The Spirit of Bondage and Adoption, Treatise 1 · Chapter 8 – Chapter 9
CHAP. VIII. The ſecond Theſis explained. Firſt by diſcovering the nature of this Work of Bondage.
2d Theſis or Propoſition.COme we now to the ſecond Theſis, to wit, that the bleſſed Spirit of God, in the ordinary way of working, becomes a Spirit of bondage, before he become a Spirit of Adoption, to any ſoul.
I ſay (in the ordinary way) not becauſe I think there are any extraordinary caſes, in which it workes otherwiſe in thoſe of full age and perfect ſenſe; but that I may qualifie the expreſſion to ſome ears, who plead ſuch experiences as may be exceptions from this Rule, whoſe ſpirits I am very tender of, and therefore am contended to proſecute this doctrine in ſuch qualified expreſſions: (Although I believe, ere we have travelled together through this Diſcourſe, and when we come to underſtand one another, wee ſhall comemore neer together, and agree upon more generall terms to cloth it in.) As alſo, becauſe I will not tye up Gods hands from working miracles, in this way, as well as in any other, if he ſee a cauſe worth the putting forth of an omnipotent Arme. But (before I prove it) I muſt anſwer ſome Queſtions.
Q. 1. Wherein doth this firſt work of the Spirit upon the ſoul conſiſt?
Q. 2 By what means doth the Spirit uſually work it? And this done I ſhall firſt enquire how it appeares the ſpirit ſo doth; and, ſecondly why he doth ſo?
Q. 1. Wherein doth it conſiſt?
Anſ. 1. Generally, this work is called conviction: and becauſe the Spirit convinceth in a rational way, all its acts of that nature are comprized in this Syllogiſm.
Every one that is in a ſtate of ſinne is in a ſtate of wrath,
But thou (ſinner) art in a ſtate of ſinne:
Therefore thou art in a ſtate of wrath.
In this maſter-ſyllogiſm there are many others included; but they are all in effect comments on, or proofs of the particular tearms and propoſitions of this.
Sometimes it varies thus.
Every unjuſtified perſon, every unbeliever, every one in a ſtate of nature, every unregenerate perſon; (and lower) every ſwearer, ſabboth▪ breaker, &c. living in, and allowing himſelf in ſuch ſins, &c. is under the curſe, or is a condemned perſon, or is in a ſtate of damnation, &c.
But thou A. B. art ſuch a perſon,
ergo thou art a condemned perſon, &c.
But, (to be more plain and particular) This work includes theſe ſeveral and diſtinct convictions.
1. Conviction of Law. The Charge.
2. Conviction of fact, or caſe. The
Indictment.
Evidence.
3. Conviction of ſtate. The Sentence.
—As alſo, (4ly) The proper conſequents of theſe.
1. Conviction of Law, is no more then the illumination of the underſtanding in the truth of common Principles and Rules of Scripture, which determine in general the ſtate and condition of ſuch as fal under them: ſuch as theſe.
Eph. 2. 3.By Nature all are the children of wrath.
Rom. 5. 18.By the offence of one, death came on all men.
Gal. 3. 10.As many as are under the Law, are under the curſe.
Jo. 3. 18.He that believeth not, is condemned already.
Jo. 3. 3.Except a man be born again, &c.
Gal. 3 10.Curſed be every one that continueth not in every thing, &c.
Rom. 1. 31.Thoſe that do ſuch things are worthy of death.
Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, &c. 1 Cor. 6. 9. Theſe and the like common truths when we give a fixed and firm conſent unto, this makes up the firſt part of the Spirits conviction of bondage, becauſe it is the Spirit of God that leads us into all truth. Jo. 16. 13. and ſo into convincing truth. This is the major of the former ſyllogiſme. and may be planted in nature, or believed barely by an hiſtorical belief, and may not affect; or if it doe, 'tis but in general, except it be farther backt by,
2. Conviction of Fact. This makes up the minor of the former ſyllogiſme. And this is a particular application of the Law to the perſon. As if he ſhould ſay, Thou art the man of whom this Law ſpeaks. This fact thou haſt done, Pſal. 70. 21.and this ſin thou art guilty of, liveſt in; this omiſſion of duty, this or that notorious actual commiſſion thou art clearly chargeable withal. This indictment conſcience is called in to witneſſe, and this witneſſe (becauſe it is ſometimes aſleep, and ſometimes blind, and ſometimes dead, and ſometimes bribed) the Spirit enlightens, and quickens, and diſengageth, and makes it ſpeak out to the caſe in hand. This is that prick in the heart, that Peter by the home-application of their ſin to their conſciences, gave thoſe Converts, Acts 2. 37. He tells them, ye have taken and ſlain, and crucified, that Jeſus, who is Lord and Chriſt, and their hearts by a confeſſing, guilty application, ſay, we are the men.
This is a cord that will hold, it will bring the ſoul under ſome acknowledgments which it would not grant before: but it is not yet a Spirit of bondage till the third conviction of ſtate, And this is the concluſion of the former ſyllogiſme; and the ſentence, in the Spirits legal proceſſes againſt any ſoul: And this reſults from the two former. This is the work of the Judge, the enlightened conſcience in its judicial capacity. This is attended with a large formality of circumſtances. As in every ſentence the matter and manner of the ſuffering is expreſſed; as to return to jayl, and be carryed thence to the place of execution, and there to be hanged, or preſſed, or burnt, or drawn and quartered, &c. So here: the Spirit doth not barely ſay to the ſoul, thou art a condemned creature; but he enlightens the mind to underſtand in the moſt frightful appearances, the nature of its miſery. He repreſents a curſe hunting, and power ſeizing, and wrath rending a poor ſoul, ſhews hell open, and heaven ſhut, the Devil tormenting, and God deriding, eternal life in eternal death, without light, tormenting heat, yet gnaſhing of the teeth for cold; a lake of fire and brimſtone, nay a running ſtream which the breath of the Lord for ever kindles, Iſay 30. 33. And aſſures the ſoul all this and inexpreſſibly more will be his portion to eternity, if he continue on this ſide Chriſt the City of refuge.
4. The conſequents of all theſe muſt needs be, 1. Soul-confounding horror. This was the Jaylors caſe, Acts 16. 29. He came in trembling to Paul and Silas. This ſentence works like the hand-writing upon Belſhazar, looſeth the joynts of the loines, and makes the knees ſmite againſt each other, Dan. 5. 6. Or Habbakuks voice, c. 3. 16. it makes the belly tremble, and the lips to quiver, and rottenneſſe enter into the bones, &c. And no wonder, for it is the juſtice and wrath of an infinite, eternal, and Almighty God that he hath to encounter: and can thy heart endure, or thine hands be ſtrong in the days that God ſhall deal with thee? Ezek. 22. 14. This was it that made Chriſt himſelf ſweat like drops of bloud.Luke 22. 44.
2. Soul-diſtreſſing anguiſh. By which the mind vexeth, and feeds upon its own ſad condition thus bound faſt by horrour. It is perpetually vexed with the repreſentations of its miſery, it can take no comfort in the World that is not hereby imbittered. As a condemned man eats, and drinks, and ſleeps not for thinking upon the execution; or if he do, he finds no reliſh in thoſe contents; if he ſleepe, he can nothing but dream of the Gallowes, and the hangman; if he talk and converſe with friends, he is ſcarce preſent where he is, ſcarce thinks what he ſaith. Thus a ſoul under this binding ſentence (with David) eats aſhes like bread, or rather bread like aſhes: mingles his drink with weeping, (Pſ. 102. 9.) his life abhors bread, and his ſoul dainty meat; taſts no ſweetneſſe in any comforts, they are all (as Job ſaith) like the white of an egge. Job. 6. 6. His words are ſwallowed up, Job 6. 2. He ſleeps it may be, but he is ſcared with viſions, and terrified with dreams, Job. 7. 14. Speak to the man in this caſe of any diverſions, and you do but labour to dig a channel to let out the ſea; preſent him any of his formerly welcomeſt refreſhments, Prov. 26. 1.you are but like ſnow in ſummer, and rain in harveſt, ſpeak the moſt encouraging words to him that may be, if you cannot ſpeak a pardon, he is in the caſe of the Iſraelites in their bondage, they could not hearken to Moſes for anguiſh of heart, Exod. 6. 9.
Read over to a Noble man all his pedigree, to a great man all his Titles, and famous atchievments: ſhew a rich man all his baggs, and his writings, and tell the Gentleman of all his pleaſures, how his hawke flies, his dogs hunt, where are the richeſt wines, the merrieſt company, &c. (things that would have taken heretofore) now the news of them is like unpleaſing meat to a nauſeating ſtomack, like jarring muſick to a judicious ear; Or in Solomons language, Prov. 25. 20. As he that takes away a garment in cold weather, and like vinegar upon nitre, ſo is he that ſingeth ſongs to an heavy heart. This heavineſſe is the greateſt heavineſſe. The Spirit of heavineſſe, Iſa. 61. 3. bitter bitterneſſe, ſaith Hezechiah, Iſa 38. 17.
3. Soul-diſtracting deſpair. I mean not that which ſhuts and barres the door of the heart againſt all reliefe, blocks it up, and beſiegeth it on all hands, yea even on the ſide of Heaven it ſelfe: but that which excludes all poſſible means on this ſide the infinite Mercy of God, and bloud of Chriſt; when (as David, Pſal. 142. 4.) a man looks on the right hand to Duties and Ordinances, and good deeds, and reſuge fails, they appear veſtimenta inquinatorum, they have guilt in them, as wel as deficiency, filthy rags; he looks Iſai. 64. 6on his left hand, at the comforts of this life, and at humane means to remove miſconceived natural cauſes, and finds that he cannot be ranſomed by gold, nor ſilver, nor precious 1 Pet. 1. 8ſtones, that it is in vain to come before God with thouſands of rams, or ten thouſand rivers Micah 6. 7of oyle, that his wounds will not be cured by Balſoms, nor his Diſeaſe be cured by Potions. And that there is no name but Chriſts in heaven, or under heaven that can relieve him, Acts 4. 12. This is indeed a complete work of the Spirit of Bondage: till this, a man is never brought low enough to be lifted up; all the convictions, horrors, and anguiſh of conſcience, whiles removeable by other means then the blood of Chriſt, are but ſleight and ſuperficial wounds: and all the power which the Spirit exerciſeth till this, effects not a through Conqueſt, a man never ſubmits himſelf entirely to the Spirits handling, till this time; never accepts of his fetters, and wears them without reſiſtancy, till now. As a Priſoner never quietly ſubmits to his condition, till he finds all wayes of eſcape obſtructed, and no way to get thoſe fetters off which pinch him, but by that hand that put them on. And thus theſe cords that bind a ſoul under ſin, may be made uſe of, and twiſted with others of a Goſpel nature, to draw a ſoul to Jeſus Chriſt. For here now properly comes in the diſcovery of Chriſt to ſuch a ſoul, ut infrà.
CHAP. IX A farther explication, by aſsigning the means of its working.
Queſt. 2. HOw doth the Spirit work this bondage and fear in the hearts of ſinners?
Anſw. The meanes is various.
1. Occaſional. So ſometimes affliction doth not only fetter a man in his body or eſtate, but ſoul alſo. Many times God brings down a proud heart, as Manaſſeh, by this way. Manaſſeh never became the Spirits Bond-man, till he was the King of Babylons captive. Then, and not till then, he bowed himſelf greatly before the God of his Fathers, 2 Chron. 33. 11, 12. Sometimes the death of friends, eſpecially if unexpected, and the thoughts of mortality, occaſioned thereby. Sometimes ſeeing the ſtrictneſs of thoſe we converſe with. Sometimes a reproof, a notorious ſin which God leaves a man unto; ſometimes the ſoul-troubles of others declaring their caſes and complaining, are catching, &c.
2. Inſtrumental, and thus ordinarily; God uſeth the Word as his mighty inſtrument, by which he pulls down ſtrong Holds, and caſts down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts it ſelf againſt the knowledg of God, and brings into captivity every thought to the obedience of Chriſt, 2 Cor. 10. 4, 5. This Word is the inſtrument of conviction, and ſo of this Bondage ariſing thence, Hebr. 4. 12. Yet is it not the bare word that can work it; no, though we concur to it, and labour by meditation, conference, and other means to do it; for when we have done all, We receive it, ſaith the Text.
If you ask, What word doth the Spirit work this bondage by?
I anſwer, By the Law (generally and principally) though ſome Goſpel-conſiderations may ſometimes be admitted to whet and ſharpen the edge of the Law. I mean, the Hiſtory of the Goſpel, which aggravates that bondage, by exemplifying the miſery of being under the curſe of the Law, the intolerableneſſe of lying under the wrath of God, in the perſon of Chriſt, barely ſuffering for imputed ſin; by diſcovering a rich and unvaluable Treaſure, and ſpreading all the glory of it before a man who muſt not lay hands on one farthing token of it, &c.
But the Goſpel concurs only per accidens; as the ſight of Lazarus in heaven, increaſed the hell of Dives, and the plenty in the gates of Samaria, that Princes miſery who was to dye without taſting of it, 2 Kings 7. 19. But I ſay, The Law is the proper and ordinary inſtrument of the Spirit in this work. It is the School-maſter, whoſe laſh makes ſinners backs ſmart. Gal. 3. 24. which convinceth men as tranſgreſſors, James 2. 9. Cauſeth the knowledg of ſin, Rom. 3. 20. Worketh wrath; i. e. manifeſts it, worketh the ſenſe of it into the ſoule, Rom. 4. 15. Maketh the offences of ſinners to abound, diſcovers millions of ſins more then he dreamed of, Rom. 5. 20. Quickens ſin in the conſcience, and puts a weapon into its hand, to kill the ſinner under its guilt, chap. 7. 9. It is therefore called by the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 15. 56. The ſtrength of ſin; i. e. that which onelyonly armes ſin with terrour, and makes its guilt an intolerable guilt.
The Spirit interprets the Law to a mans conſcience, and armes it with its curſe to pronounce againſt every ſin; and this Law thus armed, arreſts, and endites, and accuſeth, and convicteth, and condemneth the ſinner; and when it hath done ſo, it ſtops there, it is fain to do as Felix with Paul, to leave him bound, without any mitigation Acts 24. 27.or qualification of his miſery, till the ſame Spirit, whoſe ſervant the Law is, be pleaſed to let him free.