SERM. the Commiffion of any known Sin, we
XVII. shall drive him away from us. For, tho'
Sanctification is the proper Work of the
Holy Ghoft, yet it is requifite, that we com-
ply with his Motions to make them ef-
fectual; we have a Liberty left, either of
accepting or refufing the Affiftance of
his Grace, and it is in our own Power
to make ourselves either eternally happy
or miferable. How great Reason then
have we to praise and magnify the Name
of God; with what Joy and Gladness of
Heart, with what Zeal and Fervency of
Devotion ought we to celebrate those glo-
rious Festivals which the Church, even
from the Apoftolical Times has fet a-part
in Commemoration of this wonderful Blef-
fing of fending the Holy Spirit to com-
fort us, and affift us in the Performance of
thofe Things, which we have not Strength
and Ability to effect? It must needs have
been very beneficial to us, if our Bleffed
Saviour had thought it expedient to have
taken up
his Abode here upon Earth, and
to have governed his Kingdom in Person;
we should have reaped great Advantage
by his watchful Infpection, his whole-
fome Advice, his fweet Converfation, and
his exact and perfect Example. Yet our
Saviour himfelf has intimated to us, that

the

1

80

Joh. xvi.

7.

the Gift of the Holy Spirit is attended SERM. with ftronger Motives to Holiness, than XVII. his perfonal Residence amongst us could áfford: It is expedient for you that I away. The internal Operation of the Holy Ghost will more effectually convince the Judgment, fubdue the Will, and affect the Heart, than any exterior Word or Example can. Let us then humbly and meekly submit ourselves to this Bleffed Spirit; let us wait upon him with Faith and Reverence; let us frequent his Ordinances, receive his Infpirations, cherish his Motions; and let us praise and magnify the Name of our good God, for fending him to rule and govern us. Amen and

Amen.

SERMON

SERM.
XVIII.

SERMON XVIII.

The Duty of walking in the Spirit.

GALAT. V. 25.

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

T

HERE is nothing which is more talked of, by Profeffors of all Denominations, nor is there any Thing which is more univerfal ly pretended to, than the Gifts and Graces of God's Holy Spirit; and yet generally there is no Article of our Faith more perverted and lefs understood; and that which is moft deplorable is, that many of those Divines, who have treated most largely and on fet Purpose on this Argument, seem to have done nothing, but to have rendered thofe Expreffions, which, in themselves, were plain and natural, per

plexed and unintelligible. Enthufiafts, in SERM. the Church of Rome, and, amongst some XVIII. Proteftants, make it their chief Bufinefsto teach Men how to lead a spiritual Life; but when they come to explain this to their Hearers, by affecting an uncouth and unusual Way of expreffing themselves, they either amuse us with common and known Truths, or gild over dangerous and antiquated Errors with Scripture Phrafe.

THE Words, which I have read to you, are a remarkable Inftance of this; which, though they contain Truths, which, if duly understood, may be of great Use to us, yet have they been perverted to countenance the most extravagant Conceits of a heated Fancy. The Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord, was the general Cry of the Zealots amongst the Jews; and Walking by the Spirit, and Living by the Spirit, is the distinguishing Phrafe of the Quakers and Enthufiafts amongst us; and therefore, I hope, it will not be judged unfeasonable, that I spend the Time allotted me, in giving you the full Import and true Meaning of thefe Words: If we live in the Spirit, let us walk in the Spirit. In the Performance of which I fhall fhew,

SERM.

XVIII. I. WHAT is meant by Spirit.
~II, WHAT, by Living in the Spirit.

III. WHAT, by Walking in the Spirit.
IV. WHERE the Force of the Apostle's
Argument lies, that, if we Live in the
Spirit, we ought to Walk in the Spi-

rit.

V. and Laftly, I SHALL conclude with fome Inferences from the Whole.

I, WHAT is meant by the Spirit. Amongst the many Acceptations of this Word which are to be met with in the Holy Scripture, I fhall only take Notice of the four following; because all the other may be reduced to these, and thefe are fufficient to prepare our Way for the better Understanding what I have to fay upon this Subject. And,

I. THE Word Spirit is fometimes put for the Mind of a Man, and in this Senfe John iv. it is taken by St. John, where to worship

24.

God in Spirit, is to worship him in our Souls, in Oppofition to that bodily Worship in which fome Men place the Whole of their Religion, who appear before God with their Bodies, but their Minds are in fome other Place, and taken up with fome other Employment; and thus