and all ages of the Christian church. Our Saviour promises his disciples the Spirit to abide with them for ever. He represents the Father as giving the Spirit to every one who asks it. And it is the character of all true Christians, that they have the Spirit, are led by it and walk in it. Such expressions must intend some heavenly influence very different from imA man mediate inspiration and miraculous gifts. might have these gifts of the Spirit, and yet be a stranger to its renewing influence-might prophesy, speak with tongues, abound in knowledge, and by faith remove mountains, and yet be nothing in religious estimation. Among the workers of iniquity, whom Christ, at the last day, will reject, many will plead, that in his name they have cast out devils and done other wonderful works. When therefore the Apostle exhorts believers to be filled with the Spirit, in opposition to being filled with wine, he must mean, that they should seek that holy influence, which forms the mind to a meetness for the kingdom of heaven.

I would add; by the Spirit we may understand those holy tempers which are called "the fruits of the Spirit," in opposition to "the works of the flesh." The latter are "uncleanness, hatred, variance, wrath, strife, drunkThe former are enness, revellings and such like."

"love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, meekness, fidelity and temperance." Christians are directed to abound in love, hope and every good work-to be filled with the fruits of righteousness and with the knowledge of God's will-to grow in grace, and build themselves up on their most holy faith, adding to it virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and charity, till all these things abound in them. As these are the fruits of the Spirit, so to be filled with them is to be filled with the Spirit. And these are principally intended by the Spirit in our text. We proceed to shew,

II. What is implied in being filled with the Spirit.

1. This supposes, what the gospel uniformly teaches, our dependence on the grace of God in the religious life. Though we are moral and intelligent beings, yet such is the depravity of our nature, that "we are not sufficient of ourselves to think any thing, as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God." Paul confesses, By the grace of God I am what I am--I labored abundantly, yet not I, but the grace of God which is

with me."

2. The expression implies, that there is a supply of the Spirit for them who seek it. "It hath pleased the Father, that in Christ all fulness should dwell, and of his fulness we may all receive grace for grace-grace sufficient for us-grace which is made perfect in our weakness.

3. It farther imports an actual participation of such measures of grace as are competent to the exigencies of the Christian life.

It is the office of the Spirit, to transform us by the renewing of the mind-to carry on the work of sanctification in us to secure us against temptations-to preserve us from apostasy-to comfort us in afflictions -to assist us in prayer-to seal us unto the day of redemption to witness with our Spirits that we are the children of God. When we are filled with the Spirit, we enjoy his influences in these various respects.

We are to ask large communications of grace. Among real Christians there are different degrees of holiness, constancy, zeal and hope. Some under the same means make greater attainments; and some with the same holy attainments have greater comforts than others. All should seek such a fulness of the Spirit, as to rise more and more above their infirmities, imperfections and fears, and to abound more and more in purity, peace and joy..

This fulness implies a steady enjoyment of the Spirit, As we are always dependent on the influence of providence for the support and comfort of the natural life,

and for those The Apostle nevertheless I

so we are always dependent on the influence of grace for the preservation of the religious life, hopes and joys which spring from it. says, "I am crucified with Christ; live; yet not I, but Christ liyeth in me; and the life which I live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God." We should not content ourselves with occasional good frames, but desire grace, that we may walk worthy of the Lord to all pleasing, and be fruitful in every good work.

The expression farther implies grace to help in time of need. The christian in his course of probation experiences a variety of trials-he passes through prosperity and adversity-he meets with temptations from without, and oppositions from within. He is sometimes in darkness and fear, and sometimes in light and joy. In this variety of circumstances, he needs grace to help: It concerns him therefore to keep near toGod, and to maintain daily intercourse with him, that he may receive grace suitable to his condition and adequate to his wants.

This fulness imports growth in holiness. As the Spirit is given to carry on the work of sanctification in the soul, so one who is filled with it will be full of goodness-full of every virtuous temper and work. It is vain to pretend, that we have the presence of the Spirit, further than we bring forth his holy fruits.

4. I would observe; this fulness of the Spirit is opposed to excess-to all irregularity, wildness and extravagance, as well as to gross palpable vice. The divine operations on the minds of Christians are calm and rational, tending not to confusion, but to peace.

As God has given us a complete revelation, it cannot, in the present day, be a work of the Spirit to communicate new revelations, but to direct us in the use of that which we have. Nothing, therefore, is to be regarged as a dictate of the Spirit, which contradicts, or goes beyond that which is written. By this we must

try every Spirit, whether it be of God. By this only can we distinguish the divine influence from the deluşions of fancy, or the suggestions of Satan. We are not to suppose this influence to be perceptible immediately and by itself: Its correspondence with the word of truth is the evidence by which we know its divinity. In its ordinary operations it is "the Spirit of a sound mind." It disturbs not, but assists the sober exercise of reason. Paul says to the Corinthians, "The Spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets." Many, in the Corinthian church, had run into great excesses in their worshipping assemblies. They either unauthorised assumed the business of preaching, or conducted it in a reprehensible manner. Several would speak at once, confounding and interrupting one another. Such as could speak in unknown tongues preferred these to plain edifying language. In the multitude of speakers, their worship was protracted to an unreasonable length. The Apostle reproves these disorders. He says, if a stranger should come into their assemblies, he would think they were mad. He instructs them, that not every private Christian, but the prophets only should speak in the church; that these should speak by course, one after another, and not more than two or three in the same meeting; that they should utter with the tongue words easy to be understood, that so all may learn and be comforted.

Some in excuse for their extravagances, would plead, that they were under an uncontrolable operation of the Spirit that, they had no command of their tongues, that their zeal boiled with a fervor which must have vent. But the apostle tells them, the Spirit never urges men to excess, or dispossesses them of the power of selfgovernment. "The Spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets; for God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints."

This we should always bear in mind, that the operations of the Spirit are consonant to sound and sober

reason; and the more one is filled with the Spirit, the farther is he removed from every irregularity of temper, excess of passion and indecency of behavior.

The good Christian feels a concern for the honor of the gospel and the salvation of his fellow sinners. But if under pretence of godly zeal, the private Christian, or the youthful convert assumes the public teacher, he wanders from his place-he runs to excess-he stretches himself beyond his line; and this irregularity is not a fruit of the Spirit, but a work of the flesh.

A true Christian desires to see greater purity in the church. But if his zeal urges him to withdraw from the church instead of laboring to reform it; this is an excess; and this operation of zeal is from the Spirit of the world-not from the Spirit of God.

The sinner under convictions has a deep sense of guilt and danger, and an ardent desire to escape eternal wrath. But if he falls into horrible, despairing apprehensions of his state, this is an excess, for the gospel sets hope before him. His convictions may be from the Spirit; but his despondency proceeds from some other cause.

The awakened sinner gives himself much to prayer; and, as far as he is influenced by the Spirit, he prays with deep humility and earnest desire, and he seeks silent retirement. Now if, instead of repairing to his closet and pouring out his heart before God in secret, he goes into the highways and fields, and utters his prayers with noisy vociferations, he is filled with pride, not with the Spirit; for in such prayers there is excess. I proceed to shew,

III. What we are to do, that we may be filled with the Spirit.

This the Apostle enjoins as matter of duty. We are required to have grace, that we may serve God acceptably." It is usual in scripture to command as duty, the same things which are promised as a privilege; because, in order to our receiving the promise,