And he this day began to guide, has continued guiding ever since, will go on guiding to the end; began it with the Apostles, continued it to the Church, and will continue it to the end of the world.

Indeed, he that looks upon the face of the Christian Churches now would be easily tempted to think that either the time was not yet come that it should be fulfilled, or that it had been long ago, and his promise come utterly to an end for evermore. For so far are we from a guide into all truth, that we have much ado to find a guide in truth, false guides and false spirits are so rife; so far from being guided into all truth, that it is nearer truth to say into all error; as if this guide had quite forsaken us, or this promise belonged not at all to us. Yet for all that, to us it is.

For the truth is, it is not, this Guide's, this Spirit's, fault, but ours, that this "all truth" is so nigh none at all. "He will guide" still, but we will not be guided. And "into all truth," too, he will, but we will not; we will have no more than will serve our turn, stand with our own humour, ease, and interest; that is the reason why he guides not now as in the days of the Apostles, the first times, the times of [226/227]old. We will not let him; "we cannot bear it," as it is in the verse before; or worse, we will not bear, we will not endure it; every one will be his own guide, go his own way, make what truth he pleases, or rather what him pleases the only truth; every- one follow his own spirit; that is the reason why we have so little of the "Spirit of truth" among us. There are so many private spirits that there is no room for this.

Yet if into all, or indeed any truth that is worth the name of saving, we would be guided, to this one we must return, to one Spirit, or to no truth. There is but one truth and one Spirit; all other are but fancies. He that breaks the unity of the Spirit, that sets up many spirits, sets up many guides, but never a true one; chance he may, perhaps, into a truth, but not be guided to it, and as little good come of it where the analogy of Scripture and truth must needs be spoken by so many differing and divided spirits. It is time we think of holding to one Spirit, that we may all hold the same truth, and in time be led into it all. The only question is, Whether we will be led or no? If we will not, the business is at an end. If we will, we must submit to this Spirit and his guidance, his manner and way of guiding; by so doing we shall not fail in any necessary saying truth; "he will guide us into all truth."

Which that he may, as I have heretofore out of the former words told you of his coming, so shall I now, by his assist-ance, out of these latter, tell you of his guiding; fur to that intent and purpose he came to-day, and comes every day; came at first, and comes still; comes (1,) to guide; to guide (2,) into truth; (3,) into all truth; (4,) even you and all into it; yet, (5,) to guide only, not to drive or force us; to guide after his own way and fashion, not our fancy; of which, lastly, we need not doubt or make a question; he "will" do it.

So that now the parts of the text will plainly rise into these propositions:

I. That though Christ be gone he has not left us without a guide, but has sent him that shall guide us still.

II. That he that shall do it is "he," that very "he," that is, " the Spirit of truth," just before. No other can.

[227/228] III. That guide therefore into truth, he will; no other will.

IV. That he will guide not into this truth or that truth only, but into "all."

V. That he will guide even us too. You, and you, and you, us as well as those that were before us; all is but "you."

VI. That he will do it yet, but after his own way and fashion; "dhgªsei, after the way he comes; after as he comes, so will he guide, set us a way to find the truth, and guide us after that way and no other.

VII. That for certain so it is. He "will," "howbeit" he will, though yet he has not, though yet we peradventure will not or cannot endure to be guided, yet when we will set our- selves to it, "he will guide us into," &c.; it shall be no fault or failure of his, for he for his part will, is always willing.

Thee sum of all is this, to assure us (1) that notwithstanding all the errors and false sprits now abroad, there is a "Spirit of truth" still ready and willing to guide us into all truth yet; and (2) to show us how he will do it, that we may learn how to be guided by him. This the sum. And the use of all will be, that we submit ourselves to him and to his guid-ance, to be taught and led and guided by him; to his guid-ing and to his truth, and to all of it, without exception. To guide and to be guided are relatives, infer one another. If we will have him guide us, he will have us be guided by him, and give up ourselves to his way of guiding. Oh that we would, that there were but a heart in us to do so! We should not then have so many spirits, but more truth; one spirit would be all, and all truth would be one; this one single Spirit would be sufficient to guide us into all truth; he would guide us into all truth. But I must from my wishes to my words, where we see, first, we have a guide; that though Christ be ascended from us into heaven, yet we are not without a guide upon the earth.

I. "I will not leave you comfortless," said he, when he was going hence. Had he left us without a guide he had so, comfortless, indeed, in a vast and howling wilderness;-this earth is little else. But a "Comforter" he sends; such a one as shall "teach us all things;" that is a comfort, indeed, none like it, to have one to guide us in a dangerous and uncertain way, to teach us that our ignorance requires, to do [228/229] all the offices of a guide unto us, to teach us our way, to lead us, if need be, in it, to protect and defend us through it, to answer for us if we be questioned about it, and to cheer us lip, encourage and sustain us all the way.

II. Such a guide as this, is this he" we are next to speak of. "He, the Spirit of truth," so it is interpreted but immediately before. He (1) shall teach you, teach you "the way," reveal Christ to you; for unless he do you cannot know him; teach you how to pray; teach you " what to say," how to "answer," by the way, if you be called to question in it; "give you a mouth and wisdom" too; teach you not only to speak, but to speak to purpose. He (2) shall lead you too, deducet, lead you on, be a prop and stay and help to you in your journey, he (3) shall protect and defend you in it as a guide, free you from danger, set you at full "liberty;" be a cover to you by day and a shelter to you in the night; the breath of the holy Spirit will both refresh us and blow away all our enemies like the dust. He, (4,) if we be charged with any thing, will answer fix us, like a guide and governor. "It is not you," says Christ, "but the Spirit of your Father Man that speaketh in you." he, lastly, it is that quickens our spirit with his Spirit, that encourages and upholds us like a guide and leader; for without him our spirits are but soft air, and vanish at the least pressure. He guides our feet, and guides our heads, and guides our tongues, and guides our hands, and guides our hearts, and guides our spirits; we have neither spirit, nor motion, nor action, nor life without him.

III. But here particularly He comes to guide us into the truth. And God knows we need it; for "surely men of low degree are vanity," says the Psalmist, "and men of high degree are a lie;" not liars only, but a very lie, as far from truth as a lie itself; things so distant from that conformity with God, which is truth,--for truth is nothing else,--that no lie is further off it. Nor soul, nor body, nor heart, nor mind, nor upper nor lower powers conformed to him, neither our understandings to his understanding, nor our wills to his will, nor any thing of us really to him; our actions and words and thoughts all lie to him, to his face; we think too low, we speak too mean, we deal too falsely with him, [229/230] pretend all his, yet give wont of it to our lusts and to ourselves, and we are so used to it we can do no other, we are all either verbal or real lies, need we had of one to guide us into the truth.

God is truth, to guide us to him. Christ is "the truth," to guide us to him. His word is truth, to guide us into that, into the true understanding and practice of it. His promises are truth, very yea and amen, to guide us to them, to rest and hold upon them. He is way is the way of truth, to guide us into that, into a religion pure, holy, and undefiled; that only is the true one. Into none of these can any guide but this guide here. He showeth us of the Father, he reveals to us the Son; he interprets the word and writes it in our hearts; he leads and upholds us by his promises, seals them unto us, seals us again to the day of redemption, the play of truth, the day when all things shall appear truly as they are. He sets our religion right; he only leads us into that. Man cannot;--he can speak but to the ear; there his words die and end. Angels cannot;--they are but ministering spirits at the best to this Spirit. Nature cannot;--these truths are all above it, are supernatural, and no other truth is worth the knowing. Nay, into any truth this Spirit only can; we only flatter and keep ado about this truth and that truth and the other, but into them we cannot get, make nothing of any truth without him; unless he sanctify it, better else we have not known it: knowledge puffeth up, all knowledge that comes not from this Spirit: so the very truth of any truth, that which truly confirms it to the divine will and understanding, that makes truth the same with goodness, is from this Spirit, front his guiding and directing, his breathing it, or breathing it, or upon it.

IV. Thus we are fallen upon the fourth particular -that "he will guide us it to all truth."

God's mercies and Christ's are ever perfect, and of the largest size, and the conducts of the Spirit are so too, into all "goodness;" into all "fullness;" into all truth here; into all things. That we art not full is from ourselves; that we are not led into all truth, is for that all truth does not please us, and we are loth to believe it such, if it make not for us: lie for his part is as ready to guide us into all as into one. [230/231]For take we truth either for speculative or practical, either for the substance against types and shadows, or the discerning the substance through those shadows; or take we it in opposition to obscurity and doubting, understand we it for what is truly to be believed, or loved, or hoped, or feared, or done,--as under these is contained all that is saving truth, -so they are all taught us by this Spirit. The signification of all old types and shadows, sacrifices and ceremonies; the things which whilst Christ was with us we were not able to "bear;" the things which when they were done we did not understand; all that we are to believe and do; what to hope and what to fear; what to desire and what to love,--this Spirit teaches. And that, first,

Not as other spirits teach, which teach by halves, so much only as may serve to nurse up their faction and their side, but nothing more; but all, whatever is commanded, "keeps back nothing," as S. Paul professes for himself; nothing that is profitable unto you, that is, nothing profitable to salvation.

Not, secondly, as other spirits, which teach impertinent or idle truths, or mere natural ones; indeed for such truths as have neither spiritual profit or command he is neither bound nor binds himself; is neither sent nor comes to teach them; such truths as appertain not unto holiness, the Holy Spirit is not promised for. Yet, all that is necessary to be known, hoped, feared, expected, desired, or done, in reference to the kingdom of grace and glory, he never fails us in.

Not, thirdly, as other spirits that never teach all truth and nothing else, whose truths all commonly mixed with error; but what he teaches is truth, "all." By this you know that it is his Spirit; it is he that teaches every part, when the doctrine is "all truth." The doctrines of the world are like those bastard children in Nehemiah that speak half Ashdod and half Israel; one part of them is truth, the other falsehood; one part Scripture, the other a romance; one part spirit, the other flesh; one part heaven, the other earth, earthly interiors and respects, and nothing else. There is not an error or heresy so gross or impudent but has Jacob's voice though Esau's hands, speaks well whatever it does, speaks fair and smooth though its deeds be rough and cruel; [231/232] with Naphtali gives good words, though with Dan it be as a serpent by the way, and an adder in the path that biteth the horse heels, so that the rider does fall backward; speaks well though it mean ill, and overthrow all that embrace it. Thus the Antibaptist says trite, when he says the Apostles baptized men and women; but he says false, when he says none else, or that they baptized any twice with Christ's baptism. The Antinomian and Solifidian say no more than truth, when they says faith justifies without the works of the law, for they say with S. Paul; but they say a he when they separate the works of the Gospel from that faith that justifies, if S. James say true. Innumerable multitudes of such half--faced truths there are abroad, vented and vaunted by private spirits, such as this Spirit has no hand in. Every truth of his is truth in all its parts; all truth It, though it be but one, keeps the analogy of faith inviolable, perfect corre-spondence with all the rest. So that now every truth of his is all truth, truth all of it; but that is not all, for, fourthly, there is not a truth necessary or convenient for us to know but in due time he reveals it to us, unless we hinder him,--"all things," says Christ, in another place.

V. But all this while to whom is all this promised? this guiding Spirit into all truth, to whom is it? To whom but you? "you," says the text. What, you Apostles only? no such matter: you disciples present their? no such matter neither. It is but a little word this "you," yet of large extent; few letters in it, but much spirit: you believers, all of you, as well as you Apostles. For "all" he prays in the next chapter, for all "that should believe on him through their word." And it is promised that he shall "abide with them for ever;" and if ever, sure then beyond their persons and their tines; so that to ours, too, is the promise made, or it cannot be for ever.

To the Apostles indeed in greater measure, after a more eminent way, with miracles and wonders to confirm the truth he taught, yet to us also after our measure.
To them (l) to "bring to their remembrance all things whatsoever he had said unto them." Whence we read so often "they remembered his words;" "remembered what he said;" "remembered what was done unto him."

To them (2) to guide them into the understanding of old six types and prophecies, what was any where said or written, or meant of him.

To them (3) to explain and manifest what they before either did not understand or made a question of.

To them (l) to teach then those things which till "he" -this Spirit--came they could not " bear," as it is just before the text.

To them (5) to settle the rites and ceremonies, the disci-pline and government of the Church, to take order about things indifferent. "It seemed good unto the holy Ghost and to us," to define things not before commanded: of these Christ had give; no commandment, we read of none; S. Paul professes he had received none about them, yet he determines them, and tells us he thought also " he had the Spirit of God;"-even to those truths as well as others does the Spirit's guiding reach.

To them the Spirit came to guide them into all these kinds of truths; to us to guide us in them, or guide us after them, in a larger sense into them too. However, to one effect it comes, we and they have the same truth from the same Spirit; the way only, that is different; they immediately from the Spirit, we mediately by their writings dictated to them by the Spirit. This now guides time to the way and manner of his guiding, which comes next to he considered, and must be fetched both from the nature of the word and the manner of his coming, for after that manner is his guiding, as after he comes so he will guide too.

VI. Front the word first. And the word here for " guid-ing" is ­dhgªsei. Now, in ­dhgªsei there is, first, ­d'j, and them ·gein,--first way, then motion in it. He first sets us down a way that will bring us into the truth, then acts or moves us in it.

The first way or means is the word of God. "Thy word is a light unto my feet, and a lantern to my paths," says holy David. "All Scripture is given by inspiration," says S. Paul, "and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." Inspired purposely by this Spirit to be a way to [233/234] guide us into all truth and goodness. But this may all pretend to, and every one turns it how he lists. We must add a second.

And the second is the Church, for we must know this, says S. Peter; know it first too ­ "that no Scripture is of any private interpretation." There are "some things so hard to be understood" both in S. Paul's Epistles and also other Scriptures, says he, that that they are "unlearned and un-stable wrest rheum unto their own destruction," and therefore presently his advice follows, to beware lest we be led away with that error, " the error," as he calls it, "of the wicked," and so fall from our own steadfastness. When men un-learned or ungrounded, presume to be interpreters, or even learned men to prefer their private senses before the received ones of the Church, it is never like to produce better. The "pillar" and "ground " upon which truth stands and stays is the hurch, if S. Paul may be allowed the judge: "the pillar and ground of truth." In matters (l) of discipline when a brother has done disorderly, "tell it to the Church," says Christ, and "if he neglect to hear that, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and as a publican," --he is no Chris-tian. In matters (2) of doubt and controversy, send to the Church, to Jerusalem, to the Apostles and Elders there convened in council, and let them determine it, so we find it done. In a lawful and full assembly of the learned Fathers of the Church such shall be determined;--that is the way to settle the truth. In matters (3) of rites and ceremonies the Spirit guides us also by the Church. "If any seem to be contentious" about them, S. Paul's appeal is presently to the Church's customs: "we have no such custom, neither the Churches of God," that is answer enough full and suf-ficient, thinks the Apostle. If the Church's custom be for us, then it is good and true we think, to speak, or do: if against us, it is all naught and wrong, whatever purity or piety be pretended in it. Nay, so careful was the Apostle to preserve the public authority of the Church and beat down all private ways and fancies--by which ways only schism and heresy creep in--that he tells Timothy, though a Bishop, and one well read and exercised in the Scriptures "from a child," "of a forum of sound words" he would have even him [234/235] hold fast to; and the Romans he tells of a "form of doctrine" "to be obeyed" so far was that great and eloquent Apostle from being against forms, any forms of the Church--though he could have prayed and preached ex tempore with the best, had tongues and eloquence, and the gift of interpretation to do it too,--so far from leaving truth to any private interpretation or sudden notion whatsoever. Nor is this appeal to the Fathers any whit strange or in the Christian religion only first to be heard of; it was God's direction fruit the first:
"For ask now," says Moses, "of the days that are past, that were before thee." "Stand you in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way," says God. As if he had said, Look about, and see, and examine all the ways you can, yet the old way, that is the good one. "For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers, for we are but of yesterday, and know nothing." See how slightly things of yesterday, new interpretations, new devices, stew guides are accounted of. And indeed in itself it is most ridiculous to think the custom, and practice, and order, and interpretations of all times and Churches should be false, and those of yesterday only true, unless we can think the Spirit of truth has been fifteen or sixteen hundred years asleep, and never waked till now of late; or can imagine that Christ should found a Church, and promise to be with it to the end of the world, and their leave it presently to Antichrist to be guided by him for above fifteen hundred years together. Nor can I see why the Spirit of truth should now of late only begin to move and stir, except 1 should think he were awaked, or delighted with noise and fury. Nor is it reasonable to conceive a few private spirits, neither holier nor wiser than others, for aught appears, nor armed with miracles to confirm their doctrines, should be more guided by the Spirit of truth than the whole Church and succession of Christians, and Christian Fathers, especially wherein at any time they agree.

Yet, thirdly, riot always to go so high. "Thou leddest thy people like sheep," says the Psalmist, "by the hand of Moses and Aaron." Moses and Aaron were the governors of the Church, the one a priest, the other a prophet; by such God leads his people, by their lawful pastors and teachers. [235/236] The one, the civil governor, is the cloud to cover them from the heat; the other, the spiritual, is the light to lead them in the way. The first protects, the other guides us; and we are bid to "obey" them, "those especially that watch for our souls;" "such as labour in the word and doctrine." By such as God sets over us in the Church, to teach and guide us into truth, we must be guided if we will come into it. In things unlawful nor one nor other is to be obeyed: in things indifferent they always are; in things doubtful it is our safest course to have recourse to there, provided that they be not of Corah's company, that they exalt not themselves against Moses and Aaron, nor draw us to it. If they do, we may say to them as Moses did to those, "Ye take too much upon you, you sons of Levi." God leads his people "like a flock," in peace and unity, and "by the hands of Moses and Aaron." Thus the Spirit guides into all truth, because the Spirit is God, and God so guides.

You have heard the way and means, time first part of ­dhgªsei, or the Spirit's guiding. The second fellows; his act and motion.

(1.) He leads or guides us only; he does not drive us; that is not the way to plant truth, by force and violence, fire and fagots; not the Spirit's, sure, which is the Spirit of love.

(2.) Yet ·gei there is, we told you, in it; some act of the Spirit: he moves and stirs up to it, enlightens our under-standings, actuates out wills, disposes ways and times, occasions and opportunities to it; that is the reason we hear the truth more willingly at some time than other. Paul may plant, Apollos water, but the increase is this Spirit of God's; when all is done that man can do, he must have his act, or it will not be done.

(3.) He leads on fair and easily, for deduced; it is no Jehu's pace; that pace is only for an earthly kingdom, not an heavenly. The Spirit "leads softly on," like Jacob, "according as the cattle and children are able to endure;" according as our inferior powers, signified by the cattle, and our new begun piety and capacities, intimated by the children, are able to follow. It is danger, else, we lose them by the way. He that presses even truth and piety too fast upon us, is liker to tire us, and make is give out by the way, than to lead us [236/237] out to our journey's end. By degrees it is that even the, greatest perfection must be come to. Truths are to be scattered as men are able to bear them; Christ's own method, in the verse before. The way " into all truth" is by some and some.

(1.) This guiding is by teaching; one translation has docebit shall teach; and chap. xiv. 26, it is so too; "he shall teach you"--teach us the necessity of a teacher: "How shall they hear without a preacher: "To this purpose the Spirit sets teachers in the Church ; "pastors and teachers:" pastors to rule, teachers to teach; both to guide us into the truth. Yea, but teachers we now have store, that to be sure guide us into the truth, for they teach contraries and contradic-tions. What teachers then are they that teach the truth? Such as "be sent," says S. Paul, sent by them that have authority to send them; if they come without authority, or from a false one, from them that never received power them-selves to send others, though they were sent themselves, they are not sent by the Spirit; and though they may guide now and then into a truth, teach something that is true; into all they cannot; their very function is a lie, and their preaching of it.

(5.) Leading or guiding " into all truth"' as one, omen veritatem, in the singular, will tell us that unity is his way of guiding. N truth in division; we cannot so much as see our faces true in the clearest water if it be troubled; cast but a stone in, and divide its surface, and you spoil your seeing true; cast but a stone of division into the Church, and no seeing truth. It is "the spiritual man" that only truly discerns and sees the truth; the natural and carnal man, he cannot. And if there be "divisions" "or schisms "among you, are you not carnal" says S. Paul, in the next chapter. Yes, you are; so the schismatic, or he that causes rents and divisions in the Church, is but a carnal man, for all his brags, and cannot see the truth how much soever he pretend it. It were well if men would think of this, we were likely then the sooner to see truth, to be guided into all truth, if we could once keep all together; peace and truth go both together.

Thus far one word has led you: the connexion of that and the other with the former, of his guiding with his coming [237/238] will lead you further. "When he, the Spirit of truth, is come," then "he will guide you." When he "is come" is, when he is so grounded and settled in us, that we can say he is come indeed, he is in us of a truth, then all truth will follow presently. When the holy Spirit has once taken up his lodging in us, that we also begin to be holy spirits too, then truth comes on amain. "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God;" till our hearts lie well trained to the obedience of God's com-mandments, no truly- knowing truth. Divine knowledge is contrary to other knowledges; they begin in speculation and end in action, this begins with action and ends in speculation--seeing and knowing God: "What man is he that feareth the Lord, him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose." When the Spirit's holiness is come into us, his truth will follow as fast as we can bear it, till we come to "the fullness of the measure of the stature of Christ," to Christ himself that is "the truth;" the way now to come to the knowledge of truth is by holiness and true obedience. Nor yet so to be understood, as if the good man only knew the truth, or that every--one that has Christ, or the Spirit dwelling in them, were the only knowing men, and therefore fit only to teach others. Indeed, if you take knowledge for practical and saving knowledge, so it is; no man knows God but he that loves him; no man so knows truth but he that loves and follows it; and no man is saved by knowing, but by doing it. But that which may serve to save a man's self will not serve to save others, to bring them to salvation. It was one of Corah, Dathan, and Abiram's doctrines "indeed. "All the congregation is holy, everyone of them; wherefore then do you, Moses and Aaron, lift up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord ?" Why do you priests lift up yourselves so much to think you only are fit to teach and rule the people? "But the earth opened her mouth" and confuted the mad-ness of these men. Be the person never so holy, if he have no function to it, he must not presume to teach others, though he must teach himself. Holiness is one gift, the power of teaching is another, though both from the same Spirit; and no venturing upon Aaron's, S. Paul's, or S. Peter's office, unless the Spirit has set un apart to that end and purpose. It is [238/239] enough for any other that he has truth enough to save himself; and it is but ambition, presumption, and sacrilege, and by that a lessening of his goodness, to pretend to that which G_d has not called him to, but his own preposterous zeal, or too high conceit of his own holiness and abilities; and so far from being like to guide into all truth, that our own days are sufficient witnesses all errors and heresies have sprung from it.

The way that the Spirit guides into all his truth is by the Scripture, interpreted by the Church, by the decrees, and determinations, and customs of it; by the hand of our him lawful pastors and teachers, himself inwardly acting and moving in us, inwardly working and persuading us, outwardly ministering opportunities and occasions to us, leading us by degrees, preserving us in peace, keeping us in obedience, and holiness, and charity. Thus he guides into all truth, ordinarily, and no way else.

VII. And to be sure, lastly, thus he will. Christ here promises for him that he shall, for so we may render it, "he shall." And he is " the Spirit of truth," says the text. So he will make good what Christ has promised, and what he comes to be, the guide into the way of truth. We need not either mistrust or fear it. For though Christ himself must go away and leave us, because it is expedient that he should, yet this Spirit will stand by us howsoever. "Howbeit" he will. He is a mighty wind, and will quickly disperse and blow away the mists of ignorance and error; he is a fire, and will easily purge the dross, and burn up the chaff that mixes with the truth, and hides or sullies it; nothing can stand before him--nothing shall. He comes to us with a "howbeit," a non obstante, be it how it will; though we lie blind, and ignorant, and foolish, and full of infirmities and sins, so we be willing, lie will come and guide us.

Yet if now we will so be guided, to close up all,--we must, lastly, submit ourselves wholly to his way and guiding, to the truth, and to all of it.

To his way and order; (1,) no teaching him how he should teach us. "Them that be meek shall he guide in judgment, and such as be gentle, them shall he learn his way." No teaching without humility; we must be willing to be guided [239/240] or he will not guide us. Men will not no; thence comes so many errors and mistakes.

To "truth" too, (2,) we must submit. If it be truth, no quarrelling against it; To seeking shelters and distinctions to defend us from it. Though we have been long in error, and count it a dishonour to revoke it, revoke it we must, be it what it will, or we endanger the loss of the whole truth, the Spirit will not lead us.

And to "all," (3,) too. We must not plead our interest, or anything, against it, be it never so troublesome, never so disadvantageous, never so displeasing; we must resolve to embrace it, because it is truth.

With this submission, too, we are now to come to the holy mysteries; submit our hearts, and judgments, and affections here; not to presume to pry too much into the way and manner of Christ's and the Spirit's being there, but to submit our reasons to our faith; and open our hearts to Christ, as well as our mouths to the outward elements; and keep under our affections by holy and godly doing, that so the Spirit of truth may come into them all. And so doing, the Spirit will conic, and he will guide us,--guide us into all necessary and saving truths,--guide us to Christ,--guide us to God, guide us here, and guide us hence,--guide us in earth, and guide us to heaven.

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