head therefore the demonstration will lie, how it belongs, or that it doth belong, to the state of renewed souls to walk in the Spirit; they may, and they ought. They may, so it speaks their privilege, and the readiness of the Spirit still to co-operate, according to what part is assigned it; they ought, so it speaks their duty; they ought so to walk, that is, so to demean and carry themselves, as that they may, according to the prescribed and appointed methods, make sure to themselves the help, and concurrent influence and co-operation of the Spirit through their course. Both these are plainly enough signified to us by the very words of the text itself; one, as implied, plainly enough implied, and the other more plainly expressed. And it will be necessary to speak unto them severally and distinctly.

1. Walking in the Spirit belongs unto the state of such as are spiritually alive, as a privilege proper thereunto. The injunction, "Walk in the Spirit," plainly supposes that the Spirit is communicable for this purpose, that walking in the Spirit is no impossible thing, that it is a thing which by a stated gracious vouchsafement appertains to the state of them to whom this charge is given. It is a known and unquestionable rule in such cases, that precepts and promises do imply one another and such precept carries in it a virtual promise, any such promise carries in it a virtual precept. The precept supposes the promise, and the promise infers the precept, that is, an obligation to the thing in reference whereto such and such help is promised to be afforded. If it should be enjoined us to walk in the light of the sun, it is supposed that the sun doth ordinarily shine. There is a connection therefore manifestly implied here between the action that is enjoined us, and the supposed communication of the Spirit in order thereto; or its constant communicableness, or aptitude and readiness to communicate itself, according as walking in it doth require. For how harshly would it sound, to enjoin any one to make use of that wherewith he hath nothing at all to do; to use an incommunicable thing, a thing to which I have no pretence, to which I can lay no kind of claim! As if one should enjoin a child to do such or such a thing by the strength of a giant. It is implied that there are certain rules and methods, according whereunto, in a stated way, the Spirit is ready to communicate and give forth itself, in reference unto all those actions and motions, proper to the state of the renewed soul, which are comprehended, as you have heard, under the expression of walking.

The Spirit's part being that therefore which we have to consider and speak to in the first. place, as pre-supposed;

138

there are two things that I shall do in reference to that. I shall shew you, what communication of the Spirit is necessary unto our walking in it, and-the communicativeness of the Spirit, or its aptitude to communicate itself, unto this purpose, and according unto such necessity.

(1.) What communication of the Spirit is necessary unto this, that we may be said to walk in it. We have hinted to you already what communication is necessary, in telling you A what walking in the Spirit implies. A communication both of light and power is necessary. Consider we both these. communication of such light and such power, as are quite of another orb, and belong to another sphere than that of nature; a light that is more than natural, and a power that is more than natural: such light and power are necessary to our walking in the Spirit. We shall speak distinctly unto the one and the other of these.

as you

[1] Walking in the Spirit doth necessarily suppose a communication of spiritual light, or light from the Spirit, as the privilege of truly living christians, proper to their state, which the exigency of their case doth require and call for. This is of the very primordia (as I may speak) of the new creation, that great work of God upon the spirits of men, by which he doth new mould them both for obedience and blessedness. This light keeps within the sphere and verge of his own people, the people that he doth form for himself: O house of Jacob let It plainly means us walk in the light of the Lord. Isa. 2. 5. that directive light which is to guide the course of our walking, will see, if you look back unto the 3d verse of that chapter, "Many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths." That we may do so, it is necessary that he teacheth us his ways, and enlighten our ways, and, as it were, afford us a continual light through the whole course and tract of that way wherein we are to walk. This light is not merely an adventitious, uncertain thing, but a stated, settled thing. It is necessary that it be so in order to our walking in the Spirit. When God began this work of the new creation, the provision was, "Let there be light," that was the care that was taken in the old creation, to which the apostle doth manifestly allude in 2 Cor. 4. 6. God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. He, that at first made light shine out of darkness, in raising up and forming this old world, when he comes to raise the new creation out of the ruins of the old, in the spirits of men,

139 doth the same thing, and followeth the same method. He makes light to shine into those dark and desolate souls, that before were lost in darkness and death, that they may know which way to turn themselves, and to choose their way, what is to be done, and what is not to be done. We are not to think that this light, this more than natural light, is a thing separate from a vital and motive power and influence, but most inwardly and necessarily conjunct and connected therewith as the light of the sun in reference to the sensible world is a vigorous light, a light which hath an influence accompanying it. And think we with ourselves, what a miserable desolation must presently ensue, not only darkness, but death too, if God should put out the sun, and that great luminary of heaven should become all on a sudden totally extinct! What a universal languor would there be upon universal nature, even all on a sudden! Such is the light unto the new world, the new creation of which I am speaking. That spiritual light, as was formerly intimated, is vital light, "light of life." Life is said to be light in that heretofore mentioned, John 1. 4. And when, in Eph. 5. 14. the words are directed unto souls that are asleep and buried, as it were, in death, "Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead," it is superadded what they were to expect from Christ; and one would think it should rather have been said, Christ shall give thee life; but it is said, "Christ shall give thee light," implying that to be a vital light, a light that carries life in it; and which, when he comes efficaciously and powerfully to awaken souls, and by his word make them arise, he must then infuse light and life together in one. Light is spoken of as the very composition of the new creature, as if it were a being all of light, Ye were darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord," and this in reference to their walking as children of the light. Eph. 5. 8. They are made up of light, being born spirit of Spirit, as we had occasion formerly to note. The great and glorious God himself is called the God of light, they are called the children of light. That is their parentage. Light descended of light, begotten of light. "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all." All converse with him is walking in the light as he is in the light, 1 John 1. 7.-It is true, that light signifies holiness, it necessarily connotes it; but then this only, as was heretofore intimated, doth import and signify, that that light, which goes into the composition of the new creature, is efficacious, refining, transforming light, such as makes the soul some way throughout suitable unto the motions of truth, which are now placed in the speculative understanding. Whereas the case is much otherwise with unchanged, unrenewed souls.

There is a discordancy, a disagreement between their habitual frame and temper, and the notions of truth which are in their minds. But when the notions of truth, and the frame and disposition of the heart come to be similar unto one another, then is the soul said to be, as it were, a being of light, it is all light. "Ye were darkness," so men are in their natural and degenerate state, all darkness, the very light that is in them is darkness, but when this change comes to be made, then are they "light in the Lord." Now that which is so natural, and is even in the very constitution of the new creature, must needs be a continual thing; and so must be continually maintained, and is maintained by a continual influence, or irradiation of light from the blessed Spirit upon the soul that it hath begot.

I might be here yet more particular, as it is not unnecessary to be, and shew you both in reference to what objects, and in reference to what acts, such light is needful for our walking in the Spirit.

First. In reference to what objects such light is necessary. What things are there to be discovered and made known to them that are capable of walking in the Spirit, in reference whereto such a light as this is necessary? Many objects we might speak of, if we would particularize, but we shall gather up things (because we intend to speak very briefly) under as general heads as we can.

It is necessary, first, that we have light in reference to the end towards which we are to act or move in this course. Spiritual walking, as you have heard, connotes an end; it is necessary that there be a spiritual light in referetice to that end, unto which the course of this spiritual walking is, and ought to be directed. That end, you know, is no other than the blessed God himself, and him considered, as in Christ; for he is not otherwise accessible; and we are never to think a thought of moving or tending towards him, otherwise than in Christ, and through him. This light is necessary to reveal both the Father and the Son to us. "Shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us." "We need to have him shewn. The disciples acknowledged so much in John 14. 8. It is only in this light that we can see light. Ps. 36. 9. How strangely confused and blundering notions of God have they, who are destitute of this supervening additional light! Whatsoever objects they have, they are dim and without efficacy, and God is known as if he were not known. He hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true, and we are in him. 1 John 5. 20. And we are in him: the knowledge of God in Christ is that which unites, or draws the soul into union; and that is the understanding given; that is the additional, supervening

light. Whosoever sinneth, saith that same apostle, hath not seen God. 1 John 3. 6. i xaxomowy, he that is an evil doer ; (we cannot render it more strictly according to the letter than so) he hath not seen God; that is, he that is in an unregenerate state, he that yet lives a life of sin, he hath not seen God; no beam of true divine light hath ever yet shined in that wretched soul. As our Saviour tells the Jews in John 5. 37. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. Ye have not seen, ye have never found a right notion of God to any purpose. All that while persons are in a very ill condition for walking towards him, for moving and tending God-ward. A soul cannot move blindfold towards its end, but in the light, and with open eyes. And if men are alienated from the life of God, it is through the blindness of their hearts. Ephes. 4. 18. Persons therefore, who are brought to have a participation in the divine life, have, a participation of the divine light at the same time to guide all the course of their motions and operations God-ward, and that continually supplied by his "Spirit of revelation." How strangely at a loss are persons to conceive of the excellencies and beauties of our Lord Jesus Christ, in whom, and through whom we are to tend to God, till this light shine in upon them! The apostle prays in behalf of the Ephesians, that "God would give them the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him," that is, our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom he had spoken before, Ephes. 1. 17. As if he should have said, "You can never come to know him, to own and acknowledge him, (the word there used doth signify acknowledgment) to know him to purpose, unless the Spirit of wisdom and revelation be given. you for that end." Others look upon him as one without form, without comeliness even when they see him, as the expression is to that purpose in Isa. 53. 2. Even while men see him, they see no beautiful object; no inviting, no captivating excellencies are beheld in him, nothing for which he is reckoned desirable from a practical judgment. The Spirit of wisdom and revelation therefore is necessary to this. And when we consider God our end, towards whom through Christ we are now to be moving, the principal consideration of him as our end, is in that state wherein we are finally to acquiesce and rest in him, that is, the future state of glory and blessedness. And how altogether unapprehensive of the attractive power of that end are those souls that are yet destitute of this life! Therefore, in that mentioned Ephes. 1. 18. the apostle prays for the Spirit of wisdom and revelation to be given to the Ephesians, that the eyes of their understanding being enlightened, they might know the hope of their calling, and what is