The Clearest and Surest Marks of Our Being Led by the Spirit of God

Every Child of GOD, led by one SPIRIT.

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the Sons of God.

THE whole World of Mankind is divided into two Sorts, Saints and Sinners; the Children of God, and the Children of the wicked One. And that which distinguishes Men, and truly fixes one or the other of these Characters upon them, is the Spirit within, which leads and governs p. 2them. For every Man is a Child of God, or a Child of the Devil, according to the Spirit he is govern'd by. They who are under the tyrannical Power of carnal, worldly, and wicked Principles are of their Father the Devil; whilst such as are governed by a divine and gracious Principle are the Children of God. My Text leads to consider only this latter Sort of Persons. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the Sons of God. As many, how many soever, or what Nation or People, of what Station, and Condition of Life soever, and what different Perswasion soever as to some particular Points of Christianity, and whatever Apprehension others may have of them, or they may have of others; yet if they are led by the Spirit of God, that is, if they are under the gracious Guidance and Government of the blessed Spirit, they are the Children of God.

And as so many who are thus led and govern'd are the Children of God, so there are no more to be reckoned in that happy Number. For let Men be never so thoro' in their Knowledge, never so orthodox in their Principles, let them make never so high a Profession, and appear never so zealous about religious Matters, let their Character run never so high among Men, even as the most eminent Saints; yet if they be not led, if they be not inlivened and influenced by the Spirit of God, he will not own them for his Sons, or his Daughters. For p. 3if any Man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his, as in the 9th Verse of the Context.

And now without any further Opening the Words, or taking up your Time, in shewing how the Words stand related to the preceeding or following Part of the Chapter, which might afford many profitable Thoughts to us, I shall proceed immediately to consider the doctrinal Truth which lyes very obvious in the Words, viz.

p. 3DOCTRINE. The surest and clearest Mark of our being the Children of God, is our being led and govern'd by the Spirit of God.

Here are two Propositions that lye very fairly to be spoken to, viz.

I. Prop. Every Child of God is led, and govern'd by one and the SAME SPIRIT; even the Spirit of God.

II. Prop. The surest and clearest Mark of our being the Children of God, is our being led and govern'd by HIS SPIRIT.

I. Prop. Every Child of God is led and govern'd by one and the SAME SPIRIT; even the Spirit of God.

p. 4The same divine Spirit, the same gracious and heavenly Principle animates and actuates every Saint. For as all those who are led by the Spirit of God are his Children; so all his Children are led by his Spirit. There is not so much as one real Saint upon Earth, but what is under the gracious and powerful Influence of the divine Spirit, as the prevailing governing Principle in the Soul. Every Saint and true Believer is united to God and Christ by the holy Spirit. They dwell in him, and he in them by the holy Spirit, that is given to them [1 John 4.13.] . There is one Body, and there is one Spirit [Eph. 4.4.] . As one Soul or Spirit animates the humane Body, even all the Organs and Members of it, so the Church, that is, the living Members thereof, which are the Body of Christ, are animated and govern'd by one Spirit. They are all born of the same Spirit, and so have the same divine Life breathed into them. They have thro' Christ access by one Spirit unto the Father [Eph. 2.18.] . And every true Believer is united one to another by the same Spirit that dwells in them.

As the Son of God, the Seed of the Woman, was promised immediately after the Fall, and in the Fulness of Time was sent into the World, to make Attonement for Sin, and to make Way for God to pardon and save all that believe in p. 5him: So the Spirit of God was sent into the World to begin and carry on the Work of divine Grace in Men's Soul's. And this Spirit has been in the World operating upon, and leading and governing the Saints in all Ages from the Beginning of the World unto this Day.

p. 5Indeed we read in our Saviour's Time (which was near four thousand Years after the Fall of Adam) that the Holy Ghost was not YET given, because that Jesus was not yet glorified [John 7.39.] . And he tells his Disciples that it was expedient for them, that he should go away, for if he did not depart, the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, would not come unto them, but if he departed he would send him unto them [John 16.7.] . Which Expressions may at first Glance look as if the Holy Ghost or the Spirit of God, had not been in the World, nor operating upon the Hearts of Men, 'till that Time.

But now that Coming of the Holy Ghost which Christ foretells and promises, is not to be understood as if the Spirit of God had never been at all manifested before that Time; but it doubtless intends the more glorious Manifestation of him, in those extraordinary and miraculous Gifts which were bestowed upon the Apostles, and other Disciples, after Christ's Ascension: And also the extraordinary gracious p. 6Influences which he had on the Hearts of Multitudes at that Time.