The Voice of the Spirit, To the reader 2 – Errata
To the Reader.
Deare friend;
THe plentifull pouring out of the Spirit, is the great priviledge which is promiſed unto the latter dayes; and therefore it muſt needs be a duty of high concernment, to ſeeke for inward acquaintance with that bleſſed Spirit, in all thoſe wayes it is promiſed in; amongſt which its witneſſing of Adoption is none of the leaſt. According to that meaſure of light which the Lord hath lent me, I have endeavoured the clearing up of that great myſterie in the enſuing Treatiſe.
And ſome of the reaſons which have byaſſed my Spirit to appearing in it, in ſo publique a way, are theſe which follow.
1. Becauſe of the many encouragements which I have had hereunto, from diverſe friends, both Miniſters and others.
2. Becauſe ſo few have written diſtinctly on this Subject. The more Immediate teſtimonie of the Spirit is very little inſiſted upon, by any that I could ever yet ſee. Aſſurance (I confeſſe) is the Subject of diverſe bookes; but there are many markes and ſignes lay'd downe by ſome, which I feare will not hold weight in the ballance of the Sanctuary.
3. Becauſe of the many Deluſions which multitudes of ſoules are under in theſe dayes, who yet are pretenders to the Spirit therein.
Here are many things that (if the Lord will) may be conducible to the undeceiving of ſuch as are taken in the ſnares of the Devill, and to the eſtabliſhing others againſt them.
4. Beauſe of thoſe great perplexities and inward diſtreſſes which my ſelfe and many heavenborne ſoules have been in, for want of light into that Queſtion, How ſhall I know the teſtimonie of the Spirit, from the Deluſions of Satan?
I have been like Noah… Dove, have not knowne where to ſet the foot of my ſoule (as to the Doctrinall part) ſo as to be ſafe for eternitie. I knew that faith, and other graces (when of the right ſtampe) were evid ncing: but how to know true faith from falſe, and ſo for other graces, and that my heart did not deceive me in paſſing judgement on my condition, ſeing Satan tranſformeth himſelfe into an Angel of light, and counterfeiteth every grace; this hath put me to a ſtand.
And now, the Lord having given me much ſatisfaction in this ſearch, more then ever I had formerly, about the Doctrinall part, and delivered me from many perplexities and feares, which heretofore I laboured under, least I ſhould take that for an evidence, which was none: I am hereby encouraged to hope, that theſe Directions may be uſefull unto others, in the ſame wayes that they have been to me. Yet the ſpeciall Concurrences of the Spirit onelyonly, can make them effectuall to a ſoule for their proper end.
And thoſe experiences of that more Immediate teſtimonie of the Spirit (which thou findeſt in the latter end of the booke) coming to my hand (by an eſpeciall providence) when I had well nigh finiſhed the Treatiſe, and carrying with them ſuch a harmony unto what the Lord had convinced me of before, from his Word, (yet was almoſt diſcouraged for publiſhing, becauſe I had found ſo little thereof in my owne experience) theſe have not onelyonly added much Confirmation to me in the truth it ſelfe, but alſo have given me much encouragement to a proceeding in the worke.
The Treatiſe (by a bleſſing from heaven) may be uſefull.
1. To thoſe which are in a ſtate of nature: to take them off thoſe ſandy foundations which they have built upon for eternitie. Here they may ſee how farre they may goe and yet be in a periſhing condition ſtill.
Though they may attaine unto Convictions of ſin, and to a kinde of beleeving on Chriſt, and have ſome good motions and deſires &c. yet, unleſſe there be ſuch a through-worke as bringeth in [a heart turne from ſin and to Chriſt] they will miſcarry everlaſtingly for all this. The ſwaying, prevailing part of the heart muſt be Chriſt-ward, elſe their faith is vaine, they are yet in their ſinnes. And hence we read ſo often of Converſion, and turning to the Lord — and that as a diſtinguiſhing thing of Saints from others. Jam. 5.20. Math. 18.3, 4. Act. 3.19. Pſal. 51.13. Ezek. 18.30.32. Act. 14.15. Act. 26.18.20.
It is not enough that the heart is touched or wrought upon by the Word, unleſſe it be [turned].
2. To thoſe which are in a ſtate of grace: it may be of advantage to them, towards peace, joy, Comfort, eſtabliſhment — and let them beware of diſowning any teſtimonie from the Spirit, whither in that Immediate way or otherwiſe. It is an ordinary ſaying, that wicked men would have Chriſt for their Saviour, but not for their Lord. And I grant, that none doe rightly take Chriſt for Salvation, but alſo doe take him for Sanctification: but if hereby they intend to make receiving of Chriſt [as Lord] the onelyonly Evidence of intereſt in him; I conceive they are much miſtaken; for, [Blood] is made a witnes of Adoption, as well as [Water]. And I am confident there is no heartie willingneſs in any unrenewed ſoule to have Chriſt for a Saviour. Joh. 5.40. Hebr. 2.3. Receiving Chriſt as a Saviour is as diſtinguiſhing, as receiving him as a Lord. But, there may be ſome kinde of willingnes to receive him either way, yet if it be not an effectuall, heartie willingnes, it is not evidencing; of which ſee more in the Treatiſe it ſelfe.
And now Reader, ſearch the Scriptures, whither the things be ſo or not. And, if this poore Treatiſe may but be a provocation unto others, to a more through handling of this great point, or may draw our any thing to the further diſtinguiſhing the ſpeakings of the Spirit, from Satanicall Illuſions, it will be a matter of rejoycing to me.
And if thou reap…ſt any ſpirituall advantage by what thou readeſt, give the glory of all to the Lord; and ſend up ſome groanes and cryes unto the Father of mercies for me, that I might have a practicall, experimentall acquaintance with the Witneſſings of the Spirit, which I have endeavoured in a Doctrinall way to cleare up to thee. And that thou mayeſt be filled with the ſame Spirit, ſhall be the prayer of him, who is,
A poore, unworthy, labourer in the worke of the Goſpell, S. P.
Courteous Reader, By reaſon of the Authors far diſtance from the Preſſe, many faults have eſcaped, ſome of the chiefeſt are here noted out, which thou art deſired to take notice of.
ERRATA'S.
PAge 3. line 11. for rathen, read rather. p. 9. l. 18. for no, r. to. to yeeld attention — p. 11. l. 14. for or Conſcience, 1. our Conſcience. p. 27. l. 17. for times, r. things. p. 30. l. 24. for Antedent, r. Antecedent. p. 34. l. 17. for underſtood, r. underſtandeth. p. 37. l. 18. for promiſes, r. premiſes. p. 38. for Spirituall grounds, r. Scripturall grounds. p. 40. l. 9. for Conjunction, r. Conjunctim or in Canjunction. p. 44. l. 12. for is, r. was. p. 54. l. 13. for curruption, r. corruption. p. 58. l. 16. for appleate, r. appeale. p. 67. l. 9. blott out of. p. 104. l. 14. for himſeife, r. himſelfe. p. 113. l. 8. read thus [And hence they are ſaid] p. 119. l. 20. for are, r. as. p. 138. l. 19. for bolines, r. holines. p. 140. l. 12. for Conſequences, r. Conſequence. p. 140. l. 16. for be as, r. bias. p. 148. l. 26. r. [they that are after the Spirit — p. 150. l. 5. for having, r. have. p. 160. l. 8. for carnall confidences are, read thus, a carnall Confidence is. p. 160. l. 10. for are, r. is. p. 81. l. 8. for leane, r. leave. p. 166. l. 11. for cannot, r. could not. p. 168. l. 18. for Spirits, r. Spirit. p. 173. l. 25. for the, r. they. p. 175. on the Margin for diſtincti, r. diſtinctè. p. 176. l. 3. for haire r. heire. p. 181. l. 30. for its r. his. p. 188. l. 5. blott out it. p. 191. l. 6. read thus, be hinted in.
A BRIEF DISCOVERY of the witneſsings of the Spirit to the Soules of the Saints.
ROM. 8. VERS. 16.
The Spirit it ſelfe witneſſeth with our Spirit, that we are the Children of God.