ngs for God with a terrible longing, and can be consoled, satisfied,
by God only; He communicates Himself to this part of the soul. Sins
of heart and mind do not injure it, but retard it: it cannot be
corrupted by material living, because it does not connect itself
directly with earth-living, it "responds" to God alone; but earthly
sins delay it, paralyse its powers, postpone indefinitely its return to
God. Is it this part of the soul which we ordinarily speak of as the
Will? It cannot be, since it is with our Will that we consent to
earth-sins. Have we, then, two Wills? It is reasonable and it conforms with
experience to say that we have two Wills--a Spirit-Will conducting
Spirit-living, and a Reasoning or Mind Will, conducting the affairs
of earth-living: the lower part of the soul is the meeting-place and
the intermediary between these two (often opposing) Wills, it is the
ground upon which they work and have their fruitions.

The Spirit-Will is the Will by which we finally become united to
God. Before regeneration we are unaware in any keen degree of its
existence; but it may exist for us in a vague and confused manner as
an incomprehensible, undefined yearning: we cannot satisfy this
yearning, because we do not know what it requires for its
satisfaction. It is above conscience: conscience has its seat in the
lower soul, there it deals with the affairs of earthly life. This
Spirit-Will is so far above conscience (which can be used, cultivated,
improved, or destroyed, according to our own desire) that it is not
given into the keeping or cognisance of the "natural" man, but
remains unknown, inoperative until reawakened and impregnated
with renewed vigour by direct Act of God in the regenerated man.
This awakening, this reinvigoration, would seem to be synonymous
with the Baptism of the Holy Ghost.

If it is awakened only by Act of God, in what way can we be held
responsible about it? Our responsibility, our part, our opportunity is
to so order the lower or earth-will that God shall see us to be
prepared for the awakening of the Spirit-Will.

This Spirit-Will, once awakened, is never again shut out from direct
communication with God. Even when Grace is withdrawn, this
Will-Spirit can come before God and, no barrier between, know Him
_there_; although He may deny it all consolation and leave it
languishing, it yet retains the consolation of its one supreme
necessity--that of knowing _it has not lost Him._ It waits.