Reproof of those that mock at the need of the Spirit in prayer, with a trial whether we have him or no 2/2

Answer 2. Affirmatively; by what thou mayest conclude that thou hast the Spirit of God; and that in two particulars; though here I might multiply.

           (1.) If thou beest regenerated by the Spirit.  The Spirit of God dwells only in a new creature.  So long as a man continues in his carnal natural state he is destitute of the Spirit.  ‘Sensual, having not the Spirit,’ Jude 19.  The word is RLP4­6@Â, such as have no more but a reasonable soul, without a higher principle of life than nature gives to all men.  St. Paul useth the word to set out a man in his mere naturals, as op­posed to another that hath a principle of supernatural life from the Spirit of God; RLP46ÎH •<¬D, ‘the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit,’ I Cor. 2:14.  But here the question will be, How shall I know I am regenerate?  To this I answer, Every re­generate soul hath divinam indolem—a di­vine nature and disposition like unto the Spirit of God that re­generates him.  ‘That which is born of the Spirit is spirit,’ John 3:6, viz. is spiritual, the abstract being put for the concrete, to increase the force of the words. He hath a soul raised as far above natural men as they are above the nature of beasts.  When Nebuchadnez­zar had the understanding of a man given him he grazed no longer among the beasts of the field, but returned to his princely throne and life.  Thus the re­generate soul returns to that high and heavenly disposition which man in his primitive holy state once had.  Now God and the things of God take up his thoughts; he hath a new eye to see vanity where before he placed felicity; a new gust and taste, which makes him spit out those sinful pleasures as poison that once were pleasant morsels, and count all earthly enjoyments, that before were his only feast, but dung and dross in comparison of Christ and his grace.  He can no more make a meal on them than a man can with dogs' meat.  ‘They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit,’ Rom. 8:5, ND@<@ØF4<, they do sapere, savour the things of the Spirit.  Find therefore what thy gust is, and thou say­est know what thy life is, whether spiritual, or natural.

           (2.) If thou beest led by the Spirit.  The Spirit is the saints’ guide, ‘As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God,’ Rom. 8:14.  As the soul is in the body, to direct and move it, so is the Spirit in their soul: ‘Thou hast holden me by my right hand, thou shalt guide me with thy counsel,’ Ps. 73:23, 24.  Even as the child is led by his father’s hand, so the saint by the manuduction of the Spirit.  Now, to be led by the Spirit of God imports these three things:

• A sense of our own weakness and ignorance. He that thinks he knows his way, or that he is able to direct his own steps, will not accept of a guide.  It is the weak child or the blind man that calls to be led. First Saul was struck blind, and then he gives his hand to be led to Damascus, Acts 9.  Inquire therefore whether God hath made thee sensible of thy own ig­norance and impotency.  Man by nature is proud and self-conceited; he leans much to his own under­standing, and stands upon his own strength, very loath to be thought out of the way or unable to go of himself in it.  ‘A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident,’  14:16.  Tell a soul spiritually wise he is out of his way, he fears himself, hearkens to the counsel, and turns back; but a fool—and such is every carnal man—he falls out with him that counsels or reproves him, and is confident he is right, as if he knew the way to heaven as well as he doth the way from his house to the market.  The first thing that the Spirit doth is to dismount the soul from his high opinion he hath of himself, thereby to make him teachable and tractable.  ‘Men and brethren,’ say those converts, after God with one prick in their hearts had let out this wind of pride, ‘what shall we do?’ Acts 2:37.  Their spirit now comes down, willing they are to be directed, so meek and humble that a child may lead them.

           (b) He that is led by another is ruled and deter­mined by him that is his guide which way he should go.  Inquire, there­fore, whether the Spirit of God doth thus determine thy soul in its actings and mo­tions.  If thou beest led by the Spirit, thou walkest after the Spirit, and goest the way he goes.  Now you know which is the Spirit’s walk.  He is a Spirit of truth and leads into truth.  The word of God is the road he keeps; if thou walkest not by this rule he is not thy guide.  Speak therefore, what authority and sway bears the word with thee?  Dost thou consult with it and hearken to it? or is it to thee as Micaiah was to Ahab, art thou afraid to advise with it?  Or, when thou dost, canst thou cast its counsel at thy heels, and venture to break its hedge, to pursue thy ambitious or covetous projects?  If a word lying in thy way will not stop thee, thou art not led by the Spirit of God thou mayest be sure.

           (c) To be led imports spontaneity and willing­ness.  This is the difference betwixt leading and driv­ing.  The carnal heart may be driven by the rebukes and convictions of the Spirit, as a beast by switch and spur; but the gracious soul follows the Spirit as a child his father that holds him by the hand, yea, that cries after his father to take him along with him.  ‘Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.’  The Spirit indeed ‘draws,’ but then the soul ‘runs after him.’ Mary chose the ‘better part;’ it was not imposed on her against her liking. The obedience of the saints is compared to a sacrifice, ‘Present your bodies a living sacrifice,’ &c., Rom. 12:1; and it is no acceptable sacrifice that is not offered willingly.  The Spirit of God makes the soul ‘willing in the day of his power.’ ‘I will go with this man,’ said Rebekah; she was as willing to have Isaac as he to have her.  The gracious soul answers the Spirit's call as the echo the voice: ‘Seek ye my face.  Thy face, Lord, will I seek.’  Now, this use of trial calls for a double word of exhortation.

Reproof of those that mock at the need of the Spirit in prayer, with a trial whether we have him or no 1/2

           Third. I shall make some application of the point that it is necessary that we pray in or by the ‘Spirit of God.’
           Use First. Take heed of blaspheming the Holy Spirit as to this work of his in his saints.  Some are so desperately profane, that they dare flout and jeer at those who show any strictness in their lives, or zeal in the worship of God, especially in this duty of prayer, with this—‘These are they that have the Spirit, that pray, forsooth, by the Spirit.’  Nay more—I tremble to speak it—some have called their praying by the Spirit praying by the devil.  That every gracious soul hath the Spirit of God dwelling in him the Scripture tells us, ‘If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his,’ Rom. 8:9.  That God hath promised his Spirit to help his saints in prayer is undeniable, and that he accepts no prayer but what is put up by his Spirit is as sure.  Now mayest thou not know, bold wretch, what spirit thou art acted by, who makest a mock of having the Spirit and praying by the Spirit?  Who but the devil would set thee on work to blas­pheme the Spirit of God?  But why should we wonder that the actings of the Holy Spirit in the saints should be thus scorned and blasphemed, seeing we find that the Spirit of God, working so mightily in Christ him­self, was maliciously interpreted by the wicked Phari­sees to be from the devil? Matt. 12:24.  But let such know to their terror, that to make a jeer of the Spirit, or to attribute his works to the devil, if it be mali­ciously done, will be found to come near to the blas­phemy of the Spirit which is unpardonable, see ver. 32, ‘Whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but 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 spake upon their attributing what he did by the Spirit of God to the spirit of the devil.
           Use Second. 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 in the Spirit except thou hast the Spirit in thee.
           Question. But how may I know whether I have the Spirit of God or no?
           I shall answer.  1. Negatively, by what thou must not conclude that thou hast the Spirit.  2. Affirma­tively, by what thou mayest.
           Answer 1. Negatively; thou canst not know, be­cause thou hast now and then some good motions from the Holy Spirit stirred in thee.  The evil spirit is found oft stirring evil motions in souls where he doth not dwell.  A foul stir he makes oft in the bosom of a saint; yet dwells not there, because he is not there per modum quietis—he finds no rest in these dry places. Therefore he is brought in saying, ‘I will return to my house,’ viz. to those that are yet in a carnal state, where he can rule the roost, and command as a mas­ter doth all in his house.  Truly thus the Holy Spirit is often moving in the consciences and affections of carnal creatures, counselling, rebuking, and exciting them; so that, upon his suggestions, some flashy short pangs of affections are raised in them to that which is good, but presently all is quashed and comes to noth­ing, and the Spirit driven away by the churlish enter­tainment he finds.
           Again, thou canst not know by the common gifts of the Spirit, illumination, conviction, restraining grace, and assistance to perform the external part of religious duties, even to the admiration sometimes of others that hear them.  These are gifts of the Spirit, but such as do not prove he hath the Spirit that hath them.  They are like the brightness or radiancy which we see the clouds gilt with in the morning before the body of the sun is above the horizon—they show the sun is near, but it is not yet risen for all this radiancy that is seen; so these gifts are beamed from the Spirit of God, and show the kingdom of God is come nigh such a one; but they do not demonstrate that the Spirit of God is come into that soul and taken posses­sion of it for his house and temple.  Or they are like the tokens which a suitor sends to a person whom he is wooing to be his wife—the more to insinuate upon her; but the match breaking off, all are required again. Many have these gifts sent them by the Spirit of God, with whom the match betwixt Christ and them was never made up; and if they be not called for back in this life, they shall however be accountable for them at the great day.