First, Shall men* of such principles walk as others do? Shall wc lament for vou, as David once did for Saul, saying, " There the " shield of the mighty was vilely cast away, the shield of Saul ; " as though he had not been anointed with oil.'** There the ho- nour of a Christian was vilely cast away, as though he had not been anointed with the Spirit ? " You have received an unction from 44 the holy One, which teacheth you all things," 1 John ii. 20. another Spirit, far above that which is in other men, 1 Cor. ii. 12. And as this spirit which is in you, is fitted for this life of holiness, " (for ve are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good " works,1'' Eph. ii. 10.) so this holy spirit or principle, infused into your souls, hath such a natural tendency to this holy life, that if vou live not purely and strictly, you must offer violence to your own principles and new nature. A twofold help this principle af- fords you for a life of holiness.
1. First, It pulls you back from sin, as in Joseph ; " How can " I do this great wickedness, and sin against God ?" And it also inclines you powerfullv to obedience. It is a curb to sin, and a spur to holiness. It is impossible for all others to live spiritually and heavenly, because they have no new nature to incline them hereunto. And, methinks, it should be hard for you to live car- nally, and sensually ; and therein cross the very bent and tendency of the new creature, which is formed in you. How can you neglect praver, as others do, whilst the Spirit, by divine pulsations, is awaking and rousing up your sluggish hearts with such inward motions, and whispers, as that, Psal. xxvii. 8. " Seek my face." Yea, whilst you feel, (during your omissions of duty), something within that bemoans itself, and, as it were, cries for food, pains and gripes you, like an empty stomach, and will not let you be quiet, till it be relieved. How can you let out your hearts to the world, as other men do, when all that while your spirit is rest- less, and aches like a bone out of joint ? And you can never be at ease, till you come back to God, and say, as Psal. cxvi. " Return 44 to thy rest, O my soul.*1 Is it not hard, yea, naturally impos-
SEItM. XLII. THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. ool
sible, to fix a stone, and make it abide in the fluid air ? Doth not every creature, in a restless motion, tend to its proper centre, and desire its own perfection ? So doth this new creature also. You see how the rivers in their course will not be checked, but bear down all the obstacles in their way, et scevior ab obice ibit ; a stop doth but make them rage the more, and run the swifter after- wards.
There is a central force in these natural motions, which cannot be stopped. And the like may you observe, in the motions of a renewed soul, John iv. 14. " It shall be in him as a well of water " springing up." And is it not hard for you to keep it down, or turn its course ? How hard did Jeremiah and David find that work ? If you do not live holy lives, you must cross your own new nature, ana violate the law that is written in your own hearts, and en- graven upon your own bowels. To this purpose a late * writer speaks ; Till you were converted, (saith he) the flesh was predo- minant, and therefore it was impossible for you to live any other than a fleshly life ; for every thing will act according to its predo- minant principle. Should you not therefore live a spiritual life ? Should not the law of God written in your hearts, be legible in your lives ? O should not your lives be according to the tendency of your hearts ? Thus he : Doubtless this is no small advantage to practical holiness. But,
Secondly, Besides this principle within, you have no small as- sistance for the purity of life, by these excellent patterns before you. The path of holiness is no untrodden path to you. Christ and his servants have beaten it before you. The life of Christ is your copy, and it is a fair copy indeed, without a blot. Oh ! what an advantage is this, to draw all the lines of your actions, ac- cording to his example ! This glorious, grand example is often pressed upon for your imitation, Heb. xii. 2. Looking to Jesus, he hath left you an example, that ye should tread, in his stqjs, 1 Pet. ii 21. His life is a living rule to his people; and besides Christ's example, (for you may say, who can live as Christ did ? his exam- ple is quite above us) you have a cloud of witnesses. A cloud for its directive use, and these men of like passions, temptations, and constitutions with you ; who have gone before you in exemplary holiness. The Holy Ghost (intending therein your special help and advantage) hath set many industrious pens to work, to write tlie lives of the saints, and preserve for your use, their holy sayings, and heavenly actions. He bids you " take them for an example," James v. 10. Oh ! what excellent men are passed on before you ? what renowned Worthies have led the way ! Men, whose conver-
* Mr. T. JUall's Exhortation to holy living.
5-52 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE, SERM. XLir.