17
The believer may also subjectively realize adoption. There must in order of
nature be the certitude objecti, before certitude subjecti, for I can never be sure of a thing
before it is, writes Ford. Years may transpire, he goes on to say, before the believer who
is adopted by God may know he is adopted. In fact, since the subjective consciousness of
adoption is not essential to eternal life, Ford concludes it is possible-- not normative--
that a believer may go to heaven without that particular actual assurance, or a particular
confidence to addresse himself to God as his Father.
52
The Puritans believed that all God did outside of the Christian for his salvation
has its counterpart within him. The Christ who merited salvation for His elect also applies
it to them. This He does by means what John Forbes called His experienced word: God
speakes the word of trueth to the heart, causes the heart to believe that which it hath
heard and received, and adds his spirit: and by the testimonie thereof...makes Adoption
and eternall life, most certain and sure to the soule.
53
Most Puritans were fond of calling this the witnessing testimony of the Holy
Spirit, which they usually identified with the consciousness of the sealing of the Spirit
and assurance of faith. The Westminster Confession of Faith refers to the testimony of
the Spirit of adoption witnessing with our spirit that we are the children of God
(XVIII:ii). Samuel Petto defines the Spirit`s witnessing ministry as a worke whereby the
Spirit doth that towards the clearing up unto a soule of its Adoption, that a witnes doth
amongst men for the decision and determination of a matter dubious and uncertaine.
54
The Puritans varied in their interpretation of how the Spirit`s witnessing
testimony was experienced by the child of God.
55
Some, such as Jeremiah Burroughs,
Anthony Burgess, and George Gillespie, emphasize that the witnessing testimony of the
Holy Spirit coincides with assurance gleaned from inward evidences of grace, which the
Puritans also called the marks or fruits of grace.
56
They believe that the Spirit`s witness
refers exclusively to His activity of uniting the adopted child`s conscience with the
Spirit`s witness that the Christian is a child of God. According to that view, the witness of
the Holy Spirit conjoins with the witness of the believer`s spirit. Romans 8:15 (receiving
the Spirit of adoption) and 8:16 (the Spirit bearing witness together with the believer`s
conscience) are thus synonymous.
57
Thus, when the Spirit`s witness and the witness of
the believer`s conscience unitedly confirm that the believer possesses the marks and fruits