ages, when the economy of the sacred three in the work of our salvation was but very darkly intimated, this might be` sufficient; as Old Testament saints did not directly pray in the name of Christ, before his mediation was clearly made known, though they were then beholden to that for their acceptance. But now we cannot hope for the answer of our -prayers, unless we offer them explicitly in the name of Christ, and actually depend on his mediation according to the express revelation of it. So it will justly be displeasing to the blessed Spirit now, if an actual acknowledgment of him in his special province be neglected, when that province of his is fully brought to light. As now we must live the life we live in the flesh by the faith of the Son of God; so also by the faith of his Spirit. He expects, that his grace should be actually owned by Christians in all the good they have already received or done; and without it he is like to be provoked to suspend it for the future, till they are made becomingly sensible, to whom they are indebted. And he will be actually depended on for the grace we farther need. An habitual and lively sense of our own insufficiency for that which is good should be maintained, and a fixed persuasion of his ability and readiness to help our infirmities: and accordingly we should often apply to God, not only for those spiritual blessings, which the Spirit confers; but directly for the Spirit to confer them. This is the way to obtain his most enlarged supplies, when he is expressly honored as the Spirit of all grace.

5. We should carefully improve and fall in with his influences, as they are afforded. This is the thing imported by the phrase of "being led by the Spirit," Rom. viii. 14. Gal.

v. 18.

It implies a care to observe his motions. And every good motion is from him. We are not blindly to pursue every thought started in our minds, and therefore not even his suggestions without examination: otherwise very evil motions, from the devil or our own deluding imaginations, may be mistaken for his too many under pretence of the Spirit's impulse have run into the greatest extravagancies, to the disgrace of the Spirit, the prejudice of others, and their own great, misery. But any suggestion that occurs, must be tried by the rule of his own word. "To the law and to the testimony; if it be not according to this word, there is no light," no good,

ness in it, Isa. viii. 20. But if it appear unquestionably good by that rule, then we should fall in with it. And indeed this may be one way of cherishing his influences, which cannot fail to be exceeding pleasing to him. When we find our hearts smite us for some frame or action as amiss, or for the omission of something we have hitherto neglected or done little in; let us turn to the sacred oracles, and endeavour to learn thence the mind of God in such a case; and if conscience has been excited by the Spirit to give us such an admonition, we shall find something in scripture to confirm the conviction, to shew us more fully the evil of a practice we are reflecting upon, or the excellence of a grace or duty, to which he is moving us and so we shall by his word cultivate and cherish his gracious motion.

And when we are convinced that the suggestion is good, and therefore from him, our business is ready compliance; that we suffer not corrupt inclinations to stifle it, nor allow excuses from humour or any temporal inconveniences; that we be not slothful, but immediately set ourselves to amend what is amiss, and to practice the duty we are convinced of. Happy they, who immediately obey the heavenly motion, as soon as they are convinced of its original! Who are led by him, wherever they perceive him to be their guide! And give up themselves to be conducted by him to the utmost heights of goodness, to which he would carry them. This is walking after the Spirit in the most excellent sense. Such souls shall not fail to be filled with him in an eminent measure. The third general head remains to be considered, viz.

III. The obligations which lie upon Christians to aim at

this.

I have prevented myself, in much that might have been offered upon this head, by what hath been already suggested concerning the desirableness of it. I shall only now propose. the following considerations.

1. The clear revelation we have received concerning his agency, beyond the former ages of the church, lays us under a further engagement to seek after him, and a large share of his influences and fruits. When such a benefit is set in full view, shall it not excite desire and ambition to obtain the most of him that we can? hath he discovered so much goodness of himself in

his own revelation, and of his willingness to do the kindest offices for us? Must not the design of this be to attract our hearts? And shall he be neglected and made light of in any part of the offers he hath made us? Shall we know more of the Spirit, and yet have less of him, than many saints under the Old Testament? How unworthy and unbecoming will

this be?

2. The dignity of his person should make us ambitious of such a guest, when he is willing to dwell with us. He is no less than the Spirit of God; and the apostle tells us in what sense he is so; just as our souls are the spirit of a man; and as perfectly conscious of the things of God, as the spirit of a man is of the things of a man; and therefore entirely furnished to make us know the singular gifts of his rich grace, which were hidden before, but now made manifest in the gospel, 1 Cor. ii. 10-12. God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have not received the Spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God." St Paul here tells us, that the things of God made known in the gospel, were such as none but God was privy to, till he revealed them by his Spirit. But his Spirit as fully knew them, as a man's spirit is conscious of that which passes within him, which no other man knows; and he revealed those deep things of God to the apostles, and by them to the world. Now it is this same Spirit of God, that is proposed to us as the divine agent in our breasts, who is as intimately conscious of the things of God, as the spirit of a man is conscious of the things in a man. If he dwell in us, God dwells in us; we are the habitation of God, as far as we are the habitation of the Spirit. How should every saint aspire then to be full of God, of his light, and love, and

likeness?

3. His relation to Christ obliges Christians to aim at the fullest participation of him. He is eminently stiled "the Spirit of Christ," Rom. viii. 9. Gal. iv.. 6. For he is one of the most eminent fruits of his purchase; one of the principal blessings which it was in his kind heart to obtain for us,

when he stooped to the lowest abasement for our sakes. "He was made a curse for us, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith," Gal. iii. 13, 14. He esteemed the Spirit more advantageous for us, than the continuance of his own bodily presence with his church, John xvi. 7. And as he undertook to pray the Father at his entrance into heaven, for the actual sending of this comforter, John xiv. 16. So when he was ascended on high, he gave this gift unto men. And the Spirit's province is directly to supply Christ's room, to be another Comforter; to pursue Christ's work, applying the benefits of his purchase to souls; and so to glorify him, John xvi. 14. "He shall glorify me; for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.' then we have a value for our blessed Master, if we think that he has provided well for our interest; we should desire to be filled with the Spirit, which will be most pleasing and honourable to him, and he assures us will be most profitable to ourselves.

If

4. Our relation to Christ will be most clearly proved by this. If we are destitute of this grace of the Spirit prevailing in us, Christ will not own us for his, Rom. viii. 9. "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." He cannot be his, for our union with Christ is by his Spirit, 1 Cor. xii. 12, 13. "As the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, (being animated with one soul;) so also is Christ; for by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit." Alluding to the two Christian sacraments, which all Christians are commanded to observe in token of their union to Christ the head, and to all the other members of his body. What those signs do figuratively, the one Spirit that animates them all, does really. Our relation to Christ will be more or less evident, in proportion to the degrees of our participation of his Spirit. A solid joy in Christ cannot be full, unless we are filled with the Spirit; because where that joy is right, it is one of the Spirit's fruits; and therefore must rise or fall in proportion to his influences. And he is not used to give strong consolation, where he has not formed eminent graces. Confident assurance without this, is indeed a very suspicious thing.

5. By this means we shall be "vessels of honor, sanctified and meet for our Master's use," 2 Tim. ii. 21. 2 Tim. ii. 21. And we can never be so otherwise. We shall be like the vessels of the temple, fit to be employed by him for sacred uses: furnished to every good work under his light, quickening, and culture; and prepared to bear any suffering well, if the Spirit of God rest upon us, animating us with fortitude and comfort answerable to our day. This has carried the feeble sex and tender youth, triumphant through death in all its terrors, and the most exquisite contrivances to shock flesh and blood. And should it not be the point of honor, to which every servant of Christ should aspire, that he may acquit himself to the fullest approbation and glory of his blessed Lord?

6. "So an entrance will be ministered to us abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ," 2 Pet. i. 11. We shall be in a good measure ripe for heaven, by the time that we come thither: able to look forward to it as a blessed hope, and to comfort ourselves with the prospect in all the uneasinesses to nature and grace, which now attend us. Our actual passage from one world to the other, is like to be serene and joyful; for what evil have we to fear, if God be with us in that valley by his Spirit? That will almost make it a valley of vision, as the gate of heaven. And when we come there distinguishing rewards will be conferred. Those eminently filled with the Spirit now, will be capable of receiving a greater fulness of glory, as the scripture most frequently assures us, that it is prepared for them.

Upon the whole then,

1. We are led by this subject, as indeed we may be al most by every theme of divine meditation, to admire the wisdom and the grace of the evangelical dispensation. It excites both sinners and saints, to "work out their own salvation with fear and trembling; (but yet with hope,) because it is God worketh in them, both to will and to do, of his own good pleasure," Phil. ii. 12, 13. It provides effectually for the honor of free and powerful grace, and yet at the same time for the encouragement of reasonable creatures to shew themselves men, and to exert all the powers which their Maker has given them.