CHAPTER 1V. 1$4 with the humble that God will-dwell ; Is. ivii. 15. and to the humble hegiveth more grace; Jatnes'iv. S. VIII. Grieve not the holy Spirit in the, course of your eonversatien in the world. " Walk according to the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh," nor make him depart grieved ; Eph. iv. 29. Hearken to the whispers of the Spirit of Godwhen he convinces of sin, and comply with his secret dictates when he leads to duty, especially the duty of prayer at fit times and seasons. Grieve biro not by your unwatchfuiness, or by wilful sins ; resist him not, lest he remove ; but rather seek greater degrees of his enlightening and sanctifying in- fluences. If you thrusthim utterly away fiein you in the world, he will not take it well at your hands, nor vouchsafe you his presence in the closet or in the church. If you grieve hitn before men,. he will withdraw from you when you would come near to God, and leave your souls in grief and bitter- ness. Deal kindly with him therefore, when he comes to make a visitof conviction to your consciences, and to direct and incline you even to difficult and Self-denying duties. Value his presence as a Spirit of knowledge and sanctification, and he will not forsake you as a'Spirit of prayer. 'Live in the Spirit, calk in the Spirit, and then you shall also pray in the Spirit. Thus have I given short and plain directions bow the assistances of the holy Spirit may be obtained, according to the encouragements of the word of God, and the experience of praying christi au,; for though he be a sovereign and free agent, and his communi- cations are of pitre mercy, so that we can pretend no merit ; yet the Spirit of God has so far condescended, as to give promises 'of his own presence to those that seek it in the way prescril,ed. I would not finish this section without a word of advice to those from whom the Spirit of prayer is in a great measure withdrawn, in order to their recovering his wonted assistance. I. Advice. Be deeply sensible of the greatness of your loss, mourn over his absence, and lainent after the Lord. Recollect the times when you could pour. out your whole heart before God in prayer, with a rich plenty of expressions and lively graces ; compare those shining hours with the dull and dark seasons of retirement which you now complain of. Go and mourn before your God, and say, " How vigorous were all the powers of my nature heretofore in worship ! How warm my love ! Ilow fervent my zeal ! How overflowing was my repentance ! And how joyful my thanksgivings and praises ! But now what a coldness hath seized my Spirit ! How dry and dead'is my heart, and how far off from. God and heaven, even while my knees are bowed before hijo in secret ! How long, O Lord, how long ere thou return again ?" llave a care of being satisfied with a cir- cle and course of duties, without the life, power and pleasure of
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