The Spirit of Bondage and Adoption, Treatise 2 · Chapter 25
CHAP. XXV. The Duty of keeping the Evidences of the Spirit, preſſed with ſeveral Motives.
THis alſo affords us an uſeful Exhortation in ſeveral branches.
I. Labour to keep and maintain this evidence when you have it. For
1 It is the ſureſt evidence of the beſt inheritance in the world. If a man loſe all his evidences for an unconſiderable part of his Eſtate, or the weakeſt Evidences for the beſt part of his Eſtate, it troubles him not much, ſo long as he hath ſtill the firmeſt Evidences of the beſt part of his Eſtate remaining; becauſe thoſe he may bear the loſſe of without undoing. But if theſe be loſt, he is loſttoo. You may loſe your Evidences of your earthly eſtate, and if heaven be ſure, you may not only not grieve, but even rejoyce in the loſs. But if you loſe your Evidences of heaven, you are (as to all the trueſt comfort of your lives) undone men.
And yet if you loſe but ſome of theſe, and retain the main, you are in a happy condition. It may be you loſe the evidences of Grace, the ſpirit of Prayer in its ſenſible aſſiſtance, the verdure, life and activity of your ſouls in the wayes of God; nay, you loſe the Promiſes, you canot find one Promiſe in the Word of God that you dare own. Now ſtick to the Teſtimony of the Spirit, keep that and you have an Evidence ſtill in ſtead of all, and that will recover them all againe.
2 It may eaſily be loſt, as to the actual enjoyment of it, though the Habit cannot be loſt. The check of one holy motion may grieve the Spirit, Eph. 4. 30. the commiſſion of one ſin (eſpecially by way of preſumption and back-ſliding) may remove him. See in David, Pſalm 51. 12. Luſts be cunning Theeves, and if they get into your heart again, the thing they moſt rob you of, is your Deeds and Evidences for glory, and then they know you are prone to be perſwaded to take a portion here, ſeeing you have loſt all certain grounds of expecting a better.
3 Satan is alwayes at hand to deprive you (if poſſible) of the influence of the Spirit this way. He knowes what a mighty rub it is in the way of all his Temptations, that Gods people walk in the light of Gods countenance, and in the comfort of the Spirit. Therefore the greateſt and moſt deſperate temptations of converted ſouls, tend to the hindering or weakning of Aſſurance. As a cunning Adverſary in Law, layes plots, if poſſible, to weaken the validity of his Antagoniſts ſtrongeſt evidences, or to get them into his hands, and ſuppreſs them.
4 The Evidence of the Spirit loſt, will not eaſily be recovered again. It coſt David many a tear, and many an heart-pang ere he could recover him again, Pſal. 51. 11, 12
Satan having gotten your deeds into his hands, or made them ſuſpected in the Court of Conſcience, or it may be damned in the Starchamber of a mans own deluded heart for counterfeit; it will be an hard matter to prevail for their admiſſion ever to appear in Court again. The greater intimacy and ſecrecy of communion there hath been between thy ſoul and the Spirit of God, the more difficulty will there be to make up a breach if it fal out between you. See Prov. 18. 19.
5 Loſe that, and you loſe all the reſt. Graces will not ſhine, Duties will be cold and dull, Promiſes will ſpeak nothing, our owne ſpirits when they are called forth will bear falſe witneſſe, if the Spirit be dumb. They will all ſay as the King to the poor woman, How can we relieve thee except the Lord help thee? 2 King. 6. 27. Thou maiſt go to the Word, and not one ſyllable of it, but will witneſſe againſt thee; to thy own heart, and that is poſſeſſed by Satan and diſmal deſpair, and there is nothing but blackneſs. Call forth thy Graces, and ask them, and there is not one will anſwer to his name. If thou ſay, Come forth Love, and evidence for me. I am miſ-called (ſaith Love) I am but ſelfiſhneſs. Call forth Faith, that is not my name (ſaith Faith) I own no name but Preſumption. Repentance will be called by no name but Legal ſorrow; Zeal will be called fury and raſhneſs; new obedience, hypocriſie and formality, &c. Call to Duties, and Prayer will ſay, I am tongue-tied, and cannot ſpeak; Hearing will ſay, All that I can meet with in a Sermon is terror; the Sacraments will ſay, thou haſt eaten and drunken damnation, there is not a dram of comfort for thee in us. If the Sun hide, the Moon and Stars give none, or a very obſcure light.
All Hamans intimate friends, when the King but frowns, are ſo far from daring to ſpeak for him, that they cover his face, and are all ready to have him away to the Gallowes: whereas on the other ſide, every grace, duty, providence, ordinance, hath ſomething to ſay for a man, when the Spirit of God is the foreman of the Jury; they all ſay as he ſayes.