pleasure in these ways, and so apprehends no glory, no amiableness in them.

This light is necessary, thirdly, in reference to the proper motives of this walking. There are such things. Indeed they lie very much in the objects themselves, but we may frame, concerning some, a diverse consideration of motives; and besides those that are in the objects; that is, respect the spiritual and divine objects, they are desirable for themselves, and accordingly, the object is a motive; but there are accessary and supervening motives; as it is a very great motive to betake ourselves unto this region of spirituality, of spiritual light, and life and motion, to cast an eye upon this our world, and behold the vanity, the nothingness of it, and all things that do belong unto this compages or frame. There needs this spiritual, divine light to behold that. A carnal man can never make a right judgment, to the purpose, of the vanity of the creature, of the emptiness and nothingness of all things under the sun. But to one that lives in the divine light, that walks and is conversant there, what a fleeting, despicable shadow is all this world, this frame of sensible things, that is vanishing under his eye! He sees how the fashion of it is passing away; and by how much the more he is weaned hereby, and disengaged from it, so much the more is he at liberty for this spiritual walk which we speak of. By how much the more he gets out of the entangling snares of death that are below, so much the more is his way above, as the way of the wise is; so much the more is he conversant in that path, that unknown way, which the "vulture's eye hath not seen, and which the lion's foot hath not trod ;" that way of wisdom, or holiness, or life, so much spoken of in Job 28.

This light is necessary, fourthly, in order to the knowledge. of ourselves. We can never walk in the Spirit if we have not some competent discerning of ourselves; and we can never know the weaknesses, the wants, the wiliness and deceit of our own spirits without the divine light. To be conversant therein is necessary to all such purposes, and in reference to our making a discovery of whatsoever is needful to be discovered concerning the state, and posture, and temper, and ordinary ways and methods of our souls.

Secondly, The acts in reference whereto such light is necessary are these :

It is necessary, first, in reference to the act of apprehension. We cannot so much as apprehend clearly and with distinction the things which are needful for us to apprehend, without this light of the Spirit of wisdom and revelation given for these purposes.

In reference unto the acts of consideration it is necessary, secondly, that we have this light to converse and walk in. Otherwise we can have no steady discerning of any thing. For consideration is nothing else but knowledge continued, or the often repeated acts of apprehension, varied this way and that, according to the various representations of the object about which I am now employing my mind. In reference to such an act of vision as this, that is, steady, intent vision, there needs steady light. I cannot have a steady view of a thing by a flashy and evanid light, Walking therefore in the Spirit doth require a continued light of the Spirit to be afforded me, because I have constant need to go with my eyes in my head all along, and to consider and ponder my way from step to step, from point to point, but without such a steady light, as may, as it were, determine my eye to such and such objects needful to be considered: alas! how incapable is it of looking with a steady intuition, that is, of thinking composedly of any thing which it most concerns me to think of. Can we command our own thoughts? Consult we our experience; we can no more do it, than "gather up the winds in our fists." But the Spirit in this way of operation, holds them steady by a commanding light, which keeps them, as it were under its own government, "Look hither," and so doth determine and fix the eye to that which I am called now to consider. Whence you have that experience pronounced and spoken out, We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal, 2 Cor. 4. 18. The word which is here rendered look signifies to take aim at, σxoπevтwi ήμων. That is a very steady intuition which a man hath of the mark which he is aiming at, or the end which he designs; he must always have it in his eye. And, by this looking, saith the apostle, "we find that notwithstanding, all the decays of the outward man the inward is renewed day by day," life and vi gour and spirit continually entering in at our eyes from that glorious aim which we have before us. This will need a very steady determination of mind unto such objects by a commanding light and glory that they carry with them, so as that the soul feels not a disposition in itself to direct or look off.

This light is necessary, thirdly, in order to the act of dijudication, that is, distinguishing or discerning between things and things, what is of great value and account, and to be chosen, and what is worthless, and to be neglected; what is to be done, and what is not to be done. There is a continual need through the whole course of our spiritual walk for the using of such a discretive judgment between things and things, and in reference

hereto, there needs a continual emanation of the Holy Ghost for otherwise, we put good for evil, and evil for good; light for darkness, and darkness for light; bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter. That sense which should be exercised to distinguish between good and evil, is from the blessed Spirit, residing in our eye, putting continually fresh vigour in it, that we may be able by quickness of sight to discern or see, here is somewhat to be closed with, here is somewhat to be refused; this will be good, that will be noxious. The apostle doth on this account pray (and that is a plain intimation to us, that it is the office and work of the Spirit of God to do the thing that he there speaks of; he prays) on the behalf of the Philippians, in chap. 1. 9, 10. that their love might abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment. So we read it; but the word rendered judgment is capable of being rendered sense (naon aιobnoei, in all sense) "I pray that you may have your spiritual senses in exercise; that you may have a judicious distinguishing sense" For what? Why," that ye may approve things that are excellent;" so it follows, or as the words there may be read, to distinguish the things that differ. You are otherwise likely to be imposed upon, if the Spirit take not that particular care of you, by the deceitful appearances of things.

In order, fourthly, to the act of determination, or coming to a determinative judgment, as we do upon comparing things, and noting the difference between one and another. We need the Spirit's help here, to shine with that vigorous and powerful light into the mind, as to bring our judgments to a right determination, for the rule and government of our practice, which are apt to be long hovering and in suspense, if they do not hastily determine amiss. You have the apostle expressing his own determining judgment, in a particular, but very important case in Rom. S. 18. "I reckon," saith he; the word which he makes use of, is a word from whence we borrow the name of logic, 20you, I do compute, or I am, by reason, come at last unto this definitive and positive judgment, "that the sufferings of this present time, are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed That there should be such a positive, determinative judgment as that which should have the power to be influential upon his course, and directive of it, do you think he was not beholden to the illumination of the Holy Ghost? He doth not speak like a doubtful, uncertain man, or one that did not know what to choose, or how to steer his course. "For my part, saith he, I thus judge; I am at a point, having viewed the case round, inspected it narrowly and thoroughly, and considered all about it that is to be considered, and I say, that

in us.

VOL. V.

these two things, the sufferings of time, and the glories of eternity are not to be named in the same day, there is no compare between them." In order to such a determination of the mind as this, it is plain this light must necessarily come in; and there can be nothing of greater moment to the whole course of our walking in the Spirit than such a determinative judg

ment.

You see therefore that a communication of light from the Spirit is necessary to our walking in the Spirit. A communication of power is necessary to the same purp se too; but of that in the next discourse,

SERMON XIV.*

I Am now to shew you,

[2.] That a communication of spiritual power is also necessary that we may be capable of walking in the Spirit. It is said that they who shall walk in such a course as this is "without weariness," must in order thereto " renew their strength," and this strength is to be from a divine communication, because it is that which we are to wait upon the Lord for, Isa. xl. 31. We hear of a strength in the inner man given and sought for, which implies it capable of being given, for this purpose. The Psalmist speaks his experience of its being given in psalm 138. 3. In the day when I cried, thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul. And the apostle prays that it might be given unto the Ephesians, (chap. 3. 16.) that he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, &c. You will never be able to act that faith wherewith to keep up any converse with Christ, or by which he can have any commodious reception in your souls, so as to dwell there, if you are not strengthened according to the riches of his glory with might by his Spirit in the inner man, in order thereunto. That we may speak a little more distinctly to this, it will

Preached March 20th. 1677. at Cordwainer's Hall.