I suppose those who interpreted the Eph. 1.13 passage as they did in those quotes above tended, as we all do, to interpret Scriptures in the light of their own experiences. Owen and Spurgeon may have been guilty of a similar thing with regard to Romans 5.5 and 8.16, as in the following references. But I can forgive them and hope to follow in their footsteps to an experimental knowledge of God that gives a higher and additional testimony to faith and sanctification that I am a child of God.

“To give joy to the hearts of believers is eminently the work of the comforter; and this he does by the particulars before instanced in. That “rejoicing in hope of the glory of God,” mentioned, Romans 5:2, which carries the soul through any tribulation, even with glorying, has its rise in the Spirit’s “shedding abroad the love of God in our hearts,” verse 5. Now, there are two ways whereby the Spirit worketh this joy in the hearts of believers: —
He does it immediately by himself; without the consideration of any other acts or works of his, or the interposition of any reasonings, or deductions and conclusions. As in sanctification he is a well of water springing up in the soul, immediately exerting his efficacy and refreshment; so in consolation, he immediately works the soul and minds of men to a joyful, rejoicing, and spiritual frame, filling them with exultation and gladness; — not that this arises from our reflex consideration of the love of God, but rather gives occasion whereunto. When he so sheds abroad the love of God in our hearts, and so fills them with gladness by an immediate act and operation (as he caused John Baptist to leap for joy in the womb upon the approach of the mother of Jesus), — then does the soul, even from hence, raise itself to a consideration of the love of God, whence joy and rejoicing does also flow. Of this joy there is no account to be given, but that the Spirit worketh it when and how he will. He secretly infuseth and distills it into the soul, prevailing against all fears and sorrows, filling it with gladness, exultations; and sometimes with unspeakable raptures of mind.” – Owen, Communion with God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost

“Do you enquire in what way is the love of God shed abroad? I reply, that to the best of my knowledge and experience, the gracious operation is somewhat upon this wise. The Holy Spirit enables the man to be assured that he is an object of the divine love in the first place. The man comes to the cross as a guilty sinner, looks up to the five wounds, those dear founts of pardoning grace, trusts himself in the living Savior’s hands, and then he cries, “I am saved, for I have God’s promise to that effect. Now, since I am saved, I must have been the object of the Lord’s love; there must have been a marvelous love which gave that blessed Son of God to bleed for me.” The man does not doubt it, he is assured of it in his own spirit, and then the Spirit of God, whose operations are far beyond all our knowledge, confirms the testimony of his conscience. We need not attempt to comprehend the working of the Holy Spirit, for as we know not even how the wind bloweth, much less shall we know how the Comforter works; but this we know, that he adds a confirmatory testimony to the witness of our own hearts, he beareth witness with our spirits that we are born of God, and so we become infallibly and beyond all possibility of mistake assured that the love of God is ours, and that we have a part and an interest in it.” – Spurgeon

"To my mind, it always seems to be the very sweetest part of the gospel, that when the love of God has once been shed abroad in a man’s soul, and he has really enjoyed it, and known by the witness of the Holy Ghost that he is the object of the divine affection, there is no fear that he shall ever be driven from the divine presence, or become an outcast and an apostate; for whom Jesus loves he loveth even to the end. He keepeth the feet of his saints; none of those that trust in him shall be desolate. He gives unto his sheep eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of his hand. “Because I live ye shall live also,” saith he. Oh, precious truth, the very marrow and fatness of the word of God! May you have the grace to feel it, as well as believe it, to rejoice in it as well as understand it, and so may the love of God be shed abroad in your heart by the Holy Ghost which he hath given unto you." - Spurgeon

“I do believe that there is a supernatural way in which apart from means, the Spirit of God communicates with the spirit of man. My own little experience leads me to believe that apart from the Word of God, there are immediate dealings with the conscience and soul of man by the Holy Spirit, without any instrumentality, without even the agency of the truth. I believe that the Spirit of God sometimes comes into a mysterious and marvelous contact with the spirit of man, and that at times the Spirit speaketh in the heart of man by a voice not audible to the ear, but perfectly audible to the spirit which is the subject of it. He assures and consoles directly, by coming into immediate contact with the heart. It becomes our business then to take the Spirit’s witness through his Word, and through his works, but I would seek to have immediate, actual, undivided fellowship with the Holy Ghost, who by his divine Spirit, should work in my spirit and convince me that I am a child of God.” – Spurgeon on Romans 8.16,17

“Now sometimes the soul, because it hath somewhat remaining in it of the principle that it had in its old condition, is put to question whether it be a child of God or no, and thereupon as in a thing of the greatest importance puts in its claim with all the evidences that it hath to make good its title, the Spirit comes and bears witness in this case. An allusion it is to judicial proceedings in points of titles and evidences. The Judge being set, the person concerned lays his claim, produceth his evidences, and pleads them. His adversaries endeavoring all that in them lies to invalidate them and disannul his plea and to cast him in his claim. In the midst of the trial a Person of known and approved integrity comes into the court, and gives testimony fully and directly on the behalf of the claimer, which stops the mouths of all his adversaries and fills the man that pleaded with joy and satisfaction. So is it in this case. The soul, by the power of its own conscience is brought before the law of God. There a man puts in his plea, that he is a child of God, that he belongs to God’s family, and for this end produceth all his evidences, everything whereby faith gives him an interest in God. Satan in the meantime opposeth with all his might. Sin and law assist him. Many flaws are found in his evidences. The truth of them all is questioned and the soul hangs in suspense as to the issue. In the midst of the plea and contest the Comforter comes, and by a word of promise or otherwise overpowers the heart with a comfortable persuasion and bears down all objections that his plea is good, and that he is a child of God. When our spirits are pleading their right and title, He comes in and bears witness on our side, at the same time enabling us to put forth acts of filial obedience, kind and childlike, which is crying Abba, Father. Remember still the manner of the Spirit’s working before mentioned, that he doth it effectually, voluntarily, and freely – hence, sometimes the dispute hangs long, the case in pleading many years. The law seems sometimes to prevail, sin and Satan to rejoice, and the poor soul is filled with dread about its inheritance. Perhaps its own witness from its faith, sanctification, former experience keeps up the plea with some life and comfort, but the work is not done, the conquest is not fully obtained until the Spirit, who worketh freely and effectually, when and how He will, comes in with His testimony also, clothing His power with a word of promise, He makes all parties concerned to attend unto Him and puts an end to the controversy. Herein He gives us holy communion with Himself, the soul knows His voice when He speaks, there is something too great in it to be the effect of a created power. When the Lord Jesus Christ at one word stilled the raging of the sea and wind, all that were with Him knew that there was Divine power at hand. And when the Holy Ghost, by one word, stills the tumults and storms that are raised in the soul, giving it an immediate calm and security, it knows His divine power and rejoices in His presence.” – John Owen (Communion with God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost) on Roman 8:16

Last edited by hdbdan; Sun Feb 13, 2011 10:04 PM.