He that now loves God, that delights and rejoices in him, with an humble joy, and holy delight, and an obedient love, is a child of God:
But I thus love, delight, and rejoice in God;
Therefore I am a child of God:
Then a Christian can in no wise doubt, of his being a child of God. Of the former proposition, he has as full an assurance, as he has that the scriptures are of God. And of his thus loving God, he has an inward proof, which is nothing short of self-evidence. Thus the testimony of our own spirit is with the most intimate conviction manifested to our hearts; in such a manner, as beyond all reasonable doubt, to evince the reality of our sonship.
12. The manner how the divine testimony is manifested to the heart, I do not take upon me to explain. Such knowledge is too wonderful and excellent for me; I cannot attain unto it. The wind bloweth: and I hear the sound thereof.But I cannot tell how it cometh, or whither it goeth. As no one knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of a man that is in him; so the manner of the things of God knoweth no one, save the Spirit of God. But the fact we know: namely, that the Spirit of God does give a believer such a testimony of his adoption, that while it is present to the soul, he can no more doubt the reality of his sonship, than he can doubt of the shining of the sun, while he stands in the full blaze of his beams.
II. 1. How this joint testimony of God’s Spirit and our spirit, may be clearly and solidly distinguished, from the presumption of a natural mind, and from the delusion of the devil, is the next thing to be considered. And it highly imports all who desire the salvation of God, to consider it with the deepest attention, as they would not deceive their own souls. An error in this is generally observed to have the most fatal consequences: the rather, because he that errs seldom discovers his mistake, till it is too late to remedy it.
2. And first, how is this testimony to be distinguished from the presumption of a natural mind? It is certain, one who was never convinced of sin, is always ready to flatter himself and to think of himself, especially in spiritual things, more highly than he ought to think. And hence, it is in no wise strange if one who isvainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, when he hears of this privilege of true Christians, among whom he undoubtedly ranks himself, should soon work himself up into a persuasion, that he is already possest thereof. Such instances now abound in the world, and have abounded in all ages. How then may the real testimony of the Spirit with our spirit, be distinguished from this damning presumption?
3. I answer, the holy scriptures abound with marks, whereby the one may be distinguished from the other. They describe in the plainest manner the circumstances which go before, which accompany, and which follow, the true, genuine testimony of the Spirit of God with the spirit of a believer. Whoever carefully weighs and attends to these, will not need to put darkness for light. He will perceive so wide a difference with respect to all these, between the real and the pretended witness of the Spirit, that there will be no danger, I might say, no possibility, of confounding the one with the other.
4. By these, one who vainly presumes on the gift of God, might surely know, if he really desired it, that he hath been hitherto given up to a strong delusion, and suffered to believe a lie. For the scriptures lay down those clear, obvious marks as preceding, accompanying and following that gift, which a little reflection would convince him, beyond all doubt, were never found in his soul. For instance, the scripture describesrepentance, or conviction of sin, as constantly going before this witness of pardon. So, Repent; for the kingdom of heaven, is at hand, Matt. iii. 2. Repent ye, and believe the gospel, Mark i. 15. Repent, and be baptized every one of you, for the remission of sins, Acts ii. 38. Repent ye therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, chap. iii. 19. In conformity whereto our church also continually places repentance, before pardon or the witness of it. “He pardoneth and absolveth all them that truly repent and unfeignedly believe his holy gospel.” “Almighty God—hath promised forgiveness of sins to all them, who with hearty repentance and true faith turn unto him.” But he is a stranger even to this repentance. He hath never known a broken and a contrite heart. The remembrance of his sins was never grievous unto him, nor the burthen of them intolerable. In repeating those words, he never meant what he said; he merely paid a compliment to God. And were it only from the want of this previous work of God, he hath too great reason to believe, that he hath grasped a mere shadow, and never yet known the real privilege of the sons of God.
5. Again, the scriptures describe the being born of God, which must precede the witness that we are his children, as a vast and mighty change, a change from darkness to light, as well as from the power of Satan unto God: asa passing from death unto life, a resurrection from the dead. Thus the apostle to the Ephesians; you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins, chap. ii. ver. 1. And again, When we were dead in sins, he hath quickened us together with Christ; and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together, in heavenly places, in Christ Jesus, ver. 5, 6. But what knoweth he concerning whom we now speak, of any such change as this? He is altogether unacquainted with this whole matter. This is a language which he does not understand. He tells you, “He always was a Christian. He knows no time when he had need of such a change.” By this also, if he give himself leave to think, may he know, that he is not born of the Spirit: that he has never yet known God; but has mistaken the voice of nature for the voice of God.