None but Christ, Chapter 21
CHAP. XXI. The eleventh ſigne of the ſaving knowledge of Chriſt, is the witneſſe of the Spirit.
THe eleventh and laſt ſign I ſhall mention, is the witneſſe of the ſpirit.Rom. 8. 16. The ſpirit beares witneſſe with our ſpirits that we are the children of God. Some make this the only mark to prove our intereſt in Chriſt, and deny all ſigns from the fruits of the ſpirit; but this were to deny the fruit grown upon the tree to be a ſigne that the tree is alive; but our Saviour tels us, a tree is known by the fruit; and the Lord hath left them in Scripture as infallible markes, and therefore to deny them, were to impute folly or unfaithfulneſſe to God himſelfe, which were the greateſt Blaſphemy. Yet we exclude not the witneſſe of the ſpirit, as a certain evidence of our part in Chriſt.(a) 1 Ioh. 5. 6. Eph 4. 13. Eph. 4. 30.
Which conſiſts in two particulars.
1. Firſt, The ſpirit perſwades my conſcience I am the child of God, Rom. 8. 16. A witneſſe is for manifeſtation and confirmation,1 Cor. 2. 12. 1 Cor.▪ 2. 12. As it were a ſecret voice ſpeaking to our hearts, and ſaying as Chriſt to the leper, be of good chear, thy ſins are forgiven thee.(b) Matth. 9. 2.
2. Secondly, in an inward raviſhi…g joy and comfort, which the ſpirit workes and leaves with this aſſurance, which is that hidden Mannah, which that man that feels it in himſelfe, cannot expreſſe to others, cRev. 2. 17.which is called the Lords Supping with us, dRev. 3. 20.and his chearing us as with flagons of wine, eCant. 2. 5.and hence the ſpirit is called the Holy▪ Ghoſt the comforter, for he fils the heart ſometimes by this teſtimony, with ſuch joyes, is unſpeakable, the ſoule for the time being with Paul in his rapture, rather in heaven then on earth; though here he hath but a taſte, yet the fulneſſe thereof are the joyes of heaven it ſelfe.
1. For the Kingdome of heaven is righteouſneſſe and peace, and joy in the Holy-Ghoſt, Rom. 14. 1.
Queſt. How ſhall I know that it is not a deluſion?
Anſw. I anſwer, this voice God ſends uſually when the ſoule is mourning and full of heavineſſe, as we give wi…e to them that are of a heavy heart; Bleſſed are (f) Iohn 16. 20.they that mourne, for they ſhall be comforted, Matth. 5. 44. And likely either when they are waiting upon God in his ordinances to find Chriſt; as Mary waited at the ſepulchre to ſee him; Or wreſtling with God in prayer, &c. as Cornel. Acts 10. 31. Dan. 9. 31. But as for dreams, viſions and Enthuſiaſmes, though Jacob Gen. 28.when he ſlept, ſaw a viſion of Angels, and was comforted; (and diverſe others) yet God ſeldome now ſpeakes by viſions, but by his word and ſpirit, Heb. 1. 1. and therefore viſions are to be uſually little regarded.
2. The ſpirit witneſſeth alwayes according to the word, and that by diſcovering the promiſes in the word to our conſciences, perſwading us that they belong to us.a1 Iohn 3. 14. Matth. 5.
3. It fils his heart with love and thankfulneſſe to God, and makes him more watchfull and carefull to walke in anſwerable obedience.b1 Cor. 15. 31. 2 Cor. 5. 14. 1 Ioh. 3. 4.
But on the contrary, if it makes thee bold and preſumptuous to walk in ſinfull courſes, and more remiſſe and careleſſe in thy walking with God, thou mayeſt feare it is not a teſtimony of the ſpirit, but a deluſion of the divell.
4. It hath its own witneſſe, even a ſecret manifeſtation to the conſcience, that it is the ſpirit of God, and not a deluſion.
There are likewiſe ſignes of a weak aſſurance that Chriſt is ours; As earneſtly to long after Chriſt, as he is offered: They would faine beleeve and grieve becauſe they cannot, they mourne under their ſinne, and make conſcience of their wayes, who though they cannot beleeve, yet they dare not willingly ſin againſt God, &c. Theſe have ſome degrees of a true and ſaving knowledge of Chriſt, and are not to be diſcouraged, becauſe Chriſt hath promiſed not to quench the ſmoaking flax, nor break theMatth. 12. 20. bruiſed reed; and he hath pronounced them bleſſed that mourne, that are pooreMatth. 5. in Spirit, that hunger and thirſt after righteouſneſſe. Therefore truſt firmly upon theſe promiſes, live and die with them, and ſay, if I can periſh with theſe markes, I am content to periſh.
There are likewiſe ſigns of a ſtrong aſſurance that Chriſt is ours. As when a man can hang upon God without comfort or apprehenſion of favour, nay when the Lord ſeemes to ſmite him with great afflictions.aIob. 13. 15. Gen. 22. Pſal. 42. 11.
2. When he is fild with raviſhing joy and peace in beleeving, more then he can expreſſe.b1 Pet. 1. 8. Rev. 2. 17.
3. When he can contemne the world as vaine and dead things in compariſon of Chriſt, having the moon under his feet, 1 John 5. 4. Rev. 12. 1.cHeb. 11. 15. 16. Col. 3. 3.
4. Holy admiration and unſpeakable thankfulneſſe to God for Chriſt, as Iudas, not Iſcariot, Lord, why doſt thou ſhew thy ſelfe to us, and not to the world?
5. A longing for death that we might be with Chriſt, and an earneſt deſire of the comming of Chriſt, as Paul did,2 Cor. 5. 1. 22. Rev. 22. 17. Phil. 1. 21. I deſire to be diſſolved, &c. And many other ſigns may be brought to this purpoſe, but all cannot find theſe markes; yet thoſe that can, have the greater comfort.