The Christians Apparelling, Part 3 · Section 21
Section. 21
3. The Spirit of God where it is, it is a free Spirit; 3. It is a free Spirit.of which Dauid when he prayes, vphold me with thy free spirit. Pſal. 50.12. 1. Freeing vsus from the ſpirit of bondage. 2 Cor. 3.17.Now it is a free spirit, firſt, becauſe it is a freed ſpirit, or rather a ſpirit freeing vsus from bondage; ſo it is ſaid, where the spirit of the Lord is, there is libertie; that is, a manumiſsion or freedome granted from the ſeruitude and bondage of ſinne, in regard of the domineering and binding power of it. Now the true Chriſtian being cloathed with Chriſts ſpirit, is therby freed both from the tyranny of ſin, and from that ſlauiſh feare and terrour of heart in the apprehenſion of wrath, which keepes him in bondage vnderunder Satan. As ſin raignes not in him, ſo he is not in feare of the eternall wrath of God, or of the threatnings or curſe of the Law; that is, he is not held in bondage vnderunder that feare; hee ſees himſelfe in Chriſt freed from the condemnation of the Law, and made the Child of God by the grace of regeneration,Rom 8.1. and by the ſpirit of adoption, whereby he no longer ſlauiſhly feares Gods wrath and Iuſtice, and ſo flies from God, but in a ſonne-like confidence finds liberty and a way and free paſſage opened for him by Chriſt, to come into the preſence of God, whom now hee can call Father, and vntounto whom by this ſpirit of God, hee can make his requeſts knowne. Of this it is ſaid to the beleeuing Romans, Ye hauehave not receiued the spirit of bondage againe to feare, Rom. 8.15.but yee hauehave receiued the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, 2 Tim. 1.7.Father. So elſewhere, God hath not giuen vsus the spirit of feare, &c. Whence we ſee, that ſuch as now are indued with this free ſpirit, hauehave formerly had this ſpirit of bondage, in the firſt part of their conuerſion, whereby Gods ſpirit in the firſt worke of it did let them ſee their ſinnes, and their ſeruitude and bondage vnderunder ſin, whereby they were horribly affraid of hell and of eternall wrath, as the iuſt reward of their ſinnes; but withall we may ſee how they are ſhedde from the wicked whom they leaue (either in ſinne without any the leaſt ſenſe of it, or) vnderunder this ſpirit of bondage, and how by the ſpirit of adoption in the ſight of mercy they are comforted,VnderUnder which the wicked are left. and now free who were bound before. This ſpirit of bondage is common to them at their firſt conuerſion with the wicked; yet with this difference, that to them it is a preparation & way, and fits them for conuerſion, euen as the needle by pricking and peircing the cloath makes way for the threed to follow, by which they are knit to Chriſt their head; but the wicked are left in that eſtate of ſlauiſh feare and bondage ſtill, ſo that in the midſt of their iollities, the apprehenſion of wrath through their guiltineſſe of it, doth make them often quake as it did Baltazzar: though ſometimes their conſciences are ſo benummed, that they are not at all times alike ſenſible of their thraldome: and on the other hand the good Chriſtian, through ſome grieuous ſinne, or negligence and ſecuritie, by which hee now and then offends, may finde himſelfe much ſtraitned and hemmed in with the feares of wrath,Pſal. 51.12. being in his owne ſenſe and feeling depriued of the comfort of this ſpirit, and almoſt brought backe to the ſpirit of bondage.
See alſo Pſal. 77.3-7 8. & Pſa. 88 7.14.15.16.This made Dauid, as wee hauehave heard, pray to bee vpholden with Gods free ſpirit, and to hauehave reſtored to him the ioy of Gods ſaluation: for he found himſelfe to bee ouercome and foyled by ſinne, in the feeling of the guiltineſſe whereof, he labours for this free Spirit, wherby his thoughts and himſelfe might bee freed from feare. Yet there is this difference againe betweene the one and the other, that the godly breaks at length through theſe ſtraits, whereas the other is held in bondage ſtill: ſo that their ſeruile feare at length ends in deſpaire, as in Cain and Iudas, and in the deuill himſelfe, who in the apprehenſion of Gods Iuſtice, hauing receiued a Sentence of condemnation within himſelfe, ſeekes no mercy, neither doth he obtaine it. Beſides, the wicked in their greateſt feares of wrath, ſhew no true hatred of their ſin as it is ſin, but rather a louelove to it ſtill, and an hatred to all goodneſſe, and to all ſuch as would pul them from their ſinne. It is not ſo with the godly, who in his greateſt feares, more hates his ſinne as it is an offence and diſhonour to God, then as it threatens him with wrath. By all theſe then we may iudge, whether wee be clothed with this free and good ſpirit of God or no: he that neuer found himſelfe in bondage, or neuer freed from bondage, hath it not.