Mary Magdalenes Tears Wiped Off, Objection 14
OBJECTION. XIV.
But doth not St. Paul. tell us Rom. 8.16. That the Spirit it ſelf beareth witneſs with our Spirit that we are the Children of God? I want both theſe teſtimonies of my Adoption, that of the Spirit of adoption and that of mine owne Spirit witneſſing that I am a Child of God: ſurely then my condition is not ſuch as it ought to be, and as I deſire it ſhould be.
SOLUTION.
20. THat this Epiſtle of S. Paul (and eſpecially the 7th. 8th. and 9th. Chapters) hath in it ſome things that are hard to be understood, thoſe Eſau, and Jacob-like conteſts in the Bowels of the Church about the meaning thereof, do ſufficiently witneſſe: I pray God that we may all of us, in the heat and animoſity of our diſputes, have an eye to that example of admonition St. Peter mentions of thoſe in his times who being unlearned and unſtable, did wreſt thoſe and other Scriptures to their own deſtruction. 2 Pet. 3.16.
But I am perſasaded better things of you, and ſuch as accompany ſalvation. And therefore to give you a full and tender account of your objection, I conceive it conſiſts of 3. branches. 1. You ſuppoſe that every Child of God hath teſtimony that he is ſuch. 2. that the Scripture aſſerts the teſtimony to be twofold one the teſtimony of the Spirit of adoption, the other the teſtimony of his own Spirit. and 3. that you want both theſe and therefore haſtily conclude that you are not the child of God. To theſe I ſhall anſwer diſtinctly thus.
1. I do affirm with your ſuppoſition that every child of God, hath teſtimony, or witneſſe, that he is ſuch. I ſhall give you but one place for all, 1 Joh. 3.9. Whoſoeuer is born of God doth not commit ſin i. e. he is ſuch a one as keeps a ſincere Eye upon himſelf in reſpect of all, eſpecially of deliberate ſins.
2. In the 2d. I am likewiſe of your judgement, that this teſtimony is the teſtimony of the Spirit of adoption, and of his own Spirit; but whether it be neceſſary that a child of God have both theſe teſtimonies, giving the like full and joynt evidence for his ſonſhip; and therefore till ſuch full and joynt-evidence be given to him, he really is not (and therefore ought not to repute himſelf) a child of God is more then matter of doubt with you having (it ſeems) indiſſolvably eſpouſed the negative part. But I doubt you do not rightly apprehend what the Apoſtle doth mean by [the ſelf ſame, or the Spirit it ſelf bearing witneſs] with our Spirrit, to me he ſeems to mean one or rather all of theſe 3. things, either 1. The Witneſs of Scripture (which in the teſtimonie of the Spirit of God) that ſuch as believe in Chriſt Jeſus, i. e. receive him as their Prieſt Prophet and King, are infallibly adopted into God paternall Relation to Christ Jeſus, the adoption by Grace, as truely intereſſing thoſe believers in Gods Paternity, as doth the Divine Nature Chriſt himſelf according to that of St. John. cap. 1.12. As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the ſons of God, even to them that believe on his name. and this teſtimony have all the ſons of God, or all true believers. Secondly it may ſignifie the aeconomy of the Goſpell in oppoſition to that of the Jewes, whoſe ſtate or condition, was that of Servitude; as ours under the Goſpel is a ſtate of Freedom they Servants, we Sons: they full of the Spirit of bondage, engendered from Sinai, we filled with the Spirit of adoption, flowing from Sion: Gal. 4.25. a ſufficient evidence whereof is the divers Methods that God hath made uſe of, in delivering the Syſtem, or Rules of either diſpenſation unto both People. A 3d ſence may be this; the Apoſtle may intend by the Teſtimonie of the Spirit in Gods Children, that Inclination and duct of Obedience which Gods Children do, (though not all of them in the ſame meaſure) feel in their hearts, ſweetning their natures, and bringing them gently to a complyableneſs with the Precepts of the Goſpel, and a putting their necks moſt willingly into the yoke of Chriſt, his Commandments being no whit grievous to them, 1 Jo. 5.3. like as yokes are very troubleſome to Beaſts not accuſtomed thereto, (as the Prophet ſpeaks of the Jews, Jer. 31.18. I was chaſtiſed as a Bullock unaccuſtomed to the yoke;) but to ſuch whoſe necks have been uſed to draw in them, yokes are no way dreadful, or troubleſome. In the firſt of theſe ſenſes, the word Spirit muſt be taken perſonally, for the third Perſon in the ever Bleſſed and Glorious Trinity: in the 2d it muſt be taken tropically, the word not ſignifying in the natural and proper ſenſe thereof, but yet not without example, Rom. 8.2. 2 Cor. 3.6. Gal. 4.29. in the 3d ſenſe it muſt ſignify metonymically, the effect of the Spirit being called by the name of him that works that bleſſed effect in the Souls of Gods Children.
In the firſt and ſecond of theſe ſenſes, the Teſtimony of the Spirit is communicated to all true Chriſtians; but in the third I know lyes the ground of your exception: but becauſe I ſhall have occaſion to ſpeak ſomewhat afterward directly to this point, be pleaſed for the preſent to remember, that I have told you, that this inclination to obedience, the duct of the Goſpel is not alike efficacious upon all the children of God, this Spirit being not given in the ſame meaſure to all the Sons of God.
As to the third branch of your Objection, (rather but one part of it) viz. the want of the Teſtimony of your own Spirit, that might witneſs (together with the other) that you are the Childe of God; to give full ſatisfaction therein, we muſt inquire into 1. the meaning of the word [Spirit] in this place. 2. What the Testimony thereof is. And of 3. what Authority in a buſineſs of this Importance the Teſtimony of a mans own Spirit is.
For the firſt; the word [Spirit] in this place muſt ſignify (I conceive) one of theſe two things: either firſt, ſome noble and ſublime Eſſence, preſiding in a Chriſtian, either as a Diſtinct ſubſiſtence from that, which is one of the eſſential conſtitutive principles of every man; or elſe as the Celeſtial and more Seraphical part of the Soul, informing, ordering, and governing the rational faculties in all Spiritual and Divine things. And in this ſenſe it muſt be conceived to have ſome Reſemblance with the office of the Imaginative faculty; which being ſeated betwixt the outward ſenſes and the Ʋnderſtanding, conveyes the Species of all ſenſible objects to the Intellectual facultie, being it ſelf of a middle nature, betwixt rational and ſenſible. To one of theſe ſenſes (I judge) thoſe Divines referre their opinions, who aſſert man to conſiſt of 1. Spirit, 2. Soul, and 3. Bodie: unleſs by [Soul] in this tripartite diviſion, they underſtand an Eſſence capable of no other offices in Man, but the performance of ſenſitive and vegitative operations. Or 2ly the word [Spirit] in this place may ſignify (and me thinks not at all incongruouſly) ſome excellent gift of the Holy Ghoſt, infuſed from above in our Baptiſm, into the Souls of Chriſtians, whereby they are not only made capable of receiving divine Revelations, and things above Reaſon, but likewiſe inclined, and encourain the performance of all thoſe things which God requires at their hands, to render them capable of obtaining the further ineſtimable degrees of his Love and Favour to Mankinde. And therefore 2ly the Testimony of any mans Spirit, is that Evidence which it gives concerning the whole Series of his converſation, in reference to thoſe principles of Faith and Obedience which God hath given him, in his revealed Will, as the Grounds and Rules of his Practice. The 3d Authentickneſs of which Teſtimony doth manifeſt it ſelf to every man, partly by the known truth of the things atteſted, which are not concealed from him, but repreſented as the things of himſelf; and partly from that power which God hath over it, not only in rectifying any Errors thereof, but likewiſe in ſhewing himſelf merciful toward us, in ſuch things, wherein ſuch a Testimony is not for, but againſt us. This Teſtimony you (ſay you) want, becauſe you finde not any Witneſs in your ſelf that you are a Childe of God.
I conceive it is not impoſſible for your Spirit to give this Teſtimony, though you have deafned your ear to it, and take it for ſome deception of fleſh and blood, or a deluſion of Satan, uſing all the Devices he can, to inſnare you in carnal ſecurity: but whether it be thus or no, I ſhall adviſe you to endeavour to elicite and call up this Teſtimony by that which is the Teſt of it: Do you continue in any wilful courſe of deliberate ſin? what know you by your ſelf? are you ſtill guilty of any of thoſe ſins which in the judgment of the Apostle render a man uncapable of any inheritance with the Children of God? if you are; then look not for this Testimony till you have repented, and amended your life; nor then neither for it preſently, until ſuch time as you have good experience of your Reſolutions, how they have held out in the time of tryal and Temptation, and that the greateſt and ſharpeſt that in all likelyhood may happen unto you. But if you are not thus guilty (as for my part I believe you a re not) of any mortal ſin reigning in your bodie; go to the Rule with this argument in your mouth: The Holy Spirit of God ſaith, Whoſoever is born of God doth not ſin [willfully and deliberately] Joh. 3.9. But upon a ſtrict ſurvey of my ſelf, I finde that I do not commit any ſuch ſin. Therefore I am borne of God.
Upon the Truth of the middle Propoſition depends the validity of this Testimony of your Spirit; for the major is infallible, and the Concluſion is undoubtedly true, upon ſuppoſition that there be no ſuch ſin, either of omiſſion or commiſſion, in your converſation, which may exclude you from your Sonſhip: But yet for as much as the Apoſtle doth tell us, that though he knew nothing by himſelf, yet was he not thereby justified; we ought in reaſon to lay no more weight on this diſquiſition and ſearch of our ſelves, then it will bear: for our Knowledge being imperfect, this ſearch and inquiry into our own wayes cannot be abſolutely perfect: and conſequently we ſubject to errors therein: yet is it moſt certain, that if we do it in ſincerity of heart, without partiality to our ſelves; not only, not allowing in our practiſe any the ſmalleſt ſin, but by deeds of Mortification, earneſtly, and faithfully endeavouring to ſubvert the power of it; we have the Faith of the Divine Majestie to rely on, in the Tenor of the Goſpel, not exacting unſinning obedience under pains of eternal death, from thoſe who ſhall be reputed, and rewarded as the Children of God.