2. Because of their necessity.
[1.] If it be those that only profess Christianity, but are not yet really converted to God, they are in danger to be filled with a worae spirit, if not filled with the Spirit of God. Heathens, that are without the pale of grace, are under the power of the devil : Eph. ii. 2, ' Where- in in times past ye walked, according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.' And where the gospel is
VeR. 18.] SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. 403
preached, it is the same with the carnal : Acts v. 3, ' Why hath Satan filled thine heart, to lie to the Holy Ghost ? ' 1 Sam. xvi. 14, ' And the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him/ The heart of man is never empty of one guest or another ; the evil spirit harboureth there where the good spirit is not entertained. Now this is fit to be represented to the regenerate also, because the devil seeheth to re-enter : Eph. iv. 27, ' Neither give jilace to the devil ; ' compared with the 30th, ' And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God.' Satan is dethroned and shut out of the hearts of all true believers, yet he seeketh to recover his old possession and exercise his former tyranny, and doth always wait to surprise us when we give him any advantage ; by grieving the Spirit, or continuing in any known sin, he settleth there. Therefore it concerneth us to be always filled with the Spirit, that Satan may not have room in our hearts, or the least opportunity to enter again, as he will if we indulge our pride, envy, revenge, wrath, sensuality, or any other noisome lust.
[2.] For those that are regenerated, and have received the spirit of the gospel and not of the world, there needeth a further supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ : Phil. i. 19, ' For I know that this shall turn to my salvation, through your prayers, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.' Whereby is meant a further addition of grace wrought in us by the Spirit. The Holy Ghost doth not only plant these graces in us at first, but doth continually increase them, and assist us in the exer- cise of them.
(1.) He doth increase them. Faith is his gift, and he doth enkindle in us an holy love to God, and raise the heart to the hope of eternal life. This is the inward man, but this inward man must be strength- ened : Eph. iii. 16, 'That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might, by his Spirit, in the inner man.' These impressions are weak in us at first, but by the word and prayer and other holy means they are increased. Faith : Luke xvii. 5, 'Lord, increase our faith.' Love: Phil. i. 9, 'And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge, and in all judgment.' Hope : Kom. xv. 13, ' Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost.' That faith may be more strong, love more fervent, hope more lively. Therefore still we need more of the Spirit.
(2.) He doth assist us in the exercise of these graces : Heb. xiii. 21, ' Make you perfect in every good work, to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ.' The regenerating Spirit doth abide in us, and doth renew us more and more, and concurreth to every action. As preservation and pro- vidence is to creation, so this work of perfecting is to the first regener- ation. As we are first created in Christ to good works, so we are per- fected in Christ. Yea, Cod doth not only give us power, but doth con- tinually co-operate, and work in us and with us, without which co-oper- ation we can do nothing that pleaseth him. He concurreth to every action, and we do not only * live in the Spirit,' but ' walk in the Spirit,* Gal. V. 25. We are continually quickened by his influence, and enabled to mortify sin or produce the fruits of holiness. Now, then, we should
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always be filled with the Spirit, get more of his presence into our hearts, that we may he more enabled for the duties of our heavenly calling.
3. That the glory and excellency of our religion may appear. Those most honour God and Christ who have a more plentiful measure of his Spirit dwelling and working in them, for they make it evident unto the world that they have a power and a presence which the world hath not: 1 Peter iv. 14, 'If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye, for the Spirit of gloiy and of God resteth upon you ; on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified ; ' and 2 Thes. i. 11, 12, * Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power : that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God, and the Lord Jesus Christ.' If a christian live up to his principles, he will show that his religion breedeth the most noble and excellent spirits in the world, a divine spirit. Pie is above all dangers, because his great interests are secured elsewhere ; the heart is enlarged to all that is excellent, and he can do and suffer that which others dare not.