patience for fuch childes-part as he can have no hope of from a Itranger. If we do fo to our Heavenly Father, leading the life of faith with him; cafting our felves upon his gracious providence for all good things of either World; and fixing our eyes upon that glorious inheritance which he hath purchafed for us above, we do evidently fhow our felves to be the fons of God; but what need we any other evidence of this bleffed condition, then what is here expiefly laid down to our hands in my Text? So many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the Sons of God.

What is it then to be led by the Spirit of God? The originall is (dynas) a word, which every Grammarian knowes to fignifie both agi, and duci, to be led, or driven; fo where it is faid by one Evangelift that Chrift was led into the wilderness to be temped, Mat. 4. I. Of another it is read; that he was driven, Mark 1. 12. And though the vulgar reads it here qui aguntur, yet our Rhemifts turn it, Those that are led; noteing in the margin, out of St. Augustines true explication, that Gods children are not violently compelled against their wills, but fweetly drawn, moved, and induced to do good; So as this word then implies; both an act of Gods Spirit working in us; and our complying with that act in an obedient and ready conformity thereunto: For wherever the Spirit of God is, it is not idle and ineffectuall, but it is ftill directing and inclining unto good; and whosoever is led by that Spirit, yields himself to the motions and guidance; Ati agimus, as the old word is. In all leading therefore, and fo in this, there must be an hand to guide, and a foot to follow; good motions on Gods part, and motions in good, on ours; both thefe must go together, elfe there is no leading by the Spirit of God. It is not enough that good thoughts are injected into us by the holy Spirit; yea it is fo farr from avaling us, as that a man is fo much the worfe for those good motions he entertaines not, as the motions are more excellent, and divine. But thofe good injections must be received, imbraced, delighted in, and followed home in a conftant and habituall practise; with a refolute rejection, and deteftation of the contrary.

Befides that fpirit of our mind (Ephef. 4. 23.) which lodgeth in every breft; every man is led by fome fpirit or other: One is led by a fpirit of Errour (1 Tim. 4. 1.) and feduction in matter of understanding: Another by the spirit of giddiness, Efa. 19. 14. into

S 2

wild

wild fa ncies, and brainfick imaginations; another is led by the Spirit of bondage, to flavish fears, and afflictive horrours, as in the next verse to my Text; another, by the spirit of the World, 1 Cor. 2. 12. Another (and indeed all thefe) by the unclean Spirit, as he is usually ftyled, in the Gofpell; others which are all the regenerate are led by the Spirit of God: when our Saviour faid to his too fiery Difciples, Te know not of what Spirit ye are, he implies that of fome spirit they muft needs be: now there are those that pretend to be led by the Spirit of God, and are not. St. Paul could upon good warrant say, Itruft I have the Spirit of God; that truft was (however he modeftly expreffes it) no leffe then a certain knowledg; but a Zidkijah on the other fide in a false presumption can fay, which way went the Spirit of God from me, to speak to thee?

I remember in the hiltory of the Anal aptists of Munster, one of thofe illuminated companions of John Becold, and Cnipperdoling is faid to have kill'd his own naturall Brother in the face of his parents; and profeffed to do it upon a revelation from the Spirit, the night before; And what herefies, and prodigious opinions have been fet on foot, and maintained to the death under pretence of the di&tation and warrant of Gods Spirit, who can be ignorant? Let us therefore enquire how a man may know, whether he be truly led by the Spirit of God.

First then the Spirit of God leads no man bat in a right way: and what is that but the way of Gods Commandements? All other wayes are wayes of our own, oblique and crooked, as deviating from the ftraight line of righteoufneffe: In them either we lead our felves, or Satan leads us; If any man be tempted; let him not say that he is tempted of God; God moves to holy duties, to juft and charitable actions, and none but them; for he cannot be contrary to himself: Is there any of us therefore that is carried on in a courfe of uncleanneffe, excefs, difobedience, oppreffion, or any other fin whatsoever; Alas, we are led by a contrary fpirit in the dark wayes that lead to death and Hell. It were blafphemy to father these finfull mif-leadings upon the holy Spirit of God.

Secondly, Gods Spirit leads no man but by a juft rule; That rule is the word of truth, in all matter of judgment that muft direct us ; uncertain and variable Traditions, private and ungrounded Revelations, which are any way croffe to this recorded will of God are

the

the deceitful guides, of the spirit of errour. If then any frantick or fuperftitious perfon, fhall pretend any other direction then God hach given us in his revealed will; well may I fay of him, as St. Paul dares fay of an Angel from Heaven (if any fuch could be guilty of that offence) Let him be Anathema.

Thirdly, Gods Spirit leads his fweetly and gently, difponit omnia fuaviter, not in a bluftring and hurrying violence, but by a leafurely, and gracious inclination; fo in Elijahs vifion; There was fire, wind, Earthquake, but God was in none of them; thefe were fit preparatives for his appearance; but it was the fill foft voice, wherein God would be revealed, 1 Kings 19. 12. Thofe that are carried with an heady and furious impetuoufneffe, and vehemence of paffion in all their proceedings, which are all rigour and extremity; are not led by that good fpirit, which would be ftyled the spirit of meeknefs; who was pleased to defcend not in the form of an Eagle, or any other foul of prey, but in the form of a meek and innocent dove.

Fourthly, Gods Spirit leads on in a conftant way of progreffion from grace grace to grace, from vertue to vertue, like as the fun arifes by. degrees to his full meridian; whereas paffion goes by fuddain flashes like lightning; whereof the interruptions are as fpeedy and momentany as the eruptions; The very word of leading implies a continuance; neither can they be faid to be led on, that make no proceedings in their way; if either therefore we go backward, or tand ftill in goodneffe;it we promove not from ftrength to strength, we have no ground to think we are led by the Spirit of God.

Laftly, Fleth and Spirit are ever oppofite one to the other, and go ftill contrary wayes, and lead to contrary ends; If ye walk after the flesh, ye shall dye, faith our Apoftle. Nature and Grace which have their hands in this manuduction both wayes, ftand in perpetual oppofition to each other; If therefore we be led by our fenfual appetite to do and affect that which is pleafing to corrupt nature, we are led by that blind guid the fleth, and if the blind lead the blind, it is no marvell if both of them fall into the pit of perdition; but if we mortify our evil and corrupt affections; croffing and curbing our exorbitant and finful defires, and bringing them forceably under the fubjection of Gods Spirit: Now we may be affured to be led by the Spirit of God.

Other

Other particularities of difcovery might be urged, whereby we might easily judg of our own condition; but thefe are enow whereby we may try our felves, our guides and wayes: It is cleare then (to fumme up thefe proofes of our eftate) that only they who walk in the wayes of Gods commandements, who are directed by the revealed Will and word of God; who are fweetly inclined by the gracious motions of his Spirit; who go on in a conftant fashion,through all the degrees of grace and obedience; who reftrain their own natural defires and affections, fubmitting themselves wholy to the government of the Holy Ghoft; onely they (I fay) are led by the Spirit of God.

Five forts of men there are, therefore,who, what challenge so ever they may pretend to make, are not led by the Spirit of God,

First, thofe that go on in a known evil way; Lead me O Lord in the wayes of thy righteoufneffe, faith the Pfalmift: Lo, they are only the pathes of righteoufneffe in which God leads us; the reft are falfe wayes, as the Pfalmift juftly calls them, which every good heart, and much more the holy God utterly abhors; wo is me that I have lived to fee thofe dayes wherein any that looks with the face of a Chriftian fhould maintain that fins are no fins to the faithful; and that he is the holiest man that can fin the boldlyeft, and with the greatest freedom from reluctancy: Did ever any man look for Heaven in Hell before? Did ever any feek for the greatest good in the worst of evils? This is not herefie, but meer Devilifme;wherewith yet, it feems, fome ungrounded foules, are wofully tainted; God be merciful to them, and reclaim them cre it be too late from fo damnable an impiety.

Secondly, thofe that are led by their own vain imaginations, and illufive dreams in the wayes of error; raifing unto themselves new and wild opinions, and practifes, without any warrant from the written word of God.

Thirdly, thofe that are carried by paffion, and diftemper, though even in good waies; turning a religious heat into fury, and uncharitable rage.

Fourthly, those that make no progreffe at all in good, but either decay in grace, or thrive not.

And lastly, thofe that humour, and footh up corrupt nature,careing only to fulfil the lufts of their own flesh:All thefe,whereof God

knowes

knowes there are too many in the World, yea in the Church of God making a fair flourish of Chriftianity, are nothing leffe then led by the Spirit of God; and therefore can lay no claim to the state or title of the Sons of God: which is inferred in the connexion of this qualification with the priviledg: being the third head of our difcourse, So many as are led by the Spirit of God, are the Sons of

God.

The Spirit of God, is God; neither is mention made here of the Spirit only, as by way of exclufion of the other perfons: No, what one doth, all do, according to the old maxime. All the external works of the Trinity are indivifible; it is good reason then, that God fhould lead his own, and fo he doth: But here it will be fit for us,How far this leading of Gods Spirit will argue and evince this fonship, and whether every conduct thereof will do it ?

There is a work of the Spirit of God at large; The Spirit of God fills all the world, faith the Wifeman, wifdem 1. 7.

Not fo yet, as was the errour of P. Abailardus in Bernard, That Gods Spirit is anima mundi as the God of the World, not as the foul of the World: As in the ftate of the first Tohu and Bohu, the Spirit of God flattered upon the Waters, as it were to hatch the creature whicd fhould be produced, Gen. 2. fo doth he ftill fill the world for the preservation of this univerffe: But in this all, he works in man efpecially; There is a fpirit in man, faith Elihu in Job 32. 8. and the infpiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding; yet this is not the leading of this holy Spirit, that we are in hand with; lower then this, there are certain common graces wrought in men by the Spirit of God; as fome general i luminations in the knowledg of divine things; fome good moral difpofitions, fome reftraints of evil inclinations and actions, which yet will never reach to evince our fon-fhip to God. How eafily were it for me to name you divers Heathens which have been eminent in all these, and yet (for ought we know ) never the nearer to Heaven; yet lower, there are fome fpeciall gifts of the Spirit which we call Charifmata, rare endowments beftowed upon fome men, excellent faculties of preaching, and praying; power of miraculous workings (as no doubt Fudas did caft out Devils as well as the beft of his fellow-Apoftles) gifts of tongues, and of Prophe fie and the like, which do no more argue a right to the fon-fhip of God, then the Manuaries in

fused