266 WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN PRAYER. [BOOK VII.
according to it, he " received the promise of the Holy Ghost;" that is, power and authority to bestow him on whom he would, for all the ends of that mediation, Acts ii. 33, v. 32. (2.) Formally, in that all the graces of the Spirit are derived unto us from him, as the head of the church, as the spring of all spiritual life, in whom they were all treasured and laid up unto that purpose, Col. i. 19, ii. 19; Eph. iv. 16; Col. iii. 1-4.
Secondly, The work of this Spirit in general, as bestowed on be- lievers, is partly included, partly expressed, in these words. In general (which is included) he enables them to behave them- selves suitably unto that state and condition whereinto they are taken upon their faith in Christ Jesus. They are made children of God by adoption, and it is meet they be taught to carry themselves as becomes that new relation. " Because ye are sons, he hath given you the Spirit of his Son;" without which they cannot walk before him as becometh sons. He teacheth them to bear and behave themselves no longer as foreigners and strangers, nor as servants only, but as " children" and "heirs of God/' Rom. viii. 1 5, 1 7. He endoweth them with a frame and disposition of heart unto holy, filial obedi- ence ; for as he takes away the distance, making them to be nigh who were aliens and far from God, so he removes that fear, dread, and bondage, which they are kept in who are under the power of the law: 2 Tim. i. 7, "God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind;" not "the spirit of fear," or a " spirit of bondage unto fear," as Rom. viii. ] 5, — that is, in and by the efficacy of the law, filling our minds with dread, and such con- siderations of God as will keep us at a distance from him. But he is in the sons, on whom he is bestowed, a Spirit of power, strengthen- ing and enabling them unto all duties of obedience. This UnZ^a duvu/Asug is that whereby we are enabled to obedience, which the apostle gives thanks for, 1 Tim. i. 12, xdpn 'iyw r& ivdvva/jt,uaavrl (ii Xpiffrip, "To Christ that enableth me;" that is, by his Spirit of power: for without the Spirit of adoption we have not the least strength or power to behave ourselves as sons in the family of God. And he is also, as thus bestowed, a Spirit of love, who worketh in us that love unto God and that delight in him which becometh children towards their heavenly Father. This is the first genuine consequent of this relation. There may be many duties performed unto God where there is no true love to him, at least no love unto him as a Father in Christ, which alone is genuine and accepted. And, lastly, he is also a Spirit ffuppovityAou, of a modest, grave, and sober mind. Even children are apt to wax wanton, and curious, and proud in their Father's house ; but the Spirit enables them to behave themselves with that sobriety, modesty, and humility, which becometh the family
CHAP. III.] GAL. IV. 6 OPENED AND VINDICATED. 267
of God, And in these three things, spiritual power, love, and so- briety of mind, consists the whole deportment of the children of God in his family. This is the state and condition of those who, by the effectual working of the Spirit of adoption, are delivered from the " spirit of bondage unto fear," which the apostle discourseth of, Rom. viii. 15.
Those who are under the power of that Spirit, or that efficacious working of the Spirit by the law, cannot, by virtue of any aids or assistance, make their addresses unto him by prayer in a due manner ; for although the means whereby they are brought into this state be the Spirit of God acting upon their souls and consciences by the law, yet formally, as they are in the state of nature, the spirit whereby they are acted is the unclean " spirit of the world/' or the influence of him who " ruleth in the children of disobedience/' The law that they obey is the "law of the members" mentioned by the apostle, Rom. vii. 28. The works which they perform are the " unfruitful works of darkness;" and the fruits of these unfruitful works are " sin" and " death." Being under this bondage, they have no power to approach unto God; and their bondage tending unto fear, they can have no delight in an access unto him. Whatever other provisions or pre- parations such persons may have for this duty, they can never per- form it unto the glory of God, or so as to find acceptance with him. With those who are delivered from this state, all things are other- wise. The Spirit whereby they are acted is the Spirit of God, — the Spirit of adoption, of power, love, and a sound mind. The law which they are under obedience unto is the holy law of God, as written in the fleshy tables of their hearts. The effects of it are faith and love, with all other graces of the Spirit ; whereof they receive the fruits in peace, with joy unspeakable and full of glory.