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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A90625	The voice of the Spirit. Or, An essay towards a discoverie of the witnessings of the spirit by opening and answering these following queries. Q. 1. What is the witnessing worke of the Spirit? 2 How doth the Spirit witnesse to a soule its adoption? 3. Who are capable of attaining the witnessings of the Spirit? 4. How may a soul know its injoyment of them? 5. By what meanes may a soule attaine them? To which is added. Roses from Sharon or sweet experiences reached out by Christ to some of his beloved ones in this wildernes. / By Samuel Petto preacher of the Gospell at Sandcroft in Suffolke.	Petto, Samuel, 1624?-1711.	1654 (1654)	Wing P1903; Thomason E1500_2; ESTC R208647	109,805	256

The great thing magnified by carnal Gospellers is their owne righteousnesse but Paul declared an utter unwillingnes to be found in that or in any thing but the righteousnesse of Christ Phil. 3.9 Yea he differenceth Saints from others by their having no confidence in the flesh v. 3. and calleth his great priviledges and blameles Conversation flesh v. 4 5 6. A beleever by want of illuminations or violent temptations may be hurryed into a resting upon some particular duties but the determinations of his will and the maine bent of his inward man are against it He would not for a world offer such dis-respect to Christ and declareth his utter disallowance of it afterward Many acknowledge that they could never have yeelded perfect obedience to the Law but must have been under the curse still if Christ had not taken away the rigorousnesse of it and now they build their confidences upon Christ in conjunction with their own actings in this way of mitigation as their praying reading hearing loving and serving God and offering no wrong to their neighbour c. but as Gal. 5.2 If you be Circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing It is evident that they did expect to be profited by Christ but saith the Apostle if you seeke to be justified by any one worke and Christ together then you looke for justification according to the tenor of the Law and so will have no advantage by Christ but are debtours to the whole Law as v. 3 4. Such men own merits in practise when they pretend to deny them in their judgements Faith is a necessary and effectuall meanes of our participation of Christs righteousnesse which is indeed availeable to Justification And Gospell workes with faith are usefull for the manifestation thereof Jam. 2. v. 18.24 And thus they may raise expectations of salvation as speaking them interested in Christ and his obedience which undoubtedly hath salvation promised to it But neither faith nor workes can be the least particle of that righteousnesse which the Lord hath promised the salvation it selfe unto 1. Because the two wayes of faith and workes are incompatible one with the other and so can admit of no mixture Gal. 3.12 And the Law is not of faith i. c. Let no man thinke to mixe them together for the Law presents to God a mans owne righteousnesse He that doth them Diedat shall live in them but faith receiveth Christs righteousnesse for a gift No man can attaine eternall life without the righteousnesse of the morall Law or Law of workes In the way of workes a man is to fulfill this righteousnesse himselfe In the way of faith it is fulfilled for him by his surety Christ and he is made a partaker of it by receiving Rom. 5 v 17 18 19.21 Hebr. 9.15 Gal. 3. v. 12 13. 2. Because then the reward should be of debt and so not of grace either of which are contrary to Rom. 4.4 To him that worketh is the reward reckoned not of grace but of debt Perfect obedience due and owing to God as Creator and without a promise intervening could not have made God a debtor to his creature neither could that have been of value to deserve life But if man had yeelded perfect obedience then by vertue of that Covenant or promise of Do this and live it had become a debt Now if Evangelicall actings had such a promise made to them or if the promise were partly to Christ and partly to them then indeed there were more of grace in the condition but the promise were equally binding and so the reward were no lesse of debt after the performance of it Salvation is a debt to Christ but onely free grace and the satisfaction of Christ not our Evangelicall obedsence can make it a debt to us or can make any promise establish an obligation upon the Lord to give out life or salvation to us Act. 4.12 Neither is there salvation in any other 1 Cor. 3.11 Isa 63.3 5. From its freenes in choofing and accepting of the blood of Christ for the uses and ends it serveth to A man may have recourse unto God as Creator and use earnestnes for mercy and yet not finde it He may plead a promise and that with importunitie and yet misse of salvation if he taketh it not as in Christ For the Lord hath made no promise but in Christ Eph. 3.6 2 Cor. 1.20 and is resolved to be mercifull unto none but in the way of the Mediatour and hence Christ is called the Mediatour of the Covenant Hebr. 8.6 9.15 12.24 Not one Covenant mercy but must passe through his hands unto soules So that if your hearts have not owned his Mediation his blood cannot be witnessing to you Many will not come to Christ that they might have life and peace Luk. 19.41 42. Joh. 5.40 Nature is averse to being beholden to another for all and so many doe not owne the way of salvation But there may be a crying out earnestly for the blood of Christ and if it be by constraint so as the bent and inclination of the soule be not that way then it is not with the heart Deut. 5. v. 24 25.27 Israel engaged that whatsoever the Lord should speake to them by Moses they would heare and doe it and doubtles they meant as they said for the Lords uttering his voyce out of the fire and striking them with the feare of death thereby this occasioned their making that promise and yet the Lord saith v. 29. O that there were such a heart in them which implyeth more then a possibility that their whole hearts were not in this engagement So the stingings and awakenings of Conscience the servile feare of a curse wrath hell damnation these may force into engagements to owning the blood of Christ but these being extorted from them the LORD doth not account their hearts in them It is with many as with one that hath the Gangren or some sore disease upon a member of his body and there is no way to save his life but by sawing off the member if the man submitteth to this yet it is with abundance of unwillingnes meerly for the preservation of life so many finde the voyce of God to be a killing voyce without a Mediatour and to avoyde eternall death which else is inevitable they will looke to the blood of Christ but it is not out of a free choyce but because they cannot shift it and escape wrath I grant men are to looke unto the blood of Christ for freedome from wrath whither else should they looke for this and this obtained is a great priviledge Rom. 5. v. 9. Being justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath Rom. 8.1 But a seing God as he is 1 Joh. 3. v. 2. and a fruition of his favour and unexpressible tokens of his love and the attaining everlasting communion with Christ c. these are included in Gospell Salvations and the other is but the least part of

person and not by another So if it were onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Spirit witnesseth then it might be by a proxie gifts and graces but seing it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit himselfe this argueth it to be a peculiar worke of the Spirit requiring its own more Immediate presence Faith which is a grace may receive the testimonie but the Spirit giveth it and not graces in his stead else it should not be himselfe properly but graces for him As Water i. e. Sanctification is called a witnesse 1 Joh. 5.8 when graces testisie although it is the Spirit that causeth them to doe it yet the graces have the denomination for the witnes So here the Spirit himselfe is the witnes rather then graces though graces may be used about this as the Spirit is about the other And hence after the Apostle had told them of the usefulnesse of mortification and Conduct v. 13 14. for the clearing up of Justification and Adoption yet he foreseing that they might question their injoyment of these as well as their Justification therfore he addeth this as the highest meanes for knowledge which may hold when all others fayle The Spirit himselfe Argu. 2. From the aptitude of many written words or promises by application to witnesse I account it very unsafe to draw up such Conclusions from a Scripture cast in as it hath no naturall tendency to enforce neither in its scope or sence directly nor by consequence neither in the letter of it nor by application This mistake too many labour under in these dayes When they be dubious about what is their duty if a word cometh into their minds although it tendeth not to resolve the doubt looketh not the least that way yet that word is made a rule for action and the decider of the Controversie Whereas if it be applyed by the Spirit it is intended for some other use or end and not for the determination of a matter which is no wayes concerned in that Scripture For the Spirit doth not speake barely in letters syllables or words of Scripture but as these expresse things which are agreeable to the minde of Christ A man may be prophane and yet use the words of Scripture and Satan often commeth with an It is written Matth. 4.6 But there are many Scriptures of a witnessing nature which cannot be denyed this use Here are two things to be confirmed 1. That there is an aptitude in some Scriptures to witnesse 2. That the Spirit doth make application of these and that for such ends 1. That there is an aptitude in some Scriptures to witnesse or that they misse onely application from the Divine Spirit to make them witnessing to a particular soule I shall give a few instances amongst many for the clearing this truth Isai 41.10 Feare not for I am with thee I am thy God Isai 43. v. 25. I even I am be that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine owne sake I will not remember thy sinnes Matth. 9.2 Son be of good cheare thy sins be for given thee neither is this meant as to the present disease onely for Christ intended to give others a knowledge hereby of his power to forgive sins as v. 6. So Ezek. 36.25 I will sprinkle cleane water upon you ver 26. A new heart will I give you ver 27. I will put my Spirit within you ver 28. I will be your God Surely the Lord would not speake in such a particular way to men thy God and thy sins if he intended not their particular Assurance by the application of such words of the things spoken and that eyther of these have an aptitude to witnesse Adoption is undenyable What can satisfie a soule if this will not for the Lord to say I am thy God Is 41.10 If the Spirit doth but speake this over againe to our Spirit it is enough And to cleare it further 1. There are many assuring promises of speciall mercies which are consequential to Adoption Now these must needs have an aptitude by application to give Assurance of our interest in that which it a necessary Antedent as Isai 41.10 I will strengthen thee I will uphold thee 2 Cor. 12.9 My grace is sufficient for thee Heb. 13.5 I will never leave thee nor forsake thee 2. There are many Scriptures that directly tend to remove the grounds of a soules doubting of its Adoption as if it questioneth its interest in Christ because it is exercised with such heavy afflictions these Scriptures tend to remove that doubt Heb. 12.6 Whom the Lord loveth be chasteneth Rev. 3.19 As many as I love I rebuke and chasten If the variety or violence of temptations which it hath mett withal be the ground of its doubting it may finde releife from Heb. 2.18 Hebr. 4.15 Christ was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin he was free from sinne yet was not free from temptation and so Christians may not look for exemption from temptation who abound with sin Yea it is expressely said we are tempted If the feeling strong workings of corruption puts the soule upon questioning its condition that may minister helpe that Paul an eminent Saint groaned under the same burden Rom. 7.15 yea he cryeth out with bitter lamentation ver 24. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death And thus many Scriptures have an aptitude to witnesse for it is their proper effect when applyed by the Spirit to remove such doubtings of Divine love as arise from such Causes which oftentimes are the onely obstacles in the way to Assurance 2. That the Spirit doth make application of such Scriptures unto particular soules and that for such Ends may appeare 1. From their aptitude to Witnesse that word Isui 41.10 I am thy God bringeth in God as speaking to a particular soule and telling it of its interest in himselfe it hath a witnessing voyce in the very letter of it and so carrieth evidence with it that this is its proper designe And that the Spirit doth apply words for the proper ends they so clearely point at is undeniable especially when the thing pointed at is undoubtedly a worke of the Divine Spirit as witnessing is 2. From a parity of reason the Spirit applyeth other words for those ends which they aptly serve to None will deny but that it may and doth reprove declineing Christians for leaving their first love by such a word as that Revel 2. v. 3.4.11 Or threaten lukewarme soules by Revel 3.16 Or convince carnally confident soules of the sadnes of their condition by Revel 3. v 17.22 And by the same reason it should apply the aforementioned Scriptures in a witnessing way unto doubting soules and hence when David was besieged and surrounded on every side with troubles and the Lord seemed to keepe silence he even putteth words into the mouth of God Psal 35.3 say thou i. e. by thy Spirit in some word or promise for this

against us under tryals and tribulations but we have gotten ground of our corruptions our pride discontent not onely after distresses but in them and so we are more then Conquerours i. e. we have come off not onely without losse but with much gaine Conquerours win the field but they loose much in winning of it many valiant men fall in the battell O but Christians gaine in their graces and gaine in their strength and gaine in their comforts as their sufferings abound so their consolations abound also and so they are more then Conquerours Object But may not a delusion so engage a man to it selfe as he may suffer much before he will disown it may not a man look death in the face with a carnall confidence Answ Suppose it yet it is not the engagednes of the heart to Christ by sights of his love or the endearance of his will name and glory to it or the tasting sweetnes in Communion with Christ c. that beare up against sufferings but a soule under the witnessings of the Spirit is raised above his troubles and afflictions upon such accounts Rom. 8.35.39 Phil. 3.8 For whom I have suffered the losse of all things Carnal confidences are not at first built and bottomed upon Christ and are at present sed and supported by securitie disregard stupidity stout-heartednes will desire to be accounted immoveable and unwillingnes to owne the shame of former hypocrifie and such carnall props beare it up and engage to adhere unto it under sufferings which are enough to evidence it to be a delusion Evid 8. The witnessings of the Spirit beget a perswasion in the soule of the Lords affording it sutable provision for it at all times and in all conditions before it went drooping under feares that it should want protecting grace under dangers and supporting grace under sufferings and persevering grace under tryals it feared that it should not hold out to the end and was mistrusting God in every condition but when the Spirit hath witnessed adoption then it is delivered from all these feares it can say with him Psal 23.1 I shall not want when it can say the Lord is my Shepheard This engageth strongly against mistrust fulnesse which formerly it gave much way to and striketh a deeper sence into the soule of its unbeleife then it had that it cannot but recall it self it said before I shall want when it could not say I do want It s mistrust run before its necessity But now it unsayeth it and chicketh it selfe for it yea it runneth as far forward in its saith as before it did in its unbeleife It doth not onely say I do not want in the present time but I shall not want for the future Though I should be afflicted tempted persecuted c. yet I shall not want Paul could argue himselfe into a confidence of sufficient provision when he saw that nothing should seperate from Christ Rom. 8.32 He that spared not his Son how shall he not with him give us all things i.e. all things needfull in all conditions not all things in the world but enough of all things grace enough and peace enough strength enough wealth enough c. this is his collection from that premise and how shall he not c it is an interogation that imports that seing he spared not Christ the greater it is out of question he will not be sparing in other blessings which are farre lesser Evid 9. The witnessings of the Spirit make the soule exceedingly vigilant against whatever might occasion an interruption in its communion with Christ the most glorious revelations are followed oftentimes with the most horrid and violent temptations as 2 Cor. 12.8 9. Matth. 3. v. 16 17. The Spirit descended and a full testimony is given v. 17. This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased And the next newes is Mat. 4.1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit to be tempted Question not a testimony barely because you finde varietie of new temptations after it unless it disposeth you to yeeld and consent to them and occasion their prevailing over you These you are to look for and expect after such a time But if the Spirit be the witnes it will make you watchful against these Gant 8.4 I charge ye stirre not up nor awake my love untill he please She was very fearfull of whatsoever might displease him And when was it v. 3. when shes injoyed left-hand supportments and right-hand imbracings from Christ Soules are double watchfull against whatsoever might interrupt their Communion with Christ after a full fruition of it Evid 10. The witnessings of the Spirit draw out earnest expectations of full communion with Christ the soul is so ravished with what it doth injoy that it is even swallowed up with desires after full injoyments of it One that formerly was under bondage through the feare of death now knoweth not almost how to be content to live any longer but is forced into that holy complaint 2 Cor. 5.7 I live by faith and not by sight A life of faith is a glorious life and yet at such a day it cannot but bemoane it selfe for its want of sight it groaneth earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon and this is the matter of its lamentation that it is absent from the Lord v. 2.6 Christ is present with the Saints by faith in this life but their Communion here admits of many interruptions There are recesses as well as accesses They are subject to withdrawings and seeming distances and nothing but immediate Communion will afford them a fulnesse of contentment and therefore with a holy impatiency they desire to be dissolved that they may be with Christ which is best of all And thus I have finished these Secondary Evidences which may be usefull 1. For Direction to such as injoy the testimony of the Spirit here they may see what improvement they are to make thereof 2. For confirmation unto those that have injoyed a testimonie which hath been followed up these ways let them beware of questioning it And the want of these or many of them as the issue of such a perswasion especially if the confidence remaineth still it a dangerous symptome of a Satanicall delusion CHAP. XXII Foure Objections answered BEfore I leave this question I shall answer foure Objections Obj. 1. May a soule say I have had some feeble hopes that I have enjoyed the witnessings of the Spirit in some of those wayes aforementioned but seeing Satan counterfeiteth the choice workes of the Spirit and the Prophet saith The heart of man is deceitfull above all things who can know it Jer. 17.9 How should I know that I have passed a right judgement on my owne condition and am not mistaken Answ The Spirit by the word doth give an infallible assurance unto soules that its testimony is true It is ascertained unto souls 1. By the Spirit 1 Cor. 2.10.12 Rom. 8.16 1 Joh. 5.9 10. 2. By the Word that is the