nature of things, be antecedent to the _testimony of our own spirit_,
may appear from this single consideration. We must be holy of heart and
holy in life, before we can be conscious that we are so; before we can
have _the testimony of our spirit_, that we are inwardly and outwardly
holy. But we must love God, before we can be holy at all; this being
the root of all holiness. Now we cannot love God, till we know he
loves us. _We love him, because he first loved us._ And we cannot know
his pardoning love to us, till his Spirit witnesses it to our spirit.
Since therefore this _testimony of his Spirit_ must precede the love
of God and all holiness, of consequence it must precede our inward
consciousness thereof, or, the _testimony of our spirit_ concerning
them.
9. Then, and not till then, when the Spirit of God beareth that
witness to our spirit, “God hath loved thee, and given his own Son to
be the propitiation for thy sins; the Son of God hath loved thee, and
hath washed thee from thy sins in his blood:” _We love God, because he
first loved us_, and for his sake we _love our brother also_. And of
this we cannot but be conscious to ourselves: we _know the things that
are freely given to us of God_. We know that we love God and keep his
commandments. And _hereby also we know that we are of God_. This is
that testimony of our own spirit; which, so long as we continue to love
God and keep his commandments, continues joined with the testimony of
God’s Spirit, _that we are the children of God_.
10. Not that I would, by any means, be understood, by any thing which
has been spoken concerning it, to exclude the operation of the Spirit
of God, even from the _testimony of our own spirit_. In no wise. It is
he that not only worketh in us every manner of thing that is good, but
also shines upon his own work, and clearly shews what he has wrought.
Accordingly this is spoken of by St. _Paul_, as one great end of our
receiving the Spirit, _that we may know the things which are freely
given to us of God_: that he may strengthen the testimony of our
conscience, touching our _simplicity and godly sincerity_, and give us
to discern in a fuller and stronger light, that we now do the things
which please him.
11. Should it still be enquired, How does the Spirit of God, _bear
witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God_, so as to
exclude all doubt, and evince the reality of our sonship? The answer
is clear, from what has been observed above. And first, as to the
witness of our spirit. The soul as intimately and evidently perceives,
when it loves, delights, and rejoices in God, as when it loves and
delights in any thing on earth. And it can no more doubt, whether it
loves, delights and rejoices, or no, than whether it exists, or no. If
therefore this be just reasoning,
He that now loves God, that delights and rejoices in him, with an
humble joy, and holy delight, and an obedient love, is a child of God:
But I thus love, delight, and rejoice in God;
Therefore I am a child of God:
Then a Christian can in no wise doubt, of his being a child of God.
Of the former proposition, he has as full an assurance, as he has that
the scriptures are of God. And of his thus loving God, he has an inward
proof, which is nothing short of self-evidence. Thus the _testimony of
our own spirit_ is with the most intimate conviction manifested to our
hearts; in such a manner, as beyond all reasonable doubt, to evince the
reality of our sonship.
12. The _manner_ how the divine testimony is manifested to the heart,
I do not take upon me to explain. _Such knowledge is too wonderful and
excellent for me; I cannot attain unto it. The wind bloweth_: and _I
hear the sound thereof_. But I cannot _tell how it cometh, or whither
it goeth_. As no one knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of a
man that is in him; so the _manner_ of the things of God knoweth no one,
save the Spirit of God. But the fact we know: namely, that the Spirit
of God does give a believer such a testimony of his adoption, that
while it is present to the soul, he can no more doubt the reality of
his sonship, than he can doubt of the shining of the sun, while he
stands in the full blaze of his beams.
II. 1. How this joint testimony of God’s Spirit and our spirit, may be
clearly and solidly distinguished, from the presumption of a natural
mind, and from the delusion of the devil, is the next thing to be
considered. And it highly imports all who desire the salvation of God,
to consider it with the deepest attention, as they would not deceive
their own souls. An error in this is generally observed to have the
most fatal consequences: the rather, because he that errs seldom
discovers his mistake, till it is too late to remedy it.
2. And first, how is this testimony to be distinguished from the
presumption of a natural mind? It is certain, one who was never
convinced of sin, is always ready to flatter himself and to think of
himself, especially in spiritual things, more highly than he ought
to think. And hence, it is in no wise strange if one who is vainly
puffed up by his fleshly mind, when he hears of this privilege of
true Christians, among whom he undoubtedly ranks himself, should soon
work himself up into a persuasion, that he is already possest thereof.
Such instances now abound in the world, and have abounded in all ages.
How then may the real testimony of the Spirit with our spirit, be
distinguished from this damning presumption?
3. I answer, the holy scriptures abound with marks, whereby the one may
be distinguished from the other. They describe in the plainest manner
the circumstances which go before, which accompany, and which follow,
the true, genuine testimony of the Spirit of God with the spirit of a
believer. Whoever carefully weighs and attends to these, will not need
to put darkness for light. He will perceive so wide a difference with
respect to all these, between the real and the pretended witness of the
Spirit, that there will be no danger, I might say, no possibility, of
confounding the one with the other.
4. By these, one who vainly presumes on the gift of God, might surely
know, if he really desired it, that he hath been hitherto _given up to
a strong delusion_, and suffered to _believe a lie_. For the scriptures
lay down those clear, obvious marks as preceding, accompanying and
following that gift, which a little reflection would convince him,
beyond all doubt, were never found in his soul. For instance, the
scripture describes repentance, or conviction of sin, as constantly
going before this witness of pardon. So, _Repent; for the kingdom
of heaven, is at hand_, Matt. iii. 2. _Repent ye, and believe the
gospel_, Mark i. 15. _Repent, and be baptized every one of you, for the
remission of sins_, Acts ii. 38. _Repent ye therefore and be converted,
that your sins may be blotted out_, chap. iii. 19. In conformity
whereto our church also continually places repentance, before pardon
or the witness of it. “He pardoneth and absolveth all them that truly
repent and unfeignedly believe his holy gospel.” “Almighty God――hath
promised forgiveness of sins to all them, who with hearty repentance
and true faith turn unto him.” But he is a stranger even to this
repentance. He hath never known _a broken and a contrite heart. The
remembrance of_ his _sins_ was never _grievous unto_ him, nor _the
burthen of them intolerable_. In repeating those words, he never meant
what he said; he merely paid a compliment to God. And were it only
from the want of this previous work of God, he hath too great reason
to believe, that he hath grasped a mere shadow, and never yet known the
real privilege of the sons of God.
5. Again, the scriptures describe the being born of God, which must
precede the witness that we are his children, as a vast and mighty
change, a change _from darkness to light_, as well as _from the power
of Satan unto God_: as a _passing from death unto life_, a resurrection
from the dead. Thus the apostle to the _Ephesians_; _you hath he
quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins_, chap. ii. ver. 1.
And again, _When we were dead in sins, he hath quickened us together
with Christ; and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together,
in heavenly places, in Christ Jesus_, ver. 5, 6. But what knoweth
he concerning whom we now speak, of any such change as this? He is
altogether unacquainted with this whole matter. This is a language
which he does not understand. He tells you, “He always was a Christian.
He knows no time when he had need of such a change.” By this also, if
he give himself leave to think, may he know, that he is not born of the
Spirit: that he has never yet known God; but has mistaken the voice of
nature for the voice of God.
6. But waving the consideration of whatever he has or has not
experienced in time past; by the present marks may we easily
distinguish a child of God, from a presumptuous self-deceiver. The
scriptures describe that joy in the Lord which accompanies the witness
of his Spirit, as an humble joy, a joy that abases to the dust; that
makes a pardoned sinner cry out, “I am vile! What am I or my father’s
house?――Now mine eye seeth thee, I abhor myself in dust and ashes?”
And wherever lowliness is, there is meekness, patience, gentleness,
long-suffering. There is a soft yielding spirit; a mildness and
sweetness; a tenderness of soul which words cannot express. But do
these fruits attend that _supposed_ testimony of the Spirit, in a
presumptuous man? Just the reverse. The more confident he is of the
favour of God, the more is he lifted up. The more does he exalt himself;
the more haughty and assuming is his whole behaviour. The stronger
witness he imagines himself to have, the more overbearing is he to
all around him; the more incapable of receiving any reproof, the more
impatient of contradiction. Instead of being more meek, and gentle,
and teachable, more _swift to hear, and slow to speak_, he is more
slow to hear and swift to speak, more unready to learn of any one; more
fiery and vehement in his temper, and eager in his conversation. Yea,
perhaps, there will sometimes appear a kind of fierceness, in his air,
his manner of speaking, his whole deportment, as if he were just going
to take the matter out of God’s hands, and himself to _devour the
adversaries_.
7. * Once more. The scriptures teach, _this is the love of God_ (the
sure mark thereof) _that we keep his commandments_, _1 John_ v. 3. And
our Lord himself saith, _he that keepeth my commandments, he it is that
loveth me_, _John_ xiv. 21. Love rejoices to obey; to do in every point,
whatever is acceptable to the Beloved. A true lover of God hastens to
do his will on earth as it is done in heaven. But is this the character
of the presumptuous pretender to the love of God? Nay, but his love
gives him a liberty to disobey, to break, not to keep, the commandments
of God. Perhaps when he was in fear of the wrath of God, he did labour
to do his will. But now looking on himself as _not under the law_,
he thinks he is no longer obliged to observe it. He is therefore less
zealous of good works, less careful to abstain from evil; less watchful
over his own heart, less jealous over his tongue. He is less earnest to
deny himself, and to take up his cross daily. In a word, the whole form
of his life is changed, since he has fancied himself to be at _liberty_.
He is no longer _exercising himself unto godliness; wrestling not_ only
_with flesh and blood, but with principalities and powers, enduring
hardships, agonizing to enter in at the strait gate_. No; he has found
an easier way to heaven; a broad, smooth, flowry path; in which he can
say to his soul, “Soul, take thy ease, eat, drink, and be merry.” It
follows with undeniable evidence, that he has not the true testimony
of his own spirit. He cannot be conscious of having those marks which
he hath not; that lowliness, meekness, and obedience. Nor yet can the
Spirit of the God of truth bear witness to a lie; or testify that he is
a child of God, when he is manifestly a child of the devil.
8. Discover thyself, thou poor self-deceiver! Thou who art confident of
being a child of God, thou who sayest, “I have the witness in myself,”
and therefore defiest all thy enemies. Thou art weighed in the balance
and found wanting; even in the balance of the sanctuary. The word of
the Lord hath tried thy soul, and proved thee to be reprobate silver.
Thou art not lowly of heart. Therefore thou hast not received the
Spirit of Jesus unto this day. Thou art not gentle and meek; therefore
thy joy is nothing worth: it is not joy in the Lord. Thou dost not
keep his commandments; therefore thou lovest him not, neither art
thou partaker of the Holy Ghost. It is consequently, as certain and as
evident, as the oracles of God can make it, his Spirit doth not bear
witness with thy Spirit, that thou art a child of God. O cry unto him
that the scales may fall off thine eyes, that thou mayst know thyself
as thou art known; that thou mayst receive the sentence of death in
thyself, till thou hear the voice that raises the dead, saying, “Be of
good cheer: thy sins are forgiven; thy faith hath made thee whole.”
9. “But how may one who has the real witness in himself distinguish
it from presumption?” How, I pray, do you distinguish day from night?
How do you distinguish light from darkness? Or the light of a star,
or glimmering taper, from the light of the noon-day sun? Is there not
an inherent, obvious, essential difference between the one and the
other? And do you not immediately and directly perceive that difference,
provided your senses are rightly disposed? In like manner, there is an
inherent, essential difference between spiritual light and spiritual
darkness: and between the light wherewith the Sun of righteousness
shines upon our heart, and that glimmering light, which arises only
from _sparks of_ our _own kindling_. And this difference also is
immediately and directly perceived, if our spiritual senses are rightly
disposed.
10. * To require a more minute and philosophical account of the
_manner_ whereby we distinguish these, and of the _criteria_, or
intrinsick marks, whereby we know the voice of God, is to make a
demand which can never be answered; no, not by one who has the deepest
knowledge of God. Suppose, when _Paul_ answered before _Agrippa_, the
wise _Roman_ had said, “Thou talkest of hearing the voice of the Son
of God. How dost thou know, it was his voice? By what _criteria_, what
intrinsick marks, dost thou know the voice of God? Explain to me, the
_manner_ of distinguishing this, from a human or angelic voice.” Can
you believe, the apostle himself would have once attempted to answer
so idle a demand? And yet doubtless the moment he heard that voice, he
knew it was the voice of God. But _how_ he knew this, who is able to
explain? Perhaps neither man nor angel.
11. * To come yet closer. Suppose God were now to speak to any soul,
“Thy sins are forgiven thee.” He must be willing, that soul should know
his voice; otherwise he would speak in vain. And he is able to effect
this; for whenever he wills, to do is present with him. And he does
effect it. That soul is absolutely assured, “This voice is the voice of
God.” But yet he who hath that witness in himself, cannot explain it to
one who hath not. Nor indeed is it to be expected that he should. Were
there any natural medium to prove, or natural method to explain the
things of God, to unexperienced men; then the natural man might discern
and know the things of the Spirit of God. But this is utterly contrary
to the assertion of the apostle, that _he cannot know them; because
they are spiritually discerned_; even by spiritual senses, which the
natural man hath not.
12. “But how shall I know, that my spiritual senses are rightly
disposed?” This also is a question of vast importance. For if a man
mistake in this, he may run on in endless error and delusion. “And how
am I assured, that this is not my case; and that I do not mistake the
voice of the Spirit?” Even by the _testimony of your own Spirit_; by
_the answer of a good conscience toward God_. By the fruits which he
hath wrought in your spirit you shall know the _testimony of the Spirit
of God_. Hereby you shall know, that you are in no delusion, that you
have not deceived your own soul. The immediate fruits of the Spirit,
ruling in the heart, are _love_, _joy_, _peace_; _bowels of mercies_,
_humbleness of mind_, _meekness_, _gentleness_, _long-suffering_. And
the outward fruits are, the doing good to all men; the doing no evil to
any; and the walking in the light; a zealous, uniform obedience to all
the commandments of God.
13. By the same fruits shall you distinguish this voice of God, from
any delusion of the devil. That proud spirit cannot humble thee before
God. He neither can nor would soften thy heart, and melt it first into
earnest mourning after God, and then into filial love. It is not the
adversary of God and man, that enables thee to love thy neighbour; or
to put on meekness, gentleness, patience, temperance, and the whole
armour of God. He is not divided against himself, or a destroyer of sin,
his own work. No; it is none but the Son of God who cometh _to destroy
the works of the devil_. As surely therefore as holiness is of God,
and as sin is the work of the devil, so surely the witness thou hast
in thyself is not of Satan, but of God.
14. Well then mayst thou say, _Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable
gift_! Thanks be unto God, who giveth me to _know in whom I have
believed_: who _hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into my heart,
crying, Abba, Father_, and even now _bearing witness with my Spirit,
that I am a child of God_! And see, that not only thy lips, but thy
life shew forth his praise. He hath marked thee for his own; _glorify
him_ then _in thy body and thy Spirit which are_ his. Beloved, if thou
_hast this hope in_ thyself, _purify_ thyself _as he is pure_. While
thou beholdest _what manner of love the Father hath given_ thee, that
thou shouldst _be called a child of God: cleanse_ thyself _from all
filthiness of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God_:
and let all thy thoughts, words, and works be a spiritual sacrifice,
holy, acceptable to God through Christ Jesus!
SERMON XI.
THE WITNESS OF THE SPIRIT.
DISCOURSE II.
ROM. viii. 16.
_The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are
the children of God._
I. 1. NONE who believes the scriptures to be the word of God, can doubt
the _importance_ of such a truth as this: a truth revealed therein, not
once only, not obscurely, not incidentally; but frequently, and that in
express terms; but solemnly and of set purpose, as denoting one of the
peculiar privileges of the children of God.
2. And it is the more necessary to explain and defend this truth,
because there is a danger on the right hand and on the left. If we
deny it, there is a danger lest our religion degenerate into mere
formality: lest _having a form of godliness_, we neglect, if not
_deny the power of it_. If we allow it, but do not understand what we
allow, we are liable to run into all the wildness of enthusiasm. It is
therefore needful in the highest degree, to guard those who fear God
from both these dangers, by a scriptural and rational illustration and
confirmation of this momentous truth.
3. It may seem, something of this kind is the more needful, because so
little has been wrote on the subject with any clearness: unless some
discourses on the wrong side of the question, which explain it quite
away. And it cannot be doubted, but these were occasioned, at least in
great measure, by the crude, unscriptural, irrational explication of
others, who _knew not what they spake, nor whereof they affirmed_.
4. It more nearly concerns the _Methodists_, so called, clearly
to understand, explain and defend this doctrine, because it is one
grand part of the testimony, which God has given them to bear to all
mankind. It is by his peculiar blessing upon them in searching the
scriptures, confirmed by the experience of his children, that this
great evangelical truth has been recovered, which had been for many
years well nigh lost and forgotten.
II. 1. But what is _the witness of the Spirit_? The original word
μαρτυρία, may be rendered either, (as it is in several places,) _the
witness_, or less ambiguously, _the testimony_ or _the record_: so it
is rendered in our translation, _1 John_ v. 11. _This is the record_
(the testimony, the sum of what God testifies in all the inspired
writings) _that God hath given unto us eternal life, and this life
is in his Son_. The testimony now under consideration is given by the
Spirit of God to and with our spirit. He is the person testifying. What
he testifies to us is, _that we are the children of God_. The immediate
result of this testimony, is _the fruit of the Spirit_; namely, _love_,
_joy_, _peace_, _long-suffering_, _gentleness_, _goodness_. And without
these the testimony itself cannot continue. For it is inevitably
destroyed, not only by the commission of any outward sin, or the
omission of known duty, but by giving way to any inward sin: in a word,
by whatever grieves the Holy Spirit of God.
2. I observed many years ago, “It is hard to find words in the language
of men, to explain the deep things of God. Indeed there are none that
will adequately express, what the Spirit of God works in his children.
But perhaps one might say (desiring any who are taught of God, to
correct, soften or strengthen the expression) By _the testimony of the
Spirit_ I mean, an inward impression of the soul, whereby the Spirit of
God immediately and directly witnesses to my spirit, that I am a child
of God, that _Jesus Christ hath loved me, and given himself for me_.
That all my sins are blotted out, and I, even I am reconciled to God.”
3. After twenty years further consideration, I see no cause to retract
any part of this. Neither do I conceive, how any of these expressions
may be altered, so as to make them more intelligible. I can only add,
that if any of the children of God will point out any other expressions,
which are more clear, or more agreeable to the word of God, I will
readily lay these aside.
4. Meantime let it be observed, I do not mean hereby, that the Spirit
of God testifies this by any outward voice: no, nor always by an inward
voice, altho’ he may do this sometimes. Neither do I suppose, that he
always applies to the heart, (tho’ he often may) one or more texts of
scripture. But he so works upon the soul by his immediate influence,
and by a strong, tho’ inexplicable operation, that the stormy wind and
troubled waves subside, and there is a sweet calm: the heart resting
as in the arms of Jesus, and the sinner being clearly satisfied, that
God is reconciled, that all his _iniquities are forgiven, and his sins
covered_.
5. Now, what is the matter of dispute concerning this? Not, whether
there be a witness or testimony of the Spirit? Not, whether the Spirit
does testify with our spirit, that we are the children of God? None can
deny this, without flatly contradicting the scripture, and charging a
lie upon the God of truth. Therefore that there is a testimony of the
Spirit, is acknowledged by all parties.
6. Neither is it questioned, whether there is an _indirect_ witness
or testimony, that we are the children of God. This is nearly, if not
exactly the same with _the testimony of a good conscience towards God_;
and is the result of reason, or reflection on what we feel in our own
souls. Strictly speaking, it is a conclusion drawn partly from the word
of God, and partly from our own experience. The word of God says, every
one who has the fruit of the Spirit is a child of God. Experience, or
inward consciousness tells me, that I have the fruit of the Spirit.
And hence I rationally conclude, therefore I am a child of God. This
is likewise allowed on all hands, and so is no matter of controversy.
7. Nor do we assert, that there can be any real testimony of the Spirit,
without the fruit of the Spirit. We assert, on the contrary, that the
fruit of the Spirit immediately springs from this testimony: not always
indeed in the same degree, even when the testimony is first given. And
much less afterwards; neither joy nor peace are always at one stay. No,
nor love: as neither is the testimony itself always equally strong and
clear.
8. But the point in question is, whether there be any _direct
testimony_ of the Spirit at all? Whether there be any other testimony
of the Spirit, than that which arises from a consciousness of the fruit?