The Spirit of Bondage and Adoption, Treatise 2 · Chapter 33
CHAP. XXXIII. The third Theſis laid down and explained.
Theſis 3.NOw come we to the third Theſis of this part of the Treatiſe, and that is, That When Gods holy Spirit hath once been a Spirit of Adoption to any ſoul, he never more becomes a Spirit of Bondage to that ſoul. For (ſaith the Apoſtle) ye have not [again] received the Spirit of Bondage.
For the explaination of this point, know that this Doctrine holds true of all the works of the Spirit of Adoption mentioned in the firſt Theſisof this part. Any work of true grace or peace in the ſoul, for ever diſchargeth the ſoul out of the priſon of the Holy Spirit.
But I ſhall handle this principally in reference to the witneſſing work of the Spirit, which hath hitherto been drawn through the whole web of this diſcourſe. Only (in the beginning) I muſt give this ſhort hint for the ſakes of thoſe who elſe might occaſion ſome trouble to themſelves hereby, as conceiving themſelves excluded from the comfort of the Doctrine, becauſe (though they have other works of the Spirit that accompany ſalvation, yet) they have not had experience of this aſſuring act. For their ſakes therefore, let it ſuffice once for all to tell them, that if the Spirit of God have wrought in them any work that accompanies ſalvation, all that which ſhall hereafter be ſaid concerning the priviledge of Aſſured ſouls, is no leſs proper to them. R. 1.For if there be but the leaſt ſpark of grace in the ſoul, the Spirit that works it, will not undoubtedly go ſo ready a way to quench it, as this (in all likelyhood) would be. 2.Beſides, if the Spirit ſhould do ſo, it would teſtifie contrary to the Scripture, which ſays that there is no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt Jeſus, &c. Rom. 8. 1. Beſides it were a flat counteracting of himſelf. 3.For he would divide peace from grace, when that is the fruit of this.
To underſtand the point in the ſenſe propounded, farther take notice (by way of explication.)
1. That this Doctrine denies not, but the beſt Saints of God after aſſurance, may be under troubles of conſcience again. I told you upon the laſt Doctrine that a Saint may loſe the actual Aſſurance of Gods love; and there is nothing more frequent in Scripture then the ſad complaints of precious people of God, under ſuch darkneſſe. The Lord to take off all ground of expecting ſuch an exemption from his people, was pleaſed to hide his face from his own natural ſonne, and to withdraw from him the ſenſible comfort of his divine nature, upon the croſſe, and (before that) left him to grievous temptations from Satan himſelfe. True there is difference in our Saviours caſe & thine; for Chriſt under his deſertion, was under part of that ſatisfactory puniſhment which Gods juſtice inflicted upon him for ſinne. Thy after troubles are not of that nature. But herein the parallel holds; that height of enjoyment of God, and height of communion with God are no ſufficient ſecurity to a ſoul of never loſing the ſenſe and comfort of them. A priſoner many times may be detained, even by the keeper, after the Judge acquits him, till hee pay his fees. And it may be the holieſt man may be unthankfull, and ſo be clapt up again in the houſe of Bondage.
2. That the deareſt Saints of God, after Aſſurance, may fall not only into trouble of ſpirit again; but into bondage of ſpirit alſo. They may fall ſo low out of the aſſurance of Gods love, that they may conclude him an Enemy, and feele all the Terrours of GOD, in the ſame kind as they did under the Spirit of Bondage at the firſt. They may come to queſtion all again, and their Conſciences may be as full of horror and blackneſſe, and as full of the hell of anguiſh and confuſion, as ever before. I am perſwaded David after his great falls was under as great fears of Hell, as ever he was in his firſt converſion. The anſwer of Nathan to him, implyes ſo much, The Lord hath put away thy ſinne, thou ſhalt not dye. If David had not been afraid of death eternal. (which is the proper wages of unpardoned ſinne) 2 Sam. 12. 13.why doth Nathan adde that promiſe from God to encourage him! Beſide, when he ſpeaks of the horrible pit out of which God pull'd him, where he ſtuckfaſt in mire and Pſalm 40. 2.clay, and could not lift a foot to relieve himſelf, certainly we can rationally underſtand no other then the dungeon of Terror, of which we are ſpeaking. A man whom the Judge and Jury acquits at the Aſſiſe, may bee arreſted at anothers ſuit, and layd up again. And ſo may a child of God after a diſcharge from the ſuit of conſcience in his firſt converſion, bee arreſted again, and as much fear the Law as ever.
3. Nay (poſſibly) his after-terrors may be greater and longer then the former. Hee may have a far more hideous dungeon and heavier chains then ever he was in before, and lie longer by it.
For it may be,
(1.) God intended (providentially) ſuch a condition to him before, but ſaw his weakneſſe at the first converſion for the under-going of ſo heavy a burthen, and therefore (in pity) forbare that rigor then, til by the warme influence of ſome glances of love from his countenance, he had fitted him with a proportion of ſtrength to glorifie him in greater trials. In meaſure (ſaith he) when it ſhooteth forth, will he debate with it. He ſtayeth his rough wind in the day of his eaſt wind. Iſa. 27. 8. He ſpares a tender bud when it firſt buds forth, that he may exerciſe it with more hardſhip afterwards when it is able to bear more. He wil not put new wine into old bottels, Matth. 9. 17.i. e. proportion our work and ſtrength.
(2.) Such ſoules, come out of light into darkneſſe, and ſo their last enjoyments make their preſent troubles more intolerable. Bitterneſſe upon our peace is mar, mar, Bitter bitterneſs. Iſa. 38. 17. Had they continued in a dungeon of horrour ſtil after conſcience had firſt committed them, their continued experience of that condition by long acquaintance might have made it lighter. But to be taken out of priſon, and cheriſhed with ſome flaſhes of liberty, and then ſhut up againe, is an addition to their preſent Torment, from (the moſt grievous torture, of all others, in ſuch a caſe) the freſh remembrance of the comforts last parted withall. Eclipſes of the Sun, becauſe they come but ſeldome, appeare more terrible.
(3.) Conſcience (in ſuch a caſe) is apt to take all former experiences for meere dreames and deluſions, and is more difficultly brought to accept of any comfort now then formerly, for feare of being ſo deluded againe; and ſo bolts the door of the priſon faſter upon the ſoul, then formerly. Apriſoner that hath once had his priſon-door ſet open to him, and been permitted quietly to depart, if after he hath enjoyed a ſhadow of liberty, an Hue and cry fetch him back again, will ſcarce adventure to goe forth againe when the doores are ſet open to him a ſecond time: for ſaith he, I had better ſtay whiles I am here, then goe forth, and be fetched back againe; So ſaith a poore ſoule in ſuch a caſe. Surely it is better for me not to receive any comfort, then to take it and loſe it againe, as I have done once already. I was deluded then with a fallacious liberty and peace, and I may be ſo againe.
(4) Sins which trouble the conſcience in ſuch a ſecond bondage, are aggravated by the evidences of Gods love formerly enjoyed, and ſo terrifie the ſoul more under their guilt. Then, every ſin loo… like a blaſphemy againſt the Holy Ghoſt, an unpardonable ſinne. A man can tell what to plead before, but now his mouth is ſtopped. Ezr. 9. 10. Pſal. 51. 15. & 40. 12
(5) Then, ſupports from God are leſs ſenſible. Becauſe God permitts this darkneſs in deſigne, for ſome ſpecial ends of his owne. Now the perſon a man puts on upon deſigne, commonly he uſeth to over-act, even beyond what he would, if he were reall. So, although when God was really an enemy (as before converſion) he carryed himſelfe (by ſecret ſupports, and encouragements of the ſoul) as one that was not utterly irreconcileable: yet when he meerely intends to appeare ſo, he carries himſelfe ſo ſtrangely, that the ſoul really believes he is in earneſt, and intends its ruine irrecoverably. Lam. 3. 5. 7, 8, 9. The church aggravates her ſad condition from extraordinary appearances of Gods dealing with her. God in ſuch a caſe leaves the ſoul alone like a ſparrow on the houſe. Pſal. 102. 7. And woe to him that is alone, Eccleſ. 4. 40.
4 And thus fourthly. The grounds of the horrid troubles that Gods Saints fall into after aſſurance, may be, and are, occaſionally from the Spirit of God: though immediately, and by way of an efficient cauſe they are not from that ſpirit. Thus the Spirit led Chriſt into the wilderneſſe Mat. 4. 1.
(1) By an active ſuggeſting to the ſoul ſuch conſiderations as may ſtart a ſoul-trouble. As when it makes a freſh diſ…overy of New committed ſinnes, and ſtirs up the ſoule to renew repentance for them. Such motions may be the occaſion of farther enquiries into a mans own heart, and ſo of queſtions concerning his eſtate. And thus by degrees, they may grow into as palpable Legal Terrours as any ever the ſoul groaned under.
2 By withdrawing that aſſiſtance from the ſoul which ſhould maintain the ſoul in peace, and joy of the Holy Ghoſt. When the Sun hides behind a cloud, or is under an Eclipſe, it muſt needs be dark. If the Father let goe the little childs hand, in a dark and dangerous place, he will ſurely fall. And thus is the Spirit the negative cauſe (if I may ſo expreſs my ſelf) of the ſaddeſt bondage that comes on the people of God after Aſſurance.
5 But (Laſtly) the Spirit (to be ſure) doth never cauſe and work a feare of bondage in the ſoul, after Aſſurance; as it did before, and that may be ſeen in theſe differences.
1. Before, there was a time when he convinced the ſinner of a ſtate of ſin, and enmity to God. After, it never doth tel a man ſo any more.
2. Before, there was a time when he convinced the ſoul of a ſtate of wrath and condemnation ariſing from that enmity; but having once effectually converted, and aſſured the ſoul of reconciliation, he never preſents hell and wrath any more to the ſoul as its portion.
3. Beſides, He ſometimes preſented every act of ſinne as unpardoned. Now he never doth ſo any more, (in that ſenſe wherein he did ſo formerly:) That is, (that I may not be miſtaken) He never preſents Gods vindictive or avenging Juſtice unto the ſoul as unſatisfied for ſuch a ſin; though he may preſent Gods fatherly Juſtice as diſpleaſed at it.
4. Before, hee ſometime preſented every ſuffering of this life to the ſoul as a part of the curſe of the Law, and the earneſt-penny of Hell; Now he never leads the ſoul to the view of ſufferings under that notion; but only as fatherly corrections and chaſtiſements, by which God endeavours to quicken the ſoul into a ſpeedy return unto him by renewed repentance and humiliation.