(2.) As renewed. By nature conscience is blind, partial, stupid ; but by grace it is made pure, tender, pliant, and more able to do its office. The Spirit is not said here to witness to our heart, but to our spirit ; that is, to conscience as renewed and sanctified. Now such a conscience implieth these things, — First, Some knowledge of and consent to tiie new covenant; for without knowledge the heart is not good, Prov. xix. 2. It erreth in point of law and rule, and therefore cannot well witness in the case. And, secondly, consent there must be ; for we cannot claim privileges by a charter which we never accepted. Tiierefore, Isa. Ivi. 4, ' And choose the things that please me, and take hold of my cove- nant.' They thankfully accept the offered benefits, and resolve by the
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strength of the Lord's grace to perform the required duties. Thirdly, That our hearts be set to fulfil our covenant vow ; for otherwise we double, and deal insincerely with God : Heb. xiii. 18, ' We trust we have a good conscience, willing in all things to live honestly.' The habit and bent of the heart is for God, and obedience to him. Fourthly, That there be some answerable endeavours, and pursuance of this resolution and care to please God in all things: Acts xxiv. 16, 'And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men.' Fifthly, That these endeavours be uniformly carried on, that our sincerity may be evidenced to conscience. For then it is matter of rejoicing and assurance to us : 2 Cor. i. 12, 'This is our rejoicing, the testimony of our conscience, that in simpli- city and godly sincerity we have had our conversation in the world ; ' 1 Jolin iii. 19, ' And hereby wo know we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.' Grace, constantly and self-denyingly exercised, hath an evidence in the conscience, and conduceth also to give liberty and boldness before God.
[2.] The witness of the Spirit. Because this is often mistaken, I shall the more distinctly lay it before you.
(1.) The Spirit layeth down marks in scripture which may decide this question, whether ye are the children of God, yea or no. As for instance : 1 John iii. 10, ' In this the children of God are manifested, and the children of the devil; whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God ; neither he that loveth not his brother.' And again, Eom. viii. 14, ' As many as are led by the Spirit, are the sons of God.' So every where in the Scripture God expressly telleth us who shall go to heaven, and who shall go to hell ; and that there is no neutral and middle estate between the holy and carnal ; all are of one sort or other. Now if we should go no further, the text would bear a good sense. The Spirit beareth witness with our spirit, when our conscience can witness our sincerity in a course of obedience unto God. The Spirit's witness in Scripture, that this is a sound, so a true evidence; and the testimony of conscience confirmed by Scripture ; for whatever is spoken in scrip- ture, is supposed to be the very voice and testimony of the Spirit : as Acts xxviii. 25, ' Well spake the Holy Ghost by Isaiah the prophet unto our fathers ; ' so Heb. iii. 7, ' Wherefore as the Holy Ghost saith, to-day if ye will hear his voice.' So the Spirit speaketh or witnesseth to our spirits, — namely, in the word ; supposing what is to be .supposed, this must not be slighted. Yet this is not all; for the context speaketh not of a witness without, but motion within, whereby we are restrained from sin, and inclined to cry, Abba, Father.
(2.) He worketh such graces in us, as are peculiar to God's children, and evidences of our interest in the favour of God ; as when he doth renew and sanctify the soul. And so many of the choicest divines take the word witness for evidence, or the objective testimony ; namely, that the presence, and dwelling, and working of the sanctifying Spirit in us is the argument and matter of the proof, upon which the whole cause or traverse dependeth. That it is so to be taken, is clear in that exclu- sive mark : Eom. viii.. 9, ' But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Ciirist, he is none of his.' And iu that positive mark : 1
128 SERMONS UPON ROSIANS VIll. [SeU. XXIV.
Jolin iii. 2-4, ' And he that keepeth his commaiidraents dwelleth in him, and he in him ; and hereby we know that he abidetli in us, by the Spirit which lie hath given us ; ' and again, 1 John iv. 13, ' Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and ho in us, because he hath given us his Spirit.' That holy and charitable spirit ; the gracious operations ot his presence, are the argument whence we conclude.