182 A GUIDE TO PRAYER. SECT. IV.Directions to obtain and keep the Spirit of Prayer. . - The last thing I proposed, is, to give some directions how to obtain and to keep theassistance of the holy Spirit; and they are such as these : I. Seek earnestly after converting grace, and faith in .Jesus Christ. For the Spirit of grace and of supplication dwells in believers only. He may visit others as he is the Author of some . spiritual gifts, but he abides only with the saints. The sons of God are so many temples of his holy Spirit ; 1 Cor. iii: 16. and he perfumes their souls with the sweet incense of prayer ascend -. ing up from their hearts toGod who dwells in heaven. If we are in theflesh, that is, in an unconverted state, we cannot please God, nor walk in the Spirit, nor pray in the Spirit ; Rom. viii. 8, 9. It is only the 'children of God that receive his Spirit as a Spirit of adoption ; Rom. viii. 15. " Because ye are sons, he hath sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts ;" and it is by faith in Christ Jesus, that we receive this Spirit ; Gal. iii. 14. Andwheresoever lie is the Spirit of all grace, lie will in some measure be a Spirit of prayer too. Let all christians therefore that would maintain, and increase in, the gifts of the holy Spirit, live much by thefaith of the Son of God, be frequent in acts of dependence upon Christ Jesus : for the Spirit is given to him without measure, and in all fulness ; G0 thatfrom his fulness we may derive every gift, and every grace ;" John iii. 34. and i. 16. As in the natural, so in the spiritual or mystical body, the spirits that givelife and activity to the heart and tongue, and to all the members, are derived from the head. He that lives in heaven as our intercessor and advocate, to present our ad- dresses and petitions to the throne, will send his own Spirit down to earth, to assist us in drawing them up. Live much upon him therefore as your intercessor, and your vital head. II. Give all diligence to acquire this gift, or holy skill, as- cording to the directions concerning the matter, method, and. manner of prayer, which have been laid down before ; and be much in the practice of prayer, both in secret and with one ano- ther, that young habits may grow and be improved by exercise'. The Spirit of God will come andbless the labours, of the mind towards the acquiring of spiritual gifts. Timothy is commanded to give* attendance to reading; to meditation on the thingsof God, and to give himself whollyup to the work, that his*profiting may appear unto all, though he received gifts of inspiration ; 1 Tim. iv. 13. compared with verse 14, 15, and 2 Tim. i. 6. And much more should we do it who are not thus inspired. Though prophecy were a gift of immediate inspiratiön, yet there were of old,the schools of the prophets, or the college, in which young men were trained up in the study of divine things, that.
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