The Voice of the Spirit, Chapter 5
CHAP. V. Of the wayes and meanes how the Spirit doth accompliſh this witneſſing worke, in many particulars.
4. IN what wayes or how the Spirit doth accompliſh this witneſſing worke. In the Deſcription, the Spirit is ſaid, to witneſſe. 1. By its Operations within. 2. By its Word without.
1. The Spirit performeth the Office of a witnes by operations within the ſoule: we are not to expect any apparitions of the Spirit in any viſible ſhape, to the eyes of our bodyes: or any audible voyce from heaven to our outward ear's, for the aſſuring us of our Adoption. I finde no Rule for theſe. The Spirit giveth a certainty of Adoption by its actings within the ſoule, as well as if a hundred witneſſes had affirmed it. As,
1. It maketh an effectual application of witneſſing words, when it teſtifieth by direct acts: the hinting or giving in of a word is not enough, as I ſhall ſhew in another place. But then a word is applyed, when it is powerfully ſet upon the heart by the Spirit, and is ſo fixed, ſetled, and engraven there, that it becometh an ingrafted word, James 1.21. and worketh effectually towards its proper end. 1 Theſſ. 2.13. Coloſſ. 1.29. And that it beareth downe all temptations, objections, and unbeleeving reaſonings that were in the ſoule before, againſt what it is called up to, by the word, and ſo is written upon the heart. Jerem. 31. v. 33. It is onelyonly the finger of the Spirit that can doe this. 2 Corin. 3.3.
And when there is ſuch an application of a witneſſing word, as the heart is irreſiſtibly overpowered into a perſ waſion of Adoption by it, then it it indeed witneſſing.
And ſome of the Saints have found ſuch a ſupernatural power coming alongſt with a word, that th ugh afflictions and temptations came; yet, they durſt not, could not but ſay to the Lord, Doubtles thou art our Father. Or as, 2 Corin. 5.1. We know—
And at ſuch a time the promiſe is as it were holden to the heart; they are knitt and glued together, that untill the Spirit ſuſpendeth its operations; it is as eaſie to make the ſoule leave the body, as to make this perſwaſion of Adoption leave the ſoule: as I ſhall ſhew more fully elſe where.
2. The Spirit exciteth and draweth out ſome manifeſt, ſpeciall, gracious acts, when the way of teſtifying is by reflex acts: the Goſpel declareth and determineth ſaith and other graces to be infallible evidences of Adoption. Now, the Spirit enableth to act theſe. Rom. 5.5. Gal. 5.22. And from theſe by reflex acts, to draw Concſuſions of Adoption. I call them [ſpeciall gracious acts] to difference them from thoſe workes of the Spirit unbeleevers may have. Hebr. 6. v. 4, 5.6. that have not power to aſſert Adoption, which is a ſpeciall relation: for, nothing common can evidence that which is ſpeciall.
And they muſt be [manifeſt] acts of grace: for, Witneſſes are purpoſely to cleare up a matter which is dark & dubious, and therefore witneſſing muſt ever be by what is more conſpicuous and apparent: and hence Chriſt referreth the Jewes to his workes and the Scriptures. Joh. 5.36.39. Becauſe they were more viſible to them. And (I conceive) there are many ſecret concurrences of the Spirit, which (though they be ſpeciall workes) yet are not intended for this, but ſome other end; and with the utmoſt diligence a ſoule can uſe, are not capable of being improved unto witneſſing, being themſelves ſo hardly diſcerneable. Yet, I dare not confine aſſurance unto eminent Saints, I thinke, few or no Chriſtians are ſo weake, that they are deſtitute of all ſuch acts of grace, as may witneſſe to them Adoption, as I ſhall prove afterward. But there is a vaſt difference between the operations, and the witneſſing operations of the Spirit: theſe muſt have light as well as peculiarneſſe in them.
3. The Spirit cauſeth the ſoule to apply it ſelfe unto the uſe of due meanes for the attaining aſſurance. Sometimes, his proceedings are graduall, or by degrees; the ſoule goeth on ſtep by ſtep towards it, and it may be a great while before it arriveth at it. As, the Spirit may firſt Convince by the word, that a Chriſtian ought to ſeek after, and may attaine unto, more quietnes & eſtabliſhment then yet it ſelfe hath found. 2 Pet. 1. ver. 10. This part of the will of Chriſt it little minded before. And then (it may be) the Lord removeth out of the way thoſe impediments which formerly hindred Aſſurance: ſubdueth ſome corruptions, anſwereth ſome doubts, cauſeth it to ſee the groundleſneſſe of ſome feares, it hath laboured under; helpeth it to looke into Satans deſignes that have hindred the worke of Chriſt within it, and to take notice of ſome glorious advantages in the attaining of Aſſurance, which it thought not of before: it ſeeth how it may glorifie God more in ſuch a condition, then it can doe under doubtings, feares, diſquietings—And thus the Spirit capacitateth the ſoule for ſuch a mercy; So Exod. 33. v. 9.11.14.17. Moſes upon every new grant or returne of prayer, taketh advantage to riſe higher and higher in his requeſts, and at laſt cryeth out. ver. 18. I beſeech thee ſhew me thy glory. And ver. 19. compared with Exod. 34.6. All his goodnes paſſed before him. So, the Lord cauſeth a ſoule to ſeeke for ſome mercits, and upon the Lords anſwering ſome deſires, it hath encouragement to goe with a holy boldnes for greater mercies, and at laſt it is enabled to act faith in an eminent way for ſights of Divine glory, and in the face of Chriſt hath theſe alſo. It obtaineth ſome mercies conducing to aſſurance at firſt, and afterwards injoyeth that alſo.
I have mentioned this the rather;
1. Becauſe Chriſtians thinke to have aſſurance all at once, upon a ſudden, and are apt to be very much troubled if it commeth not in by the lumpe: whereas, the will of God is, to let it in ſometimes by little and little; and the ſoule may be a long time in attaining it: this is no matter of diſcouragement that thou haſt it not preſently, if thou be'ſt in the way to it.
2. Becauſe many are very ſuſpitious of a teſtimony, if it be not by ſome violent, powerfull heart-aſtoniſhing alterations: whereas, though ſometimes it be by ſuch invincible operations as doe not leave the ſoule to freedome whether it will owne them or not, but overcometh the heart immediately to a reception of the teſtimony: yet, at other times the Spirit acteth in a more milde, gentle, and ſecret indiſcernable way; and doth more leave the ſoule to its choyce for owning it or not, and by quenching the motions of the Spirit it may miſſe of that Aſſurance which they lead to. Yet theſe operations when they doc effectually witneſſe, are ſo powerfull, that ever they carry the heart alongſt with them, towards Chriſt. When Aſſurance commeth in, as the reſult of ſelfe-examination, it may not cauſe ſuch eminent alterations as a ſoule may expect, and yet it may be good. But there are ſweet gracious effects that will follow reall witneſſings of the Spirit, which way ſoever they come in. And that bowing of the heart to the uſe of meanes, as ſelfe-examination &c. is another worke of the Spirit as a witneſſe.
4. The Spirit affordeth Irradiations: as a witneſſe openeth a Caſe and ſheweth how it ſtandeth; ſo the Spirit by ſhining forth with its bright, glorious, and heavenly beames into the darke, dungeon-like ſoule, doth cauſe it to diſcerne enough in the application of promiſes, and in the exerciſe of graces, to ſatisfie it about its adoption.
And, though it ſeemed to be under a midnight of ſpiritual darkneſſe before; yet, when the Spirit hath ſhined upon its owne workes in the ſoule, and put new life into former experiences, then it can conclude that the Sun of righteouſneſſe is ariſen upon or in the heart, who was hidden or unſeene till then in a great meaſure. And hence the Apoſtle prayeth, Eph. 1. v. 17, 18, 19. That they might have the Spirit of revelation—And for what end? v. 18. That ye may know what is the hope of his calling. i. e. that you may know upon what certain grounds,Ʋt ſciatis qualis & quam certa ſit ſpes, qua nos ſperare juſſit Dominus: at que ita ne ulla ſubeat animos veſtros & mentes veſtras dubitatio de rebus non dum praeſtitis. Zanch. and foundatiōs your hopes are built, and ſo may be freed from doubtings about the things hoped for. And how is this attained? The eyes of your underſtanding being enlightened, v. 18. It is by the Spirits clearing and brightning of the underſtanding, and enduing that with ſupernaturall light to know thoſe things which naturally it could not know: the Spirit raiſeth, heighneth, and ſtrengthneth the ſoules apprehenſions of Divine things, by darting in ſpiritual light, and thus it attaineth a revelation, knowledge, and perſwaſion of Calling. So Pſal. 36.9. Not in the light of our own underſtandings, but in [thy light]. i. e. in Divine light, we ſhall ſee light. If thy Spirit giveth us the light of knowledge, then we ſhall be able to ſee what cometh from the Father of lights, or hath a Divine ſtamp or impreſſe upon it, and to put a difference between light and darknes, we ſhall ſee light. And often the Prophet beggeth for irradiations. Pſal. 31.16. & 67. 1. & 80.3.7.19. & 119. v. 135. Cauſe thy face to ſhine. And hence 2 Corin. 4. v. 4.6. The light of the Goſpell is ſaid to ſhine in our hearts, to give us a knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jeſus Chriſt. By theſe ir…diations a ſoule is enabled to ſee the minde of Chriſt in the Goſpel, and to compare its condition with, and rightly to judge thereof by, that perfect rule of righteouſneſſe.
2. The Spirit witneſſeth as by operations within, ſo alſo, by a written word without: this doth contribute much to aſſurance. The Word declareth.
1. That ſuch a Teſtimonie is attaineable, and that the Spirit is the Witnes. Rom. 8.16. 1 Joh. 5. v. 8.10.
2. What thoſe workes of the Spirit are, which doe evidence Adoption; as faith. Joh. 1.12. it giveth deſcriptions of faith and other graces, and openeth the nature, properties, and effects of theſe: or diſcovereth what operations a witneſſing worke hath upon the hearts of thoſe that are reall injoyers of it; whereby a man may diſcerne whither thoſe workes he hath found, be of the right ſtamp; reall and not counterfeit; ſpeciall and not common.
3. What the wayes and meanes are whereby theſe workes may become witneſſing.
4. What application of a word doth make it witneſſing.
Yet, not the word alone, but that in Conjunction with the Irradiations and other operations of the Spirit, doth witneſſe Adoption.
If the Spirit witneſſeth by a reflexion upon acts of faith; the word affordeth this propoſition towards it.
[He that beleeveth ſhall be ſaved, Mark. 16.16].
The ſecond propoſition is [But I beleeve].
Now, towards this, the Word telleth us what Faith is, and the Spirit worketh and acteth faith in us, and by its Irradiations, helpeth us to ſee it in our ſelves, and to ſay [but I beleeve] and then the Concluſion followeth from the Word, Therefore I ſhall be ſaved.
And thus I have diſcovered, what this witneſſing worke of the Spirit is.