The Spirit of Bondage and Adoption, Treatise 1 · Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII. Some ſupport to ſouls under this Spirit, and ſatisfaction in a double caſe of Conſcience.
HEnce alſo we may draw ſupport to perſons that are in this condition.
'Tis ſome comfort to a patient that he is in a way of recovery, though he be not aſſured that he ſhall recover, yet when he apprehends ſuch ſymptomes upon himſelfe, as uſually go before recovery in others, how much are his ſpirits refreſhed with this? 'Tis the comfort of a Traveller, when he knows he is in the way to his journies end, after long wandring in a wilderneſſe; whereby he is encouraged to proceed, though perhaps it be a very difficult paſſage, rocky, dirty, uncomfortable every way, in it ſelf; though his horſe be dull, or ſet hard in his pace, the weather bad, yet (ſaith he) I am in the way to my journies end, and I may, if I carefully obſerve directions, attain it at laſt; and this hope puts ſpirits into him, whenever the difficulties that I have ſpoken of diſcourage him. Now who ever thou art, that art in a like condition, though the way which the Spirit of bondage conducts thee in, be attended with many difficulties & diſcouragements, yet cheer up thou art in an hopefull way to thy journeys end. 'Tis the way in which thou mayſt arrive at the joyful liberty of the Spirit of Adoption.
Q. But I am before told that I may yet miſſe of the end, and what comfort then can therebe in ſuch a way, wherein I may miſcarry after I have gone through abundance of difficulties?
A. I anſwer, True thou mayſt; yet there is much comfort, or ſupport rather. Fr,
1. Though thou mayſt fall, yet thou mayſt not, In thy former condition it was not ſo with thee: The way thou waſt in, there was nothing in it but certain deſtruction, that way led directly, without all peradventure, to the chambers of death, Prov. 7. 2. 7. thou waſt without hope, Eph. 2. 12. Now this valley of Achor, or trouble, is the opening of a door of hope unto thee, Hoſ. 2. 15.
2. Thou art under the conduct of one, whoſe diſcovery, if thou wilt follow, thou art aſſured not to fall away? 'Tis thy own fault, if thou do ſo. The Spirit that hath led thee ſo farre, is an unerriug guide, a faithfull conductor: never any one miſcarried that once came into this way, but for neglect of his counſell, and turning aſide into by ways of his own, Prov. 1. 32. 'Tis the turning away of the ſimple that deſtroys them, See alſo, v. 33.
3. This fear is a good prognoſtick of thy ſucceſſe therein. A man that is ſuſpicious, asks many queſtions of all he meets, and takes notice of their directions, and thereby is preſerved from miſtakes. Certainly▪ fear of erring, is a great preſervative againſt it. As, on the otherſide, there is no more fearfull ſymptome of a dangerous Apoſtacy, then ſelf-confidenc…? This had like to have undon Peter, no wonder therefore if the Apoſtle Paul direct thoſe that labour for ſalvation, Mat. 26, 33.to do it with fear and trembling, Phil. 2. 12. And Solomon pronounceth a bleſſing on him that feareth always. This fear is one great ſecurity againſt evil, Prov. 14. 16. The wiſe Prov. 28. 14.man feareth and departs from evil.
4. If thou continue in this ſelf▪ſuſpecting fear, and follow God in the uſe of all his own ordinances, if thou ſhouldeſt miſcarry at laſt, it would be a ſingular caſe; Gods uſual dealing with perſons under ſuch a work is otherwiſe. I dare ſay, very few, if any, that purſue their convictions ſo, ever miſcarry.
5. There are ſome conjectural ſymptomes of a ſaving conviction whiles one is under it.
Qu. But what are thoſe?
A. I anſwer, over and above that fear before ſpoken of, (which indeed, if it drive not from, but rather ſpur on to duty, is the better, as I but now ſhewed likewiſe:) there may be a probable judgment made to another, and poſſibly to thy ſelfe, of the iſſue, from theſe following notes.
I. If the ſinnes a man is convinced of, be not only actual, but alſo, and principally,
(1.) Original; when he ſees not onelyonly his actions damnable, but his nature even before he had a being, condemned; when he complains not only, or principally of ſuch particular ſins, but alike or more feelingly complains under the body of death, that he is poſſeſt withall. For this man is moſt likely to be ſeriouſly converted from ſinne, who doth not onelyonly aym at the branches or ſhrowds, but lays the Axe of repentance at the very root. To another, who is convinced onelyonly of the evill of one or two maſter ſinnes (though they may make a ſtir in the conſcience for a while, and that may drive the man to a wall, ſo that he ſees he muſt kill them or they will kill him, and thereupon the man reformes, and is taken notice of for a renewed man) ſinne will come in at a poſterne door as faſt as he drives it out at the great gate, nay all his labour will be no other then Hercules his was about the many heads of Hydra (as the Poets fancy) they multiplying upon him as faſt as he cuts them off. It being proper to ſinne, when dealt with ſingle,—creſcere per damnum,—to gain by loſing, and grow by being cut down. One particular ſinne may deſtroy another: For,
There is ſcarce a luſt in a man, but as it is contrary to grace, ſo is it oppoſite to ſome other luſt; ſo that what Covetouſneſs loſeth, commonly Prodigality gains, and ſo vice verſâ. But if Original ſin by ſuch convictions be aſſaulted, ſuch a man goes a compendious way to a through Converſion: he begins at the right end. Indeed, conviction of ſome actual ſin uſually begins this work, but leaves it never it till it ſtrike Original too.
(2.) Not only open and ſcandalous, but ſecret and (of thoſe eſpecially) Spiritual ſins. Many a man may be grieviouſly terrified under the guilt of ſuch or ſuch a notorious ſin, and forſake it, and yet may not be really converted: ſhame of the world, diſadvantage in point of eſtate, or (poſſibly) the downright blowes of a powerful Miniſtry, will not let him enjoy that quietly. But when a mans conviction is deepeſt for undiſcerned ſins, ſecret, inward ſins, ſpiritual ſins, ſuch as formality, hypocriſie, hardneſſe of heart, &c. this is a good ſigne, this conviction is likely to end in effectual converſion; Becauſe the grief and ſorrow occaſioned by theſe ſins, bears a more immediate relation to the holineſſe of God who only is offended by them, they being ſuch as none elſe can take cognizance of.
II. If a man under ſoul troubles be full, free, ingenuous, and impartial in his confeſſions of ſin, and in his cenſures concerning himſelf. I love in ſuch a caſe to hear a ſoul ſay the worſt of it ſelf that can be, when it ſayes it ſenſibly and cordially, (as in ſuch ſoul troubles it hath little ſtomack to complement or diſſemble,) Oh what a vile wretch am I? I am perſwaded thouſands of my betters are in hell. Did you ever know any one guilty of my ſins, with my aggravations? Thus was Paul in his converſion (for to that time his confeſſion refers, 1 Tim. 1. 15.) convinced that he was the chief of ſinners.
Now among all aggravations of ſin (if you lay the compariſon) the moſt ingenuous are, ſuch as are drawne from abundant mercies, large and liberal means, frequent convictions, infinite patience, &c. A ſoul that chargeth it ſelf home here, ſeems to have ſome touches of a more then ordinary ſpirit. There is a Promiſe to this condition, as a threatning to the contrary, Proverbs 28. 13.
III. If a man juſtifie God and the Law by which he ſtands condemned. For herein is a very great meaſure of humiliation evidenced and hereby is God mightily honoured. And certainly then is our deſign for happineſſe moſt likely to be ſucceſſefully carryed on, when it involves Gods honour with it. This heart is throughly broken when it will not reſiſt God ſo much as in a thought, although he go to hell for ever. Another that is not ſo kindly wrought upon Rom. 7. 12. Pſal. …1. ….may poſſibly confeſſe that with his lips, but yet ſecretly, the heart riſing againſt God and the Law, for tying up man ſo cloſe, and inflicting eternal wrath upon temporary ſins; and in ſtead of being troubled for ſin, is ſecretly troubled that there is a Law againſt it.
IV. If the trouble be trouble of mind, i. e. be ſettled, fixed, rooted in the judgment and reaſon, as well as in the paſſions and affections. And ſo it be not eaſily to be removed or diverted by worldly avocations. Ordinarily, when God ſtrikes home, he doth not onelyonly make men cry and roar, as children, nay dogs will do; but grieve, as men do upon ſome extraordinary loſſe; when they apprehend it ſo, as that they do not only mourne, but judg they muſt do ſo, and therefore all other things muſt yeild to that affection: ſuch a mourning was that of Iſaiah in another caſe, Iſaiah 22. 4. a reſolved mourning, Look away from me, I will weep bitterly, labor not to comfort me, &c.
V. If (which is a notable prognoſtick of a good iſſue to conſcience troubles) a mans greateſt trouble be for that he is ſelfiſh in his troubles; that his grief for ſin is ſo much of kin to his own deſire of ſalvation, and fear of hell and puniſhment. O (ſaith ſuch a ſoul) indeed I grieve and am troubled, but in all this I am but a baſe ſelfiſh creature; if it were not for fear of hell, and deſire to go to heaven, I ſhould ſin all my dayes and never be troubled. It doth not affect me that God is diſhonoured by my ſins, that they are contrary to the purity of his holy nature, and this ſelfiſhneſs in my trouble is my greateſt trouble. Said I, that this frame prognoſticates a good iſſue to the bondage of the ſpirit? That is too little, it immediately foreruns, if not accompanies a good, a renewed heart. For this evidently ſhewes ſome love to God, or at leaſt, ſome earneſt preſſing on towards it: and for my part, let me find a ſoul in ſuch a frame, I ſhall tell him, his ſalvation is near, and his warfare well nigh accompliſhed. This reflex trouble (if I may ſo call it) or ſuperfoetation of the ſpirit of Bondage, declares ſomething in this work more then ordinary. To be troubled firſt for ſin, and then for the ſin of thoſe troubles, declares that a man pants and longs after a perfect holineſs, as well as happineſs, and that is a bleſſed condition.
VI. And laſtly, If ſuch a ſoul be ſhy and fearful of taking ſanctuary in promiſing and reſolving. For this is a good ſign, that he will not ſplit upon the rock of ſelf-Juſtification, and that at preſent he is ſo throughly humbled, that he dares not arrogate to himſelf one thred in the whole web of his ſalvation, that he throughly knowes the evil and plague of his own deceitful heart. Seldom any great Promiſers under the work of Convicton are ſure pay-maſters.