2. There is certainly abundant reason why we should seek to
learn what the Scriptures mean by " spiritual leading." There are
few subjects so intimately related to the Christian life of which
Christians appear to have formed, in general, conceptions so
inadequate, where they are not even positively erroneous. The
437
438 THE LEADING OF THE SPIRIT
sober-minded seem often to look upon it as a mystery into which it would be well not to inquire too closely. The consequence is that the very phrase, " the leading of the Spirit," has come to bear, to many, a flavour of fanaticism.
The Leading of the Spirit belongs to, and characterizes, the Sows of God.
1. " As many as are led by the Spirit of G-od," says the Apostle, " these are sons of God." We have here in effect a definition of the sons of God. The primary purpose of the sentence is not, indeed, to give this definition. But the statement is so framed as to equate its two members, and even to throw a stress upon the coextensiveness of the two designations. " As many as are led by the Spirit of God, these, and these only, are sons of God." Thus the leading of the Spirit is presented as the very characteristic of the children of God. This is what differentiates them from all others. All who are led by the Spirit of God are thereby consti- tuted the sons of God ; and none can claim the high title of sons of God who are not led by the Spirit of God.
■[{ When we consider this Divine work within our souls with reference to the end of the whole process we call it sanctification ; when we consider it with reference to the process itself, as we struggle on day by day in the somewhat devious and always thorny pathway of life, we call it spiritual leading. Thus the " leading of the Holy Spirit " is revealed to us as simply a synonym for sanctification when looked at from the point of view of the pathway itself, through which we are led by the Spirit as we more and more advance towards that conformity to the image of His Son which God has placed before us as our great goal.1
2. This leading of the Spirit is not some peculiar gift reserved for special sanctity and granted as the reward of high merit alone. It is the common gift poured out on all God's children to meet their common need, and it is the evidence, therefore, of their common weakness and their common unworthiness. It is not the reward of special spiritual attainment ; it is the condition of all spiritual attainment. In its absence we should remain hopelessly
1 B. B. Warfield.
ROMANS viii. 14 439
the children of the devil ; by its presence alone are we constituted the children of God. It is only because of the Spirit of God shed abroad in our hearts that we are able to cry, Abba, Father.
^[ Defining as they do, generally and without exception, all the sons of God, the words cannot point to any exceptional or what we commonly know as miraculous agency. The influence exerted must be normal and ordinary. That is, at least, if the sons of God are, as we know they are, to be moving about in the world, per- forming the ordinary duties of life like other men. The influence of the Divine Spirit must not be expected and will not show itself in lifting them out of common life, but in leading them in it, how- ever this latter term is to be understood. And such a consider- ation will necessarily imply much more. Common life proceeds on common rules. God has just as much bound together seed- time and harvest, means and result, in the life of men as in the life of nature. And it is in, not out of, this chain of connected action, that we may look for the leading of God's Spirit in man, just as it is in this same chain that we expect His working in nature.1
^[ How can a privilege which is open to all lead any man to think that he is better than his neighbour ? Men do not give themselves airs because the sun shines on their heads, and the scent of the sea and the forest mixes itself with the blood, and flowers blow about their pathway, and the blue quivers with lark- songs. They never grow arrogant through that which they possess in common with their fellows, even should, many in the crowd be unmusical and inartistic and indifferent to the exhilarations of nature. And those who realize that this privilege rests upon grace, and is enjoyed through faith alone, cannot possibly be under any special temptation to become proud.2
Do not proudly elevate your head through the charms of your
voice, For reeds and silken cords are also endowed with speech. Attach not so much dignity and excellence to your sight, For the sparrow can discern at a distance of twenty para-
sangs. Boast not so loudly of your powers of hearing, For the hare is sensible of sound at ten leagues' distance. Oh, weak man ! speak not so much of your perception of
smell, For a mouse can smell at a bow-shot distance.3