Ever increasing evidence to be archived as further confirmation of the rancid Reformed heritage and the putrid pedigree of Puritanism:
A man may have the Spirit only as a Spirit of bondage. Thus, many have the Spirit working only to bondage. “The Spirit of bondage is an operation of the Holy Ghost by the law, convincing the conscience of sin, and of the curse of the law, and working in the soul such an apprehension of the wrath of God, as makes the thoughts of God a terror to him.” This Spirit may be, and often is, without saving grace: this operation of the Spirit was in Cain and Judas. There are none that receive the Spirit of adoption, but they first receive the Spirit of bondage: yet many receive the Spirit of bondage, that never receive the Spirit of adoption (Matthew Mead, The Almost Christian Discovered, p. 68).
Matthew Mead is yet another heretic who thinks that the spirit of bondage in Romans 8:15 is the Holy Spirit.
Just a small bit of historical information on Mead:
“During the time of Oliver Cromwell’s rule, Mead identified with the Independents. In 1658, Cromwell appointed Mead curate of Mew Chapel, Shadwell, near Stepney; however, Mead lost that position after the Restoration.” Joel Beeke, Meet the Puritans, p. 444.
“In 1669, he formally became William Greenhill’s assistant pastor at Stepney. Shortly after Greenhill’s death in 1671, Mead was asked to succeed Greenhill as pastor. He was installed by John Owen on December 14.” Ibid., p. 445.
“Mead succeeded Owen in 1683 as a Tuesday morning lecturer at Pinner’s Hall, a position he held until his death. He wholeheartedly supported John Howe’s attempt in 1690 to unite Presbyterians and Congregationalists. Mead was asked to preach for the service inaugurating “the Happy Union of Independents and Presbyterians” in Stepney on April 6, 1691.” Ibid., p. 445.
“Mead died at the age of seventy on October 16, 1699. John Howe, who preached at Mead’s funeral, called his friend a “very reverend and most laborious servant of Christ.” Ibid., p. 446.
And a very important corrective on what true “Holy Spirit Conviction” is:
https://agrammatos.files.wordpress.com/2018/01/holy-spirit-conviction.pdf
Agrammatos 