When an earthly friend and benefactor becomes grieved in consequence of receiving from his beneficiary insults in return for the many favors bestowed, he withdraws all intimacy and friendship from such an one, until the barriers that stand in the way of a reconciliation are entirely removed. Now, the Holy Spirit is the Almighty Friend and liberal Benefactor of our fallen and degenerate race. But man too often requites his surpassing kindness and benevolence by acting in a way that causes the blessed Spirit to withdraw his enlightening and renovating influences, leaving him in his own native blindness and ignorance, to pursue the "way that seemeth right" unto him, though the "ways thereof" be the "ways of death." We are therefore to understand the text as containing a solemn admonition against every thing that would hinder the success of this divine agent in his gracious and renewing operations upon the soul.
The Spirit of God, the third person in
