this respect, for ' he maketh intercession for the saints according to t)ie will of God,' ver. 27 ; that is, he so holds the reins of their affections, that they keep tlieir due order. He b)' his secret whispers instructs thon, when to let out their affections full speed, and when to take them up again. Just as the spirit was in the living creatures to direct their motion, of whom it is said, ' They went every one straightforward ; wliither the spirit was to go, they went, and th.ey tm"ned not when they went,' Ezek. i. 12; so the Spirit, influencing his saints in prayer, keeps them that they go neither on this hand nor on that, but straightforward, and draw their request by his rule. Thirdly, He fills the Christian with a holy confidence and humble boldness in prayer. Sin makes the face of God dreadful to tlie sinner : guilty Adam shuns his presence, — I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid. If the patriarchs, conscious how barba- rously they had used their brother, were terrified at his presence, and so abashed that they could not answer him ; how much more confounded nmst the sinner be, to draw near to the great God, when he remembers the horrid sins he hath perpetrated against him ! Now the Spirit easeth the Christian's heart of this fear, assuring him that God's heart meditates no revenge uj>on him, but freely for- gives him ; yea, which is more, that he takes him for his dear child, and that the Christian may not stand in doubt thereof, he seals it with a kiss of love upon his heart, leaving there the impression of God's fatherly love, whereby the Christian comes to have amiable thoughts of God, is able to call God Father, and expect the kind welcome of a chikl at his hands. This is the ' Spirit of adoption,' which the apostle speaks of, Rom. viii. 16, that chaseth away all servile fear and dread from the soul, — ' Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.' And, Gal. iv. 6, ' Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.'
CHAPTER XI.
A REPROOF TO THOSE THAT MAKE A MOCK OF HWING THE SPIRIT.
Section I. — Take heed of blaspheming the Holy Spirit, as to this work of his in his saints. Some are so desperately profane that they insult those wlio shew any strictness in their lives, or zeal in the worship of God, especially iu this duty of prayer, with this, — These are they that have, and pray by, the Spirit ; nay, more, some have called their praying by the Spirit, praving by the devil. Every gracious soul hath the Spirit of God dwelling in him ; Rom. viii. 9 : * If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.' That God hath promised his Spirit to lielp his saints in prayer, is undeniable, and that he accepts none but what is put up by his Spirit, is as sure. Now, dost thou not know, bold wretch, what spirit thou art actuated by, who makest a mock of having the Spirit, and praying by the Spirit? Who but a devil would set thee on work to blaspheme the Spirit of God .' But why should we wonder that the work of the Holy Spirit in the saints should be thus scorned and blasphemed, seeing we find that the Sjnrit of God, working so mightily in Christ himself, was maliciously interpreted by the wicked Pharisees to be from the devil. Matt. xii. 24. But let such know to their terror, this will be found to come near theblasj)hemy of the Spirit, which is unpardonable ; ver. 32 : ' Whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come;' and this our Saviour speaks, upon their attributing what he did by the Spirit of God to the spirit of the devil.
Section II. — Try whether you have the Spirit of God, or no. A prayerless state is a sad state to live in. Now, thou canst not pray acceptably, except thou prayest in the Spirit, and thou canst not pray hi the Spirit, except thou hast the Spirit in thee.
But how may I know whether I have tlie Spirit of (lod, or no ? First, I shall answer negatively. Not because thou hast lujw and then some good motions from the Holy Spirit stirred in thee ; the evil s];iritis found often stirring evil motions in souls where he (h)th not dwell ; a great stir he makes often in the bosom of a saint, yet he dwells not there, because ' he finds no rest in these dry places ;' therefore he is represented as saying, ' 1 will return unto my house,' namely, to those that are yet in a carnal state, where he can command as
1758 ^'^' "^^^ SPIRIT.