I. I come now to another great doctrine of our religion, namely, the absolute necessity of divine grace: which is another constant reason for universal self-denial.
The invisible assistance of God’s Spirit, by which we are disposed to 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; 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; it arises from some invisible union with God, or divine influence, which in this state 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 the Spirit.[¹] This shews us how ignorant we are of the manner of the operations of the Holy Spirit. We may feel its effects, as we may perceive the effects of the wind, but are as much strangers to the manner of its coming upon us, as we are to that exact point, from whence the wind begins to blow, or where it will cease.
[¹] John iii. 8.
II. 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 by the manner of his giving the Holy Spirit to the disciples; and he breathed on them, and said unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost. By this 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, 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 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 as yet fall within our knowledge.
III. 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. In this sense there have been but few inspired persons; but inspiration, as it signifies an invisible operation, or assistance of God’s Holy Spirit, is the privilege of all Christians: in this sense 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, and if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.[¹] From these, and many other passages it is 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.
[¹] Rom. viii. 11.
IV. And 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 than 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 shews 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 express 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 contrary to the letter of the law, but whether they are according to the Spirit of God; for if they are contrary to the Spirit of God, they are as truly to be avoided, as if they were contrary to some express commandment. For we are assured by 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 Holy Ghost.