SERMON XVII.*

WE go on to mention some more of the particular duties, wherewith such a communication of the Spirit stands connected, as is requisite to our walking in the Spirit; beside the five already spoken to.

[6.] That we obey its dictates; resign and yield ourselves to its governing power. This is plainly enough signified in the expressions of being "led by the Spirit," and "walking after the Spirit," which we have divers times in Rom. S. and elsewhere. "There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, that walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." This imports a ductile, sequacious, guidable frame and temper, an aptness to yield and comply with all the suggestions of that blessed Spirit. Yield yourselves to God, as those that are alive from the dead, Rom. 6. 13. How manifestly distinguishable is the case, between going about to raise a living person that is fallen, and to raise a dead carcass ! A living person yields himself to our helping hand: "So, yield yourselves to God, as those that are alive:"-The word that is there used, is the same with that which we have in Rom. 12. 1. Present yourselves to God a living sacrifice; and it signifies to offer one's self readily for this or that, to be in a ready posture to do what we are prompted to and put upon. And this walking after the Spirit is frequently inculcated in that forementioned chapter, Rom. S. 1, 4, 13. And then you have the expres

* Preached April 17th, 1678. at Cordwainer's Hall.

sion of being led by the Spirit, following the other, ver. 14. And again in this chapter where the text lies, Gal. 5. 18. If ye be led by the Spirit. This word signifies to be acted by it: which doth also suppose a compliance on our part, and that we concur; that we be in a prepared posture to act as we shall be from time to time acted. To rebel against the Spirit, vexatiously to contend, to oppose ourselves unto its dictates, we may easily understand cannot be the way to entitle ourselves to its communications. It is promised to be a guide to lead into all truth,-all that truth which is after godliness: we must understand it chiefly of such truth, as doth concern Christian practice but if we fall out and quarrel with our guide, and will not obey; what can we expect, but that it should in just displeasure retire, and leave us to walk alone, or to wander as our own inclination shall lead us ?

[7.] That we strictly observe and closely adhere unto our rule. This is requisite in order to our having these needful communications of the Spirit: for it dictates according to that external rule: we ought therefore to have our eye upon that, which all along lines the way in which we are to walk. We shall very unreasonably and vainly expect to have the Spirit still constantly following us in all our extravagancies and excursions: if it arbitrarily do so, as the Spirit many times doth; yet we have not reason to expect it should do so in a stated course. The way of the Lord is strength to the upright, Prov. 10. 29. In their very way they meet with their strength: holding on their course in that way, they find themselves still to go from strength to strength, (ps. 84. 7.) to grow stronger and stronger, Job 17. 9. When our way is pleasing to God, then we may expect that by his Spirit he should converse with us in our way; that is, if his way like us. Two cannot walk together, except they be agreed; and especially if they be not agreed upon their way. Now we find, that the way wherein we are to walk so as to please God, is prescribed and directed all along by his word. Ye have received of us, saith the apostle, how ye ought to walk and to please God, 1 Thes. 4. 1. He hath directed the way by express precept; in which if we walk and so please him, he will converse with us by his Spirit; then we shall have his continual assisting, directing presence. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord; and he delighteth in his way. Then though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. Ps. 37. 23, 24. Enoch gained a testimony of God, that he so walked as to please God. Heb. 11. 5. To be sure he had him for the guide and companion of his way. It is not much that we are under the same lot, that our Lord Christ

was contented to be under. John S. 29. He that sent me, is with me; the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. And he doth require it of us, that as he did keep his Father's commandments, and abide in his love; so we should keep his commandments, and abide in his love, (John 15. 10.) and so have his spiritual presence, or his Spirit to be present with us, by which he saith he would be present with his, when as to his outward man he must be removed and gone out of this state. That passage in ps. 101. 2. is very observable: the Psalmist resolves upon this, that he would behave himself wisely in a perfect way, and that he would walk with a perfect heart; would take care of his way that it was a strait and perfect path in which he should walk: and doing this, you find him in such a posture expecting, “O when wilt thou come unto me?" Walking, as we told you before, connoted a way; and this must be a way suitable to the Spirit, if we reckon upon walking in the Spirit. To walk in the way of our own hearts, and think that the Spirit should be with us there, is certainly a very foolish expectation..

[8.] That we design all the strength and vigour, that we shall receive from the Spirit, in order to our walking unto the divine honour and glory and service, as the end of it. Walking doth connote an end, as well as a way. And to walk in the Spirit must suppose, that there be an end suitable to the Spirit and what is most immediately from God, ought to be most directly and entirely designed for him. And I doubt not but there is a very common fault among christians as to this thing; they desire spiritual communications for themselves, because it is a very delightful and pleasurable thing to be carried as upon eagles' wings, to have so sensible help in all one's walking: therefore they desire such helps and influences as a privilege; and sometimes lament the retraction and withdrawment of it merely as an infelicity, without charging themselves with sin in the case: and it is in the mean time forgotten, that what God gives upon this account is for himself, and we ought to have the same design with him. The apostle speaks of his way of living, Gal. 2. 20. I live, saith he, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Immediately before. you have the end of that life, as here you have the spring and source of it: I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God, ver. 19. Christ feeds and maintains that life, and supplies all the motive and active power belonging to it, which shall be devoted to himself, and terminate wholly upon himself. We are to look upon all these communications

as trusts, which are to be employed according to the pleasure and for the service of him that doth intrust us. Who will commit to your trust, says Christ, the true riches, if ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon? Luke 16. 11. The things of this life are comprehended under the "mammon of unrighteousness" to these are opposed "the true riches," which must mean spiritual good things; such riches as those spoken of in Eph. 3. 16. where the apostle is praying for the Ephesians, that God would grant them according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might, by the Spirit in the inner man. Who will trust you with such riches? It implies, that such riches, wherever they are given, are given but as a trust, and therefore are to be employed for him that intrusts us with them. They are talents, that must be improved for him for that passage doth refer unto the parable concerning the talents, as you may see in the beginning of Luke 16. There is a great hold, as I may say, that the soul hath upon the Spirit and his communications by such an ingenuity as this is; as we many times by ingenuities engage and oblige one another. When this shall be the posture of the soul and its sense towards God; "I only desire such strength and such assistances from thee, to use them for thee, for thy own work:" when we are ready to put such a dedication, such an inscription upon every act that we design to do by such a received power, "To thee, O Lord; Holiness to the Lord; I only desire thy influences, that I may do thy work, and be to the best purpose serviceable to thy name and interest in my sphere and station:" with such a disposition as this we may expect the communication of the Spirit to be most certainly connected.

Thus you see proved, how it doth belong unto the state of living christians, as a duty proper thereto, to walk in the Spirit; or what there is of duty, with which the communications of the Spirit towards our walking in it are connected.

Now by way of use, we have several things to infer from all this.

I. Inference. Then if we do not walk in the Spirit, it must needs be our own fault, that we embrace not the privilege that is offered, and do not the duties required. It is fit we should own it as our own fault, and charge it where it ought to lie.

But it may perhaps here be objected; That all these things that have been mentioned, as so many parts of duty in order to our obtaining the needful communications of the Spirit, are themselves the Spirit's operations and how can they then

:

be prerequisites unto our obtaining such communications of the Spirit? To this we say,

1. That they are requisite unto farther communications, such as we shall still have farther use for and need of in the continued course of our walking. And it is most highly congruous unto the royalty of the divine bounty, to reward what is done by his own vouchsafement. It is his own rule and measure, that to them which have it shall be given, Luke 8. 18. They that have, shall have more. He gives more grace upon humility. James 4. 6. He giveth more grace; wherefore he saith, he resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Had he given no grace to such before; how became they humble? His grace made them so: but then he gives still more grace.

2. These are so the operations of the Spirit, as that they are our acts too. It is not the Spirit that believes and obeys, but it helps us to do so; as we shall have farther occasion to speak hereafter.

3. In such actings of renewed souls, as are in themselves holy and gracious, there are certain previous actings, that lead to them and which may and usually do end in them. As there is nothing more obvious unto the ordinary experience of christians, than that they many times begin a duty, as to pray or read, to hear or meditate, with very indisposed acts; but the Spirit comes in amidst their work: oftentimes they have no such discernible assistance at first, when they begin to act. Therefore there is somewhat previous unto that which is strictly to be considered as a holy and spiritual act.

4. There is also a preventing influence or grace of the Spirit, unto which it is safe to attribute even those precious tendencies to such acts, to holy and gracious acts. But then we must also know, that this is not always efficacious, so as to end in holy and gracious actions: because the Spirit doth, sometimes from sovereignty, but more ordinarily from paternal justice, retire and withdraw itself, when those first overtures are not complied with. As is manifest from its being intimated to retire and withdraw upon being grieved, being resisted, being vexed; as we must suppose it to be, when it is not duly complied with in the applications it makes to the spirits even of renewed persons themselves; for they, such as "live in the Spirit," are the subject of our present discourse.

And in speaking to you of these previous tendencies unto good and holy actions, (which, it is fit we should attribute unto the Spirit of God, when we find any thing of them; though it doth not work in that over-powering way, as where it puts forth its efficacious influence in order to some holy and spiritual act