, in the name of the whole Trinity to give, Cant. 1.11. Borders of gold, with studs of silver, augmentation of all grace.
The soul that is by the Spirit of God, perswaded and assured of the Fatherly Love of God, counts not that it hath enough, but longs still to be more and more confirmed in it; the tast that it hath of the sweetnesse and goodnesse of this wine, makes it long to drink deeper of it, and to desire flaggons of it, Cant. 2 5. The sweetnesse, strength and comfort which the soul finds in, and by the apprehension of the Love of God, makes it long and labour to apprehend it more: Paul was assured of the Love of God, and he did exceedingly desire, and labour to apprehend it more, as will appear by Rom. 8.38, 39. compared with Phil. 3.12, 13. The apprehension of the Love of God, doth not satiate the soul, but whets it, and sets appetite upon it; and hence it comes to passe, That
2. The soul that is thus sealed by the Spirit of God, highly prizes all those means, Ordinances, and Instruments of God, whereby it came to be thus sealed, and industriously, and conscionably uses them, for the carrying on and perfecting of this work begun in it: The soul thus sealed by the Spirit of God, knows experimentally, that it is but whilst the King sitteth at his Table, as the Church speaks, Cant. 1.12. that his spicknard sendeth forth the smell thereof; but whilst Christ continues his powerfull presence in his holy Ordinances, and his speciall spirituall presence in the soul, that grace doth thrive, or send forth any good savour, by thoughts, words, or deeds, and therefore it longs earnestly after, and prayes fervently for all these, as that which is the life of its life, and the soul of its soul, the Chariot of the Spirit, whereby he descends into our hearts and carryes them up to Heaven. He knows ex…er…mentally that all helps, publique and private, are little enough, to keep this seal faire unto the day of Redemption, and therefore slights none, but carefully and conscionably uses all that God affords him. He knows that he is never the neer for that priviledg of free accesse to the Throne of grace, that Christ hath purchased for us, unlesse he make use of it, and therefore leaves not off praying; he finds experimentally, that he is little or nothing the better for the publique meanes (at least in heart) unlesse he duly and conscionably use all private helps too; and therefore, as one sensible of his own wants and weaknesse, and the Spirits worth and sweetnesse, he waits for the movings of the Spirit at all these pooles.
But contrary wise, the Soul in which Satan counterfeits these seales of the Spirit of God, when it is once thus sealed by him, is many times ready to say as Esau, I have enough; and with Laodicea, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing, neither Grace, Ordinances, nor Ministers; leaves Manna, and loaths it, declines and deserts the Ordinances, Churches, and Ministers of Christ, and fals off from, or (at least) grows cold and customary in duty, which evidently demonstrates it to be Satans seal, and not the seal of the holy Spirit of God, that is upon it.
3. The soul thus sealed by the holy Spirit of God▪ obeys the truth of God, as it is discovered unto him by his Word and Spirit, in his Ministers; and he that doth not apply himself to do this, and yet thinks himself sealed, is but bewitched, his testimony that he hath, is but a bewitching, as the Apostle intimates, Gal. 3.1.
Whosoever therefore thinks himself sealed by the holy Spirit of God, with a seal of demonstration, and with a seal of confirmation, and yet doth not these three things, is deceived, and deceiveth his own heart; it is Satans seal, and not Gods, that is upon him; his sealing is a sealing to the day of destruction, not a sealing to the day of redemption.
Having finished what I promised, I shall now draw to a conclusion of the whole, and shall conclude this thus.
Having travelled through the holy Scriptures, and seached the Records thereof▪ to see what I might find therein, that might intitle me to the inheritance of the Saints in Light, I have taken notice of divers remarkable places of Scripture, very helpfull for this purpose, some of which I have studied industriously, according to my poore ability, and through the help of my gracious God, have acquired some comfort and satisfaction thereby in this weighty matter of evidence: what the Lord hath been pleased to impart unto me, in this weighty matter. I have committed to writing for my own present and future benefit, and that I might leave it for a Legacy to my Children after me, which having done, I commit this work, and the Reader of it to the blessing of God, through Jesus Christ.
Trin. Vni Deo Gloria.