The Spirit of Bondage and Adoption, Treatise 2 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V. Reaſons of Gods working in this way by his Spirit.
COme we now to the Reaſons of this Propoſition.
Queſt. Why will God beſtow the Spirit of Adoption upon his Elect after the Spirit of Bondage?
Anſw. For theſe Reaſons principally.
Reaſ. 1 Becauſe Religion elſe would be an uncomfortable profeſſion, and would have little alluring in it to the eyes of thoſe that are without. Men are apt to receive prejudices againſt Religion, as that which will put a period to all their comforts. And this miſtake is much occaſioned in them by the ſad and drooping lives of thoſe that profeſs it. So that were it not that uſually God brings joy out of ſorrow, and puts on his Saints the garment of joy for the ſpirit of heavineſſe, no man would chuſe the wayes of God, that are ſtrewed with ſo many thornes and difficulties, but rather chuſe to wallow in ſinful and worldly pleaſures. As the afflictions of the godly, and the proſperity of the wicked in outward things are great ſtumbling blocks, ſo much more would burthens of ſpirit, if they ſhould be conſtantly and unremoveably laid on the ſpirits of the Saints. Surely, God that will have us tender of the credit of Religion in our carriages, will not proſtitute it by any carriage of his own.
Reaſ. 2 The Lord doth it, that he may keep up the ſpirits of his people from fainting under a ſpirit of bondage. Soul troubles are tedious troubles, ſpending troubles. Thoſe Diſeaſes that affect the ſpirits, are ſo in the body, and therefore they had need of ſtrong Cordials to keep up their hearts who are under ſuch Diſeaſes: Soul troubles overwh…lm the ſpirits; Pſal, 142. 3. and 143. 4 Soul troubles ſink and drown the ſpirits, and if God ſhould not now and then ſupport his people with a Cordial, they would faint away quite, Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples, for I am ſick of love, Cant. 2. 5. Pſal. 119. 91. My ſoul fainteth for thy ſalvation. Now the ſtrongeſt Cordial God gives his people at ſuch a time, is this, that they ſhall have an expected end, that he will not contend for ever; and this is the reaſon why he gives them this aſſurance, Leſt the Spirit ſhould fail before me, Iſai. 57. 16. or (as others) ne ſpiritus obruatur, leſt the ſpirit ſhould be overwhelmed. This ſupports the Church in a waiting frame, Lam. 3. 26, 31, 32.
Reaſ. 3 That he may thereby, in their own judgments and conſciences, confute the hard thoughts they uſually have of him in times of darkneſs. Mans heart under ſoul troubles, is a forge of all miſapprehenſions and unjuſt cenſures concerning God. Sometimes he is an enemy, a cruel one; ſometimes he hath forſaken them and forgotten them, their hope is Lam 3 Iſai. 49. 14 40. 27.periſhed from the Lord, and their judgment from their God; ſometimes he is unfaithful, and his Promiſe failes for evermore. Now Pſalm▪ 77God is concerned in point of honour, to cauſe the light of his countenance to ſhine on ſuch, that they may be convinced of the vanity and folly of ſuch thoughts, and to make them confeſſe that they have injured God in ſuch miſ-judgments of his proceedings. Then they will confeſſe, ſuch thoughts were their infirmity, as Pſal. 77. 10. the Pſalmiſt doth, and that his wayes are neither like their wayes, nor his thoughts like their thoughts, Iſai. 55. 8. as David confeſſeth by experience, Pſal. 103. 11.
Reaſ. 4 God will hereby ſhew that it is not in vain to ſerve the Lord; and abundantly recompence to his people all the pains, care, and trouble that they are, and have been at, to follow after him in a dark condition. Beloved▪ aſſurance of Gods love, and joy in the Holy Ghoſt ariſing there from, is part of our wages, and God of his goodneſſe to his people, gives them part of their money in hand, to encourage them in the ſervice he puts them upon. As he gave the Iſraelites a taſte of the Grapes of Canaan to encourage them to fight for it. Satan and Numb. 13. 23a mans corrupt heart are apt to diſcourage a ſoul under Bondage from hence. What profit Job 21. 14 Lam. 3. 8.is there in ſerving God? &c. Thou prayeſt, and he caſteth out thy prayer; thou heareſt, and art in trouble ſtill. Now God props up his people againſt ſuch temptations by ſuch Promiſes to all, and performances to moſt of his Saints.
Reaſ. 5 God doth it to wean his people from this world, Now Lord letteſt thou thy ſervant depart in peace, for mine eyes have ſeen thy ſalvation, ſayes Simeon, when he had ſeen Chriſt in the fleſh, Luke 2. 29. And when a ſoul after long troubles of ſpirit recovers the aſſurance of Gods love, O what poor things are all the treaſures of the world to him! Lord, (ſaith David) lift up the light of thy countenance upon me, and then take corn, and wine, and oyl, who will, Pſal. 4. 6. And then let the eyes of wicked men be even ready to ſtrut out with ſat, and let them have all that they can wiſh, yet (ſaith he in another place) I will not change portion with them, for the Lord is the ſtrength of my heart, &c. Thou ſhalt guide me with thy counſel, and bring me to glory, Pſal. 73. 25, 26, 27, 28 A man that is called to be a Favourite to a King, will quickly grow into a diſ-eſteem of his ſhop and retaile Trade, his ſheepfold or cow-ſtal. Take no care for your ſtuff (ſaith Joſeph) for all the fat of the Land of Egypt is yours, Gen. 45. 20. So ſaith God to an aſſured ſoul, Take no care for theſe earthly things, thou haſt in heaven a richer and more enduring ſubſtance.
Reaſ. 6. Becauſe God delights to hear from his Saints often. Not only as a Maſter from a Servant, nor as a rich man from a beggar, nor as a Conqueror from a Captive, but as a Father from a child, as a huſband from a Spouſe. Cant. 2. 14. The voyce of a Spouſe of Chriſt in the cleft of the Rock; i. e. relying on him upon aſſurance of his love, is ſweet. Joſeph could not abide long under the miſ-apprehenſions his brethren had of him: [My Lord, and Thy ſervants] Joſeph thought were ſtrange Titles to that of Brother; hee longed to hear them call him by a name of relation; ſo ſaith God, Hoſea 2. 16. to an afflicted Church.