Part 14

3. “But I lay it down as an undoubted truth, the fruit of the Spirit is the witness of the Spirit.” Not undoubted; thousands doubt of, yea flatly deny it: but to let that pass. “If this witness be sufficient, there is no need of any other. But it is sufficient, unless in one of these cases, 1. The _total absence_ of the fruit of the Spirit.” And this is the case, when the direct witness is first given: 2. “The _not perceiving it_. But to contend for it in this case, is to contend for being in the favour of God, and not knowing it.” True, not knowing it at that time any otherwise, than by the testimony which is given for that end. And this we do contend for: we contend, that the direct witness may shine clear, even while the indirect one is under a cloud.

4. It is objected, secondly, “The design of the witness contended for, is to prove that the profession we make is genuine. But it does not prove this.” I answer, the proving this, is not the design of it. It is antecedent to our making any profession at all, but that of being lost, undone, guilty, helpless sinners. It is designed to assure those to whom it is given, that they are the children of God; that they are _justified freely by his grace, thro’ the redemption that is in Jesus Christ_. And this does not suppose, that their preceeding thoughts, words and actions, are conformable to the rule of scripture. It supposes quite the reverse, namely, That they are sinners all over, sinners both in heart and life. Were it otherwise, God would _justify the godly_; and _their own works_ would be _counted to them for righteousness_. And I cannot but fear that a supposition of our being justified by works, is at the root of all their objections. For who ever cordially believes, that God _imputes_ to all that are justified, _righteousness without works_, will find no difficulty in allowing the witness of his Spirit, preceding the fruit of it.

5. It is objected, thirdly, “One evangelist says, _your heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him_. The other evangelist calls the same thing _good gifts_; abundantly demonstrating, that the Spirit’s way of bearing witness, is by giving good gifts.” Nay, here is nothing at all about _bearing witness_, either in one text, or the other. Therefore ’till this demonstration is better demonstrated, I let it stand as it is.

6. It is objected, fourthly, “The scripture says, _the tree is known by its fruits. Prove all things. Try the spirits. Examine yourselves._” Most true: therefore let every man who believes he _hath the witness in himself, try_ whether it be of God; if the fruit follow, it is, otherwise it is not. For certainly _the tree is known by its fruit_: Hereby we _prove_, if it be of God. “But the direct witness is never referred to in the book of God.” Not as standing alone, not as a single witness, but as connected with the other: As giving a _joint testimony_, testifying _with our spirit_, that we are children of God. And who is able to prove, that it is not _thus_ referred to, in this very scripture, _Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith: prove your ownselves. Know ye not yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?_ It is by no means clear, that they did not know this, by a _direct_ as well as a _remote_ witness. How is it proved, that they did not know it, first, by an inward consciousness, and then by love, joy and peace?

7. “But the testimony arising from the internal and external change, is constantly referred to in the bible.” It is so. And we constantly refer thereto, to confirm the testimony of the Spirit.

“Nay, all the marks _you_ have given, whereby to distinguish the operations of God’s Spirit from delusion, refer to the change wrought in us and upon us.” This likewise is undoubtedly true.

8. It is objected, fifthly, that “The direct witness of the Spirit, does not secure us from the greatest delusion. And is that a witness fit to be trusted, whose testimony cannot be depended on? That is forced to fly to something else, to prove what it asserts?” I answer. To secure us from all delusion, God gives us two witnesses that we are his children. And this they testify conjointly. Therefore _what God hath joined together, let not man put asunder_. And while they are joined, we cannot be deluded: their testimony can be depended on. They are fit to be trusted in the highest degree, and need nothing else to prove what they assert.

“Nay, the direct witness only asserts, but does not prove any thing.” By two witnesses shall every word be established. And when the Spirit _witnesses with our Spirit_, as God designs it to do, then it fully proves that we are children of God.

9. It is objected, sixthly, “You own the change wrought is a sufficient testimony, unless in the case of severe trials, such as that of our Saviour upon the cross. But none of us can be tried in that manner.” But you or I may be tried in such a manner, and so may any other child of God, that it will be impossible for us to keep our filial confidence in God, without the direct witness of his Spirit.

10. It is objected, lastly, “The greatest contenders for it, are some of the proudest and most uncharitable of men.” Perhaps some of the _hottest_ contenders for it, are both proud and uncharitable. But many of the _firmest_ contenders for it, are eminently meek and lowly in heart: and indeed in all other respects also,

True followers of their lamb-like Lord.

The preceding objections are the most considerable that I have heard, and I believe contain the strength of the cause. Yet I apprehend whoever calmly and impartially considers those objections and the answers together, will easily see, that they do not destroy, no, nor weaken the evidence of that great truth, that the Spirit of God does _directly_, as well as _indirectly_ testify, that we are children of God.

V. 1. The sum of all is this. The testimony of the Spirit is an inward impression on the souls of believers, whereby the Spirit of God directly testifies to their spirit, that they are children of God. And it is not questioned, whether there is a testimony of the Spirit? But whether there is any _direct testimony_? Whether there is any other than that which arises from a consciousness of the fruit of the Spirit? We believe there is: because this is the plain natural meaning of the text, illustrated both by the preceding words, and by the parallel passage in the epistle to the _Galatians_: because, in the nature of the thing, the testimony must precede the fruit which springs from it, and because this plain meaning of the word of God is confirmed by the experience of innumerable children of God: yea, and by the experience of all who are convinced of sin, who can never rest, ’till they have a direct witness: and even of the children of the world, who not having the witness in themselves, one and all declare, none can _know_ his sins forgiven.

2. And whereas it is objected, that experience is not sufficient to prove a doctrine unsupported by scripture: that madmen and enthusiasts of every kind, have imagined such a witness: that the design of that witness is to prove our profession genuine, which design it does not answer: that the scripture says, _The tree is known by its fruit; examine yourselves; prove your ownselves_; and mean time the direct witness is never referred to in all the book of God: that it does not secure us from the greatest delusions: and, lastly, that the change wrought in us is a sufficient testimony, unless in such trials as Christ alone suffered. We answer, 1. Experience is sufficient to _confirm_ a doctrine, which is grounded on scripture: 2. Tho’ many fancy they experience what they do not, this is no prejudice to real experience: 3. The design of that witness is, to assure us we are children of God. And this design it does answer. 4. The true witness of the Spirit is known by its fruit, love, peace, joy; not indeed preceding, but following it: 5. It cannot be proved, that the direct, as well as the indirect witness, is not referred to in that very text, _Know ye not your ownselves that Jesus Christ is in you_? 6. The Spirit of God _witnessing with our spirit_ does secure us from all delusion: and, lastly, we are all liable to trials, wherein the testimony of our own spirit is not sufficient; wherein nothing less than the direct testimony of God’s Spirit can assure us that we are his children.

3. Two inferences may be drawn from the whole. The first, let none ever presume to rest, in any supposed testimony of the Spirit, which is separate from the fruit of it. If the Spirit of God does really testify that we are children of God, the immediate consequence will be the fruit of the Spirit, even, _love_, _joy_, _peace_, _long-suffering_, _gentleness_, _goodness_, _fidelity_, _meekness_, _temperance_. And however this fruit may be clouded for a while, during the time of strong temptation, so that it does not appear to the tempted person, while _Satan_ is _sifting him as wheat_, yet the substantial part of it remains, even under the thickest cloud. It is true, joy in the Holy Ghost may be withdrawn, during the hour of trial. Yea, the soul may be _exceeding sorrowful_, while _the hour and power of darkness_ continue. But even this is generally restored with increase, till we rejoice _with joy unspeakable and full of glory_.

4. The second inference is, let none rest in any supposed fruit of the Spirit without the witness. There may be foretastes of joy, of peace, of love, and those not delusive, but really from God, long before we have the witness in ourselves, before the Spirit of God witnesses with our spirits, that we have _redemption in the blood of Jesus, even the forgiveness of sins_. Yea there may be a degree of long-suffering, of gentleness, of fidelity, meekness, temperance, (not a shadow thereof, but a real degree, by the preventing grace of God) before we are _accepted in the Beloved_, and consequently before we have a testimony of our acceptance. But it is by no means advisable to rest here; it is at the peril of our souls if we do. If we are wise we shall be continually crying to God, until his Spirit cry in our heart, _Abba, Father_! This is the privilege of all the children of God, and without this we can never be assured that we are his children. Without this we cannot retain a steddy peace, nor avoid perplexing doubts and fears. But when we have once received this _Spirit of adoption_, this _peace which passes all understanding_, and which expells all painful doubt and fear, will _keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus_. And when this has brought forth its genuine fruit, all inward and outward holiness, it is undoubtedly the will of him that calleth us, to give us always what he has once given. So that there is no need, that we should ever more be deprived, of either the testimony of God’s Spirit, or the testimony of our own, the consciousness of our walking in all righteousness and true holiness.

NEWRY, _April 4, 1767_.

SERMON XII.

THE WITNESS OF OUR OWN SPIRIT.

2 COR. i. 12.

_This is our rejoicing, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world._

1. SUCH is the voice of every true believer in Christ, so long as he abides in faith and love. _He that followeth me_, saith our Lord, _walketh not in darkness_: And while he hath the light, he rejoiceth therein. _As_ he _hath received the Lord Jesus Christ, so_ he _walketh in him_. And while he walketh in him, the exhortation of the apostle takes place in his soul day by day, _Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, rejoice_.

2. But that we may not build our house upon the sand, (lest when the rains descend, and the winds blow, and the floods arise and beat upon it, it fall, and great be the fall thereof) I intend, in the following discourse, to shew, what is the nature and ground of a Christian’s joy. We know, in general, It is that happy peace, that calm satisfaction of spirit, which arises from such a testimony of his conscience, as is here described by the apostle. But in order to understand this the more throughly, it will be requisite to weigh all his words: whence will easily appear, both what we are to understand by _conscience_, and what, by the _testimony_ thereof; and also, how he that hath this testimony rejoiceth evermore.

3. And, first, what are we to understand by _conscience_? What is the meaning of this word that is in every one’s mouth? One would imagine, it was an exceeding difficult thing, to discover this, when we consider, how large and numerous volumes have been from time to time wrote on this subject: and how all the treasures of ancient and modern learning have been ransack’d, in order to explain it. And yet it is to be fear’d, it has not received much light from all those elaborate enquiries. Rather, have not most of those writers puzzled the cause; _darkening counsel by words without knowledge_; perplexing a subject, plain in itself, and easy to be understood? For set aside but hard words, and every man of an honest heart will soon understand the thing.

4. God has made us thinking beings, capable of perceiving what is present, and of reflecting or looking back on what is past. In particular, we are capable of perceiving, whatsoever passes in our own hearts or lives; of knowing whatsoever we feel or do; and that either while it passes, or when it is past. This we mean when we say, man is a _conscious_ being: he hath a _consciousness_ or inward perception both of things present and past relating to himself, of his own tempers and outward behaviour. But what we usually term _conscience_, implies, somewhat more than this. It is not barely, the knowledge of our present, or the remembrance of our preceding life. To remember, to bear witness either of past or present things, is only one, and the least office of conscience. Its main business is to excuse or accuse, to approve ♦or disapprove, to acquit or condemn.

5. Some late writers indeed have given a new name to this, and have chose to stile it, a _moral sense_. But the old word seems preferable to the new, were it only on this account, that it is more common and familiar among men, and therefore easier to be understood. And to Christians it is undeniably preferable on another account also; namely, because it is scriptural; because it is the word which the wisdom of God hath chose to use in the inspired writings.

And according to the meaning wherein it is generally used there, particularly in the epistles of St. _Paul_, we may understand by conscience, a faculty or power, implanted by God in every soul that comes into the world, of perceiving what is right or wrong in his own heart or life, in his tempers, thoughts, words and actions.

6. But what is the _rule_ whereby men are to judge of right and wrong? Whereby their conscience is to be directed? The rule of Heathens, (as the apostle teaches elsewhere) is _the law written in their hearts. These_, saith he, _not having the_ (outward) _law, are a law unto themselves: who shew the work of the law_ (that which the outward law prescribes) _written in their heart_, by the finger of God; _their conscience also bearing witness_, whether they walk by this rule, or not; _and their thoughts the meanwhile accusing, or even excusing_, acquitting, defending them, (ἤ καὶ ἀπολογουμένων) _Rom._ ii. 14, 15. But the Christian rule of right and wrong is the word of God, the writings of the Old and New Testament: all that the prophets and _holy men of old_ wrote, _as they were moved by the Holy Ghost: all_ that _scripture_ which was _given by inspiration of God, and_ which _is_ indeed _profitable for doctrine_, or teaching the whole will of God; _for reproof_ of what is contrary thereto; _for correction_ of error, _and for instruction_ (or training us up) _in righteousness_, 2 Tim. iii. 16.

This is _a lantern unto_ a Christian’s _feet, and a light in all_ his _paths_. This alone he receives as his rule of right or wrong, of whatever is really good or evil. He esteems nothing good, but what is here enjoined, either directly or by plain consequence. He accounts nothing evil but what is here forbidden, either in terms, or by undeniable inference. Whatever the scripture neither forbids nor enjoins, (either directly, or by plain consequence) he believes to be of an indifferent nature, to be in itself neither good nor evil: this being the whole and sole outward rule, whereby his conscience is to be directed in all things.

7. And if it be directed thereby in fact, then hath he _the answer of a good conscience toward God_. A _good conscience_ is what is elsewhere termed by the apostle, a _conscience void of offence_. So, what he at one time expresses thus, _I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day_, Acts xxiii. 1. he denotes at another, by that expression, _Herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God and toward man_, ch. xxiv. 16. Now in order to this, there is absolutely required, first, a right understanding of the word of God, of his _holy and acceptable and perfect will_ concerning us, as it is revealed therein. For it is impossible we should walk by a rule, if we do not know what it means. There is, secondly, required (which how few have attained?) a true knowledge of ourselves: a knowledge both of our hearts and lives, of our inward tempers and outward conversation: seeing, if we know them not, it is not possible that we should compare them with our rule. There is required, thirdly, an agreement of our hearts and lives, of our tempers and conversation, of our thoughts and words and works with that rule, with the written word of God. For without this, if we have any conscience at all, it can be only an evil conscience. There is, fourthly, required, an inward perception, of this agreement with our rule. And this habitual perception, this inward consciousness itself, is properly a _good conscience_; or (in the other phrase of the apostle) _a conscience void of offence, toward God and toward man_.

8. But whoever desires to have a conscience thus void of offence, let him see that he lay the right foundation. Let him remember, _other foundation_ of this _can no man lay, than that which is laid, even Jesus Christ_. And let him also be mindful, that no man buildeth on him but by a living faith; that no man is a partaker of Christ, until he can clearly testify, _The life which I now live, I live by faith in the Son of God_; in him who is now _revealed_ in my heart; who _loved me, and gave himself for me_. Faith alone is that evidence, that conviction, that demonstration of things invisible, whereby the eyes of our understanding being opened, and divine light poured in upon them, we _see the wondrous things of_ God’s _law_, the excellency and purity of it; the height and depth and length and breadth thereof, and of every commandment contained therein. It is by faith, that beholding _the light of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ_, we perceive, as in a glass, all that is in ourselves, yea, the inmost motions of our souls. And by this alone can that blessed love of God be _shed abroad in our hearts_, which enables us so to love one another as Christ loved us. By this, is that gracious promise fulfilled, unto all the _Israel_ of God, _I will put my laws into their minds, and write_ (or engrave) _them in their hearts_, Heb. viii. 10. Hereby producing in their souls, an entire agreement with his holy and perfect law, and _bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ_.

And as an evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit, so a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit. As the heart therefore of a believer, so likewise his life is thoroughly conformed to the rule of God’s commandments. In a consciousness whereof, he can give glory to God, and say, with the apostle, _This is our rejoicing, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world_.

9. _We have had our conversation._ The apostle in the original, expresses this by one single word (ἀνεστράφημεν). But the meaning thereof is exceeding broad, taking in our whole deportment, yea, every inward as well as outward circumstance, whether relating to our soul or body. It includes every motion of our heart, of our tongue, of our hands and bodily members. It extends to all our actions and words; to the employment of all our powers and faculties; to the manner of using every talent we have received, with respect either to God or man.

10. _We have had our conversation in the world_; even in the world of the ungodly: not only among the children of God (that were, comparatively, a little thing:) but among the children of the devil, among those that _lie in wickedness_, ἐν τῷ πονηρῷ, _in the wicked one_. * What a world is this! How throughly impregnated with the spirit it continually breathes! As our God is good and doth good, so the God of this world, and all his children, are evil, and do evil, (so far as they are suffered) to all the children of God. Like their father, they are always lying in wait, or _walking about, seeking whom they may devour_: using fraud or force, secret wiles or open violence, to destroy those who are not of the world: continually warring against our souls, and by old or new weapons and devices of every kind, labouring to bring them back into the snare of the devil, into the broad road that leadeth to destruction.

11. _We have had our_ whole _conversation in_ such _a world, in simplicity and godly sincerity_. First, _in simplicity_. This is what our Lord recommends, under the name of a _single eye. The light of the body_, saith he, _is the eye. If therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light._ The meaning whereof is this. What the eye is to the body, that the intention is, to all the words and actions. If therefore this eye of thy soul be single, all thy actions and conversation, shall be _full of light_, of the light of heaven; of love and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.

We are then simple of heart, when the eye of our mind is singly fixt on God: when in all things we aim at God alone, as our God, our portion, our strength, our happiness, our exceeding great reward, our all, in time and eternity. This is simplicity; when a steddy view, a single intention of promoting his glory, of doing and suffering his blessed will, runs thro’ our whole soul, fills all our heart, and is the constant spring of all our thoughts, desires and purposes.

12. _We have had our conversation in the world_, secondly, _in godly sincerity_. The difference between simplicity and sincerity seems to be chiefly this: simplicity regards the intention itself, sincerity, the execution of it. And this sincerity relates not barely to our words, but to our whole conversation, as described above. It is not here to be understood in that narrow sense, wherein St. _Paul_ himself sometimes uses it, for speaking the truth, or abstaining from guile, from craft and dissimulation. But in a more extensive meaning, as actually hitting the mark which we aim at by simplicity. Accordingly it implies in this place, that we do in fact speak and do all to the glory of God; that all our words are not only pointed at this, but actually conducive thereto; that all our actions flow on in an even stream, uniformly subservient to this great end: and that in our whole lives, we are moving strait toward God, and that continually; walking steddily on in the highway of holiness, in the paths of justice, mercy and truth.