The Voice of the Spirit, Chapter 7 – Chapter 8
CHAP. VII. Of the Spirits witneſſing by water.
Anſ. 2. THe Spirit witneſſeth by Water: 1 Joh. 5.8. There are three that beare witnes on Earth, the Spirit, and [the Water] i. e. Sanctification. And that this is intended by water is evident. For it is ſomething.
1. Derived from Chriſt, ver. 6. He came by Water.
2. That hath an aptitude to witnes. v. 8.
3. That witneſſeth in Earth, v. 8. i. e. to or in us.
4. That is diſtinguiſhed from bloud, ver. 6.8.
Now, Sanctification is the priviledge injoyed, or derived from Chriſt, which the Scripture ſetteth out by Water in way of diſtinction from bloud: and therefore that muſt needs be intended here.
This worke of Sanctification was typified under the Law by waſhing;Exod. 19.10 Hebr. 9.10. becauſe water hath a cleanſing propertie, and ſo the Communication of grace by the Spirit, is expreſſed by [powring out] Zech. 12.10. And we read of the waſhing of regeneratio, Tit. 3.5. and are exhorted to cleanſe our ſelves, 2 Cor. 7.1. Which are Metaphors taken from water, and are uſed to ſet out ſanctification. But moſt clearely, Eph. 5.26. That he might [ſanctifie] and cleanſe it, i. e. his Church, with the waſhing of water: which fully evidenceth that ſanctification is ſet forth by water; and I know nothing elſe that thoſe requiſites aforementioned, will agree to, beſides that.
And, that the Spirit doth witnes unto ſoules their intereſt in Chriſt, by ſanctification, is evident.
1. Becauſe it is expreſſely called a Witnes: 1 Joh. 5.8. and there could not be three, if that were not one.
2. Becauſe it is reckoned up amongſt the peculiar priviledges and ſpeciall favours which the Saints receive from Chriſt, 1 Cor. 1.30. 1 Cor. 6.11. Such were ſome of you, but ye are waſhed, but ye are ſanctified—Where it differenceth their ſtate of Converſion to Chriſt, from their ſtate of nature wherein they were without Chriſt. And it is attributed to the Spirit, which is therefore frequently called the [holy] Spirit; becauſe it worketh holineſs in the hearts of men.
3. Becauſe there is a neceſſary Connexion between ſanctification and ſalvation, 2 Theſ. 2.13. 1 Pet. 1.2. Act. 20.32. & 26.18. An inheritance among them that are ſanctified. And what ever hath ſalvation coupled with it, being diſcovered, muſt needs have a witneſſing force in it. Yet, alwayes remember.
1. That Water. i. e. Sanctification cannot witnes Adoption without the Irradiations of the Spirit: when a Chriſtian hath had ſome ſweet, lively, experience of God, ſome ſenſible injoyment of him, and a feeling of the Spirits operations, exciting, quickening, and acting its owne graces; yet by and by, when this light from the Spirit is wanting, it is ready to throw away all againe, and ſay, O I thought I had ſeen God in ſuch a way, and heard his voyce, and felt his love; but now I feare I was miſtaken: and yet afterwards when the Spirit ſhineth upon its owne workes againe, then it can owne God in the ſame diſpenſations that it caſt away; Pſal. 77. The Prophet was in great affliction and diſtreſſe; ver. 2. My ſnare ran in the night and ceaſed not, my ſoule refuſed to be comforted.
And as a Remedy. 1. He remembred God, v. 3. i.e. called to minde how gracious and mercifull the Lord is; and this in ſtead of eaſing did aggravate his ſorrowes. 2. He recollected former experiences, ver. 5. I conſidered the dayes of old. i.e. what the dealings of God had been with me, how gracious he had been to me formerly; and he thought to have mitigated his griefe this way; but the light of the Spirit was wanting; and ſo in ſtead of aſſwaging, this heightneth his trouble, that he is ruſhed almoſt upon a brinke of deſperation. ver. 7.8, 9. Will the Lord caſt off for ever? will he be favourable no more? hath he forgotten to be gracious? But, he hath a ſecond remembrance of Gods dealings of old, v. 10, 11. and is cheered up by them, & could admire God in them againe, v. 13. There was a great darknes upon his old experiences, ver. 5. and then they were wounding to him; but the Spirit ſhineth upon the ſame, ver. 11. and then they tend to healing. So that, when the beames of that Sun are afforded, then a ſoule may trace the footſteps of the Almighty, from one particular to another, and ſay, God was here, to ſuccour me under this temptation, to ſupport me in this condition, to ſanctifie to me this diſpenſation, though I was not aware of it, and then Graces within may be witneſſing, elſe not.
2. That Sanctification is a darker evidence, then the other: this water is many times muddy. There is ſo much imperfection in it; ſuch ſtirrings of corruption, yea prevailings, even in the beſt of the Saints, as Rom. 7. that this evidence is often darkned, and blotted, and hath but a moon-light in it. There is a perfection in the other witneſſes, though there may be imperfection in their witneſſing: but, here is much weaknes in the witnes it ſelfe of water, which affordeth more cauſe of queſtioning it.
Object. But may or can a ſoule injoy any other teſtimony, by the Spirit or bloud, when water. i.e. Sanctification lyeth dark?
Anſ: 1. A certainty that Sanctification is wanting ſpeaketh an incapability of having Adoption witneſſed any way to a man: for, the want of that doth infallibly evidence a want of Adoption. 1 Joh. 2. v. 3, 4. 1 Joh. 3. v. 8, 9. He that committeth ſin. i.e. liveth and walketh in ſin, and is addicted and given up to the ſervice of it [he is of the Devil] ver. 4. for he that is borne of God cannot ſin—Such are expreſſely excluded from the inheritance of Sons. 1 Cor. 6. v. 9, 10. Neither fornicatours, nor Idolaters, nor Adulterers, — nor theeves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners ſhall inherit the kingdome of God: nor no unrighteous ones. ver. 9. Whereas, all that are adopted are heires of that Kingdome. Rom. 8.17. Luk. 12.32. And this may caſt the carnal confidences of multitudes in theſe dayes, who are without reſtraining grace, and yet pretend to aſſurance; who live in prophanenes and thoſe very ſins afore-mentioned, and yet are confident of their intereſt in the kingdome of God, which is expreſſely to give the Holy-Ghoſt the lye,1 Cor 6.10. which ſaith, they ſhall not enter.
If it can on Scripture grounds be concluded that a man is deſtitute of faith or repentance &c. then it is certaine that he hath no teſtimony from the Spirit of Adoption.
2. But Sanctification may be inevident, or lie darke, and yet the Spirit or bloud may witnes Adoption: A man may not be able clearely or diſtinctly to diſcerne his Sanctification, it may be clouded, and be very obſcure to him, and yet the Spirit or bloud may teſtifie his intereſt in Chriſt. 1 Sam. 12. ver. 20.22. Jer. 3.4. He may be able by the light of the Spirit to ſee acts of faith put forth upon the bloud of Chriſt, and theſe are witneſſing. Rom. 3.25. Rom. 5. v. 1.9. & 10.10.
And the Spirit and bloud are the higheſt witneſſes, and ſo afford the cleareſt evidences of Adoption.
3. Yet a man may and ought by Conſequence Conclude of his Sanctification when ever the other witneſſes are afforded: as in a darke day a man may conclude that the Sun is up, though he cannot ſee it: ſo, a man, ſeing acts of faith on the bloud of Chriſt, may conclude he is ſanctified, though he cannot ſee his owne ſanctification: and the not drawing this Concluſion is the occaſion of many feares, dejections, diſquietings, and diſcomforts in the ſoules of many Sainte.
CHAP. VIII. Of the Spirits witneſſing by bloud.
Anſ. 3. THe Spirit witneſſeth by bloud: 1 Joh. 5.8. i.e. the bloud of Chriſt, by which we have Redemption, Remiſſion, Juſtification, — Heb. 9.22. Eph. 1.5. Matth. 26.28. Revel. 5.9.
The righteouſneſſe of Chriſt and his bloud are all one: and hence, Rom. 5.9. We are juſtified by his bloud; and ver. 18. Juſtified by his righteouſneſſe.
Now, that this bloud doth performe the office of a Witneſſe is evident.
1. Becauſe it is called a Witnes, and that in way of diſtinction from water, 1 Joh. 5 8.
2. Becauſe bloud is uſefull to ſuch ſpeciall ends as are peculiar to thoſe in Chriſt: as Juſtification — Rom. 5.9. Eph. 1.5. & 2.13. Coloſſ. 1.20. Hebr. 10.19. 1 Cor. 11.25.
3. Becauſe the application of this bloud is by faith, which hath an aptitude to make it witneſſing: we are not to imagine that this bloud can witnes unto any particular ſoule its Adoption without it be appropriated and applyed by ſome ſpeciall acts which many in the world want, becauſe many obtaine not Adoption or ſalvation by it. Rom. 2. v. 5, 6, 7, 8, 12. 2 Theſſ. 1. v. 7, 8. And without ſuch acts it would witnes it to all the world as well as to any one in it.
Now it is the office of faith, to make that generall, of Chriſts ſhedding his bloud for the redemption & reconciliation of ſinners, to be of particular advantage to a ſoule. Rom. 3.25. It is the bloud that Juſtifieth, Rom. 5.9. And therefore bloud is called the witneſſe and not faith. But, ſeing it is received by faith, that may diſcover when it is applyed, and ſo may make it witneſſing: and hence he that beleeveth is ſaid to have the witneſs within himſelfe, 1 Joh. 5.10. And we are ſaid to be Juſtified by faith, Rom. 3. v. 28.30. & 4. v. 2, 3.16. & 5.1. Gal. 2.16. And there is an inſeparable connexion made between faith and ſalvation, Joh. 3.16.36. Mark. 16.16. Rom. 10. ver. 9, 10. All which prove, that bloud (which bringeth in thoſe priviledges) hath a power granted to it to witnes.
Much therefore are they miſtaken, that take Sanctification and inherent Qualifications, to be the onelyonly witneſſing things: you ſee the bloud of Chriſt, which is without us, given, imputed, or applyed to us, is alſo a witneſſe, as well as graces within us. I take bloud, to be a clearer evidence then Water, which is often muddy and full of imperfection: and hence ſuch an Emphaſis, is put upon bloud. 1 Joh. 5.6. He came not hy water onelyonly, but by water and blood. His ſaying [not by water onelyonly] argueth that it is the bloud, he would have eſpecially taken notice of, and that it was for the ſake of bloud, that this is iterated. Men are apt to ſlight bloud, as if that deſerved not the name of a witneſſe; whereas, although water is not to be neglected, yet bloud is moſt to be minded, or more then water in this witneſſing worke, for he ſtriveth moſt to advance that witneſſe [not by Water onelyonly —].