is necessary,-to clear to you the sense, and then,-to evince the truth, of what we do now assert, namely, that unto all those to whom the Spirit hath been the Author of a new, divine life, it is ready to communicate and give forth all needful influence, in order to their suitable walking. In reference to the former of these we shall give you some explicatory propositions, and in reference to the latter some demonstrative considerations.

[1] For the clearing of the sense of what is asserted, take these few propositions.

First, When we say that the Spirit is ready to communicate itself for such purposes, or for that general purpose which has been expressed, of our walking in the Spirit, the meaning is, that it is ready to do so in a stated and constant course, and not that it doth so only sometimes, very rarely, and now and then. For it were not to be imagined that this should lie as a stated, constant precept upon all christians, "walk in the Spirit," if the supposed ground thereof were intercepted, and to be but rarely found actually in being. Walking is a continued thing, (as we formerly intimated) and imports the constant and settled course of a christian's life or practice; and therefore there were no sufficient ground upon which such an obligation as this could be inferred upon the christian, if the influence of the Spirit in order thereto were exhibited but very rarely.

Secondly, We must understand that therefore there are certain rules according whereto the blessed Spirit (though as we find it is called in Scripture, a free Spirit) is come under obligation that it will be present, by a vital, active influence, as the great Author and Director of that course of holy motion unto which renewed ones are more immediately engaged. We must suppose that there is a connexion between their observance of such and such rules, and the Spirit's communicating and giving forth its influence according to those rules. This for explication I now lay down only in the general ;' what those rules are we shall have occasion distinctly to tell you, when we come to the second general head, namely, to treat of our part in this matter, or how walking in the Spirit belongs to the state of souls spiritually alive as a duty.

"

Thirdly, When we speak of the Spirit's being so obliged, you must understand it in reference to a regenerate subject. For within these bounds our text doth confine us: "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." Living in the Spirit is supposed. We cannot suppose that it should have annexed and tied its communications unto the actions, or the endeavour of any other sort of persons that lie without this

compass. To such as are got into the sphere of life, are within this verge, and have actual union with the Mediator, who is the spring and treasury of all spiritual life, and in whom all the promises, all the ties and obligations that the blessed God hath brought himself under any way, are yea, and amen; to such, I say, we must understand that this influence is in this stated way to be communicated, and may be expected. It is very true that others have no cause to despair, but these have cause and ground to believe. They have no cause to despair, because this Spirit is, as hath been said, a free Spirit, and, as "the wind bloweth where it listeth," none can tell but it may, one time or another, cast a favourable breath even on them. But these have reason to be confident, for the communications, of which we speak, are part of his portion, and a privilege belonging unto their state. We only add in the

Fourth place, that whereas we told you, that the communications of the Holy Ghost, due unto this purpose, do compre→ hend both the influences of grace and of comfort, we must un❤ derstand this obligation to be more in reference to the former, than to the latter, to what concerns the being of gracious operations than the well-being. It is true, there is somewhat of comfort involved in the very nature of a gracious act, according as it is wont to be said concerning natural acts, that they all are pleasant, or carry a kind of pleasantness with them; so those acts which are connatural to the new-creature, have a pleasure in them, which we cannot separate even from those acts of that kind which seem to import most of vigour and severity; as the very acts of repentance and self-denial, if they be in their own kind, vital acts, proceeding from the Spirit of grace, and from the new nature put into the soul. One might appeal to the experience of christians, whether they do not find pleasure in melting before the Lord, pleasure in abandoning and quitting all that is dear to them, when they can fully do it, for his sake, and upon his account. Such consolation therefore as is intrinsical to any gracious act must be distinguished from that consolation which follows afterward upon reflection, or our taking a review of such and such gracious characters, discriminative tokens, discernable upon ourselves, and by which we can judge of our case. For the other pleasure is without intervening judgment, the acts are pleasant in themselves, even before we come to reflect, or take notice, or consider any thing concerning our states, whereof they are, or any thing else discernable in ourselves may be understood to be, characteristical. In reference to the consequential consolations we must understand the Spirit to have reserved to itself a liberty; it is more arbitrary in communications of that kind, and

doth upon mere sovereignty many times retract and withhold that kind of light for ends best known to itself. But in reference to those operations which are essential to the divine life, we must suppose that it hath a fixed and stated course, in which its influence shall be communicated in order to it. Our next business therefore is,

[2.] To add several considerations by which the truth of the thing assented may be manifested. And the

First consideration that occurs, is what hath been suggested to you already, in clearing the ground of the observation which we took up, namely, That we find it enjoined and laid as a command upon those who live in the Spirit, that they walk in the Spirit. For, as you were heretofore told; it would be very strangely unreasonable to enjoin one to walk, in the sun-shine at midnight. And we find that this precept of walking in the Spirit is not dropped, as it were, as a casual thing, but even in this very chapter it is urged and pressed, and with a great deal of solemnity. As you see in the 16th ver. This I say then, walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh. It is introduced here with a solemn preface, This I say; as though he had said, "I understand myself in what I say, I do not speak rashly and at random." And with how great apostolical authority is the precept ushered in! This I say, Walk in the Spirit. We cannot suppose that so solemn a charge should have been laid, if this had not been a certain thing, that the Spirit shall be communicated, its influences shall issue and go forth, as far as is necessary for this purpose, unto the persons that are concerned. We find particular precepts given again and again unto the same purpose; as to instance in that spiritual action, or operation of prayer, we read of praying in the Holy Ghost; Jude 20. and praying always in the Spirit, and of worshipping God in the Spirit, as a stated thing, Eph. 6. 18. Phil. 3. 3. It is manifest that the apostle speaks of what was so, and not of what was very rare and occasional. So the charge, Walk in the Spirit, comprehends in it all duty, duty that is to run through our whole course, and intimates plainly that there is a communication of the Spirit always ready to go forth. The thing which is hinted in that other precept, which doth but in terms and expression differ from this, Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do, of his good pleasure, Phil. 2. 12, 13. That word xxreyaaba, imports, "labour it out even till it be finished; till you come to the very end of your faith, the salvation. of your souls." This too is an injunction, which exceeds its ground, if we do not suppose that the following words are to

be understood in a proportionable sense, "God worketh in you to will and to do," that is, he is always ready to do so unto the finishing of your salvation.

5.

Secondly. We may consider to this purpose that christians are severely blamed when holy and spiritual actions are not done in the proper time and season of them; which would not be charged upon them, if the Spirit were only arbitrarily suspended and withheld so far as was necessary to any such spiritual action. The inactivity, the sloth, the omissiveness of the necessary duty in the season of it, the sluggish performance, the decays and languors that are upon the spirits of christians are charged upon themselves, and, no doubt, most justly, and most righteously so. See but that one instance in Rev. 2. 4, Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of its place, except thou repent. Why, if the case were not as we now suppose it, it would only be the unhappiness of a soul to be left destitute of vigour and vital active power, not a crime. But we find it charged with great severity as a crime, that there are declinings from the first love, and that the things are not done, which have been done heretofore. Do we think that God would ever have left the matter so as that the case should admit of this reply? "It is true, the things which have been done heretofore, are not done now, but it is none of my fault, for there was no influence to be had, which was most necessary for the doing of them. My first love is lost, I do not love with that fervour, and life and strength as heretofore; but it is no fault of mine, the Spirit did arbitrarily retire, without my iniquity or transgression, upon which this languor is come upon me." We must understand more of consistency in the precepts, and criminations, and communications of the wise and holy God, than to imagine there was place or room left for such explications.

Thirdly. That the Spirit is apt to communicate itself unto renewed souls for such purposes, we may farther argue from hence, that it always can do it without any prejudice to itself. There is an all-sufficient fulness and plenitude of Spirit; it is a perpetual spring which this influence is to go forth from. And therefore whilst these communications can be afforded without any kind of prejudice, it is not to be supposed (the case being as it is, between it and its own offspring, regenerate souls) but that they will, but that they are, always ready to be given forth and we are sure that its fulness admits of no abatement by all its communications. The sun hath lost no

VOL, Y.

:

Y

thing of its warmth and influence by spending it upon the world for almost six thousand years together: much less can infinite fulness suffer diminution. I argue,

Fourthly, from hence, that divine influence doth go forth unto all creatures, and is exhibited unto all natures, according as is needful for their proper and connatural actions, and therefore certainly it will not be withheld from the new creature, and the new nature, so far as is necessary for the actions which are suitable to that. For this would be as strange a supposition, as if one would imagine a prince to be mighty liberal in all his provisions for his servants, but apt to starve his own children, the issue of his body: this is a most unsupposable thing. It is by an influence originally divine, that every creature is enabled to act, whatsoever it acts; enabled, not made to act in many cases, but enabled. It is by a divine influence that every plant and tree brings forth after its kind, that the sun shines, that the fire burns, that all actions are done, and all motions set on foot that are any where to be found through the world. He gives to all breath and being: and all things live, and move, and have their being in him. He feeds the ravens, he feeds the sparrows, he takes care of the lilies, and do we think he will starve and famish the souls which he hath made to live spiritually, so as that they cannot be able to act, or have power to move or stir this way or that, in any holy or spiritual action? This is a thing never to be supposed.

Fifthly. The communicativeness of the Spirit upon this account is hence to be argued, that it is always before-hand with us in its communications. It communicates more than we improve. A very great argument this, that it is not unapt to communicate. Indeed the case is most observably so in the natural world, as I may speak; that is, that active power and principle that works to and fro throughout, doth in proportion much exceed the passive and receptive capacity. Nothing is more evident. The light and influence of the sun would suffice many thousand such earths; this earth is too narrow and too limited a thing to receive and improve all the light and influence of the sun. And then as to what falls upon this earth itself, how much is there of seminal virtue that is lost, as it were, from year to year? As much as might suffice, for ought we know, for ten such earths as this, supposing that all seminal virtue should come to be actually prolific of what is like it in kind, The case is most manifestly so, as to spiritual influences and communications; we are not straitened there, the straitness and narrowness is in the subject, in ourselves, and that blessed