But oft it falls out, that our own spirits, though sanctified, cannot stand against a subtle temptation strongly enforced. God superadds his own Spirit. Guilt often prevails over the testimony of blood ; that of water, by reason of stirring corruptions, runneth troubled. Therefore the third, the immediate testimony of the Spirit, is necessary to witness the Father's love to us, to us in particular, saying, ' I am thy salvation,' Ps. xxxv. 3, * thy sins are pardoned,' Mat. ix. 2. And this testimony the word echoeth unto, and the heart is stirred up and comforted with joy inexpressible. So that both our spirits and consciences, and the Spirit of Christ joining in one, strongly witness our condition in grace, that we are the sons of God.
In this threefold testimony, the order is this : blood begets water ; satis- faction by blood procures the Spirit from God, as a witness of God's love ; and by feeling the power of blood and water, we come to have the Spirit witnessing and sealing our adoption unto us, to establish us in the state of grace against storms of temptation to the contrary. The Spirit persuadeth to look unto blood, convinceth the heart of the efficacy of it, and then quieteth the soul, which giveth itself up to Christ wholly and to whole Christ ; and thence feels his heart established against carnal reason, so as he can and doth oppose Christ's blood to all the guilt that doth arise. And this witness of the Spirit comforting the soul is the most familiar, and affects most.
If we feel it not, as oft we do not, then rise upward from want of this joy of spirit to water, and see what work we find of the Spirit in cleansing our souls ; and if we find these waters not to run so clearly as to discern our condition in them, then go to the witness of blood, and let us bathe our souls in it, and then we shall find peace in free grace procured by blood ; for ofttimes a Christian is driven to that pass, that nothing can comfort him, within or without him, in heaven or earth, but the free and infinite mercy of God in the blood of Christ, whereon the soul relieth when it feels no comfort, nor joy of the Spirit, nor sees no work of sancti- fication. Then it must rest on the satisfaction wrought by the blood of Christ, when the soul can go to God and say, ' If we confess our sins, thou art just to forgive them ; and the blood of Christ shall cleanse us from all sin,' 1 John i. 9. Therefore, though I feel not inward peace, nor the work of the Spirit, yet I will cast myself upon thy mercy in Christ. Hereupon we shall in God's time come to have the witness of water and the Spirit more evidently made clear unto us.
The Spirit it is that witnesses with blood, and witnesses with water, and by water, whatsoever of Christ's is applied unto us by the Spirit. But, besides witnessing with these witnesses, the Spirit hath a distinct witness by way of enlarging the soul ; which [is] joy in the apprehension of God's fatherly love and Christ's setting the soul at liberty. The Spirit doth not always witness unto us our condition by force of argument from sanctifica- tion, but sometimes immediately by way of presence ; as the sight .of a friend comforts without help of discourse. The very joy from sight pre- vents the use of discourse.
This testimony of the Spirit containeth in it the force of all, word, pro- mise, oath, seal, &c. This is greater than the promise, as a seal is more than our hand, and as an oath is more than a man's bare word. The same that is said of God's oath in comparison with his bare promise, may be said of this sealing in comparison of other testimonies. That as God was
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willing more abundantly to clear to the heirs of promise their salvation, he added an oath, Heb. vi. 18 ; so for the same end he added this his Spirit as a seal to the promise, and to the other testimonies. Om* own graces indeed, if wo were watchful enough, would satisfy us. The fountain is open as to Hagar, but she seeth it not, &c., Gen. xxi. 17, seq. Howsoever the Spirit, if that cometh, it subdueth all doubts.
As God in his oath and swearing joineth none to himself, but sweareth by himself, so in this witness he taketh in no other testimony to confirm it, but witnesseth by himself. And hence ariseth ' joy unspeakable and glorious,' 1 Pet. i. 8, and ' peace which passeth all understanding,' Philip, iv. 7 ; for it is an extract of heaven when we see our being in the state of grace, not in the eflect only, but as in the breast and bosom of God.
Quest. But how shall we know this witness from an enthusiastical fancy and illusion ?
Ans. This witness of the Spirit is known from the strong conviction it bringeth with it, which weigheth and overpowers the soul to give credit unto it. But there be, you will say, strong illusions. True. Bring them therefore to some rules of discerning. Bring all your joy, and peace, and confidence to the word. They go both together. As a pair of indentures, one answers another. In Christ's transfiguration upon the mount, Moses and Elias appeared together with Christ. In whatsoever transfiguration and ravishment we cannot find Moses and Elias and Christ^to meet — that is, if what we find in us be not agreeable to the Scriptures — we may well suspect it as an illusion.