Chapter IX: Of the Necessity of divine Grace, and the several Duties to which it

Of the Necessity of divine Grace, and the several Duties to which it calleth all Christians.

I come now to another article of our religion, namely, the absolute necessity of divine grace, which is another universal and constant reason of self-denial.

The invisible operation and assistance of God's Holy Spirit, by which we are disposed towards that which is good, and made able to perform it, is a confessed doctrine of Christianity.

Our natural life is preserved by some union with God, who is the fountain of life to all the creation, to which union we are altogether strangers; we find that we are alive, as we find that we think; but how, or by what influence from God our life is supported, is a secret into which we cannot enter. It is the same thing with relation to our spiritual life, or life of grace; it arises from some invisible union with God, or divine influence, which, in this state of life, we cannot comprehend. Our blessed Saviour saith,

The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth; so is every one that is born of God. -- John iii. 8.

This shows us how ignorant we are of the manner of the operation of the Holy Spirit; we may feel its effects; as we may perceive the effects of the wind, but are as much strangers to its manner of coming upon us, as we are strangers to that exact point from whence the wind begins to blow, and where it will cease.

The Spirit of God is like the nature of God, too high for our conceptions, whilst we are in these dark houses of clay. But our blessed Saviour has, in some degree, helped our conceptions in this matter, by the manner of his giving the Holy Spirit to his disciples. And he breathed on them, and said unto them, Receive the Holy Ghost. Now by this ceremony of breathing, we are taught to conceive of the communications of the Holy Spirit, with some likeness to breath or wind, that its influences come upon us in some manner, most like to a gentle breathing of the air. Representations of this kind are only made in compliance with the weakness of our apprehensions, which not being able to conceive things as they are in their own nature, must be instructed, by comparing them to such things as our senses are acquainted with. Thus the wisdom and knowledge that is revealed from God is compared to light, not because light is a true representation of the wisdom of God, but because it serves best to represent it to our low capacities. In like manner the influences of the Holy Spirit are set forth by the ceremony of breathing upon us; not because breath, or air, or wind, are true representations of the gifts of the Spirit, but because they are the properest representations that yet fall within our knowledge.

But that which is most necessary for us to know, and of which we are sufficiently informed in Scripture is the absolute necessity of this divine assistance.

We are used to consider those only as inspired persons, who are called by God to some extraordinary designs, and act by immediate revelation: for him. Now as inspiration implies an immediate revelation from God, in this sense there have been but few inspired persons; but inspiration, as it signifies an invisible operation, or assistance and instruction of God's Holy Spirit, is the common gift and privilege of all Christians; in this sense of inspiration they are all inspired persons. Know ye not, saith St. Paul, that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you? St. John likewise, Hereby know we that he dwelleth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us: for as many as are led by the Spirit of God, are the sons of God. Again, Now if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his. Rom. vii. 11. From these, and many other passages of the like nature, it is undeniably plain, that the life which we now live, is a life in and by the Spirit of God, and that they are only sons of God, who are led by this Spirit. Now this Doctrine plainly proves the necessity of a constant self-denial; for it must be necessary that we deny ourselves all those tempers and ways of life, which may make God withhold his grace from us; and likewise all those enjoyments and indulgences which may make us less able and less disposed to improve and co-operate with those degrees of divine grace, that are communicated to us.

Our blessed Saviour saith, If any man love me, he will keep my words, and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. John xiv. 23. This teaches us how we are to invite the good Spirit of God to dwell in us: we are to prepare ourselves for the abode of this divine Guest, by loving Christ, and keeping his commandments: whence we also learn, that the Spirit of God does not equally visit all persons in all ways of life, but that we must prepare ourselves for his presence.

We are also told, that God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. This also explains to us the method of divine grace, that it is bestowed to the state and temper of persons; that there are some dispositions which separate us from the Spirit of God, and others that procure to us a larger share of its gifts and graces. We are also here taught to consider pride, not only as a sin that has its particular guilt, but it has this certain effect, that it extinguishes the divine light, deprives us of God's Spirit and leaves us to sink under the corruption and weight of our nature.

We are to consider humility also, not only as it is a reasonable duty, and proper to our state; but as it qualifies and prepares us for larger degrees of divine grace, such as may purify and perfect our souls in all manner of holiness. All instances therefore of pride are to be avoided, all sorts of humility to be practised, not only for their own sakes, but as necessary preparations for divine grace, that we may be fit temples for the Holy Ghost to dwell in. Now seeing we are none of Christ's, if the Spirit of Christ be not in us, seeing we are only so far Christians, as we are renewed by the Holy Ghost; nothing can be more necessary to true piety, than that we form every part of our lives with regard to this Holy Spirit. That we consider all our tempers, pleasures, cares, designs, and ways of life, whether they be such as suit with the wisdom and heavenly guidance of the Holy Spirit. This doctrine shows us to ourselves in a new point of view, and may serve to teach us several truths, which we should otherwise not so readily apprehend.

When we are left to consider our duty with relation to the express commandments of God, there are many ways of life, which we think ourselves at liberty to follow, because they seem to be no plain breach of any commandment. But we are to look to a farther rule, and to consider our pleasures and cares, our designs and endeavours, not only whether they are according to the letter of the law, bu whether they are according to the Spirit of God; for if they are contrary to the Spirit of God, if they suit not with his secret inspirations, they are as truly to be avoided, as if they were contrary to some express commandment. For we are assured from Scripture, that they only are the sons of God, who are led by the Spirit of God; and none can be said to be led by the Spirit of God, but they whose lives are according to it, whose actions, cares, and pleasures, hopes and fears, are such as may be said to be guided by the motions of the Holy Ghost.

We are therefore to consider ourselves as inspired persons, that have no knowledge or wisdom, but what comes from God, and that this wisdom will no longer dwell with us, than so long as we act and conduct ourselves conformably to it. So that we must not vainly deceive ourselves in saying, where is the harm of such indulgences, or such vanities and idle amusements? But must consider, whether they are such as are conformable to a life that is to be directed by the Holy Ghost, whether they will invite his assistance, and make him delight to dwell with us. In this manner must we examine and try all our ways of life, as well our cares as our pleasures, and all our tempers and inclinations. For unreasonable cares, as well as unreasonable pleasures, are equally contrary to the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, and equally separate us from him. People often think their designs and diversions innocent, because they are not sinful in their nature, but they should also consider whether they are not vain and foolish, and unsuitable to the state and condition of a Christian. For a life of folly, and vanity, and trifling designs, is no more living by the Spirit of God, than a life of gross sins is keeping the commandments. So that the safest rules to judge of our actions by, is to consider them with relation to that Spirit, by which we are to be guided. [possibly: Is] this design, or this diversion, according to the wisdom of the Spirit of God? Am I in these things improving the secret inspiration of the Holy Ghost? Am I here governed by a wisdom from above? Are these ways such that I can truly say, that I am led into them by the Spirit of God? Do I allow myself in them, because they serve to set forth the glory of God, and are agreeable to the condition of a disciple of Christ? Are they good proofs that the Spirit of God dwelleth in me, and that by thus sowing to the Spirit, I shall of the Spirit reap everlasting life? This is the rule of perfection, by which Christians are to regulate their thoughts, words, and actions; for we are called by God to a state of purity and holiness, to act by the motions of his Holy Spirit, and make no other use of ourselves, or the world we are in, than such as is conformable to that dignity of life, and state of glory to which we are called. The spirit of our religion is to be the spirit of our lives, the constant principle of all our tempers and inclinations, which is to render us reasonable, and wise, and holy, in all our progress through the world.

The renewal of our hearts by the Spirit of God consists in new thoughts, and new desires, in filling our minds with great and sublime truths, and in giving us desires and inclinations, hopes and fears, cares and pleasures suitable to them.

This is being born of the Spirit: hence appears a plain reason of an universal self-denial, because the spirit of the world, and the spirit of our corrupt hearts, is in a state of contrariety to this Spirit and wisdom which is from above. So that it is to be the main business and labour of our lives, to contradict those motions of our hearts, and those tempers of the world, which are contrary to this Spirit, which is to be the principle of our new life in Christ.

We must therefore deny ourselves all those ways of life, all cares and enjoyments which too much possess our minds, and render them insensible of these great truths. We must practise all that self-denial, temperance, abstinence, care, and watchfulness, which can any way fit and prepare our minds to hear and receive, to comprehend and relish the instructions and doctrine which come from the Spirit of God. For all these truths, every thing that relates to God and religion, have a different effect upon us, according to the state or way of life that we are in: as land must be prepared to receive the best seed, as rocks can bring forth no fruit; so unless our minds are in some proper state and disposition to co-operate with the Holy Spirit, and receive his instructions, his gifts and graces will bring forth no fruit.

'Tis acknowledged by all, that a life of intemperance and debauchery makes us dead and senseless of religion, and incapable of receiving its truths; but then it is not enough considered, that the vanity of the mind, an understanding busied in trifles, an impertinent course of life, will as certainly produce the same effect. If our understanding is full of foolish imaginations, devoted to trifles, religion can gain no entrance. A man may be so earnest in picking straws, as to have no leisure to think of his salvation, nor any more inclination to it, than one that is constantly in drink. Children are incapable of religion, not because they are intemperate and debauched, but because they have little minds, that are taken up and employed with little and trifling entertainments. Now if, when we are men, we have the minds of children, and have only changed our play-things, we shall embrace and practise religion, just to as much purpose as children do: for a mind taken up with gewgaws, and trifles, and impertinent satisfactions, is in the same state, whether it be four, or whether it be fifty years old. If it be made silly with trifling concerns, and false satisfactions, it is in a state of as much disorder, and as contrary to religion, as a state of gluttony and intemperance;

Thus poor amusements, vain arts, useless sciences, impertinent learning, false satisfactions, a wrong turn of mind, a state of idleness, or any the vainest trifles of life, may keep men at as great a distance from the true impressions of religion, and from living by the Spirit of God, as the ignorance of childhood or the debaucheries of intemperance.

Titus is temperate and regular; but then he is so great a mathematician, that he does not know when Sunday comes: he sees people going to church; as he sees others going to market; he goes on studying, measuring, and calculating, and may as well be called a merchant as a Christian.

All doctrines of religion are disagreeable to Philo; he avoids them as he avoids party; now what is the reason of it? It is not because he is debauched and intemperate, but he is a virtuoso, devoted to polite literature; his soul is extended to all the curiosities in the world, and thinks all time to be lost, that is not spent in the search of shells, urns, inscriptions, and broken pieces of pavements. This makes the truths of religion, and the concerns of eternity, seem small things in his eyes, fit only for the inquiry of narrow, little, and unpolite souls.

Patronus is fond of a clergyman that understands music, painting, statuary and architecture. He is an enemy to the dissenters, and loves the church of England, because of the stateliness and beauty of its buildings; he never comes to the sacrament, but will go forty miles to see a fine altar-piece. He goes to church when there is a new tune to be heard, but never had any more serious thoughts about salvation, than about flying. If you visit him when he is dying, you will hear his dying thoughts upon architecture.

Eusebius would read prayers twice every day in his parish; he would be often with the poor and sick, and spend much time in charitable visits, he would be wholly taken up in the cure of souls; but that he is busy in studying the old grammarians, and would fain reconcile some differences amongst them before he dies.

Lycia has no wicked or irreligious temper, and she might be pious, but that she is too easy, gay, and cheerful, to admit of care of any kind. She can no more repent, than she can be out of temper, and must be the same sparkling, cheerful creature in the church, as in the play-house. She might be capable of understanding the misery of human nature, and the necessity of the comforts of religion; but that she is so happy every time she is dressed.

Matrona is old, and has been this fifty years eating and drinking, sleeping and waking, dressing and undressing, paying and receiving visits. She has no profaneness; and, if she has no piety, it is owing to this, that she never had a spare half-hour in all her life to think about it. She envies her daughters because they will dress and visit when she is dead.

Publius goes to church sometimes, and reads the Scripture; but he knows not what he reads or prays, his head is so full of politics. He is so angry at kings and ministers of state, that he has no time nor disposition to call himself to account. He has the history of all parliaments, elections, prosecutions, and impeachments, and dies with little or no religion, through a constant fear of popery.

Siccus has neither virtues nor vices; he has been all his life long, building and pulling down, making canals and ditches, raising walls and fences. People call him a good man, because he employs the poor; Siccus might have been a religious man, but that he thought building was the chief happiness of a rational creature. He is all the week amongst dirt and mortar, and stays at home on Sundays to view his contrivances. He will die more contentedly, if his death does not happen whilst some wall is in building.

Silvius laughs at preaching and praying, not because he has any profane principles, or any arguments against religion; but because he happens to have been used to nothing but noise, and hunting, and sports.

I have mentioned these several characters, to show us, that it is not only profaneness, debauchery, and open vices, that keep men from the impressions of true religion; but that the mere play-things of life, impertinent studies, vain amusements, false satisfactions, idle dispositions, will produce the same effect. A wrong turn of mind, impertinent cares, a succession of the poorest trifles, if they take up our thoughts, leave no more room for the cares and fears of true piety, than gross sensuality.

Our blessed Saviour saith, Woe unto you, pharisees, for ye love the uppermost seats in synagogues, and greetings in the markets. Luke xi. 43.

The wisdom of this world would find little to condemn in such a behaviour as this; but yet we see that the wisdom of God condemns it with a woe, teaching us, that every wrong turn of mind, every false satisfaction, puts the soul in a state that is contrary to religion, and makes men unfit to receive its doctrines. This is the reason why religion calls us to a state of self-denial, humility, and mortification, because it is a state that awakens the soul into right apprehensions of things, and qualifies us to see, and hear, and understand the doctrines of eternal truth. We must deny ourselves all our ways of folly and vanity, let go every false satisfaction, that the soul may be at liberty with its full attention, to listen to the instructions of religion.

Would we see any thing exactly, we must take our eyes from every thing else; so if we would apprehend truly the things of religion, we must take our minds from all other objects, we must empty ourselves of all false satisfactions, or we shall never know the want, or feel the excellency of our true good.

We see even in worldly matters, that if we propose any thing to a man when he is in the pursuit of something else, he hardly hears or understands us; we must stay for a season of more leisure and indifference, till his thoughts and passions are at rest.

Now this holds much stronger in matters of religion; its doctrines are neither heard nor understood, because it always finds us in the pursuit of something else; it matters not what this something else is, whether it be loving uppermost seats in the synagogues, a fondness for trifles, a joy in luxury and idleness, or a labour after riches; the mind is equally employed wrong, and so not in a condition to like, or at leisure to listen to any other happiness. If you were to propose the same truths to a man in another state, when weariness or disappointment has made him give up all designs; or when sickness, or the approach of death shows him that he must act no longer in them, they would have quite another effect upon him; then the great things of religion appear great indeed: he feels their whole weight, and is amazed that he did not see them always in the same manner. Now it is the great end and design of self-denial, to put a stop to the follies of life, and mortify all our passions, that our souls may quietly consider, and fully comprehend the truths which come from God: that our hearts being at liberty from a croud of foolish thoughts, may be ready to obey and co-operate with the inspirations of that Spirit, which is to lead and quicken us in holiness; that death and judgment, heaven and hell, may make as deep impressions upon our minds in the middle of our lives, as at our last hour; that we may be as wise and prudent as sick and dying men, and live with such apprehensions as most, people die with, that we may see the vanity of the world, the misery of sin, the greatness of eternity, and the want of God, as they see it, who stand upon the brink of another world.

This is the great and happy work of self-denial, which is to fill us with a spirit of wisdom, to awaken us into a true knowledge of ourselves, and show us who, and where, and what we are. Till this self-denial has put a stop to our follies, and opened our eyes, our life is but a sleep, a dream, a mere succession of shadows; and we act with as little reason and judgment, as a child that is pleased with blowing about a feather. We must therefore not only deny our wicked and sinful inclinations, but also all our follies, impertinences, and vain satisfactions; for as plain and known sins harden and corrupt, so impertinencies and false satisfactions delude and blind our hearts, and render them insensible of our real misery, or true happiness.

We are true members of the kingdom of God, when the kingdom of God is within us, when the Spirit of religion is the spirit of our lives; when seated in our hearts, it diffuses itself into all our motions: when we are wise by its wisdom, sober by its sobriety, and humble by its humility; when it is the principle of all our thoughts and desires, the spring of all our hopes and fears; when we like and dislike, seek and avoid, mourn and rejoice, as becomes those who are born again of God. Now this is the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, to give us a new understanding, a new judgment, temper, taste, and relish, new desires, and new hopes and fears. So far, therefore, as we prepare ourselves by self-denial for this change of heart and mind, so far we invite the assistance, and concur with the inspirations of the Holy Spirit. And so far as we nourish any foolish passion, indulge any vanity of mind, or corruption of heart; so far we resist the graces of God's Holy Spirit, and render ourselv indisposed to relish and improve his secret inspirations. Christians are therefore to consider themselves, not only as men that are to act by a principle of reason, but as spiritual beings, who have a higher principle of life within them, and are to live by the wisdom and instructions of the Spirit of God.

As reasonable men would do every thing that tended to strengthen and improve their reason; so wise Christians ought to practise every way of life, that can fit them for farther degrees of grace, that can strengthen and preserve their union with the Spirit of God. For as a man without reason, has but the figure of a man; so a Christian without the Spirit of God, has but the form of a Christian. And as the perfection of a man consists in the highest improvement of his reason; so the perfection of a Christian consists in his growth in grace, in the spiritual turn and temper of his heart and mind. Here therefore must we fix all our care and concern, that we may remove all hinderances of divine grace, and preserve this kingdom of God within us; that we may be truly spiritual in all our ways and designs, and indulge no tempers that may lessen our union with the Spirit of God.

Some persons will perhaps refrain from grief, when they find that it hurts their eyes; they will avoid passion and anger, if it ends in pains of the head; but they would do well to consider that these tempers are to be abstained from upon much greater accounts. Passion may disorder our bodies, waste our spirits, and leave pains in our heads; but it leaves greater marks of injury in our better part, as it throws us into a state of madness, and banishes the Holy Spirit of peace and gentleness, and prepares us for the suggestions of the spirit of darkness. Grief may hurt our eyes, but it much more hurts our souls, as it sinks them into a state of gloom and darkness, which expels and quenches the Spirit of God; for light may as well unite with darkness, as the Spirit of God dwell with the gloomy dulness and horror of stupid grief. What I have observed of these two passions, ought to be concluded of every other passion and temper; we are to consider it as it suits with, or resists that new Spirit, by whose holy motions we are to be preserved in a state of holiness.

Now seeing this change of our hearts, and newness of spirit, is the whole of religion; we must fear and avoid all irregularity of spirit, every unreasonable temper, because it affects us in the seat of life, because it hurts us in our principal part, and makes us less capable of the graces, and less obedient to the motions of God's Holy Spirit. We must labour after a state of peace, satisfaction, and thankfulness, free from the folly of vain hopes, idle fears, and false anxieties, that our souls may be disposed to feel the joys, to rejoice in the comforts, and advance in the graces of the Holy Ghost.

With what care and exactness we are to conduct ourselves, with regard to the Spirit of God, is fully set forth in the following words; Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers; and grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Eph. iv. 29.

That we may not here mistake what is meant by corrupt communications, that we may not fancy it only implies sinful and wicked discourse, the apostle adds--but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. So that it is a conversation that does not edify and profit the hearer, the apostle condemns as corrupt, and such as is to be avoided. Let it be observed, that the apostle does not prohibit this kind of conversation, because it is useless, impertinent, and better to be avoided; but for a reason of the utmost consequence, that we may not grieve the Holy Spir of God. This shows us, that we Christians are to govern ourselves by no less a rule than a conformity to the Spirit of God; that we are not only to deny ourselves vain and foolish actions, but also idle and unedifying discourse, and conduct ourselves in all our behaviour with such a spirit of wisdom and purity, as may make the Holy Ghost delight to dwell in us. This rule of perfection is highly conformable to the nature of our religion. For as our religion consists in a new heart and new spirit; it is certain that we are then only arrived to the true state of our religion, when it governs our words and actions, and is the constant temper of our minds at all times, and on all occasions. A covetous man is not only covetous, when he is in his counting-room, he is the same person, and governed by the same temper and way of thinking wherever he is. And the same thing is equally true of every way of life, when it has once entered into our heart, and become a settled temper; it is not occasionally exercised in this or that place, or at set times; but is always in being, and constantly disposing us to thoughts, and words, and actions suitable to it.

Some persons seem to know so little of religion, that they confine it to acts of devotion, and public occasions of divine service; they do not consider that it consists in a new heart and new spirit, and that acts of devotion, prayer and preaching, watchings, fastings, and sacraments, are only to fill us with this new heart and spirit, and make it the common constant spirit of our lives every day and in every place.

A man may be said to have some regard for religion, who is regular at places of divine worship; but he cannot be reckoned of a religious spirit, till it is his spirit in every place, and on every occasion; till he lives and breathes by it, and thinks, and speaks, and acts according to its motions.

A man may frequent meetings for mirth; but yet, if when he is out of them, he gives himself unto peevishness, chagrin and dulness, I presume no one will say that such a man is of a cheerful spirit. It is easy to make the application here, if we are only attendants at places of religion; if when we are out of those places, we are of another spirit, I do not say proud or covetous, but vain and foolish; if our actions are silly, and conversation trifling and impertinent, our tempers vain and worldly, we are no more of a religious spirit, than a dull and peevish man is of a cheerful spirit, because he is regular at some set meetings for mirth.

If a person of pride and vanity in the general course of his life, should yet think himself humble, because he had his appointed times of praying for humility, we might justly say of him, that he knew nothing of the nature of that virtue: in like manner, if one, whose conversation, whose discourse, and carriage, and temper in common life, are not according to the spirit of religion, should yet think himself religious, because he had his appointed places of prayer, it might justly be said of him, that he was a stranger to the nature of true religion. For religion is not ours till we live by it; till it is the religion of our thoughts, words, and actions; till it goes with us into every place; sits uppermost on every occasion; and forms and governs our hopes and fears, our cares and pleasures. He is the religious man who watches and guards his spirit, and endeavours to be always in the temper of religion; who worships God in every place by a purity of behaviour; who is as fearful of foolish thoughts, irregular tempers, and vain imaginations, at one time as at another; who is as wise and heavenly at home, or in the field, as in the house of God. For when once religion has got possession of a man's heart, and is become, as it ought to be, his ruling temper; it is as agreeable to such a one in all places, and at all times, to speak and act according to its directions, as it is agreeable to the ambitious man to act according to the motions of ambition. We must therefore take it for granted, that if we are not religious in our conversation and common temper, we are not religious in our hearts; we may have a formality of religion at certain times and places, but we are not of a religious spirit.

We see every body speaking and conversing according to their spirit and temper; the covetous, the ambitious, the vain and self-conceited, have each of them their proper language suitable to their spirit and temper; they are the same persons in all places, and always talk like themselves. If therefore we could meet with persons of a truly religious spirit and temper, we should find them like men of other tempers, the same persons in all places, and always talking and acting like themselves. We should find them living by one temper, and conversing with men with the same spirit that they converse with God; not one thing in one place, and another in another, not formal and grave at a funeral, and mad and frantic at a feast; not listening to wisdom at church, and delighting in folly at home; not angry at one foolish thing, and as much pleased with another; but steady and uniform in the same wise and religious temper.

Farther, as we are not of a religious spirit, till it is the spirit of our life, and orders our conversation; so it is carefully to be observed, that if our conversation is vain and foolish, it keeps us in a state incapable of religion by grieving the Holy Spirit. For as we can do nothing without the Spirit of God, as it is our breath, our life, our light, and our strength; so if we live in such a way as grieves and removes this Holy Spirit from us, we are as branches that are broke off from the tree, and must perish in the deadness and corruption of our nature. Let this therefore teach us to judge rightly of the sin and danger of vain, unedifying, and corrupt commu- nication; it is not the sin of idleness or negligence; it is not the sin of a pardonable infirmity; it is not a little mistake in spiritual wisdom; but it is a sin that stands between us and the tree of life: that opposes our whole happiness, as it grieves and separates the Holy Spirit from us. Let this also teach some people the reason, why they are so dead and senseless of religion, and hardly capable of an outward formal compliance with it; they are not guilty of gross sins; they have an aversion to cheating and falseness; but at the same time have no more feeling or relish of religion, than mere reprobates. Now the reason of it is this, they live in such an impertinence of conversation; their own communication is so constantly upon silly and vain subjects; and they are so fond of those who have the talent of conversing in the same manner, that they render themselves unfit for the residence of the Holy Spirit. Their whole life is almost nothing else but a course of that filthiness, foolish talking, and jesting, which the apostle forbids. Now this kind of conversation may grieve the Holy Spirit, for these two reasons: first, because it proceeds from too disordered a soul, for the Holy Spirit to delight in; for such as our conversation is, such is our heart; for truth itself has assured us, that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. If therefore we are delighted with idle raillery, foolish jesting, and ridiculous stories, we must not think that we are only foolish, so far as a little talk goes; but we must charge ourselves home, and be assured that it is a foolishness of heart, a vanity of soul that we labour under.

Secondly, another reason why this conversation grieves the Holy Spirit, may be this, because it is of so great consequence, and has so great an influence in life. We do not seem enough to apprehend either how much good or how much evil there is in conversation; and I believe it may be affirmed, that the greatest instructions, and the greatest corrup- tions, proceed from it. If some people were to give us their true history, they would tell us that they never had any religion since they had such acquaintance; and others have been insensibly led into a sincere piety, only by conversing with pious people. For men's common conversation and ordinary life teach much more effectually, than any thing they say or do, at set times and occasions.

When a clergyman preaches, he is, for the most part, considered as doing his duty; as acting according to his profession; and doing that which all clergymen do, whether good or bad. But if he is the same wise and virtuous man in his communication, that he is in the pulpit; if his speech be seasoned with salt, that it may minister grace unto the hearers; if the common and ordinary actions of his life be visibly governed by a spirit of piety; such a one will make converts to holiness; he will be heard with reverence on the Sunday; not so much for the weight of what he says, as for what he says and does all the week. And on the contrary, if a clergyman, when he comes out of the pulpit, is but like other men; as irregular in his tempers; as trifling in his conversation; as eager in diversions; as ridiculous in his pleasures; and as vain in his designs as other people; he will mightily lessen his power over the hearts of his hearers. A father now and then gives his son virtuous advice, and the son, perhaps, would be much the better for it, but that he never hears him talking virtuously, but when he is giving him advice; this makes him think, that he is then only acting the part of a father, as when he is buying him clothes, or putting him out to an employment. Whereas, if he saw his father's ordinary life and conversation to be under the rules of religion, and his every-day temper a temper of piety, it is very likely that he would be won into an imitation of it.

A mother orders her daughter to be taught the catechism, and desires that she may have books of devotion; the daughter would have imagined that she was to have formed herself by these books, she would have read them when she was alone; but that she finds her mother sits up at night to read romances, and if she is ill must be read to sleep with a play. She might have had some notion of religious modesty and humility; but that she sees her mother eager after all diversions; impatient till she knows all intrigues; fond of the wit and flattery of rakes; pleased with the gentility of fops, and the gracefulness of players.

Now a daughter educated with a mother of this temper and conversation, is rendered almost incapable of religion.

This therefore may be one reason why a vain unedifying conversation grieves the Holy Spirit, viz. because it not only proceeds from a corruption of heart, a disordered state of the soul; but because it is so powerful in its influences, and does so much harm to those that we converse with. For it is our communication, our ordinary temper and manner of common life, that affects other people; that either hardens them in sin, or awakens them to a sense of piety. Let, therefore, all clergymen, and masters and mistresses of families; let them consider, that if their ordinary life, their communication be vain, impertinent and unedifying; that they are not only in a corrupt state of heart, but are guilty of corrupting and perverting the hearts of those that belong to them. Let them not think that they have sufficiently discharged their duty, by seeing that those who relate to them have their proper instructions; for it is next to impossible for such instructions to have their proper effect against the temper and example of those we converse with. If a clergyman plays and drinks, and sports with his flock in the week-days, let him not wonder if he preaches them asleep on Sundays. If a father is intemperate; if he swears and converses foolishly with his friends; let him not wonder that his children cannot be made virtuous. For there is nothing that teaches to any purpose but our ordinary temper, our common life and conversation; and almost all people will be such as those amongst whom they were born and bred. It is, therefore, the necessary duty of all Christians, in all states of life, to look carefully to their ordinary behaviour, that it be not the means of poisoning and corrupting the hearts of those that they converse with. They must consider, that all the follies and impertinencies of their ordinary life and conversation, have the guilt of destroying souls; and that the blood of those, whom their follies have destroyed, will be required at their hands.

It is sometimes said of a foolish, irregular, and vain person, that he is only his own enemy; but this is as absurd as to say, that a person of exemplary and eminent piety is only his own friend; for as his lively piety will certainly communicate itself to those about him; so the folly and impertinent spirit of an irregular man, will naturally infect those who are obliged to be near him.

A mistress, whose daily conversation is a daily proof to her maids, that she is governed by a spirit of true piety in all that she says and does, whose regular life is a continual visible labour to work out her salvation with fear and trembling, is a blessing to all that stand about her; she communicates happiness even to those who are born of her servants; they will be educated in piety, because their parents learnt what piety was, in waiting on such a mistress.

A good-natured, drinking, sleeping, playing, swearing master, is a curse to those who tend upon him; they are led into all irregularities, by following his steps; and are sent into the world hardened in follies, and insensible of religion, by having lived with such a master. This, therefore, ought carefully to be considered by all Christians, as a mighty encouragement to an exact strictness and regularity of behaviour; that as a holy conversation entitles us to a reward for other people's virtues, so an evil communication, and the folly of our lives, make us liable to a punishment for other men's sins. For we can neither live well or ill to ourselves alone, but must of necessity do either good or harm to others, by our manner of conversation. This is one great reason why a vain corrupt communication does so grieve the Holy Spirit, because it is so infecting an evil, and does so corrupt the manners of those that we converse with. This doctrine of abstaining from corrupt communication, that we may not grieve the Spirit of God, teaches us a high aim, an exalted degree of perfection, which is peculiar to Christianity. As Christianity lays the design of uniting us to God, and raising us to a more intimate participation of the divine nature; so we are to make the spirit of our religion, and the greatness of its designs, the rule of our perfection.

We must not only conduct ourselves by rules of morality, but pursue such degrees of purity as can only be expressed by an imitation of God, and aspire after such wisdom as is suggested to us, by considering that we are temples of the Holy Ghost, and must live like beings consecrated by the Spirit of Wisdom. If we were frequently to consider the holy presence of this God within us, and to ask ourselves--does this discourse, this behaviour, become one who is to act according to the inspirations of the Divine Spirit? We should find, that the very thought of this dignity of our state would determine several points where no express law condemns us; we should find such a contrariety in many of our allowed ways to our Christian greatness, to this Holy Spirit that is given unto us, as would sufficiently check our behaviour, only by showing us that we acted below ourselves.

It is common in life to hear a man say, This does not become a gentleman; That does not become a man of quality: now I would have us find out something like this in religion; for certainly if any state of life has its dignity, which can excite men to a suitable greatness of action, surely the state of a Christian, which is a state of such relation to God, which unites us to his Holy Spirit, ought to raise in us a desire of acting suitable to so exalted a condition. For who can so justly be afraid of acting below himself, as he that is made one with Christ? Who can so reasonably think that he is never wise, or holy, or pure enough, as he that is to walk with God in the light of his Holy Spirit, whose soul and body is made a sacred temple for the divine presence?

The heathen philosophers exhorted man to reverence his reason as a ray of the Deity; but we can go much higher; we can exhort him to reverence the Deity that dwelleth in him, and to act with such purity as becomes persons that are inspired by the Holy Ghost.

This is the improvement that we are to make of this doctrine of divine grace; it must make us exact and careful of our behaviour, that we may walk worthy of that Holy Spirit that dwelleth in us. __________________________________________________________________