He is called in his working the spirit of bondage, because he here
also holds us--to wit, in this sight and sense of our bondage
state--so long as it is meet we should be so held; which to some of
the saints is a longer, and to some a shorter time. Paul was held in
it three days and three nights, but the jailer and the three
thousand, so far as can be gathered, not above an hour; but some in
these later times are so held for days and months, if not for years.
But I say, let the time be longer or shorter, it is the Spirit of
God that holdeth him under this yoke, and it is good that a man
should be his time held under it.
Now, as I said, the sinner at first is by the Spirit of God held
under this bondage; that is, hath such a discovery of his sin and of
his damnation for sin made to him, and also is held so fast under
the sense thereof, that it is not in the power of any man, nor yet
of the very angels in heaven, to release or set him free, until the
Holy Spirit changeth his ministration and comes in the sweet and
peaceable tidings of salvation by Christ in the gospel to his poor
dejected and afflicted conscience.
The Spirit loveth to do what it does in private: that man to whom
God intendeth to reveal great things, he taketh him aside from the
lumber and cumber of this world, and carrieth him away in the solace
and contemplation of the things of another world.
Pages:
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176