272 DIRECTIONS FOR GETTING AND KEEPING And here I remember the scruple that troubleth some about the spirit of bondage, and the spirit of adoption. But you must un- derstand, that by the spirit of bondage is meant that spirit and those operations on the soul which the law of works did naturally beget in those that were under it ; which was to be partly in bondage, to a task of ceremonious duties, and partly to the curse and obligation to punishment for disobedience, without anypower to justify. They were said therefore to be in bondage to the law; and the law was said to be a yoke, which neither they nor their fathers were able to bear; Acts xv. And by the spirit of adoption is meant, 1. That spirit, or those qualifications or workings in their souls, which by thegospel God giveth only to his sons. 2. Andwhich raise in us some childlike affections to God, inclining us in all our wants to run to him in prayer, as to a Father, and to make our moan to him, and open our griefs, and cry for redress, and look to him, and depend on him as a child on the father. This spirit of adoption you may have, and yet not be certain of God's special love to you. The knowl- edge onlyof his general goodness and mercy, may be a means to raise in you true childlike affections. You may know God to have fatherly inclinations to you, and yet doubt whether he will use you as a child, for want of assurance of your own sincerity. And you may hope God is your Father, when yet you may apprehend him to be a displeased, angry father,and so he may be more your terror than your comfort. Are you not ready in most of your fears, and doubts, and troubles, to go to God before all other for relief? And doth not your heart sigh and groan tohim, when you can scarcely speak? Doth not your troubled spiritthere find its first vent? and say, ' Lord, kill me not ; forsake me not ; my life is in thy hands ; O softén this hard heart; make this carnal mind more spiritual!' O be not such a stranger to my soul ! Wo to me that I am so ig- norant of thee ! so disaffected to thee ! so backward anddisinclined to holy communion with thee ! Wo to me, that can take no more pleasure in thee ! and am so mindless and disregardful of thee ! O that thou wouldst stir.up in me more livelydesires, and workings ofmy soul towards thee ! and suffer me not to lie at such a distance from thee !' Are not such as these the breathings of your spirit? Why, these are childlike breathings after God! This is crying ' Abba, Father.' This is the work of the spirit of adoption, even when you fear God will cast you off You much mistake (and those that tell you so) if you think that the spirit of adoption lieth only in apersuasion that you are God's child, or that you may not have the spirit of adoption, without such a persuasion of God's adopting you. For God may adopt you, and give you that spirit which he gives only to his children, and possess you with true filial
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=