176 A GUIDE TO PRAYER, bath not much hand in such impulses ; for he both assists in the duty, and makes us solicitous about the successof it. Some- times Satan himself may so far /ran,sfoim himself into an angel of light, as to hurry and impel a person to go and pray: But his impulses are generally violent and unseasonable. When we are engaged in some other business that is the proper duty of that season, he tyrannically commands in a moment to leave all, andgo aside and pray. But the Spirit of God draws us to God at a fit season, so as never to thrust out anothernecessary duty toward God, or toward men. He is a God of order, and his Spirit always excites to the proper duty of the hour ; wherefore Satan would but divert us from one business, by forcing us away to another, and then leave us to our own weakness in it, andvex us afterward with accusations. II. Do not expect the influences of the Spirit of prayer should be so vehement and sensible, as certainly to distinguish them from the motions of Your own spirits : for the Spirit of God generally acts towards his people, agreeable to the dispensation under which they are, either in a more sensible, or a more im- perceptable way. Under the Old Testament, the Spirit of God oftencarried the prophets away, as if it were in an ecstacy beyond themselves ; their style, their gesture, as well as inward commo- tions of heart, were frequently different from thecommon man- ner of men, and did sufficiently evidence to themselves, and in some measure to others also, that they were under the impres- sions of the holy Spirit, at special seasons. Under the New Testament, the apostles had a more constant and habitual assist- ance of the Spirit, though it was extraordinary also ; and in a calmer way were influenced inprayer and preaching more agree- able to rational nature ; though without doubt they themselves well knew when they were under the certain conduct of the holy Spirit. In our day, when we have no reason to expect' extra - ordinary inspirations, the Spirit of God usually leads us in so soft and silent a manner, agreeable to the temper of our own Spirits, and concurrent circumstances of life, that his workings are not to be easily distinguishedby ourselves or others, from the rational motions of our own hearts, influenced by moral argil- merits ; though by the holy tendency, and the sanctifying effects, we know we had some assistance from the blessed Spirit. Such are his operations generally- in conversion, sanctification and consolation : he works so conuaturally and sweetly with our own spirits, that we cannot certainly distinguish his working by any vehemence or strength of impression ; but it is best known by the savour and relish of divine things that we then feel in our souls, and by consequent fruits of sanctification in our hearts and lives. III. Though we have not any sure ground to expect extra-
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