[2.] Another advantage we have by this notion is the certainty of the word; it is God's testimony. The apostle saith, 1 John v. 9, 'If we take the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater.' It is but reason we should allow God that value and esteem that we give to the testimony of men, who are fallible and deceitful. Among men, ' in the mouth of two or three witnesses everything is established,' Deut. xix. 15 ; ' Now there are three that bear witness in heaven, and three that bear witness on earth,' 1 John v. 8. We are apt to doubt of the gospel, and have suspicious thoughts of such an excellent doctrine ; but now there are three witnesses from heaven, the Father, Word, and Spu-it ; the Father by a voice : Mat. iii. 7, * And lo, a voice from heaven saying, This is my beloved Son,' &c. And the Son also by a voice, when he appeared to Paul from heaven, ' Saul, Saul, why perse- cutest thou me ?' And the Holy Ghost gave his testimony,^ descend- ing upon him in the form of a dove, and upon the apostles in cloven tongues of lire. ' And there are three that bear record on earth ;' for he saith, 1 John v. 10, ' He that believeth, e^ei t7]v fxaprvpiav, he hath the
iQu. 'opened' ?— Ed.
YeR. 2.] SERMONS UPON' TSALM CXIX. 17
testimony in himself/ What is that ? The Spirit, water, and blood in tlie heart of a believer ; these give testimony to the gospel. The Spirit bears witness to the gospel when it illuminateth the heart, enabling us to discern the doctrine to be of God, to discern those signatures and characters of majesty, goodness, power, truth, which God hath left upon the gospel ; and water and blood testify when we feel those con- stant and sensible effects of God's power coming with the gospel (1 Tlies. i. 5), both by pacifying the conscience, and bringing joy and {satisfaction, and by sanctifying and freeing a man from the bondage of sin. Water signifies sanctification : John xvii. 17, ' Sanctify them by thy truth/ The sanctifying power of God, that goes along with the gospel, is a clear confirmation of the divine testimony in it: John viii. 32, ' The truth shall make you free.' By our disentanglement from lust we come to be settled in the truth. God's testimony is the ultimate resolution of our faith. Why do we believe ? Because it is God's testimony. How do we know it is God's testimony ? It evi- denceth itself by its own light to the consciences of men ; yet God for the greater satisfaction to the world, hath given us witnesses, three from heaven and three on earth. Every manifestation of God hath sig- natures and characters of God enough upon it to show from whence it came. The creation is a manifestation of God ; now, whoever looks upon it seriously and considerately, may find God there, may track him by his footprints, ' By the things which are made, his invisible being and power,' Bom. i. 20. The creation discovers itself to be of God ; and if the lower testimony hath plain evidences, much more the gospel. Why? For 'he hath magnified his word above all his name,' Ps. cxxxviii. 2. The name of God is that by which he is made known. Now, there are more sensible characters and impressions of God left upon the word, that doth evidence it to be of God, than upon any part of his name.
[3.] This advantage we have by this notion, a testimony is a ground of self-examination, or a rule whereby we may judge of our state and actions ; for it witnesseth not only de jure, what we must do ; or de eventu, what we may expect ; but de facto, whether we do good or evil, what we are, and what we may look for from God upon our obed- ience or disobedience : Mat, xxiv. 14, ' The gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, ek /xaprvpLov, for a witness unto all nations;' first to them, next against them, Mark xiii. 9. The word is a testimony to them of God's will in Christ, if they receive it ; against them if they reject, neglect, or believe it not. Hereby we may judge of our condition by our conformity, or difformity and contra- riety, to the word of God, Christ saith at the day of judgment 3Ioses will accuse you : John v. 4.5, 'There is one that accuseth you, even Moses in whom ye trust.' The gospel will accuse. What is now an offer will then be an accusation. God will not be without a witness at the day of judgment. The creatures, which had an evident im- pression of God upon them, they will Avitness against the Gentiles, ' so that they are witliout excuse,' Kom. i. 20 ; and the Jews, that Avere under the dispensation of Moses, he will accuse them ; there was light sufficient to convince them. So the gospel, which is God's testimony concerning his Son, will accuse you if it be not received. Therefore
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18 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SePv. II.