sense added, by the words being sent by God to a particular person, and spoken anew to him, with a new meaning.

And as to a gracious leading of the Spirit, it consists in two things: partly in instructing a person in his duty by the Spirit, and partly in powerfully inducing him to comply with that instruction. But so far as the gracious leading of the Spirit lies in instruction, it consists in a person's being guided by a spiritual and distinguishing taste of that which has in it true moral beauty. I have shewn that spiritual knowledge primarily consists in a taste or relish of the amiableness and beauty of that which is truly good and holy this holy relish is a thing that discerns and distinguishes between good and evil, between holy and unholy, without being at the trouble of a train of reasoning. As he who has a true relish of external beauty, knows what is beautiful by looking upon it; he stands in no need of a train of reasoning about the proportion of the features, in order to determine whether that which he sees be a beautiful countenance or no; he needs nothing, but only the glance of his eye. He who has a rectified musical ear, knows whether the sound he hears be true harmony; he does not need first to be at the trouble of the reasonings of a mathematician about the proportion of the notes. He that has a rectified palate knows what is good food, as soon as he tastes it, without the reasoning of a physician about it. There is a holy beauty and sweetness in words and actions, as well as a natural beauty in countenances and sounds, and sweetness in food; Job xii. 11. Doth not the ear try words, and the mouth taste his meat? When a holy and amiable action is suggested to the thoughts of a holy soul: that soul, if in the lively exercise of its spiritual taste, at once sees a beauty in it, and so inclines to it, and closes with it. On the contrary, if an unworthy unholy action be suggested to it, its sanctified eyes sees no beauty in it, and is not pleased with it; its sanctified taste relishes no sweetness in it, but on the contrary, it is nauseous to it. Yea, its holy taste and appetite leads it to think of that which is truly lovely, and naturally suggests it; as a healthy taste and appetite naturally suggests the idea of its proper object. Thus a holy person is led by the Spirit, as he is instructed nd led by his holy taste and disposition of heart; whereby, the lively excrcise of grace, he easily distinguishes good evil, and knows at once what is a suitable amiable beha

viour towards God, and towards man, in this case and the other, and judges what is right, as it were spontaneously, and of himself, without a particular deduction, by any other arguments than the beauty that is seen, and goodness that is tasted. Thus Christ blames the Pharisees, that they did not, even of their own selves, judge what was right, without needing miracles to prove it, Luke xii. 57. The apostle seems plainly to have respect to this way of judging of spi ritual beauty, in Rom. xii. 2. Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and perfect, and acceptable will of God.

There is such a thing as good taste of natural beauty, (which learned men often speak of), that is exercised. about temporal things, in judging of them; as about the justness of a speech, the goodness of style, the beauty of a poem, the gracefulness of deportment, &c. A late great philosopher of our nation, writes thus upon it; «To "have a taste, is to give things their real value, to be "touched with the good, to be shocked with the ill; not "to be dazzled with false lustres, but in spight of all "colours, and every thing that might deceive or amuse, to "judge soundly. Taste and judgment, then, should be "the same thing; and yet it is easy to discern a diffe"rence. The judgment forms its opinions from reflection: "the reason on this occasion fetches a kind of circuit, "to arrive at its end; it supposes principles, it draws "consequences, and it judges; but not without a thorough "knowledge of the case; so that after it has pronounced, "it is ready to render a reason of its decrees. Good taste "observes none of these formalities; ere it has time to "consult, it has taken its side; as soon as ever the object "is presented it, the impression is made, the sentiment "formed, ask no more of it. As the ear is wounded with "a harsh sound, as the smell is soothed with an agreeable "odour, before ever the reason have meddled with those objects to judge of them, so the taste opens itself at once, "and prevents all reflection. They may come afterwards "to confirm it, and discover the secret reasons of its con

duct; but it was not in its power to wait for them. "Frequently it happens not to know them at all, and what

Chambers's Dictionary, under the word TASTE.

"pains soever it uses, cannot discover what it was deter"mined it to think as it did. This conduct is very diffe"rent from that the judgment observes in its decisions: "unless we chuse to say, that good taste is as it were a first "motion, or a kind of instinct of right reason, which hur"ries on with rapidity, and conducts more securely, than all "the reasonings she could make; it is a first glance of the eye, which discovers to us the nature and relations of "things in a moment.”

Now as there is such a kind of taste of the mind as this, which philosophers speak of, whereby persons are guided in their judgment, of the natural beauty, gracefulness, propriety, nobleness, and sublimity of speeches and actions, whereby they judge as it were by the glance of the eye, or by inward sensation, and the first impression of the object; so there is likewise such a thing as a divine taste, given and maintained by the Spirit of God, in the hearts of the saints, whereby they are in like manner led and guided in discerning and distinguishing the true spiritual and holy beauty of actions; and that more easily, readily, and accurately, as they have more or less of the Spirit of God dwelling in them. And thus the sons of God are led by the Spirit of God, in their behaviour in the world.

A holy disposition and spiritual taste, where grace is strong and lively, will enable a soul to determine what actions are right and becoming Christians, not only more speedily, but far more exactly, than the greatest abilities without it. This may be illustrated by the manner in which some habits of mind, and dispositions of heart, of a nature inferior to true grace, will teach and guide a man in his actions. As for instance, if a man be a very good-natured man, his good-nature will teach him better how to act benevolently amongst mankind, and will direct him, on every occasion, to those speeches and actions, which are agreeable to rules of goodness, than the strongest reason will a man of a morose temper. So if a man's heart be under the influence of an entire friendship, and most endeared affection to another; though he be a man of an indifferent capacity, yet this habit of his mind will direct him, far more readily and exactly, to a speech and deportment, or manner of behaviour, which shall in all respects be sweet and kind, and agreeable to a benevolent disposition of heart, than the great

est capacity without it. He has, as it were, a spirit within him, that guides him; the habit of his mind is attended with a taste, by which he immediately relishes that air and mein which is benevolent, and disrelishes the contrary, and causes him to distinguish between one and the other in a moment, more precisely, than the most accurate reasonings can find out in many hours. As the nature and inward tendency of a stone, or other heavy body, that is let fall from loft, shews the way to the centre of the earth, more exactly in an instant, than the ablest mathematician, without it, could determine, by his most accurate observations, in a whole day. Thus it is that a spiritual disposition and taste teaches and guides a man in his behaviour in the world. So an eminently humble, or meek, or charitable disposition, will direct a person of mean capacity to such a behaviour, as is agreeable to Christian rules of humility, meekness, and charity, far more readily and precisely than the most diligent study, and elaborate reasonings, of a man of the strongest faculties, who has not a Christian spirit within him. So also will a spirit of love to God, and holy fear and reverence towards God, and filial confidence in God, and an heavenly disposition, teach and guide a man in his behaviour.

It is an exceeding difficult thing for a wicked man, destitute of Christian principles in his heart to guide him, to know how to demean himself like a Christian, with the life and beauty, and heavenly sweetness of a truly holy, humble, Christ-like behaviour. He knows not how to put on these garments; neither do they fit him; Eccl. x. 2, 3. A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart is at his left. Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool: with ver. 15. The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city. Prov. x. 32. The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable. Chap. xv. 2. The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness. And chap. xvi. 23. The heart of the righteous teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips.

1

The saints in thus judging of actions by a spiritual taste, have not a particular recourse to the express rules of God's word, with respect to every word and action that is before them, the good or evil of which they thus judge of: but

yet their taste itself in general, is subject to the rule of God's word, and must be tried by that, and a right reasoning upon it. As a man of a rectified palate judges of particular morsels by his taste; but yet his palate itself must be judged of, whether it be right or no, by certain rules and reasons. But a spiritual taste of soul mightily helps the soul in its reasonings on the word of God, and in judging of the true meaning of its rules; as it removes the prejudices of a depraved appetite, and naturally leads the thoughts in the right channel, casts a light on the word of God, and causes the true meaning, most naturally to come to mind, through the harmony there is between the disposition and relish of a sanctified soul, and the true meaning of the rules of God's word. Yea, this harmony tends to bring the texts themselves to mind, on proper occasions; as the particular state of the stomach and palate tends to bring such particular meats and drinks to mind, as are agreeable to that state. Thus the children of God are led by the Spirit of God in judging of actions themselves, and in their meditations upon, and judging of, and applying the rules of God's holy word: and so God teaches them his statutes, and causes them to understand the way of his precepts; which the psalmist so often prays for.

But this leading of the Spirit is a thing exceeding diverse from that which some call so; which consists not in teaching them Gods statutes and precepts, that he has already given; but in giving them new precepts, by immediate inward speech or suggestion; and has in it no tasting the true excellency of things, or judging or discerning the nature of things at all. They do not determine what is the will of God by any taste or relish, or any manner of judgment of the nature of things, but by an immediate dictate concerning the thing to be done; there is no such thing as any judgment or wisdom in the case. Whereas in that leading of the Spirit which is peculiar to God's children, is impart ed that true wisdom, and holy discretion, so often spoken of in the word of God; which is high above the other way, as the stars are higher than a glow-worm; and that which Balaam and Saul (who sometimes were led by the Spirit in that other way) never had, and no natural man can have, without a change of nature.

What has been said of the nature of spiritual understand

as consisting most essentially in a divine supernatural