SERMON XVI.*

WE now go on

2. To shew, that it belongs to the state of regenerate persons, to walk in the Spirit, as a duty. The former, namely, that it belongs to them as a privilege, is implied in the precept, as you have heard; this latter is expressed in it, as you plainly see, Walk in the Spirit. It is a thing enjoined upon christians, or those who are supposed to live in the Spirit, that they walk in it. This therefore doth imply, that somewhat is incumbent upon us as matter of duty, with which a participation of the Spirit, in order to our walking in it, is connected. And it will be here requisite to say somewhat concerning this connexion, and-to give you an account of those things wherewith such participation of the Spirit is connected.

(1.) It is requisite to premise somewhat concerning this connexion. That there is such a connexion is plain to you already, from what hath been said: the precept doth manifestly suppose it. What kind of connexion it is, I shall very briefly shew you, only in these two particulars, namely that it is a gratuitous, and-that it is yet a sure connexion.

[1.] It is a gratuitous connexion. Not a natural one, as though it could not possibly have been but that, if such and such things should be by way of grace procured, or done for

• Preached April 3d. 1678, at Cordwainer's Hall.

any of the children of men, still a farther, and a farther communication of the Spirit must needs ensue. And we know there are many things that are so connected in their own natures that it would imply a contradiction, that one should be, and the other not. But such connexion there is not in the present case. For if we should reflect upon any of the things wherewith we may suppose such a communication of the Spirit to be most connected, it would be apparent that the connexion is most gratuitous, we can reflect upon nothing wherewith it is more eminently connected than with faith, as we shall have occasion to shew presently. But no man can suppose the connexion to be natural between an act of faith exerted and put forth in and by my soul, and a participation consequent thereupon of an influence from the eternal and almighty Spirit of God. For how is it concerned in me, if it did not concern itself? Or what claim, or challenge could there have been, if it had not brought itself under an obligation, of such a divine influence. As well might a worm that crawls upon the earth, command the motions of the sun, or occasion it so and so to communicate its influence and its light. When we say it is a gratuitous connexion, it imports these two things:

First. That it is a connexion made with absolute, sovereign liberty that such a connexion might have been, or might not have been antecedently to its being settled and made.

Secondly, It imports not only liberty, but complacency in the vouchsafement: that whatsoever is done in such a way is done with delight, that he that doth it, takes pleasure in the doing of it. Indeed both these are manifestly imported in that expression in Phil. 2. 13. It is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Of his good pleasure, that is, so as that he might have forborne so to work, if it had pleased him; and while he doth so work in us, it doth most highly please him so to work, or to vouchsafe that co-operative influence. He doth it with delight; as it were, enjoining his own act, and gratifying himself in the benignity of his own nature, from whence it doth proceed that he works with such creatures as these.

In both these ways we must understand it to be gratuitous, that there is any such connexion between any thing of our duty, and such a participation of the Spirit. It is gratuitous the former way antecedently to any such connexion made and settled, as hath been shewn. It is gratuitous in the latter sense continuedly all along, while this connexion doth hold, as it will perpetually hold. For though it be true indeed, that after this connexion is once made and settled, he, who had made and settled it, hath brought himself under an obligation, so as

that he will not rescind it, as we shall presently shew you, and therefore it is not now continued upon such terms, as that it may, or may not be; yet it is gratuitous still in the latter sense, that is, as being continued with complacency, he never repenting that he hath made such a connexion, but remaining in the same mind still, and always; that we doing so and so, or there being such dispositions and frames of spirit inwrought in us, they shall be earnests and pledges to us of still farther communications of his Spirit, according to the tenour of his own law and rule, habenti dabitur, "to him that hath shall be given." So it is a gratuitous connexion.

[2.] It is a sure connexion. Most stable and firm, such as whereof we need not fear an alteration. This may seem not so well to agree with the former; if it be so free and gratuitous, then some may think that it should not be so sure. But the apostle hath taught us to argue otherwise in this case, and to understand the matter quite after another tenour, in that passage of his, in Rom. 4. 16. Therefore it is of faith, that it might be of grace, to the end that the promise might be sure to all the seed. That is, the evangelical promise in general, whereof this, of the communication of the Spirit is one great part, yea, itself sometimes goes, in the language of the New Testament under the name of the promise. Ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost for the promise is to you and your children, in Acts. 2. 38, 39. It is therefore free, that it might be sure. This, I confess, according to the manner of men, would not be thought good logic. Things in reference whereto men act freely, or are left to their liberty, one would think were very unsure. But it is not so with the blessed God in this case. We are so much the more ascertained by how

much the more the root and foundation of this connexion is in grace. For we must consider how grace hath laid out its own method, and made way for the pursuing and bringing about its own great design. Consider it in reference to this very case, the communication of the Spirit; it was obtained by a Mediator; it was so designed and determined, that no influence of the Spirit should go forth in order to saving purposes unto the lost and apostate children of men, but in and through a Mediator. Therefore it is told us again and again in Scripture that it is he that sends it, or if the Father be said to send it, that he would send it in his name. Both these forms of expression you have in the 14th and 15th chapters of John's gospel, and to the same purpose, somewhat in the 16th. And he was made a curse for us, for this purpose, that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles, that they might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith, in Gal. 3. 14.

171 And hereupon, upon the susception and undertaking of the Mediator, a covenant is established and settled on sure promises, a system of sure promises comprized and formed up together, in which, as was said before, this is, the main thing, that the Spirit should be given forth. Now the whole undertaking of the Mediator must otherwise fail and come to nothing, and all these promises, which are yea, and amen in him, 2 Cor. 1.20. So that hence it cannot but be that, though, as you, have heard, this is a connexion most arbitrarily made, yet it is a most sure and certain connexion notwithstanding; inasmuch as the Spirit, wheresoever it is given forth, is given forth through a Mediator and upon the promise. And so we must understand the tenour of this connexion, as that upon, such duty the participation of the Spirit will still ensue, in farther and farther degrees; and where there is no such thing as is incumbent upon us in a way of duty, there we cannot promise it to ourselves in any certain stated course, though according to its absolute liberty, it can go forth and let out its influence when, and where it pleases.

(2.) We are now to consider the things themselves that are charged upon us as matter of duty, wherewith the participation of the Spirit is connected. And they are such as these :

[1.] A sense of our indigent state in this respect: that we stand in the greatest need of this blessed Spirit and its vital influences, for all the purposes of the Christian life: that we can do nothing, nothing as we should, not turn a hand, or move a foot without it. It was most reasonable, that the gradual communications of this Spirit should be in connexion with such a disposition and temper of soul in us. For do we think it were honourable that the Spirit should be under an obligation there to be and work, where there is no apprehension at all of any work done, but what might as well be done by a common hand; and that it should do the work, and we have the honour of it, that there should be a disposition in us to arrogate it to ourselves, if there be any holy, gracious operation in us, which hath a tendency to our future happy being. Nothing is more apparent than that there was a high congruity in it, that the Spirit should still go forth in its gradual commu nications and exertions of its influence, so as that there be a sense still preserved in the subject to be gradually wrought upon, that without it we can do nothing. We may easily see how the matter stands in this respect, if we do but consider where there have been most manifest languishings and decays, feebleness and weakness, as to all the actions and operations of the spiritual life. As to instance in the church of Laodicea, it is plain they were got into a posture very unsuitable unto

walking in the Spirit, and see what their sense was of themselves, and of their own state all this while : Thou sayest I am rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing, and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. Rev. 3. 17. If they are blindand maimed creatures, whom this Spirit is to have the conduct of, it doth justly insist upon this, that they reflect, and understand themselves to be blind and maimed, that they cannot go without being led, without being supported and borne up in their way all along. And while there is little of this sense among us of our great need of the continual influence of the blessed Spirit in order to the conducting the whole course of our walking, it is not much to be wondered at, if this Spirit do suspend and restrain its influences, and be at a very great distance from us. And I am afraid there is very little of this sense among us at this day, that it is too generally thought, that we can do well enough without the Spirit. There is not that notion and apprehension, yet there seems to be that practical judgment, "we do not need the Spirit ;" and when we are left destitute of it in a great measure, we do not feel a need of it, and there is little complaint that the Spirit is retired, and not given forth as some have found it in former days. Grey Lairs are here and there upon us, yet we know it not (to apply those words to this purpose, which might mean another thing in) Hos. 7. 9. It is with a great many christians as it is said to have been with Samson in Judges 16. 20. He wist not that the Lord was departed from him. God was gone, and his great strength was gone, and he knew it not, but thought to have found it with him as at other times. When we walk on from day to day in a course of ordinary duty, and it may be get nothing by it, no life, no strength, no influence of the Spirit, how little sense is there all this while of its absence from us! How few, that regret the matter! One would think there should be strange palpitations and throbbings of heart among us, to think how little there is of the Spirit of the living God breathing in his own ordinances, and through the most sacred, weighty and important truths that we hear from time to time. Methinks

our hearts should misgive us, and we should be often recounting with ourselves, What will this come to? A religion not animated by the Spirit, in which there is no life, no influence, what will it come to ?

[2.] A deep apprehension, or an inward, cordial owning of the arbitrariness of the Spirit and its communications, and of our own great unworthiness thereof. This is another thing wherewith we are to account the stated communications of the