The Spirit of Bondage and Adoption, Treatise 2 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III. Two practical Queries concerning the extent of this worke, as to the ſubjects of it, in the forementioned particulars.
Qu. WHat ſenſe muſt this propoſition be underſtood in, That the Spirit of Bondage in Gods elect ends in a Spirit of Adoption? Under which are comprized theſe farther enquiries.
Que. 1. Whether the Spirit of Adoption do work all the aforeſaid works upon the hearts of all thoſe that are elected, or ſome of them onelyonly upon all, and all but on ſome?
Qu. 2. Whether upon all of them that have been under a Spirit of Bondage, the Spirit do perform all the aforeſaid workes or no?
Anſw. To both I ſhall give this preliminary anſwer: and then give a more particular to each by it ſelfe.
1. The Spirit doth give all Gods Elect, at one time or other, a true, reall, and unqueſtionable title to the grace of adoption, and all the priviledges belonging thereunto.
1. In juſtification, making application of the ſoul of every elect perſon to Chriſt, and of Chriſt to the ſoul.
2. In ſanctification, making them partakers of the Divine Nature, by the application of cleanſing promiſes. 2 Pet. 1. 4.
For elſe two links of the chain next election would be broken. Rom. 8. 30. Whom he predeſtinated them he called, and whom he called, he juſtified.
And this is the firſt work before ſpoken of.
2. The ſpirit doth work in all perſons, that are really converted, (whether in the method of a Spirit of Bondage, or no) at one time or other, ſo much perſwaſion of the love of God, as encourageth the ſoul to lay hold upon the promiſes of the Goſpel, and to lay claim to them, and to adventure the ſoul upon them. For this is the ground of that reliance by which the ſoul leans upon God, and hangs upon Chriſt for ſalvation, wherein the nature of juſtifying faith (in my judgment) doth conſiſt. But there is a difference between this, and particular aſſuring faith. For this is grounded only upon the free and unlimited offers of the Goſpel, which offers Chriſt and Salvation to all that receive him and come to him, and the Goſpells invitations to accept of it: that is grounded upon particular evidence, that we have already accepted of him, and thereby he is become ours, and we his, from the effects of a true and ſaving reliance upon him.
And this general perſwaſion ſo far emboldens all Gods elect, that upon the warrant of that, they lay claim to God as their Father, not as actually and aſſuredly ſo, but as one that hath offered himſelfe to that relation, and will own it to thoſe that (upon that offer) claim it at his hands. Thence though they know not God to be their Fateer▪ yet they lay hands on him upon his free offer as engaged to be their Father, and ſo by frequent acts of relyance, grow up into aſſurance that he is ſo, when they find ſuch fru…ts of their reliance, as evidence a real relation between God and them. I know many of Gods Saints do (and I think they ſhould) call God Father, when they ſcarce know whether they may be ſo bold or no, and ſpeed that way.
3. That if any one of Gods elect want the aſſuring teſtimonies of Gods Spirit, it is their own fault, ſeeing God holds it forth to them in many a precious promiſe. And if they dare not call God Father, it is becauſe through clouds of temptation and corruption they darken thoſe evidences which might demonſtrate their ſonſhip. For juſtification and ſanctification, if diſcovered, are ſure foundations of comfort, and aſſurance. Thence their condition is expreſt by darkneſſe, which is not the extinguiſhing of light in the object, or in the eye, but clouding it.
4. Of thoſe that have this aſſurance and enlargement thereupon, very few or none keep it at all times alike, and can alike improve it on every occaſion. Great ſinnes, and great troubles &c. may many times cloud, and ſometimes as to the act, blot out the evidence of their Adoption. Thus David wanted this Spirit, Pſal. 51. 11. 12. A child having offended, may ſcarce dare call Father, whiles that guilt remains uncovered.
5. Even the high and heroical acts of aſſuring faith in Gods Saints are not always free from ſome mixture of doubting, elſe there were no difference between aſſurance, and plerophory, or full aſſurance.
Anſw. …. But to anſwer more particularly.
1. To the firſt Queſtion.
1. All the Elect of God have not preſently (when called) the particular aſſuring teſtimony of Gods Spirit, though even that belongs to them, becauſe of ſome obſtructions that either from Satan, or their own hearts may be put in their way. A man may be long a child of God before he know himſelf to be ſo. There muſt in order of nature be the certitudo objecti, before certitudo ſubjecti; for I can never be ſure of a thing before it is. And how long this propoſition, I am juſtified, may be true before this, I know I am juſtified, I cannot tell, it may be divers years.
2. An elect child of God (for any thing I know, or to my utmoſt knowledge the Scripture reveals) may go to heaven without that particular actual aſſurance, or a particular confidence to addreſſe himſelf to God as his Father, otherwiſe then by claim (as before;) for I conceive it is not eſſential to the having of eternal Life, to know that a man hath grace actually, but only to have thoſe things in him whence the evidence of the truth of grace may be to a clearer and more enlightened ſpirit diſcovered. Though it be ſaid, He that believeth not ſhall be damned, yet it is no where ſaid, he that knows not he believes, ſhall be damned.
3. Yet is every ſuch elect child of God, The reality of his relation to God produceth in a Saint thoſe fruits, even when he himſelfe doth not know them. As appears in ſecond troubles in Gods people after converſion. Faith produceth thoſe acts not by its aſſuring, but uniting act.carryed out after holineſſe, and obedience to God, by the ſecret ſeed of God, that is in him, by a natural inclination, I mean from the new nature; though he be not ſo viſibly acted by moral perſwaſion, or force of argument from graces received, as thoſe that ſee they have grace and are adopted, uſually be. As in thoſe creatures that want reaſon, there is foreign, and in Infants, a natural love to parents, though they cannot argue themſelves by reaſon into the duties that evidence it, from the particular knowledge of that relation. And upon the ſame account they are affected with the evil of diſpleaſing their parents, although they feele no ſtripes, and do not draw out that ſorrow by argument from their Fathers love.
2. To the Second Queſtion, I anſwer,
(1) That neither is it neceſſarily thus, in all that have been under a Spirit of Bondage, though elected, upon the reaſons before alledged.
(2.) Yet have ſuch that have been under a Spirit of Bondage, more ſpecial promiſes of this kind, which could they lay all hold on, they would attain it; but Satan taking the work of the Spirit out of his hand, and finding them prepared for ſuch impreſſions of trouble, by the former work, keeps the very ſtamp of a Spirit of Bondage on them when they are as to their condition under a Spirit of Adoption, Mat. 11. 28. Iſa. 57. 15.
(3.) Nay, when they get comfort and aſſurance, it is commonly the ſtronger and more full and firm.
Underſtand this point thus then. That uſually, and in Gods ordinary way of dealing with his Elect, when he hath brought them under bondage by the Spirit, he doth ſend them a Spirit of Adoption, in its evidencing acts, as well as in the reſt. Though he may ſometime vary from the uſual and ordinary rule. And the giving of the Spirit of Adoption in theſe acts is to be underſtood as that of the Spirit of Bondage, and its method before diſcovered, that except poſſibly in ſome few ſingular caſes it is ordinarily ſo