The Voice of the Spirit, Chapter 1 – Chapter 2
CHAP. I. Opening the Text, and ſhewing the meaning of the words.
THis Apoſtle Paul, having made it his great deſigne (in the foregoing Chapters) to cleare up the doctrine of Juſtification by faith without the workes of the Law; he draweth up a comfortable Concluſion, Chap 8.1. That there is no condemnation to thoſe which are in Chriſt. And, as well to prevent a preſumptuous claiming of intereſt in Chriſt, as to deliver from, ungrounded doubtings thereof; … Characterizeth thoſe which are in Chriſt, in the following verſes: and the inhabitation of the Divine Spirit. ver. 9. with its concurrences in the mortification of ſin. ver. 13. and as a Conductor or Leader. ver. 14. Theſe are made the great diſcriminating differencing things, which thoſe that are in Chriſt, are ſet out and diſtinguiſhed from others by.
But, becauſe men are apt to be deceived, & dreame of an injoyment of leadings from the Divine Spirit, when they are without them; therefore he addeth this, ver. 16. The Spirit it ſelfe witneſſeth, &c. So that, the words expreſſe the way, whereby a ſoule attaineth a knowledge of its union with Chriſt, and conſequently of its freedome from condemnation, and it is this [The Spirit it ſelfe witneſſeth &c.] Where you may take notice.
1. Who witneſſeth, [The Spirit it ſelfe with our Spirit].
2. What is witneſſed [that we are the children of God].
[The Spirit]. i.e. not onelyonly gifts and graces, but the Spirit, who is the worker or beſtower of theſe. That Spirit which hath enabled us to beleeve, and doth enable us to cry, Abba Father, and which ſhall quicken our mortall bodies, in the day of Chriſt, ver. 11 [The Spirit]. i.e. who ſearcheth the deepe things of God, who undoubtedly knoweth whither wee be adopted or not, and whoſe teſtimony is infallible, he being truth it ſelfe: this Divine Spirit, not by a proxie, but it ſelfe.
[Witneſſeth] foreign, conteſtatur, teſtimonium reddit, und teſtatur. i.e. co-witneſſeth, or rendreth a teſtimony, or witneſſeth together: ſaith Leigh, Crit. Sac.the word is compoſed with the Prepoſition [together or with] and ſo it denoteth a double or Twin-teſtimony. 1. The Spirit of God. 2. Our Spirit. It beareth witneſs (ſaith he) together with, rathen then [to] our Spirit. Yet, the word is ſometimes uſed to expreſſe a ſingle Teſtimony. Wicked men are confident of their Adoption, upon the falſe deceitfull and deluding teſtimony of their owne Spirits: but the Sons of God have the Divine Spirit (who cannot lye, or beare falſe witnes) to teſtifie,Si unus eſſet teſtis, dubitatio non tolleretur: ſed duo ſunt teſtes, ita que nullus reſtat dubitationi locus. Spiritus noſter fallere poſſet nos: ſed Spiritus Sanctus non ſinit nos falli. Fayus. [to or with] their Spirits their Adoption. Here are two witneſſes, the Spirit of Adoption, and [our Spirit]. i.e. Either 1. Our ſoule, Luke 23.46. Into thy hands I commend [my Spirit]. i.e. my ſoule, Act. 7.59. And ſo, it is contra diſtinguiſhed from the body. 1 Corin. 6.20. Glorifie God in [your body] and in [your Spirit]. i.e. in your ſoule. So 1 Cor. 7.34. And if you take it in this ſenſe, it holdeth out thus much; That the witneſſings of the Spirit, are not to the outward ear, but to the heart; the Spirit maketh report of Divine mercy to the inner man: the way of its witneſſing, is not externall, by an audible voyce, but internall, by ſecret whiſperings to the ſoule. Not by outward expreſſions, but by inward, unſpeakeable inſpirations. Or 2. Our Spirit. i. e Our Uunderſtanding, Judgement and Conſcience: which being renewed are called alſo by the name of Spirit. 1 Cor 2.11. What man knoweth the things of a man, ſave the Spirit of a man, &c. Here, our Spirit denoteth the knowing faculty. And ver. 15, 16. He that is Spirituall judgeth all things &c. Here the Judging power is given unto this Spirit of a man. And in this ſence I take [our Spirit] in the Text: and that becauſe it is the proper office or worke of our underſtandings, judgements, and Conſciences, to receive, imbrace, or refuſe ſuch teſtimonies as are offered. Rom. 2.15. Their Conſcience alſo bearing witnes &c. 2 Cor. 1.12. The teſtimony of our Conſcience.
The meaning then of the words is this, That the Divine Spirit witneſſeth to our underſtandings and judgements, and with our conſciences, [That we are the Sons of God]. i. e. that we have acceptation into favour with God, and now (through Chriſt) may lay claime unto whatſoever that relation can entitle to: this teſtimony telleth us, that we may have an expectation of ſuch proviſions, protections, & portions as it becometh ſuch a Father to give out. And hence, Rom. 8.17. And if Children, then heires, heires of God, and joynt-heires with Chriſt.
CHAP. II. The Obſervation from the Text.
The Obſervation I ſhall ſpeake to, is this:
Doctr: That the Divine Spirit doth witnes, unto thoſe which are in Chriſt (with their Spirit) their Adoption.
This is the ſecret language of many a Son of Sion; Though I be adopted, yet, O it is impoſſible that I ſhould ever attaine aſſurance of it: alas, I cannot climbe up to heaven, to ſee my name written there. How ſhould I dive into ſuch a ſecret as that is? Methinke I finde the Lord anſwering ſuch a ſoule, and ſo as it might for ever ſilence it in ſuch reaſonings, [The Spirit it ſelfe beareth witnes &c.] As if he had ſaid, What teſtimony wouldeſt thou deſire? what wouldeſt thou reckon a ſufficient evidence of thy Son-ſhip? who might be a witnes that thou couldeſt confide in? If the Divine Spirit might aſcertaine thee of thy Adoption. Behold, that is nigh thee! thou needeſt not aſcend up to heaven to ſetch that thence; that is deſcended to thee; for, every one that beleeveth hath the witnes within himſelfe, 1 Joh. 5.10. The Spirit knoweth the minde of God, and how his heart ſtandeth towards thee, and that is ſent from the boſome of the Father into thy boſome, even on purpoſe to bring good newes from heaven of thy Fathers love: and though with men it be impoſſible, yet with the Spirit all things are poſſible. That, is able to give infallible and convincing demonſtrations of thy Adoption, and this Spirit it ſelfe witneſſeth &c.
In the carrying on of this, I ſhall ſhew.
1. What this witneſſing worke of the Spirit is.
2. How the Spirit doth witnes to a ſoule its Adoption:
3. Who are capable of attaining the witneſſings of the Spirit?
4. How a ſoule may know its injoyment of them?
5. By what meanes a ſoule may attaine them.