to communicate heavenly things; to implant the fear and love of God; to instil faith in the Saviour; to elevate the soul to a hope and foretaste of the joys above; to encourage holy affections, and to implant the mind which was in Christ. If we walk in the Spirit, therefore, it will be our endeavour to repress that worldliness of heart, that appetite after sensual pleasure, that craving anxiety for earthly objects, which is natural to the carnal heart. "To be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." The carnal mind is put in opposition to the spiritual mind. Spiritual life consists in mortifying, through the Spirit, the deeds of the body.

A particular temptation is often most successfully overcome, not so much by directly opposing it, and reasoning against it, as by encouraging a contrary disposition of mind. When the object of temptation is present, the view of it too often only inflames our passions, and gives vigour to the temptation. Here we must flee from it rather than resist it. But, in the absence of temptation, there is an opportunity of overcoming it effectually, by cultivating a spirit incompatible with it; a spirit of purity, heavenly mindedness, humility, and divine love. This is to alter the nature of the soil which encouraged the growth of weeds. This is also to guard not against that particular temptation only, but to fortify the mind against sin in general. For where the mind is much occupied about divine things and acquires a taste for holy pursuits, the tempter will meet with little encouragement. It is the soul that has first abandoned itself to covetousness, carelessness, sloth, or sensuality, which falls an easy prey to his assaults.

If then we would walk in the Spirit, we must cultivate spiritual views, and act from spiritual motives. We must honour him by exercising an habitual dependence upon his help; we must pay a conscientious reverence to the means and ordinances which he has appointed; we must be cautious lest we grieve him, or

resist his holy motions; and, finally, we must cultivate that heavenly-mindedness and those holy affections which he communicates to the soul.

II. If we thus walk in the Spirit, we shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh. This is the second point which I proposed to illustrate.

There is a certain degree to which victory over the sinful desires of the flesh is obtained by every real Christian; and this degree is, perhaps, proportioned to that in which he walks in the Spirit. The flesh, indeed, lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; so that in this imperfect state, while the flesh still remains, there is a constant conflict between them. But though, on this account, the Christian is not able to do entirely the things which he would, yet on the other hand, neither is the flesh, or the corrupt nature, able to act according to its will: and it is added, for our encouragement, that if we walk in the Spirit, we are not under the law; therefore, neither shall sin gain the ascendancy over us, nor shall we finally fall under the condemnation of the law.

The man who walks not in the Spirit is a willing servant of sin: he either opposes not the lusts of the flesh, or he does it feebly and partially, and from imperfect or corrupt motives. He lives under the power and dominion of sin.-On the contrary, the man who is renewed by the Spirit, though he still feels the power of sin, yet resists and struggles against it generally and habitually. His prevailing wish is to be free from all sin. He is using measures to obtain the victory over it; and, when foiled, he is dejected and miserable. He does not, as he once did, make his sin his pleasure; but it is his burden and pain.

A material difference will therefore be visible between one who is in the flesh and one who is in the Spirit, in the manner in which they will receive this advice of the Apostle. He who is in the flesh will take no pains to understand it, nor will he labour to follow it: he is easy and contented: you tell him of a

remedy for a disease which he does not feel, and point him out a good which he does not wish to obtain.

On the contrary, he who is born of the Spirit, being accustomed to consider the corrupt desires of the flesh as his greatest enemies, will be glad to hear and to follow the advice by which he may be delivered from them. With anxiety, therefore, he will consider what it is to walk in the Spirit. Where he does not understand, he will reflect and meditate. Where the advice appears just and reasonable, he will not delay to follow it. When it succeeds, he will be elevated with hope: when it fails, he will be dejected, yet will still endeavour more fully and more diligently to walk in the Spirit. Thus the honour of the Spirit will be promoted by him, and the work of the Spirit will be carried on in his heart.

Permit me to conclude with a short application of the whole.

How important is the subject of the influence of the Spirit of God on the soul of man! But will God in very deed dwell with man! we may well exclaim. Yes; his influence is promised as the peculiar gift of God to all who believe in the name of Christ. What attention, then, do we pay to him? What is his influence on our hearts? Does he abide in us? "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." Are we then walking after the Spirit? Are there visible in us the marks of the Spirit's agency? Could he dwell in us, and our hearts be, nevertheless, covetous, worldly, sensual, impure? If he does dwell in us shall it not be evidenced by effects suitable to his character and office? Shall we not produce the fruits of the Spirit? Shall we not walk after the Spirit? Will not the Spirit be lusting against the flesh, as well as the flesh against the Spirit? Shall we not perceive the effect of his work in all goodness, righteousness, and truth? Shall we not enjoy a spirit of holy liberty in the service of God; draw nigh to God in the spirit of adoption: delight in the law of God; rejoice in believing with a hope full of consola

tion. The presence of the Spirit of God must doubtless manifest itself by the purity, and righteousness, and holy affections which are imparted by it. What then do we know of the work of the Spirit? What tokens do we possess of his spiritual aid? Thus are we called upon by the Apostle to prove ourselves: "Examine," saith he, "whether you be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, (that is, by his Spirit,) except ye be reprobates?"—except your profession of Christianity be only an empty form. God grant that we may have a witness in ourselves that God hath given to us eternal life, and that this life is in his Son; and a well-founded hope that we have been sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession.

To conclude: Are we labouring not to fulfil the lusts of the flesh? Is it our chief desire to mortify our corrupt nature? This is indeed the characteristic property of every real Christian. He cannot be a true disciple of Christ unless he is supremely influenced by such a wish. Then let us attend to the direction of the Apostle: "Walk in the Spirit." Consider in what manner the Spirit is pleased to impart his sacred influences. There is a line of conduct which he requires us to pursue in order to be partakers of them. The connexion between a spiritual walk and victory over sin is indissoluble. It is vain to expect the one without the other. Let us see, then, that we are spiritually-minded; that we are following the rules which the Spirit has laid down for the edification of the church. Let us beware. of grieving the Spirit by forsaking the path he has pointed out to us; by seeking to obtain dominion over sin by motives merely human or worldly, by neglecting to seek his aid, by slighting his ordinances, by giving way to wilful sin, or by encouraging a worldly and sensual spirit. Vain is the hope of that man who expects the influence of the Spirit to operate upon him,

while he takes no pains himself, exercises no self-denial, watches not against transgression. Vain is the hope of those who, because they coldly pray for the influence of the Spirit, think there is no necessity to do more, and are easy and at rest, though they experience no victory over sin: as if the fault no longer rested with them but with God, who does not please to communicate his aid. God does not offer the Spirit to encourage and foster the sloth of man, but to quicken his diligence. Walk, then, in the Spirit; let your whole conduct and conversation be ordered according to the holy directions of the Spirit of God in his revealed word. Thus you will obtain the victory over sin. Thus you will overcome in the good fight of faith, and receive the palm of triumph.

VOL. II.