ments, what the pains which it doth at any time suffer, what its improvements, and what it shall end in at last, viz. eternal life; and that still it should be disbelieved by them, who will not profess to believe the Bible a legend, that there is such a life. They must too certainly disbelieve that there is any eternal life; for nothing can be plainer, than that the life, which shall never end, must sometime begin. But against so clear evidence there is nothing to be opposed, but ignorance and inexperience; "We know no such matter, and therefore we will not believe it, say about it what can be said." But what strange folly is this! What rashness! Such as any prudent man in another instance would censure and damn for the most vain, foolish, and preposterous rashness. If any man shall say, that he will not believe that there is in another, such or such an excellency, superior to what is in himself, because he does not experience the same thing in himself, he would be thought fitter to be hooted at than confuted. We do not reckon brutes capable judges of the perfections and improveableness of the nature of men; nor do we think one man a competent judge of what is in the spirit of another. What man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of a man that is in him? so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God, 1 Cor. ii. 11. Such as have been exercised about such matters can tell you much of the pleasure of philosophical knowledge; and divers can tell you of the strange things that are performable by mechanical and chemical powers and operations. Who would not think that countryman very ridiculous, who because he knows nothing at all of these matters, will therefore deny that there are any men in the world, that are of more excellent skill and judgment than himself, about things of such a nature? He does not know what belongs to chemistry, and therefore he will not believe there is any chemist. He knows not what belongs to astronomy, and therefore he does not think there is any such skill as astronomical skill. This is a piece of folly which confutes itself, when men have no more to say, why they will not admit that there is a divine life, a life come from heaven, than that they feel in their own spirits no workings of any such life. They may know indeed how the case is with themselves; that there is no such thing as life springing in them, that carries their hearts to God, and makes them still seek nearer and nearer union with him, thirst after his presence, and long to be near him; that carries them up often into heaven, and fills them with heavenly joy and solace in the foretaste of that blessed expected state; they may know, I say, that there is no such thing in their own hearts. But what! will you therefore judge there is no such thing in all the world? As if your knowledge were the measure of all reality, and there could be nothing within all the compass of being, but what must be within the compass of your understanding and experience. This is the greatest folly that can be thought of. We do not use so foolishly to conclude, when we hear of the pleasures and delicacies of such and such a country spoken of, in which we have never been, that there is no such thing, because we have not seen it with our own eyes; or, there are no such fruits, because we have not relished them with our taste. It will be therefore of very great importance to us to fix the belief of this in our own souls, that there is such a life; when the Spirit of the living God hath so much to do about it, and is continually attending it as his charge. Doth it employ itself about nothing? But the time doth not allow to proceed.

SERMON XI.*

We are speaking of the influence by which the divine life is maintained; and have already shown what kind of influence it is. We are now to show how it is ascertained unto regenerate souls, or, give you some account of the certainty of it.

1. It is ascertained by the relation they hereupon come to stand in to God. They are his children, his begotten

* Preached February 27th, 1678, at Cordwainer's Hall.

ones. You know it is naturally every one's care to provide for those who have been born of them, unto whom they have been (though but the secondary) authors of life and being. And the apostle argues even in this very case from this reason, Rom. viii. 13, 14. If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God: q. d. "Do you think that he will not care that his own sons shall live?" And the argument is yet more strong and enforcing, if you consider how this relation terminates, viz. more peculiarly and remarkably upon our very spirits; for so you find he is called the Father of spirits in contradistinetion unto the fathers of our flesh, Heb. xii. 9. Therefore the relation leads to a more special care and concern about the life of our spirits, and most especially about that life of them, which is most immediately from him, and most resembles his own: not that natural life, which we have in common with the rest of men, but that life which is the more peculiar product of his own blessed Spirit, even as it is the Spirit of grace and of holiness. It is in that sense (as we have formerly shown you at large) that we are said to be born spirit of spirit. It is only a production, or generation secundum quid, and in this peculiar respect, the thing produced being his own holy, living image, or a nature superadded to the human nature conform unto his own in moral respects, and having been, in this so peculiar a kind, a Parent and an Author of life, it is not at all to be doubted, but the relation will draw with it the greatest care about that life which he hath given.

2. Add hereunto the paternal love which accompanies the relation. There is many times the relation of a father unaccompanied with the love of a father, (though it is very unnatural where it is so,) but here it is not so to be understood. It were horrid and blasphemous to think such a thought. Do we suppose him, who is the very Fountain of that natural affection which still descends and flows down, through all the successive generations of the world, in an ordinary stated course, from father to son, to be destitute of it himself; that there is a penury and want, or a failure in the very Fountain? Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him, Psalm ciii. 13. He is the very Fountain and Spring of all that kindness, and pity, and compassion, and love, that did ever reside in the hearts of any parents towards their own children, he put and placed it there; therefore we are to conceive it in him, as in its highest original, and its proper and native seat, and therefore fully and most invariably there. And our Saviour's argumentation to this very purpose, how much doth it carry of convictive evidence with it! If ye being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give his Spirit unto them that ask him! Luke xi. 13. And it is an instinct pat into all that are of this divine progeny to be still looking up with craving eyes for this Spirit. It is the very sum of the desire of the new creature, it doth, as it were, comprehensively enwrap all its desires; it is its very natural sense, "Lord, thy Spirit!" Though it is many times a silent and inexplicit prayer, yet it is, as it were, the voice of that new nature, more of thy Spirit." The exigency of the case speaks, the very languors and faintings of holy souls carry craving in them, though they have not so formed desires, that they can reflect upon them and take notice of them: even as the parched ground doth secretly supplicate to the heavens for relief and supplies. Such we know the Psalmist's metaphor is once and again. And do we think that the Father of mercies (as he is called, as well as the Father of our spirits) will not hear the cries, and regard the necessities, even the crying necessities, of his own (otherwise languishing and dying) offspring? He that feeds the ravens, will he starve souls? The very sea-monsters draw forth their breasts, and do we think that there is less pity and compassion with God? The instinct is natural even in inferior nature, and stronger according as the order of being is more noble in which it is to be found. It is true, there may be among human creatures, some more than monsters, so prodigiously unnatural as not to regard the fruit of their own bodies, Lam. iv. 3. But suppose such a case; if a woman can forget her suck

ing child, nd not have compassion on the fruit of her womb,-ye will not I forget, saith the Lord, Isa. xlix. 15. I can never forget you: I have graven you upon the palms of my hands, as there it is explained. As if the design were to let us know, that he did make it a concern to himself never to forget, that he would always have a remembrancing token before his eyes, to make supply to the necessity of souls, as their case should require.

an equal good for an equal: if then it were expedient that He should go, that the Spirit might come, that must be reckoned a good superior to his mere bodily presence and abode. And so the apostle plainly intimates in 2 Cor. v. 17. compared with what goes immediately before, Though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. He speaks of the matter with complacency, and with a kind of jubilation; q. d. I do not desire to know him after the flesh any more, that is, in comparison of what he after speaks of, viz. that inward, vital, spiritual union with him, by which the whole frame of the new creation comes to spring up in the soul. "If any man be in Christ he is a new creature; old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new." And it is promised in John xiv. 16. that this Spirit shall be given to abide with them for ever, in most exact correspondence unto the end and purpose for which he was to be given, (ver. 19.) to be the continual maintainer of their life. That must be a very constant thing to us which we are continually to live by, for if there were an intercision of life for a moment it would not be recovered. From the privation of a habit there were no return. He says therefore, "he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;" so fully to answer the exigence of the case, that you shall be no moment destitute of his vital influence.

3. Some thought may possibly occur with some; that though it be true that a fatherly love doth commonly follow the relation, yet, where it hath been in much strength and vigour, possibly something or other may avert it, something may be done by a child to alienate the father's love; we have therefore a yet further assurance from the Divine wisdom and all-comprehending knowledge. From which it must be understood, that when he formed the design of raising up to himself such a seed from among the lapsed children of men, he had the compass of it lying in view, and all things were present to his eye that should any way come to influence this design, or have any aspect upon it one way or another, whether to hinder or promote it: and yet it is manifest that he had such a design, and hath laid and fixed it, having all things in his view, even whatsoever might make most against it. Commonly if the minds and inclinations of persons do alter so, as that they come to disaffect, where heretofore they have borne a very peculiar love and kindness, it is upon some surprise that 6. We are further assured from the consideration of the the alienation begins, something falling out unto them Divine faithfulness, without the consideration whereof the which was altogether unexpected: they did not think that promise would signify little. For there are many promises such a one would have served them so and so, or have made, and not kept; but "he is faithful that hath promises." dealt so with them. But unto all-comprehending know- The promise of an unfaithful person gives very little assuledge nothing is new. The blessed God had the entire rance; but we are to add to the consideration of the express prospect of his whole design, nor can we therefore suppose promise of God, that it is most simply repugnant to the any thing that should alienate his paternal love, after he perfection of his nature to be capable of deceiving us. In hath begun to exercise and express it, which he had not hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, hath proobvious unto his notice before. He loves with an everlast-mised, Tit. i. 2. And that eternal life is nothing else but ing love, from everlasting to everlasting: Having loved this life, whereof the Spirit hath been the Author, contihe loves to the end. John xiii. 1. And whereas it may be nued and improved unto that blessed, eternal state, till it also said, that though we should suppose a continuing love reach to that plenitude and fulness of life at length. A with a father towards his own children, yet he may be re- well of water springing up into everlasting life, John iv. 14. duced to those straits that he cannot do for them as he And God, that we might be assured that he will keep his would; the matter therefore is further ascertained, word, hath added hereunto the ratification of his own solemn oath; that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, there might be strong consolation to the heirs of promise, Heb. vi. 17, 18. And as I have said, this is the great promise, which is the very sum of the rest.

4. From his all-sufficient fulness. There is still the same undecaying plenitude of Spirit with him, that can never abate or grow less. It is a spring or fountain unexhausted and unexhaustible, that can never be drained or drawn dry. And therefore do we think, that those who have received this life from him shall not continue to live, when there is such love, and kindness, and compassion in conjunction with so rich and undecaying fulness? Methinks to any reasonable understanding this should make the matter very sure. Again,

5. We are further ascertained by his express promise. And it is very considerable unto this purpose, how noted and eminent in the Scripture, especially in the New Testament, (though we have divers instances too in the Old,) the promise is of the Spirit. Indeed the matter is so represented to us, that we have reason to account, that as before Christ's coming, the coming of Christ was the great promise, and the hope of Israel; so after the coming of Christ in the flesh, the gift of the Spirit was the great promise, the promise of the Gospel, Christ being (as then he was) actually come. It is therefore to be observed, (in Acts ii. 38, 39. that the apostle in that sermon calling upon his hearers (who were principally Jews, at least by religion) to repent, he tells them for their encouragement that they should "receive the gift of the Holy Ghost; for the promise is unto you and your children." Observe the connexion; the giving of the Holy Ghost is spoken of by him as the promise, which did virtually comprehend in it the sum of the Gospel and virtually it did so, for if that were once made good, all would be sure to be made good. And our Saviour speaks of this as what would be a greater good, a good that would more than compensate his own longer abode and presence in the flesh among his disciples: It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you, but if I depart, I will send him unto you, John xvi. 7. Certainly it could not be expedient to part with a greater good for a less; no, nor could it be said to be an expediency to part with

7. This continual vital influence is ascertained unto the regenerate by their union with Christ, considered in conjunction with-his being constituted and appointed a Mediator between God and them.-As he is Mediator, he comes to have all that should serve the necessities of their souls lodged in his hand, and particularly to be the great treasury of spirit and life to them, and for them. All fulness, even by the Father's pleasure, dwells in him. But it may be said, what is it to them, that Christ is full, that he is rich, that he lives, and that there is a fountain and treasury of life and spirit in him? What! is it nothing to them? Why, consider that they are united to him, one with him. He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit, 1 Cor. vi. 17. And that the inwardness of this union might be with more life represented to us, it is said in Eph. v. 30. bers of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. And do we think, that when such rich plenitude of spirit and influence is in that head, he will not diffuse it, and make it flow to those who are his members? that he will have any members to be cut off from him as totally dead?

We are mem

8. This matter is ascertained from the consideration of the work inchoate, or already begun. A great argument this, that the issue and good event of such a thing will certainly be brought to pass, even with wise, and prudent, For there is no such man that doth and considering men. begin a business which he will not carry through, if he be able. And therefore with the blessed God the argument is most strong. He hath been the Author of this life, by his Spirit, unto the souls that he hath renewed; and therefore surely he will continue, and carry it on, and bring it to the mature and perfect state at last unto which he hath designed it. See how the apostle argues in Phil. i. 6. Being confident (says he) of this very thing, that he who

hath begun a good work will perform (or finish) it until, the name! "Some are gone so far, and I am yet to begin the day of Jesus Christ. He is not of that light and un- my course!" certain temper, as having begun such an undertaking as 4. We hence see how great a perfection is lacking unto this, about which he hath expressed so much concern, and unrenewed souls; how great a perfection properly apperwherein in did appear his heart was so much engaged, to taining unto the spirit and nature of a man, and which throw it off. Indeed the lubricity of a man's spirit makes ought to be found in it and with it. Why, there is a whole him very susceptible of such a thing as this, to begin a state of life yet lacking to them. A dismal thing to think design, and then be sick of it, grow weary, neglect it, and of! It might fill a man with astonishment to think that throw away all thoughts and concern about it, and divert he should be so far short of what a man ought to be, beto somewhat else: but it is most repugnant to the natural, cause he is not yet so much as alive towards God. You essential perfection of the blessed God to be capable of have at large heard what that life is by which we are said such a change. He will not forsake his people, (as Samuel to live spiritually, and that it is not to be understood in a speaks to the mourning Israelites in 1 Sam. xii. 22.) be- natural but in a moral sense. For admit that the spirit of a cause it hath pleased him to make them his people. man is of itself naturally and essentially a self-acting thing, Though he sometimes seems, for the awakening of us out yet it were not to be imagined that God would make such of our security, and the engaging of us unto that care and a creature, and turn it loose into this world to act at randiligence which the case requires, to represent himself, as dom: life therefore in this moral sense is a principle of if he were contesting with himself about this matter, acting regularly and duly towards God. And though there whether he should continue the relation, and the care that be the natural powers and faculties that belong unto the belongs to it, yea or no; yet we see how he answers him- soul of a man, as it is such a creature in such a place and self in Jer. iii. 19. How shall I put thee among the child-order of the creation, yet while they are destitute of that ren, &c.? I said, "Thou shalt (yet) call me, My Father; rectitude by which they are inclined to God, or apt to act and shalt not turn away from me.' He resolves that he and move towards him by rule and according to prescrip would, with the relation, continue in them an instinct tion, such a soul may as truly and fitly be said to be dead, always to look towards him as their Father. "Thou shalt or those powers and faculties of it to have a death in them, look to me as thy Father, and shalt not turn away from as the hand of a man's body, supposing it to retain its me, and so will I preserve all things entire between thee natural shape and figure, but to be altogether useless unto and me." the ends and purposes, for which such an organ was made: if it be raised up, it falls down a dead weight; he can't move it this way, or that: you'll say, this is a dead thing; yet it hath its shape still.

These considerations taken together are sufficient to ascertain to a regenerate soul that may be solicitous about the state of its own case, that the influence shall be continued, which is necessary for the continued maintenance of that life whereof the Spirit of God hath been the Author.

The use that we shall make of this at present shall only be in some few practical inferences, reserving the further use till after we have considered and opened the other doctrine from the latter part of the verse.

We have already (so far preventing ourselves) inferred, 1. That there is such a life as that which we are wont to call the life spiritual, distinct from, and to be superadded to, the natural life of men. I insisted upon this before, and therefore do but mention it now.

It is strange to see how far some have gone in the apprehensions of this matter by merely natural light. You know we spake of this life comprehending, with the principles of grace, the consolations, and pleasures, and joys which are apt to result and spring from thence. Alone to have such a life, is not enough to denominate a person to be a living person, but to be well; to be healthful, and vigorous, and strong. I remember Socrates I find to speak thus (as Xenophon reports of him) among his dying discourses concerning life in this moral sense, Do you ask (says he) what it is to live? I'll tell you what it is. To live truly is to endeavour to excel in goodness; and to live com2. We may further infer, that this life is of a most ex-fortably, or joyfully, is to feel oneself to do so, or to feel cellent and noble kind. Of this we are taught to make a oneself growing better and better." He calls those, perJudginent by the way of its being maintained. What is it sons that lived pleasantly, who felt themselves improving maintained upon? They that live this life, live in the in respect of the good temper of their spirits. And I reSpirit; certainly this is a very high way of living, and member Philo-Judæus (though he had opportunity for speaks the life that is to be maintained so, and only main- much more light than the other) giving the notion of a tainable so, to be a life of a most excellent and noble kind. man, as that which he would have commonly to obtain, The excellency of any life is to be measured and judged says, that "no one ought to be reckoned a partaker of the by the objects which are suitable to it, and nutritive of it, rational nature, that has not in him hope towards God." or, out of which it has its sustenance and support. They So he speaks of religion; and says plainly, that "he who that do live this life, as they do so, can breathe no other hath this hope in him, he only is to be called a man, and but this pure and sacred breath. They "live in the Spirit." that the other is to be looked upon as no man." That was They live no where but in a region of vitality, filled with his notion. We may so far comport with it as to say, that vital influence even by the eternal Spirit. This is to live at there is certainly a great perfection belonging to the nature a very high rate. Think therefore how excellent a life that of man, wanting to them that are yet not come to live this is which the blessed God doth distinguish his own child- life. And it is amazing to think that such a perfection is ren by from other men. wanting by privation, in the proper sense, and not by nega tion only. As how dismal a thing were it, should we suppose all the rational powers and faculties to be on a sudden cut off from the nature of a man, so that he is become a mere brute, he can't think a thought, every thing of reason and discourse is become ahen to him! And if we should suppose next the faculties of the sensitive nature to be cut off, and he, who was before a rational man, had the power of reason and speech, and conld move to and fro and converse as a man, turned into a tree; life he has, but no better life than that: and if you would suppose that life gone too, and he at last turned into a stone; these were most dismal degenerations. It is no disparagement at all to what was orignally a brute, to be a brute, or to a tree, to be a tree, or to a stone, to be a stone; for it has all the perfection that belongeth to such a creature, or to the order whereof it is in the creation of God. But when this life is lacking to the soul of man, there is a perfection lacking which did originally belong unto this order of creatures. For what! Do you think that ever God made man to disaffect himself? that he ever made a reasonable

3. Since this life is here spoken of as in this way to be continue we learn, that it must certainly at some time or other begin. And therefore methinks this should be a rousing and awakening thought unto those who, when they hear of the ways and methods of maintaining and improving the spiritual life, have yet cause to suspect or doubt, whether as yet they have the very beginnings of it. Methinks it should be a chilling thought unto such a heart, How much do I hear (may such a one say) of mighty things, things of very great and vast importance, which are all impertinencies to me, they signify nothing, nor have any suitableness in them to my case! How great things do fall beside me!" So it must be with every one that hath not yet begun to live this life. What! not yet begun? Do we find so many things so industriously inserted into the Scripture, to instruct and direct us concerning the ways of exercising, maintaining, and improving this life, and I not yet feel the very beginnings of it! O how much behind are men unto the whole order of Christians, of those that are so in deed and in truth, and may deservedly admit

creature that should not be capable of loving its own original, and the supreme good? And whereas we find now that men do universally make themselves the centre of their own loves, do we think that ever God made man to do so? Why, it is a dreadful transformation then, that is come upon the nature of man, and a most amazing degeneracy. It would startle us, if we would but admit serious thoughts of it, that there should be an entire state of life so generally lacking among men. And especially, if any of us upon reflection, laying our hands upon our hearts, do feel no movings of such a life, no beatings of a pulse God-ward and heaven-ward that may bespeak and be an indication of it. To think that I have such a thing lacking in me, that doth belong originally unto the nature of man; not so light and trivial a thing that, if I had it, it would add some kind of perfection to me which might conveniently enough be spared; but a whole orb and order is lacking to me which belongs to such a creature as I. Certainly it should put such a person mightily out of conceit with himself, and make him think, "What a monster am I in the creation of God! I am no way suited to the order of creatures in which my Creator hath set me; for that was an order of intelligent creatures all formed to the loving, adoring, and praising, and serving the great Author of their beings, with open eyes beholding and adoring his excellencies and glory: and I have no disposition thereto."

5. We may further infer how great a misery is consequent, when persons have not begun to live this life; there is a great perfection lacking in this life itself, but it infers a further consequent misery, i. e. a being cut off from all conversing with God, a kind of exile out of that region, which is within the management of the Spirit, the region in which it rules, and which it replenishes with life, and with vital influence: for being dead towards God they can have no converse with him. If a person be dead, you know what is usual, “Bury my dead out of my sight." They are not fit to come into God's sight, or to have to do with him. Would we like it well to converse among the dead; or endure to have carcasses lying with us in our houses, and in our beds, and to be found at our tables? Why, the case speaks itself; they who are destitute of this life, are quite cut off from God, and from all his converse; they are as it were exiles from the world and region of spirit and spirituality. O the strength and vigour, the joys and pleasures, the purity and peace, of that blessed region! But these are excluded by their want of this life. The Spirit can only statedly converse with those that are alive. It steps out of its region (the case were otherwise sad with us) to make men alive, and to draw them within the circle, as it were, that they may be within the reach, of its continual ordinary converse. But they are in no way of converse with the Spirit, as yet, that have not the principles of this life as yet planted in them. So that they are to look upon themselves as cut off from God, and as those with whom his Spirit hath no converse in a stated way. What it may do, what it will do in a way of sovereign grace, is more than they know; but it is their great concern to implore it, that it would come and move upon them, and attemper to the region of life. They are other wise cut off as from the land of the living, and have no place nor fellowship there.

6. Let us see the wonderful grace of this blessed Spirit. Well may it be called the Spirit of grace: Who hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace, Heb. x. 29. We should frame our apprehensions accordingly of this blessed Spirit, as the light of such a Scripture would dictate, and account it the Spirit of all love, and goodness, and benignity, and sweetness, that admits such souls to have a livelihood in it. "If ye live in the Spirit;" O strange goodness this! Such mpure creatures, so lost in darkness and death, now brought within those blessed confines! That the Spirit of the living God should have taken them into such association with itself! q. d. "Come, you shall live with me: here is safe living, comfortable living." The communion which God holds with such souls is called the communion of the Holy Ghost in 2 Cor. xiii. 14. That it should come and .ead souls out of death and darkness into the Divine presence, and say to them, "Dwell here, in the secret of the Almighty, and under the shadow of his wing. His feathers

shall cover you, and his continual influence cherish you and maintain your life: here you shall spend your days!" This is a wonderful vouchsafement. How should we magnify to ourselves the grace of the Spirit upon this account! And yet further,

7. We see the great hazard of withdrawing ourselves from under the tutelage and influence of this Spirit. It is done by neglect, done by self-confidence, done by remitting our dependance, done by resistance, by our disobedience, our little obsequiousness to the Spirit: and you see the hazard of it. Step out of this region of life, and there is nothing but impure and desolate darkness. We languish and die, if we retire, or recede and step without these sacred boundaries. To be confined and kept within them, how great a vouchsafement is it! and, that it is undertaken that it shall be so! But though it shall be so, we are not to expect that this should be done without our care. We showed you, in speaking of that influence, that it is an assisting and co-operative influence, among many other particulars.

Lastly, We may infer, that is a most weighty and important charge that lies upon every renewed soul. For think, how precious and excellent a life is to be maintained in them; that spiritual, divine life, a thing which both requires and justifies their utmost care: requires it; for what would a person think of it, if he should be intrusted with the care of the life of a prince, the child of a great monarch? If any of us had such a charge committed to us, "I charge you with the life of this child, and to use your best care and endeavour for the nourishing of its life, and for the cultivating of it, and fitting it to the best purposes whereof it may be capable." How would this engage one's utmost diligence, that it is a very important life that is committed to my care. We have every one of us the care incumbent upon us of the life of a divine thing produced and brought forth in us, and which we are to apply the name first to, when we call ourselves the sons or children of God. There the name falls first; it is that divine thing that is his son, and we are only his sons or children upon the account of that. To have a divine life to maintain and cherish in my soul, as I may have a subordinate agency, under the Spirit, in order thereto, how should it engage my utmost solicitude and care, that nothing be done offensive to this life, that every thing be done that may tend to preserve and improve it! And as it requires our care, so it finally justifies it. A great many are apt to think, yea, and do often speak, reproachfully concerning those who do any thing to discover and hold forth the power and efficacy of such an inbeing life in them. To what purpose do these persons take so much more care than other men about their souls, and about their spiritual state, as they are wont to call it ? Why, they have a life more than you to be solicitous about; a life that you know nothing of; a noble, a divine life, which is incumbent upon them to care for. They wonder that this race of men don't run with them into the same excess of riot, when they never consider these are things that would be noxious to my life. It may be you find nothing in you, unto which such things would be an offence: they would hurt my very life. This hath the holy soul to say to justify all that care and concern which he hath about the maintaining and preserving his spiritual life. And would not he be thought to talk very unreasonably that should say; Why should such and such men, who are observed to be much addicted to study, and retirement, and contemplation, why should they inure themselves to more thoughts than the beasts do? They, who apply themselves to a course of praying, meditation, &c. why should they do so more than the beasts, who, say they, do but eat and drink, and what is given them that they gather, and no more ado? The answer would be obvious from such persons; "I have a thing called reason in me, which I am to cultivate, and improve, and make my best of, which beasts have not." And is not that a sufficient answer; "I have a life more in me than other men have, which I am to tend, and take all possible care of; a life capable of great improvements, a life of great hopes, a life put into me upon high accounts, and for the greatest and most noble designs." And therefore if any of us be tempted by the licentious persons of the