testimony of the Spirit, is to bear witness | no rule by which to judge of it. And that we are the children of God-to give some witness to the great fact that we are the children of God. when God accepts my faith, why then he forgives my sin; but he forgives it by the acting of his own mind, of which he makes no revelation to man. The me thod he has appointed by which it shall be conveyed to the heart of man for his comfort is this testimony of the Spirit. How this testimony is revealed, or the manner in which it is to be communicated, is difficult to describe; and it is not at all necessary for us to be able to describe. There are various ways, probably, and various degrees of confidence, by which this great fact is communicated to man. However it be, whether it be by any impression, or by whatever name you may call it, it is that which amounts to a testimony, that which amounts to a witness, which puts away the doubt. For why is a witness called in, but to clear up some doubt? For what purpose do we bring witnesses but to come at the knowledge of some truth? Now, whatever be the means by which the Spirit may communicate the truth, the great thing is communicated-in ways, perhaps, somewhat different, but all coming from the same Spirit-some persuasion, some assurance, some conviction of the fact, that I am now, through the mercy of God in Christ, a child of God-that Christ has loved Let us observe, in the next place, that the Spirit is the only witness that can give direct evidence to this. A competent witness, but the only competent witness. Our own spirits do not give evidence to this fact; it is the Spirit of God which exclusively gives direct evidence to it. So far as there is a direct testimony to the fact, our own spirits have nothing to do with it; they are not competent to depose upon it; that is confined to the Spirit of God. Let us only consider, in order to illustrate this, that the act of pardon takes place upon our believing in Christ. Whenever God accepts our faith-whenever our faith is that which he requires of us, then is a man justified from all things; he is forgiven and admitted into the favour of God. But then, this is an act which passes in the mind of God. Who can be cognizant of that act? It is very true God might give us a special revelation of it; or he might commission an angel to assure us that our sins are all forgiven. But he has not pleased to do this; it is not his way to give a special revelation as to this fact; nor is it his method to send an angel to assure us of it. How then does man become acquaint-me, and given himself for me. ed with it? The text informs us: it is Then we have the witness of our own the office of the Spirit, who knows all things, and searches the deep things of God. The spirit of a man does not know the spirit of another man: we cannot search our own spirits. The Spirit of God, however, says the apostle, knoweth "the deep things of God." And when this act of forgiveness takes place, in pursuance of his own benevolent will and the office which has been assigned to him in the great economy of our redemption, he hastens to renew, and becomes the Holy Ghost unto us. He only, therefore, can be cognizant of the fact whether or not the act of forgiveness has taken place. For the promises are general; our names are not written in these sacred pages: whether I have so believed as to come up to the requisitions of the gospel in this respect it is not for me to know; I have spirits. "The Spirit beareth witness with our spirit." The Spirit of God alone can bear direct witness to the fact of our forgiveness and adoption: why, then, are our own spirits brought to bear testimony to that? Certain it is that where the Spirit of God is there can be no darkness; he makes himself manifest by his own light, as a voice which faithful souls cannot be deceived by. There can be no delusion where the Spirit of God renews; but there may be impressions which men may mistake for the impressions of the Spirit of God; and therefore, our own spirits should be a guard against a delusion of this sort: inasmuch as where the Spirit of God dwells as the Spirit of adoption he must necessarily dwell as the great Author of our regeneration-as the source of all holy feelings and principles. These are in- voice shall ever prevail-that whatever he shall ask he shall receive-and that he shall be encouraged to ask by the previous assurance that God his Father can deny him no good thing. These are great and unspeakable blessings, but not attainable, say they. Well, then, brethren, if they are not attainable, the state of good men under the New Testament dispensation is far inferior to the state of good men under the Old. And, if that be an absurdity, then the notion from which it springs cannot be held. It is no new thing in the world. The first man that ever offered a sacrifice in faith obtained the testimony, the witness, of his acceptance. Enoch walked with God, and was not, for God took him; and before he was translated he had this testimony-that he pleased God. Now, what was peculiar in the case of Enoch? He was a sinful man, like ourselves; and deserved as little at the hands of God. There is nothing in the experience of that man, or any of the great men mentioned in the Old Testament, but what may become (allowing for the particular circumstances of their case) substantially and generally, the experience of every man that has faith in God. Look at the character of Abraham; see the filial confidence that he had from the moment God counted his faith for righteousness. He was styled the friend of God; and every action of his life showed that he knew The first is, that there is no certainty of God was his friend. When David so our being now in a state of salvation-that affectingly prays in his penitential psalm, this is an unattainable blessing. A great "Restore unto me the joys of thy salvaand unspeakable blessing it is acknow- tion," did he not recollect joys of salledged. For who can fail to acknow-vation previously experienced? Not, ledge it an unspeakable blessing that a sinful man should look up to God with confidence that he should be enabled to use such language as this-"O Lord, I will praise thee; though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortest me. Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid!" —that the man, unworthy as he is of the least of God's mercies, having the access of a child to the throne of the heavenly grace, may go with filial confidence, and ask, and receive whatever blessings he may need in time and eternity-that his In the third place, we proceed to consider a FEW ERRORS CONNECTED WITH THIS DOCTRINE. I trust it is clear to all that, upon our believing in Christ with a penitent heart, we are justified before God; that the knowledge of that great act of pardon of which only the Holy Ghost can take cognizance is communicated to us by the Spirit of testimony; and that from that springs up filial confidence, and the power to use filial language, and call God our Father. But there are some errors connected with this important doctrine that ought to be noticed. surely, a salvation which related to any outward deliverance; for the very nature of the psalm, and the circumstances under which it was composed, force us to conclude that the expression-"the joys of thy salvation," refers to that holy state of mind, and friendship with God, to which he had been previously introduced, and which thus spread so much joy through his spirit, arising from the assurance of his being an object of the divine favour. These were the joys that had been withered by his sin; and for the restoration and revival of these joys he prayed. So many other passages show perfectly inconsistent with the idea that that this was the case with good men there shall be a doubt hanging over the under the old dispensation. And if ours fact whether I am accepted with God. be a dispensation more glorious, and if Take all this-that it is impossible for we know that the Spirit of God has this us to attain such an assurance as shall particular office, and bears this particular give us a general degree of peace, and character of the Spirit of adoption, we save our spirits from anxiety and fear. are not to conclude that we are placed in But then they tell us there is a great daninferior, but in superior circumstances, ger of fanaticism if we teach the doctrine even, to the saints of the Old Testament | that this knowledge is communicated by the dispensation, with respect to the comfort-direct impression and impulse of God; and able assurance of our being now accepted. therefore, it is much more safe to proceed We may say also that this notion, that in this way :-since, they tell us, God no such assurance is attainable, is con- has said that as many persons are his trary to all the words of Christ and his children as bear certain characteristics, apostles. We do not mean to say that we must examine ourselves to discover the assurance may not be in a different whether these are found in us; and, if degree. It may be accompanied with we find them in us, we may come to the admixtures of doubt; it may be, in the conclusion that we are the children of first instance, far from being a strong God: and it is in this safe and rational assurance; but, in all its stages, it is that way that we gain a comfortable perwhich gives comfort, and rest, and peace, suasion of our being adopted into the to the soul. In all its degrees it enables family. Well; we allow all that is very man to call God Father. When our plausible; but then, what are we to do Lord says, "Come unto me, all ye that with the text, and other texts? Men may are weary and heavy laden, and I will make plausible theories; but are we give you rest". -can such words be recon- bound to receive the Scriptures or not? ciled with the idea of our being in a state And are we bound to interpret them fairly of uncertainty as to whether we are ac- or not? I ask, what are we to do with cepted of God? Remember what that the text on such a theory as this? The uncertainty implies-remember that it apostle speaks of the Spirit of God as the implies this I am uncertain whether Spirit of adoption-what meaning has God be my friend or my enemy. I am that? And then he tells us we have not uncertain whether his wrath abides upon received the Spirit of bondage unto fear, me unmitigated by any merciful pardon; but the Spirit of adoption, whereby we or whether he secretly regards me, though cry Abba, Father; and that the Spirit he has not manifested this, with compas- itself, that same Spirit, the Spirit of adopsion and kindness. It is matter of un- tion, the Holy Spirit, bears testimony certainty whether I shall live through with our spirits, and to our spirits, that this day or not; therefore, it is matter of we are the children of God. That is the uncertainty whether I die under the curse process by which we come to the knowof God, or under his smile-whether I ledge of the fact. And what is it that am to be happy or miserable for ever. you can invent another? What is it that Uncertainty as to our acceptance with you can conceive of another? I put it to God implies all this; and is it possible, you whether you are to form your reliif the man be awakened, and the mind be gious opinions from Scripture, or by your serious, that, if this be the only state into own imaginations? Take that passage in which our religion brings us, mitigated the Galatians, "Because ye are sons"by some degree of hope-is it possible because ye are adopted and accepted into that Christ himself can give us rest? the family of God" God hath sent forth "Come unto me, all ye that are weary," the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, cryhowever, he says, "and I will give you ing, Abba, Father." Why, you cry Abba, rest." And the very idea of a spirit at Father, according to this theory, by virrest, a spirit in a state of quiet repose, is! tue of your own discovery; it is your own the same faith that brings us into this state must maintain us in this state. We must watch and pray-we must be laying aside every weight, and the sin which besets us-fighting the good fight of faith, if we will lay hold of eternal life; and all this from the beginning. Then there is another error-that this comfortable assurance and persuasion of our adoption is the privilege only of some eminent Christians. That I believe is a very general notion. There is no authority for it certainly in the book of God. This blessing is as common a blessing as pardon; it is put on the same ground, it is offered in the same general manner. And I would say the whole of that objection is grounded on some secret idea of some moral worth-some idea that holy persons may attain to this by a merit of their own, but others cannot. Brethren, none of these gifts are bestowed, but as they are the purchase of the blood of Christ; and they are all parts of the great salvation held out to you, however unworthy, without money and without price. reasoning and inference that cry out in your spirit, Abba, Father. Will you take that voice of your own judgment, instead of the blessed voice of the Spirit of God in his character of the Spirit of adoption? | Let us go a little nearer this objection. There are certain fruits of the Spirit, it is said, by which we are to infer that we are the children of God. And what are these fruits? If you examine you will find that several are such fruits of the Spirit as must necessarily imply a previous persuasion communicated to us by God himself, and a previous persuasion of our being in the favour of God. We have a catalogue of these fruits, "The fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; against such there is no law." "Love"-now you would say this doctrine leads us to say-a man must examine whether he has love to God; "joy," whether he has joy in God; "meekness," whether he has got meekness; "goodness, fidelity, temperance," and if he has all these, he is to conclude that he is a child of God. Why, is it not most obvious to you that it is absurd to look for such a fruit of the Spirit as love to God our reconciled Father till we know him as our reconciled Father -or peace, till we know that we are at peace with him? Therefore these fruits of the Spirit are the fruits of the Spirit of adoption previously bestowed; and you cannot expect to find such fruits, and never will find them, independently of men-that he should make the human the previous assurance that God is recon-heart his temple-that he should take ciled to you in Christ. The moment a man into communion with himself—is man is pardoned he receives the Spirit of not this the glory of the new dispensaadoption, and he immediately can call God tion? Is not this all consistent with its his Father, and he can love him, and be spirit? And you lose all these granat peace with him, and rejoice in him. deurs, all these hopes of man, in a base Then we notice another error. Some and wretched fear, by which you make persons confound this assurance of present yourselves subservient to the silly infidel acceptance with an assurance of final salva-philosophy of the world. Let us think tion. The one is very distinct from the better things-let us think nobler things other; for the last I find no authority inlet us enter more fully into the chathe book of God. We may live in the comfortable assurance that we are accepted of God; but that conveys to us no certain assurance that we shall finally be saved. We must still walk by the same rule-we must still mind the same things; VOL. I.-39 I would say of that error to which I have already adverted, that respects the direct impulse of God on the mind, that I wonder any man-I wonder there are so many persons, generally speaking, serious and excellent persons, who are afraid of a doctrine of that sort, and would associate with it ideas of fanaticism. Is it not the universal doctrine of the book of God? That God should dwell with racter of the Christian dispensation, and know that while, on the one hand, this grand truth is revealed to us-that God dwells in man, and man is called to dwell with God, and to walk with him in secret, sensible, vital fellowship and 2 c2 union-that, while this is acknowledged | to resist these impressions, and to turn a one of the glories of our religion, it is not deaf ear to these awful warnings. possible for a man that rightly understands it to convert such a doctrine into an occasion of folly or of sin-that there is a sanctity in it as pure and delicate as the glory of the doctrine itself-and that, wherever the Spirit of God dwells, there must be all the fruits of the Spirit-and that every man must know, unless he be wilfully ignorant, that it is only those who are led by the Spirit of God that are the sons of God. Let us conclude the whole by a few practical observations : The subject applies itself to those who have a burdened conscience. How many of you desire to call God, Father? How many of you have heard of this blessing, and perhaps have been waiting for it? And what is the reason that you have not been brought into this state? How is it that you are not rejoicing in the mercy of your God-that you have not received the Spirit of adoption? Examine the fact. Have you earnestly desired it? Has it been a special object of your prayer? Have you learned the art of waiting upon In the first place, this doctrine may God, keeping your spirits in a waiting well turn the attention of those of you to frame? Have you been looking out for your own condition, who have an assu- God? Have you been fully persuaded rance in your minds, with respect to your that this is your Christian privilege and religious state, that you are under the calling? Do you recollect this is a blessdivine displeasure, are still living care-ing to be attained by simple trust in lessly, and neglecting the great salvation. Christ; that you must plead the merit of Am I addressing any such in the divine presence? You know well, for you cannot have heard the truth so often as you have without knowing, that your religious state is not right-that you have no good hope through grace-that you are not founded on a rock-that were you called into the presence of God you would receive the summons with dread. And yet, alas! with this assurance, with this inward persuasion and conviction in your minds, how carelessly you hear-how you immerse yourselves in the business and pleasures of this life-how habitually do you restrain prayer before God-and how presumptuously do you depend on the exercise of his mercy at some future time! I beseech you, brethren, by the mercy which has spared you till this day, that you no longer live in this state. Turn to God-confess your sin before God let the weight of your case rest on your conscience-fly to his mercy -remember all that has been said, and all you have heard, from time to time, of his infinite willingness to pardon all them that return to him-and carry this weight with you no longer. Enter into rest take hold of God that you may be at peace with him—and increase not the weight of your future punishment, by continuing his atonement? And do you know that mere trusting will not do?-that those who really trust will plead and pray? When once you get the faith that pleads, and prays, and waits, it is not long before God will hear your earnest prayer, and say unto you, "I am your salvation." Now look up to him. The blessing is purchased-you are sinful, and you need the heavenly gift-and cannot, therefore, be better prepared for it. All things are ready; come to the marriage. There is the blessing of pardon, free justification before God, with the Spirit of adoption, whereby you call God your Father. There is grace offered to your acceptance in the gospel-I warn you against resting short of it. It cannot be, that these impressions shall continue with them in all their strength. God has begun a good work in you, and awakened you to a sense of the meaning of this great change. You must follow on to know the Lord, and must determine to wait for him, as those who watch for the morning; otherwise those impressions will become weak, and by and by you will find you have grieved the Spirit of God, and that he has departed from you. God is pleased that you should take hold of his strength. Jacob, when he discovered that he was wrestling |