gle the act, and never let it be brought forth at all. But then we must not suppose that the power by which the work is done, is a thing only at this time given, and that there is no principle in the soul itself which it acts from; for there is a principle implanted and fixed in the soul, and though that re quires to be acted, it is the way and method of the Spirit to act in and by that principle, or put that principle upon action. So that walking in the Spirit is walking in the exercise of the implanted principles of grace, and not without them, or not having any such work wrought or done in us; as if a person should be habitually inclined one way, and yet act another; believe, without a principle of faith; or love God, without a principle of love; or fear, without a principle of fear, by hav ing these actions erected in him by the Spirit, without the habits from whence they are to proceed, and to which they are connatural. This is not to be supposed. And therefore when soever any walk in the actual exercise of grace, they walk in the Spirit. And it is very observable to this purpose that you have several fruits of the Spirit, or gracious principles enumerated immediately before the text, ver. 22, 23. You are there told what the fruits of the Spirit are; or what the principles are which this Spirit is the productive cause of, and then it is afterwards subjoined, "If we live in the Spirit," or have all these principles, "let us also walk in the Spirit," that is, in acting and exercising these principles. Hence therefore we read of walking by faith, (2 Cor. 5. 7.) and walking in the fear of the Lord, (Acts 9. 31.) and walking with God, (Mic. 6. 8.) and of walking in love. Eph. 5. 2. To walk in the exercise

of these several graces of the Spirit, is walking in the Spirit. (6.) It implies walking in the way of the Lord with freedom of choice, and from a spontaneous inclination; from both the notion of walking, which is voluntary, and the addition in the Spirit, which is the great Author of all liberty wheresoever it is; Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty, 2 Cor. 3. 17. A person is not the less, but the more free by being im pelled and moved by the Spirit; for it is the Spirit that makes him free and enlarges him: I will walk at liberty, says the Psalmist, for I keep thy precepts, psalm. 119, 46. And I will run the ways of thy commandments when thou shalt ens large my heart, ver. 32.

(7.) It implies a continued reference to a rule. To walk in the Spirit is not to walk extravagantly, as those that know no measures or limits in their walking, and are as the wild ass used to the wilderness, Jer. 2. 24. It is opposed to walking after lust, or the inclinations of corrupt nature which you know is the only principle of all extravagancy. This I say, says the

apostle in the 16th verse of this chapter, "Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh." The apostolical authority and majesty, which is imported in that solemn preface, is of very great remark and note. This I say, this I determine, this is one of the sacred effata and dictates which I pronounce to you in the name of the great God and Redeemer, whose office and authority I bear; "This I say, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh." That Spirit will be a principle of holy order and regularity to you in all your walking: So the great promise of it implies in Ezek. 36. 27. I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes. You shall then be willing to walk in a prescribed way, the way that I line and rule out unto you all along.

(8.) It implies a complacential course of walking on in religion. Walking in the Spirit is walking cheerfully; it belongs to it, it is comprehended within the compass of it. Whenever any have the Spirit, this lies within their walk; it is part of that spiritual walk to be conversant, amidst consolations and joys and pleasures, and it is part of the signification of that expression, "Come let us walk in the light of the Lord." Light doth many times signify (besides knowledge, and holiness) joy, delight, pleasure. Walking is a motion for recreation, as you have heard; spiritual walking is a motion, if it be entirely in itself, amidst spiritual joys and comforts. The churches walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied, in the before-mentioned 9. Acts 31. That sure was walking in the Spirit. It is suitable to the way in which christians are to walk, which is throughout, in every part of it, a way of pleasantness, and a path of peace, Prov. 3. 17. It is the Spirit that causes holy ones to walk in this way, and then sure it works in them a disposition suitable to the way. And if the way is pleasant, and the heart is suitably disposed thereunto, it cannot but be pleasant walking, so far as that disposition is in that pleasant

(9.) It is a continuing in the course and practice of religion, For walking is a continued motion: and therefore they that are said to walk in the Spirit, do not begin in the Spirit, and then think to be made perfect by the flesh (as the expression is in Gal. 3. 3.) but they continue in a course of spiritual motion.

(10.) Lastly. It imports a progress in spirituality. As was said before, there may be a continued motion that is not progressive; but walking in the Spirit imports a progressive motion in a course of spirituality. When persons make still nearer and nearer approaches unto their end, the term of their course; draw nearer and nearer to God, and as they draw

nearer to him, find a gradual influence of divine light and life and power, more discernable impressions of the divine image, grow more and more into a suitableness to him; are more acquainted with him, are brought unto higher delectation, and to take more complacency in him: this is walking in the Spirit ; when a man's path, as it is said concerning the righteous man, is as the shining light, that shines more and more, brighter and brighter, unto the perfect day, Prov. 4. 18. As you know the nearer approach we make unto the light of a glorious lucid object, the more light we have, still all along as we go, our way grows more and more lightsome. And strength grows and increases too with the light, The righteous shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger, Job. 17. 9. There is an increase with the increase of God. They do not walk in the Spirit therefore who keep moving, but move in a circle, or in a round of empty sapless duties, keep up the formalities of religion, and no more; but they walk in the Spirit who make a progress, who go forward, who draw nearer and nearer unto God, and become more suitable and like him, and fit for his eternal converse, and for all the present service whereto he calls them.

SERMON XIII.*

IT is the latter part of the verse that we are upon, from which, considered in that reference which it carries to the former, we have observed.-That it belongs to the state of them, who are made alive by the Spirit of God, to walk in the Spirit. We have proposed in speaking to this, to shew you,what walking in the Spirit imports, and-how it belongs unto the state of living christians thus to walk.-The former we have already spoken to, and now go on to the other, namely

II. To evince to you, that it belongs to the state of those, that live in the Spirit, thus to walk in it. Now we are to shew you, that it belongs to the state of such, as a privilege; and therein, the part of the Holy Ghost to cause and conduct all the holy motions of renewed souls: and also, that it belongs to their state, as a duty, and therein we are to shew you our part. The motion of this or that thing, if it can be said to be its own motion as this is said to be ours (for we must "walk in the Spirit") signifies a part to be done by it; and we therefore have a part to do, in compliance with, and in subordination to the Spirit of God, in this thing. There cannot be walking in the Spirit, but there must be a concurrence of its part, and ours; its, according to its supremacy, and ours, according to our subordination. Under this second

* Preached March 13th, 1677. at Cordwainer's Hall,

137 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 cught. They may, so it speaks their privilege, and the readiness of the Spirit still to co-ope rate, 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 ;