The herald., 1896-08-03

rests all it's hope upon the indirect testi-
mony of the individual conscience; the
other upon the direct witness of the spir
1t. They should have the combined tes-
timony of the objective spirit given Of
God and the subjective human spirit.
We shall not know Enthusiastically of our
adoption by any Inference of our own
mind alone, for the natural mind cannot
discern the things of God; the human in
tellect cannot comprehend the spiritual
without divine illumination. Nor can
we depend implicitly upon impressions
supposed to be derived from the Holy
Spirit alone, for the office of the spirit is
not to perform the mission of our own
spirits. Therefore, we must believe in:
1. The necessity of this twofold wit
ness of adoption, if any assurance is
given.
If we are children of God we have been
justified and regenerated. We have been
forgiven of past offenses and accepted
as righteous in Gods sight for the sake of
Christ. We have also been made new
creatures, so that the things which we
once hated. because they were disagree
able to our depraved natures, we now
love, because we have been brought into
unison with them. and vice versa, the
things we loved before we now despise.
To both justification and regeneration
there must be, In the very nature of the
case, separate witness.
Justification Is an act in the divine
mind whereby we are forgiven of past
sins. Now, no one can know, by unaided
human reason, what takes place in the
divine mind; by no logical deduction can
we find out this fact. We can only know
1t when God testifies to IL by the voice of
the spirit; hence, the necessity for the
direct witness. the objective testimony
to our personal pardon.
But regeneration is different. and de-
n.andS another MtfnaSq The hatnD
born again." or Created anew in
Christ Jesus" Is a work wrought in the
soul. 1t Is not so much an act in the
divine mind. like pardon, as 1t Is a
change in our moral nature by which we
are cleansed. renewed, quickened. God
Is indeed the agent, but we are the
subjects Of this Transformation. And
this change does not demand the testi
mony of the Spirit. for we ourselves
know when 1t is produced, and our own
spirits should bear witness to the fact.
The blessedness of adoption is not
proven by the human spirits agency
alone, nor by the agency of God alone.
The Christian may by inspection and
introspection infer that he has the grace
of God; but besides this, it is equally
necessary that the divine spirit speak
with "voiceless assurance" to his con-
seriousness that he is child of God.
The concurrence and co-action of both
tHe ulNlfle anu tHe human SplIllS are eS-
sential to such q clear evidence of our
sonship as shall fill and thrill the soul
with vital and vitalizing life. We can
only be assured of our present personal
salvation as these two witnesses testi-
fly conformity. Their combined testimo-
ny only can establish our sonship be-
yond a reasonable doubt. When the
Holy Spirit declares that God has par
doned our past sins and our spirits con-
firm the assurance by attesting the Won
drous change wrought in our nature
then, and not till then, faith rests upon
the moral certainty established in the
mouths of two witnesses that we are
the children of God; and with this evil
dence of our adoption we cry out with
joy, Abba, Father!
This is sublime experience, grand
state of grace, a blessed way to live;
it is heaven to go to heaven in. The
soul once burdened with load of guilt
is freely forgiven 1t was in darkness
and danger; now 1t has light and life.
The gloom which was settling deeper
and deeper is driven before the light
that shineth more and more unto the
perfect day. The soul once hated God,
dreaded to meet, and longed to annihi-
late Him from the universe; now it loves
Him, enjoys His communion, and wants
to dwell with Him forever. 1t despised
His service, disliked his institutions, and
SiluiIltu us peOplcs IOW IL SpeUuS anu
is spent in His work, delights in the
means of grace, and seeks from choice
the companionship of the redeemed.
Once it was earthly, sensual, devilish,
in thought, word and deed; now it is pu-
rified, lifted into spiritual environ
ment, and claims it's citizenship in heav-
en-; esteems itself pilgrim and a stran-
ger here and Journeys toward its home;
handles lightly the things of time and
sense, but steadily looks at that which
Is unseen and eternal, and thrills even
now with the ecstacy of new life and
Joy!
This is the blessedness of adoption.
Is such an experience our privilege?
May every Christian be consciously par
doned and regenerated in this life.
When adopted into the divine family
and made an heir prospective of heaven
may we have the assurance here and
now. To what extent Is the attestation
granted? How is 1t given?
The text answers all these question
ings with the authority of inspiration.
1t suggests lines of thought reaching out
in all directions above and beyond this
doctrine. Does it not declare the divin
ity of the Holy Spirit the third person
In the adorable trinity? This one thought
is enough for sermon or
volume. The revised version is better
rendered in speaking of the spirit Him
sell, dlltl ilOI tlle SplllL ltoCll lie tcAI
leads US to the great doctrine of the trim
ity in it's statement of our relation to
God, Christ and the Spirit. The Spirit
assures us that we are heirs of God and
joint heirs with Christ Our position
and privilege in this state is a theme
grand enough to justify discourse
from this text. But time forbids our
touching but a small part of the real
wealth contained in this passage. We
must, therefore, limit our thought to
the question already propounded: Is
the two-fold witness of adoption, as
outlined above, the common privilege of
Christians?
With a clear evidence of salvation, and
also with a personal knowledge this mo-
ment of the objective and subjective wit
ness, on the authority of Christ and His
Apostles, confirmed by the testimony
of a million living witnesses, I proclaim
to you this two-fold testimony as your
personal, present privilege. You may
have this attestation of your adoption
now for the asking! for We are all sons
of God, through faith in Christ Jesus.
(Gal. $3.50
St. Paul's Church
The services at ST. Paul's church were
we'll attended yeste1day, both in the