[It may appear to us to be only a friend or minister, or, at most, our own conscience, that we resist : but, whatever be the means whereby God speaks to us, the voice is his ; and an opposition to the dictates of the Spirit is an opposition to God himself4. Have we sufficiently considered whom we thus "provoke to become our enemy11?"]
2. What is his design, in striving with you —
[Has God any interest of his own to serve ? Will he be less happy or glorious, whether we be saved or perish ? He is moved by nothing but love and pity to our souls. And all that he desires is, to enlighten, sanctify, and save us. The first impressions that he makes upon us may be painful ; but they are a needful incision, in order to a perfect cure. And should we resist his love and mercy ? In what light shall we view this conduct, when his gracious designs shall be fully known, and our ingratitude be contrasted with them?]
3. How awful will be our state, if we finally pre- vail to quench his motions —
[While he continues to strive with us, there is hope. If there be but a spark of this heavenly fire within us, the dying embers may be rekindled : but if once this fire be extin- guished, there is no hope. If God has once said, " Let him alone x," let him live only to fill up the measure of his ini- quities, and to " treasure up wrath against the day of wrath y,'' our state will be inconceivably dreadful : better would it be for us that we had never been born. And who can tell but that this very day the Spirit may depart from him never to return ? Let the dread of this awaken us to a sense of our danger, and stimulate us to improve the calls and assistances we now enjoy.]
Advice —
1. Renounce every thing that may lead you to quench the Spirit —
[Do ungodly companions try to lull you asleep in sin? forsake them. Do earthly, sensual, and devilish affections grieve the Spirit? mortify them. Whatever it be that tends to damp this sacred fire, put it away. Better were it to lose all that we have in the world, than to have the Spirit finally taken from us.]
2. Do all that you can to stir up the sacred fire within you —
* Acts v. 4. u Isai. lxiii. 10.
x Hos. iv. 17. y Rom. ii. 5.