1

may support us in all dangers, and carry us through all temptations, through Jefus Chrift our Lord.

To whom, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be all honour and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

SERMON

SERMON XXII

THE NECESSITY, AND THE GREAT BLESSING AND COMFORT OF SECURING THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE HOLY GHOST.

ROMANS viii. 14.

FOR AS MANY AS ARE LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD, THEY ARE THE SONS OF GOD."

WHE

HEN our blessed Lord was to leave the world, he affured his difciples, that one should be fent to fupply his place; to comfort them for his abfence; to guide them into all truth; to bring all things to their remembrance, whatever he had taught them; to fanctify their perfons, and bless their labours. By whofe labours we, amongst many other nations, have been brought out of darkness and error, into the clear light and true knowledge of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ.

This indeed is a mighty bleffing; but this is not all. This would not have answered the great love and defign of God, to fave his loft creatures: for fuch is the weakness and corruption of our nature, that though we should be convinced, even by miracles, of the truth

See Rom. viii. 9, 16. Gal. v. 22, 25. 1 John iii. 10, 24.

of

of the gofpel; though we fhould know the will of God never fo well; yet we are not able, of ourselves, to walk in the commandments of God. And therefore it was neceffary, that the fame Spirit, which enabled the apostles of Chrift to convert the world, fhould continue to guide, to affift, to defend, and fanctify, all fuch as by their ministry should be converted, in the great work of their falvation; that is, all fuch as being convinced of the truth of Christianity do defire to walk worthy of that name and calling.

For it is too plain and fad a truth to be denied, that all are not Chriftians indeed, who yet own the truth of the gofpel; and are perfuaded of the neceffity of obeying it, and have embraced its profeffion. Not that the Holy Spirit denies his graces to any that are dedi cated to him in baptifm; but men thrust him from them; refuse to ask his affistance; grieve him by their evil deeds, and force him to forfake them, and to leave them to themfelves, and to the government of evil spirits, who walk about like roaring lions, feeking whom they may be permitted to devour, finding them forfaken of God, and prepared for

deftruction.

Forafmuch, therefore, as it would be no bleffing for men to be convinced of the truth of the Chriftian religion, by confidering the miraculous powers of the Holy Ghost, by which it was at first established, unless they afterwards

afterwards live answerable to what that religion requires of them, (which they cannot poffibly do, without the continual grace and affistance of that fame Holy Spirit) the scriptures therefore are very exprefs in exhorting Chriftians to ftrive and pray for the graces of the Holy Spirit, that they may live as they have believed.

And that Christians may not be mistaken, and lay too much stress upon their being made in baptifm children of God, and heirs of the kingdom of heaven, without taking great care to live like children of fo holy a Father, and like people who hope to go to heaven; the facred fcriptures, I fay, have most particularly fet down the marks and characters of fuch Christians as may hope for benefit by their Christian profeffion. If any man hath not the Spirit of Chrift, faith St. Paul," he is none of bis. If we live in the Spirit, faith he, in another place, let us alfo walk in the Spirit; that is, if we pretend to be born again, let us live like people that are become new creatures. And in the words which I have chosen for a text, As many, faith he, as are led by the Spirit of God, they, and they only, are the Sons of God. They only can call God father, so as to be heard by him, fo as to have their prayers answered, so as to be rewarded by him.

And that Chriftians may not fancy that they are led by the Spirit of God, when indeed they are not, the same Apostle" fets down

in

in plain terms, what are the fruits of the Spirit of God, or of one that is led by the Spirit of God. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-fuffering, courteoufnefs, goodness, (or a readiness to do good) faithfulness, meekness, temperance, (or continence.)

From this it appears, that men are not mafters of themselves. Led they must be, either by the spirit and powers of darkness, or by the Spirit of God. It is for this reason that God, for Chrift's fake, has given us the earnest of his Spirit in baptifm; with this' affurance, that he who fubmits to be governed by his Spirit, and brings forth fruit worthy of fuch a favour, he fhall ftill have greater favours conferred upon him; but he that is not careful to improve the graces God gives him, from him fhall be taken away, even what was before bestowed upon him.

Now, if men, notwithstanding this caution given them, will be making experiments how far they may neglect their duty, without lofing the earnest of God's Spirit;-if they will try to govern themselves by their own reafon and wisdom, laying afide the laws of God;-why then they may, indeed, take themfelves from under God's oversight and direction; but fervants ftill they must be, and led they must be, by the fpirit and powers of darkness; they only change mafters, (for a master they must have) and how much for the worse, fad experience will foon fhew!

d Gal. v. 22.