(2.) The pouring out of the Spirit was the visible evidence given to the church of the sufficiency of Christ's satisfaction. When God was reconciled, then he shed forth the Spirit: Acts ii. 33, ' Therefore being at the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this which ye now see and hear ; ' so John vii. 38, 39, ' He that believeth in me, (as the scripture saith) out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water : this he spake of the Spirit, which they that believed on him should receive ; for the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.' Now this is true of God's love and reconciliation to us in particular ; when he is pacified, he giveth the Spirit, because the part t'olloweth the reason of the whole ; and the atonement made, and the
VeR. 9.] SEEMONS UPON EOMANS VIII. 7
atonement received, Kom. v. 11, are evidenced the same way, even by this fountain of living water, which is given to all believers.
(3.) This is the witness of the truth of the gospel, and therefore the best pledge of the love of God we can have in our jiearts ; for the believer's hopes are confirmed in the same way the gospel is confirmed ; that which confirmeth Christianity, confirmeth the christian ; the extract and original charter are confirmed by the same stamp and impression ; the Spirit confirmeth the love of God to sinners, and therefore the love of God to me : Act. v. 32, ' And we are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.' The word was confirmed by the great wonders wrought by the Holy Ghost : Heb. iii. 4, ' God bearing them witness, with signs and wonders, and divers gifts of the Holy Ghost.' The sanctifying Spirit: John xvii. 17, ' Sanctify them through the truth, thy word is truth : ' 1 John v. 10, ' He that believeth on the Son, hath the witness in himself.' The Spirit comforting the conscience by the blood of Christ, and sanctifying the heart, and cleansing it as with pure water, this also is our evidence.
[3.] From the qualities of this evidence, and so it is most apt to satisfy the doubting conscience concerning its interest in Christ and his benefits.
(1.) It is a great benefit, becoming the love of God, to give us his Holy Spirit ; it is more than if he had given us all the world. Persons that have been at variance will not believe one another, unless their reconciliation be verified by some remarkable good turn and visible testimony of loye. A great offender reconciled to Augustus, yet would not believe it, unless he put some notable mark of his favour upon him ; as David to Amasa, making him general of his army. Surely the breach hath been so great between us and God, that we shall have no peace and joy in believing, till we have some gift that may be a perfect demonstration that he is at peace with us : Rom. v. 11, ' We joy in God, as those that have received the atonement ; ' the pledge of it is in the gift of the Spirit. Most men's patience cometh from their stupidness, their confidence from their security, their quiet from their mindlessness of heavenly things ; but the soul that is in good earnest must have a witness of God's love, or a sufficient proof that he is reconciled and taken into God's family, made an heir according to the hope of eternal life, which is the spirit of adoption : Gal. iv. 6, ' And because ye are sons, God hath sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.'
(2.) It is most sensible, as being within our own hearts : the death of Christ was a demonstration of God's love, but that was done without us on the cross, and before we were born. Justification is a blessed privilege, but either that is God's act in heaven accepting us in Christ, or else, in the sentence of the law, by which we are constituted just; but this cometh into our hearts ; Gal. iv. G, ' God hath sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts ; ' so 2 Cor. i. 22, ' He hath given us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts ; ' so 1 John v. 11, ' He that believeth hath the witness in himself ; ' compare the eighth verse.
(3.) It is a permanent and abiding testimony. By his constant opera- tion we are acquainted with him, and know him ; what moveth and
8 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SeR. XII
stirreth in ns but now and then we understand not, but the Holy Ghost is familiar with us, resideth and dwelleth in our hearts ; we feel his pulse and motions : John xiv. 17, ' I will send you the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him ; but ye know him, for he dwelleth in you, and shall be in you : ' therefore they know, ore Trap vfuv fievei. They that constantly feel his operations in comforting, quickening, instructing them, they may see how they are beloved of God, and minded by him upon all occasions. The effects of the Spirit are life, holiness, faith, strength, joy, comfort, and peace ; he enlighteneth our understanding, confirmeth our i'aith, and assures us of salvation ; exciteth us to prayer, stirreth up holy desires and motions, comforteth us in crosses, awakeneth us in groans after heaven. Now those that have such constant experience of the illuminating, sanctifying, quickening work of the Spirit on their souls, cannot but know what kind of spirit dwelleth and worketh in them.