The Holy Ghost on the bench, other spirits at the bar, or, The judgment of the Holy Spirit of God upon the spirits of the times recorded in Holy Writ / and reported by Richard Hollinworth.

CHAP. VIII. Of the witnessing Spirit, mentioned Rom. 8.16.

EVery matter of worth and weight, is to be transacted before, and pro∣ved by two sufficient witnesses; unus testis, nullus testis; In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be esta∣blished; the Apostle produceth here two witnesses of our Adoption & Son-ship, which is a thing of very great con∣sequence and concernment; our Spirit, and Gods Spirit, and these witnesses depose point blank, we cry Abba Fa∣ther, vers. 15. and this is not a false cry, but a true cry, and the Spirit it self bear∣eth witness together with our Spirit, that it is so; the Spirit (as we use to say by way of excellency) the Bible, the

Scripture, the eminent, excellent, Spirit, Infinite Eternal Spirit, a wit-witness of greater authority, evidence and credit. After the reading of these and other words of Scripture, it is un∣necessary (as well as it is beyond my purpose) to prove that the Spirit doth witness that we are all the children of God: I shall only enquire into the manner how the Spirit of God wit∣nesseth. And first it must be granted that the witness-bearing of the Spirit here mentioned, is spoken of, not as a peculiar priviledge of two or three or a few eminent Saints, but as the general or usual priviledge of all the Saints of God, which are led by the Spirit, are the children, Heirs of God, and joynt Heirs with Christ; and how this witness is born, I shall endeavour to shew. 1. Negatively. 2. Affir∣matively.

Negatively, First not by outward voice, as of Christ, Mat. 3. ult. Mat. 17.5. which voyce (saith the Apostle

Peter) was heard of many 2. Pet. 1.18.19. this witness is inward and secret, it is hidden Manna, Rev. 2.17. which no man knows but he that receiveth it: As Satan can suggest thoughts into the soul which no by-stander can see: So can the Spirit of God set his privy seal upon the soul, and none discern, but the spirit of a man in him. 2^ly. The Spirit of God doth not use the Mini∣stry of Angels, though Christs his Sonship was proclaimed by such Hea∣venly Heralds, Luk. 1.30, 31, 32. Luk. 2.9.13. 3^ly. The Spirit of God doth not witness our Adoption, by immediate Revelation and Inspi∣ration: Jesus Christ indeed received not the Spirit by measure, Ioh. 3.34. The fulness of the Godhead dwelt in him bodily, Col. 2.9. and the Pro∣phets and Apostles were in their mea∣sure so inspired, 2 Pet. 1. ult. by vir∣tue of which Inspiration, that which was not Canonical before, was so a••∣ter, and new Truths and Tenets were

to be received and beleeved; But now we may say, are all Apostles? are all Pro∣phets? Yea, are there now any Apo∣stles, any Prophets so inspired. 4^ly. The Spirit of God doth not witness our Sonship, in such dark and dubious phrases, as Apollos Oracles used to be delivered in; but there is such cer∣tainty and clearness in this Testimony, that it doth either altogether, or in a great measure, suspend and silence doubts and distrusts; he that sees the Sun, knows it is bright and light; he that tastes honey, knows it is sweet; and he that tastes the hidden Manna, and hears this Testimony, is fully per∣swaded and satisfied by it, Rom. 8.38. 5^ly. The Spirit of God doth not wit∣ness to all men that they are the chil∣dren of God; there are multitudes, myriads of men, that never heard it; when we speak of it to them, we are as it were Barbarians to them; this high Language of Canaan is an unknown Tongue to them; for they must be

the children of God by Adoption in∣deed, before they be witnessed to be so: prius est predicare de esse quam de cog∣nosci; Yea the Elect of God have it not before conversion, nor usually in the first act of conversion, then they lye under the spirit of bondage, v. 15. and are in the pangs of the new Birth, nor always afterward; for the Testi∣mony is not de esse, but de bene esse, of a Christian; not their Diet, but their Banquet, not common food, but a Cor∣dial; a witness, the most punctual faithful witness, doth but speak when there is need and occasion; he wit∣nesseth not alway, but for always.

Secondly Affirmatively, The Spi∣rit of God (I conceive) doth witness all, or at least, some of these ways. First, He doth attest Scripture truths unto the soul, saying the same in the breast of the beleever, that it saith in the Bible, by irradiating those truths he making the the light of Gods word brighter, and illuminating the eyes

of the soul, he makes the sight better; so that the divine Authority, Infalli∣bility and Majesty of the Word of God doth appear. I shall instance in two sweet and comfortable Scripture truths: Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, Mat. 5.6. (which seems to be the minimum quod sic, the lowest, least degree of saving faith) and Come to me, I will give rest to them that are weary and heavy laden, Mat. 11.28. which seems to be the lowest degree of true repentance; The Spirit of God saith to the soul these are true words; I writ them, do own them, and will maintain them, and so he sets his Seal to these truths, as the soul by receiving and beleiving Gods Testimony, sets to her Seal also, Ioh. 3.33. 2^ly. He owns the graces that are in beleivers, to be his work, as he doth own the Scripture to be his word, as he doth attest fidem quae cre∣ditur, the Doctrine, the Object of faith, so he doth attest fidem quae cre∣ditur,

the infused habit or grace of faith; some Officers in Corporations and other Towns, do seal Cloth, Le∣ther, &c. to witness thereby, that what they seal is truly made, rightly drest, or of due length, &c. So the Spirit of God when we beleeve doth seal us, Ephes. 1.13. saying (as it were) this is true faith, a lively faith, firmly fastened on the word of God; so I might say of Hope, Love, Repen∣tance, &c. for the Spirit of God doth not only freely give us the things of God, but also giveth us to know them, 1 Cor. 2.10.12. he telleth which graces are genuine and which are spu∣rious, which are real and which are counterfeit, he that teacheth us to know what we do beleeve, and that we do beleeve, love, hope, repent, &c. 3^ly. He makes application of the pro∣mises to the soul; thy name and mine are not in the Scripture; What an huge Volumne would the Bible be, if every Saints name that have been,

are, or shall be, were written in it? God hath wise and good ends, why this is not done; it is enough that par∣ticulars must needs be included in the general, but Gods people (especially at some times) are unapt and unable to make particular application of the promises; therefore God by his Spi∣rit, which is also called his finger, Mat. 12.28. with Luk. 11.20. points at thee or me; when he is a Spirit of con∣viction or of bondage (as sometimes he is, Ioh. 16.9. Rom. 8.15.) or wit∣nesseth against us, then he puts our name into the threatnings, which in the word indefinitely or generally spoken, as cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the Law to do them, Gal. 3.10. if you live after the flesh you shall dye, Rom. 8. and saith, as Nathan to David, thou art the man, that the soul cannot shift or shuffle off conviction or terror, but when it will witness for a man, then it puts its name in the promises, as thus;

thou Peter, Andrew, Thomas, Bartho∣lomew, confessing and forsaking thy sin, shall find mercy, Prov. 28.13. 1 Ioh. 1.9. When God by his Spi∣rit, as by his hand, takes hold on us, and saith, Thou art mine, and I am thine; and the soul by the hand of faith, takes hold on God, and saith likewise, Cant. 6.3. then there is a comfortable marriage made by joy∣ning of hands.

4. He doth from these raise up much consolation in the soul, and therefore is fitly called the comfor∣ter, Ioh. 16.7. And the Kingdom of God is in righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, Rom. 14.17.

The certainty and assurance of our salvation doth arise from this, or such a like Syllogisme.

He that believeth shall be saved; But thou believest, Therefore thou shalt be saved.

The first Act of the Holy Ghost doth seale the major or first proposi∣tion;

The second Act doth seale the minor or second proposition; The thir addeth further assurance and e∣vidence, then that which is inferred from the premisses; The fourth doth raise us up to the joy of this salvation, Psal. 51.12.

But because there are many preten∣ders to the witness of the Spirit that have neither part nor lot in this busi∣ness, for their heart is not right in the sight of God; and as many said, here is Christ, and there is Christ, when he was neither here nor there; so many professe they have the Spirit, which have it not: These are they that separate themselves sensual, having not the Spi∣rit, Jude v. 19. Schismatical persons which say, I am of Paul, I of Apollo, and I of Cephas, &c. may think themselves spiritual, but they are therein Car∣nal, and walk as men, I Cor. 3.1, 2. whether there be an immediate witnes of the Spirit given by God in some cases, I need not, nor will I now dis∣pute,

for these words speak only of such a witness of the Spirit, as toge∣ther with the leading of the Spirit, is common to all the Sons of God: and this (I believe) I may truly say, 1. The Holy Spirit doth ordinarily, if not alway, witness with our spirits mediately, by the fruits, effects, and gracious operations thereof, or else to what end are marks and signs set down in Scripture, and we comman∣ded to try our selves by them, 1 Ioh. 3.14. 2 Cor. 13.5. Gal. 6.2, 3.

2. The Spirit of God in the brest of the believer, and the Spirit of God in the Bible, are the same Spirit of truth: and therefore the Spirit of God will not speak peace to the wicked, Isa. 57.21. or witness them to be the Sons of God, which by their pride, lying, cruelty, treachery, or allowing themselves in sin, declare themselves to be of their father the Devill, Ioh. 8.44. 1 Ioh. 3.8. So it doth not con∣demn the generation of the just,

which are weary and heavy laden, do hunger and thirst after righteous∣nesse.

3. The Spirit of God witnesseth in ordinances, or at least, not with∣out them, not in the neglect and con∣tempt of them: God indeed doth not tye his own hand, but ours: God can feed with Manna, but will not, when men may plough and sow. How the Spirit of God doth make use of holy Ordinances, we have heard before; those that think themselves above or∣dinances, are indeed much below them.

4. There is ordinarily a spirit of bondage, antecedent to the spirit of adoption, v. 15, 16. it first convin∣ceth of sin, then of righteousnesse, Ioh. 16.9.

5. The witnessing Spirit is a work∣ing spirit, a spirit of sanctification, Rom. 1.4, 5. canst thou find the work of the spirit, or at least some prints and parcels of that work? A few

grapes (saith D^r. Sibbs) discover a tree to be a Vine, not a Thorn; and truth of one grace, doth evidence truth of all graces: it is a golden chain God hath linked them together, let none put them asunder.

6. They onely have the witnesse of the spirit that are led by, and walk after the spirit, vers. 1.14. Now these words do import both their ha∣ving and acting of spiritual life: Dead things may be drawn, but cannot in propriety of speech be said to be led, or to walk.

2. They import motion, a conti∣nued motion after some thing that goes before.

3. A willing motion, when the soul is not haled, hurried, or violently for∣ced, but they are led. I cannot en∣large.