The witness of the spirit : a treatise on the evidence of the believer's adoption

Contents

Page Introduction 3

Chapter

I. — The general operation op the spirit . _ 13 II. — Adoption 23

Introduction

In the following treatise, the reader's attention is directed to the consideration of a very solemn inquiry, and one which must, we may suppose, have presented itself, at some time or other, to every spirit that is not utterly a stranger to all serious piety. It is this : — Am I now in the favor of God? Having been adopted into the divine family, do I now sustain the character of an heir of everlasting glory ? Of all the questions that ever were asked or answered, this must be allowed to be among the most important.

But is it possible, on a subject of such vital interest, to obtain, in the present life, a satisfactory assurance ? Or, must we remain, at most, in trembling hope and uncertainty, till the light of eternity dispel our darkness, or till the decision of the last day fix our everlasting condition ?

On this point, we think, the Scripture affords us ample direction ; and it will be our object to show that no anxious fears, resulting from uncertainty of our present condition and relationship toward God, need remain on any Christian mind.

Were this a matter sufficiently understood by the Christian world in general, — were the sincere followers of Christ all duly apprised of their privilege, and encouraged to seek it, — we cannot but think that the religion of the Lord Jesus would be exhibited in a more attractive form, as well as attended with a more abundant inward consolation.

It is probably true that, of the entire number of evangelical Christians now upon earth, the far greater part do actually content themselves with an experience of religion in which the joyful persuasion of God's love to them has no part. Is this, then, Scriptural and right ? If the answer be given in the negative, we further ask, — " Deeply to be regretted as this state of things is, is it necessary and inevitable ?"

Some might be inclined to say, that what is the general standard of actual attainment among Christians must be supposed to be, and ought to be taken to be, the utmost of Christian privilege that is to be anticipated. This inference is, however, we think, totally incorrect. We cannot deem it safe to take the prevailing religious experience, any more than the prevailing practice of any portion of the Christian church, as indicating the Scriptural standard. We must go directly to the law and to the testimony.

The writer would be much averse to giving needless offense at the outset of his work ; but he craves the indulgence of his readers while he states his decided opinion, that far the greater portion of Christ's disciples are, at this day, living in a state much below what it is their privilege to enjoy. And this observation is intended to apply, not merely to that portion of the Christian church which is notoriously defective in evangelical views of the other leading doctrines of the gospel, but in great part, also, to that portion of it in which the saving truth of our free justification by faith is well understood and taught. It would seem to follow of course, from the belief that we are justified freely on our believing in the atonement, that a conscious enjoyment of the "peace of God" would plainly appear to be our portion. But it is a fact, that multitudes who believe the former, have yet no conception that the latter is their privilege. Even that portion of the church of Christ which holds his saving doctrines in general correctly, does not seem to have been benefited by the experience of the last hundred years, during which the mighty work of a revival of primitive religion has been going on. Accompanying that revival, in its first manifestation, was the recovery and the reasserting of the doctrine of the Spirit as testifying the believer's adoption. This was taught and enforced, perhaps almost equally, by Whitefield and by Wesley ; for b INTRODUCTION.

their views on this point, in the first instance, appear to have been almost identically the same. There is reason to believe, that the system of doctrine which Whitefield taught has not of late years been exhibited by his followers exactly as it was by that great preacher. The same prominence has not been given to the doctrine of the witness of the Spirit, as was given to it in his preaching and writings. His biographer, Mr. Philip, allows this, and justifies it on the ground that he thinks, on this point, Mr. Whitefield went too far.* From an examination of his writings, it would appear that he went just as far in the announcement of this doctrine as Mr. Wesley himself; and if he did not attempt so logical a defense of it, he, at least, declared it with equal fidelity. In his letter to the clergy of the diocese of Lichfield and Coventry, (Works, vol. iv, p. 180,) after quoting Galatians iv, 6, — " Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father ;" he adds, — "Does not this quite clear up that passage of Romans viii, 15, about the witnessing Spirit and the Spirit of adoption, viz. : that believers, besides

* " It is needless," says Mr. Philip, (Life of Whitefield, p. 333,) "to analyze or characterize Whiteneld's answer to the bishop. It is enough to say, that it is full of the great doctrines of the Reformation. Even where it pleads for too much of the direct witness of the Spirit, it is more than excusable."

seeing the miracles which the apostles wrought, had an inward testimony of the Holy Ghost? he making an inward application of the merits of Christ to their souls, and giving them an inward testimony that they were indeed the adopted sons of God, and therefore, in a holy confidence, they might cry, Abba, Father ! Is there anything forced in this interpretation? And, consequently, may not persons assert that there is such a thing as a witness or testimony of the Spirit given to our own consciences, to prove that private Christians are the sons of God and heirs of salvation, without being censured for so doing as modern enthusiasts ?"

Again, (page 187,) "It is true his lordship" (the bishop of Lichfield and Coventry) "does talk, here and there, of the blessed Spirit and of his ordinary influences ; but what are his ordinary operations if he is neither to dwell in us, nor to give us an inward testimony in our hearts that we are born of God ?"

So again, in his remarks on a pamphlet entitled "Enthusiasm of the Methodists and Papists compared," he says, (vol.iv, p. 241,) " Need you be informed that one grand article of the Council of Trent is this, — < That there is no such thing as a person's knowing that his sins are forgiven him, or being assured of his salvation ?'

And that with good reason. For if there be such a thing as being assured of the forgiveness of our sins by the internal testimony, whether mediate or immediate, of the Spirit of God, and if a person ought to be satisfied only with that, then how could the people be brought to believe in, and trust to, the mere external, verbal absolution of a priest ? Our church, on the contrary, in one of her homilies, says, that ' a true faith is a sure trust and confidence which a man hath in God, that, by the merits of Christ, his sins are forgiven, and he reconciled to the favor of God.' And that the Scriptures everywhere promise to believers a sure and internal witness from the Spirit of God, to witness with their spirits that they are his children, is so evident, that he who runs may read."

Such was apparently the doctrine which Whitefield announced with so much power in the early times of his ministry, when his preaching, in the intensity of its effect, produced results which have seldom, if ever, been equaled since the days of the apostles.

If we look back from the date of Whitefield's labors to a period more remote, we shall obtain a glimpse of what was taught eighty years previously, by the evangelical portion of the church, in reference to this important privilege. Bunyan, although he makes his pilgrim carry his burden of guilt during the first part of his journey, yet plainly intimates that the removal of guilt from the conscience, and the inward testimony of this relative change, are necessary to the believer's pursuing his heavenward journey with alacrity. " So I saw in my dream, that just as Christian came up to the cross, his burden loosed from off his shoulders, and fell from off his back, and began to tumble, and so continued to do, till it came to the mouth of the sepulchre, where it fell in, and I saw it no more. Then was Christian glad and lightsome, and said with a merry heart, i He hath given me rest by his sorrow, and life by his death.' Then he stood still awhile, to look and wonder ; for it was very surprising to him that the sight of the cross should thus ease him of his burden. He looked, therefore, and looked again, even till the springs that were in his head sent the water down his cheeks. Now, as he stood looking and weeping, behold three shining ones came to him and saluted him with 'Peace be to thee.' So the first said to him, 'Thy sins be forgiven thee;' the second stripped him of his rags and clothed him with a change of raiment ; the third, also, set a mark on his forehead, and gave him a roll with a seal upon it, which he bid him look on as he ran, and that he should give it in at the Celestial Gate ; so they went on their way. Then Christian gave three leaps for joy, and went on singing—

* Thus far did I come, laden with my sin, Nor could aught ease the grief that I was in Till I came hither :— what a place is this ! Must here be the beginning of my bliss ? Blest cross ! blest sepulchre ! blest rather be The man that there was put to shame for me !' "

The last century has doubtless introduced many improvements in systematic divinity ; but it is doubtful whether there has been the same improvement in the experimental piety of Christians in general, as compared with the times of Wesley and Whitefield. There has, at least, in one portion of the church, been a declining from those cheering views of Christian privilege, in reference to the witness of the Spirit to the believer's adoption which prevailed among professing Christians at the commencement of this great work of God, whether they held Arminian or Calvinistic sentiments in other respects.

But this departure from the teaching of a century ago may be thought, by some, to be an improvement. It may be said that the doctrine of the testimony of the Spirit was one of those extremes into which a newly awakened zeal led those early evangelists; and the apprehension may be felt, (we believe, indeed, is felt,) that the doctrine is one of those which lie the most open to enthusiastic abuses.

We are persuaded that this is a most unfounded apprehension. We hope to be able, on the one hand, to show the Scriptural authority of the doctrine, and on the other, to quiet the fears of those who dread the abuse of it. There can, indeed, be no danger of this, if the doctrine be taught scripturally ; that is, if it be taught with those guards which Holy Scripture directs us to apply, in coming to a solemn decision upon our Scriptural state.

It is, no doubt, true, that the most vital and saving doctrines are precisely those which are most liable to be perverted. But, in this respect, the doctrine of the Spirit's operation on the mind stands but on the same ground with that of our free justification by faith, without the works of the law. The one, as well as the other, may be abused. But certainly neither of them is in any danger of being perverted where there is true Christian sincerity ; for the Scripture, in these cases, and in every similar one, provides all the guards which can possibly be needed. Were the doctrine of justification by faith to be abused, to the effect of making void the moral law, as it probably was by some in the apostle's days, yet this would be no reason for discontinuing the preaching of so vital a doctrine. It would only be requisite to show (as the apostle does) that the making void of the law does in no way follow from the doctrine itself, but is a mere abuse of it ; and an abuse into which no sincere mind can ever be in any danger of falling.

Were the perversion of the doctrine of the witness of the Spirit, therefore, much more frequent than we have any reason to believe it to be, it would be sufficient for us to point out a plain distinction between a line of objectionable conduct fairly chargeable upon our doctrinal opinions, and the same objectionable conduct when it results from the mere abuse of a doctrine whose direct tendency is holy. To draw, from a Scriptural truth, inferences which do by no means follow from it, or to impute to a doctrine the production of conduct which it cannot be proved to sanction, is, in every point of view, unreasonable.

Upon the whole, the reader's attention is here invited to a subject well deserving the deepest consideration of every immortal spirit. Right views are here intimately connected with right feelings ; and the privilege is inseparably associated with the enjoyment of deep experimental piety.

THE

WITNESS OF THE SPIRIT.

CHAPTER L

THE GENERAL OPERATION OF THE SPIRIT.

God has revealed himself to us as existing in three persons : — The Father, of whom are all things, — the Son, through whom are all things, — and the Holy Ghost, by whom are all things. The inspired volume will further lead us to the conclusion, that the Holy Spirit is the adorable Agent by whom all divine operations are performed. In reference to nature, providence, and grace, this observation would probably be found to be equally true ; but our present concern is with the human soul, as the subject of divine and gracious influences. Laying apart, therefore, for the present, all consideration of his influence exerted on material nature in renewing the face of the earth, we have reason to believe that, wherever there is a human spirit, there the Holy Ghost causes his voice to be heard, and makes his power to be felt. He is there to warn, to direct, to control. For he is an ever-present, all-pervading Spirit; existing not only around us, but within us ; — and we can no more withdraw ourselves from his presence and influence, than we can be withdrawn, as to our bodies, from the contact of the external air.

This operation of Spirit on spirit is, indeed, incomprehensible by us ; because the laws of it are not fully revealed ; but it is not the less real on account of the mystery in which it is involved. The mutual influence of finite minds is far from being fully understood. We know not, in a thousand instances, how one human spirit operates upon another ; and the more this influence is investigated as to the laws which govern its operation, the more diversified and incomprehensible do those laws appear.

Our inability to comprehend what will probably continue, during our present state, to be involved in no small degree of obscurity should not be suffered to prevent our belief of a great Scriptural truth.

There is an influence of God, the Eternal Spirit, upon the mind of man, by which the whole of internal religion is produced. The belief or rejection of this, makes the most evident distinction between the real Christian and others. The doctrine is, therefore, a vital and fundamental one. We cannot, without renouncing the clearest teachings of the inspired volume, refuse to believe that there is an operation of the Holy Spirit upon the understanding to enlighten it, — upon the will to direct and control it, — upon the affections to elevate them from earth, — upon the desires to turn them from what is sinful to what is holy.

Our more immediate purpose, at present, is indeed to speak of the Spirit in one of his offices, as the Spirit of adoption. But we may be the better prepared to do this with effect, if we lay the foundation of our remarks, on this specific point, in some observations touching the widely extended and pervading operations of the Holy Ghost upon the human mind.

To judge, therefore, of this matter, from Holy Scripture, we think it reasonable to conclude, that all right feeling in the human heart is, more or less directly, to be attributed to the Spirit of God. His operations, though, doubtless, most conspicuous in the transformation and renewal of his saints, are not confined to them. "We think it probable, that no human being, who is found in this probationary state of human life, exists apart from the controlling influence of an ever-present power, — an influence various and diversified to an indefinite extent, but all tending to good. We apprehend that conscience 2 is a mysterious power speaking in the human breast with the voice of the divine Spirit, so far as it is enlightened by a revelation of the will of God. Viewed, indeed, apart from all consideration of the will of a Supreme Governor, and apart from all visitations of the Spirit, conscience would judge at random ; and tbe motions of this, inward power, whether of conviction, warning, regret, or self-condemnation, would be unmeaning, as they would be vague and uncertain. But light from heaven is continually, in a greater or less degree, beaming upon the human soul ; while, in its judicial capacity, it passes sentence upon itself; and, in the court where conscience exercises her jurisdiction, the voice of the Spirit of God is heard. What are called the checks of conscience are often direct admonitions from the Spirit of God ; and the decisions of the human will are frequently, we have reason to believe, controlled and directed toward a result which was far from being in the contemplation of the man himself. How, irideed, could God govern the world, so as to accomplish, with the utmost certainty, his designs of mercy or of judgment, if all hearts (as the hearts of kings are expressly asserted to be) were not in his hands, to " turn them as the rivers of water."

Let it, however, be here observed, that we do not intend, by this view, to represent the human being as a mere machine, — acting and moving solely as it is acted upon. But what is most admirable, — worthy, indeed, of all wonder, is, that all this interposition and influence of the Spirit of God takes place so as not to destroy, in any way, the free agency of man. The visitations and suggestions of the sacred Spirit so mingle with the free volitions of the human mind, that the divine purposes are accomplished with the utmost certainty. Man pursues his own plans and purposes ; and God accomplishes his own merciful designs. Man proposes, and God disposes.

The decisions of the human will, then, are constantly, more or less, under a divine and controlling influence. This seems to be evidently implied in the doctrine of an overruling Providence, — of a divine care extending to the most minute events, — and regulating the fall of an empire — the fall of a sparrow — or the fall of a hair. The divine government of all events, indeed, cannot be held by us, and carried out to its legitimate consequences, without inducing the belief, that man, being the object of continual care to Him who made him, is, also, the continual subject of a divine control. In the interior recesses of his hearty the Spirit's voice is heard. In the decisions of his will, in a thousand instances, that divine Spirit exercises a benign and gracious direction. u We are the clay ;" and the Ruler of all events molds us and fashions us to the accomplishment of the purposes of his own all-comprehensive mind.

In perfect correspondence with this view, let us consider how the Scripture attributes to the Holy Spirit the whole of those gracious operations in man, by which he becomes a new creature, by which all old things pass away, and all things become new.

"He shall," says the Saviour, "reprove the world of sin." No sinner, we have reason to believe, goes on in his sinful courses without many misgivings, especially if his lot be cast in a country where the light of divine truth shines. The degree of power with which the Eternal Spirit reproves for sin, the brightness of the blaze of conviction which he causes to flash upon the sinner's conscience, the degree of persevering tenderness with which he woos and wins the consent of the rebellious heart to come to Christ, are, without doubt, diversified to an almost infinite extent. And to these, his general and ordinary operations, we may apply what the apostle has said (1 Cor. xii, 11) of those that are extraordinary and miraculous, " All these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will."

This, however, is plainly one of his offices, to give effect to the gospel in awakening regret and alarm on account of sin. The edge of this sword of the Spirit thus becomes keen, and its power resistless. Conviction is followed by regret and sorrow. Sin is not only perceived, but rightly estimated as to its character and consequences. At the same time, a sense of thraldom and helplessness, as to any escape from it, is produced. For the Spirit convinces of a bondage from which there is no deliverance, except by the gospel. And now, the soul being brought to this sense of its utter helplessness and misery, it is further the office of the Holy Spirit to speak effectually of the condescension, the grace, and tenderness of Christ ; to reveal his suitableness as a Saviour, that the wearied spirit may repose its trust in him. It is by the attractive power of the Holy Ghost that the soul is drawn to Christ, comes to Christ, and believes in Christ. The faith that brings salvation is " a faith of the operation of God ;" and is exercised by the soul under the guidance and assistance of the Holy Spirit.

When this faith is represented as mighty to conquer the world, to work by love, to purify the heart, it must be understood to effect this only instrument-ally. The Spirit of God is still the Agent by whom these mighty effects are wrought in man. He renews the soul. He causes all old things to pass away. He makes all things new. His moving upon the face of the waters, in the first creation, to bring forth the order and beauty which appeared in the primitive world, was but an emblem of that transforming and creative power by which the new creation is effected in those who believe. The latter is as truly and plainly an instance of his divine working as the former.

And, still further, the Spirit's operations upon the human mind are extended to its entire and ultimate renewal in holiness. At its first trusting in Christ, the soul obtains the implantation of a new principle — that of love to the Saviour. The entire sanctification of the human creature is but the perfect development of this principle, under the incessant influence of the Holy Ghost. It is, instrumentally, " by the truth," but imme diatelyby the Spirit — by direct spiritual agency - — that the soul is made holy. The Holy Ghost is the Sanctifier.

Many other offices does the same gracious

Spirit perform in reference to believers ; on which we need not here dwell at large. He is their Guide ; and they are " led by the Spirit," and " walk in the Spirit." They hear his mysterious inward voice, are warned, excited to duty, directed in difficulty, and all their stepa are ordered by him.

He is the Comforter of the saints of God; promised in this character by their Saviour ; sent into their hearts to reveal the hidden sources of consolation, and to speak in accents of tenderness and love to them in all their trials.

He is their Support — ministering to all believers secret supplies of spiritual energy — strengthening them with might in the inner man.

If the object of this treatise were to set forth a complete view of all the gracious work of the Holy Spirit, it would be needful to expatiate on each of these topics at some considerable length. They are only adverted to here, to prepare the mind for the reception of the doctrine which we now proceed to announce. It is the distinct office of the Holy Spirit to assure believers that they are received into the family of God ; that they are pardoned — that they are invested with a title to everlasting glory. He is called the Spirit of adoption — as presiding over that gracious act of God the Father, by which he constitutes us his children — as witnessing it to our souls, and sealing us unto the day of redemption, by impressing upon us the mark and stamp of Deity. "Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." Gal. iv, 6. " Ye have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear, but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." Rom. viii, 15. From these and other passages, we think it appears evident that believers in those primitive days (and why should it be otherwise in these days?) were adopted into the family of God; were the sons of God ; and received a clear and indubitable testimony from the Holy Spirit as to this gracious act of their adoption. What is implied in this invaluable privilege we shall proceed to consider in the next chapter.

Chapter II. Adoption

The testimony of the Spirit is given to this fact, that we are become the sons of God, by adoption into his family. " Because ye are sons, God hath sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts." This phrase is used in Holy Scripture with a diversity of application. A relationship to God, expressed by the term " Son/' has been borne by beings in very different circumstances. Jesus Christ, for instance, is denominated the Son of God in a peculiar sense. " Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee ;" on which the brief and beautiful comment of Mr. Wesley is, " God of God — Light of light — I have begotten thee from eternity, which, by its unalterable permanency of duration, is one continued unsuccessive day."

Angels are also denominated " sons of God." In a sublime passage of the Book of Job, which describes the laying of the earth's foundations, the morning stars are said to have " sung together, and the sons of God shouted for joy." These holy beings, deriving as they did their entire existence immediately from God, are called his sons ; but still, in a sense widely different from that in which Jesus Christ is so denominated. "He hath, by inheritance, obtained a more excellent name than ' they." For unto which of the angels said the Eternal Father, " at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee ?"

In a sense not materially different from that in which angels receive this title, it is also given to Adam. In tracing up the genealogy of our Lord and Saviour, St. Luke concludes the series thus : " Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God." It is probably in reference to the immediate act of creation, in which Adam received at once his entire being from the hand of his Creator, that he is thus specially denominated " the son of God."

But it is in a sense very different from that in which the phrase is used in either of the above instances that believers are denominated the sons of God. They are so, not by generation, not by an immediate act of creation, but by adoption. " Ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father."

Adoption is a gracious act of God the Father, whereby for the sake of the atonement made by Christ on the cross, and in consideration of faith on the part of his creatures in that atonement, he receives into his family, and admits to all the privileges of his house, those who trust in the death of his Son. And the witness of the Spirit is the testimony of God, that this solemn act has taken place. Let it be here observed, that justification and adoption, although in their formal character they are not precisely the same thing — for they may be distinguished — yet are never separated nor disunited. Whom God justifies he also adopts. If he pardons the sinner, he also receives him into his family. Yet the distinction between these two inseparable blessings is plainly enough to be perceived. An earthly sovereign sometimes pardons a criminal, but seldom or never adopts him into his family. He dismisses him from his presence ; and, not unfrequently, under a severe prohibition never to approach his court again.