shall understand more above, of the wonders of nature and providence, as well as of the mystery of redemption, than we could reach here with the closest study and application.

To be filled with the Spirit then, deserves to be esteemed by us the most desireable good; whether we consider it in itself, or compare it with the chief objects of pursuit, which men are aiming at according to their different tastes. But it But it may be said, is not, this a blessing too big for me to expect? have I any just reason to hope, that a creature so mean, so corrupt as I am, should ever reach to such a height of honour and blessedness, as is included in being filled with the Spirit? Yes, it is farther intimated in this exhortation being addressed to

us.

2. That we should look upon it as an attainable good: When the apostle directs this, as well as the other practical advices in the context, to the body of professed Christians; it plainly bespeaks that which he so recommends to be a thing, which none of them should apprehend to be quite out of their reach, but a blessing to be come at. Those, who were already by his grace prevailed upon to believe and obey the gospel, should not esteem themselves stinted to the lower measure of the Spirit which they had received, or despair of coming up to be filled with him, in the gospel-sense of the expression. And those, who might yet be no more than professors of Christianity at large, were allowed and obliged, to believe it possible to obtain the Spirit, and even a plentiful participation of him, how unlike, how different soever, they might find their present frame and temper from such an attainment. They lived under the gospel, which made known to them the dispensation of the Spirit and they heard such an exhortation directed to them as this in the text, without any exclusive distinction of themselves. No such address could reasonably be made to damned spirits, who are absolutely concluded in a remediless state: nor could it be directed to the body of the Ephesian professors at large, by a God who will not trifle with men, if it were as impracticable for any of them to obtain such a blessing, as for the fallen spirits. Now wherever the word of the gospel

comes, this exhortation should be attended to in the same latitude, as of general obligation, and general encouragement at the same time. And to encourage you all to entertain hopes

of this blessing as attainable, I would represent the foundations we have for such a hope.

(1.) From the Spirit's own gracious benignity, and his declared inclination to fill souls. We find not only the grace

of the Father, and the grace of the Son, celebrated in the work of our salvation; but the grace of the Spirit also. The Psalmist fastens upon this character of him, as a plea for obtaining his conduct, Psal. exliii. 10. "Thy Spirit is good; lead me." He is stiled the Spirit of grace; not only as he is the hand by which all grace is communicated to us; but as he is himself full of grace and benignity. His compassion to a lost and vitiated world, induced him to come into the design of curing souls, and to bear a signal part in it himself. He hath published this to the world by the holy men of God whom he inspired, on purpose to excite the sons of men to employ him, and to admit his kind offices; that as they are sufficient to supply the wants of all, so all might have encouragement to put in for a share, according to his free and spreading benignity. He is never better pleased than when he is made use of; and from his kind propensions towards us; he is represented after the manner of men, as one grieved, when his influences are neglected or opposed, Eph.

iv. 30.

(2.) From the purchase and intercession of Christ, we may derive yet farther encouragement. Upon our forfeiture by sin, divine wisdom judged it proper, that though every benefit should be grace to us, yet it should be purchased by Christ for us; and the grace of the Spirit particularly among the rest, Gal. iii. 13, 14. "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us ;-That we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." This purchase of Christ gives a security to all who are already true believers, which they may plead with God, for the continued influences of the Spirit, according to their wants in the Christian life. And it looks with a kind aspect upon all at large, who are planted in his vineyard, in the visible church, and not yet cut down. He intercedes on behalf of an unfruitful tree, Luke xiii. 8, 9. for some farther time "to dig about it, and dung it," to cast farther manure about it in order to its fruitfulness; though it is supposed, that after all, this tree might be finally unfruitful, and so cut down at last. The

M

culture he designed it, we have no reason to understand merely of the outward ministration of the gospel, but also of some kindly influences of the Spirit accompanying that ministration. This intercession of Christ was by way of office, as he was the dresser of the vineyard; and he carries his intercession no farther, than his purchase will bear him out. If then you should have reason to fear, that your advantages in the vineyard have not hitherto been successful to bring you heartily to obey the gospel; yet here is encouragement to hope, that through the intercession of Christ, that culture may yet be had, which will be sufficient to enable you to bear genuine fruit; though you cannot tell when this reprieve and day of salvation will be out.

(3.) From the nature of the Spirit's work, in consequence of redemption. The province of the Spirit toward men begins where Christ left off. His work is to apply what Christ purchased. Now the saving design, on which Christ came, will not begin to take effect upon any particular souls without the Spirit's operation; nor yet will it be completed, till "Christ can present his church to himself a glorious church, without spot or wrinkle, holy and without blemish," Eph. v. 27. And certainly it is no small encouragement both to sinners and saints, that in their hope of his influences, they expect nothing from him but that which is his declared province; his powerful aids effectually to bring us to God, when we have thoughts of arising and returning to our Father, and then to lead us on toward perfection. This is the work for which we need him, and for which the gospel directs our eye particularly to him. Now we should by no means despair of attaining that, for which he is declared to be set up.

(4.) From the gospel's being described as the ministration of the Spirit. So it is by the apostle, 2 Cor. iii. 8. in opposition to the Mosaical law. That is called the ministration of death, ver. 7. because, though written and engraven on stones, so as to give a clear discovery of the will of God; yet it did not point to the grace of the Spirit to enable men to perform it, nor was ordinarily attended with such a measure of his influences. But the gospel is eminently the ministration of the Spirit. While it prescribes men's duty, it fully and frequently acquaints them with the provision made of the Spirit, to capacitate them for it, as writing the law of God, "in the

fleshly tables of the heart," ver. 3. And where it comes, the Spirit attends it and while men are "beholding the glory of the Lord in this glass, they are often changed into the same image from glory to glory, by the Spirit of God," ver. 18. When we are therefore under this gospel, there is room to entertain hope, that it may be an effectual ministration of the Spirit to us.

(5.) From the declarations of God concerning the Spirit. There are many promises of his first saving operations, which run in an absolute strain, Ezek. xxxvi. 26, 27. “A new heart will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments," Jer. xxiv. 7. "I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the Lord; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God," Jer. xxxi. 33. "After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their heart; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people." And many other promises there are of the like tenor. These were directly delivered to the Jews, either after threatenings of their captivity, but before they were executed; or when they were actually in captivity: but the apostle proves in Heb. viii. from the words, with which the last mentioned promise in Jeremiah is introduced, that the promises of this sort were to have their main accomplishment in gospel-times. These could not properly be said to be made to particular persons; for they are not described by names and characters, unless in one it is said to be "a covenant made with the house of Israel," Jer. xxxi. 31, 33. that is, the visible church. They are rather to be considered as divine declarations, deposited with his church in general, that he would make monuments of his efficacious grace. Now awakened sinners in the gospel state, to which state the apostle assures us that these promises principally belong, may justly take encouragement from such indeterminate promises. Is it no relief to hear, that God is not only able, but resolved to give distinguishing grace to some apostate creatures? Though we should have no notice to whom, yet who would not hope and try? Especially, as such declarations are only lodged with the visible church, who have the oracles of God among them,

it gives them who are acquainted with this joyful sound, room for hope in this matter, far beyond what there can be for those who enjoy not the gospel.

Other declarations of God seem to carry the matter farther; so Prov. i. 23. "Turn ye at my reproof; behold, I will pour out my Spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you." The persons to whom these words of wisdom are directed, are plainly described to be unconverted sinners, and great sinners; as may be seen in the expostulation with them, in ver. 22. "How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge ?" This is followed with the call to them, "Turn at my reproof; behold, I will pour out my Spirit unto you." But how could they turn at the reproof, before the Spirit was poured out? I answer, the nature of the case necessarily obliges us to understand the turning, to which they are exhorted, as something short of a thorough turn or conversion; some likely tendencies toward it, framing their doings thitherwards. And yet even that supposes, that the Spirit was some way at work with them already by his common grace, accompanying the expostulations of wisdom, striving with them. Without that, a fallen creature would not be capable of any tendencies toward conversion. But thereupon they are encouraged to hope for a farther and more liberal effusion of the Spirit.

Our Saviour's general declaration, in Luke xi. 13. is yet farther encouraging. "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children; how much more shall the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?" The Father from heaven, the common Father. I cannot but apprehend this designed for encouragement to convinced sinners, as well as to real saints.

(6.) From the instances of his grace already made in others. Every convert in former ages and in the present, that comes to the notice of a sinner, is some encouragement to him to hope, that his own recovery is practicable. The same power can effect it, the same grace can surmount all his unworthiness, and put him also among the children. And all those, who have already shined as the excellent of the earth, eminent in grace, and full of the Holy Ghost, should not only shame Christians of lower attainments into emulation; but